WTN: Vacation Wines - some great, some not so great

Hi folks,

Been away for a while. Took a long trip to visit family and get in a little vacation with the wife. Lost of wines along the way. I did not take detailed notes, but thought it was still worth mentioning a number of the wines.

2002 Chateau Leoville Barton - had this with steaks right before we left. Tannic & burly. Leave it alone if you have any.

2005 Pride Chardonnay - lots of wood on this Chard that my brother opened. It did pair well with a chicken dish that had some mustard in the sauce. I prefer something with brighter fruit or at least less oak.

1998 Louis Jadot Corton Charlemagne - my contribution to the same meal was nearly orange in color and undrinkable. I am not sure what happened to this.

2000 Chevillon Nuits St. Georges Chaignots - nearly mature Burgundy to my taste. Very enjoyable with a simple duck dish.

2006 Chateau St Jean Fume Blanc La Petite Etoile - reasonably priced on a wine list, yet not more than drinkable - seems too grassy and astringent

2005 Chateau Pontet Canet - rich, structured and long Bordeaux. This was excellent with a lamb dish I had during our trip.

2003 Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve - classical Napa Cab. I would put it away for a while. Not many still make wine this way in Napa, and I like those who do.

2007 Navarro Gewurztraminer - shows some Gewurztraminer character, but I find it dilute and it hides with any food

2006 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Garys Vineyard - not sure what to make of this. It's too big for Pinot Noir to my taste. All I get is cherry cola spiked with vodka.

2007 Yellow Tail Shiraz - poured at a party, and I had to try it. I wish I hadn't, as it was like drinking blueberry jam mixed with grain alcohol.

2005 Chateau Montelena Chadonnay - very nice with little or no wood and lots of crisp fruit.

Hi Doug,

If you drank the Yellow Tail Shiraz 2007, you should at least spare a thought for the genius of the salesman that managed to sell it.It is the most revolting liquid that has ever passed my lips.

[David M. Bueker]

I've tasted Yellow Tail wines at a few parties just out of curiosity. Thus far I have never been tempted to finish a glass of the stuff.

I've tasted Yellow Tail wines at a few parties just out of curiosity. Thus far I have never been tempted to finish a glass of the stuff.

I know what this sounds like, and I am saying it anyway. Did the host/hostess know that the person was likely to bring yellow tail to their party? If so, why were they even invited. I am not saying I would not associate with people who drink Yellow Tail, but not at a wine party at my house. Ok somebody, go ahead and call me a snob.

[David M. Bueker]

Bob,

Speaking for myself, I have never had Yellow Tail at a wine geek party, except as a bit of a joke.

Your comment does sound pretty snooty though. At least you knew it would.

David has it right. This was not a wine geek party, and I was not the host. Bob - why would you suggest being so rude as to exclude people based on their wine preferences?

Of course even in my own home I would never discriminate who to invite based on their tastes in wine. We all have different passions, and I am sure that many people would cringe in horror that my favorite musical artist is Billy Joel. That does not stop me from being invited to parties where music is being played on the stereo. I am just not allowed to control what is being played (most of the time).

David has it right. This was not a wine geek party, and I was not the host. Bob - why would you suggest being so rude as to exclude people based on their wine preferences?

Of course even in my own home I would never discriminate who to invite based on their tastes in wine. We all have different passions, and I am sure that many people would cringe in horror that my favorite musical artist is Billy Joel. That does not stop me from being invited to parties where music is being played on the stereo. I am just not allowed to control what is being played (most of the time).

Doug, it has been my experience that people who bring Yellow Tail to a wine tasting will head straight to the Grange table, and fill their glass to the rim. Therefore I have an aversion to their $5.99 bottle and their preference for my choice of what to bring. As I said earlier, go ahead and call me a snob. Of course I would not exclude them on the first try, but on the third...well there wouldn't be a third.

Bob,

Did you miss the part where I said it was at a party? Do you look so far down your nose at other people that you seek opportunities to demean them?

If that's the mentality of this community then I am not sure I fit in.

Thanks for notes, and warning on the Barton! Won't touch.
I'm with you- thought the 2000 Chevillon Chaignots was lovely in May.
I think that the Montelena Chard sees some new oak, but most doesn't do MLF, means pretty crisp.

[David M. Bueker]

I think we may have some crossed communication going on here. Doug - we are not a community of snobs. Bob - I don't think the Yellow Tail was at an organized tasting, just a party that Doug went to, so respectfully your comments are a bit wide of the mark for the situation.

I've had people bring YellowTail, Beringer white Zin, etc to parties at my house (I've got a mag of Sutter Home CS in basement - what will I do with it?). I've never thought they were rude or inconsiderant, just not into wine.

Of course even in my own home I would never discriminate who to invite based on their tastes in wine. We all have different passions, and I am sure that many people would cringe in horror that my favorite musical artist is Billy Joel.

If you ask me, "River of Dreams" is a great song.

Bob,

Did you miss the part where I said it was at a party? Do you look so far down your nose at other people that you seek opportunities to demean them?

If that's the mentality of this community then I am not sure I fit in.

Doug, please don't judge the whole forum by one member, even if that member is me. I have though seen this too many times to count where someone brings a $5 bottle of dreck, then head straight to the table with the better stuff.

[Robin Garr]

If that's the mentality of this community then I am not sure I fit in.

Doug, for what it's worth, I've reviewed Yellow Tail, and while it wasn't to my liking, I treated it with respect out of consideration for the people who do prefer it.

You fit in here just fine, I'd say, and please allow me to extend another welcome to the many I hope you've already received.

Thanks for the kind words. Let me reiterate that the Yellow Tail was at a party where wine was not even close to the focus. That's what happened to be there, it was the best of what was available after the micro-brews disappeared, and so I tried it.

Doug, I help out at a great winestore downtown and get infrequent requests "where is the Yellow Tail?". I try to guide to some other selection but mostly they just walk out. Can`t win eh.

I've had people bring YellowTail, Beringer white Zin, etc to parties at my house (I've got a mag of Sutter Home CS in basement - what will I do with it?). I've never thought they were rude or inconsiderant, just not into wine.

I will be in Manhattan this weekend. We could get a group together and open the Sutter Home CS and I will match with a bottle of white zin (a wine geek gave it to me as a joke) and one bottle of an excellent sweet Missouri red.

Walt

1998 Louis Jadot Corton Charlemagne - my contribution to the same meal was nearly orange in color and undrinkable. I am not sure what happened to this.

Sounds like a typical premox bottle; in Jadot´s case I suspect that the combination of sulphur levels being too low and too frequent batonnage was the culprit.

Greetings from Sweden / Fredrik L

Hey, Bob?

Drink your Grange first, then refill the bottle with Yellow Tail and take it to the party.

Problem solved.

Doug: Don't worry, you're just fine here. "Bob Henrick" isn't a real guy, he's a made up persona, a sock puppet created by Bill Spohn so he could have someone else in his "no wine or good scotch for you" club. And the rumor is that Spohn and Henrick are actually creations of the master curmudgeon, some guy named Rogov...you'll see him around in the different forum rooms around here.

Everybody figures this Rogov guy is real, because no one could make him up.

The rest of us, however, are all really nice guys.

[Jenise]

Fun notes--short and sweet--and I appreciate the comments on the Leoville Barton and Pontet Canet, two of my favorite Bordeaux producers. Re the Loring pinot, I don't know if you know Brian or his style, but he is a guy who actually started out on Burgundy but gravitated toward the California style, so much so that he started making his own wine. It is unabashedly made for drinking during it's first five years of life. I personally love his wines but tend to prefer them more toward the end of their lifespan when the fruit's calmed down and some secondary nuances come into play. The Garys' gets quite earthy and fungal--if you ever get a chance to taste one 5 to 6 years out, you should avail yourself of it.

[David M. Bueker]

"earthy and fungal"

Not what I would expect from a Loring wine, but then again I have rarely aged them to their dotage. I have a few 2005s left (including a Garys') & might do that this time.

I have a LWC 2004 Garys' Vineyard left (out of two bottles I ordered.) I didn't like the first one opened in 2008 so maybe I will try the second one in 2010 and see if it has evolved.

[David M. Bueker]

I have a LWC 2004 Garys' Vineyard left (out of two bottles I ordered.) I didn't like the first one opened in 2008 so maybe I will try the second one in 2010 and see if it has evolved.

2004 was the most extreme vintage for Loring with some very high alcohols. Age was not their friend.

Hey, Bob?

Drink your Grange first, then refill the bottle with Yellow Tail and take it to the party.

Problem solved.

Doug: Don't worry, you're just fine here. "Bob Henrick" isn't a real guy, he's a made up persona, a sock puppet created by Bill Spohn so he could have someone else in his "no wine or good scotch for you" club. And the rumor is that Spohn and Henrick are actually creations of the master curmudgeon, some guy named Rogov...you'll see him around in the different forum rooms around here.

Everybody figures this Rogov guy is real, because no one could make him up.

The rest of us, however, are all really nice guys.

Hoke, wouldn't I need to buy a bottle of Yellow Tail to be able to follow your direction? Or maybe I should go through the local landfill searching for an empty. I might also say that I am gratified to be mentioned in the same paragraph or post with Spohn, and Rogov!