Million Post Quest - Had a good wine lately?

[Gator By Marriage]

Christmas dinner never varies at Chateau GBM: standing rib roast, Yorkshire pudding, and green beans and brussel sprouts roasted with rosemary and pancetta. The only variable from year to year is the wine. I was in the mood for something special and pulled out what is probably one of the better wines I own: 1990 Chateau Leoville Las Cases, from St. Julien in Bourdeaux. Still has a lot of life in it, but fully mature and absolutely epic. I bought an entire case on futures back almost 30 years ago for $360. Today one bottle would set you back more than I paid for the case. For those of you with that kind of disposable income (which I don’t) I assure you you won’t be disappointed. Here’s the label:

I don’t know if we have any sparkling wine fans here, but for those who like it, but find champagne ridiculously over priced, there is some good stuff coming out of California (and has been for decades). One of my favorites comes from Domain Chandon, with a couple bottles consumed on Christmas with appetizers, owned by the French luxury brands company LVMH. Our go to is the “Blanc de Pinot Noir” (formerly named, in the French fashion “Blanc de noirs). For those unfamiliar, champagne is made with both white and red grapes unless labeled “Blanc de blancs.” Many California sparklers are also a blend, but Chandon is one of the few to note it on the label.
So if any here are looking for a good one for New Years, and want to stay in the under $20 range, you won’t go wrong with this one (and for those who don’t like Pinot Noir - cough, cough, @NVGator cough - this sparkler tastes nothing like Pinot. (Another great Cali sparkler for under $20, but more under the radar, is Scharffenberger). As for the Chandon label…


Until recently the label looked like this


For anyone interested in trying the Scharffenberger


Both of these would be considered “dry” sparkling wines as opposed to “sweet.”

 

[Detroitgator]

This would be considered a "sweet" (i.e., delicious) sparking wine as opposed to "dry" (i.e., tastes like homeless ass). $8.99/bottle at Walmart... was only $5 when we were at UF. You're welcome.

 

[Gator By Marriage]

This would be considered a "sweet" (i.e., delicious) sparking wine as opposed to "dry" (i.e., tastes like homeless ass). $8.99/bottle at Walmart... was only $5 when we were at UF. You're welcome.

Truth be told, I'm amazed you ever even poke your head in this thread. No posts here about vodka or Bud Light.

 

[Detroitgator]

Truth be told, I'm amazed you ever even poke your head in this thread. No posts here about vodka or Bud Light.

it's bud light PLATINUM! The "champagne of bud light's!!!!" GET IT RIGHT!!!!

 

[Gator By Marriage]

it's bud light PLATINUM! The "champagne of bud light's!!!!" GET IT RIGHT!!!!

Shocked I could have gotten that wrong.

 

[gatorev12]

Funny enough, some of the world's best sparkling wine is being made in England.

The main English wineries are in Sussex and Kent...only about 80 miles from where the Champagne-growing region is in France; and with climate change shifting the ecosystem somewhat, the English are starting to make world-renowned sparkling. Ridgeway is the most acclaimed estate; but if you want something you can pick up at Total Wine, they usually have Chapel Down for about $50. Both have been served at Buckingham Palace and 10 Downing Street.

For bargain sparkling (under $20), New Mexico is making some quality stuff; and Brazil is too. Brazilian sparkling wines are very similar to prosecco--sweet, and very light bubbles.

 

[Gator By Marriage]

Time for a bump, hell it’s been over two months! I’ve tried a few new wines over that time- but twice was down and out with bad colds (one of which may have been Omicron) - but nothing worth recommending…..until now. I had two good Cabs over the last few days, both of which I really enjoyed. The first one is a Washington state cab from Pendulum (2018). Great Cab flavors and very little tannic acid. It will not age more to than a few more years I suspect, but why wait? It would be great with steak, lamb, etc., or just be itself. (Or, this just popped in my head, good mac’n cheese!) Plan on spending $15-20. Here’s the label:


The second wine is one I’m really glad to have found.
Generally, Napa Valley Cabs have become prohibitively expensive for most regular folks. When I first got into wine, there were many Napa Cabs I enjoyed that now I can’t touch. Average ones are now $40-50 a bottle; as there is great quality other places, why bother? Don’t get me wrong, I’ll buy one or two of these every now and then for special occasions, but for regular drinking? No.
Last week though, I found one, that while a bit more than I usually pay, is worth the extra few bucks.
The wine is from Courtney Benham (2018) and it’s an outstanding Cab. Great flavor and enough acid to last 8-10 years, but not so much as to be tough to drink now. For those of you in the SE, it’s available at Total Wine for $25 and for the next week or so available at 15% off as a “winery direct” wine. I liked it so much I picked up eight bottles today! The label:


P.S. They make a Mendecino Co. label (maroon) that I tried too. Good, but not worth the few bucks you’d save off the Napa version.

 

[gatorev12]

Time for a bump, hell it’s been over two months! I’ve tried a few new wines over that time- but twice was down and out with bad colds (one of which may have been Omicron) - but nothing worth recommending…..until now. I had two good Cabs over the last few days, both of which I really enjoyed. The first one is a Washington state cab from Pendulum (2018). Great Cab flavors and very little tannic acid. It will not age more to than a few more years I suspect, but why wait? It would be great with steak, lamb, etc., or just be itself. (Or, this just popped in my head, good mac’n cheese!) Plan on spending $15-20. Here’s the label:

The second wine is one I’m really glad to have found.
Generally, Napa Valley Cabs have become prohibitively expensive for most regular folks. When I first got into wine, there were many Napa Cabs I enjoyed that now I can’t touch. Average ones are now $40-50 a bottle; as there is great quality other places, why bother? Don’t get me wrong, I’ll buy one or two of these every now and then for special occasions, but for regular drinking? No.
Last week though, I found one, that while a bit more than I usually pay, is worth the extra few bucks.
The wine is from Courtney Benham (2018) and it’s an outstanding Cab. Great flavor and enough acid to last 8-10 years, but not so much as to be tough to drink now. For those of you in the SE, it’s available at Total Wine for $25 and for the next week or so available at 15% off as a “winery direct” wine. I liked it so much I picked up eight bottles today! The label:

P.S. They make a Mendecino Co. label (maroon) that I tried too. Good, but not worth the few bucks you’d save off the Napa version.

You're absolutely right that Napa has steadily risen in terms of price without a huge increase in overall value; but another one to try that's moderately priced, but delivers an exponential value in terms of taste is the Charles Krug line. Sterling Napa Cabs are usually under $30 and also punch well above their weight.

 

[Gator By Marriage]

Had a couple new wines over the last week worth recommending.
The first was a Spanish red that was a Tempranillo-Garnacha blend (though mostly the former) that was exceptionally smooth and would probably go with a variety of foods or just to have by the glass. If you are looking for an inexpensive wine for a cook out or serve to a crowd, you could do a helluva lot worse than this $10 gem. Here’s the label:

The “91” in the upper right corner is a score given the wine by wine critic James Suckling. More on him below.

The second wine is a “cru” Beaujolais from the commune of “Fleurie.” To my taste, Beaujolais runs from the gamut from barely drinkable to outstanding. For me, the key is to avoid “Beaujolais Noveau”, “Beaujolais”, and “Beaujolais Villages”, and focus on the crus from Brouilly, Chenas, Chiroubles, Cote de Brouilly, Fleurie, Julienas, Morgon, Moulin A Vent, Regnie, and St. Amour.
The producers make it easy by listing the commune in big letters on the label. And they are easy to find in a liquor store as they are right next to the red Burgundy and stand out as being a hell of a lot cheaper! The other big difference is unlike the Burgundies, which are made with Pinot Noir, Beaujolais is made (good news @NVGator !) with a grape called “Gamay”; it’s fruity without the earthiness of Pinot Noir that many find off putting.
This particular wine is from Chateau Des Deduits and went great with chicken and dumplings. Very little acid, but it would definitely last a couple of years on the shelf. Great berry flavors, but a little more expensive than my usual recommendations, coming in at $22. The label:

It’s not visible in this picture, but above the label was a sticker telling the buyer that this wine was given a score of 93 by James Suckling.
I have two comments about that. The first is that Suckling, a long time wine writer and critic who spent many years writing for “Wine Spectator”, has always reminded me of that professor in college everyone tried to get because he or she was an easy grader. He has always seemed over generous to me. There are other critics I trust more, but, hey, always go with the guy or gal whose taste is similar to yours.
The second comment is to always be careful about wine scores you see in the store not actually on the bottle. Always ensure that the score/review are for the same vintage as is for sale. Many a time I have seen a great score and comments for a wine that is for a year or sometimes several years earlier than what the merchant is offering. Caveat emptor!

 

[NVGator]

@Gator By Marriage that Fleurie is actually really good.

Have you ever tried the Tempranillo from Tupungato? Argentinian Wow!

 

[soflagator]

I mentioned this wine last week after Gatorphan posted it. I couldn’t remember the name and had been trying to find it. He bailed me out. But it’s a really solid Zinfandel, especially for its $15ish price point. Very subtle oak but also great fruit and very drinkable. My in laws are in town, and they have a tendency to put back some wine, so it’s a perfect wine to have on hand to limit some of your costs.

 

[gatorev12]

Something different: try Boordy Vineyards from Maryland. They have free shipping on orders of 3+ to FL.

Their Landmark Cab Franc Reserve is a little pricy ($45)--but delivers an absolute beast of a wine: easily one of the best CabFrancs I've ever had & drinks like a $100+ bottle. Brought to a party a few weeks back and it was a real hit from everyone there.

Their Petit Cab blend is pretty good as well: very fruity and a perfect light red for the warmer months that are already upon us. That one's sold out on the website, but is one of their better ones and around $14 or so.

 

[Gator By Marriage]

@Gator By Marriage that Fleurie is actually really good.

Have you ever tried the Tempranillo from Tupungato? Argentinian Wow!

Not familiar with it, but as I love good Tempranillo, I'll see if I can find some!

 

[Gator By Marriage]

I mentioned this wine last week after Gatorphan posted it. I couldn’t remember the name and had been trying to find it. He bailed me out. But it’s a really solid Zinfandel, especially for its $15ish price point. Very subtle oak but also great fruit and very drinkable. My in laws are in town, and they have a tendency to put back some wine, so it’s a perfect wine to have on hand to limit some of your costs.

This Zin is very consistent from vintage to vintage. Solid pick.

 

[Gator By Marriage]

Been traveling quite a bit lately (nowhere exciting: El Paso & Salt Lake City, Raleigh tomorrow- my job is so exciting!) and not gotten around to posting here, but I’ve had several wines recently that were worth recommending. In no particular order…..

Elk Cove Pinot Gris. Oregon white that is very consistent vintage to vintage. A lot more body than the average PG and very versatile. A great summer wine, especially if your enjoying seafood, pasta, or just sitting somewhere in the shade. Figure on paying $15-20.


Next up is one of my favorite Italian whites, Greco di Tufo from the Campania region of S. Italy (Naples). This wine always reminds me of a white Rhône wine (Viognier maybe?) and looks like Chardonnay in the glass (but tastes nothing like it). This another great seafood or pasta wine (we enjoyed it with Rigatoni tossed with Pancetta, Shallots, Roma tomatoes and fresh Sage). This particular Greco is made by Terradora di Paolo and will set you back $18-22. Like a lot of Italian white wines, it is much better if you let it sit a few minutes after taking it out of the fridge. Basically, drink it “cool,” not “cold.”



As for the reds…..

Buehler Napa Valley Cab (2018). Really nice smooth cab with classic Napa flavors. Not a long term cab, but excellent for the foreseeable future. Junior and I shared a bottle last night with some ribeyes from the Egg. Was a perfect accompaniment. A little more than I usually spend, but, hey, inflation. Usually around $25.



I’ve mentioned Italian Sangiovese before (the grape that runs the gamut from simple barely drinkable Chianti in straw covered bottles to high end Brunello di Montalcino that can go from $50-100 and up). With the aforementioned pancetta pasta, I had an excellent example from Tuscany called Zingari. Very smooth fruity wine. The rest of the family liked the white from Greco di Tufo with the pasta; I thought this one went better with the smokiness the fresh sage added to the pasta. Figure $15-20. Would also go nicely with any red meat or meat from the grill.


The last wine was from the Beaujolais commune of Morgon. I’ve talked about Beaujolais in the past and recommended sticking with the ones from the “named” communes and this one from Morgon absolutely fits the bill. Lightish, with good fruit and low acid. Another great with grilled foods wine, but light enough for pretty much any chicken dish. Morgon’s have a broad price range from roughly $12-50 a bottle. This one was one of the reasonable kind, coming in at $20 and an excellent value.

 

[Gator By Marriage]

A white and a red to recommend this week.

For many years, I used to seek out the white wines from Macon in France. It was a bargain way to drink white Burgundy without having to spend a fortune. (For those of you who don’t mind spending a fortune the wines from Puligny-Montrachet and Mersault are some of the finest examples of Chardonnay I’ve ever tasted. For those of you who are wealthy as opposed to just rich, look for Montrachet and Corton-Charlemagne. I am aware of only a half dozen or so California wineries whose Chardonnay’s are this good and long lasting.)
Unfortunately, I wasn’t the only one seeking them out and Macons eventually stopped being a bargain. (The wines from St. Veran were another deal in French Chardonnay, and they too stopped being a bargain.) Consequently, white Burgundy joined its red wine sibling as a wine I just didn’t buy anymore. It was a shame as I often find Cali Chardonnay to be waaaaay over oaked giving the wine too much of a “vanilla” flavor. (I think I’ve mentioned this before, but I have come to believe vanilla is catnip for humans.)
So, to make a long story short (I know, I know, “too late!”), for old times sake, I picked up a Macon-Lugny “Les Genievres” from Louis Latour that I used to buy by the case @$8 per that is now closer to $20. It’s an unoaked Chardonnay that is much crisper and fruitier than the US versions. It, like all good Macons, had an almost green tinge instead of the golden yellow like we see here with US versions. A really good food wine and widely available.


The red is a Tuscan Sangiovese that is both a bargain at $10-12 and a bargain for the quality. Fruity with low acid and fine with food or just for drinking. Probably will go with a wide range of foods from pasta to steaks. This one was the 2018.

 

[gatorev12]

Russian Sparkling wine from the former Imperial Winemaker to the Romanov court. A little sweeter than normal, but otherwise very good sparkling.

 

[Gator By Marriage]

New discovery for me of a real bargain from Spain. The wine is a 2019 Tempranillo from Spain by Talma. It’s an amazing bargain @$9 a bottle (@ Total Wine) and definitely over delivers. Good up front fruit flavors and low acid. Drank it by itself and with some Paella the next day. Excellent either with food or without. Great wine to always have a few bottles around for cooking, uncritical quaffing or an impromptu get together. I’ll definitely throw a few in the rack.

 

[soflagator]

@Gator By Marriage

Had this out a few weeks and have been meaning to share. Excellent, rich Cabernet with very balanced oak that we really enjoyed. Isn’t overly available, but is $14-17 where I’ve seen it, which I feel is a major bargain.

 

[Gator By Marriage]

@Gator By Marriage

Had this out a few weeks and have been meaning to share. Excellent, rich Cabernet with very balanced oak that we really enjoyed. Isn’t overly available, but is $14-17 where I’ve seen it, which I feel is a major bargain.

View attachment 46746

I have never seen or even heard of it. That’s a label I’d remember. I’ll have to actually ask around!