What's in your glass tonight?

[Bodenski]

Tonight I stabilized and back-sweetened my semi-sec blueberry wine. I drank what wouldn't fit in the gallon jug. Since I used grape concentrate to back-sweeten, I essentially added whatever was left from the can into the leftover wine. It's more sweet than the actual wine is going to end up, but not bad. According to Jack Keller, I'm supposed to let it age for a year. That's been hard for me so far, although I'm building up my cellar which is making it easier to hold my stuff around a little longer.

Oh, and I had a bottle of my apple cider, which was the first thing I ever brewed last fall. Looking at the bottle a lot of stuff settled out. It looks clear as anything in the bottle, but swirling it near the end brought up a lot of sediment. Since I have another 3 gallons in the carboy right now, it's a good reminder to wait until it's a bit more clear this time! (I've also got to figure out a little more on how to back sweeten the cider. Since I'm carbonating in the bottles, I need something non-fermentable. Lactose didn't quite do it for me in that first batch. Back to the drawing board.)

 

[jburtner]

Alto Moncayo - 2014 garnache

Jammy fruit cinnamon ghost of licorice

I like it!

Have been drinking Temparnillo and doing homework in preparation for some grapemasters must so picked this one up too.

Cheers!
-johann

 

[Johnd]

Alto Moncayo - 2014 garnache

Jammy fruit cinnamon ghost of licorice

I like it!

Have been drinking Temparnillo and doing homework in preparation for some grapemasters must so picked this one up too.

Cheers!
-johann

If you do the Grapemasters stuff, lake a look at "The Spaniards" thread. Based on the numbers, (you'll be getting the same grapes, though the numbers can vary), a 50/50 preferment blend of the Tempranillo and Merlot would've probably resulted in a "no adjustments needed" must, as the two BRIX (1 highish, 1 lowish) and pH's (1 highish, 1 lowish), when combined were complimentary. I have a 6 gallon blend, combined after AF, that is really nice and has great numbers. Didn't do the Grenache, so I can't help you there. Nothing wrong with the others at all, they're great, just a thought as you go forward.

 

[zalai]

Disappointing for $40 ( Canadian ) . I googled it and it is rated 88 points .

 

[Johnd]

Disappointing for $40 ( Canadian ) . I googled it and it is rated 88 points .

Attached is a 90 review by WA. I wonder if you got a bad bottle, you drank it in its maturity range, looks to be a pretty nice wine...........

 

[sour_grapes]

I loves me some Brunello, although I know nothing of that vintner. 2009 was not regarded as a particularly good year. (2010 is supposed to be much better.)

 

[dcbrown73]

Opened my last bottle of 2013 L'Ecole #41 Chenin Blanc. Oh how I shall miss ye. A fantastic Chenin Blanc.

I must look to see if I can locate some more.

 

[ibglowin]

Looks like Varis is the only one getting to pay full retail! LOL

$8.99 was the price as marked. Which surprised me, as the H3 cab was $10.99. At $8.99, I kinda regret not buying a case.

 

[dcbrown73]

I went into Costco's wine area here and they didn't have much in the way of Washington wines. They had the H3 Cab and that was about it.

 

[ibglowin]

Doubt you will find any of the 13' still lying aroud but plenty of the 15' is out and about.

Opened my last bottle of 2013 L'Ecole #41 Chenin Blanc. Oh how I shall miss ye. A fantastic Chenin Blanc.

I must look to see if I can locate some more.

 

[ibglowin]

Yea, thats not unusual as like anywhere else the more cases available the higher chance you'll see them lying around. Costco is a treasure hunt. You have to keep coming back every week or two to see whats new in those bins. Unlike SAMS that have the same 30 wines in the same 30 wooden bins, year after year, after year........ Which is the big reason I dumped them.

I found the #3 Wine of WS list of Top 100 wines in my local store in ABQ. Not necessarily a mecca to my knowledge of WA/OR wine lovers but there it was at $20 off retail.

You may want to try Wine Searcher as they seem to have a lot of places in NY and surrounding states that have hard to find WA State wines.

 

[geek]

My closest Costco where my wife works will FINALLY have the liquor store open this Friday.
The warehouse manager asked my wife that she wants me to go Friday so she can show me and have a "personal" walk around. [emoji4]

I'm definitely going and checking for any H3.
Someone gave me a hint of a Remy Martin they will have for over $2,500 [emoji15]

 

[geek]

Decided to open a bottle of this baby.
I need to check my notes when I get back to my office tomorrow but I think this wine is about 3 years old, and it is a very good sipping wine [emoji39]

 

[dcbrown73]

Doubt you will find any of the 13' still lying aroud but plenty of the 15' is out and about.

I will have to give it a try. Have you tried the 15'? Is it anywhere near as nice as the 13'? This was the wine that introduced me to how much I really like Chenin Blanc.

 

[dcbrown73]

Decided to open a bottle of this baby.
I need to check my notes when I get back to my office tomorrow but I think this wine is about 3 years old, and it is a very good sipping wine [emoji39]

View attachment 34558

When you check your notes. I would be interesting to hear what/how you introduced the chocolate to it.

 

[ibglowin]

Tried it at the winery the last time were toured Walla Walla back in 2012 IIRC. I don't buy too many whites as I make mine for the most part from kits, and kits come pretty darn close with some tweaking at least for me.

Pretty good reviews from the winery page plus not a bad price for club members and even non club members.

I buy the L"Ecole Ferguson (Bordeaux blend) each year and pay full retail from the winery as I am not a club member of this one. It was named best bordeaux blend a few years back in 2014 at the Decanter World Wine Awards run by Steven Spurrier (Judgement in Paris, Bottle Shock fame).

I will have to give it a try. Have you tried the 15'? Is it anywhere near as nice as the 13'? This was the wine that introduced me to how much I really like Chenin Blanc.

 

[geek]

When you check your notes. I would be interesting to hear what/how you introduced the chocolate to it.

This is one of those WE port style wines, the chocolate flavor is in the f-pack, a thick syrup if I remember correctly.

 

[geek]

Anyone has tried this?

 

[ibglowin]

I have, not bad for the $$

 

[geek]

Is it sweet as a non-Tawny port?