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Winos … what's pouring at Thanksgiving?

Discussion in 'Non-Vegas Chat' started by ken2v, Nov 25, 2013.

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  1. ken2v

    ken2v This Space For Rent

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    Hit the wine ghetto yesterday afternoon to nail down our last thoughts as to what we're taking down to the desert.

    Stolpman 2012 Viognier
    Foley 2010 Chardonnay
    ah-non-a-mus 20009 Grenache
    Ampelos 2008 Pinot Noir
    Stolpman 2009 La Coppa Sangiovese
     
  2. johnvic

    johnvic VIP Whale

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    I'm no expert but whenever I get some Coppola Claret then I'm happy. I'll need something else too, so maybe a Beaujolais to start.
     
  3. HoyaHeel

    HoyaHeel Grammar Police & Admin

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    There will only be 3 of us and I pulled 4 bottles from my wine cellar:drunk: Not saying we'll drink them all - probably won't open more than 2, since my husband will be drinking his beer. (and if my bock is ready, I might have some of that as well) I picked the wines last week and other than a viognier and a pinot noir, danged if I remember what I picked.....
     
  4. Blacklegs22

    Blacklegs22 Low-Roller

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    Flowers-Sonoma Pinot Noir(I think 2009?) with the turkey...a cheap Cava mixed with St. Germain Liquer and tonic for an apertiff.
     
  5. HoyaHeel

    HoyaHeel Grammar Police & Admin

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    I lied- I picked a riesling, not a viognier. Also a sauvignon blanc, the pinot noir, and a Marechal Foch we received as a gift a couple years ago. Never had it - should be interesting:peace:

    My bock is kegged but I don't think it's properly carbonated.
     
  6. ken2v

    ken2v This Space For Rent

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    I had one of their Sea Ridge or whatever pinots at an event. I recall it was rather bueno.
     
  7. bu$hman

    bu$hman Guppie trying to become a whale

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    I take Wild Horse (PN) every year. Everybody seems to like this one. 2 bottles of it this year, 2011. I also picked up two bottles of a riesling (I know nothing, as I really only do beer) as my wife likes a sweet wine (neither of us are big drinkers.) Dr Heidemanns Riesling QbA. How did I do? Is it worthwhile, or should I go back to the juice joint for a different riesling.
     
  8. WHITEJACKET73

    WHITEJACKET73 VIP Whale

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    Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc
    Seghesio Cortina Zinfandel
    Don Melchor
     
  9. mikenhe

    mikenhe VIP Whale

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    malbec.. my current standard fall back.

    may hit up the wine store tonight and see if there is anything interesting on sale.

    fancy a Bordeaux if I can get a good one.. or a neuf du pape if I'm feeling rich (which I'm not right now).


    will need a white but I find the local stores offer a very limited selection.
     
  10. Turtleman

    Turtleman VIP Whale

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    Okay, we're coming out of the closest to unabashedly admit that we're going to be pouring Two-buck (now $3) Chuck White Zinfandel from Trader Joe's with our turkey dinner! How about that all you connoisseurs out there! :)

    Ms. Gecko and I attend tastings nearly every month where we get to sample an endless variety of wines from all over the globe. Many cost far more than we'd ever consider buying; but more times than not, we find we much prefer the el cheapo bottles from the supermarket or Trader Joe's! Heck, we can get a case of Chuck for less than a single bottle of something we don't find nearly as good that comes with a fancy label and a name we can't pronounce. Yeah, I know, but some of these cheapie wines have excelled in blind tastings time and time again. Just Google "trader joes wine blind tasting" and see what comes up; it's truly amazing!

    Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
     

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  11. hammie

    hammie VIP Whale

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    What's the word? Thunderbird
    How's it sold? Good and cold
    What's the jive? Bird's alive
    What's the price? Forty twice."

    Ok, so maybe not Thunderbird with our bird, but I just cracked open a bottle (screw top) from my closeout collection, a $3.50 bottle of French semi dry white wine that's 40% Grenache Blanc, 40% Ugni Blanc, 20% Chardonnay. It was pretty tasty with my Sam's club rotisserie chicken. But then again, I had a $160 Cabernet at a business dinner (my treat) which my colleague thoroughly enjoyed, it didn't blow my skirt up. As my mom used to say, there's no accounting for taste. Will also have a magnum of Bolla Pinot Noir.

    Turtleman, I picked up a bottle of Jeremiah Weed cherry mash bourbon, mixed it 4:1 with vermouth and a few shakes of orange bitters, strained into a frozen glass (like my avatar).....Oh, My!
     
    Last edited: Nov 26, 2013
  12. HoyaHeel

    HoyaHeel Grammar Police & Admin

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    Turtleman - my Sauvignon Blanc is actually Vintjs (Vin + TJ - Trader Joe's :) It's a couple bucks more than Two Buck Chuck and I like it a LOT more.

    I don't know rieslings well as I do NOT like a sweet(er) wine, but the wine store manager I've been buying from for 10+ years has convinced me it's one of the best with food and always wins their food/wine pairings. So we'll see if I open it. Might save it for Christmas when my MIL will be there - she does like a sweeter wine (her favorite is a white "zin" but she has grown such that she'll even drink dry reds if I serve them to her:thumbsup:)

    Nothing wrong with beer, bu$hman! Personally, I'd drink a belgian dubbel or similar with Thanksgiving dinner. Some fun pairing guidelines online, eg http://www.craftbeer.com/craft-beer-muses/bill-sysaks-thanksgiving-pairings
     
  13. Joe

    Joe VIP Whale

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    Right there with you Turtleman:thumbsup: We also enjoy $3 Chuck.
     
  14. Turtleman

    Turtleman VIP Whale

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    hammie: I wasn't familiar with Jeremiah Weed (though I just visited their website), but I'm real familiar with Manhattan's. It's been my favorite drink for decades, which sounds good even this early in the morning! My dental hygienist is from Trinidad, and we really got a great rapport going once I told her how much I loved Angostura.
     
  15. Turtleman

    Turtleman VIP Whale

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    Joe: We knew you had good taste! Actually, by the time we've had a few cocktails while preparing dinner, I'm not sure we'll be able to make it to the table, let alone distinguish between red from white!
     
  16. Blacklegs22

    Blacklegs22 Low-Roller

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    Love this vineyard...I believe the "Sea Ridge" is generally thought to be superior to the "Sonoma" Pinot...it's a little out of our normal price range but we splurge for holiday meals...

    I'm not familiar with any of the wines your drinking (but the Sangiovese sounds good...) so you'll have to let us know about the outstanding ones.

    We're doing the pre-dinner french "Kir Royale" type cocktail to "open the palate" this year, as my wife now considers herself a buddding gourmand.:wink2:
     
  17. Joe

    Joe VIP Whale

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    I don't drink hard liquor at home, just beer and wine, but when we go out for a nice dinner I must have a couple of Manhattans. It must be a regional thing because no bitters go in a Manhattan back here. I like a perfect Man, so sweet and dry vermouth and booze of choice. Mine is brandy.
    Bitters go in our Old Fashions.
     
  18. HoyaHeel

    HoyaHeel Grammar Police & Admin

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    My husband loves Manhattans as well (and I've just started drinking bourbons & ryes but I'm not a big liquor drinker) I do like bourbon + cider + cinnamon simple syrup. (and even better if you use hard cider :peace:)

    His favorite Manhattan recipe is bourbon + sweet vermouth + dry vermouth + bitters.
     
  19. ken2v

    ken2v This Space For Rent

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    Two Chucks, Five Bucks is the new mantra and pricing out here. God knows I've downed my share over the years.

    Like everything else, it is so subjective. Smirnoff, for instance, is rated as the best vodka in the world according to some "leading" blind tasting.

    As H2 says, TJs specs certain products under its label that can just be outstanding. Problem there is availability year in and year out.

    Again, cars, vacation expenditures, gambling budgets, food products purchased and eschewed, home furnishings, TV size, "good" bourbon v "bad" bourbon … only thing that matters is if it meets the needs of the person consuming the product.

    As for TJs, we have four dozen fantastic wineries nearer the house than TJs. lol

    Legs … they're all good, at least to our tastes. Tried to keep it under $25/bottle since we're hauling down a good amount of wine. Not trying to be a cheap bastard, but since some in the crowd might just want some ice in that Grenache … (In fact, last night I called the vintner and ordered two more cases of the Grenache. Awesome deal on the club price at about 40 percent off.) The Pinot jammed the budget but we bought a few magnums way overpriced at an auction for one of the local dog rescue operations so at least we could write off the overage. lol

    All are very local, in fact, I can see some of the vineyards from our place and most all the production takes place here in our little backwater berg.

    Wine can get bloody effing insane, particularly when something goes ubertrendy like Screaming Eagle or Sea Smoke. That's how I rationalize our many club memberships. Yep, that's it, we're saving by spending.

    We just went in on two barrels of 2009 Sta Rita Hills -- our immediate AVA -- pinot, produced by Prodigal. We're getting six cases at less than $9 per bottle. That's probably 20 cents on the bottle. We're getting together next week to decide if to blend -- it's two clones -- and then we'll bottle. Gonna be fun. Friends down south have already claimed three cases.
     
  20. ken2v

    ken2v This Space For Rent

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    When I shake up a martini I'll just lightly wisp the shaker with Scotch.
     
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