What are we drinking in the Omicron ominous?

Nicklasss · Post by **Nicklasss** » Thu Dec 02, 2021 1:19 am

A nice half bottle of the 2019 Cristom Willamette River that was again excellent.

stefan · Post by **stefan** » Thu Dec 02, 2021 6:07 am

A wonderful 1985 Gruaud Larose. The 1985 rivals the great 1986.

Nicklasss · Post by **Nicklasss** » Sat Dec 04, 2021 12:54 am

A nice 2018 Chateau Saint-Florin Bordeaux. The type of wine AlexR has probably access to for 3-4 euros. The type of wine representing the reality of Bordeaux small producers, that give all to their wine, a great 16$ wine. Make me believe 2018 will be nice as a vintage.

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Sat Dec 04, 2021 2:05 am

A 2015 Beaucastel. Robbing the cradle but a beauty in the making.

OrlandoRobert · Post by **OrlandoRobert** » Sat Dec 04, 2021 2:08 am

DavidG wrote: ↑Sat Dec 04, 2021 2:05 am A 2015 Beaucastel. Robbing the cradle but a beauty in the making.

That’s a big boy! The 16 is smokin to me. I like the 17 as well, shows more Mourvèdre, which is a good thing for me. Quite a trio of vintages for this house. I bought the 18 as well but have not pooped one.

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Sat Dec 04, 2021 2:16 am

The 16 Beau is even better - fresher, crisper - but really needs time.

The 15 is indeed big and rich, but not OTT. I’ve developed an intense dislike of over-ripe Grenache. Despite the solar year, big fruit, early approachability, yadda, yadda, it didn’t set off my candy necklace detectors and was well balanced. Great match for my wife’s rosemary chicken and herbs de Provence roasted carrots and potatoes!

I agree that the Mourvèdre helps keep things in check with Beaucastel. It’s one of the few CduPs I still buy. It was the wine that turned me on to region in the first place.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Sat Dec 04, 2021 2:18 am

Tell your better half Jim How says hey, David.
I have one bottle of 2016 Beaucastel in my cellar, how many blanquitos?

OrlandoRobert · Post by **OrlandoRobert** » Sat Dec 04, 2021 2:20 am

JimHow wrote: ↑Sat Dec 04, 2021 2:18 am Tell your better half Jim How says hey, David.
I have one bottle of 2016 Beaucastel in my cellar, how many blanquitos?

It’s gorgeous. I cannot imagine it shutting down. I find the 15 vintage in CDP too ripe but Beaucastel is saved by the Mourvèdre cut. Doc is of course right the time is good, but damn is 16 so tasty. I have also blown through 1.5 cases of the Coudoulet. Should have bought a palate and made it the house wine.

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Sat Dec 04, 2021 2:22 am

JimHow wrote: ↑Sat Dec 04, 2021 2:18 am Tell your better half Jim How says hey, David.
I have one bottle of 2016 Beaucastel in my cellar, how many blanquitos?

Peggy says hi back.

For my palate, I’ll give the 2016 Beau 2-3 Blanquitos to develop complexity.

For your palate, any time. You’ll love the fresh crispness.

stefan · Post by **stefan** » Sat Dec 04, 2021 4:30 am

2017 D. Drouhin Roserock Pinot Noir. Good value at $25, which is what I paid at Costco.

jckba · Post by **jckba** » Sat Dec 04, 2021 1:20 pm

Louis Roederer Collection 242. Trial bottle after having enjoyed a by the glass pour of it and this is a big step up from the Brut Premier that it replaces. Balanced, finessed and with a wonderful complexity likely from the reserves so for me, this is definitely in the running for best in class champagne in and around $50.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Sat Dec 04, 2021 5:41 pm

I think Musigny-151 likes this too, no?

Racer Chris · Post by **Racer Chris** » Sat Dec 04, 2021 5:58 pm

Saratoga Wine Exchange has it in stock for $47 and change.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Sat Dec 04, 2021 6:04 pm

I’ve been very pleased with the service I get from Saratoga.
Does NH have this Gerry?

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Sat Dec 04, 2021 6:47 pm

Same here, Saratoga has been reliable, has reasonable prices often enough on stuff I want.

But it’s December and I’m freezing.

JoelD · Post by **JoelD** » Sat Dec 04, 2021 7:29 pm

JimHow wrote: ↑Sat Dec 04, 2021 6:04 pm I’ve been very pleased with the service I get from Saratoga.
Does NH have this Gerry?

You can get this for about 30-35 with wine.com and stacking coupons. I just nabbed one recently.

s*d*r · Post by **s*d*r** » Sat Dec 04, 2021 9:59 pm

OrlandoRobert wrote: ↑Sat Dec 04, 2021 2:08 am
DavidG wrote: ↑Sat Dec 04, 2021 2:05 am A 2015 Beaucastel. Robbing the cradle but a beauty in the making.
That’s a big boy! I bought the 18 as well but have not pooped one.

You might need a bit of food to go with it. But I know Beaucastel can smell like you did as soon as you open the bottle

.

Blanquito · Post by **Blanquito** » Sat Dec 04, 2021 10:13 pm

s*d*r wrote: ↑Sat Dec 04, 2021 9:59 pm
OrlandoRobert wrote: ↑Sat Dec 04, 2021 2:08 am
DavidG wrote: ↑Sat Dec 04, 2021 2:05 am A 2015 Beaucastel. Robbing the cradle but a beauty in the making.
That’s a big boy! I bought the 18 as well but have not pooped one.
You might need a bit of food to go with it. But I know Beaucastel can smell like you did as soon as you open the bottle .

He shoots, he scores!

Racer Chris · Post by **Racer Chris** » Sat Dec 04, 2021 11:30 pm

On Thursday I made this ragout. While it was cooking I consumed a bottle of 2014 Ch Sociando Mallet. A third of a bottle of 2014 Ch d’Arvigny went in the sauce along with a few pounds of fresh vegetables. The Sociando was ok but didn’t offer any more than a glimpse of what it could be.

Friday I opened a bottle of 2014 Pagodes de Cos to go with the ragout. It was a bit more enjoyable than the Sociando at this stage.
After zipping the sauce with an immersion blender and shredding the beef, this is tonight’s portion simmering while the rigatoni cooks. A bottle of 2011 Ch Larose Trintaudon is the accompaniment.

Racer Chris · Post by **Racer Chris** » Sun Dec 05, 2021 12:03 am

Oh man, I should have opened something special to go with this ragout!
Its a flavor orgasm.

Racer Chris · Post by **Racer Chris** » Sun Dec 05, 2021 12:05 am

Maybe this bottle of 2016 Ch. Labegorce will do the trick.

AKR · Post by **AKR** » Sun Dec 05, 2021 2:35 am

Racer Chris wrote: ↑Sat Dec 04, 2021 11:30 pm On Thursday I made this ragout. While it was cooking I consumed a bottle of 2014 Ch Sociando Mallet. A third of a bottle of 2014 Ch d’Arvigny went in the sauce along with a few pounds of fresh vegetables. The Sociando was ok but didn’t offer any more than a glimpse of what it could be.

6D8EDC0F-5810-45CD-8F2B-52A4A76555C9.jpeg

Friday I opened a bottle of 2014 Pagodes de Cos to go with the ragout. It was a bit more enjoyable than the Sociando at this stage.
After zipping the sauce with an immersion blender and shredding the beef, this is tonight’s portion simmering while the rigatoni cooks. A bottle of 2011 Ch Larose Trintaudon is the accompaniment.
436CEE14-DDFF-4149-80CC-D579551AE2B6.jpeg

That looks really good. I'm always looking for pretexts to use kitchen gadgets, so now I need to get the immersion blender down from its high altitude shelf spot. You know what's crazy tasty: fluffy omelets after a whizz with those and a dollop of cream!

Nicklasss · Post by **Nicklasss** » Mon Dec 06, 2021 3:07 am

2015 Quinta de Romaneira Reserva Douro.

Good only. Plummy. Shy nose. Kind of boring.

I proposed Côte Rôtie or Bordeaux to MC, and she thought like it is Sunday, needed to open a cheaper wine.. this Douro is more a February 29th wine: once every 4 years.

Claudius2 · Post by **Claudius2** » Mon Dec 06, 2021 1:23 pm

2005 Ch Terte Duguay St Emilion GCC
This is the eleventh bottle I’ve had over the last 5-6 years.
The woody characters have evolved somewhat and the fierce tannins are at least partly resolved. The fruit is more developed though is still rather muted and lacks complexity. The flavour itself is quite nice but the alcohol and tannins are still too high.

There is 15% ABV and I challenge anyone to drink this wine without thinking that the alcohol is too much. The tannins, oak and alcohol are out of step with the wine and whilst I find this wine more drinkable than those sipped 5 yrs ago, the wine is likely to fall apart with time simply as it was never balanced.

I may leave No 12 for a while more as an experiment but never again am I buying ANY wine with 15% ABV.

Cheers
Mark

Comte Flaneur · Post by **Comte Flaneur** » Mon Dec 06, 2021 1:25 pm

Sounds like you need a bravery award for getting through 11 of them Mark

Claudius2 · Post by **Claudius2** » Tue Dec 07, 2021 7:05 am

I managed to compress the file this time to fit!.
Wendy buys orchids a few times a week thus the table always has them.

Ian
No wonder that this estate had its name changed (Quintus) after being bought out by Clarence Dillon in 2011.
I sometimes wonder what this wine would be like if the makers had harvested a little earlier and lower baume (giving, say, 13%-13.5% ABV) and not over-extracting it and using lots of very charry oak.

When I first bought it, I wondered if a Cat 'O Nine Tails and/or a horse whip would be included as it is akin to vinous self-flagellation.

I found this bottle stuck in the back of a wine fridge yesterday so thought it is time to drink.
I also found another (forgotten) magnum of 2005 Wild Duck Creek Duck Muck shiraz, a very renowned and expensive wine in Australia, and another wine that turned me off high alcohol, highly extracted wines. I will check how much the auction prices are as I am sure that there are many others who enjoy drinking bitumen emulsion more than I do.

cheers
Mark

Ambrose · Post by **Ambrose** » Tue Dec 07, 2021 9:47 am

Currently drinking a 2018 Roc de Cambes. Second night on this - it was almost undrinkable last night in its largesse, indeed I think it would have slot in nicely up against Marks duck muck. It’s settled down a bit tonight - actually tastes a bit more like Bordeaux but (without knowing where it might go) not one I’d recommend.

OrlandoRobert · Post by **OrlandoRobert** » Tue Dec 07, 2021 12:54 pm

Ambrose wrote: ↑Tue Dec 07, 2021 9:47 am Currently drinking a 2018 Roc de Cambes. Second night on this - it was almost undrinkable last night in its largesse, indeed I think it would have slot in nicely up against Marks duck muck. It’s settled down a bit tonight - actually tastes a bit more like Bordeaux but (without knowing where it might go) not one I’d recommend.

Yea Roc de Cambes and Tertre Totebeauf in ripe vintages like 18 and 15 are probably a pass given the winemaking style. I bought those in 2014, and it is still outside my normal Purchase.

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Tue Dec 07, 2021 4:22 pm

Claudius2 wrote: ↑Tue Dec 07, 2021 7:05 am I also found another (forgotten) magnum of 2005 Wild Duck Creek Duck Muck shiraz, a very renowned and expensive wine in Australia, and another wine that turned me off high alcohol, highly extracted wines. I will check how much the auction prices are as I am sure that there are many others who enjoy drinking bitumen emulsion more than I do.

cheers
Mark

Mark, I've had Duck Muck once. Let’s just say I wouldn’t be bidding.

I don’t see the 2005 Duck Muck in CellarTracker but mags of other vintages have sold for $US300-500. Maybe not as much of a premium as in its heyday? But much greater than its value as something to drink. Or as hand sanitizer.

Ambrose · Post by **Ambrose** » Tue Dec 07, 2021 10:30 pm

The story behind duck muck is fairly interesting - will tell from memory but feel free to look it up to get the facts a bit straighter.

‘Duck’ was the vineyard owner & was a fairly typical rough and tumble, alcoholic Australian who had a vineyard mainly to make wine for him and his mates. One vintage they just missed a row of vines & discovered it a few weeks later. Him and his mate decided to pick the row - it was 18 or 19 baume at that point & he called it Duck Muck. He wasn’t even going to sell it, just drink it himself but his distributor tasted it and thought ‘I know who might like this’. A month or two later RP gave it 100 points & changed the lives of a few more winemakers.

Claret · Post by **Claret** » Wed Dec 08, 2021 4:34 am

1994 Montrose, fully tertiary and will not improve. Good but not great at this stage.

AKR · Post by **AKR** » Wed Dec 08, 2021 6:23 am

: 2003 GPL for taco tuesday

: carnitas, black beans, steamed rice all stuffed inside of (unseen) burritos

Claudius2 · Post by **Claudius2** » Wed Dec 08, 2021 2:21 pm

DavidG wrote: ↑Tue Dec 07, 2021 4:22 pm
Claudius2 wrote: ↑Tue Dec 07, 2021 7:05 am I also found another (forgotten) magnum of 2005 Wild Duck Creek Duck Muck shiraz, a very renowned and expensive wine in Australia, and another wine that turned me off high alcohol, highly extracted wines. I will check how much the auction prices are as I am sure that there are many others who enjoy drinking bitumen emulsion more than I do.

cheers
Mark
Mark, I've had Duck Muck once. Let’s just say I wouldn’t be bidding.

I don’t see the 2005 Duck Muck in CellarTracker but mags of other vintages have sold for $US300-500. Maybe not as much of a premium as in its heyday? But much greater than its value as something to drink. Or as hand sanitizer.

Well I thought it would go for more.
The 750ml bottles cost about USD 500 at the cellar door and the magnums from distant memory were about USD 1100.

2005 was highly reputed and from a few vague memories, it tasted better young and since then, the alcohol, tannins and oak have managed to kill what remains of the fruit. The aftertaste is truly awful, which is why I make the joke about bitumen emulsion. Hard, burnt, tarry and nasty.

There are however encouraging signs from many Australian producers. Many have learned the error of their ways and are making Shiraz with balance, freshness and poise. Strangely this is what the same estates made 40 or 50 years ago and despite climate change, they can readily be done by vignerons who want to make a drinkable, medium bodied wine that goes with most food.

Cheers
Mark

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Wed Dec 08, 2021 3:29 pm

If the 2005 got the magic triple digits (or close) from you know who, it might indeed go for significantly more. Auction prices on CT are not comprehensive and I didn't see any data on the 2005. Don't throw in the towel yet.

Claudius2 · Post by **Claudius2** » Fri Dec 10, 2021 10:56 am

Gosset Grande Reserve.
This champagne has been in a wine fridge for 8 years, so I thought it was time to pop.
Excellent yellow gold colour, no brown tinges at all.
Nose was inviting with lemon sherbet, crisp minerality, baked apple and honey, with a touch of broiche.
I was expecting it to be more developed on the palate though it was medium bodied, with a balance of sweetness, acidity and citrus and apple fruit.
The palate was quite long with some honeyed complexity.
I wonder if the 8 years had changed it much?
I bought several of them at a sale in 2013 and this was the last. The rest did not make it past 3 years yet my vague recollection was that it was a similar wine then, maybe a bit less honey.
Excellent Champagne.

Racer Chris · Post by **Racer Chris** » Sat Dec 11, 2021 7:44 pm

Right now I'm sipping on 1989 Haut Marbuzet from a half bottle in one decanter,
and in the other decanter, a 1982 Ormes de Pez, from a 750 with shoulder fill and evidence of seepage under the capsule.
Both wines came out of the bottle kinda brown in color.
The Haut Marbuzet had a slight sherry character which blew off quickly.
The Ormes is very funky on the nose and lots of tobacco on the palate, but it hasn't gone south yet.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Sat Dec 11, 2021 8:06 pm

Boy, are those 82s finally getting past their prime?

stefan · Post by **stefan** » Sat Dec 11, 2021 9:13 pm

2000 Branon. This was a bottle in an auction lot I bid on because of other items in it. Still young, but very good with beef stew. Lucie smelled it when I opened the bottle across the room. Solid core of black fruit supports the tannin.

Tom In DC · Post by **Tom In DC** » Sat Dec 11, 2021 9:38 pm

'82 Ormes de Pez is not a bellweather of whether the vintage is in decline. Echoes of AlexR in 2002????

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Sat Dec 11, 2021 9:58 pm

Lol I thought of you when I said that Tommy. Although I do think we’ve been seeing more than one report here and there that wines like Calon Segur, Leoville Barton and others may be getting long in the tooth. That 1882 Calon Segur I had with PD, AKR, and Gio in Chinatown back in 03 was glorious. Haven’t had one since, I don’t think. I see MacArthurs has some for $250, was thinking of pulling the trigger but decided against it.