The 2000 Branaire-Ducru was the winning bottle in the January Installment of Pick My Next Bottle. The wine was decanted for two hours and paired with a homemade meatloaf and roasted Yukon potatoes. Chateau Branaire Ducru is a Fourth Growth Bordeaux according to the official classification of 1855. The 123-acre estate is in St.-Julien on the left bank of the…
The January installment of Pick My Next Bottle focuses on Bordeaux from the heralded 2000 vintage. As I mentioned in the first installment, the purpose of this series is to provide insight into specific wines or producers you may currently have in your cellar. 2000 was simply one of the best vintages ever in Bordeaux. It was the first vintage…
The December Installment of Pick My Next Bottle focuses on Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from the 2004 vintage. As I mentioned in the first installment, the purpose of this series is to provide insight into specific wines or producers you may currently have in your cellar. The winning bottle will be opened on Christmas Eve. 2004 was an average vintage…
The November installment of Pick My Next Bottle focuses on Châteauneuf-du-Pape from the the 2003 vintage. As I mentioned in the first installment, the purpose of this series is to provide insight into specific wines or producers you may currently have in your cellar. The winning bottle will be opened on Thanksgiving and a Bottle Note will be published this coming weekend.…
The 2005 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon was the winning bottle in the October Installment of Pick My Next Bottle. I decanted the wine for several hours and served with steaks and a classic wedge salad. Quilceda Creek Vintners was founded in 1978 by Alex and Jeanette Golitzin. Alex Golitzin is a nephew of André Tchelistcheff, the legendary winemaker who put…
The October installment of Pick My Next Bottle focuses on Cabernet Sauvignon from the 2005 vintage. As I mentioned in the first installment, the purpose of this series is to provide insight into specific wines or producers you may currently have in your cellar. I plan on opening the winning bottle this Thursday and will publish a Bottle Note shortly thereafter.…
The 1996 Cos d’Estournel was the winning bottle in the September Installment of Pick My Next Bottle. Louis Gaspard d’Estournel founded Chateau Cos d’Estournel in 1811. Cos d’Estournel was one of the first wineries in Bordeaux to bottle, label and sell their own wine. The Chateau has exchanged hands many times over the years but today is owned and managed by Michel…
The September Installment of Pick My Next Bottle focuses on Bordeaux from the 1998 vintage. As I mentioned in the first installment, the purpose of this series is to provide insight into specific wines or producers you may currently have in your cellar. The winning bottle will be opened this Sunday and a Bottle Note will be published shortly thereafter.…
The 2005 Fleur Cardinale was the winning bottle in the August installment of Pick My Next Bottle. I decanted the wine briefly and served with a tri tip roast on a cool Summer night in Seattle. Chateau Fleur Cardinale was purchased by Dominique and Florence Decoster in 2001. The 24.5 hectare St. Emilion vineyard of Fleur Cardinale is planted to…
The September installment of Pick My Next Bottle focuses on Right Bank Bordeaux from the heralded 2005 vintage. Specifically, all three wines are from Saint-Émilion. The purpose of this series is to provide insight into specific wines or producers you may currently have in your cellar. 2005 is arguably the best Bordeaux vintage in modern times. Growing conditions were absolutely…