My thought on wine stemware is that the more you spend, the more likely you are to break it. I've got a mix of entry level Schot Zweisel and Reidel, and they have served me just fine.

I say that while also eyeing some flared tulip glasses for Pinot Noir that I'd like to snag.

For the wife and I we use vigneron series of grassl glass: mineralite for white and bubbles and 1885 for red
https://grasslglass.com/collection/

For party's we have lots of Gabriel glass Standart glasses.
https://gabriel-glasinternational.com/product/gabriel-glas-gift-box-standart-edition/

Pretty good luck with each.

aggiejumper said:

---

For the wife and I we use vigneron series of grassl glass: mineralite for white and bubbles and 1885 for red
https://grasslglass.com/collection/

For party's we have lots of Gabriel glass Standart glasses.
https://gabriel-glasinternational.com/product/gabriel-glas-gift-box-standart-edition/

Pretty good luck with each.

---

We use all of these as well.

Any suggestions for left bank Bordeaux? Looking for something that's available and in different price points to start branching out from Cali cabs.

I'm sure there are similar questions buried in this thread, but searching this thread for "Bordeaux: doesn't seem productive.

Let me put together a list, check back in the morning...

There's some really high QPR available.

I'm kicking myself. Kinda. I don't need more wine at all but these prices were way under retail and I didn't buy. These East Blocks should have been at least $100 more each just to get to release price. I emailed the retailer and they said that is the price they sold at and won't adjust after the fact so somebody got a steal!

cecil77 said:

---

Let me put together a list, check back in the morning...

There's some really high QPR available.

---

Also interested in left bank recs.

Just grazed a few from my CT. I have a lot more right bank than left bank

Honestly, the best thing is start buying and drinking. In my experience Total is the best for Bordeaux selection.

Right bank
$50 +/-
Beau-Sejour Becot
Villemaurine
La Gaffeliere
Fleur Cardinale
Tour St Christophe
Clos Labarde
Grand Corbin Manuel (like thirty bucks - good value)

$100 +/- (mainly +)
Troplong Mondot
Pavie-Macan
Pavie Decesse

Left Bank (most of these are fairly well known)
Langoa Barton
Leoville Barton
Leoville Poyfere
Kirwan (good value)
Durfort-Vivens (lowest price 2nd growth I think)
Pape Clement (some good values if you look for them)

A couple more left bank recs: La Croix de Beaucaillou (second wine of Decru Beaucaillou) and Pagodes de Cos (second wine of Cos d'Estournel) are great wines for the money.

Post Camp Brisket wines:

Dan Gatlin's 67th. This was a surprisingly good wine. Some nice spice and fruits/florals emerged over a few minutes. Very subtle tannins. Ready to drink for sure.

Is it "normal" for your wine refrigerator to reflect the home humidity? I recently purchased a thermoworks temp/humidity reader for my wine cellar, the temp holds consistently, but the humidity moves pretty much in perfect sync with our house. It's been sitting at 48% or so, we had a cold front come through the other day and it's at 37% now. I put a couple damp sponges in there and keep them damp, but doesn't seem to do much.

At or below ambient I think.

I've had luck with a shallow pan of water and a dense sponge, like a grouting sponge.

So with very few Cali cabs coming out this year, I am going to focus on buying BDX. Probably left bank as the majority of the wines. And champagne, but likely not as much as BDX. I'll be backfilling on both.

But first, 2019 Maybach next week. That is probably my favorite of all the California cabs. That and MacDonald, but I'm not drinking those yet.

Anyways, just thinking out loud about this…or on a keypad, actually.

Drank a 14 Macdonald last week. Amazing wine. Don't hold back. Give it a decent decant.

The wife's been making cassoulet all day and the house smells amazing. I have a 2016 Cote Rotie decanting. Life is good!

BigAg95 said:

---

The wife's been making cassoulet all day and the house smells amazing. I have a 2016 Cote Rotie decanting. Life is good!

---

Producer?

Been wanting to delve more into Rhone, particularly want to try a Cote Rotie! Let us know how it is/what it is.

bularry said:

---

BigAg95 said:

---

The wife's been making cassoulet all day and the house smells amazing. I have a 2016 Cote Rotie decanting. Life is good!

---

Producer?

---

Chipotlemonger said:

---

Been wanting to delve more into Rhone, particularly want to try a Cote Rotie! Let us know how it is/what it is.

---

I'm enjoying it. It is definitely young but showing pretty well. Very floral, and not as much acid as I was expecting for such a youngster. It's been decanting almost two hours, and is only now beginning to show fruitier flavors and typical Syrah olive brine characteristics.

BSD said:

---

So with very few Cali cabs coming out this year, I am going to focus on buying BDX. Probably left bank as the majority of the wines. And champagne, but likely not as much as BDX. I'll be backfilling on both.

But first, 2019 Maybach next week. That is probably my favorite of all the California cabs. That and MacDonald, but I'm not drinking those yet.

Anyways, just thinking out loud about this…or on a keypad, actually.

---

I got a Maybach offer after several years on the waiting list. I try to limit myself to wines under $100 these days, but I am very tempted to spring for a bottle or two of Materium just to try it.

I picked up a case from Justin and a half case from Rivers Marie yesterday, so that makes up for some of the FOMO!

If you are a Justin Isosceles fan, they are offering 2018s for $53/bottle currently. Comes to $57/bottle shipped if you get a case. Pretty good deal IMO.

I understand profit and business. That being said, Mike Smith may have jumped the shark...

cecil77 said:

---

I understand profit and business. That being said, Mike Smith may have jumped the shark...

---

I was just coming here to ***** about them wanting $240 for a case of 8 oz cans.

I passed on Myriad and Aubert in the last few weeks. Discipline I didn't even know I had.

I hate to say it but I don't even open his allocation emails anymore.....

htxag09 said:

---

I hate to say it but I don't even open his allocation emails anymore.....

---

I still buy the Napa cab and the Las Madres syrah. Both are solid QPR, at least to me. The cab price keeps creeping up though, so I am not sure how long I'll continue with it.

htxag09 said:

---

I hate to say it but I don't even open his allocation emails anymore.....

---

I only do out of curiosity.

His wine and my palate have moved in opposite directions.

Served one of his single vineyard Cabs to my wife the other day and she pushed it away "arghhh... Myriad" and she hadn't even seen the label.

cecil77 said:

---

htxag09 said:

---

I hate to say it but I don't even open his allocation emails anymore.....

---

I only do out of curiosity.

His wine and my palate have moved in opposite directions.

Served one of his single vineyard Cabs to my wife the other day and she pushed it away "arghhh... Myriad" and she hadn't even seen the label.

---

yeah... he has a style, that's for sure

bularry said:

---

cecil77 said:

---

htxag09 said:

---

I hate to say it but I don't even open his allocation emails anymore.....

---

I only do out of curiosity.

His wine and my palate have moved in opposite directions.

Served one of his single vineyard Cabs to my wife the other day and she pushed it away "arghhh... Myriad" and she hadn't even seen the label.

---

yeah... he has a style, that's for sure

---

High ratings and many love it. Just "too" for me - extracted, vanilla, sweet-ish, palpable oak, black current jam

What's the dress code there? Wife and I will be there in a few weeks.

Casual. I wore nice jeans and a button down shirt. If you really want to fit in, wear a black quilted vest.

HTownAg98 said:

---

A couple more left bank recs: La Croix de Beaucaillou (second wine of Decru Beaucaillou) and Pagodes de Cos (second wine of Cos d'Estournel) are great wines for the money.

---

A second for the La Croix de Beaucaillou.