• Welcome to OGBoards 10.0, keep in mind that we will be making LOTS of changes to smooth out the experience here and make it as close as possible functionally to the old software, but feel free to drop suggestions or requests in the Tech Support subforum!

Wine

If you come across a place called Homestead winery in Texas just keep on moving. That stuff is an abomination.
 
had to search for this thread.

opened a Benziger Tribute tonight. Red blend. Decanted for an hour. Not bad, not bad at all.
 
Heading to the wine shop tomorrow to pick up another case. We have become REGULARS
 
I'm pretty open - my wife likes European whites, so we always get some of those. I grabbed a Zweigelt, a couple of California Pinot Noirs, a Spanish grenache, and a red burgundy. Probably my favorite bottle ever was an old Brunello from Ciacci Piccolomini d'aragona, so I have a soft spot for sangioveses from anywhere.

One of my favorite wine experiences (when I got hooked on red) was attending a wine tasting in the fortress in Montalcino. I was 28, had no idea what i was drinking, and they just kept pouring brunellos all night. I loved it and decided that my previous lack of appreciation for reds was because I was drinking the wrong things. Well, I was right....but my plan of going home and stocking up on brunello quickly fell apart when I learned how expensive it is over here. Instead, I ended up searching high and low for earthy european reds for under $10. (I found a few that became staples.)

Glad I have been able to move my price range up since then....although I'm still a sucker for that occasional $7 bottle that just tastes good. When we went on a viking cruise up the Rhine last fall, every day in town we'd find a cheap bottle of wine to take back to the ship with us for cocktail hour....one of my favorites we found in Germany for 3 euros.
 
I'm pretty open - my wife likes European whites, so we always get some of those. I grabbed a Zweigelt, a couple of California Pinot Noirs, a Spanish grenache, and a red burgundy. Probably my favorite bottle ever was an old Brunello from Ciacci Piccolomini d'aragona, so I have a soft spot for sangioveses from anywhere.

One of my favorite wine experiences (when I got hooked on red) was attending a wine tasting in the fortress in Montalcino. I was 28, had no idea what i was drinking, and they just kept pouring brunellos all night. I loved it and decided that my previous lack of appreciation for reds was because I was drinking the wrong things. Well, I was right....but my plan of going home and stocking up on brunello quickly fell apart when I learned how expensive it is over here. Instead, I ended up searching high and low for earthy european reds for under $10. (I found a few that became staples.)

Glad I have been able to move my price range up since then....although I'm still a sucker for that occasional $7 bottle that just tastes good. When we went on a viking cruise up the Rhine last fall, every day in town we'd find a cheap bottle of wine to take back to the ship with us for cocktail hour....one of my favorites we found in Germany for 3 euros.

This belongs on the list of pretentious shit thread
 
just got back from a trip to sonoma. it was outstanding. Had to make reservations everywhere, but we had perfect weather (mid-80s) and no crowds - we could go anywhere we wanted and couldn't have felt more welcomed.

Ranking of wineries visited:
1. Macrostie
2. Gary Farrell
3. Dry Creek
4. Simi
5. Chalk Hill
6. Comstock
7. Trentadue
8. Twomey (surprisingly low)
9. Armida (skip it)

Ordered a bunch to ship home from the first 6, so they were obviously all good!
 
just got back from a trip to sonoma. it was outstanding. Had to make reservations everywhere, but we had perfect weather (mid-80s) and no crowds - we could go anywhere we wanted and couldn't have felt more welcomed.

Ranking of wineries visited:
1. Macrostie
2. Gary Farrell
3. Dry Creek
4. Simi
5. Chalk Hill
6. Comstock
7. Trentadue
8. Twomey (surprisingly low)
9. Armida (skip it)

Ordered a bunch to ship home from the first 6, so they were obviously all good!

Went out there and did SF/Sonoma/Napa over about 10 days last fall and had a blast. Did an estate tasting in the middle of the vineyard at La Crema which was a phenomenal experience. Glad you guys went and had fun. Apparently, they are really hurting from the COVID stuff. The sales people from the vineyards we visited have been calling me this year to try to sell me more stuff.
 
i totally forgot we went to La Crema too....lots of good wines there that you can't get on the east coast. I think that was the biggest eye opener for me - how many wines never make it this far.
 
I'm pretty open - my wife likes European whites, so we always get some of those. I grabbed a Zweigelt, a couple of California Pinot Noirs, a Spanish grenache, and a red burgundy. Probably my favorite bottle ever was an old Brunello from Ciacci Piccolomini d'aragona, so I have a soft spot for sangioveses from anywhere.

One of my favorite wine experiences (when I got hooked on red) was attending a wine tasting in the fortress in Montalcino. I was 28, had no idea what i was drinking, and they just kept pouring brunellos all night. I loved it and decided that my previous lack of appreciation for reds was because I was drinking the wrong things. Well, I was right....but my plan of going home and stocking up on brunello quickly fell apart when I learned how expensive it is over here. Instead, I ended up searching high and low for earthy european reds for under $10. (I found a few that became staples.)

Glad I have been able to move my price range up since then....although I'm still a sucker for that occasional $7 bottle that just tastes good. When we went on a viking cruise up the Rhine last fall, every day in town we'd find a cheap bottle of wine to take back to the ship with us for cocktail hour....one of my favorites we found in Germany for 3 euros.

What were some of the staples you found?
 
just got back from a trip to sonoma. it was outstanding. Had to make reservations everywhere, but we had perfect weather (mid-80s) and no crowds - we could go anywhere we wanted and couldn't have felt more welcomed.

Ranking of wineries visited:
1. Macrostie
2. Gary Farrell
3. Dry Creek
4. Simi
5. Chalk Hill
6. Comstock
7. Trentadue
8. Twomey (surprisingly low)
9. Armida (skip it)

Ordered a bunch to ship home from the first 6, so they were obviously all good!

I live about an hour or so from Napa. Have been to most all on this list. Good call on Dry Creek....one of my favs.
 
What were some of the staples you found?

fair number of inexpensive riojas that I like; I also am a fan of montepulciano d'abruzzo and rosso di montalcino, although the latter is seldom in the $10 range....usually closer to $20. The problem with these is that they tend to come and go - if you find a delicious $11 wine it's not the same next year.
 
I live about an hour or so from Napa. Have been to most all on this list. Good call on Dry Creek....one of my favs.

T's and P's for your house.

I can't believe how lucky we got on weather. If we had gone a week later we'd have been smoked/burned out for the entire week.

We drank a Chalk Hill Sauvignon Gris this weekend - it was outstanding. I recommend it to dry white lovers.
 
T's and P's for your house.

I can't believe how lucky we got on weather. If we had gone a week later we'd have been smoked/burned out for the entire week.

We drank a Chalk Hill Sauvignon Gris this weekend - it was outstanding. I recommend it to dry white lovers.

Right now, we are ok. SUPER smokey but no real threat of fire.
 
Back
Top