99.5% of wine drinkers don’t take tasting notes and that includes the one’s on Cellar Tracker who post just a score or say drank with Susan. While it is a lot of work to do so you gain by the following:
1. Become a much better wine drinker
2. Make great buying decisions
3. Help the wine community with accurate info and I could keep going on.
On WineBid I will look for gems and tremendous values and today I found one. This was the top wine at this tasting 2018 Balboa Winery Syrah Reserve Stoney Vine Vineyard (USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley). This was the wine of the night and not even close to the most expensive at the tasting. Here are the cellar tracker notes on this event. If I did not capture notes at this event with the smell, swish and spit technique would have never thought about purchasing this on WineBid at a great price. $42 for this wine with fees, taxes and shipping. Not many wines at 96 points for me at that price point.
I drink wine with a lot of local people in the Twin Cities and most do not capture these wines and moments. I will say I was at Sunfish Cellars last Saturday and a few friends came by so I bought this wine.
2020 Wines of Sagemoor Without Rehearsal Dionysus, Bacchus, Gamache – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley (9/28/2024)
Minerals, spice, orange peel, meters lemon, spice and lime. Super complex and nice acidity. A very nice surprise for under $30 and while not as good as Delille Estates Chaleur Blanc it is close. (92 points)
One of the employees at Sunfish Cellars was like what is this wine that was sitting on the counter. The other employee said a customer bought it and was sampling it. I said go ahead and try it. He asked if I was sure and I said yes. When he grabbed his notebook I got excited. Most industry people just drink wine and don’t taste wine and this guy thanked me for being able to try a $25 white blend from Washington. We need more people like him.
My next article which should create a stir is going to be “wine drinkers” (99.5%) vs. “wine tasters” .5%. Most people on cellar tracker are wine drinkers fyi.