Went to UGC Bordeaux Grand Tasting last night-

I didn't take great notes, but here are some of my favorites:

05/06 Grand Puy Ducasse
05 Smith Haut Lafitte
05 Chateau Cantelys- a STEAL at $30
05 Pape Clement
06 Chateau Figeac
05 Angelus
06 Brane Cantenac
06 Chateau Guiraud
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I heard the '05 Smith Haut Lafitte is suppose to quite the deal as well
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It is- for less than 100 is really nice and will age for a long time. Same producer as Cantelys. Spent a few min talking to the owner of the Chateau.
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I picked up a bottle of cheap wine at Costco called Bogle Vinyards Old Vine Zinfandel.
I only bought one bottle to try at about $8. I an pleasantly surprised at how good it is.
Maybe it's the over 14% alcohol but it is a well balanced wine with nice flavor, smoothness, finish, color. Bottle looks nice. I think I will get some more for a table wine to drink often. It reminds me of some home made wine an old fashioned family I knew used to make. Did I mention the 14.8% alcohol? Mmmmmm!
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Yes, it's the alcohol that is making this wine taste "pleasant". Higher alcohol gives the impression of more extract in flavor. Very common wine making method in new world wines.
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I didn't say the wine tasted "pleasant". I said it tasted surprisingly good. Everyone liked it and it all got drank up quickly. For that price it's worth getting a case or two for a common table wine, when you don't want to be drinking money.
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Try the Petite Sirah from Bogle- very good for the price point.
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I like the Louis Jadot Burgundy Village from Costco better; give that one try.
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Moses,

Please don't go there! Alcohol has nothing to do with much, I've had low alcohol wines where the first thing you smell and then taste is alcohol and I've had high alcohol wines, in the 16-17% range, where you didn't really notice alcohol until you looked at the label. Wine balance is key and when all components are in balance (fruit, acidity, alcohol, oak, tannins), alcohol plays a secondary fiddle.

Higher alcohol creates an impression of bigger wine BODY, not flavor. The only way to create great flavor is to use great fruit, there is no substitute. IMHO, of course. At least I haven't found one yet :-)

Besides, do you really believe the numbers on European wines' labels? Many of them are false, have no idea why ATF is not paying closer attention.

For example, one very famous French wine always lists 13.9% content on its label, yet a number of lab reports peg it at mid to high 15%. The importer confirmed this fact as well. I am sure if more are tested, you'll see a significant number of highly touted wines actually come in in similar alcohol ranges to USA made wines'. From my own tasting experience, although limited due to cost, almost every 1st and 2nd Bord you can name is at least at 14% and some are in the 15% range. LLC is proudly using RO to concentrate the juice, almost all firsts and many seconds use the technology as well, ask yourself why.

Just yesterday there were news about 50+ French vintners being sued by the French authorities for using sugar to beef up alc levels, and this is not an isolated case, trust me, these were just careless enough to get caught (although I am not sure how they got caught, their competitors snitching?).

I stopped paying attention to stated alc numbers a while ago and only want to know how well is alc integrated in the overall taste profile of a wine. If it sticks out enough for you to notice, then sure, its out of balance.

So, how do drink Porto with all that alcohol in it? :-)
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Bogle is one of the best QPR labels around, pretty much everything they make is solid and some wines, such as their Petite (already mentioned above) is a great deal, IMO, year in and year out.

Jewel is another well priced and well made label, should be in the $10-14 range. Central Cost fruit.
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By the case :-)

We are suppose to have a Niepoort vertical this weekend... Maybe a couple of Grand Cru's to warm up.
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Moses,

I used to drink with Mike Lawton and his group back in 2001 when I worked in Boston on a contract, do you know them?

And is that cigar bar on Newbury still open? Spent a few hours there on 9/11 when the whole city was in panic mode, hope they are still open.
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I do not know Mike Lawton. What is his group?

Yes, Cigar Masters is still in business and they moved the next street down on Boylston St. The smoking bans in Boston has been a salvation to their business; they are busy 7 nights a week.
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Good for Cigar Masters, the place was really good on my visits there (years ago). Will make sure to visit on my next trip to Boston, they provided the calmest few hours on 9/11 and I really appreciate that.

Mike Lawton's group is a bunch of locals, they used to participate on Wine Lovers Discussion forum, although I haven't seen them there lately. Met one of the guys last year at a wine event here in SF, looks like they are still drinking together. Mostly an Old World palate group, should be right up your alley :-)) (I am a New World palate, although drink and taste everything to keep up with the wine world and also run probably the best wine group in SF area for the past 10 years).
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The only "wine groups" I participate in is port drinking.

Yup, I am an old world wine drinker, and a necro wine drinker at that. I side with the Brit's about when a wine is mature, lol...
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I can tell by the pictures you post. Good for you, drink what your palate wants.

Mike's group used to taste either at his house (outside of Boston proper), or at that Chinese place near turnpike entry in downtown, not sure I remember the place, King Fung? Or something like that, its a dive, but with decent food. And they did not charge us corkage.
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Unfortnately, I can't always drink what my palate wants, or it would be DRC all the time! Stuck with masses, but one can dream.

Been lucky to try a few good wines in my day though.
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I've yet to try any DRC, can't afford it. Hopefully, when I do get the chance it will the treat everyone claims it to be (although I am skeptical, been spoiled by some great CA Pinot).
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I tried a '62 La Tache once at my friend's holiday party. Wow! Still had real extract and power. Deep, and an amazing finish. I had like 3 years ago.
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I'll agree with you on that one.
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QPR=??
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