What's new in your cellar?

[ibglowin]

I don't always agree with the reviewers but its always nice to have some conformation on something you have not tasted. Most of my wines are purchased via list allocation so they have not been rated formally when I get them. A few do sometimes have barrel tastings from RP as a guide but they are done when a wine is usually only about 12-18 months old and still in its infancy so again, may or may not hold up. Can't always trust it.

 

[Sweetiepie]

You wonder how can RP and WS be so far apart on a wine?

Does this wine really taste like dirt? I am honestly really wondering.

 

[Johnd]

Does this wine really taste like dirt? I am honestly really wondering.

LOL! No, dusty and earthy doesn't mean that it tastes like dirt! Lots of wines have an earthy tone to them, sort of musty, but it's a pleasant quality, not like a childhood mudpie.

 

[Boatboy24]

About to be new in my cellar is some Columbia Crest Reserve Syrah and Malbec.

 

[ibglowin]

When they saw things like that or "forrest floor" its in the nose or bouquet. To get all of those "notes" you need the right glass, the right amount of wine in the glass and then the wine has to be decanted or "aired out" so that those notes start to come out into what is basically the "headspace" of the glass of wine.

Sometimes you also need a good imagination.....

 

[dcbrown73]

About to be new in my cellar is some Columbia Crest Reserve Syrah and Malbec.

Same here. I also got the Mystery Cases offer, but I don't toy with those. Mystery boxes are ways to dump garbage most of the time while salting a few select boxes with something decent while others end up with full boxes of stuff they can't sell.

I like most Columbia Crest wines, but I've already had a few that I wouldn't buy again. I definitely don't want a full case of them.

 

[Boatboy24]

Same here. I also got the Mystery Cases offer, but I don't toy with those. Mystery boxes are ways to dump garbage most of the time while salting a few select boxes with something decent while others end up with full boxes of stuff they can't sell.

I like most Columbia Crest wines, but I've already had a few that I wouldn't buy again. I definitely don't want a full case of them.

I thought (briefly) about the mystery case and figured with shipping, you're paying about $18/bottle. I also figured that you'd get 1 or two reserve wines, and a bunch of H3. Not going there.

 

[ibglowin]

You guys will have to keep me posted on CC Reserve wines. I quit them when they changed up things too much and made their most famous wines (Walter Clore and the Reserve Cab) upgrades or add ons. They were very nice when I wrote to them to cancel and were willing to work with me but I have about 3 cases in the cellar so it really was time to switch out.

I signed on with Spring Valley Vineyards. Much smaller winery with a much more limited portfolio, consistent 90+ scores plus they give a whopping 20% discount on all wines purchased including club allocations AND they ship next day air for the same price as ground. They make two Bordeaux blends (Uriah and Frederick) that are always fantastic and have scored as high as 94pts WS (which is like 105 RP LOL)

When I got my first order I looked at the invoice and thought gee that looks familiar. Their invoice is the same as Columbia Crest........ Looked back an sure enough the Winery was bought out a few years ago by....... Ste. Michelle Wine Estates who owns Columbia Crest, Chateau St. Michelle and about a dozen other wineries in WA State. Resistance is futile I guess.

About to be new in my cellar is some Columbia Crest Reserve Syrah and Malbec.

 

[Sweetiepie]

LOL! No, dusty and earthy doesn't mean that it tastes like dirt! Lots of wines have an earthy tone to them, sort of musty, but it's a pleasant quality, not like a childhood mudpie.

Ok, so more like a freshly plowed field in the spring time. That always has a good smell of new things to come. I was hoping it wasn't open your mouth on a windy day in ND kind of taste. LOL

 

[ibglowin]

The 2014's are in!

 

[Johnd]

The 2014's are in!

Hope your 14's follow in the footsteps of the 13 vintage, those guys have been pumping out some studs! You in a club/allocation list to get them?

 

[ibglowin]

Yes, since the 09's came out!

 

[Johnd]

Yes, since the 09's came out!

Nice Mike, I'm going to look into hooking up with them. That's a really impressive history of cabs going back a long time.

Just got my Hall allocation, switched all of the offerings to get 6 bottles of the Jack's. I'm pretty sure that it has since sold out.

 

[ibglowin]

There is just so much good stuff being produced in WA these days at price points that CA can't even come close to or they don't care perhaps as they have no problem selling it at 2X the price.

When I got on the QC list the wait was not that long, a few months IIRC. Been on the Cayuse wait list since 2009. Get a love letter from them every year saying sorry, not this year but don't give up hope.......

I did get on the Horsepower list because I was on the Cayuse wait list. (same vintner Christophe Baron). The wines coming out have already proven to be very close in quality to Cayuse and they are still young.

Nice Mike, I'm going to look into hooking up with them. That's a really impressive history of cabs going back a long time.

Just got my Hall allocation, switched all of the offerings to get 6 bottles of the Jack's. I'm pretty sure that it has since sold out.

 

[ibglowin]

EFESTE Spring allocation is in!

3 killer Syrahs from three of the most famous vineyards/AVA's in WA State. One Boushey, one Red Willow, one Red Mountain. No funk here, just pure powerhouse syrah. 2 Bordeaux blends, Tough Guy and Final Final. One pure Cab, Big Papa. One (amazing) Rose' These guys are minimalist when it comes to winemaking. They use indigenous yeast, minimal racking and no filtering. Small (Italian) family run business. They treat you like family every time you visit. My kind of people, my kind of winery.

 

[Johnd]

Arkenstone is a great little winery up in the mountains southeast of Calistoga, organic farming, new winery with new caves, awesome new fermentation tanks, hydraulic punchdown plungers running on monorails over the vats, really squared away operation, and the wine is every bit as squared away. The Owner conducted out tour and tasting. This wine is so pure, clean and beautiful, I even bought A half case of the Sauvignon Blanc. The Obsidian is a cab blend, beautiful intensity with a loooong finish. The SB received a 93, the Obsidian a 98+ barrel tasting from WA. They only made like 5 or 6 hundred cases of each.

 

[cgallamo]

Nice Mike, I'm going to look into hooking up with them. That's a really impressive history of cabs going back a long time.

Just got my Hall allocation, switched all of the offerings to get 6 bottles of the Jack's. I'm pretty sure that it has since sold out.

Beautiful! Well done. It is sold out now, tried to get some after reading this. I had the 2012 and loved it, this is supposed to be way better!

 

[Johnd]

Beautiful! Well done. It is sold out now, tried to get some after reading this. I had the 2012 and loved it, this is supposed to be way better!

Great price point for a 99, should've gotten more....... the 14 isn't as highly rated, but the 15 is sitting on a high barrel rating, we'll see how it holds.

 

[CabSauv]

I have a 2005 Altamura Cabernet that I'll be drinking with my dad this weekend for his 60th birthday. Pairing it with a block of Cabot's Extra Sharp Cheddar and then later a cigar yet to be determined. Should be a good weekend.

 

[Johnd]

I have a 2005 Altamura Cabernet that I'll be drinking with my dad this weekend for his 60th birthday. Pairing it with a block of Cabot's Extra Sharp Cheddar and then later a cigar yet to be determined. Should be a good weekend.

Just checked it out, looks like a winner for sure!!! 100% cab aged 36 months in new French oak. I'd be very interested to hear what you think about it.......