The Official Wine Thread

[tattersall]

Originally Posted by whnay.

If you are looking for a well priced Pinot Noir ($40 - $60) look no further than:

Walter Hansel - Russian River

Chasseur (Bill Hunter) - Sonoma Coast

Both are excellent and outperform many that are much pricer.

+1 both are very good. Hansel makes a nice Chardonnay too.

 

[Mark from Plano]

Originally Posted by Piobaire

Wanted to try a BN and this is all I could find. However, got several other bottles. Excuse how blurry the first pic is, no idea what's up with that.

Pio, I avoided buying the DeBouf this year. My notes on it from two years ago read: "undrinkable swill." However, I read a review this year that had it as the best of the lot. :shrug: I've only tried one so far this year (Bouchard Aine & Fils) and it was pretty OK. As I posted in another thread, it reminded me somewhat of a Cote du Brouilly...which I like. It was simpler (of course) and more fruit punchy...but not undrinkable.

 

[Piobaire]

Mark, I'm dubious too about it but it was the only BN to be found. I've never had one and just want to try it.

 

[Huntsman]

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

^Yep, the Hansel especially is great. Speaking of great QPR RRV wines, the 2006 Small Vines Pinot is great at around $50. Really interesting story behind their winemaker too. God I love Russian River Valley for pinots.
Wow, that wine got a lot of props. Must try.

Originally Posted by LabelKing

Sutton of Sonoma makes an interesting rather herbal vermouth.
Cool. Will keep it in mind.

Originally Posted by Piobaire

Mark, I'm dubious too about it but it was the only BN to be found. I've never had one and just want to try it.
We had some guests over recently who brought some Nouveau with them as a gift. A 2005 Duboef.

~ H

 

[gomestar]

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

Anyway, drinking my bottle of Gaston Chiquet Tradition Brut nv while I get ready to go out for dinner with some friends. My first time having Chiquet. This is a great "basic" grower champagne. Sophisticated, but not overwhelming. Very balanced. Nice fruit flavors, with great acidic bite coming through as well. I'd have liked a bit more minerality. The finish is long and satisfying. Silky smooth but still incredibly crisp and clean. Definitely worth what I paid. Has me interested in trying other Chiquet offerings.

I liked the Chiquet and found it as a great option to pour with friends - it's not too resident of Britain-fruity like others, but isn't overly sharp with acidity and minerality. Well balanced and suitable for a variety of palates.

 

[PandArts]

Happy Monday winos!!!

Hope everyone who celebrated Turkey Day had a lovely one! I didn't pour anything new so I won't waste bandwidth on those. But Sunday, for tree trimming we had two bottles of this:

2008 - Four Graces Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley

Just a wonderfully supple and rich pinot, with a nose full of spiced red berries and warm hints of leather and earth. The palate brought darker fruits like black cherry, a hint of plum and soothing nuances of baking spices (it reminded me a little of the Martinelli Moonshine Ranch...described as Holidays in a Glass). Mid-palate brought in some brighter notes of strawberries and a cranberry laced acidity. The structure was lovely with really smooth and gentle tannins that tied into a very saticfying finish. This one really went great with left overs and nice fire in the fireplace!

 

[Piobaire]

2006 Karl Pfaffmann Spätburgunder trocken. Great ruby red colour, good fruit and a little barnyard on the nose. Tasting gives cherries, lively acid and some mineral notes. Nicely done German Pinot.

 

[gomestar]

which reminds me, the German pinot I had a few weeks ago was the Weingut Dr. Heger Baden Mimus-Ihringer Winklerberg Spätburgunder Qualitätswein Trocken Barrique 2005

/ridiculous name

 

[PandArts]

Originally Posted by gomestar

which reminds me, the German pinot I had a few weeks ago was the Weingut Dr. Heger Baden Mimus-Ihringer Winklerberg Spätburgunder Qualitätswein Trocken Barrique 2005

/ridiculous name

Easy for you to say

 

[audiophilia]

Liked this lovely Rhone wine. Lots of juicy fruit, great minerality to balance the fruit, and a really luscious finish. Went very well with filet mignon and hung in there with the garlic. A real overachiever for a reasonable price.

 

[Piobaire]

Originally Posted by gomestar

which reminds me, the German pinot I had a few weeks ago was the Weingut Dr. Heger Baden Mimus-Ihringer Winklerberg Spätburgunder Qualitätswein Trocken Barrique 2005

/ridiculous name

They can really make a name, no? Here's a bottle in my cellar: 2004 Freiherr Langwerth von Simmern Rauenthaler Baiken Riesling Auslese

 

[binge]

Migration 2008 Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley.

Quite nice, very balanced. I really, really like the color: deep and kinda dark, even a little purple.

But man, IIRC the Migration/Goldeneye stuff has gone up nearly $15-20 a bottle in the past few years. I remember buying it in the $30-35 range in 2007 and now Goldeneye seems to be pushing $50.

Maybe I'm just getting old and cranky.

 

[fritzl]

Originally Posted by Piobaire

Mark, I'm dubious too about it but it was the only BN to be found. I've never had one and just want to try it.

it'll be your last...

 

[fritzl]

Originally Posted by gomestar

which reminds me, the German pinot I had a few weeks ago was the Weingut Dr. Heger Baden Mimus-Ihringer Winklerberg Spätburgunder Qualitätswein Trocken Barrique 2005

/ridiculous name

not for a german winery.

dr. heger - name of the winery
baden - region
ihringer winklerberg - vineyard

 

[Piobaire]

Originally Posted by fritzl

not for a german winery.

dr. heger - name of the winery
baden - region
ihringer winklerberg - vineyard

You left out

trocken - dry
Barrique - oaky or an oak wine barrel

Originally Posted by binge

Migration 2008 Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley.

Quite nice, very balanced. I really, really like the color: deep and kinda dark, even a little purple.

But man, IIRC the Migration/Goldeneye stuff has gone up nearly $15-20 a bottle in the past few years. I remember buying it in the $30-35 range in 2007 and now Goldeneye seems to be pushing $50.

Maybe I'm just getting old and cranky.

You're right on target (although it doesn't rule out you're getting old and cranky!) Look for Anderson Valley to be the next "it" region.