Those two are among the best producers. More important is to know what style of Riesling you like; there's a big difference in spectrum.
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No kiddin? Who knew! I need a lot...

I just can't afford any more!
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Ok, The wife found a wine that she absolutely loves...CakeBread cabernet sauvignon...only problem is it is $90 a bottle...I bought her a bottle of the Cakebread Pinot Nior for $75 for mothers day but holy hell! Is there another manufacture that is comparable and a little more reasonable? :-)
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CakeBread is good stuff. :-) It's the price I don't like. :-) Their wine club has bottles at a lower price point, but they get you with the annual cost.

http://www.cakebread.com/clubs/


I'm a fan of Chimney Rock....I can usually find the cab for around $40/bottle.
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I have never tried CakeBread Wine, so I cannot make a comparison, however the name immediately brought to attention another wine that makes a wonderful Cab &, Shiraz. I have not tried their Pinot Noir or any of their white wines yet, but I expect that they will be very good as well. I am referring to "LayerCake". They have a wonderful 2007 Cab that you should let you wife try. It sells in the area of $25 a bottle!
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Thanks for the tips.

The one thing I remember the most about it was how smooth it was to drink.
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Thanks for the input! :-)
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Ryan,

I am almost sure that if you try one of the two labels, or both, You WILL fall in love. As Moses has pointed out, German Rieslings are made with some sugar to a lot of sugar, although with age all that sugar integrates. Also try Leitz, they are more affordable. But between JJ Prum ( don't confuse with his relative MA Prum) and Dr. Loosen you can't find a bad wine even if you try.
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E-Man,

At $75 for Pinot you have a TON of choices and I can guarantee you will enjoy them much more than that Cakebread. Until Sideways hit the screens, Napa guys looked down at Pinot and didn't consider it wine and I am being serious. They all jumped on the wagon since the movie came out and all I can tell you is that making Pinot and Cab are two completely different processes in all respects. I would know. And it takes a while to learn how to make great Pinot, not just the past 3-4 years when it became "fashionable".

Try Pinots by Loring, Siduri, August West, AP Vin, just off the top of my head, there are many more. All in the $40-50 range and way better than Cakebread. If you feel like spending more, Pisoni is the one to try, in the $60s, but worth every penny IMO.

For a better priced and actually better Cab, IMO, try finding a bottle of Paradigm, should be under $50. Little known, still, but every bit as good as most of the big boys. I think you can order online, although give them a call and see if they are distributed in your state. Another one to try is Meander, a really good wine.

There are just a few high priced Cabs I buy these days, Maybach is one and Pride is another. The rest charge for the "name recognition" for the most part.
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Thanks so much for the input! I will definately give those a try and report back! :-)
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Too bad cabs had fallen out of popularity. Some of the best wines I have ever tasted have been cabs or cab blends. We have a local family winery called Burrell School that has some old cab sauv vineyards and they are consistent with their cabs. I like getting to know the grapes, the harvest, the winemakers and the varietals of the local wineries. If only I kept notes.
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When did this happen? That is news to me.
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Right before the Merlot craze (early 80s?), before the Pitite Syrah craze, before the Pinot craze. When will we get back to Zinfandel? What are we on right now? (I'm talking about mass popularity). I don't pay much attention anymore. :-)
Anyone remember the "Pink Zinfandel" craze?:-)
Maybe it's time for Sherry to come back around.
Honestly, the PN wave passed right under me and I barely noticed. I never saw "Sideways". I don't quite understand the reference, except that Pinot Noir must have been a major part of the plot. David Bruce winery is just up the road from me so I have been drinking lots of good Pinot for a long time.

Cheers *clink*!
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Well I'll be on the front of the line leading the Zinfandel popularity charge. I've been enjoying those for a couple of years now. I didn't know there was a craze in the past. And if I'm not drinking a Zin, I usually gravitate towards a cabernet. I've never gotten into Pinots. I've found them too light bodied, though to be fair I haven't had a lot of them because the ones I have had have not impressed me.
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Pinot Noir is from Burgundy, period! Lot's of places try and some come close, but Burgundy is Burgundy!
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Burgundy is from Burgundy. Pinot Noir is a plant that grows where it will.
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Yes, pinot noir may grow anywhere, even indoors, but that does not mean it's worth anything. Burgundy is the only place that can make Pinot worth drinking and usually at a king's ransom at that.
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Good stuff Mike! :-)

I think we're in Syrah-land right now, or at least I am. I've really enjoyed being in Cab-land, Zin-land & Pinot-land, but I really haven't spent a lot of time in Syrah-land or Petite-Syrah-land and I think I should.

I just bought a bottle of Syrah called 'Sequel' and it was pretty good. Still, I really prefer full, jammy, long finish, smooth reds and I think Syrah & PS are considerably lighter.

As for Zin's, which I love, a decent priced & good Zin is Ridge Vineyard's Lytton Springs. You can usually find it anywhere and on most restaurant's wine lists and even at restaurants, I haven't seen it higher than $60 which ain't bad for a good, nice wine while out to dinner.
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Oh, oh, and you should really watch Sideways. It wasn't GREAT but it was a nice little movie in our beautiful & wonderful Santa Barbara Wine Country.

And we just watched BOTTLESHOCK not too long ago.

GREAT, GREAT, GREAT movie about how California wines (which truly are amazing, I disagree with you completely there, Moses; we produce some incredible Pinot's) got on the world map back in the mid-'70's and beat out French wines in their wine competition.
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Great flicks Dave! I love to enjoy them while drinking vino. :-)

My last trip to SB was great. Hit a lot of great wineries and had dinner at the Ballard Inn among other places. I enjoyed the Highliner at Hitching Post, but was not impressed with the food. We even unintentionally had lunch and wine at one of the other places featured in the Sideways (the place where they went on the double date --- Los Olivos Cafe?), but the place was rearranged for the movie. Great food and enjoyed a nice pinot. Gotta like SB wine country. :-)
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I'll have to do a SB trip sometime. Did Paso Robles and Napa last year with a couple of little trips to other places too.
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