2007 R. Merlo Estate Vineyards Syrah

klezman wrote:Damn. I wish I could get my hands on one of those with good provenance for a reasonable price. Birth year first growth!?

Slight envy of the younger here. Not sure I could even find a birth year for less than the balance of my retirement account.

2010 Turley Dusi Vineyard Zin and at least one more yet to be decided bottle

2009 Copain Pinot Noir Les Voisins

1996 Cascina Bongiovanni Barolo.

I'm putting together a grilled porterhouse and salad while my lovely wife makes some pappardelle with a porcini cream sauce.

Cold outside, enjoying a night in together.

2008 Hug Cellars El Grande (Paso Robles, Terry Hoage Vineyard)

kylemittskus wrote:2010 Turley Dusi Vineyard Zin and at least one more yet to be decided bottle

2010 Trinitas PS
2008 Gelfand Malbec
NV Sunmerwood Port (illegally labeled, I think)

I also tasted today: 2008 Flora Springs Trilogy, 2008 Numanthia Numanthia, and PN I don't remember (Marc something, not West)

2006 Expression 44 PN & 2007 Wellington Englandcrest Syrah . . . both were great!

ajrod27 wrote:2007 R. Merlo Estate Vineyards Syrah

How was this?

A whole lot of home brewed beer and now 07' TO pig stai

kylemittskus wrote:How was this?

It's like blackberry-blueberry compote with spice and earth. A toasty finish and mellow tannin. Ripe, full flavor and body but not a lot of complexity. It has decent acidity but I found myself wanting more; maybe it's a bit out of balance. Oh, and there is sediment so decanting is a good idea.

It's overripe for my preference but not a bad wine by any means.

rjquillin wrote:Slight envy of the younger here. Not sure I could even find a birth year for less than the balance of my retirement account.

I have a different problem:

the wine cellar insider.com wrote:1984 Bordeaux wine had the chance to be a good vintage as it got off to a good start with a warm April. Things quickly slid downhill after that. May was cool and rainy. Flowering was extremely poor for the Merlot crop. This was eventually cause problems in the Right Bank, as there was not enough ripe Merlot to create quality 1984 Bordeaux wine. It also forced most producers in the Left Bank to over compensate with more Cabernet Sauvignon. June was cool as well. By the time July arrived, the vintage was behind schedule. July and August were warm, dry months. September was very humid, which did not help. Still, chateaux located in the Medoc were thinking the vintage would end up fine for their 1984 Bordeaux wines, if they Cabernet Sauvignon based. That was before Bordeaux met Hortense. Hortense was the first cyclone to slam into the Bordeaux wine region and the history books. The 1984 Bordeaux harvest officially started October 5 and producers were not happy.
Numerous chateaux declassified their entire crop in St. Emilion and Pomerol. 1984 Bordeaux wine has not aged as well as George Orwell’s novel. The light, unripe wines should have been drunk up by the time they were in their early teens, even the wines from the Left Bank. If you need a birth year or anniversary wine, save your money and avoid 1984 Bordeaux wine.

trifecta wrote:Same here. I have been looking for good 1980 stuff, but it gets expensive. Pretty bad year in CA from what I've been told.

I've managed to sneak a few decent deals here and there, now have about 6 bottles from 1980. If you find some auction lots or something and want to split anything let me know.

cmaldoon wrote:I have a different problem...

Yeah, ditto for molarchae. I've got 2 bottles of 1984 hanging around. Hoping they're going to be decent but not holding out a whole lot of hope. I'm thinking if I happen across anything from Napa from around then. Also, if you find something and want to split, let me know.

The rest of the vinito del finito hat someone opened and took about an ounce from last night.

2007 Wellington Sonoma County Cab

tdedek wrote:2007 Wellington Sonoma County Cab

How's this doing?

ajrod27 wrote:How's this doing?

Good after some air, nice with dinner. Tannic, could probably lay down a while longer. I'll be holding my other one for a bit.

2005 Valsacro Rioja Dioro with Cioppino and sour dough bread. YUMMMM! Perfect wine for the spice and tomato base for this dish.

2009 Halcon Vineyards Syrah Alturas

Charcoal grilled Harris Ranch NY Strip with Pt. Reyes Blue, various veggies broiled with EVOO S&P and a Peter Wellington 2002 Sonoma Syrah.

2004 WineSmith Faux Chablis
Really nice wine. Keep an eye out!

Cesare wrote:2004 WineSmith Faux Chablis
Really nice wine. Keep an eye out!

Oh yeah? Has that calmed down somewhat since the 2010 Tour?

klezman wrote:Oh yeah? Has that calmed down somewhat since the 2010 Tour?

Yeah

2007 Cinque Insieme Syrah White Hawk Vineyard with burgers and sweet potato fries tonight.

kylemittskus wrote:2007 Cinque Insieme Syrah White Hawk Vineyard with burgers and sweet potato fries tonight.

Homemade sweet potato fries? If so, please share the recipe. Mine never turn out good.

jmdavidson wrote:Homemade sweet potato fries? If so, please share the recipe. Mine never turn out good.

Trader Joe's sweet potato frites. 25 minutes in the oven and eat.

2004 Castello di Bossi Corbaia Toscana IGT with the World Champion Los Angeles Kings game tonight!

neilfindswine wrote:...sounds award-winning. At least a silver, if not a gold...

Psshhh. Double gold, sucka!

kylemittskus wrote:Psshhh. Double gold, sucka!

They'll give those to anyone these days


Having tonight: 2000 Tom Eddy Elodian Cab

jmdavidson wrote:Homemade sweet potato fries? If so, please share the recipe. Mine never turn out good.

I do basically the same as with any other potato, only vary the spices.

Cut potato into .3-.4 inch/side "columns" (cut the long way, roughly square sides, length of the potato)

Dip in olive oil and spice bath (bowl of olive oil and particular spices stirred together - let the oil mixture rest for at least 10 mins to actually partially dissolve, then commence dipping) usually spices are just chili powder and garlic. for sweet potatoes, chili powder and cinnamon, sometimes a bit of nutmeg.

Coat entire fry with oil, but then let most of the oil drain off.

Place on shallow baking sheet, fill, no significant gaps needed, though I try to not have touching.

Sprinkle further spices over sheet as desired.

Tiny pinch of kosher salt sprinkled over entire sheet. (a little goes a long way)

Bake at 450 for 10 mins. Flip fries, bake another 5-7 mins (depending on how crispy you like)

Comes out perfect every time!

It took me nearly a year and a half, but I finally pulled a cork on a 2008 Noceto Sangio. Quite happy I listened to the old-timers here and stocked up, this is drinking very well and is an outstanding QPR bottle. Great tart/sour fruit, well balanced and just very pleasant with or without food. I will grab more next time up. Thanks guys.

kylemittskus wrote:Psshhh. Double gold, sucka!

It starting to look like a triple gold. Whoaaaaaaa!

Woot offer Tor del Colle 2007 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Reserve with roast leg of lamb.

Thanks for the sweet potato input. I have had the TJ one's, but was looking for a fool proof home made version.

EDIT: I thought this wine was drinking very well. Right out of the bottle you notice the nice fruit, dryness, softness and smoothness. There was a thirty minute decant, but I do that (or more) with all of my wines. We tasted cherry, blackberry and a little pepper. The lamb was prepared with cloves of garlic and a sprinkling of herbs de provence. In all, I would say it was the right pairing. Drink up or hold.

tytiger58 wrote:2009 Halcon Vineyards Syrah Alturas

Still waiting for mine to come from WB Day in January. How was this?

kylemittskus wrote:2007 Cinque Insieme Syrah White Hawk Vineyard with burgers and sweet potato fries tonight.

How's the Cinque drinking? I'm still sitting on my three bottles.

jmdavidson wrote:Woot offer Tor del Colle 2007 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Reserve with roast leg of lamb.

Any good? Another one I'm still sitting on although I traded 2 of my 4 bottles away, one of them to Scott Harvey at last year's Wooster wine dinner.

Drank the 06 corison Kronos last night @west end bistro in dc. Fresh nowe, Very smooth, tannins nicely resolved, drinking very nicely now. Probably will keep one or two for aging but if you have more than that, probably is time to start drinking some of it.

chipgreen wrote:Any good? Another one I'm still sitting on although I traded 2 of my 4 bottles away, one of them to Scott Harvey at last year's Wooster wine dinner.

I was not a fan. Disjointed, short finish, kind of awkward palate. I drank it, but I'm holding my other one for a couple years to see if it gets better.