Dennis

For years I've had wine shipped between stores for no charge. The only time I had to pay was when I ordered on line. However, this was the first time that I asked a regular W&S store to do it for me. Maybe that's why. In the past, I usually had it done by one of the specialty stores that carry the CS specials. On another note, does anyone know the website for the March on-line auction of the CS wines? I saw the ad in the Inquirer a few weeks ago but before I could sign up the paper was tossed. It's not listed on their site and I haven't seen another ad since. Thanks.

I went to my local W&S store to see about getting a case transferred in. And I found out that you have to pre-pay shipping first. They will no longer transfer cases for free. Has anyone else been told this?

I was able to get to the CS site by starting at the base LCB site. I think they must of made some changes which rendered my CS shortcuts useless. Anyhow, I'm able to search again. I found the Barbera but not in my area. I'll have to make a run to the Gulf Mills store. I picked up the last 6 Columbia Crest Reserve Syarhs yesterday at the Bryn Mawr store. I'll try the CC Reserve Merlot soon so I can pick up more if it's as good as I suspect. I've always been a fan of their Grand Estates wines so I'm expecting a lot from this Reserve.

You were right about the Merlot, it was excellent. I just picked up 4 bottles of the Columbia Crest Reserve Merlot, and I hope that is just as good. Their 2005 Reserve Syrah certainly was.... On another note, does anyone know when the CS website will be back on line?

I didn't find any of the "Gun Bun" Pinot Noir at the Flourtown store, but I did find a bottle of their Merlot. Have you tried it yet?

I just read the article in yesterday's Inquirer about Gary Vaynerchuk. I had never heard of him before. It was an interesting article, so I checked his website and watched one of his reviews on http://tv.winelibrary.com/ Then I thought to myself, why doesn't Katie have a site of her own where she reviews the the wines that we can get? I know most of us would tune in and so would alot of the other wine lovers on he internet. Come on Katie, the internet is waiting for you....

I went to the store in Flourtown last week after reading your reply and asked them to order 2 cases of the Clos La Chance chardonay. He said he would do it on Monday, so hopefully he did. On another note, I stopped in the state store tonight and discoverd that the Wild Turkey Rare Breed is on clearance for $21.99 which is a huge discount. I've only had it once before because it's usually about $35/btl. I intend to pick up more tomorrow night. One more thing, how do you invoke spell-check?

As usual. it seems like most of these wines are in western PA, and I was told that they would not transfer any of these "Hot Summer Saving" wines to my store. However, I did notice that the Davis Bynum Pinot Noir is available thru the online store and there are about 300 bottles left. I tried googling the vintage but can't seem to find anything on the Rochiloi vineyard, every review I found was for either the Russian River or the Mishoni? vineyard. Does anyone have any opinions on this wine? I'd appreciate your recommendations. Thanks

Here's a good deal for Irish Whiskey drinksrs. I picked up 2 bottles (all they had in Glenside) of Auchentoshan single malt Scotch Whisky (no e ). It is triple distelled like Irisk Whiskey ( got the E) and quite frankly tastes as smooth and good as the Jamison's and Tullamore Dew's that I normally drink. The clearance price is $17.29 and I've seen it for $29.00 in Delaware, so I think it's a good deal. With that said, I don't know how to use spell checker on here and I'm tired I've corrected my spelling...

I read an article in Esquire a few months ago that declared Evan Williams to be the Best cheap bourbon in the country and an excellent one at any price. So, I tried it and to tell you the truth for $11.89 it has become a regular for me. I still drink the Bulleit, Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare, & WT but you can't beat the price of the EV and they've been making it longer than anyone else in the country. On another note, I wish I would have stockpiled those 1.75litre bottles of Eagle Rare when they were on sale a few years. I keep looking for it to go back on sale but I think that was a one time deal only.

Too bad I haven't been paying attention to the site lately, all of these wines are gone from what I could tell. I'm gonna see if I can search the catalog for some deals of my own. BTW, do you search the closeout section for these?

Well, if it seems too good to be true, it usually is.... The amended flyer from the LCB came out today. The Bodegas is now $39.99 and not $19.99 as originally advertised. On another note, I recently tried the Norton Malbec Barrel Select for $8.99/btl and thought it was a good enough deal to pick up 6 more.

The 50% off President's Day sale looks promising. The one wine that caught my eys is the Bodegas Y Vinedos Dos Victorias V2 for $19.99. It was rated 95 by Parker and I saw some prices for it online as high as $80. Only thing I didn't like was one review that said it needed a decade of cellaring. It's an online sale. Another one is the Frazier Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 for $14.99.

Good score Mike, it's out of stock in Montgomery County so I called Store 4814 to get 6 bottles transferred down here. Let me know how you like it. I might up the count. I did manage to get some of the Luna "Freakout" that's on closeout for $5.99 a bottle. It's a blend of PG, SB, & Chardonay. I'd say the Pinot Grigio is the dominant wine of the blend.

Need some help...One of my favorite BYOB's (Venezia in Hatboro) is out of business. Does anyone know what happened and if they have reopened some where else? The food was great and the staff was excellent. I can't find anything on Google. Thanks

Eureka Moment! No more exploring with CS select wines on the weekend. I just went went thru 2 new French wines that almost ruined a nice steak dinner.....should have known better. I swear that several years ago your odds were much better of getting a very pleasant surprise with Newman's Selects. Neither of the wines I had tonight had the color or nose that I would expect from a wine that was less than 3 years old. Advertised as $20+ wines for $10+ they were no baragin at all in the long run. I capped the first one after 1 glass and the second after 2. I would have been better off buying a good bottle of Providence or Franciscan..... I guess I miss the Hannah's. Providences'. Montes Alpha, & St Francis wines that we use to get.

I hate to say it but I had another disappointing CS tonight. It was the Perrin & Fils 2004 Chateauneuf-du Paupe Les Linards. Cork was fine, color was leaning towards brown and the tannins were long gone. I thought it was flat. What made it especially disappointing was the fact that we were having it with Beef Bourgoine which we don't have very often. It actually reminded me of the Quorum that I had a few weeks ago that I thought had turned. I only bought one of these so I won't know what I may have missed. If anyone out there had this wine and liked it, please let me know. Otherwise, I'm going to start wondering if we are actually getting wines that may not have been stored properly. This wine was kept in my small wine fridge so I don't think it was anything that I did after the purchase that could have affected it. Now with that said, I have to admit that my wife did not agree with me, she thought it was fine.

Well Mike, it looks like we were both right. Here's my answer from the LCB; 24995 Chairman's CHAPEL HILL CABERNET SAUVIGNON 06 $12.99 750ML n/a 5485 Dennis, above is the item you had seen, a couple of weeks ago I had noticed this Typo and had it corrected, instead of Chapel, Chalk was mistakenly entered, Chalk Hill at $12.99 would catch my eye also. FYI, if you like Ca. Cabs. I just purchased two which are great, code 11522- Bighorn Cellars Cab Sauv, $40.00 to $14.99, already in stores Code 11770- Arthur Hills Cab Sauv 2006- $22.00 to $9.99 Will arrive in about 3-weeks Thanks Steve Pollack

I opened my last bottle of Quorum 2000, the other night and was disappointed to discover that it tasted more like vinegar than wine. There was nothing suspicious about the cork & the color was still a rich red, but the wine was definitely bad. It seems to me that this type of wine (Barbera D'Asti)is not beyond its time by any means. I've kept it in my wine fridge since picking it up at the state store about 3 years ago. I still have 3 of the 2001 Brunello's that were on sale around the same time and now I'm thinking that I should drink them over the Holidays instead of letting them age any longer.

If it wasn't for the fact that I cut and pasted the description (vineyard, grape, & year) to my browser to google it, I wouldn't have been sure. So yes, I'm sure. I think I'll send the LCB an email and ask what happened?

A few weeks back the upcoming selections listed a Chalk Hill Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 for $12.99. It was due to arrive in the stores late October. I just checked back and it's disappeared from the Radar Screen. I haven't seen any in the stores that I frequent. It's not listed in upcoming or currently in the stores? Does anyone have a clue as to what happened to this Chairman Select? I know CH is noted for Chardonay but this had a decent rating on-line & I was looking forward to trying some.

I'm searching for the "silver lining" during this economic storm, and I'm hoping it will be lower costs for premium wines (easier to drown your sorrows). Does anyone have a feel for what might happen to the domestic & international wine markets?

By the way, October's Wine Spectator rates the 2005 Renzo Masi 86 points and James Suckling listed it as one of the recommended Value Buys. I already have 3 cases now, and will probably pick up one more if it's still available. Considering how much I market this wine you might think I own stock in it....I don't, I just like to share a good deal when I find one.

Check out some of Newman's selections & deals at Frank's wine store in Delaware; http://frankswine.com/newman.html They're pouring 24 of Newman's selections this weekend.