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2014 was a strong year in Napa for Cabernet Sauvignon. In this video D is tasting the Berringer Knight's Valley, the Joseph Phelps and the Caymus. The later two are among D's favorite Cabs.
D is introducing two cabernets that are a little less known, but very, very good: Nickel & Nickel and Cliff Lede.
This episode is all about top value Napa Valley Cabernets. Cabernet Sauvignon is my favorite grape and Napa Valley is my favorite region. But Napa Cabernets are expensive! I picked for this edition of “Decants with D” three outstanding, AND affordable Napa Cabs at around $30 per bottle:
1. Robert Mondavi, Cabernet Sauvignon 2014, 3.9 on Vivino, $32
2. The Hess Collection, Cabernet Sauvignon 2014, 4.1 on Vivino, $29
3. Chateau Buena Vista, Cabernet Sauvignon 2015, 4.3 on Vivino, $33.
In this episode of decants with D he is blind tasting three 2014 Napa Valley Cabernets. The first is a 2014 Silverado, the second a 2014 Hess collection, and the third a 2014 Nickel and Nickel Quarry vineyard. It is obvious D likes all three of these outstanding Cabernets. His favorite wine however is the Nickel and Nickel. With out knowing which wines were which, D puts the three wines in rank order of the Wine Spectator ratings: First Nickel & Nickel, second Silverado, third Hess Collection.
This episode covers two top notch Napa Valley 2016 Cabernet Sauvignons: Duckhorn and Faust. 2016 is a fairytale year in Napa Cabernets. The entire harvest was rated 98 points by Wine Spectator in their 0 - 100 scale. The best rating of Napa Cabs in this decade. The Faust ($54) is elegant and fruity, both Jane and Dietmar liked it a lot. It is ready to drink right now. The Duckhorn ($65) is stronger and has a lot of "good tannins". Lots of strong red and black fruits. Both, highly recommended.
The best harvest of the century in Napa Valley. In this episode D introduces 4 Napa Valley 2016 Cabernet Sauvignons. He likes the Snowden Brothers Vineyard the best.
2017 was a challenging harvest in Napa because of the wildfires. D selected some of the best Cabernet Sauvignons from Napa in 2017: The Stag's Leap Artemis sells for about $65, the Faust for about $45 and the regular Robert Mondavi Cabernet for about $30. These are all WS 92 rated wines and D liked all 3 of them.
Caymus is one of D's favorite wines. D is tasting 3 different Caymus Cabs in a vertical: 2011, 2014 and 2016. The 2016 wins!
This video is about Joseph Phelps greatest wine: the Insignia! D is tasting the 2016 regular Joseph Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2016 Insignia. The Joseph Phelps sells for about $65-70, the Insignia for over $200. The Phelps is rated WS 91, the Insignia 95.
This video gives an overview over the key 3 wine regions that I like the most: Piedmont in Italy’s North-West, Veneto in Italy’s North-East and Tuscany in the Central West region. After introducing Barolo, Barbaresco and Babera in Piedmont, Chianti Classico, Vino Nobile and Brunello in Tuscany, D discusses Prosecco, Pinot Grigio and Amarone in Veneto. The video finishes with a tasting of a 2013 Villa Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva (Vivino Rating: 3.9, $30) against a 2013 Pio Cesare Barolo (Vivino Rating: 4.2, $72).
This video describes in more detail the fascinating Italian Barolo wine from the Piedmont region. Barolo is considered the king of Italian wines and is made out of the Nebbiolo grape. D is tasting 3 different Barolos from 2013: The Ascheri (VivinoRating 4.0/5.0, $40), the Sordo (Vivino 3.9, $26) the Renato Ratti (Vivino 4.1, $54). 2013 was a great year for Barolo wines.
This edition of “Decants with D” is all about Chianti, Italy’s favorite wine. Based on the Sangiovese grape, this Italian best seller comes in 4 increasing quality levels: Chianti, Chianti Superiore, Chianti Classico and Chianti Classico Riserva. The Riserva needs to be made out of Sangiovese for at least 80% and needs to age at least 2 years. I will explain Chiantis and taste 2 top notch 2013 and 2 excellent 2015, all four will be Chianti Classicos or better. And all of them are under $30!!!!!! Both, 2013 and 2015, were top years in the Chianti region of Tuscany.
In this video D tastes 3 different Brunello di Montalcino from 2012. This year was rated by Wine Spectator with 96 points. The 3 Brunellos are: 1. Barbi, 2. San Felippo and 3. Antinori Pian Delle Vigne. The Antinori wins. Antinori's Pian Delle Vigne 2012 scores 4.3 on Vivino. D thinks this is underrated! When it first came out 3 years ago it sold for $65. If you can still get the 2012, it is easily worth $100. The 2016 is available on Vivino for $70.
This video is about Amarone Wine from the Verona area near Lake Garda.
The process of making the high alcohol Amazon wine is complicated and costly. D explains it and tastes a relatively old Amarone against a newer one.
This video is about the Super cool wine out of Italy... SUPER TUSCAN! Rebel Italian vintners, unwilling to adhere to the Chianti regulations, planted Cabernet grapes in Tuscany and blended them into the dominating Sangiovese fruits. Today Super Tuscans are Tuscan grown wine that blends some combination of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and sometimes Cabernet Franc. In this video D tastes the most famous of them all: Antinori’s Tignanello.
This video is an Introduction to French Red Wines! In Part 1 D discusses the various wine regions of France and particularly dives deeper into Burgundy, Bordeaux and the Rhône region.
This video is about Chateauneuf Du Pape, the most fun sounding French Wine!! Made out of Grenache grapes in Southern Rhône. All three wines tasted score above 4.0 in D’s rating. One of them, the Domaine de la Janasse scores 5.0. The 3 Chateauneauf du Papes are: Roger Sabon Reserve ($42, WS 94), Chateau Sixtine ($43, WS 95) and Domaine de la Janasse ($99, 5.0 by D) all from the excellent 2016 year.
This is part 2 of D's introduction to French Reds. In part 1, D focuses on France as a wine country and the wine regions of Burgundy, Bordeaux and Rhône. In part 2 D is tasting those 3 very different French reds. Towards the end D gives his buying recommendations. The Bordeaux and the Chateauneauf du Pape get a nod.
This video is all about Spanish Rioja, the Tempranillo grape and the city and art in Bilbao. I will explain the difference between the simpler Crianza and the more sophisticated Reserva wines. In this episode D tastes three 2015 Riojas under $15. D's favorite Rioja Crianza is the 2015 Vina Bujanda. He rated it 4.1 on Vivino and the wine costs about $13.
Continuing the deep dive into Spanish Riojas, D selected two TOP NOTCH, but affordable Reservas: the Marques de Murrietta and the Marques de Riscal.
This edition of “Decants with D” brings us to Argentina, the 5th largest wine producing country in the world and the epicenter of the Malbec wine. D introduces 4 Malbecs under $20 while grilling some skirt steaks and making a few Tango moves.
Chile is very long and thin. There are warm regions in the North and cold ones in the South. At the same time, there is the ocean to the West and huge mountains to the East. Taking this into account, there are very many different wine regions in Chile. D introduces some of them and tastes 3 very different Cabernets, some of which are representing a great value.
In this episode D introduces the three most common red wines in America: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Zinfandel.
D introduces in this episode the most common wines around the world made out of the Pinot Noir grape. This includes French Burgundy and California and Oregon Pinot Noir.
The forgotten grape in the US. D re-discovers the Merlot wine in this episode. After the movie "Sideways" came out, D had discounted and ignored the Merlot grape a bit. In this video, D tastes 4 Merlots from Napa Valley and finds some Superstars and some good value.
The colder and wetter climate in Oregon is similar to the climate in Burgundy. That is one of several reasons why the Pinot Noir industry in Oregon took off over the last 20 years. D is tasting some top notch Oregon Pinots in this episode and discovers great value.
Sauvignon Blancs are lighter than Chardonnay. They make a very good summer wine. In this episode D tastes a number of different SBs and declares the Honig his favorite.
D introduces a number of top Chardonnays, including his "go to" Chard, the Kendall Jackson, and his two favorite, the Rombauer and the Shafer Red Shoulder Ranch.
D introduces in this episode the most common white wines: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blans and Riesling.
This is Austria's star white wine. Fresh and acidic, light and lively. D tastes a few and determines his favorite.
D tastes Brad Pitt's and Angelina Jolie's Miraval rose and does not like it. Several of the Provance roses tasted are a lot better.
D visits the small vineyard on Long Island's North Shore that specializes on rose wine.
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This episode of “Decants with D” includes an in-depth tour of D's wine cellar on Long Island, NY. D explains the general organization logic and layout, before he pulls out interesting bottles in each section. The video ends with a tasting of the phenomenal 2015 Austin Hope Cabernet that is rated 4.5 on Vivino and costs about $45.
This video discusses how D orders wine. 60% plus on-line, mostly via Vivino, 20-30% in stores, preferably Total Wine, or directly from vineyards. Sometimes D participates in on-line auctions or live auctions. You will see D receiving and opening wine shipments from Vivino. One of them, the Argentinian Malbec, D will taste and describe in this video right away. Also, D will go into the details of exactly how to order wine from Vivino.
This video is about how to properly decant wine, what wines to decant, and what decantors to use!
This episode of “Decants with D” discusses investing into wine.
D’s rules are:
1. Only invest into 1st and 2nd growth French Bordeaux wines or top notch Napa Cabernets
2. Buy wines that are rated 95 points or higher in Wine Spectator
3. Ideally invest into wines that were among Wine Spectator’s top 5 wines of the year in their annual December rating
4. Buy the wines that you want to invest into shortly after they first come out and are rated by Wine Spectator, not month or years later.
If you follow these rules, you will likely not only get your money back with interest, but also make a handsome profit. And that is after you paid 15 percent of your auction proceeds to the auction house.
These are a few staple wines every collecter should have on hand: Light on Whites, just for next 12 month consumption. Recommend CA Chardonnays and CA Sauvignon Blanc. Perhaps add a sparkler, such as a Prosecco. In this case, D selected for his daughter the Kendall Jackson and the Stags Leap Chardonnays and the Honig Sauvignon Blanc. Go deep on Reds. Based on your taste select 1 or 2 reds to start and beach out to other grapes from there. In the US, I would always recommend to start collecting Napa Cabernet Sauvignons. 2016 was a very collectible year. Rated 98 points as an entire harvest by Wine Spectator. In the case of his daughters starting collection D recommended also a few top Pinot Noirs, some Malbecs and some Chianti Classico. Some of the Cabernets were the 2017 Faust, the 2016 Bellacosa and the 2016 Hall.
This video is about how to taste wine like a PRO! D describes his four steps:
1. Look at the wine, both bottle and wine
2. Smell the aromas
3. Taste the wine
4. Experience the finish.
This episode is all about top value Napa Valley Cabernets. Cabernet Sauvignon is my favorite grape and Napa Valley is my favorite region. But Napa Cabernets are expensive! I picked for this edition of “Decants with D” three outstanding, AND affordable Napa Cabs at around $30 per bottle: 1. Robert Mondavi, Cabernet Sauvignon 2014, 3.9 on Vivino, $32 2. The Hess Collection, Cabernet Sauvignon 2014, 4.1 on Vivino, $29 3. Chateau Buena Vista, Cabernet Sauvignon 2015, 4.3 on Vivino, $33. .
Best Affordable Red Wines!! In this video D and his team select 20 very good recently released red wines under $20. Several are Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Malbec, Chianti Classico, French Bordeaux, Spanish Rioja and California table wine. The final five after 3 hours of tasting and rating were: 1. La Posta Malbec 2018, 2. Belacosa Cabernet 2016, 3. Decoy Red Table Wine 2016, 4. Gabbiano Chianti Classico 2015 and 5. Kathrine Cabernet 2016. The Nobel Tree Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 placed No.6, the Catena Malbec 2017 was 7th, the Erath Pinot Noir 2017 was 8th, Cruz Alta Reserve Malbec 2017 was 9th, and finally the 2015 Fagus de Coto from Aragon, Spain placed 10th.
This video is about Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon. D introduces the various regions in Chile. He points out the differences and similarities to Napa Cabernets. Three different Chilean Cabs are opened and tasted. The two top scorers could not be more different: One sells for $14, the other for $60. Both are excellent! D recommends the Porta Cab, because of the incredible Price/Value ratio. But also look out for the excellent Cabo!
These are some TOP NOTCH choices for UNDER $20!
This video is about Sparkling Wine from Long Island, NY. D visits the vineyard at the East end of Long Island and is impressed with the sparkling wine it specializes in.
Struggleing to find the perfect gift this holiday season?! Struggle no longer and pick up one of D's holiday wine recomendations! Cabernet Sauvignon: 1. Barnett Vineyards 2016, $80; 2. Snowden Brothers Vineyard 2016, $84; 3. Stags Leap Artemis 2017, $65; 4. Faust 2017, $45. Merlot: 1. Nickel & Nickel Harris Vineyard 2016, $49; 2. Duckhorn 2016, $48. Pinot Noir: 1. Belle Glos Las Altura 2017, $34; 3. FEL Anderson 2018, $38; 3. Roar 2017, $45. 20 under 20 winners: 1. La Posta, Pizella, Malbec 2018, $15; 2. Bellacosa Cabernet 2016, $20. New discovery: Pure Paso, J.Lohr Red Table Wine 2017, $24.
This video is all about Tequila to celebrate Cinco De Mayo. My sister-in-law and I are tasting 4 great tequilas: Don Julio 1942, Azul, 3 Amigos and Don Sergio. We discuss the different tequilas from Bianco to Anejo. And when and how to drink tequila.
D is trying to find alternatives to his "go to" Champagne "Veuve Clicquot.
He does find some interesting new discoveries. Also, his saber actions are starting to get more coordinated.
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