Any Good Wines Lately?

[Chasing Embers]

:rofl:

 

[flakyjakey]

Taittinger: Comtes de Champagne (1999) – The missus and I will share a bottle of this in the garden in about 10 mins, when she has finished painting the outside window ledges of the house (under my supervision, of course!). This is the first time this year that it has been warm enough to drink poutside. My wife is a “champagne girl” and we drink a bottle of ‘grande marque’ champagne every Saturday evening.
Pipe smoking is a hobby for me, but wine is my passion. In 1998, I started building a ‘retirement wine cellar’, such that I would never need to buy a bottle of fine wine after my retirement (the same principle applies to my retirement pipe tobacco cache).
I retired from medical practice two weeks ago!!!!

 

[zerohunter]

Last week I had the pleasure of drinking some great wines. Paydirt's 2015 Going for Broke is a huge Zin with GSM thrown in for good measure. A giant Paso Robles Cab that I will have again for sure. Also had Black Slate's La Viella Alta Vi de la Vila Priorat from 2014. Just outstanding for the value: tobacco on the nose, vanilla and mocha on the palate with a cranberry finish.

 

[oldmansmoking]

I buy my wines from Sainsbury’s when they have 25% off, I find all modern wines great, they in the whole taste very similar. When we were at Warner’s I did buy an expensive wine but was it worth it? Probably not as I could have bought 3 bottles for the price of that one. Same as does a high end pipe smoke better than a mid priced pipe?

It’s all very open to interpretation, and what you want.

 

[sasquatch]

I enjoyed a Silver Palm cabernet the other night (2012 I think). Very full, very smooth.

 

[daveinlax]

We been enjoying a mixed case of lower end 2000 Bordeaux wines I had stored in the davecave. IMO most have peaked but so far they been very good to excellent! 8O

 

[d4k23]

I see this is a resurrected thread, but wanted to comment on@ Kevin's comment

I was in Sonoma last week and did a tasting at Cline Winery

.
IMO, Cline makes some of the best Zinfandel's, the ancient vines. We liked them so much we bought a case for our wedding 5 years ago.
And for those on a budget, Boca Box makes a very drinkable Cab Sav and Malbec.
And I have yet to drink wine with my pipe (typically VA or VaPer) and not enjoyed it. Cab Sav and tobacco can really complement each other.

 

[flakyjakey]

Daveinlax - the 2000 vintage in Bordeaux was one of the best in the last three decades. Your 'lower end' wines may yet have plenty of life in them. I have barely started on my mid-level 2000 clarets.
If you want to buy the recent equivalent, try 2009/2010 or even 2015 - plenty of great lower-end wines at non-ridiculous prices.
In top vintages, lower-end wines start to compete with mid-range wines, and above.

 

[mikefu]

YES! My wife and I Just enjoyed a bottle of 2015 Chateau Puech-Haut "La Closerie du Pic". It'll be better in 2-3 years, but wow, its good! Black Raspberries, spice, dark fruit and a hint of meatiness, perhaps even bacon fat. Really good.

 

[flakyjakey]

Mikefu - interesting you should mention this; Ch. Puech-Haut is one of the best Languedoc domaines, IMO. My wife and I are totally besotted with the "Prestige Rose"; to the tune of five cases per summer! And, at £70 per case, a bargain. It matches perfectly any BBQ, Mediterranean food, salad - anything other than blood-red meat.

 

[mikefu]

Nice. I really enjoy a good rose' from the Rhone, but haven't had any Languedoc rose'. We'll have to give it a try, particularly for the price, assuming we can get it. French wines are somewhat elusive here in Colorado. Fortunately there are a couple good merchants who favor old world imports and keep them stocked to a point. Thanks for the tip!