The Official Wine Thread

[audiophilia]

Originally Posted by Piobaire

Did a tasting of Talbott Vineyards (http://www.talbottvineyards.com/) last night. Did not care for their unoaked Chard, liked their oaked Chard (except it had too much oak) and their Pinot was too fruity, almost like an extract Zin.

Spot on. A very nice tasting room outside of Carmel, but the wines disappointed. Not the shirts and ties, though.

 

[audiophilia]

Originally Posted by gomestar

Roederer Cristal Rose

Player.

 

[tattersall]

Had a nice flinty Sancerre last night - 2008 Henri Bourgeois Les Baronnes.

 

[whnay.]

2007 St. Innocent Pinot Noir - Williamette Valley - importantly no screw top

88/100

 

[Mark from Plano]

Last night was a 2005 Chateau Pipeau with panfried strip steaks and caramelized onions.

 

[gomestar]

victory post, audio. Nice. Foods and wine looks great.

 

[kwilkinson]

2004 Shafer Relentless.
Opened with my parents over dinner. Well, I decanted an hour and then enjoyed it over dinner. Honestly, disappointing overall. Good wine? Yes. Very good and traditional Napa Syrah flavors. A thin mouthfeel, almost like a Pinot instead of a Syrah. Which was actually quite enjoyable. A pleasant, yet light, mouthfeel yet the wine was still flavorful. Unfortunately, although this wine was good, it was nowhere near worth the $70 sticker I paid for it. And trust me, when you make $9/hour, you expect a $70 bottle of wine to blow your socks off.

 

[Piobaire]

Nice, K.

Had an 07 Betts and Scholl, OG Grenache. Barossa Valley.

 

[gomestar]

sad to hear

For that coinage, think Bordeaux or Piedmont next time.

 

[R.O. Thornhill]

Leoville Barton 2001 - pretty textbook St Julien; very correct, with plenty of cassis and pencil shavings; restrained, but opened up nicely after a few hours; declicious with some roast beef

Will probably leave it for a few years until I drink the next one from that case. Have half a case of the 1998 left and might see how they are getting on soon

 

[ama]

Originally Posted by gomestar

sad to hear

For that coinage, think Bordeaux or Piedmont next time.

He is still a California Girl at heart. Gotta support the locals.

 

[kwilkinson]

2007 Kokomo - Carignane Tollini Vineyard With cod filet, corn, and asparagus.

Originally Posted by ama

He is still a California Girl at heart. Gotta support the locals.
I am still a CG at heart. Luckily for me, value is easier to find in Sonoma, where I lived. Although it is still a crapshoot sometimes.

 

[Mark from Plano]

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

2004 Shafer Relentless.
Opened with my parents over dinner. Well, I decanted an hour and then enjoyed it over dinner. Honestly, disappointing overall. Good wine? Yes. Very good and traditional Napa Syrah flavors. A thin mouthfeel, almost like a Pinot instead of a Syrah. Which was actually quite enjoyable. A pleasant, yet light, mouthfeel yet the wine was still flavorful. Unfortunately, although this wine was good, it was nowhere near worth the $70 sticker I paid for it. And trust me, when you make $9/hour, you expect a $70 bottle of wine to blow your socks off.

Sad you didn't like the Relentless. I think its a really yummy wine in certain contexts (perhaps that's part of your objection). I do agree that it's a pretty bad QPR at $70+ though. I've had my bottles for a few years so the price pain has subsided a bit I guess. I'm relishing opening one up again soon. I'd say that the two I've had in the last few months were among my top 10 wine experiences in that time.

NOTE: Checking my Cellartracker, the bottles I have are all 2005's so perhaps that's part of the difference.

EDIT: Quick review of the ratings...mostly about the same although Parker liked the '05 better (93 vs. 91) and Wine Spectator like it a lot better (87 vs. 92). IWC is the same (90) and CT ratings are the same (92). Take that for what it's worth.

 

[kwilkinson]

Originally Posted by Mark from Plano

Sad you didn't like the Relentless. I think its a really yummy wine in certain contexts (perhaps that's part of your objection). I do agree that it's a pretty bad QPR at $70+ though. I've had my bottles for a few years so the price pain has subsided a bit I guess. I'm relishing opening one up again soon. I'd say that the two I've had in the last few months were among my top 10 wine experiences in that time. NOTE: Checking my Cellartracker, the bottles I have are all 2005's so perhaps that's part of the difference.
I was happy with the wine in a vacuum. Meaning, in a blind tasting, or not seeing/thinking about the price tag, it was a good wine. Great flavors, surprising but pleasant mouthfeel, and a long finish considering how light it felt in the mouth. I think 07 was a decent year for them. The only disappointment was the QPR, which in my current situation would keep me from buying it again. If I had had it at $35-45, I'd probably be telling everybody I ever met to go buy a case.

 

[gomestar]

hai guiz, I just have to make my 4,000th poast here. Now off to the dolphin threak.