Wine!

[winmonster]

We are doing a roast prime rib for the Christmas. I'd like to splurge a little bit for the in-laws. Caymus cabs have been good to me in the recent past, but I'm willing to be schooled. Any suggestions from my epicurean brethren? Somewhere north of $100 for a bottle makes me twitch, so please don't suggest a $1,000 vintage.

[zetroc]

Where are you located?

[winmonster]

DC Metro area

[echelon_john]

2012 Turley Zinfandel--~$40, terrific body, little bit of zip but not overpowering.

[ericpmoss]

I was about to suggest consulting some professionals, but...

Okanagan wine expert and Niagara vineyard owner get into a fist fight on CBC radio | This is That with Pat Kelly and Peter Oldring | CBC Radio

OTOH, let a serious chef chip in: The Fat Duck Wine List

[winmonster]

I was about to suggest consulting some professionals, but...

Okanagan wine expert and Niagara vineyard owner get into a fist fight on CBC radio | This is That with Pat Kelly and Peter Oldring | CBC Radio

OTOH, let a serious chef chip in: The Fat Duck Wine List

That was awesome!

[maunahaole]

Go to Stu's cellar, put on a blindfold, grab ten bottles, leave. You are all set.

[spopepro]

I've found that when looking to "splurge" on wine, you need to ask what will put a smile on your face? Will it be a facinating, relatively unknown (or completely unkown) wine that is out of this world unique (like the almost unknown in the USA nascetta, which I'm not even sure is legally imported...)? Will it be something that will touch on some family relationship or nostalgia (I often seek out and bring reds from Carema for family gatherings, as it is where our family immigrated from 4 generations ago)? Will it be a name, or a region?

I think it's important to think about what emotionally will get you going because there are outstanding wines at every pricepoint. To splurge is indulging in something else... Make sure you are scraching that itch when you fork over the extra cash.

If you have a general sense of what you are looking for, then it's time to find a trusted retailer in your area. Hopefully one who will have a stock of some well cared for older reds. Let them know what direction you want to go, a general budget, and they will set you up.

If it were me... I'd get this. 2000 was a great year and nothing says party and indulgence like a double magnum.

[fastupslowdown]

Personally, there are only two great wine worth splurging on, Red Burgundy and Old school Barolo.

You can't go wrong with even numbered years from producers Bartolo Mascarelo or Giuseppe Rinaldi. The 2006 is starting to drink well about now. As far as Burgundy goes, there are just so many great premier crus from such producers as Jadot, Faiveley, Roumier and countless other. Each producer and climat produce it own surprise. Pinot in Burgundy is just such a different animal than anything coming out of the U.S. or elsewhere.

By the way, exploring regions of Burgundy is much like planning a new bike route. Each village and climat offers its own surprises and appeal. I've recently been exploring Nuit St George's better premier crus myself.

My suggestion is if you are trying to make that meal special, going old world France or Italy is the way to go.

Mike G

[Mark Kelly]

Okanagan wine expert and Niagara vineyard owner get into a fist fight on CBC radio | This is That with Pat Kelly and Peter Oldring | CBC Radio

Unless I'm very much mistaken, that's a spoof.

[vertical_doug]

The issue with the red wine, is anything you buy now is probably still too young and tight.

If you want to splurge for the holiday with the in-laws, buy a bottle of nice champagne or two. A good bottle of bubbly is just right for a festive occasion.
Afterwards, I'd just get a decent bottle of red for the meal. For the red, I'd lean to a west coast pinot.

For the champagne, if they have a smaller maker like Vilmart & Cie, I'd go for that as opposed to a big name.

D

[znfdl]

Winmosnter:

Go to Out of Site wines in downtown Vienna (near the caboose) and ask for Chris, Nick or Nancy and tell them that I sent you.

As Manuahole suggested, I could also deal an aged bottle of wine for you. I have some 2007-2010 Zins, some 2010 Ca. Pinots, some younger Rhones that would go nicely.

[winmonster]

I took znfdl's advice. Chris @ Out of Site was super helpful in picking out some nicer wines along with some every day ones. Thanks for the pointer. I'll be a regular there now. Right-o on the cellaring thing. Should have mentioned I was specifically looking for something ready to drink.

IMG_0055.jpg

[jitahs]

I'll disagree on the age thing - many vintners have focused on producing wines for immediate consumption; vinification has drastically improved to that end. There are, of course, traditionalists who keep on doing what they do.

The most alive wine I've ever had was from the spigot of a barrel a couple of months old. Your brought your carafe into the French storefront, filled up like a gas station and paid your $1.25. I think about that wine frequently.

[jitahs]

OTOH, let a serious chef chip in: The Fat Duck Wine List

there's a hilarious blue review of the fat duck somewhere...but what i find most hilarious is the establishment's importation of aged Omaha beef, begging the existential question does margaux really go with it or does coors lite?

[znfdl]

I'll disagree on the age thing - many vintners have focused on producing wines for immediate consumption; vinification has drastically improved to that end. There are, of course, traditionalists who keep on doing what they do.

The most alive wine I've ever had was from the spigot of a barrel a couple of months old. Your brought your carafe into the French storefront, filled up like a gas station and paid your $1.25. I think about that wine frequently.

I agree some wines are made for immediate consumption while many wines that could be immediately consumed would be better with some aging. I have two groups of wine 1> immediate consumption and 2 aged. The aged group gets mixed into the immediate consumption group, when the aged wines are ready to drink. But the most important things is to drink what you like, beyond that it is only wine.

[winmonster]

We opened two bottles for the beast, both with very different characteristics. The Turnbull is very jammy and fruit forward. Right up my wife's alley: she loved it. The Chateau de Pez is supposedly at the beginning of its drinking window, but after a a little while in the decanter it was awesome. Much drier and less intense but with plenty of character. Mellow without the oak bomb that turned me off from "good" wines I encountered in the past.

[fastupslowdown]

I agree some wines are made for immediate consumption while many wines that could be immediately consumed would be better with some aging. I have two groups of wine 1> immediate consumption and 2 aged. The aged group gets mixed into the immediate consumption group, when the aged wines are ready to drink. But the most important things is to drink what you like, beyond that it is only wine.

Drinking windows are certainly highly subjective. I follow some reviewers and have seen very different recommendations about optimum time to open the bottle. I recently sample a 2009 Boudots from Dominque Mugneret. The Burghound would have had me wait I believe another two years or more before trying. To me it came across as more than ready for drinking now, an probably has been for a bit.

Something also worth trying is simply buying wines from older vintages. Often the wines are less expensive and can be drinking better than the newer vintages which simply haven't had a chance to properly age in the bottle(if they are that type of wine). There's also a great deal of "table wine" sold which isn't built to age but instead offers lots of early pleasure out of the bottle.

-Mike G

[maunahaole]

As usual, Jonathan sums it up.

[znfdl]

We opened two bottles for the beast, both with very different characteristics. The Turnbull is very jammy and fruit forward. Right up my wife's alley: she loved it. The Chateau de Pez is supposedly at the beginning of its drinking window, but after a a little while in the decanter it was awesome. Much drier and less intense but with plenty of character. Mellow without the oak bomb that turned me off from "good" wines I encountered in the past.

You should try the Clos de Sixte Lirac that is at Out of Site Wines. Let it sit for about a half hour and then yummy.