• Cyburbia is a friendly big tent, where we share our experiences and thoughts about urban planning practice, the built environment, planning adjacent topics, and anything else that comes to mind. No ads, no spam, and it's free. It's easy to join!

NEVERENDING ♾️ The Richmond Jake's NEVERENDING Wine Thread

my wine rack never gets filled up - I buy em and drink em;-)

my new favorite red is "Gnarly Head" - no really, it's great stuff! :)
 
Suggestion for a wine to pick up from the napa valley during my upcoming visit would be appreciated.

I can bring back only one of the following amounts of items:

1.5 litres (53 imperial ounces) of wine;
1.14 litres (40 ounces) of liquor;
a total of 1.14 litres (40 ounces) of wine and liquor; or
24 x 355 millilitre (12 ounces) cans or bottles (maximum of 8.5 litres) of beer or ale.


I am hoping a bottle of scotch and a bottle of relatively good wine is in my future.
 
donk said:
Suggestion for a wine to pick up from the napa valley during my upcoming visit would be appreciated.

I can bring back only one of the following amounts of items:

1.5 litres (53 imperial ounces) of wine;
1.14 litres (40 ounces) of liquor;
a total of 1.14 litres (40 ounces) of wine and liquor; or
24 x 355 millilitre (12 ounces) cans or bottles (maximum of 8.5 litres) of beer or ale.


I am hoping a bottle of scotch and a bottle of relatively good wine is in my future.
Click to expand...

Why the restriction? Can you ship them back to your home?
 
I'm partial to the St. Helena and Calistoga (northern valley) areas, and I love their cabs. For a real chocolate treat, try Bennett Lane's Red Wine & Chocolate tastings on Saturdays. Having started my planning career in St. Helena, I always try to send people there to walk around the many tasting rooms along Main Street. Beringer was a real class act to deal with when I worked for the City, but I was underage when I worked there so I never went to the winery! I should go back and see how St. Helena is coming along... I bet it's really different now. If you could take some photos when you are there, I'd really appreciate it!



Unrelated:
I bought some nice bottles of proseco to have with brunch in the next few weeks. With the weather turning warmer, a light bubbly wine with brunch on Sunday is sounding good! I also have been getting into Aussie grenaches lately... I had an excellent Turkey Flat grenache a week or so ago paired with some bleu cheese. I was in heaven! I put a few bottles down in the cellar, and I've started looking around for some less expensive brands from the same area. I've also been digging the central california coast syrahs lately. Yum!
 
Bear Up North said:
Katie is on a Merlot kick. Any suggestions?

Bear
Click to expand...

If you have deep pockets, look for Duckhorn. Other favorite wineries of mine for merlot include Benziger, Conn Creek, Ferrari Carano, and Silverado. Estancia is a good value merlot, IMHO.

http://www.madwine.com/calmer.html

donk said:
Suggestion for a wine to pick up from the napa valley during my upcoming visit would be appreciated.
Click to expand...
Which varieties are you interested in?
 
RichmondJake said:
Which varieties are you interested in?
Click to expand...


I am thinking a good red that is moderately sweet wine with a full taste, without oaking so the "terroir" comes through.

After seeing Mondovino last year I am some what interested in wine, but don't know much about what to look for.

Any suggestions on wineries to visit would be appreciated too.
 
I'll second RJ's suggestion of Duckhorn. Their red wines are exceptional. They can be pricey, but I have a bottle I have been saving for a special occassion. At the other end of the spectrum - a sweet white wine - try Grgich. They have a late harvest reisling which is amazing. At $75 for a half liter bottle, it is the most expensive bottle in my collection. Even if you don't buy, go for the tasting. Another nice sweet wine is St. Supery's Muscato. If Trentadou is offering tastings, be sure to go in and sample thier ports.

When you go, be sure to seek out some of the smaller winemakers off the main highway. They will be less crowded and I think their wines are often much better.
 
donk said:
I am thinking a good red that is moderately sweet wine with a full taste, without oaking so the "terroir" comes through.

After seeing Mondovino last year I am some what interested in wine, but don't know much about what to look for.

Any suggestions on wineries to visit would be appreciated too.
Click to expand...

I can't help you with a "..red that is moderately sweet..."

As for wineries, Cardinal is correct. Stay off Highway 29 unless you enjoy heavy traffic and crowds of people. Hit the Silverado Trail on the east side of the valley. Start with (south to north) Pine Ridge, Stag's Leap, Silverado and Rutherford Hill for great views of the valley. Then head farther north to the Calistoga area and hit Chateau Montelina and ride the tramp up to Sterling.
 
This Bear is enjoying a Napa area trip, armchair method via Google Maps. Couple questions.....

Resolution on Google Maps is tight enough to see the vinyards and ASSUME that because of the closeness of the rows they are INDEED, vinyards. Are other crops grown in this area or, because of the unique climate and soil, the precious land is devoted to winemaking?

What about irrigation? Some of the tight Google Map resolution shows extensive areas of what appears to be brown soil. Satellite shots taken off-season or the area does have some aridness? Is irrigation practiced?

BTW.....Even before reading the comments saying to stay off Highway 29, if one is a regular browser of Google Maps, those "stay the hexx away from" commercial areas are very apparent.

BTW.....thank you RJ, Cardinal, and all others who help to educate us about an interesting topic and provide good details (including geographic details, no matter Napa, Finger Lakes, etc.). Your details do provide a pleasant after taste, with a slight tinge of black pepper.....full-bodied posts, of course. :-D

Bear
 
Bear Up North said:
.... Are other crops grown in this area or, because of the unique climate and soil, the precious land is devoted to winemaking?

What about irrigation? Some of the tight Google Map resolution shows extensive areas of what appears to be brown soil. Satellite shots taken off-season or the area does have some aridness? Is irrigation practiced?

Bear
Click to expand...
Napa County supports a few olive groves; Sonoma County grows apples and plums; Mendocino County also grows apples, pears, and an illegal green leafy product; but that's about it beyond viticulture.

Drip irrigation systems are typically used to establish young vineyards. Otherwise, overhead sprinker systems are in place to protect budding vines from frost in early spring. The barren soils: grape growers have a habit of tilling the areas between the rows of vines. This is usually practiced in the summer and winter to allow workers to harvest the grapes in fall and prune the vines in late winter. The rainy season in northern California generally runs from early-January to mid-April.
 
RichmondJake said:
I can't help you with a "..red that is moderately sweet..."

As for wineries, Cardinal is correct. Stay off Highway 29 unless you enjoy heavy traffic and crowds of people. Hit the Silverado Trail on the east side of the valley. Start with (south to north) Pine Ridge, Stag's Leap, Silverado and Rutherford Hill for great views of the valley. Then head farther north to the Calistoga area and hit Chateau Montelina and ride the tramp up to Sterling.
Click to expand...

While I don't like too dry of wine, any suggestion is really appreciated.

half litres work really well for maximizing duty free purchases..

I will probably be going on a week day, so hopefully that lessens traffic, if not I'll just make sure I have a big box of CD's...
 
donk said:
While I don't like too dry of wine, any suggestion is really appreciated.

half litres work really well for maximizing duty free purchases..

I will probably be going on a week day, so hopefully that lessens traffic, if not I'll just make sure I have a big box of CD's...
Click to expand...

My suggestion is to stop at the wineries, taste, and purchase what you like.

BTW, the majority of California wines come in 0.75 liter bottles.

If you're going on a weekday and want a nice tour, stop at Beringer in St. Helena. The caves are interesting and Beringer pours and sells a wide variety of very nice wines. I like their cabernet sauvignon Knight's Valley.

Have fun. I'm green with envy.
 
Just back from Napa, thanks for the advice. here is the list of what I liked and subsequently bought, I ended up deciding I like merlot.

Duckhorn Vineyards Estate Grown 2004 Napa Valley Merlot - Rector Creek Vineyard "Block 8" 2004

Peju Province - Estate Bottled Merlot 2003 - Napa Valley

Cakebread Cellars 2004 Merlot - Napa Valley

V. Sattui Winery - Madeira

I did a drive by/through of mondavi, just to see it.

I visited Sterling, but was not up for any more tasting, the views were incredible.

No to find someone to have a few good meals with to drink this all.

RJ looks like no jeans on this trip. ;)

Thanks again for the advice. pictures to follow next week.
 
Yesterday I took RJ to the new mega-wine store in Orlando. 8,000 different wines. sheesh. The man was in 7th heaven. I have a box of wine I have to drive out to the panhandle in 2 weeks.

Anyway, he could not resist the '50's type bathing beauties on one label, Courtney's Angels, "Wish You Were Here". A 2003 cabernet, it was darn good.
 
Yummm

Tasted a wonderful 2005 Riesling this week:

Dr. Loosen (Ernst Loosen) and at $12 a bottle, the best Riesling from a screw top I've had yet;)

Can't go wrong with a wine from the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer valley of Germany:-D
 
Zoning Goddess said:
Yesterday I took RJ to the new mega-wine store in Orlando. 8,000 different wines. sheesh. The man was in 7th heaven. I have a box of wine I have to drive out to the panhandle in 2 weeks.

Anyway, he could not resist the '50's type bathing beauties on one label, Courtney's Angels, "Wish You Were Here". A 2003 cabernet, it was darn good.
Click to expand...

I have trouble believing RJ could not find a box of wine in the Panhandle...I am sure Wal-Mart has every type of Franzi known to man...along with ice cubes for the perfect wine drinking experience.;)
 
Zoning Goddess said:
Yesterday I took RJ to the new mega-wine store in Orlando. 8,000 different wines. sheesh. The man was in 7th heaven. I have a box of wine I have to drive out to the panhandle in 2 weeks.

Anyway, he could not resist the '50's type bathing beauties on one label, Courtney's Angels, "Wish You Were Here". A 2003 cabernet, it was darn good.
Click to expand...
The place should be consecrated as a shrine.

You failed to mention that the Courtney's comes in a screw top. A very good wine for the price and highly recommended from this humble drinker of grape juice.


Brocktoon said:
I have trouble believing RJ could not find a box of wine in the Panhandle...I am sure Wal-Mart has every type of Franzi known to man...along with ice cubes for the perfect wine drinking experience.
Click to expand...
I haven't consumed wine from a box since my college days. BTW, ice in wine is a crime against humanity.
 
I don't drink any sweet wines EXCEPT I love ice wines.... not sure why. And...they ain't cheap!
 
I received email notice that my next shipment from Dry Creek Vineyards is on its way.

2004 Old Vine Zinfandel
Sonoma County

2003 Beeson Ranch Zinfandel
Dry Creek Valley
Click to expand...

The Beeson Ranch vineyard was planted in the late 1800's. Now that's old vine.
 
Zoning Goddess said:
How old are the ones in France? :-D;)
Click to expand...

Relatively young. The vines in France were attacked by the phylloxera aphid decades ago and they've all been replanted with New World root stock. Which begs the question: How did these old vines State-side survive the various phylloxera attacks over the years? Guess I better do some research.

___________

A little bit more history on the phylloxera blight. I don't know how accurate this is. I've read elsewhere the European vineyards were attacked more recently. And of course, Napa and Sonoma vineyards were hit hard by a strain resistent to the AxR1 rootstock about 20-years ago.

http://www.wampumkeeper.com/wineblight.html
 
Last edited:
A Near Tragedy Averted

I was loading the washing machine this evening and noticed some dampness on the foil of a bottle of 1996 Truchard, Carneros, merlot. Cork failure...damn. My quick thinking immediately rescued the bottle….it's drinking quite well this evening, thanks to my eagle sharp eyes. ;) :)

DSC00669_2_.jpg
 
Last edited:
JNA said:
RJ - Even you know that a laundry room is to hot to store wine. ;)
Click to expand...

Do you mean "too" hot? ;) The environment is pretty good out there. The room is air-conditioned. And the Florida humidity is good for the wines. It was probably suffered accelerated damaged during the move.
And it's a good thing I have nothing on tomorrow's Board agenda tomorrow... :-b ;-)


ZG said:
Sheesh, RJ, upping your image. In the pic, your eyeglass cleaners... and your Stephanie Plum book...
Click to expand...
I should have displayed the business cards of all the Cyburbians I met in Philly....just left of the image.
 
Wine sucks. I hate the way it makes me feel. I've probably only drank it four or five times or so in my life. I much prefer beer or hard alcohol.
 
Until I finished the book "The House of Mondavi", I didn't know the family on longer owned the Robert Mondavi Winery in Oakville CA. It's been owned for a few years by Constellation Brands from upstate New York. That one completely went under my radar. Charles Krug (including the CK Mondavi brand), is still owned by the Peter Mondavi family (Robert's brother). I'll need to adjust my wine purchasing habits.

This industry changes so fast...and the land use issues...Wow!
 
My parents recently went through OK on a road trip, and stopped at a couple of wineries along the way. I didn't know that OK had wineries - and evidently they aren't well kown outside of their little areas.

Mom picked up a bottle of each of these:

Cowboy Cab
OK Doky Red (merlot)

She also got a couple of whites, but I can't remember the names. She's going to give them to some friends from OK as gag gifts.

And I expect gag +o(is the appropriate response to these wines . . .
 
I am so curious about how the botles I brought back from Napa taste. I need to find a special occaison to crack one.

I drank the peju to kill a recent pain and realized that was not an effective use of an OK bottle of wine. I know the Cakebread and definitely the Duckhorn deserve better.
 
Sipping on 2005 Folie A Deux, menage a trois. A blend of zinfandel, merlot and cabernet sauvignon. Picked it up for less than $9 at Sam's Club. I add it to my list of recommended red wines.
 
I think this is sad. The large corporations taking over the boutique wineries. The loss of family owned vineyards and family operated wineries signals the end of a very romantic period of wine production in California. What's next: Villa Mt. Walmart?

I guess that's the way it goes....sigh.

NAPA VALLEY STUNNER - FAMED WINERY SOLD
Vintner Warren Winiarski, the first to take California Cabernet to Paris and come home a winner, sells Stag’s Leap for $185 million — and the Wine Country evolves

The family-owned winery that put Napa Valley on equal footing with Bordeaux is no longer all in the family.

Warren Winiarski, the former Chicago academic whose 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon stunned the world by beating France's best in the famous Judgment of Paris tasting, stunned the Wine Country when he announced Monday he had sold his Stag's Leap Wine Cellars to a joint venture of Italy's Marchese Piero Antinori and Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, Washington state's largest winery, for $185 million.

The transaction is a big step down the corporate path for the renowned valley, where wineries once were strictly family enterprises. It also was just one of three major sales in the valley this week.



Some recent sales of individual wineries in Napa Valley:

$185 million
1. Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, sold to Marchese Piero Antinori of Italy and Ste. Michelle Wine Estates of Washington state this week

$14.2 billion
2. Atlas Peak, part of a 10-winery deal to Fortune Brands in April 2005

$1.36 billion
3. Robert Mondavi Winery, sold to Constellation in December 2004

Undisclosed price
4. Louis M. Martini, sold to Gallo in September 2002

$47.5 million
5. Newton Vineyard, along with Mount Adam estate in southern Australia, sold to Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy in January 2001

$1.5 billion
6. Beringer Vineyards, sold to Fosters in August 2000
Click to expand...

Here's the full story.... http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/08/01/MNFBRAN0I3.DTL
 
From my recent trip, brought home the following BC wines:

2004 Tinhorn Creek Merlot - Okanogan VQA

2004 - Cedar Creek Estate Select - Okanogan VQA

My plan is to buy a bottle or 2 of good wine a month over the coming year for my graduation party.

RJ you should really check out the movie mondovino. it tells an interesting tale about how the wine industry is changing and how flavours are being shaped by a very few people.

http://www.mondovinofilm.com/
 
Has anyone found a sparkling reisling? I'm on the hunt.

RJ, you've got tastes similar to those in my house. I've been a huge fan of Columbia Winery since visiting last year- they're Barbera merlot was quite good. I think it was only a release for the winery though so unless I can figure out how to order it online I can't more unless we go back.
 
Habanero said:
Has anyone found a sparkling reisling? I'm on the hunt.
Click to expand...

Can't say that I've ever had a sparkling wine made from riesling. Can't do the research at work as all the alcohol related sites are banned by IT. I'll look from home tonight.



BTW, we're all on the hunt at many points in our lives. ;-)
 
Back
Top