love ya, Lucy. (In a hunting and fishing kinda way) or is it a (Let's go shopping someday) way?

I did try Brancott's and liked it too. The Noblio is crisper--almost like drinking grapefruit juice--and at the moment that excites me. I suppose after a few cases i would long for more subtlety.

Have you tried the Kim Crawford? And which do you prefer?

jf

I know a Kim Crawford... She directs a nursing home.

...and she makes a great wine!

jf

not my friend.. she's a holy teetotaler.

Apple, she has a night job....

nite


jf

De Loach California Cab. sauv. Good stuff for $10 / bottle.

I like the Nobilo better than Brancott.. LOVE NZ sauv. blancs... C;oudy Bay better still, but Kim Crawford is good.

More Californias are making in that style now.. Geyser Peak, Mason.

Claiborne & Churchill Alsatian style dry Gewurztraminer

Last few bottles of 87 Dunn Napa Valley& Howell Mtn cab

Sebastiani Pinot Noir and some various nice Bourgognes

Tonight and last night a 1998 Nebbiolo.. forget the producer.. big stuff.. more like declassified Barolo, also a 2000 Ca d'Pian La Spinella Barbera (best Italian juice around for $20)

Gallo's 2002 (3?) Redwoook Creek Reserve Chard is VERY nice.. $18 in Ohio.

RealPlayer.. I love DeLoach chards..

Michael:
If you like the Nebbiolos, you should try Martin & Weyrich from Paso Robles. Disclosure: the Weyrichs are friends of mine; regardless, I think you'll enjoy their wines. Both their Nebbiolo and Sangiovese are sublime!

Cheers,
Steve

Well, here is the line-up of wines for this New Year's celebration at my house:
Chateau Ste Michelle Riesling
Clos Du Bois Pinot Noir
Greg Norman Shiraz(was one of the top 100 wine picks this year)
Rancho Zabaco Dancing Bull Zin
Domaine Ste. Michelle cuvee Brut

All to go with steaks on the grill topped with Maryland crabcakes, asparagus spears(the way my wife makes it), salad, homemade bread, and rasberry cheesecake for dessert.

Hmmmmm...Johnnie is that 5 bottles for two of you?

Ambitious.

jf

No, 5 bottles for 4 people. Which bottle, Jack, do you think would go best with the steak and crab?

The only one I have had is the Dancin Bull Zin and that certainly would go well with the meal.

jf

OK, this doesn't really count because it's not about wine, not about champagne, but cognac. My brother-in-law was cleaning out his liquor cabinet prior to a move, and bequeathed upon us an unopened bottle of cognac witn the label "Otard Dupuy & Cie., Very Old Fine Champagne Cognac, Napoleon."

Let me state that most cognac (at least the stuff I can afford) has left me indifferent. This is something special. Mellow and dark, with a long, lingering, complex aftertaste that just goes on and on. More in the direction of Armagnac, which is what I usually prefer, yet somehow less "dense," if that makes sense.

Wow. We're going to sip this one reservedly and make it last!

Happy New Year, everyone!

Burgundy, Burgundy, BURGUNDY!!!!

Sigh. I LOVE the idea of wine. I think wine collecting sounds like it would be right up my alley. I know a little bit about it (more than the average person, less than many of the people who have posted here). But I just can't drink it. I don't enjoy it. And I so WANT to. Reds give me a KILLER headache, even if I only have a bit, and there's something about the taste of wine in general that I just dislike. But darn, I WANT to enjoy it! So I just keep trying stuff (leaving glasses half full more often than not) in hopes that one day I'll wake up and really like it.

Dolmansalil,

My wife Janet is with you.. we met at a wine tasting, Kenwood Artist Series Cabs, in 1990. As a result we served a 5? 6? liter bottle of the '81 at our reception.

Although she LOVES red wine.. for several years now she has been unable to drink it for the same reason. So if I open a bottle I'm on my own. It is very sad, particularly around Valentine's Day (opening a bottle of Kenwood would be tres romantic)

I just got off the phone with my bro in Chicago. He is ecstatic over the bottle of wine he had last evening. He says it may very well be the best wine he's ever had: Greenpoint Shiraz(Australian) vintage 2002.
Anyone had this? Has a rating of 93.

Green Point Victorian Shiraz to be exact.

Gonna' get me a bottle of that spicy shiraz
Savor each sip, from the first to the lazt.
Anyone care to join me for a blast in a glaz?
Heck, I'll buy 2 bottles so I can drink it fazt.

Last night, a 2002 Banfi Centine from Italy. This is a Tuscan blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. In this case, the Sangiovese predominates, and I guess 2002 wasn't a great year for it. The wine was overall a bit too tart, although the complexity of the Cabernet still managed to make its presence known. Normally I'd have expected the Merlot to soften things, but the high acidity of the Sangiovese stopped that from happening.

Overall, I was not overly enthused with this bottle. It did open up a bit after it had been open for a couple of hours, but I don't expect to have to do that with what is essentially a table wine. Yet, the acidity did make for an effective counter to the somewhat oiliness of the food we had with it. But, I wouldn't put this one on my list to buy again. Sells for just over $10 per bottle. If you can find the 2001 vintage, it's much better.

We had a nice one last night:

It was a Shiraz/Cab (my favorite mix) called Black Swan. (I think it was Australian)

Jodi

With tonight's dinner (grilled NY strip steaks, baked russet potatoes, asparagus with aioli) we enjoyed a 2001 Quinta dos Roques vinho tinto from the Dão region of Portugal. This is a deep red wine, made from Touriga Nacional, Jaen, Tinta Roriz and Alfrocheiro grapes. While its color is quite dense, this is not a heavy wine; it is rather light-bodied, but with a good depth of structure. This wine appears not to have undergone any secondary fermentation, thus the acids are pronounced, but are soft simply because of the grapes used. The flavors in the wine are mostly fruity, with black cherry predominating, with hints of dark plum and strawberry peeking through. On the finish, one detects the distinctive spiciness of the Touriga Nacional, with a tinge of black pepper and cardamom. Later, the oak from the barrels in which it was aged (for 13 months, according to the label) adds a nice toasty, almost chocolate note.

This wine is easily drinkable, is very smooth and nicely "wet" (as opposed to some wines that are so dry you can't tell if there's any liquid) which made it a good match for our steaks. Some wines taste really bad after a mouthful of asparagus; this one held its own quite well, effectively neutralizing the sometimes-overpowering asparagus. This wine is priced in the middle of my "non-special-occasion" wines at about $13.50 per bottle.

Still want to be your date........

Tonight a perfectly adequate Smoking Loon Merlot with a wonderful duck cooked by kathy the k the chef...about $8 a bottle.....

jf

Thank you Matt, I'm going to look for a bottle of Quinta dos Roques tomorrow.

So, RealPlayer, aren't you hosting a PW party SOON? Nothing makes a PW party special like cognac!

It could happen!

But I fear the cognac may be long gone by then!

What wine am I drinking now? I'm not drinking any wine now. Its 11am!

Diet Pepsi, Margaritas, Taittinger Blanc de Blancs...

My favourite whine? "I want to go to Miami!" (stomps foot)

My favourite wine? Used to be Zinfandel - alas I gave up wine and all alcohol years ago because it gave me headaches. But I still have a Bailey's on the rocks every New years Eve with a Tylenol chaser!

Chappellet Old Vine Cuvee




very nice...

with chicken a la kathyk....

jf

Must give another plug for Mad Fish ... tastes mighty fine after 5 hours of ironing his shirts