What are you Drinking?

[Caliga]

Thanks.  I like money.

[Scipio]

NOLA Brown.  Hopitoulas is next.

[derspiess]

Finishing off a really nice Belgian Tripel my brother gave me tonight: Westmalle. I bet it'd go well with some leftover goulash from dinner

[dps]

Had some cheap wine tonight.  Yeah, I shoulda splurged on something better, but I'm not thrilled with the choices that are generally available around here, so if I'm gonna have to make do with something that I find merely passable, I might as well get the cheap stuff.

[derspiess]

Had some cheap wine tonight.  Yeah, I shoulda splurged on something better, but I'm not thrilled with the choices that are generally available around here, so if I'm gonna have to make do with something that I find merely passable, I might as well get the cheap stuff.

I'm sure you can find *something* halfway decent. Doesn't have to be expensive.

[dps]

Had some cheap wine tonight.  Yeah, I shoulda splurged on something better, but I'm not thrilled with the choices that are generally available around here, so if I'm gonna have to make do with something that I find merely passable, I might as well get the cheap stuff.

Obviously, you have no experience with North Carolina wines.

I'm sure you can find *something* halfway decent. Doesn't have to be expensive.

[Scipio]

My wife drank the beer I was most anticipating: emelisse Black IPA.  I've got a Christmas beer from my homebrewing mentor, and his imperial stout, both over a year old.  Can't wait to try them.

[Liep]

Had a German brandy last night: Asbach, it was tremendous.

[Scipio]

Had a German brandy last night: Asbach, it was tremendous.

Asbach is a classic.

You should try some Armenian cognac.  That stuff is beyond words.

[Fireblade]

I picked up a bottle of that new Crown Royal maple-flavored whiskey. As a Southerner, I am generally a whiskey traditionalist, but this stuff isn't half bad mixed with eggnog.

[MadImmortalMan]

2001 Charbono. Fenestra Winery, Livermore, CA.

Unusual grape for Cali, but I'm a fan. Fenestra doesn't even make it anymore. I only have one unopened bottle left. 

[Camerus]

A bottle of 1999 Chinese Great Wall dry red wine.   

[Ed Anger]

2001 Charbono. Fenestra Winery, Livermore, CA.

Unusual grape for Cali, but I'm a fan. Fenestra doesn't even make it anymore. I only have one unopened bottle left. 

IIRC, I read that there is only around 70 acres or so in the US with that variety.

[The Minsky Moment]

Over the weekend:
Joseph Voillot Volnay "vielles vignes" 2005
Simon Bize Savigny-les-Beaune 1er cur aux Vergelesses  2007

There are two basic propositions I believe in:
1) Very good wine is made all over the world
2)  Pinot noir and chardonnay can make very good wine.

But the intersection of the two propositions does not hold.  I've had pinot noirs from USA, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Austria, Italy; chardonnay from almost everywhere.  Some of them have been OK - in particular Oregon and NZ for pinot noir; Italy and Australia for chard.  But really those are exceptions.  Almost all the good bottles I have had have had in those grapes have been from Burgundy - despite huge efforts nowhere else does it as well.  These wines are a case in point - the first is just a village level wine; the second is a premier cru but in one the less fancier appellation bordered by more famous vineyards.  Both picked up originally a couple years ago on sale for around $30.  Both were outstanding and outperformed California (and other) versions costing 2-3 times the price.

If I was making wine outside of Burgundy, i just wouldn't grow those particular grapes . . .

[PDH]

Which one was better with ice cubes?