WINE - Red, White, or Other - Discussed Here!

Started by SonicMan46, April 07, 2007, 06:14:18 PM

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Bogey

Quote from: Brünnhilde forever on April 26, 2009, 10:05:14 AM
Dave: You have mentioned ordering wine and having it delivered to your home. I am wondering if you - or anybody else receiving shipments - is having the same problems I had here in this State: Washington. UPS requires a signature upon delivery, the recipient has to be over 21. I don't like it, but understand it. A day before delivery I get a voice message confirming the delivery and the time is given as 'between 8AM to 7PM!

If you are living alone do you have to hang around the front part of your house for eleven hours to make sure you don't miss the USP delivery person ringing the doorbell? How do you handle this delivery nuisance?  ???


Not only that, UPS must ask you if you have been drinking before they can hand it over....oh, and I'm not making this up.
There will never be another era like the Golden Age of Hollywood.  We didn't know how to blow up buildings then so we had no choice but to tell great stories with great characters.-Ben Mankiewicz

Brünnhilde forever

Very funny, Bogey I am sure you are making this up because: My UPS delivery person joked about hanging around for the opening of the box and partaking in a glass of that wine! - oh and that I did not make up!  ;D

SonicMan46

Quote from: Brünnhilde forever on April 26, 2009, 11:40:40 AM
Very funny, Bogey I am sure you are making this up because: My UPS delivery person joked about hanging around for the opening of the box and partaking in a glass of that wine! - oh and that I did not make up!  ;D

Lis & Bill - away on a short medical trip so using my old laptop in the room - some good eats & drinks - will report later!

But, yes for UPS delivery, most of the online wine delivery services state than an adult signature is needed - that's why I rarely use them, unfortunately!  I am often working and Susan does a LOT of volunteer work, so is often not home; plus, we take a lot of short trips.  In the past, I've had a few wine packages brought to my house 3x by UPS, then stored in their local warehouse, ready to be shipped BACK after 3 days if I did not drive across town to pick it up myself; YES, a real PITA!  >:(

Now, the only place that I'm currently ordering online is from the Oregon Pinot Noir Club, which I've belonged to for years; for some reason, I was able to correspond w/ Bob Wolfe who runs the club and he setup my account in which UPS DID NOT require a signature - the wine cartons are simply left at my doorstep - works out fine - since I don't know the exact delivery dates, when we are 'out of town' I have a friend or neighbor just drop by during the weekdays that we are gone.

I don't know if this is 'legal' or a 'legal option' w/ UPS, but I've been getting wine deliveries from this place for a number of years; nor do I know if the other online wine dealers offer a similar option?  If either of you or others find out or have made arrangements like mine, please let us know - I love Pinot Noir to death, but would certainly order from other services - wine availability is just 'so limited' in the area - Dave  :D

Bogey

Quote from: Brünnhilde forever on April 26, 2009, 11:40:40 AM
Very funny, Bogey I am sure you are making this up because: My UPS delivery person joked about hanging around for the opening of the box and partaking in a glass of that wine! - oh and that I did not make up!  ;D

Dead serious, Lis.  In fact, he said if he had detected alcohol on my breath then he would not hand over the package.  He seemed sincere.  I asked another UPS employee about this and he said the same thing.  Could it be a Colorado law?
There will never be another era like the Golden Age of Hollywood.  We didn't know how to blow up buildings then so we had no choice but to tell great stories with great characters.-Ben Mankiewicz

Brünnhilde forever

#364
As lunatic as the regulation sounded, I now have to believe you. Maybe it is the Colorado law, if it were the same in Washington surely the charming UPS delivery lady would not have made the remark about the glass to share with me.

It wasn't even a charming UPS delivery male!

Bogey

Quote from: Brünnhilde forever on April 26, 2009, 02:16:04 PM
As lunatic as the regulation sounded, I now have to believe you. Maybe it is the Colorado law, if it were the same in Washington surely the charming UPS delivery lady would not have made the remark about the glass to share with me.

It wasn't even a charming UPS delivery male!

I will ask him again the next time I see him.   Great guy as well.  It was his third time trying to deliver the package and he decided to change his scheduled drop off a bit and try us at home as late as he could.  He makes all our deliveries and has so for years.  Even brings our basset hounds dog treats!
There will never be another era like the Golden Age of Hollywood.  We didn't know how to blow up buildings then so we had no choice but to tell great stories with great characters.-Ben Mankiewicz

Brünnhilde forever

About that UPS/Signature subject: Yesterday I wrote to Linwood Wine Co. in NJ:

Speedy delivery and perfect packaging on my first purchase from you - except one nuisance: Your insistence UPS demanding my signature!

I live alone, am way over 21 years old, and UPS sent me voice mail the day prior to delivery and informed of delivery between 8AM and 7PM. I am certainly not willing to hang around the front portion of my home for eleven hours to make sure I don't miss the UPS delivery person ringing my door bell! Driving to their warehouse is an imposition, after all I pay a big sum for Home Delivery.

Could you remove the signature requirement, at least in my case?

Thank you very much.
Lis


This morning I received their speedy reply:

Hi Lis,

Thanks for your order and your e-mail.  We are required by law to apply an Adult Signature Required label on all of our packages, and attaching that label is a requirement in our agreements with UPS (and was with FedEx in the past; UPS and FedEx are the only two carriers licensed to ship wine).  If we were to ship wine without properly labeling the package, we would be subject to thousands of dollars in wines.

Please do not hesitate to contact me further.  Thank you again for your order.

Best regards,


Matthew Jordan, webmaster
http://www.linwoodwineco.com



SonicMan46

Quote from: Bogey on April 26, 2009, 02:02:58 PM
Dead serious, Lis.  In fact, he said if he had detected alcohol on my breath then he would not hand over the package.  He seemed sincere.  I asked another UPS employee about this and he said the same thing.  Could it be a Colorado law?

Hello Lis & Bill - now I'm not doubting your experience & I do not know the laws in Colorado, but I cannot believe that a UPS 'delivery person' has the authority to decide on whether to deliver a package (regardless of its contents) to an adult willing to sign based on the smell of his or her breath!  :o ;D

Just as an example, you have a lunch @ home w/ a beer - what right does a 'delivery boy' have to decide on dropping off a package because he/she smells 'beer' on your breath - I really can't accept this and feel that it's pure BS!

These delivery people are not doctors deciding if you're an 'alcoholic' needing treatment - they have absolutely no legal rights to assume this responsibility - it's all a joke  8)   But, hey just my feeling - Dave  :)

SonicMan46

Bridlewood - Viognier (2007) - had this wine (pic below) tonight w/ some crab cakes & veggies - the winery HERE offers some excellent values in both white & red wines; out of California but readily available to me in North Carolina, and quite inexpensive.

The Viognier grape is most famous in the northern Rhone region of France; when well done, the grape can produce a wine w/ complex floral & citrus flavors - the acidity seems to be a little low for my tastes @ times (as in the example below) - but a grape worth exploring; now being grown in many parts of the planet; not only California, but even in the eastern states, i.e. Virginia & North Carolina, where I live!  In fact, I think this grape in the near future will be quite 'well done' here - I've tasted decent & poor examples to date, but have a lot of confidence in its potential future!

Give the grape a try - you might enjoy!  ;D



Lilas Pastia

Today we had a bottle of Muscat de Rivesaltes to go along with the duck rillettes, cheeses and assorted olives and pickles. An exuberantly expansive wine with powerful fruit and flowery scents. This one was a hit. Then for dinner we had a 2004 Château St-Thomas, a lebanese red from the Bekaa valley (cabernet sauvignon, syrah, merlot). Although it is already 5 years old and was decanted for more than 4 hours, it exhibited at once a commanding, almost intimidating structure. Extremely powerful in the palate, but with a welcome fullness that evolved into very pleasing aftertastes. Later on the tannins became rounded yet still firm, and the fruit more apparent. At the end of the meal it was all sweetness and flowery nose. A very complex and rewarding wine.


The new erato

Last night with a small group of friends:

Lanson Gold Label 96
Larmandier-Berniere Vieilles Vignes de Cramant 98
Prager Achleiten Roesling 2005
Trimbach Cuvee Fredrich Emile 98
Dauvissat Chablis Les Preuses 99
Gruaud-Larose 89, St Julienne
Drouhin Clos de la Roche 2001
Giacosa Barbaresco 99

All shining and in perfect condition.

Sergeant Rock

#371
Quote from: erato on May 02, 2009, 10:43:57 PM
Last night with a small group of friends:

Lanson Gold Label 96
Larmandier-Berniere Vieilles Vignes de Cramant 98
Prager Achleiten Roesling 2005
Trimbach Cuvee Fredrich Emile 98
Dauvissat Chablis Les Preuses 99
Gruaud-Larose 89, St Julienne
Drouhin Clos de la Roche 2001
Giacosa Barbaresco 99


:o :o :o

Wow...I wanna be one of your friends  ;D  Do you belong to a wine club or was this an informal get-together, everyone contributing some sensational bottle?

Spargel season is in full swing. Last night I made pork schnitzels to go with the white asparagus. Silvaner is the recommended wine, and nowhere is better Silvaner made than in Franken:




Sarge
the phone rings and somebody says,
"hey, they made a movie about
Mahler, you ought to go see it.
he was as f*cked-up as you are."
                               --Charles Bukowski, "Mahler"

The new erato

#372
Quote from: Sergeant Rock on May 03, 2009, 02:45:24 AM
:o :o :o

Wow...I wanna be one of your friends  ;D  Do you belong to a wine club or was this an informal get-together, everyone contributing some sensational bottle?

This was an informal gathering of friends (7) - but most of us are winenuts; members of the same wineclub (I'm chairman for 10 years) and I occasionally (monthly) also blogs about wine in a major national Norwegian newspaper. The Bordeaux and Chablis were mine. Tonight (in a few hours) a club tasting; 18 bottles of 96 Champagne.

SonicMan46

Quote from: Lilas Pastia on May 02, 2009, 07:30:30 PM
Today we had a bottle of Muscat de Rivesaltes to go along with the duck rillettes, cheeses and assorted olives and pickles. An exuberantly expansive wine with powerful fruit and flowery scents. This one was a hit. Then for dinner we had a 2004 Château St-Thomas, a lebanese red from the Bekaa valley......

André - believe that I would have really enjoy those two wines!  :D  Years ago, I used to buy Ch. Musar from the Bekka Vly (just shipped in here locally), and had a bunch of years in the basement cellar - just an outstanding value & delicious wine, as I recall - now I may need to re-visit some of these wine areas of the world; just don't want to spend the $$$ on the California Cabs & Classified Bordeaux Reds that I use to purchase!

Quote from: erato on May 02, 2009, 10:43:57 PM
Last night with a small group of friends:

Lanson Gold Label 96
Larmandier-Berniere Vieilles Vignes de Cramant 98
Prager Achleiten Roesling 2005
Trimbach Cuvee Fredrich Emile 98
Dauvissat Chablis Les Preuses 99
Gruaud-Larose 89, St Julienne
Drouhin Clos de la Roche 2001
Giacosa Barbaresco 99


Erato - I'd like to join Sarge for that tasting - and does bring back the 'old times' for me when I did participate in more wine tastings, and the wines listed above were still a reasonable price - believe that I've had about 2/3 of those offerings, likely not those years, but may have had the Gruaud-Larose 89 in my cellar a while back - now working on my mid-90 Bordeaux (and not left after those are gone, sadly) - Dave

The new erato

Quote from: SonicMan on May 03, 2009, 06:53:03 AM
but may have had the Gruaud-Larose 89 in my cellar a while back - now working on my mid-90 Bordeaux (and not left after those are gone, sadly) - Dave
Re Bordeaux, it's the same with me; the collection is petering out, a few 86s (including Lafitte and Margaux  ;D ) still left, a sole Palmer 89, some mid-90-ies stuff, a few 2000s (incl a stash of Dom de Chevalier and Sociando-Mallet); and the occasional bottle of Cantemerle and Pontet-Canet from 2004/5.

Luckily I'm well stocked in the Burgundy and Piemonte department!

Sergeant Rock

#375
Quote from: SonicMan on May 03, 2009, 06:53:03 AM
Erato - I'd like to join Sarge for that tasting - and does bring back the 'old times' for me when I did participate in more wine tastings, and the wines listed above were still a reasonable price - believe that I've had about 2/3 of those offerings, likely not those years, but may have had the Gruaud-Larose 89 in my cellar a while back - now working on my mid-90 Bordeaux (and not left after those are gone, sadly) - Dave

Quote from: erato on May 03, 2009, 07:13:55 AM
Re Bordeaux, it's the same with me; the collection is petering out, a few 86s (including Lafitte and Margaux  ;D ) still left, a sole Palmer 89, some mid-90-ies stuff, a few 2000s (incl a stash of Dom de Chevalier and Sociando-Mallet); and the occasional bottle of Cantemerle and Pontet-Canet from 2004/5.

Hey, I have 1989 Château Palmer in my cellar too...two bottles left from the half case I bought circa 1993.

Like you guys my collection of cru classé Bordeaux is damn near defunct. For financial reasons, my purchases of Bordeaux are pretty much now confined to cru bourgeois, grand cru Saint-Emilions and Bordeauxs from the areas outside the Haut-Medoc, Graves, and Pomerol; wines under 20 bucks, in other words. They can be tasty but don't seem to age as well...most don't develope into anything sensational.

As you can see by the photographs (left click to enlarge) the space that used to house my cru classé Bordeaux is looking rather sad these days  :(





I haven't taken stock of the collection in quite a few years. After reading your messages I did a survey. Here's what I have left of my pre-2000 cru classé:

Château Lafite-Rothschild 1990 - 1
Château Lafite-Rothschild 1991 - 1
Château Haut-Brion 1991 - 2
Château Mouton-Rothshild 1993 - 1
Château Ducru Beaucaillou 1990 - 2
Château Gruaud Larose 1975 - 1
Château Gruaud Larose 1978 - 2
Château Léoville Barton 1990 - 1
Château Léoville Barton 1991 - 5
Château Palmer 1989 - 2
Château Cantenac Brown 1990 - 3
Château Beychevelle 1990 - 3
Château du Tertre 1995 - 3
Château Talbot 1983 - 2
Château Baitailley 1989 - 2
Château Grand-Puy-Ducasse 1989 - 3
Château Pape Clement 1990 - 3
Château La Croix de Gay 1990 - 1
Château Calon-Segur 1990 - 1
Château Rausan-Ségla 1985 - 1
Château Montrose 1982 - 1

Sarge
the phone rings and somebody says,
"hey, they made a movie about
Mahler, you ought to go see it.
he was as f*cked-up as you are."
                               --Charles Bukowski, "Mahler"

The new erato

I wouldn't wait too long on those 91-es. My next-to-last Palmer 89 were drunk recently, a light and elegant effort in no need of immediate drinking. I had the Rausan-Segla 85 10 years ago, I thought it relatively ready then.

SonicMan46

Quote from: Sergeant Rock on May 03, 2009, 08:46:01 AM
Hey, I have 1989 Château Palmer in my cellar too...two bottles left from the half case I bought circa 1993.

Like you guys my collection of cru classé Bordeaux is damn near defunct. For financial reasons, my purchases of Bordeaux are pretty much now confined to cru bourgeois, grand cru Saint-Emilions and Bordeauxs from the areas outside the Haut-Medoc, Graves, and Pomerol; wines under 20 bucks, in other words. They can be tasty but don't seem to age as well...most don't develope into anything sensational.................


Hey Sarge - I was quite interested in your list & looked at 'what' I had left - not much!  :-\

My last 'futures' purchase (which was the way I acquired Bordeaux for many years) was the 2000 vintage which arrived in 2003.

At the moment, I have what is listed below and will unlikely add much, if any, more (the 'times they are a changing'):

1995 - Ch. Lafon Rochet (2), Ch. Branaire Ducru (2), & Ch. Leoville Barton (2) - will likely be drinking these up in the next few years.
1996 - Ch. Pontet Canet (3), Ch. Lafon Rochet (3), & Ch. Lagrange (3) - will give each of these a 'try' soon.
2000 - Ch. Cantenac Brown (6), Ch. Lascombes (6), & Ch. Franc Mayne (6) - hmmm, 9 yrs - ready to try each one!

That's it guys - this use to be a 'major' part of my wine collecting, but now 'Gone w/ the Wind', I guess, just too damn expensive!  Dave  :)

Sergeant Rock

Quote from: erato on May 03, 2009, 09:07:00 AM
I wouldn't wait too long on those 91-es.

Yes, I know. I drank one of the Léovilles not too long ago and it was perfect. Time to drink them up. I was saving the first growths to share with my oldest friend (he still lives in our Ohio hometown) but he may not be able to visit Germany anytime soon. I may be forced to drink the '91 Haut-Brion and Lafite all by myself.  ;D


Quote from: SonicMan on May 03, 2009, 03:50:55 PM
1995 - Ch. Lafon Rochet (2), Ch. Branaire Ducru (2), & Ch. Leoville Barton (2) - willlikely be drinking these up in the next few years.
1996 - Ch. Pontet Canet (3), Ch. Lafon Rochet (3), & Ch. Lagrange (3) - will give each of these a 'try' soon.
2000 - Ch. Cantenac Brown (6), Ch. Lascombes (6), & Ch. Franc Mayne (6) - hmmm, 9 yrs - ready to try each one!

That's it guys - this use to be a 'major' part of my wine collecting, but now 'Gone w/ the Wind', I guess, just too damn expensive!  Dave  :)

I have some Cantenac Brown, too, the 1990 vintage. I inadvertently overlooked it when transcribing the cellar list.

Prices have been coming down somewhat. Perhaps the world-wide recession will depress them further. But you know, at my age I'm not such an optimist any longer and question the wisdom of buying wine that needs to age 10, 15 years. Will I still be around to enjoy them even if I could afford them? Better to spend the money on immediate gratification, eh?  ;)

Sarge
the phone rings and somebody says,
"hey, they made a movie about
Mahler, you ought to go see it.
he was as f*cked-up as you are."
                               --Charles Bukowski, "Mahler"

The new erato

Quote from: Sergeant Rock on May 04, 2009, 03:58:15 AM
But you know, at my age I'm not such an optimist any longer and question the wisdom of buying wine that needs to age 10, 15 years. Will I still be around to enjoy them even if I could afford them? Better to spend the money on immediate gratification, eh?  ;)

Sarge
At 58 I'm there as well.