Wine & Spirits Bargains at the PLCB (Part 1)

[Capaneus]

It was a blast. We had as much fun as you guys, except I kept missing snippets of the Chairman's exploits.

Thanks so much to Evan, for the idea, and to Katie and Dee for making it happen.

And I'll be looking for everyone at Django in Djanuary for teh next one, if we can get the Chairman to comit.

And for the record, I did not donate the wine: it was a very generous anonymous donor.

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If you can give us a sneak peek at the date when you know - that'll be just purdy.

Evan

PS - That Buller Muscat just got a Parker 96 so get some now while it is still around. That was good stuff - thanks Greg.

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It's his kind of thing: he always rates the Chambers-Rosewood highly as well, and it never runs out. Personally, I was a heck of a lot more impressed with the Two Hands.

[philadining]

Hmm....I thought the LaTour Beaune was actually kind of fruity. True, it was restrained and earthy, not ultra-concentrated, but I found it juicy and refreshing, with plenty of flavor. I guess the good thing is that at such a good price, it's worth trying another bottle or two and seeing if it fits our personal preferences. I really think it suits my taste really well, and seems especially good with food, at least from my experience with one bottle so far...

Let's drink some more and report back. I say we start with Pedro's stock.

[KatieLoeb]

Well, everyone is giving me far too much credit for merely introducing the right folks to each other and letting them take it from there. But I was certainly glad to facilitate and thought that this event went wonderfully. I hope we can do it again soon. It was lots of fun. My thanks as well to Jonathan, Dee, Greg, Chef Ross and the Rx staff for a lovely evening. And my thanks to my delightful tablemates for lively conversation and twisting my arm to go to Capogiro. I can hardly wait until next spring when the Honeysuckle gelato is back in season for those few short weeks and we get to make the moscato floats with that! YUM!

I really enjoyed all of the wines we tried, including the Beaune (which I must go find before Pedro buys it all) and the side by side comparison of the Sycamore and Bosche vineyard Cabernets. It isn't often that one gets to do that sort of lateral single vineyard tasting of one producer's wines, so I always find that quite enlightening. There is terroir here in the USA too, and it's nice to see fine examples of it from time to time.

Let's do it again!

[Jeff L]

Well, everyone is giving me far too much credit for merely introducing the right folks to each other and letting them take it from there.  But I was certainly glad to facilitate and thought that this event went wonderfully.  I hope we can do it again soon.  It was lots of fun.  My thanks as well to Jonathan, Dee, Greg, Chef Ross and the Rx staff for a lovely evening.  And my thanks to my delightful tablemates for lively conversation and twisting my arm to go to Capogiro.  I can hardly wait until next spring when the Honeysuckle gelato is back in season for those few short weeks and we get to make the moscato floats with that! YUM! 

I really enjoyed all of the wines we tried, including the Beaune (which I must go find before Pedro buys it all) and the side by side comparison of the Sycamore and Bosche vineyard Cabernets.  It isn't often that one gets to do that sort of lateral single vineyard tasting of one producer's wines, so I always find that quite enlightening.  There is terroir here in the USA too, and it's nice to see fine examples of it from time to time.

Let's do it again!

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So which did you like most Bosche or Sycamore?

Also, as I just learned what terroir meant several weeks ago after seeing it so often in France, I thought I'd post its meaning for others unfamiliar with this great word:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terroir

[Diann]

So which did you like most Bosche or Sycamore?

Also, as I just learned what terroir meant several weeks ago after seeing it so often in France, I thought I'd post its meaning for others unfamiliar with this great word:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terroir

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I know you were asking Katie, but I definitely preferred the Sycamore. It had more of a bite (tannins, maybe?) and I like my wines dry.

The St. Francis chardonnay was better than I remembered (from the last time it was a Chairman's Selection) -- I was afraid it would be overly oaky, but it still retained an edge and was an excellent pairing with the fish and the skordalia. Mmmm... garlic... (and fried capers!)

The syrah is fine for a twelve dollar wine, but maybe I'm not much of a syrah person. I preferred the Sycamore cab with both my oxtail and lamb. And that Two Hands Moscato, with some vanilla ice cream plopped in the glass -- cold, fizzy, creamy, peachy, perfumey. It's good. Go get some.

One observation and one request:

1) Oxtails seem to be the hot cut of beef right now (RX, Studiokitchen, the Modern...) I'm not complaining

2) Now will everyone please start roasting their brussels sprouts? There's no reason to dislike them once they've been caramelized...

I really love these eGullet dinners: quality people, quality food. And a second dessert at Capogiro doesn't hurt either. I will see you all at Django in Djanuary (cute, Greg)!

P.S. Thank yous: To Evan/Jeff/Pedro for "convincing me" (really hard work) to go, and to Katie/Dee/Jonathan Newman/Greg/Ross and co./etc. for being lovely people.

Edited November 4, 2005 by Diann (log)

[Deidre Costello]

I just wanted to say thanks to everyone for making this evening so enjoyable! Greg and Ross and staff deserve ALL the credit for such an outstanding evening. I think that we can all agree that when Jonathan speaks you can’t help but get excited about the Chairman’s Selection program and all the innovations that have gone on in the past few years! It’s exciting times working at the Liquor Board!!! Keep in mind that when I started we weren’t even permitted to recommend a wine to go with a meal. We could only say “What are you serving?” When we got an answer of say Chicken we could only direct you by saying: “Our white wines are over here”. Nowhere in my wildest dreams would I have thought that I would be able to break bread with all of you, the Chairman too and talk wine. How’s that for a Hat Trick?

Now that we got our first BYO Chairman’s tasting behind us, I thought I would wet your appetite with some upcoming Chairman’s Selections. Not that I want to make anyone jealous but yesterday I had the chance to taste an incredible lineup of Chairman Selections. Way too many to list all right now but here is a few that I really, really enjoyed!

Of course I will start off with the Burgess 1994 Cabernet…Beautiful fruit on the nose soft silky tannins. I think I liked this even more that the 1993! $19

Rizzi Barbaresco 2000is round and mouth filling, cherry raspberry flavors with a nice hint of spice. $15

Arrowood Saralee Syrah 2001big another mouth-filling wine, black licorice, cassis and pepper $18

Chateau Lascombes 2003 Unbelievable coffer bean aroma I immediately thought that I would love this wine with a piece of something chocolate that that was before I even tasted it. Black cherries coffee cocoa…delicious $44 I might be buying this as a Christmas gift (for myself)

I’ll post some more notes in the weeks ahead but just wanted to wet your whistle…Deidre

[mike volker]

IL COLOMBAIO DE CENCIO,IL FUTURO 00

Collegeville got 18 bottles today, I got 12. I'll post a note as soon as I open one.

Best,

Mike

[Jeff L]

IL COLOMBAIO DE CENCIO,IL FUTURO 00

Collegeville got 18 bottles today, I got 12. I'll post a note as soon as I open one.

Best,

Mike

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You must be reading my mind Mike. Newtown got 35 cases today, I got 12 also, bottles that is. Also picked up some of the lovely Latour Mersault along with that nice St. Frances chard we had the other night at RX. Next for me is a few bottles of the ridiculously priced Chassagne Montrachet.

Jeff

[shacke]

IL COLOMBAIO DE CENCIO,IL FUTURO 00

Collegeville got 18 bottles today, I got 12. I'll post a note as soon as I open one.

Best,

Mike

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You must be reading my mind Mike. Newtown got 35 cases today, I got 12 also, bottles that is. Also picked up some of the lovely Latour Mersault along with that nice St. Frances chard we had the other night at RX. Next for me is a few bottles of the ridiculously priced Chassagne Montrachet.

Jeff

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Pop 'em open gents. Let's hear it. Still waiting here.....

At Rx, Deidre told me the Il Futuro benefited from 2 hours of decant time when she drank it.

Evan

[Jeff L]

IL COLOMBAIO DE CENCIO,IL FUTURO 00

Collegeville got 18 bottles today, I got 12. I'll post a note as soon as I open one.

Best,

Mike

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You must be reading my mind Mike. Newtown got 35 cases today, I got 12 also, bottles that is. Also picked up some of the lovely Latour Mersault along with that nice St. Frances chard we had the other night at RX. Next for me is a few bottles of the ridiculously priced Chassagne Montrachet.

Jeff

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Pop 'em open gents. Let's hear it. Still waiting here.....

At Rx, Deidre told me the Il Futuro benefited from 2 hours of decant time when she drank it.

Evan

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Also either Parker or the Spectator says it has 10 years aging in it. I truly doubt I'll hold onto any of it for that long.

If you're in the neighborhood, I'll pop one for you!

[shacke]

IL COLOMBAIO DE CENCIO,IL FUTURO 00

Collegeville got 18 bottles today, I got 12. I'll post a note as soon as I open one.

Best,

Mike

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You must be reading my mind Mike. Newtown got 35 cases today, I got 12 also, bottles that is. Also picked up some of the lovely Latour Mersault along with that nice St. Frances chard we had the other night at RX. Next for me is a few bottles of the ridiculously priced Chassagne Montrachet.

Jeff

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Pop 'em open gents. Let's hear it. Still waiting here.....

At Rx, Deidre told me the Il Futuro benefited from 2 hours of decant time when she drank it.

Evan

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Also either Parker or the Spectator says it has 10 years aging in it. I truly doubt I'll hold onto any of it for that long.

If you're in the neighborhood, I'll pop one for you!

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Must have been the WS. I have seen the WA note on this vintage already. Checking the site daily for any word of Montgomery county stock.

Evan

[shacke]

2) Now will everyone please start roasting their brussels sprouts? There's no reason to dislike them once they've been caramelized...

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Done. Just like Greg told me to do it - perfect. I now officially like brussel sprouts.

[Diann]

Done.  Just like Greg told me to do it - perfect.  I now officially like brussel sprouts.

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Excellent! Hope your kids like them now too (or is that too much to ask?)

To keep it on topic, that Two Hands Moscato is a bargain at $11.99/500ml in state stores...

[Jeff L]

2) Now will everyone please start roasting their brussels sprouts? There's no reason to dislike them once they've been caramelized...

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Done. Just like Greg told me to do it - perfect. I now officially like brussel sprouts.

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so what, we're supposed to guess how Greg told you to make them? Pony it up please

Jeff

[Capaneus]

IL COLOMBAIO DE CENCIO,IL FUTURO 00

Collegeville got 18 bottles today, I got 12. I'll post a note as soon as I open one.

Best,

Mike

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You must be reading my mind Mike. Newtown got 35 cases today, I got 12 also, bottles that is. Also picked up some of the lovely Latour Mersault along with that nice St. Frances chard we had the other night at RX. Next for me is a few bottles of the ridiculously priced Chassagne Montrachet.

Jeff

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Pop 'em open gents. Let's hear it. Still waiting here.....

At Rx, Deidre told me the Il Futuro benefited from 2 hours of decant time when she drank it.

Evan

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Also either Parker or the Spectator says it has 10 years aging in it. I truly doubt I'll hold onto any of it for that long.

If you're in the neighborhood, I'll pop one for you!

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Must have been the WS. I have seen the WA note on this vintage already. Checking the site daily for any word of Montgomery county stock.

Evan

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I %&@# *hate* this: not a drop of the Latour Mersault or the Colombaio near me; the allocations for the two area stores that do have the Mersault are absolutely ridiculously low, compared to what other parts of the state are seeing. *Four* cases per store, in Philadelphia, versus what looks like ten to twelve elsewhere in the area. It's going to get bloody out there, mark my words.

Gah! This peeves me greatly.

[philadining]

If I understood Chairman Newman correctly, the supply looks so thin in and around Philly because we have so many stores. So there's actually a large percentage of the stuff in our general area, and not as much out in other parts of the state. What stock there IS outside of the philly area tends to be concentrated in a few stores, because there aren't as many stores. Conversely, it's spread pretty thin around Philly.

So if you add up all the smaller allocations among the many stores in and around Philly, we might have more of it than the rest of the state. This of course doesn't help you, and by extension, me, given that you might bring a bottle to a dinner I'm at. So I'd be happier if you had ready access to the stuff.

I don't want to sound elitist, but one would think that the interest in some of these wines would be more intense in the larger metropolitan areas, so they might want to weight the distribution that way a bit more. But then, there's a persistent stereotype in the rest of PA that all their money ends up in Philly, it could really tick them off if all the good wine goes here too....

Anyway, I'm going to keep an eye out for the arrival of some of this stuff out in Chesco...

[shacke]

2) Now will everyone please start roasting their brussels sprouts? There's no reason to dislike them once they've been caramelized...

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Done. Just like Greg told me to do it - perfect. I now officially like brussel sprouts.

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so what, we're supposed to guess how Greg told you to make them? Pony it up please

Jeff

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Butter in pan and a bit of maple syrup/sugar. I added olive oil too. Toss in sprouts to cook and carmelize them a bit. I cooked them until they started to shrink - maybe 6-8 minutes. Throw pan in oven (400 for me) for about 10 minutes until they look like the picture. Serve them with your favorite Chairmans Selection Du Jour.

How's that for a segue to getting back squarely to the wine topics?

Edited November 5, 2005 by shacke (log)

[Jeff L]

I %&@# *hate* this: not a drop of the Latour Mersault or the Colombaio near me; the allocations for the two area stores that do have the Mersault are absolutely ridiculously low, compared to what other parts of the state are seeing. *Four* cases per store, in Philadelphia, versus what looks like ten to twelve elsewhere in the area. It's going to get bloody out there, mark my words.

Gah! This peeves me greatly.

If I understood Chairman Newman correctly, the supply looks so thin in and around Philly  because we have so many stores.  So there's actually a large percentage of the stuff in our general area, and not as much out in other parts of the state. What stock there IS outside of the philly area tends to be concentrated in a few stores, because there aren't as many stores. Conversely, it's spread pretty thin around Philly.

So if you add up all the smaller allocations among the many stores in and around Philly, we might have more of it than the rest of the state.  This of course doesn't help you, and by extension, me, given that you might bring a bottle to a dinner I'm at. So I'd be happier if you had ready access to the stuff.

I don't want to sound elitist, but one would think that the interest in some of these wines would be more intense in the larger metropolitan areas, so they might want to weight the distribution that way a bit more. But then, there's a persistent stereotype in the rest of PA that all their money ends up in Philly, it could really tick them off if all the good wine goes here too....

Anyway, I'm going to keep an eye out for the arrival of some of this stuff out in Chesco...

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Well Philadining, there is at least one interested person here in the downscale Newtown/Holland area..seriously though, I was having the same problem Pedro is having right now with respect to getting my hands on these particular wines. I was calling daily and finally, without notice rhyme or reason, they arrived.

To add insult to injury Pedro, Newtown has 35 cases of the Il Futuro and at least 20 cases of the Latour Mersault -also an equal number of the Latour Montrachet.

So Jeff, your point is taken about the high number of premium stores in Philly and it makes perfect sense. We have Newtown and 10 minutes away there are 2 smaller premium stores both in supermarkets. That it, next closest premium store is in Doylestown which is as bad to get to as the ones in Philly.

[Capaneus]

If I understood Chairman Newman correctly, the supply looks so thin in and around Philly  because we have so many stores.  So there's actually a large percentage of the stuff in our general area, and not as much out in other parts of the state. What stock there IS outside of the philly area tends to be concentrated in a few stores, because there aren't as many stores. Conversely, it's spread pretty thin around Philly.

So if you add up all the smaller allocations among the many stores in and around Philly, we might have more of it than the rest of the state.  This of course doesn't help you, and by extension, me, given that you might bring a bottle to a dinner I'm at. So I'd be happier if you had ready access to the stuff.

I don't want to sound elitist, but one would think that the interest in some of these wines would be more intense in the larger metropolitan areas, so they might want to weight the distribution that way a bit more. But then, there's a persistent stereotype in the rest of PA that all their money ends up in Philly, it could really tick them off if all the good wine goes here too....

Anyway, I'm going to keep an eye out for the arrival of some of this stuff out in Chesco...

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Thank you for your kind words. Nice to hear a calming, friendly voice when I'm all verklemt like this.

I might need to delegate this purchase to one of you bucolic types, if you're willing. It really does look bad.

[philadining]

Come on man, there's one whole bottle of the Mersault at 12th and Chestnut, what are you whining about?!? I did a little scanning around the website, and you're right, the distribution looks really weird... unless Center City got piles that sold instantaneously.

Strange...

[mike volker]

TN: IL COLOMBAIO DE CENCIO,IL FUTURO 00

I couldn't wait, so we opened one last night. Decanted 4 hours.

This wine is all plums and spice with alot of oak. This is more oak than I like so the other eleven bottles are going in the cellar in hopes that the oak integrates with a few more years.

Best,

Mike

[shacke]

TN: IL COLOMBAIO DE CENCIO,IL FUTURO 00

I couldn't wait, so we opened one last night. Decanted 4 hours.

This wine is all plums and spice with alot of oak. This is more oak than I like so the other eleven bottles are going in the cellar in hopes that the oak integrates with a few more years.

Best,

Mike

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I too bought a test bottle yesteday and let it decant for about 1.5 hours. Super dark purple, agree with oak comment, fairly tannic but I like this 40/40 combo of cab and sangiovese 20 merlot too. $80? Never would I buy this. $18 - certainly worth a try. I will buy more but perhaps only a couple.

Evan

[Jeff L]

TN: IL COLOMBAIO DE CENCIO,IL FUTURO 00

I couldn't wait, so we opened one last night. Decanted 4 hours.

This wine is all plums and spice with alot of oak. This is more oak than I like so the other eleven bottles are going in the cellar in hopes that the oak integrates with a few more years.

Best,

Mike

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I too bought a test bottle yesteday and let it decant for about 1.5 hours. Super dark purple, agree with oak comment, fairly tannic but I like this 40/40 combo of cab and sangiovese 20 merlot too. $80? Never would I buy this. $18 - certainly worth a try. I will buy more but perhaps only a couple.

Evan

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I too couldn't wait to try the Il Futuro so we had some last night under less than optimum conditions: dinner out with 10 neighbors who all brought mediocre to bad wine and everyone wanted to try mine. I was unable to decant and don't really think this would have helped but the bottle at least had been open for a few hours.

What I did get to taste (in subpar stemware) was just an OK wine that I really hope is just not ready yet. I agree with you Evan, $80 bucks for this wine would have really pissed me off. I guess because we were all waiting so long for it to get to the stores and all the hype and all-I just had higher expectations for the wine. It seemed to me to be less tannic than you guys expereinced but certainly lots of oak present.

I am hoping as I know Mike is that the next 11 will cellar well and develop into what I hope is huge super tuscan. That said, toninght I will try another bottle with a bone in pork roast I am trying. I'll report back and see if under these much better conditions the wine notes change.

[Capaneus]

Come on man, there's one whole bottle of the Mersault at 12th and Chestnut, what are you whining about?!?  I did a little scanning around the website, and you're right, the distribution looks really weird... unless Center City got piles that sold instantaneously.

Strange...

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And now any lingering doubts as to the strangeness are cleared, as far as I'm concerned: there is currently not one drop of the Latour Chardonnay Chairman's Selection wines for sale in downtown Philadelphia. I just bought the last few bottles of the Chassagne Montrachet, and missed the Mersault entirely. Meanwhile, suburban stores, and stores throughout the Commonwealth, are swimming in vast piles of the stuff.

Because, presumably, "sales-based allocations" dictate it should be so.

I love love love the Selection program. But something keeps just not adding up here. The kindest construction I can put on this is that someone in Harrisburg really believes that Ardmore and Bryn Mawr are in Philadelphia. As if we'd have them!

[shacke]

Come on man, there's one whole bottle of the Mersault at 12th and Chestnut, what are you whining about?!?  I did a little scanning around the website, and you're right, the distribution looks really weird... unless Center City got piles that sold instantaneously.

Strange...

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And now any lingering doubts as to the strangeness are cleared, as far as I'm concerned: there is currently not one drop of the Latour Chardonnay Chairman's Selection wines for sale in downtown Philadelphia. I just bought the last few bottles of the Chassagne Montrachet, and missed the Mersault entirely. Meanwhile, suburban stores, and stores throughout the Commonwealth, are swimming in vast piles of the stuff.

Because, presumably, "sales-based allocations" dictate it should be so.

I love love love the Selection program. But something keeps just not adding up here. The kindest construction I can put on this is that someone in Harrisburg really believes that Ardmore and Bryn Mawr are in Philadelphia. As if we'd have them!

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Say what you want there pal but when you dis Ardmore and Bryn Mawr, you dis me, punk.