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NEVERENDING ♾️ The Richmond Jake's NEVERENDING Wine Thread

We were on vacation in the NY Finger Lakes a few weeks back and for the most part found ourselves completely underwhelmed by most of the many wineries we visited. Most everything was very sweet and had high residual sugars. We did, however, come across one of the larger wineries that makes an incredible, and truly dry, dry reisling. I don't like reislings at all, but found these to be great.

We also came across a very small winery on the east shore of Seneca Lake that produces some very good blended reds, which was amazing considering most East Coast produced reds are some of the most bitter liquids a person can ingest.
 
RichmondJake said:
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. ;-)
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Thanks for the help. I heard of one out of Idaho but I couldn't find online sales for it. It just sounded good.
 
The shipment arrived..

ZG and I are sipping on a bottle of 2006 Hanna, sauvignon blanc. The wine has received several positive recommendations from reputable sources. This wine drinker agrees. Great nose, covers and lingers the palate well. It's young so I would recommend holding it for at least 6 months to a year before serious consumption. Would go well with poultry, veal, or just hanging by the pool with an antipasto dish. Go get this one.

Don't let the screw top discourage you.
 
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Roederer Estate, NV, Alexander Valley, brut sparkling wine. Highly recommended; one of my favorites.
Goes down well after 18 holes of golf in hot and humid weather.
 
Oh man.....

I noticed the bottles of Chateau Laffite were bout $900 a bottle at Applejacks a few weeks back.....OUCH!! Anyone ever drink a bottle that pricey?? The most I've spent is $80 for a nasty Sauternes?
 
I tried a fabulous wine from Barefoot WInes in Texas, their merlot, for 5 bucks and I was surprised at the flavor! Well worth the fin!
 
Some of the best wines I've ever tasted are from the great northwest.........Washington, Oregon, Idaho...............Hoague, Ste. Chapelle, Columbia, Covey Run, Covey Run Vintners, just to name a few............
 
The One said:
I noticed the bottles of Chateau Laffite were bout $900 a bottle at Applejacks a few weeks back.....OUCH!! Anyone ever drink a bottle that pricey?? The most I've spent is $80 for a nasty Sauternes?
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The most expensive bottle of liquor I have bought is a $275 bottle of scotch for my step father's 60 birthday.

My most expensive bottle of wine is the duckhorn from my trip at about $100.
 
The One said:
I noticed the bottles of Chateau Laffite were bout $900 a bottle at Applejacks a few weeks back.....OUCH!! Anyone ever drink a bottle that pricey?? The most I've spent is $80 for a nasty Sauternes?
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I have. I am fortunate to have a collector as an uncle. Thanksgiving is usually celebrated with a vertical tasting of a first growth. I usually only have one glass because I feel a bit sheepish about having such fantastic wine grace my unrefined palate and senses. I am getting better though. I can pick up aromas in the nose and I am starting to excel at delayering the tastes and flavors in the drink itself. But....an RJ, I am not. I need some more time.

For me, I bought a magnum of Brice Champagne. That's as rich as I have gotten...and it wasn't even that much.
 
I'm pretty sure I've never spent over $18.00 on a bottle of wine.
 
I worked in a wine and liquor store when I went to college and developed a taste for red wine but on a very limited budget. Fifteen years later I still hunt for the best cheap bottles. I rarely spent more than $15.00 a bottle, $10 is the average and only on very rare occasions I spend more than $20.00. The most I spent was on a bottle of real champaign which was about $70.00 wholesale for my college graduation party. That some bottle is about $150.00 + retail today.
 
Not a big fan of wine, honestly. Gives me a headache. Red, white, whatever. Just one glass, and wham! Instant headache.

So, yeah, I can't really see spending $150 on something that will just make me grumpy. :D
 
RJ what would you suggest as a good wine to hold on to for a while. I am trying to build my collection, but currently am only holding onto Cab's because I know they will treat me well in a couple years.

Other than port, what do you suggest I hold on to? Any labels you like better?

As a junior member of the RJ wine club, I appriciate the help.
 
Hink_Planner said:
RJ what would you suggest as a good wine to hold on to for a while. I am trying to build my collection, but currently am only holding onto Cab's because I know they will treat me well in a couple years.

Other than port, what do you suggest I hold on to? Any labels you like better?

As a junior member of the RJ wine club, I appriciate the help.
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Here's my list of favorites, in no particular order, that produce cabernets that age well. FYI, I have no financial interest in a single winery or vineyard.

Napa
Chateau Montelena
Diamond Creek
Robert Keenen
St. Clement (especially the Oroppas label)
Caymus
Grgich
PlumpJack
Hess
Far Niente
Paradigm
Trefethen
Pine Ridge
Silver Oak (also in Sonoma County)

Sonoma County
Dry Creek
Ferrari-Carano (Siena label)
Sausal (better known for zinfandel)
Jordan
Rochioli (best known for pinor noir)
Kenwood (artist series label)
Arrowood

That should get you started. Some may be hard to find locally, so try ordering on line. Good luck.
 
We're finishing a bottle of 2004 Kendall-Jackson, grand reserve, cabernet sauvigon that we served with bb'q filet mignon. The wine received good reviews but I'm not impressed at this point. A very big wine that could stand some time in the cellar which would soften it's rough edges. It's gotten a little better with airing tonight.

ZG describes it as a wine that "...kinda tastes like other stuff." :r:
She's taking baby steps...

RJ's recommendation: Buy but hold, 4-7 years.
 
This is a completely different take on an article I read several years ago regarding the impact of cork harvesting on the European oak woodlands and the trend toward screw caps. I'm just not sure what to think at this point. But then, I'm an easily confused person.... |-):s:

Cork Debate Pits Wine vs. Environment

It's the main event in the battle over how to close a bottle of wine: Cork vs. screw cap. To some, it's a matter of style. To others, it's an issue of quality. And now, it's a question of what is best for the environment.

Cork was the standard closure for ages. But winemakers began moving to alternatives in the past decade because of problems with cork that were ruining wines. Screw caps became a popular option and are now seen topping many fine wines, such as some bottles from Napa's PlumpJack winery that sell for $100 or more.

But some winemakers and environmental groups are urging wineries to return to basics — saying cork is the best choice for the environment. Cork is a renewable material — made from the fiber stripped from cork trees that can then regrow. The largest and most profitable use of this harvested cork worldwide is for wine stoppers.

Several environmental groups say the growing popularity of alternatives like screw caps are threatening Mediterranean cork forests, where cork is mainly grown. Cork oak covers about 6.7 million acres in the region and provides income for more than 100,000 people, according to the World Wildlife Fund.
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http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/n/a/2007/08/26/financial/f114501D65.DTL

I don't have an issue with screw caps and their effect on wine quality. However, I may re-think my position concerning the use of cork vs. screw caps.


EDIT: BTW, 2004 Beringer, cabernet sauvignon, Knight's Valley (cork) with filet mignon last night...yummy.


(Maybe should have posted this in the Environmental thread. Oh well.)
 
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kjelsadek said:
RJ what's your take on the fake rubber/plastic corks?
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I’m not a fan of synthetic corks. I’m confident they provide protection to the wine vis-à-vis oxidation. However, I’ve ruined at least three corkscrews in removing those damn things from their bottles. They’re probably a negative on my carbon footprint, too. Thus, I do not like them.
 
RichmondJake said:
I’m not a fan of synthetic corks. I’m confident they provide protection to the wine vis-à-vis oxidation. However, I’ve ruined at least three corkscrews in removing those damn things from their bottles. They’re probably a negative on my carbon footprint, too. Thus, I do not like them.
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Ok it wasn't just me who has had at biatch of a time trying to get them out of the bottles.....and they don't like to go back in either, just another excuse to drink the whole bottle lol.
 
SuperPenguin said:
Not a big fan of wine, honestly. Gives me a headache. Red, white, whatever. Just one glass, and wham! Instant headache.
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If you're sensitive to sulfites, red wines are generally headache starters with white wines less likely to cause problems. I ran across some decent red wines a couple years ago that were produced without sulfites from an organic vineyard but they disappeared soon after. Can anybody point me at a new source?
 
What other types of Reds are safe for keeping? I have heard Ports (although I don't drink much of them), good quality syrahs, zinfandels, and merlots. I have a vintage chart and try and go off of that, but it is still tough to find good wines. I appriciate the thoughts of the buzzed throbbing brain.
 
The One said:
I noticed the bottles of Chateau Laffite were bout $900 a bottle at Applejacks a few weeks back.....OUCH!! Anyone ever drink a bottle that pricey?? The most I've spent is $80 for a nasty Sauternes?
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While I've never spent $900, I'm beginning to realize some of the best bottles you can find are priced under $20.
 
This past weekend I spent a day pouring wine at the Colorado Mountain Wine Fest. All the wines were made in Colorado and there were 43 wineries present. I know a small wine maker that can always use help at these events and I get in for free. There were about 6,000 very happy people enjoying a beautiful day on the banks of the Colorado River in Western Colorado. Its kind-a-like working a bar but by 2:00 in the afternoon the crowd was in a very good mood.

At our table we poured 3 whites, 3 reds and a dry tart cherry. The whites included an un-oaked Chardonnay blend, a Riesling/Gewurztraminer blend and an off-dry white Muscat blend. The reds included an Italian style medium-body wine, a Shiraz and an oaked 100% Cab Franc.

People kept asking me why I had such a :-D on my face as I poured wine. The only answer I had was that I never had such a great job as this gig or maybe it was all the free samples I had!
 
Any suggestions for a shiraz? Looks like they are mostly Austrialian and South African.

One of the women I am dating has told me she likes shiraz, so I need to pick up a bottle or two.
 
We had a really tasty French Shiraz-Merlot over the weekend...I'll try to get the name off the bottle for you.
 
I agree with the Greg Norman for $12-14 you can't beat the bargin either.
 
RichmondJake said:
So that's what you Canuckistanians are calling your junk now, eh? :p :-D
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Slumming it is tought sometimes. ;) I want to crack those bottles so bad, but really need an occaison to do it.

She has now told me prefers shiraz in the winter, because it is warmer and that she is feeling like a chardonnay.
 
donk said:
Any suggestions for a shiraz? Looks like they are mostly Austrialian and South African.

One of the women I am dating has told me she likes shiraz, so I need to pick up a bottle or two.
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I like Fat Bastard (no, not you, the wine;)) from France
 
donk said:
Any suggestions for a shiraz? Looks like they are mostly Austrialian and South African.

One of the women I am dating has told me she likes shiraz, so I need to pick up a bottle or two.
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I can't believe you guys let this one fly for so long. I call shenanigans! Donk doesn't care about the wine. He just wanted reference his stable of chicks! :) :-D

Anyway, good on ya, and Penfolds has tons of shiraz options at all sorts of price points.
 
Ended up drinking shiraz and chardonnnay last night

At the restaurant we had

Lucky Country Shiraz / Cab blend - it was nice, not too bold but flavourful. Only thing that hurt was its price per bottle at the restaurant vs retail per bottle. 4x mark up is insane. We were only drinking glasses (2)

The chardonnay was a sonoma valley, nice and light.

At home opened a Grant Burge Barossa Vines. Pretty good for a bottle with a screw cap (did not realize that when I bought it). It was interesting to reflect on the flavour from the earlier tastes as they are both Barossa's. Now what to do with a half empty bottle, I don't really want to drink alone, how long will it keep?

Drinking wine could be obsessive.
 
donk said:
... Now what to do with a half empty bottle, I don't really want to drink alone, how long will it keep?

Drinking wine could be obsessive.
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What is this half empty bottle of which you speak? :r: At Chateau Jake, they are either full or empty.

An open bottle, with the screw top or cork returned to the bottle (shoved half way into the bottle), shouldn't be kept more than two (2) days before finishing consumption--maybe a little longer for whites if kept in the refrig. The reason: oxygen is the enemy of wine and when the bottle was opened, oxygen came into contact with the liquid resulting in the initiation of oxidation.
 
Yesterday, I cooked my red meat sauce then made lasagna when I returned from golf this morning. We served it with a bottle of Dry Creek Vineyards, 2004 Old Vine Zinfandel, Sonoma County. My recommendation: buy as much of this wine as you can afford. It's luscious. I'm going on-line and buying more--helps when you're a wine club member.
 
I just got a bottle of Avalon Cabernet to go with a Vietnamese Beef stew I am making for dinner - anyone try this?

I did get my standby Gnarly Head Old Vine Zinfandel in case the Avalon isn't so Avalon...:r:

does anyone else get Red Truck in a pinch or for every day drinking? it's really not bad - I do not like white truck, however, don't waste your 10 bucks on it...
 
I just had Red Truck for the first time two days ago. They had it for the first time at my wine shop so I figured it would be worth a try. Although I wasn't in love with it, it was a good price ($8) and not a bad wine. But then again I like Cellar #8 Zin... cheap a beefy....so who knows:)
 
I am looking forward to opening my bottle of Adelsheim Pinot Noir, 2005 tonight. One of my favorites. If you have never tried it, I would highly recommend it. It is a Oregon Pinot with the perfect balance of fruit. It goes incredible with salmon, tuna, or lamb. Give it a try (no I do not own stock in this vineyard)! :)
 
Plan-it said:
I am looking forward to opening my bottle of Adelsheim Pinot Noir, 2005 tonight....
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That received some very nice write-ups. I'll keep an eye open for that one. Please post your impressions.

I stopped at Publix on the way home in search of the Red Truck. They didn't have it but they do carry it. I settled on a 2005 Smoking Loon cabernet sauvignon for tonight. Should go well with the pork tenderloin.

Oh, I'm also baking bread this afternoon. Simple recipe for a simple-minded baker.
Making baguettes in the new pan the ZG ordered. It arrived yesterday.
 
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I have seen Smoking Loon for a couple years now, and have yet to try it. For some reason the label puts me off. RJ if you find that it is good let me know, so I can throw my preconceived notions out the door.
 
Hink_Planner said:
I have seen Smoking Loon for a couple years now, and have yet to try it. For some reason the label puts me off. RJ if you find that it is good let me know, so I can throw my preconceived notions out the door.
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We had a second bottle last night for dinner with grilled rib eye steaks. We can get it for about $9 at Publix. IMO, it's a good wine for the price. Pleasant herbaceous nose, deep lingering flavors of cherry and plums. Give it a try.
 
The Thanksgiving wine arrived at my office this morning. A case of 2006 Dry Creek Vineyards chenin blanc. I better sample a bottle tonight. Probably a good enough reason to blow outta here early today!!!
 
RichmondJake said:
The Thanksgiving wine arrived at my office this morning. A case of 2006 Dry Creek Vineyards chenin blanc. I better sample a bottle tonight. Probably a good enough reason to blow outta here early today!!!
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It was yummy with the quiche, thanks! I admit I don't know a lot about wines so I just depend on RJ.

So... how many bottles do we get to enjoy on Thanksgiving?
 
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