What's in your glass tonight?

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Snagged a bottle of this at Costco for Thanksgiving week and we popped it one night. This wine was purchased for $5.99 IIRC and garnered an unheard of 91Pts in WS. It did not disappoint! Much, much better than the last bottle of CC H3 Cab I opened a few months back. Needed about 15 mins to open but an amazing value and certainly a 5 Star QPR wine that should be easy to find all over the US.

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I cracked open a 2001 Columbia Crest Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon at my last community wine tasting. It was a huge hit. Even the "white wine only" drinkers admitted that they had no trouble consuming it.

Absolutely beautiful wine!
 
Watched my Giants with an Old Fezziwig Ale from Sam Adams. Now watching the Pats and contemplating something red.

Among other things this holiday weekend, I'm thankful for the Redskins playing on Thursday, allowing the Giants game to be televised here in DC. ;)

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Watched my Giants with an Old Fezziwig Ale from Sam Adams. Now watching the Pats and contemplating something red.

Among other things this holiday weekend, I'm thankful for the Redskins playing on Thursday, allowing the Giants game to be televised here in DC. ;)

I enjoyed my Cowboys beating those Redskins on that Thursday. :h
 
Enjoyed a glass of my first batch of Dragonblood. Man, that is a drinkable wine. Also had a bottle for Thanksgiving that was shared at the dinner table. Was a hit. (Or at least they were nice enough to tell me they liked it!)

I have a feeling my empty gallon jug will get filled with batch #2 of Dragonblood before too long . . .
 
A 2015 Vouvray Chenin Blanc from France that was given to me by a friend when I noted that I was a big fan of Chenin Blanc.

Interesting and big of flavor, but not well balanced. Lacks some much needed acidity. If it were better balanced, I think this could be a fantastic wine.
 
Columbia Crest will have $0.01 shipping at times during the holidays when you order a case or over a certain amount. Still not as good as Costco but at least you are voting with your feet so to speak.


Bootlegging is illegal in PA. Total Wine, a short hour's drive from here has this wine for $7/bottle. That's not bad.
 
Who said anything about bootlegging? I mentioned purchasing direct from the winery which is legal in PA.


I didn't realize they were licensed as a PA direct shipper. On a $12 bottle, they add the 18% flood tax and the 6% sales tax... already more expensive than state store pricing (which I didn't think was possible) then add shipping on top of that. I think I'd rather be a bootlegger. [emoji12]
 
well quite by chance, ive been experimenting with blueberry flavour im in the uk btw so they are quite scarce, so, anyway, I was sat in my neighbours, the other month, who just happened to have an empty bowl full of pistachio nut shells, I had been experimenting with blueberry flavour as an f pack kinda flavour, but the dryness detracted from the overall effect, as, there was no natural sweetness, so, kinda experimentally I added 3 halves of pistachio nut shells per gallon as my neighbour gave me a bowl full of them, so in experimental fashion I added 6 blue berries and 3 halves of pistachio nut shells per gallon, to a random red coloured fruit wine, I had made, which tbh was a bit naff and then let it steep, well a few months later, it now is worth drinking, the nut shells seem to impart either slow fermenting or unfermentable sugars, which add a natural sweetness to coincide with the blueberry`s natural flavour, replacing its natural sweetness, overall at this moment in time, it seems to have worked well, although I am sloshed from drinking a very enjoyable drink, I would rank this a 9 on 10 and quite well balanced as a blueberry kinda wine flavoured drink, which at this moment in time has retained a natural sweetness and a woody taste from the nut shells, which has gradually improved over several months of steeping and aging. I deem this worthy of further experimentation, as the over all effect is very noteworthy.
 
This was actually last night, as I have somewhere to go tonight and most likely won't have any wine.

I originally purchased this wine to top off my Lodi Zinfandel, but when I tasted it. I liked it enough that I went back and got two more bottles to drinking / sharing.

2014 Predator Old Vine Zinfandel

My notes from last night:
Medium bodied and crimson in color. Very interesting cranberry, kiwi, and bubblegum on the nose. Juicy pomegranate and black cherry with a dried fruit medley. Bold, but not overly heavy, fruit forward with a long and nicely balanced finish.

It surprised me when I tasted it. It's imparts a flavor that is very Zinfandel, yet different enough from your standard Zinfandel that I really enjoyed it. It's not really heavy like some Zinfandels, but still carries that jamminess. I think it's a great deal of a wine for about $13/$14 range.

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Tonight, its a 2014 'Tribunal' - a North Coast red blend I picked up at TJ's. Not sure what's in it, but its pretty much Apothic Red. But at 15.1%, has a bit more body/bite. :D
 
My 2012 "Machete" Blend. Opened about 45 mins ago and just now getting good to go. Cab Sauv blend along with some Syrah and Petit Sirah to make it interesting. Laser focus tannins, nice acid, oak is spot on. Lots of life left in this bottle.....

Ready to watch my "Boys" open up a can of Whoop A$$" on the Vikings!

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