sfwinelover1

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  • 2020 Kumeu River Chardonnay Coddington

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    5/22/2024 - sfwinelover1 Likes this wine:

    First of a second lot of 3 purchased about 18 months ago ($38@). As noted in note around that time for a single bottle I’d previously purchased, this wine remains really young, and if it’s in its ideal drinking window, it’s only so with at least a couple of hours of air. On the pour, quite electric acidity and very lean fruit giving a more chablis than White Burg feel, but with the air, a bit less brightness and a tilt away from tart citrus toward lighter tropical fruit notes. In both instances, texturally very lean and flinty, which would have led me more likely to locate this in Burgundy than the Southern Hemisphere. Can be gainfully consumed now for its energy or held for a bit more complexity or balance, but one way or another, it will drink well for my palate for at least another 5 years, I suspect. 93-94 if scoring.

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  • 2010 Canalicchio Brunello di Montalcino Riserva

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    5/19/2024 - sfwinelover1 Likes this wine:

    Writing mostly to significantly alter my drinking window. The acidity has come down, and perhaps the fruit has a bit as well. Under any circumstances, it’s in its drinking window, and while that’s not going to end tomorrow, next month or even next year, I now don’t think it’s going to end next decade, either. Very solid, even if this never completely fulfilled my hopes for it. 93+ if scoring

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  • 2010 Argiano Solengo Toscana IGT

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    5/17/2024 - sfwinelover1 Likes this wine:

    Second of 2, almost exactly a year after the first (93). An all around improved showing, to whatever extent I can rely on my earlier TN, with greater richness (particularly dark chocolate notes), intensity and persistence. Was this earlier in its drinking window than I thought, and it’s still improving? Bottle variation? Did it hit me in a better mood or a better pairing (the classic red sauce pasta with chicken and veggies)? I don’t know, but I sure liked this, a solid point and a half better than my prior score (94+). Not quite the ‘08 Giusto Notri (and ($30 more expensive), but a really good performance which would certainly merit a rebuy at my price ($80). Extending my drinking window by 2 years to 2031.

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Message Board Post Public Message

  • jonboy74 says:

    6/23/2023 3:34:00 PM - Great "story" posting from the CSimm tasting. If you guys ever have an open slot at one of those I'd love to join!

  • americanstorm says:

    6/22/2023 6:14:00 PM - AHH, I SEE TO POST A MESSAGE YOU HAVE TO USE THE FULL VERSION not the phone version!

  • WineBurrowingWombat says:

    5/31/2023 11:30:00 AM - Thanks for the info SF Awesome blind pull man, gotta love blinds!

  • WineBurrowingWombat says:

    5/31/2023 10:49:00 AM - Hey SF, which vintage was the Quicelda Creek cab you blinded us on? And was it the cabernet bottling or it had an SVD?

  • sfbikeguy says:

    1/16/2023 6:25:00 PM - SF- Apologies for my delayed response. Definitely interested in tasting wine locally. I also hang with some technical people who do fun brown bags every 3 or so months. Maybe we grab coffee one day in PA or LA.

  • WildeMeeuw says:

    11/5/2022 2:17:00 PM - I may have overlooked a detail. To avoid problems with corks, I often use this type of opener: https://www.bol.com/nl/nl/p/corkscrew-silver-wine-opener-air-pressure-corkscrew-air-pump-bottle-opener-wine-pump-corkscrew-deluxe-wine-accessories-kitchen-accessories-gadgets-gift/ 9300000038966442/ Sometimes the cork comes loose immediately. And if not, then I use a normal corkscrew or - my lifesaver - The Durand. I do not rule out that this method of uncorking affects the extent to which a wine opens - faster.

  • WildeMeeuw says:

    11/3/2022 11:12:00 AM - Hi Sf… no decanting, no aeration other than about one hour between decorking and tasting. Two bottles. Same experience….

  • bsumoba says:

    8/25/2022 9:39:00 AM - hey SF, my email is bsumoba at gmail dot com. - bryan sumoba

  • Vinomazing says:

    8/19/2022 10:17:00 PM - I hope the complications on your end have cleared up. Sounds like a fantastic getaway you had. Heat stinks, has just ended here in NYC area, so now is very enjoyable. Work has me grounded the next 60 days, so the recent trip to TN was perfect to end summer. Cheers

  • Vinomazing says:

    8/16/2022 10:38:00 PM - Hey SF...maybe just drinkin more these days, but always loved Scotch. How are you enjoying summer?

  • Enfantterrible says:

    12/15/2021 3:15:00 AM - Hello, Enfantterrible here, real life name John. You had some useful thoughts on the 2009 SHL. My email is johnrich627@gmail.com

  • Cyclist says:

    8/31/2021 9:44:00 AM - Great to connect as well. Always up for sharing some fun wine, drop me a line next time you’re planning something!

  • drmarc61 says:

    8/23/2021 12:07:00 PM - my email is drabrams@drmarcabrams.com. Due to the Delta situation, I am postponing flying trips. email me so we an keep in touch.

  • Jay Hack says:

    6/17/2021 1:14:00 PM - I have too much wine so I am always willing to share. If you are coming to this coast, let me know. I do not expect to be in Cali until October, but that will probably be only in SOCAL for Falltacular.

  • Franken Berry says:

    5/30/2021 5:57:00 AM - I appreciated your insight on the 2016 quivet las piedras, and share your observations. Many of these wine show tremendous purity of fruit and show the single vineyard uniqueness upon their release but little else. Most seem to enter a prolonged , unpredictable shutdown period, which is very frustrating, and once they re-emerge, there is still nice fruit, but little acidity and tannins to carry them forward into the future. In contrast, I have found that the old school Napa cabs drink very tannic when young, and the fruits slowly, but more predictably emerges with time, and a nicer balance between fruit and savory progresses over a longer lifespan. At the present time, I’m really enjoying Cabs from Stags Leap AVA, which leans towards the latter style

  • Mark1npt says:

    9/29/2020 9:20:00 AM - sf...for some reason the page would not take any more comments on the thread we were on. I was not told by the host at Venge as to why Venge tossed 6 bins of grapes that morning, just that they were 'bad'. Don't know if it were smoke or heat damage. Or both. In any event, I think people will be able to tell with a wine made in '20 just like we could tell with the flat wall of cherry fruit in the reds, made in '17.

  • BuzzzzOff says:

    5/31/2020 9:28:00 PM - sfwinelover1 wrote: Nicely said, although I liked a bit more than you did (I suspect time is being kind to this wine, at least from my perspective). Although outstanding, when tasted next to a '06 Verite Joie and a '16 Spottswoode cab, it lacked the subtlety and elegance of the other 2. Buzzzzoff wrote: Alas, we have never tried Verite Joie of any vintage. We must. Yes, perhaps not as subtle or elegant as Spottswoode...then again Opus is a big fella

  • sfwinelover1 says:

    1/27/2020 8:12:00 PM - A note on my scoring: I generally buy wines I've either tasted already or done some due diligence on (that it, read reviews of people about whom I have some trust), and on the other hand, I try to keep my average wine price, through scrupulously careful purchasing, to the $40-50 area (before taxes). What this means is that lots of wines I taste fall somewhere between 88 (pretty good) and 93 (very good). Most of the ones that fall lower are given to me (sorry I don't always have the most wine-discerning friends); most, but not all, of the wines which are higher are pushing my average price in that direction. I only score wines I've either purchased or had at least a couple of glasses of. I go to many tasting events, and I don't think it's fair, for me at least, to score a wine when I may be trying 50 others at the same event, have no idea of how the bottle was stored, how long it was open, etc. I try to write not just whether I like the wine, but what I've observed about it, how long I've had it, what I did with it prior to drinking, what I served it with, etc., so that if someone is interested in a similar experience, or a different one, for that matter, they can replicate vary what I've done. Thanks for reading my TNs; I hope they're helpful.

  • WineBurrowingWombat says:

    9/30/2019 3:23:00 PM - Hey sfwinelover1, I'm not sure how we're going to exchange contact info privately on here.. any ideas? I wanted to see if you're available to do that vertical tasting a little sooner than I previously mentioned.

  • WineBurrowingWombat says:

    9/3/2019 10:29:00 PM - Hey! Thanks for the thought. 30-50 years.. yeah that's a challenge I'm looking forward to. I've been trying to find a safe way to sell this bottle of bourbon and use the money towards a wine fridge of some sort. I'll eventually find a way.. just gonna take some time, though! I am also finding your recent tasting notes as great reads before bed LOL. Cheers!

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