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Featured Replies

25 minutes ago, troph said:

If it's something different, then I can't figure out imo in a wine context.  I tried.

But I'm a lazy connoisseur. I know to a 95% certainty how to pick a solid bottle of wine at a store with no help that I can take anywhere and enjoy. I have a few cheat codes based on makers, countries, regions, styles, varietals, price points etc. but after that I have a hard time dialing it in. So I make sure I have people around me who can. Which years were great, which makers are better than others? I hear which ones were good and they go in one ear out the other.

Importer/distributor are for me the biggest proxy for quality if I don’t know the producer. 

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  • if i do not get an explanation as to how b_p and milkman each drink over $100,000 of wine every weekend before this site ultimately shuts down, i am going to be severely pissed off.

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3 hours ago, We’reTexas said:

Importer/distributor are for me the biggest proxy for quality if I don’t know the producer. 

That’s not a route I learned but I’m sure it works too. 

Fuck it. Spanish Albariño and tamales for dinner. Special appearance from a 16 year old. 

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On 3/25/2024 at 2:47 PM, troph said:

But I'm a lazy connoisseur. I know to a 95% certainty how to pick a solid bottle of wine at a store with no help that I can take anywhere and enjoy. I have a few cheat codes based on makers, countries, regions, styles, varietals, price points etc. but after that I have a hard time dialing it in. So I make sure I have people around me who can. Which years were great, which makers are better than others? I hear which ones were good and they go in one ear out the other.

I keep the current Wine Enthusiast vintage chart saved as a pdf on my phone.  And, for wines I don't know, I use cellartracker (which is what I use to inventory my cellar) for quick quality assessments.

5 minutes ago, Tonesky said:

I keep the current Wine Enthusiast vintage chart saved as a pdf on my phone.  And, for wines I don't know, I use cellartracker (which is what I use to inventory my cellar) for quick quality assessments.

you are not a lazy connoisseur.

On 3/25/2024 at 3:13 PM, We’reTexas said:

Importer/distributor are for me the biggest proxy for quality if I don’t know the producer. 

Same. 

My cellar needs to grow instead of retracting as it has done since Covid. My every three year trip to Italy to buy wine got sidetracked.  

2 hours ago, VABuckeye said:

My cellar needs to grow instead of retracting as it has done since Covid. My every three year trip to Italy to buy wine got sidetracked.  

How many bottles? We max out at about 100 in our wine refrigerator. We have a few bottles we have had for more than a year but I have wine ADHD and want to drink it not age it.

Ferrando, imo. Working my way though some Italian whites*
this spring/summer.

*not you, @texasdago. You’re part eggplant.

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21 hours ago, troph said:

How many bottles? We max out at about 100 in our wine refrigerator. We have a few bottles we have had for more than a year but I have wine ADHD and want to drink it not age it.

About 300. I had almost 400 at one time.  Not a huge number but honestly it’s plenty.  At this point I want to make sure I always have a stock of my favorite producers.  I’d also like to keep mixing in new.  The goal is to expand on French wine while keeping a good Italian stock.  Then some California and other countries varietals.  I’d say 50% Italy 30% French and a 20% mix of the others.  That’s my personal taste.  

not so humble brag

 

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Edited by b_p

Anyone ever able to try Domaine de Miroirs? Have access to some ‘13 and ‘14s that came into town. Pricing is beyond absurd for Jura but they are on my bucket list and I’ve never seen them in the wild…

7 hours ago, We’reTexas said:

Anyone ever able to try Domaine de Miroirs? Have access to some ‘13 and ‘14s that came into town. Pricing is beyond absurd for Jura but they are on my bucket list and I’ve never seen them in the wild…

I've tried two bottles thanks to friends.  Both were amazing (clean, concentrated, intense, uniquely Jura), but if I were taking into account secondary market pricing, I'd rather buy Overnoy, which is also cheaper these days.  I came across a wine list while trip planning for Alsace last year that had a large list of Miroirs at reasonable prices... don't recall the name, but I could probably find it if you ever head that way.

4 hours ago, creeper said:

I've tried two bottles thanks to friends.  Both were amazing (clean, concentrated, intense, uniquely Jura), but if I were taking into account secondary market pricing, I'd rather buy Overnoy, which is also cheaper these days.  I came across a wine list while trip planning for Alsace last year that had a large list of Miroirs at reasonable prices... don't recall the name, but I could probably find it if you ever head that way.

Thanks, came through restaurant so was hoping for a deal, but turns out not the case. Agree if I were making such purchases (and had such opportunities!) I’d go with Overnoy, but I’m not. Especially when Labet and Tissot are still like 1/20th the price. 

5 hours ago, We’reTexas said:

Thanks, came through restaurant so was hoping for a deal, but turns out not the case. Agree if I were making such purchases (and had such opportunities!) I’d go with Overnoy, but I’m not. Especially when Labet and Tissot are still like 1/20th the price. 

Bummer.  I was in the Jura 5-6 years ago and even there couldn't find a single bottle.  Was hard enough finding a restaurant that would let me buy a bottle of Overnoy...

Popped some bottles while watching basketball last night!

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Have not seen Eric Pfifferling’s stuff stateside in a long, long time. Juice from an eccentric old man in Tavel, imo. Damn. 
 

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Nice setting.  My favorite wine drinking of all time was with friends in a park in Tuscany overlooking vines.  We drank out of paper cups and shared salami and cheese on a god knows how old stone wall.  What a day.

Edited by VABuckeye

Lodi, imo. 
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Dude makes a mean paella to go with that as well. 

On 4/2/2024 at 4:34 PM, HenryJames said:

STiRM, imo.

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Some decent bubbles

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12 hours ago, milkman said:

 


Love me some vintage Dom!

 

Then you will love the 1990. Absolute nectar. 

Then you will love the 1990. Absolute nectar. 

82 popped my vintage cherry! I have a 76 Oenotheque that I'm dying to try.
6 minutes ago, milkman said:


82 popped my vintage cherry! I have a 76 Oenotheque that I'm dying to try.

This was a cool experiment. The Oenotheques are just more full and rounded, and I would expect the 76 to be just about perfect. I’m jealous. 

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Not blown away, imo. Obviously a very good wine, but seemed kind of limpid. Maybe one day will spring for Silex if I’m able to secure a bottle.

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Got into some wine yesterday afternoon! All of these wines were showing really well. The Kobayashi was suprisingly good. The Verite and La Fleur were fantastic and Canon was [emoji91]!

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5 hours ago, milkman said:

Got into some wine yesterday afternoon! All of these wines were showing really well. The Kobayashi was suprisingly good. The Verite and La Fleur were fantastic and Canon was emoji91.png!

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If you can get your hands on the Kobayashi white Rhône blend you should snap it up. 

We did a magnum of Barolo and a magnum of Barbaresco on Saturday with a couple of friends.  Ended the night with Japanese whiskey which was really good.  Sunday was a bit rough.

Bad year for Loire, but still powerful. I have read good things about the post-sale wines, mainly the ‘17s. Anyone have experience? 

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8 minutes ago, HenryJames said:

Burlotto, imo.

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👀 ‘21s still around in Austin?

38 minutes ago, We’reTexas said:

👀 ‘21s still around in Austin?

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From my personal stash.

38 minutes ago, HenryJames said:

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From my personal stash.

You are a stronger man than I am. Have already gone through my ‘22s. 
 

Alain Castex, imo. Local wine merchant found a few of these in the back and had to jump on it (‘18 Canta Mañana). Always hard to get and now impossible since he has died. His wines have always blown me away with their energy and this one has not failed. RIP to one of France’s greats, they don’t make them like this anymore. 
 

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On 4/13/2024 at 7:59 PM, We’reTexas said:

👀 ‘21s still around in Austin?

You two drink them really young.

1 hour ago, VABuckeye said:

You two drink them really young.

I mean, it’s Pelaverga. 

You two drink them really young.

Baby Killers!

I cannot compete with anyone here vis a vis their love of wine. I've more or less moved to whisky, mainly because I can put the top back on the drink it again a month later. That said, I am a gentleman and will always have a bottle of champagne in my fridge.

A couple of years ago when I was living in Stuttgart, I was able to attend the Salon des Vins des Vignerons Indépendants Strasbourg. I don't know if anyone has been t one of these, so I will tell the story.

https://www.tradefairdates.com/Salon+des+Vins+des+Vignerons+Indépendants-M13982/Strasbourg.html

Basically, it's all the smaller winemakers. Tons of champagne for example, I took home a case. Not the big names, I've  been to Reims-Epernay, they weren't there. I also bought some a couple cognacs, which were amazing. All were around $20 per bottle or less.

So when you walk in, you pay like $5 and they give you a glass. Some pro types had a lanyard to hold the glass. There was probably 500 booths for wine, maybe more. An entire large convention center filled to the brim. People were buying everything by the case. So you wander around getting free samples until you find what you like. Then you get a couple cases. So you would get a hand truck (for free) and fill it up. Then you go over to the temporary storage area, and drop off your goodies. When you are ready to leave, there is a special loading lane. So you drive over, grab your purchases and a hand truck, and load up your car. People were literally filling up their cars, they must have a bought a years supply. 

All in all, it was a completely amazing experience. They do similar shows across France. I didn't need to ship anything back to the US as I was living there.  Has anyone ever been to one of these?

Edited by Thetexashammer

1 hour ago, Thetexashammer said:

I cannot compete with anyone here vis a vis their love of wine. I've more or less moved to whisky, mainly because I can put the top back on the drink it again a month later. That said, I am a gentleman and will always have a bottle of champagne in my fridge.

A couple of years ago when I was living in Stuttgart, I was able to attend the Salon des Vins des Vignerons Indépendants Strasbourg. I don't know if anyone has been t one of these, so I will tell the story.

https://www.tradefairdates.com/Salon+des+Vins+des+Vignerons+Indépendants-M13982/Strasbourg.html

Basically, it's all the smaller winemakers. Tons of champagne for example, I took home a case. Not the big names, I've  been to Reims-Epernay, they weren't there. I also bought some a couple cognacs, which were amazing. All were around $20 per bottle or less.

So when you walk in, you pay like $5 and they give you a glass. Some pro types had a lanyard to hold the glass. There was probably 500 booths for wine, maybe more. An entire large convention center filled to the brim. People were buying everything by the case. So you wander around getting free samples until you find what you like. Then you get a couple cases. So you would get a hand truck (for free) and fill it up. Then you go over to the temporary storage area, and drop off your goodies. When you are ready to leave, there is a special loading lane. So you drive over, grab your purchases and a hand truck, and load up your car. People were literally filling up their cars, they must have a bought a years supply. 

All in all, it was a completely amazing experience. They do similar shows across France. I didn't need to ship anything back to the US as I was living there.  Has anyone ever been to one of these?

I wish. All I know is when we go to Italy and visit smaller wineries I want find a way to come back with dozens and dozens of bottles of wine because the prices were so great and the wine is so good... And then I cry.

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