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A nice wine with dinner?

DLC

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Wine is a weird drink for me, I like beer it’s cold and refreshing and I like the taste. Drinking wine is out of my norm, but after trying several and drinking with food, I’ve learned to like it and I’ve realized what I’m actually drinking. Wine changes from year to year, the weather plays heavy on wine/wine making. I also like wine out of a good Crystal wine glass, not a plain ol regular glass
 

JayBreww

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I met a very wealthy owner of a winery while on the fire in Santa Rosa a few years ago. Very nice guy, helped us defend his property and tried to give us some of his stuff. Think it was called 3 Sticks Wine or something like that.


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Dan Lorenze

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My favorite wine..
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Flying_Lavey

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Going with these today and tomorrow.

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Tablas Creek won winery of the year a few years ago. A BFD for the area.
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Some say I have an issue, I say just well prepared.........
Those racks are two deep btw.
If I still had the pictures of some of the private wine rooms I worked on..... You'd be impressed. One actually belongs to a former owner of a company that build V-drive boxes, steering, and other components (can't remember the name now).


I love a good petite syrah, Malbec, or any number of GSM style blends.

Cinquain in San Miguel is awesome!! My entire family are members and not a single one of us has a single bottle of wine from them that we DIDN'T like.

After doing so much refrigerstion service in one of the world's top wine producing areas, it's made me really appreciate the wines that much more.

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Turnup

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Couple of French magnums and a Gran Moraine :D

Petite Petite is a go to, you won't be disappointed..label looks like a circus cant miss it. Muscardini is a fantastic daily driver as well.
 

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Mr. C

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We used to have a great hook up for Justin wine.

We love there wine Justin - Justification is one of my top 5.

have you tried Red Four from Vino Robles? It’s a good table wine
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They now call their Red Four - The Arborist. Really nice for the price point.
Love Eberle. Ecluse and halter ranch as well as others mentioned in the area.
Not really a fan of Tobin James though.


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HBCraig

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For those of you that can get to Napa Valley Wine, try Silver Oak the Cab or Merlot won’t let you down.
I was just at an upper end steakhouse with customers (Del Friscos Double Eagle) and they had Silver Oak for $160. Crazy
 

WildWilly

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Renato Ratti Marcenasco Barolo 2015 - a friend that owns a high end liquor store shared this with me recently. its highly rated (as high as 25th best by wine specatator I think) but consistently listed in the top best wines. I got it for just over $50 a bottle when ordering a case. I have to agree...for the price point is pretty nice...looking forward to seeing it a few years down the road too.

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sirbob

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An old friend is family with the Nickel and Nickel group.

I can get cases of Far Niente for a bargain - and if ever there, they have a great car collection!
 

LakeMead Boater

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Justin is $22/bottle and a great drinking wine. I also recommend Daou from Paso...same price point. Their retail wine is good, but was not impressed with their higher end wines.

Check out Michael David cabs- their Freakshow is $18/bottle and Earthquake is $22. Both are great!

For those of you in Orange County, check out OC Wine Mart. They have stores in Orange, Yorba Linda, and Aliso Viejo. Great wine and beer selection, great prices, and really good sandwiches and breakfast burritos.
 

LakeMead Boater

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Also, another great wine is Bonanza cab. Same family as Caymus but around $20/bottle. We found it at Target and OC Wine Mart.
 

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Thought I would add ours, while waiting for everyone to wake up. We belong to a French wine club, get a case a quarter and champagne at Christmas.
It’s usually 6 Bottle of his vineyards wine and 6 bottles of other French he enjoys. The no sulfites thing really makes a difference.
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A couple of the French bottles that evaporated last night. The bottle on the left is his families vineyard. If I remember correctly, he is a 4th generation wine maker. He hooks members up with discounted stays at his vineyard and acts as your concierge. Haven’t been there yet.

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Bullet28

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I was just at an upper end steakhouse with customers (Del Friscos Double Eagle) and they had Silver Oak for $160. Crazy

Wow HB that’s crazy, I’ll buy it at Bev Mo’s where I’m from in Stockton for around middle eighties foe the Cab, and around middle nineties for Merlot.

Man they sure tack it on at a good steakhouse. Great wine though.
 

LakeMead Boater

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Wow HB that’s crazy, I’ll buy it at Bev Mo’s where I’m from in Stockton for around middle eighties foe the Cab, and around middle nineties for Merlot.

Man they sure tack it on at a good steakhouse. Great wine though.

Most restaurants double retail price on their wine. Silver Oak from Alexander Valley is normally $80ish, their Napa Valley version is better and about $100/bottle if I remember correctly.
 

Xring01

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Wow HB that’s crazy, I’ll buy it at Bev Mo’s where I’m from in Stockton for around middle eighties foe the Cab, and around middle nineties for Merlot.

Man they sure tack it on at a good steakhouse. Great wine though.

average mark up is 2x, some go for 3x
 

WhatExit?

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We buy and drink lots of wine. My goal is to find the best wines at the lowest cost because we like to drink it often.

Here's another good deal...

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From Vinopointer.com
https://vinopointer.com/rabble-red-wine/

"I’ve seen this wine elsewhere for $17. So the current Costco price of $9.89 is that much more appealing. That at least caused me to reach for the bottle and give it a try. I was glad I did.

So often wines below $10, especially red wines, exhibit certain signs that they were manufactured (I use the word deliberately) using no small amount of additives to make them taste better. That they do, but they often taste “fake” to me. I rarely bother to review such wines.

Thus, one of the things I really like about this Rabble Red is that it tastes like the real deal. I has nice structure provided by real oak barrels no doubt, as opposed to saw dust or even liquid smoke.

It also exhibited the types of flavors that come from making wine the old fashioned way, versus from gallons of grape concentrate.

The Paso Robles appellation has become especially well known for its red wines. and this blend of 90% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Petite Sirah showcases how the region not only produces really good red wines but really good values for your money.

This is a really nice versatile food wine. It is medium-bodied and nicely balanced with a nose of dark berries, hillside brush and flavors of plum, red and blackberries. There is just enough oak to give the wine some structure, but the restraint shown in the oak regimen is what makes this a really good wine for pairing with food. The first time we tasted it we paired it with a ground turkey meatloaf, the second time with gnocchi and a sauce of wild mushrooms. It would pair really well with a wide variety of foods including grilled meats and vegetables, burgers and all things Italian.

Cheers!"
 

LakeMead Boater

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average mark up is 2x, some go for 3x

There’s a place in Lake Forest called Bru that actually only marks up their wine 10-15%, they have a little retail spot in the entry where you can buy the wine by the bottle too. Food is pretty good, personally I think their best dish is their Prime Rib and they only do it on the weekends.
 

Xring01

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There’s a place in Lake Forest called Bru that actually only marks up their wine 10-15%, they have a little retail spot in the entry where you can buy the wine by the bottle too. Food is pretty good, personally I think their best dish is their Prime Rib and they only do it on the weekends.

what a coincidence
De ja vu

gonna make me a prime rib today..

wondering what bottle of wine I will dust off for dinner...

Thinking 2009 Sea Smoke Pinot... or?...
 

Flying_Lavey

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what a coincidence
De ja vu

gonna make me a prime rib today..

wondering what bottle of wine I will dust off for dinner...

Thinking 2009 Sea Smoke Pinot... or?...
One of my former employers did all the HVAC work for Sea Smoke. I was told at that time the entire future production for the next 2 years was already pre-sold. I never have had a chance to try any of their wines though.

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havasujeeper

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This is our go-to wine which I buy by the case. We love it! Better yet, it is about $7.50 a bottle
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Xring01

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One of my former employers did all the HVAC work for Sea Smoke. I was told at that time the entire future production for the next 2 years was already pre-sold. I never have had a chance to try any of their wines though.

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Years ago, SeaSmoke was sold out for 10 years or more..

The waiting list to get on there wine club took me 3 years, and I was only allowed to buy 3 bottles... per year as a member...

I traded one bottle of 1996 Pinot, for 4 cases of high end wine, to a well known wine maker... he wanted that bottle...

Butt, they changed wine makers years ago and went way down hill after...

They are still living on there past reputation... I do not recommend them after 2006... newer ones are not worth the $$$$...

I am hoping the 2009 bottle I open later today proves me wrong... But I dont have my hopes up... The last one I had was a huge disappointment.... Bottle aging can only do so much..
 

Bullet28

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Most restaurants double retail price on their wine. Silver Oak from Alexander Valley is normally $80ish, their Napa Valley version is better and about $100/bottle if I remember correctly.

That sounds right.
 

Xring01

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An old friend is family with the Nickel and Nickel group.

I can get cases of Far Niente for a bargain - and if ever there, they have a great car collection!

Road Trip
I will drive... pack your bags.. lets roll

wine like that at a discount has me all over it
 

sirbob

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Road Trip
I will drive... pack your bags.. lets roll

wine like that at a discount has me all over it


I usually get cases of the Chard for my wife and she says - don't buy that for me, I can t tell the difference !

I do like the Farniente Cab though!
 

sirbob

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average mark up is 2x, some go for 3x


Please tell me where the 2X mark up is - I always seem to get the 3X or 4X mark up!

Seriously 2X is pretty cheap at the table of a decent place. I would consider that a good deal in a nice restaurant.
 

sirbob

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A lot of places do the corkage fee - but when its 30 / 40 bucks its not worth bringing your own unless its a really good wine or you are going to drink a number of bottles - corkage fees are usually 1X - not for each bottle.
 

sirbob

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Anybody use apps like this?

You can take a pic of a bottle and it will scan and give you feedback - you can also see pricing and order right from the app.

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beertruck

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yes, I use the vivino app, great for checking the value of wine your about to drink.
 

Waterjunky

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I love nothing better than a good value wine. The reason I had 15 cases of the one under my pool table was I paid $6 a bottle for it. One time offer, as they were finalizing the shutdown of their business.
A real bummer....
 

Tamalewagon

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I know a bit about wine.

Some of my good buddys are wine makers at the some great winerys.

I make my own wine...

But being in Business... I have bought many of meals at some the highest end restaurants, which comes with alot of great wines.

What the majority of peeps dont understand. Is why some bottles of wine cost $60 - $120 or more.

The average 65-70 gallon French Oak Barrel cost $1600, Typically 6 gallons results in about 2.5 cases of wine. So you can quickly see, why some wines have high price tags. But that doesnt mean its worth that money. Shit in will equal shit out.

So wine makers use expensive barrels as a crutch to improve the crap they put in. But thats just protecting there job.

Regardless of the price, focus on the regions that make wines that apeal to you. Then focus on the flavor profiles that appeal to you. Some like dry, some like buttery. Some like fruit forward, some like fruit in the after taste. Sweat or Not?

But that doesnt mean any one wine, meets everyones tastes. Get to know the people you are serving, and do you best to serve wines that meet there taste profiles. Truly price doesnt matter.

I highly recommend a Pinot Noir that I found the other day for $10, if you buy 6 bottles...
Bread and Butter Pinot Noir 2017... wow... its really hard to beat for $10...

There are some amazing wine portrayed in the earlier post...
Ruffino Ducalli Gold 1996... wow, what a great bottle of wine.
Sea Smoke Pinot 1997... Top 3 Bottles I have ever had.
Heitz, Caymus, Franklin, Bridlewood, and on and on and one...

I can name great bottle after great bottle but those are all expensive..

The key to this venue... Is finding a great bottle of wine a low cost. So instead of buying 1 bottle, you get 4...

Which is a key reason I started making my own.

Just bottled 6 gallons of Pinot, and Aging 12 gallons of Cab at the moment.

I love your setup. We are going to grow some Syrah vines (only grape that will grow decently in San Diego) and I would like to get a set up like yours. Please let me know where you got the drip system, fermentation equipment etc. I got my tutelage at Karly Wines back in the 80's but much has changed. Many thanks.
 

LHC Kirby

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No need to spend a lot - buy this wine - a case or more- Sams Club has it for about $9.00 a bottle - best $ you can can spend

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The app that makes that label come ALIVE is pretty cool... each bottle has several “stories” that is revealed by using the app.... wine is hit and miss, mostly a good second or 3rd bottle to open... I always open one of my favorite from KELSEY wineries in Sea Canyon just before getting to Avila Beach.... which is home to another favorite ALAPAY wines..... any bottle worth opening is worth finishing :)
 

Xring01

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I love your setup. We are going to grow some Syrah vines (only grape that will grow decently in San Diego) and I would like to get a set up like yours. Please let me know where you got the drip system, fermentation equipment etc. I got my tutelage at Karly Wines back in the 80's but much has changed. Many thanks.
Pm me you number, and I will help you with it.
 

DrunkenSailor

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There’s a place in Lake Forest called Bru that actually only marks up their wine 10-15%, they have a little retail spot in the entry where you can buy the wine by the bottle too. Food is pretty good, personally I think their best dish is their Prime Rib and they only do it on the weekends.

Bru is one of our favorites. Great beer selection too.
 

DrunkenSailor

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Please tell me where the 2X mark up is - I always seem to get the 3X or 4X mark up!

Seriously 2X is pretty cheap at the table of a decent place. I would consider that a good deal in a nice restaurant.

There is a place in orange called prime cut that doesn't charge a corkage. We had my birthday there one year I had everyone bring 2 bottles of their favorite wines. I kinda remember leaving....
 

DrunkenSailor

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8 years in the desert. Orwin Swift new release zin blend that I picked up a couple of bottles of last week. We got into one last night and we were very pleased. There is some definite ability to age here but was very drinkable for a young wine. Took a little bit of time to open up and a decanter would have definitely helped but once it did very complex and a great bottle of wine. Dave phinney is one of my favorite wine makers.
 

Flying_Lavey

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As most of those wineries are my customers... Thank you for paying for my boats


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What do you do? I was around a couple of those wineries and losely associated with a few people that worked at a couple of them.

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