First of all, I’ve neglected to mention that we’ve been alternating our Ridge 3 Valleys drinking with bottles of Carl Roy’s similar blend (at similar price point). Brought a bottle to our mutual friend’s place for dinner this past weekend & he said he really liked it. A little more refined than the Ridge but not very different in what it would be eaten with.
Secondly, let me brag a little and say that I might be contributing more to this thread in the next several months, as another friend (who is in the wine tasting/reviewing biz) is moving and decided to gift several of us with wines that they wouldn’t be taking with them. I got 2 cases of mixed bottles, but heavy on early 2000’s Chateauneuf de Pape from several producers. We celebrated that night by going home and doing something that we would never do: we had a bottle of 2004 Clos des Pape CdP with a pizza (artisanal, coal oven at least) and some other delivered southern Italian food. The food was good enough & the wine is drinking very well given its age. Very well. Cant wait to try the Beaucastel CdPs and the Pontet Canet Pauillacs we got. And maybe even write about them.
Wow! That is some friend you have there (gifting you those CDPs). Enjoy!
I’ll have to look into those Carl Roy wines.
I enjoyed an excellent Napa cabernet tonight that was on sale for $19.99 at Bottle King and supposedly retails for $50.
Nice, but I’m more intrigued by the alligator skin (?) wine bag.
It’s an embossed leather wine tote from Brahmin. We go to a lot of BYO restaurants and like to carry our wine in a nice tote
https://www.dillards.com/p/brahmin-melbourne-collection-wine-tote/508551959?googleShop=Y&cm_mmc=GooglePLAs--Category±+All+Handbags±+Smart+Shopping--BRAHMIN-_-Cj0KCQjwutaCBhDfARIsAJHWnHsheST4o_5u4vQQJOppZs-fgacp-IkYtRUzaOd4LzU4idQYt2yv6NMaAjUNEALw_wcB&gclid=Cj0KCQjwutaCBhDfARIsAJHWnHsheST4o_5u4vQQJOppZs-fgacp-IkYtRUzaOd4LzU4idQYt2yv6NMaAjUNEALw_wcB
Also not familiar with Carl Roy, I’ll look. I think CdP actually is a nice match with pizza.
We splurged on our favorite wine, Caymus cabernet, for our 10th anniversary. It is ridiculously priced at almost $200, but is as smooth as velvet. It was a real treat.
Happy Belated Anniversary …
Sounds like a perfect gift to celebrate with.
We always have a Vega Sicilia and a Champagne from Bollinger.
Thank you!
Thanks Steve!
That looks like a nice Italian wine.
You are very welcome.
I’d been familar with ABC Pinots but not their chards. This came via an offer of assorted ABC wines from a well-known internet seller based out of Seattle. Lovely “steeliness”, little or no oak that I could discern, a delicious, crisp quaffer.
Another ABC chard from the same allocation. A bit drier, more austere, but a nice mineral edge and again no discernible oak. I’m liking the house style.
The above photographs were taken in FALSET, TARRAGONA at a PRIORAT Wine Estate.
This designation of origin is considered one of the best in Spain.
Beautiful! How old is the bridge in the 3rd photograph?
Roman Era. Tarragona as well as all of Cataluna was inhabited by the Romans for approx. 600 years. (until 800 a.d. when it was inhabited and conquested by the Moorish - which consisted of a variety of Middle Easterners including Moroccans).
There are numerous Roman bridges in Spain; and one can do a “Silver Route” which starts in Mérida, Badajoz, Extremadura and goes north to Asturias.
it is highly recommended if you visit Spain.