The Official Wine Thread - Page 893

some stuff from over the weekend. A friend brought them back from Napa

How was it? I generally hate overdone or very ripe CA wines, but I actually like the Turley wines, especially the cheaper bottlings.

It was drinking nice but I think could have benefited from more time. As you note, it's one of the less expensive bottlings, so that's why I pulled it yesterday as I wanted a Zin.

I am on their allocation list and been picking mainly the cheap ones, like Juvenile and Dog Town. However, we were in Paso over Xmas in '11 and we did the Turley tasting room. They had some really nice ones out for tasting that day, all more expensive vineyards, and with a few years of age on them. Damn but they were worth the money. I'm now laying down some of the expensive ones to get five or so years on them. Not overblown but lots of fruits, smooth as can be but tannins for structure, nice spice. It hurts to drop $40 or more on a Zin but the tasting really changed my mind on it.

Yep, I liked them best at 2-3 years after release.

Anybody have any thoughts on the BV Tapestry 2007, 2008, 2009 (good buy? when to drink?, etc). BV just sent me an email about getting the vertical for $125 + tax (I think 131~132 all together). It's a little cheaper than going to total wine, but I don't think total wine has the vertical. And I do have a few more open spots in my wine cooler.

I have experience with the BV's (from Coastal Estates up to the Reserve, Maestro's and Latours, my wife and I are big Napa Cab fans), but for whatever reason I don't think I've tried the Tapestry.

Though i havent had it in a while, Tapestry has historically been a pretty solid wine, one I have found to be made in a balanced style that is good for short to mid term aging. Winesearcher shows it retailing in the ~$30-$40 range, so the premium charged by BV for buying direct doesn't seem too bad.

Best as I can tell, the '07 is kind of hard to find (only 5 options for VA on winesearcher, none very convenient or great deals), the '08 appears common, and I think the '09 is just about to come out (probably the reason BV is offering the vertical).

Thinking I might do it.

In the grand scheme of things, it's $45 or so a bottle. If that's what you're interested in why not take the dive? I've had a few bottles of that and it's not a bad wine for the price.

The Barolo could probably lay down 30 years but man was it drinking well. No complaints about it at all. And cheers on Cristom!

Had two bottles tonight. My new $7.50 mainstay from the southern Rhone then a 08 Russell Vineyard by Loring. Okay, 100% this has Syrah in it. Dark with purple meniscus. Don't tell me you didn't "ink" that up Brian. Tasted great. No twizzler, gomey.

7.5??? What's it called?

2010 La Vieille Ferme (Perrin & Fils) Côtes du Ventoux

I popped a '02 penfolds bin 389 tonight, It was a bottle that has been stored at 70 F for most of its life so I wasn't sure how it'd show but it turned out to be spectacular; very smooth, tannins were definitely down from its youth, still good fruit, and a nice long finish. Nice that you can put a little age on a $20 bottle.

How long do you guys think some of these big CA fruit bomb pinots can survive? (at 55F)