Gaja single vineyards are outside my current drinking realm at the moment. But should this event take place I have some '90 Gruaud Larose and '00 Pichon Lalande (this should probably sleep a while longer). I'll have to find something non Bordeaux for ULack. Maybe some Cayuse? Leonetti? Any Washington state wine fans?

 

Quite like Barolo but my Italian red of choice would be Amarone. Was drinking one the other weekend that was 17.5%, it was a lovely bottle although my wife didn't think so when she saw the state of me.

 

IMHE I found both Columbia Crest and Ch. St. Michelle Merlot to be the best for the bucks. My wife loves them.

 

Amarone is one wine that I feel like I am "chewing" while drinking it. It's delicious but I like to have a friend to share with, lest I end up going on a drunken eBay watch buying spree....

 

I too love these big, fruit forward Amarones. Hard to believe that 17.5% alcohol would make you a little silly

 

For me it's a double dram of this nice liquid from a friend in the UK

 

This wee dram (which I have clearly just finished!) in an original 'Blade Runner' Cibi crystal whisky glass.

 

Some older Napa on a Monday evening.

 

Nice little Craft Brewery Chocolate Stout.....seems fitting

 

Drinking a Maine Beer Company Lunch IPA while watching hockey playoffs and gazing at the new (to me) Omega on my wrist!

 

College

 

Sitting with an old friend I haven't seen for a long time. Drinking 12 year old Macallan and smoking a Fuente Hemingway. Cheers!

 

I've had that 2006 and liked it quite a bit. Somewhere between the tannic monster of the bigger years and the fuzzy soft bunny of the lesser years. Nice stuff.

I suspect @AAAKK will PM me shortly after this: popped a 1966 Graham's vintage port a couple nights ago and had my first glass tonight. Allow me to say .

 

The '06 Alexander was from my stock, the '93 my buddy's. We had the Grace Fam first and it was definitely in its last moments, no primary/secondary fruit, slight herbaceousness and maybe a little VA peeking through. The Silver Oak was a very pleasant surprise, the last bottle I had was a a late '90s Bonny's vineyard and it was great. This was as you said, a nice middle of the road. I prefer the Alexander to the Napa and stopped buying the Napa a few years ago..... My thoughts anyway.

Out of curiosity, what was the ABV of the '66?

 

Same here - gave up on the Napa long before the Alexander. Don't buy either anymore since finding Hill Family Estate.

The bottle says "19 - 22%". Pretty much the norm.

 

I will have to look into them, will be headed on the yearly pilgrimage to wine country in a month or so and will add this to the list.

 

Hit their tasting room and talk to Bill. You'll detect the similarities to Silver Oak when you sample their Napa and Atlas Peak Cabs.

 

Right now coffee, but last night had one of these...Cream Soda to be exact...



Canadians (and some Americans) of a certain age might recognize this brand that originated not far from where I grew up. Was huge when I was a kid and the Eddie Shack commercials were on TV all the time. Back then it was a cheaper alternative to brand name soft drinks, but now it's more of a "premium" brand I guess. The black cherry is the best!

 

Our local "Walkerville Brewery" in makes an excellent version of this. Only problem I have is that my wife won't drink it and when you pick up a fresh growler with 64 oz of this deliciousnous, you should really drink it within 2 days of opening. This leaves me needing to finish the whole thing in 2 sittings... wait... then again, it's not really a problem...
http://walkervillebrewery.com/

 

My daughter is a huge fan. We picked up a case at Costco last visit and she looks forward to her weekend 'treat'!