What's in your glass tonight?

[wineforfun]

Having a Clos du Récif from Tahiti. It is supposed to be similar to a Savignon Blanc'ish type wine. We brought it back from Bora Bora last May. I have been holding onto it for the year mark. 2013 vintage. Hopefully it transports me back here.

 

[sour_grapes]

We brought it back from Bora Bora last May. I have been holding onto it for the year mark. 2013 vintage. Hopefully it transports me back here.

DJ, that is gorgeous. Every time you post one of those pictures, I instantly WANT to GO there! Nice work!

 

[FTC Wines]

JohnT, retirement is wonderful, but U still have really bad days like I did today. Started off working on the boat in the backyard/creek, 14 trips to the garage later, Alls well. Went to the community pool/hot tub to soften the aches/pains. Then was supposed to bottle 80 bottles of wine. Broke out the Vinmetric 300, & couldn't get good readings. So started drinking! Then said we will bottle tomorrow or Sun. Well didn't like first bottle, a 2009 Elderberry, from dried berries. Good but a little oxidized. The second bottle was a Zinfedal, OK, but just not it! Just opened the 3rd bottle. A HIT, a Merlot, Cab, Blackberry blend. Should have started with this one. Sometimes U have to "purge" the winery of old/lesser wines. Then have a good one. Soooooo, even in retirement U can have bad days. But they are always better than when we were working! Roy. PS Retired builder. Our motto at work was " the more our customers whine the more we wine! Note there is NO H in our wine!

 

[wineforfun]

DJ, that is gorgeous. Every time you post one of those pictures, I instantly WANT to GO there! Nice work!

Thanks Paul.
Yes, it was a trip of a lifetime. I had been wanting to go for almost 15yrs. and was fortunate to be able to go. Still can't believe we were there.
If their is a heaven, I guarantee that has to be part of it.

It was everything I had thought it would be and then some.

 

[JohnT]

wine4fun.... you suck..... that is just shear jeolousy in its ultimate form typing.

seriously, how absolutely fantastic. how can you possibly come up with a wine to match that view. you make my life look like that of a begger!
all i can say is this.... for the love of God man, post more pictures!


ftc, thanks for the reality break. just was a tough one today. i just needed to sit back and enjoy this "hobby" of mine. i feel much better now....

 

[ColemanM]

one of my favorites!! Had the 2009 in stock. Best year!

 

[sour_grapes]

A 20-month-old CC Showcase Amarone (one of my first kits). Pretty dang nice. Still some KT, but the wine seems somehow richer than I recall from the first drinks a few months ago.

 

[Boatboy24]

My En Primeur (New Zealand) Pinot Noir. I bottled 1 gallon of this about a year ago (at nearly a year of age). Tonight's bottle is a 1.5L that's been in the bottle and resting since then. The remaining 5 gallons went into bottles in March, if I recall correctly. It's decent, but I'm convinced the EP wines need at least two years.

 

[sour_grapes]

A 20-month-old CC Showcase Amarone (one of my first kits). Pretty dang nice. Still some KT, but the wine seems somehow richer than I recall from the first drinks a few months ago.

Tonight, I had a 4-month-old CC Showcase Amarone! It was bottling night for a newer kit. The interesting thing was that I still had a glass or two in the 20-month bottle, so I could compare them back-to-back. (I used tannins on the newer one that I had not previously on the old one.) The primary taste differences were: The new one was markedly more fruit forward, and had more KT. I must say, however, that I thought it, overall, tasted nicer, or at least had promise of turning out to be a better wine. This may not be surprising, because I believe the older one may have been a bit watered down due to my not initially knowing how big my carboys were..

 

[cmason1957]

Wife and I went to a birthday party for soon to be son-in-law last night in St. Louis. Somewhat small wine list, but I did try Atalaya Laya 2013. I was almost impressed. After checking the price when I got home I was even more impressed about $10 and somebody have it 93 points. I will have to look for it some. It was monastrell and something else. Which I have forgotten. Very tasty.

 

[roger80465]

Tonight, I had a 4-month-old CC Showcase Amarone! It was bottling night for a newer kit. The interesting thing was that I still had a glass or two in the 20-month bottle, so I could compare them back-to-back. (I used tannins on the newer one that I had not previously on the old one.) The primary taste differences were: The new one was markedly more fruit forward, and had more KT. I must say, however, that I thought it, overall, tasted nicer, or at least had promise of turning out to be a better wine. This may not be surprising, because I believe the older one may have been a bit watered down due to my not initially knowing how big my carboys were..

My observation of the Showcase Amarone is that it is good at 1 year, regresses a little during year 2 and becomes pure ambrosia at year 3. Be sure to save a bunch for year 3. I only had 1 bottle last that long and I was really bummed when I finished the last sip. I am convinced you will find it is worth the wait.

 

[sour_grapes]

My observation of the Showcase Amarone is that it is good at 1 year, regresses a little during year 2 and becomes pure ambrosia at year 3. Be sure to save a bunch for year 3. I only had 1 bottle last that long and I was really bummed when I finished the last sip. I am convinced you will find it is worth the wait.

Thank you for the advice, which I am heeding. I have a spreadsheet set up to "regulate" my consumption. I drink them on even intervals between my "start" and "finish" dates. I am scheduled to sip the last of that batch at 48 mos.! (Spreadsheet available here: http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=519608&postcount=35 .)

 

[Boatboy24]

Went over to my parents' place tonight for a belated b-day celebration and had a 2005 Cain Concept. Blend of Cab, Merlot, Cab Franc and Petit Verdot.

 

[baitbucket]

I'm still a newbie (kit wine only so far) but very much enjoying having something new and therefore exciting to learn about.... makes me feel young (course the alcohol helps too ) Last year was my first year to make wine and it just so happened that my neighbors were getting married early this year so most all the wine I made went to their wedding as a gift (300+ guests now that was nerve-wracking)...... so I'm having to buy wine to drink while I wait for what I'm making now. I'm a Texan and always find myself in the Texas wines section of course - picked up a bottle of "White-Black Spanish VIII" from Dry Comal Creek Vineyards in New Braunfels TX. It's a sweet wine which I don't typically like but it was this super pretty salmon color and in college my friends and I spent lots of time tubing the Comal and Guadalupe Rivers so couldn't pass it up. It was really pretty good for a sweet wine. Here's the description, "This blush is made from our Estate Black Spanish grapes and Muscat of Alexandra. A perfect salmon shade, with scents of peaches, cherries and watermelon. It hits the palate with big, ripe, fresh fruit, crisp citrus and cherries. Concentrated and full, with a crisp, fresh back end that lingers into a cherry-vanilla finish- demi-sweet, fruity, smooth and drinkable any time with anything. One of our best selling wines for good reason – a terrific ‘Texas Style®’ wine." I would buy it again if I had guests over that liked sweet wine.

 

[Hokapsig]

Quaffing a bottle of our own Fredonia. The wife gives her thumbs up....

 

[Boatboy24]

My 2013 Kenridge LR Grand Red. It is by a long, long shot, the best kit wine I've made.

 

[sour_grapes]

Opened my first bottle of 18-month-old CC Showcase Red Mountain Cab. I like it a lot. It has more KT than I was hoping for, but that is fading with time that the bottle is open. It is rich, bold, and lush. I get some vanilla and lots of fruit. More sweetness than I expected, I must admit. I will be keeping my eye, errr, my tongue on this one over the next 18 mos.!

 

[ibglowin]

2009 H3 Les Cheveux Blend. Still pretty darn amazing for a 10.99 bottle of wine. All the right notes are still there. Seemed a bit "hot" but that is because the wine is warmer than in the winter more than likely. Probably peaked I think but still very, very good QPR all things considered.

 

[ibglowin]

Been sitting on this for a few years...... 2008 Pixie Syrah. 100% Red Mountain. Actually signed by Chris G. himself. Went very well with grilled boneless short ribs!

 

[sour_grapes]

And served in a Bookwalter glass!