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Wine Summer/Fall 2014


bigtoys
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We were in Napa last week, so there will be more to follow

We did a Bordeaux blending seminar at Conn Creek--this is ranked as one of the best Napa experiences--and it was.

They have 14 Cabernet Sauvignon barrels from all over the Napa Valley for you to taste (as much as you want) for about half an hour. You can mix them, too, to see how they go together. They have one barrel each of the other 4 Bordeaux varietals-Merlot, Malbec, Cab Franc, Petit Verdot.

Then you make a mixture of whatever you want. If you're happy, you then create a bottle with the same proportions, cork it, make a label and take it home.

$90 per person, $65 if you join their club for a year--but you go home with a bottle worth $50-70.

Link below picture

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http://www.conncreek.com/About/History

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Now that's pretty cool.

I've had their Anthology red blend before and thought it was good. Can't remember what vintage it was, though.

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  • 3 weeks later...

​​Wow

Not a lot of wine drinking going on this summer.

We had this tonight. Usually I'm a big fan, but this one wasn't great for me. Not enough fruit

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I've been drinking a bit of wine this summer. Some awesome French Rose' and some older wines before the new vintages land.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Tonight on the patio with wifey pooh we started with a cheese selection and last years release of Copain's Tous Ensemble Pinot Noir and moving on to an excellent 2010 Quivira Zinfandel

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Orin Swift "The Prisoner". It may be a bit over the top for the heat of Las Vegas, but I could not resist. It's a Napa Meritage, %'s vary from year to year.

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another Cask Cabernet last night at Chicago Cut. Now it's got the Inglenook name

this one was great!

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bone-in filet

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I've been really enjoying the Motor City Kitty (2010) Syrah from Charles Smith in WA. It has a great velvet texture and a nice mineral/fruit balance. For $30sh a bottle I'm really impressed (especially given how unimpressed I've been with some $50+ bottles I've bought). I bought the last 5 bottles I could find. Anyone had a chance to try this? Any comparative bottles?

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Charles Smith makes great Fn wine. His k vintner stuff is always top notch but pricey.

His Charles smith line are awesome value wines that are getting amazing press.

His chateau smith Washington cab is one of the best cabs under $20 out there IMO.

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For the hell of it I grabbed the Velvet Devil Merlot, too. It was 10 bucks and real good. Not amazing like the MCK, but for the money I don't know if there is a better deal out there. Something great to open and pour after having a few cocktails. I'm new to appreciating wine but I think if I were to get on a wine list, it'd be Charles Smith's. Any other kick butt WA wine makers to look out for?

Charles Smith makes great Fn wine. His k vintner stuff is always top notch but pricey.

His Charles smith line are awesome value wines that are getting amazing press.

His chateau smith Washington cab is one of the best cabs under $20 out there IMO.

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Not sure on other Washington wine makers.

Charles Smith Kung Fu Girl Riesling has been in top 100 wines of year for past 2 years.

The Charles & Charles red blend and Rose are top notch for about $11.

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ate at Bobby Flay's new restaurant, Gato, in NYC last night

had 2 bottles of this--quite good

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  • 1 month later...
Orin Swift "The Prisoner". It may be a bit over the top for the heat of Las Vegas, but I could not resist. It's a Napa Meritage, %'s vary from year to year.

since Dave Phinney sold the name we don't like Prisoner as much as we used to.

hope your bottle was enjoyable

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The wife and I celebrated our 5th anniversary with a bottle of Pegau chateauneuf du Pape 2009 at the capital grille in Nashville. Dried roses and earthy funk goodness.

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Orin Swift "The Prisoner". It may be a bit over the top for the heat of Las Vegas, but I could not resist. It's a Napa Meritage, %'s vary from year to year.

Prisoner is one of my Fav's through several bottles of the 2011 hope the later years are as good.

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  • 3 weeks later...

we finally unpacked a lot of wine from our last 3 Napa trips and various other purchases--clearly too many

good thing Cost Plus sells inexpensive racks

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still have around 60 more bottles in boxes I'd guess

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cleaned up the wine room a little

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this shelf unit doesn't look great, but it holds a lot

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I see some Mumm Napa DVX (which is great) and some Caymus 40th Anniversary. However, I fear for those bottles in the last photo! :bigeyes:

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I see some Mumm Napa DVX (which is great) and some Caymus 40th Anniversary. However, I fear for those bottles in the last photo! :bigeyes:

good eye!

the Caymus 40 is a 1 liter; an off size.

just picked up 2 Mercury Head Cab magnums "accidentally" at Binny's--next to the Veuve box

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  • 2 weeks later...

my wife was looking for some wine to bring to a business dinner so we finally tried the Coravin

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it comes with a nice stand

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it was designed by a guy in the medical device field; I believe he sold dialysis graft needles.

there's an Argon gas canister that replaces the air in the bottle. the size of the pour seems proportional to how long you hold the silver trigger

they had some bottles explode (all somehow defective in retrospect, I believe), so they provide a neoprene sleeve to put around the bottle in case it breaks.

ready to insert

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needle inserted through cork

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pouring

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website

http://www.coravin.com/

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