My allocation was 3x 2018 Armada Syrah and 3x 2019 En Chamberlin Syrah. Of the Cayuse I've had (Armada, En Chamberlin, En Cerise, Cailloux, GOK), Armada is my favorite so I'm very happy with that result.
So should we start buying everything in sight? and start focusing on Chile, Spanish and French if you were a majority Napa consumer?
Anyone want a wsjwine promotion card? Got it in the mail with another package Shit service but whatever
Stylistically I think Paso Robles, Red Mountain/Horse Heaven Hills/Columbia Valley in Washington, some Aussie (admittedly outside of my knowledge base), Argentina and Super Tuscans would all fit for a Napa drinker.
In addition to Shafer not a vintage this year, I have heard that Bryant Family, Colgin, and Gamble won't be as well. Also, Gallo is apparently voiding contracts for Stagecoach vineyard and won't be letting any picks happen there this year for fear of tarnishing the name of the vineyard with potential smoke taint. I have seen a good deal of fruit being dropped in Vineyards around the valley and then just tilled into the soil in Vineyards that I don't know who own so Im sure there will be many more wineries holding off on this vintage. Today the north end of the valley had the worst smoke Ive ever seen while living in Napa. I
I'm sure everything available would move higher just due to supply/demand mismatch. These other regions are cheaper than Napa, and even if demand increases, they won't carry the price tag of Napa. The prestige Napa buyer that is buying Bond, Screaming Eagle, etc isn't just going to buy high quality but other stuff. I'm sure some will just hit auctions to buy past vintages.
Please, please, please don't avoid buying Napa and Sonoma right now. If prices mean you buy less, completely understand.
Also, if you want to support the industry in other ways, your money would be spent well in Oregon. Many of the growers do not have any form of insurance(their mistake) to cover the losses from these fires. California fires will really hurt the industry too, but for the most part they will at least have the finances from insurance to continue on and a couple straight years of overproduction to fill in some of the gaps. Oregon is SOL and banking on federal disaster relief to continue. If they dont get it, many of the new and less established wineries in that first 5-10 year window won't make it. Not sure if Washington will have the same dynamic as CA and OR. They were later to harvest and haven't received their tests back for smoke taint. Fingers crossed their grapes are at least not entirely wiped out. The Okanagan Valley (BC) has some styles and Napa/Sonoma institutional influence as well. Might be a good time to start to look into their portfolio, as that's where the next burgeoning region will be thanks to all these wildfires and temperature increases.
If anyone wants to help a woman owned winery that lost everything she is offering 15% off with the code Fire. Her Rose is great as are her Bordeaux blends. https://www.viragenapavalley.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=1823
I saw that on WB. Bought 6 rose, library 3 pack, and an 07 red. Didn’t consider using the discount code.
I am unable to spend any $ right now but I wouldn't either. I bought two cases of her rose when she had them on sale. Best value of the year for me. She bought a house in E Nashville right before the tornado came through this spring but luckily it was not damaged. Tough year.
So I ordered Far Niente Chard from wine.com they sent me 2017 Far Niente Napa Cab. Like a gift from god
Wine.com recently switched cpu program and there have been all types of shipping fuck ups. Order with caution from them for the foreseeable future. You got lucky.
This reminded me that I have a little stash tucked away. I feel like I need to dig in to them this fall.
tbh I’ve had a hard time with this style. I had that Cantina a month or so ago and it was very two dimensionally oaky.
Yeah Brunellos can be all over the map from my experience. Most of these will be holds for a while so will be interesting to see how they develop. I’ve had several incredible ones which piqued my interest enough to keep a few stowed away.
Looks like WineAccess is doing a private label offering from what looks to be mostly Bryant Family juice. (Who knows but at $30/bottle I got 6) brings pending up to 200
Opened a bottle of de Negoce No. 1 last night and...I won't be buying any more of the wines. Very, very much not my style.
Do they give clues? I’m on the BF list (haven’t bought since they made me jump through hoops to get a replacement for a corked bottle) and may be able to confirm. The list has seemed to become easy to access an it makes they would have wine to sell off-market.
https://www.wineaccess.com/catalog/...7285b9-474c-4950-8c1c-9187a032ea29/#pdp-story Thinking it could be Colgin based on winemakers and RP notes?
Turley and Kepplinger were both winemakers for Bryant. Turley for a long time and Kepplinger for 2-3 years when I was on the list.
Had a 14 Cakebread Cab tonight. It was delicious. Followed by a 17 and the difference in proper aging really stood out.