Any hidden gems in your cellar?

Have you recently discovered any hidden gems in your cellar? I did last night. My son works pretty much all weekend so Monday nights are big meals. We were having grilled steaks and I found a bottle of the 2001 Turning Leaf Syrah. Based on the little I know, I didn’t expect much from this wine; as a matter of fact, I though it would end up as drain cleaner. It was, however, a wonderful surprise: a little bricking around the edges, just a little sediment, a nice aromatic nose; but the nose, as nice as it was, gave but a small hint at the flavor which was all velvety-smooth dark berries. This wine might have a fast downhill slide and I’m glad I opened it. This is one of the joys of having a cellar.

That's not a gem; it's a miracle.

[David M. Bueker]

Humble wines have surprised on occasion. I had a bottle of Virginia Cabernet Sauvignon from the Williamsburg Winery that was very fine after 7 years in the cellar.

Of course since I went onto CellarTracker, not much gets lost.

Of course since I went onto CellarTracker, not much gets lost.

I use and really appreciate Cellartracker but I've begun to use it only for higher-end wine just to save some time. Perhaps I should try going back to putting everything in I just don't know when I'll have the time to do that.

I have only lost one bottle in my cellar ever. Its something of a sickness that at any given time I can list from memory the entire contents of my cellar. The only bottle I ever lost was a gem though. I forgot that I had purchased a Porter Creek Syrah out of a bargin bin at a wine shop.

I had a bottle of Virginia Cabernet Sauvignon from the Williamsburg Winery that was very fine after 7 years in the cellar.

Really? Which vintage. The wines I have had from Williamsburg have not been what I would consider fine. Some were o.k. and others where not.

[David M. Bueker]

I had a bottle of Virginia Cabernet Sauvignon from the Williamsburg Winery that was very fine after 7 years in the cellar.

Really? Which vintage. The wines I have had from Williamsburg have not been what I would consider fine. Some were o.k. and others where not.

1995 tasted back in 2002 or so.

Thanks. I don't think I had anything from them earlier than the 2002 vintage.

If I remember my visit there, the cabernet that you had would not have been estate. I believe at that time they were contracting for all of there Cabernet fruit as well as a lot of other vinifera.

[David M. Bueker]

Thanks. I don't think I had anything from them earlier than the 2002 vintage.

If I remember my visit there, the cabernet that you had would not have been estate. I believe at that time they were contracting for all of there Cabernet fruit as well as a lot of other vinifera.

I think they had essentially no estate fruit back when I used to visit.