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Posted on 6/25/13 at 7:29 pm to lilwineman
Since we brought up Orin Swift. Anyone try any of Dave Phinneys side projects like Shatter, or any of the Locations? I really enjoyed F.
Posted on 6/25/13 at 8:04 pm to bosoxjo13
E was a great wine the first time out. Haven't had Italia
Posted on 6/25/13 at 9:30 pm to lilwineman
Dave Phinney, who owns Orin Swift and made the Prisoner, Pappilion and my favorite Mercuryhead sold to Huneeus but he is still the winemaker and he kept control of Orin Swift. I have a case of 08 and 09 Mercuryhead and I'm a fan. I've got it laying down for awhile.
I think a few good Chardonnay are being made but primarily I believe they are better in Sonoma. Try an unoaked Reserve Beau Vigne or a Matthiasson. Really nice.
I travel often to Napa however I do stay well off the beaten path and hit mostly small boutique or even co-ops and I find some hidden gems. Jim Burgess makes some really nice wines, Shypoke makes a great Sangiovese that is not nearly made enough of in Napa as well as an incredible Charbono.
And by all means have dinner at Goose and Gander in St. Helena as well as Mustard Grill. It's about all I need.
I think a few good Chardonnay are being made but primarily I believe they are better in Sonoma. Try an unoaked Reserve Beau Vigne or a Matthiasson. Really nice.
I travel often to Napa however I do stay well off the beaten path and hit mostly small boutique or even co-ops and I find some hidden gems. Jim Burgess makes some really nice wines, Shypoke makes a great Sangiovese that is not nearly made enough of in Napa as well as an incredible Charbono.
And by all means have dinner at Goose and Gander in St. Helena as well as Mustard Grill. It's about all I need.
Posted on 6/25/13 at 9:38 pm to bosoxjo13
Ruffinos is carrying all of those. shatter, Abstract and Palermo which I like.
Posted on 6/25/13 at 9:47 pm to Martini
quote:
Mustard Grill
My wife and I honeymooned in Napa in 1996, and ate at Mustard's. I had the pork chop and it was outstanding.
Glad to know that place is still in operation.
Posted on 6/25/13 at 9:57 pm to G Vice
Cindy Pawlcyn is a great chef and owner and I make a point to eat there each and every time. Plenty of great restaurants of that caliber and price range that there is really no need to spend a grand on say The French Laundry and they , to me are much more fun.
Cook in St Helena is another great one.
Not to hijack LA's thread. But I'm a believer that wine is food and food is wine. They go hand in hand which makes Napa that much better.
Cook in St Helena is another great one.
Not to hijack LA's thread. But I'm a believer that wine is food and food is wine. They go hand in hand which makes Napa that much better.
Posted on 6/25/13 at 11:14 pm to Martini
quote:Hijack away. I'm enjoying the comments. And I agree with your sentiments about wine and food 100%.
Not to hijack LA's thread. But I'm a believer that wine is food and food is wine. They go hand in hand which makes Napa that much better.
Posted on 6/26/13 at 9:04 am to L.A.
Not to hijack a hijacked thread, and to be a bit contrarian. Besides wines that one can't get from a store, restaurant, or winery mailing list, why is there such a desire to visit wineries?
I get the beauty of it, the romance of it, but at the end of the day its just drinking wine in a different place (which has its own charms). If you are in the wine trade, I get why you'd visit, but for the casual or semi-pro drinker it just seems like an expensive way to drink wine you can get through other means.
I get the beauty of it, the romance of it, but at the end of the day its just drinking wine in a different place (which has its own charms). If you are in the wine trade, I get why you'd visit, but for the casual or semi-pro drinker it just seems like an expensive way to drink wine you can get through other means.
Posted on 6/26/13 at 11:06 am to BlackenedOut
quote:
Not to hijack a hijacked thread, and to be a bit contrarian. Besides wines that one can't get from a store, restaurant, or winery mailing list, why is there such a desire to visit wineries?
I get the beauty of it, the romance of it, but at the end of the day its just drinking wine in a different place (which has its own charms). If you are in the wine trade, I get why you'd visit, but for the casual or semi-pro drinker it just seems like an expensive way to drink wine you can get through other means.
Great question. I'll answer for myself. Perhaps others will chime in as well. I guess I have two reasons:
1. We serve wine every day at our house. Most of the wine I buy locally at places like Costco, my neighborhood grocery store, local wine shops, etc. However, when I go wine tasting I will buy a good bit of wine if I find some that I really like. So there's a practical reason. I get to taste the wine before buying a bottle (or more) of it.
2. It's a mini-vacation. Since I only live about 2 1/2 hours from the Santa Ynez Valley/Santa Rita Hills wine AVA's, my wife and I take about 4-5 small trips a year up there. We stay for 2-3 days each time. It's a beautiful, pastoral, tranquil area and a great getaway for someone who lives in a terribly polluted and congested city like Los Angeles. And there are some superb restaurants up there, places like Ballard Inn, Mirabelle, Root 246, etc. So we always have great meals with great wines when we go. Apart from that, my wife likes to go shopping in the area, apple picking in the orchards, or have a picnic lunch in the country side.
So that's why I go.
Posted on 6/26/13 at 12:46 pm to BlackenedOut
For the price of a bottle, you can sample 5-7 different wines that each winery makes, and see which you might want to buy again, and the ones you dont. They frequently tell you how they makes each wine, and you can go check out the caves, see the vineyards, etc. if you are curious about all aspects of winemaking it's a great opportunity to see how different wineries handle it.
Plus Napa is such a great restaurant area, you can get some really excellent meals while you are there.
Plus Napa is such a great restaurant area, you can get some really excellent meals while you are there.
Posted on 6/26/13 at 12:55 pm to Mung
quote:Exactly. And it's even less in the Central Coast area. I can go into any tasting room in the Santa Ynez Valley and for $10 to $15, depending on the winery, taste 5-7 of their wines. Often they'll pour your some wines that aren't even on the list for that day if they think you're really interested. It's a great, inexpensive way to try different wines and see which ones you like and don't like.
For the price of a bottle, you can sample 5-7 different wines that each winery makes, and see which you might want to buy again, and the ones you dont
Posted on 6/26/13 at 1:13 pm to L.A.
I drove up 101 from Sf to Ukiah two weeks ago and almost every single winery ad sign along the way posted tasting room hours...must be a very productive marketing tool.
Posted on 6/26/13 at 1:51 pm to L.A.
Totally get the vacation aspect, its like Destin to people from New Orleans. I appreciate your viewpoint. If Napa or Santa Ynez was that close to me, I'd go more frequently
Posted on 6/26/13 at 2:14 pm to L.A.
Since you're so close...check out Jada near Paso. The winemaker is my ex-neighbor. He makes some stuff that will make you cry.
Posted on 6/26/13 at 2:19 pm to DonChowder
quote:That last happened to me when I was 14...we were passing around a bottle of Mad Dog 20/20 and it was my turn...
He makes some stuff that will make you cry.
Posted on 6/26/13 at 2:20 pm to L.A.
Going next month. Disappointed that you were so down on Stag's Leap Wine Cellars. Its on my schedule and was really looking forward to it. Otherwise, good write-up.
Posted on 6/26/13 at 2:26 pm to OTIS2
quote:
Mad Dog 20/20
was in elevator at Kirby Smith when hat stuff hit me hard. Spewed everywhere.
Posted on 6/26/13 at 3:39 pm to DonChowder
quote:Will do. Thanks for the tip.
Since you're so close...check out Jada near Paso. The winemaker is my ex-neighbor. He makes some stuff that will make you cry.
Posted on 6/27/13 at 7:08 am to L.A.
quote:
Thanks. I used to write more, but I wasn't sure anybody was reading them.
Yep. I always enjoy these threads.
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