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WTN: When the cat's away, the mice will cull the cellar

PostPosted: Wed Oct 25, 2006 8:57 pm
by David M. Bueker
Laura's on a business trip, and so not counting $ as I dump unacceptable wine down the sink.

I actually had a nice glass of wine with dinner:

2004 Domaine Louis Jadot Pernand Vergelesses En Caradeux Clos de la Croix de Pierre 1er Cru
With a name like that it could almost be German. But anyway, very young, but pretty floral, cherry and light spice flavors. Good balance, though vintage hounds are going to call it too light. I like the was it carries itself as kind of a dash of Burg with less seriousness. I will get a bunch of this (it's available in 375s locally) for casual Burg drinking - how often do you get that chance!

Then I went into minor cull mode...


1998 Icardi Langhe Nebbiolo Surisjvan
Thin, oaky, red-colored, limp, tasteless, generic swill. Blech! To the sewage treatment plant it goes...it deserves worse.

and then...

1995 Bodegas Ismael Arroyo Ribera del Duero Val Sotillo
Taking off the capsule it is clear that something will be wrong with this wine. It has dried wine under the capsule, and the cork is totally soaked. One whiff and one sip to be sure - yep, cooked to death. It's like pine tar in a bottle. Double blech!

So having done my part for cellar organization I then got something good to sip:

2001 Strub Niersteiner Orbel Riesling Kabinett
I visited Strub in 2003, and he took Laura and me to the vineyards. One sip of this wine & I felt like I was back there. Lime zest on a bed of iron. This had the red soil aromatics as well as that 2001 presence (though in kabinett miniature) that fills the palate. My bottles are still not showing ANY secondary development, so if you want that you will have to wait (or store them at a temperature above 55 degrees). Delicious stuff, and the little sticker said $11.99, so a great QPR as well.

Re: WTN: When the cat's away, the mice will cull the cellar

PostPosted: Wed Oct 25, 2006 10:26 pm
by Michael Malinoski
David,
I've had two bottles of the 1996 Val Sotillo, and both were cooked like your '95, with very leaky corks. In the back of my mind, I can remember reading that others have had issues with poorly closed bottles from this producer. I'll try to remember where I read that...
-Michael

Re: WTN: When the cat's away, the mice will cull the cellar

PostPosted: Wed Oct 25, 2006 10:55 pm
by James Dietz
There are those on this board who recommend feeding the bad wine to the outdoor plants... at least they might do SOME good that way... :wink:

Re: WTN: When the cat's away, the mice will cull the cellar

PostPosted: Wed Oct 25, 2006 11:01 pm
by Dave Erickson
Oh boy. I know I have some losers sitting down there, but lately I lack the courage to throw them down the drain. Even so, I am inspired by your example. Those lame Malbecs and Nortons and most especially those wood-laden Aussie Shirazes...they're gonna have to stand and deliver or else make their contribution to the compost. Yes, this time I really mean it. :D

Re: WTN: When the cat's away, the mice will cull the cellar

PostPosted: Thu Oct 26, 2006 6:59 am
by David M. Bueker
Look for more culling tonight...same time, same bat-channel.

Re: WTN: When the cat's away, the mice will cull the cellar

PostPosted: Thu Oct 26, 2006 7:01 am
by Bill Buitenhuys
So we will soon get to read about the cull-mination of your efforts? 8)

Re: WTN: When the cat's away, the mice will cull the cellar

PostPosted: Thu Oct 26, 2006 7:18 am
by David M. Bueker
More puns like that could cause the cull-apse of western civilization.

Re: WTN: When the cat's away, the mice will cull the cellar

PostPosted: Thu Oct 26, 2006 7:47 am
by Howie Hart
David M. Bueker wrote:More puns like that could cause the cull-apse of western civilization.

That would be a cull-amity. :roll:

Re: WTN: When the cat's away, the mice will cull the cellar

PostPosted: Thu Oct 26, 2006 8:31 am
by JC (NC)
I find this conversation "draining."
I too have had good luck with Pernand Vergelesses (not Jadot and a different vintage but a nice, relatively inexpensive Burgundy.) I think I have only had one Strub wine in recent years but may pick up some next time I get to Macarthur's in DC.
My culling this week is of two wines forgotten for several years. I'm drinking a 1999 St. Aubin (Domaine du Chateau de Puligy-Montrachet) that while old gold in color is still drinkable. In reserve is a 1995 Savigny les Beaune.

Re: WTN: When the cat's away, the mice will cull the cellar

PostPosted: Thu Oct 26, 2006 11:20 am
by James Dietz
This thread is parti-cull-ary funny

Re: WTN: When the cat's away, the mice will cull the cellar

PostPosted: Thu Oct 26, 2006 12:38 pm
by David M. Bueker
At least there are some cull-orful responses.

Re: WTN: When the cat's away, the mice will cull the cellar

PostPosted: Thu Oct 26, 2006 1:17 pm
by Clinton Macsherry
Enough pun-ishment. Can we cull it a day?