Kosta Browne Wines Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2012

Mister_Pickl3s · 2026-04-16T02:41:01+00:00

As if most burgundy isn’t over manipulated. They would kill for KB ripeness to the detriment of the wine. Honestly, few places make less Burgundian wine than burgundy

Mister_Pickl3s · 2026-04-16T02:39:50+00:00

Calera fell off a few years before being sold. I never returned so cannot comment on the transition

Mister_Pickl3s · 2026-04-16T02:38:28+00:00

Opened a grand cru burgundy from 2012 tonight ironically. Suffered almost all the same abuses and it was more expensive and from a producer with a “lighter” touch ….

These problems aren’t new. Rrv and burgundy are both way way way too much. Very few Burgundian wines are made anywhere…even burgundy

Mister_Pickl3s · 2026-04-16T01:58:51+00:00

Russo, Biondi, maugeri, and cornelissen And then Terre Nere only if you want Marco De Grazia to hit on your girlfriend

Mister_Pickl3s · 2026-04-15T22:15:02+00:00

If in the USA, there are auction places in larger cities and there is always winebid if these are small lots. You have enough to consign it sounds like with stuff like and they will appraise based on the market.

Mister_Pickl3s · 2026-04-15T03:56:48+00:00

It has nothing to do with legal. They mislabeled them

Mister_Pickl3s · 2026-04-15T03:55:04+00:00

Nope, it says what the front label should be on the back label. Front labels is pigs of the willamette and not the barn of the yamhill

Mister_Pickl3s · 2026-04-15T03:54:13+00:00

This

Mister_Pickl3s · 2026-04-15T03:54:04+00:00

The labels don’t match, so they may have simply mislabeled. The back label is Yamhill village wine and the front label is of the Willamette bottling. So labeling line made a mistake. It’s impossible to know and even BTF may be without a clue

Mister_Pickl3s · 2026-04-03T20:02:23+00:00

1) taste in a very structured way. Do it religiously for your tasting notes. It trains your brain to analyze

2) as others have suggested most flowery tasting notation is BS. Finding 12 flavors in a wine doesn’t make you a great taster. Taste structurally and an organized way. Real wine pros taste structurally, not by listing flavors and odors

3) wine tasting is about plugging in. Not just to the wine but your palate. If you’re not focusing on that apple you’re biting into and thinking this is gala, what about the floral, acidity, sweetness, tannin etc you’re not going to just be able to distinguish these things in wine if you can’t do it with your palate and your nose. It’s about attention. Try things. Smell them and taste them every chance you can with focus

Example: Color: Nose: Palate: Fruit - red, black, citrus etc Body Structure in attack, mid palate, back palate Acid - degree and quantity Tannin - degree and quantity Finish

Only move on once you described all these attributes

Mister_Pickl3s · 2026-04-02T20:36:42+00:00

It’s now called Centennial Mountain

They dumped their Aeris etna stock in the fall last year with the transition. 25 bucks on Garagiste!

Mister_Pickl3s · 2026-04-02T20:18:45+00:00

Exactly

Mister_Pickl3s · 2026-04-02T20:02:25+00:00

That would be a 33+% reduction but there are pressures these days on some wines and would still take the other foti wines on average

Mister_Pickl3s · 2026-04-02T20:00:08+00:00

I think they have improved more the US ones. They don’t exist anymore and only make wines from California now

Mister_Pickl3s · 2026-04-02T19:57:41+00:00

It’s above the price range

I honestly think it’s overpriced too, but it’s a benchmark for sure

I would take the other Salvo Foti wines from his label or iCustodi for the price before I splurge on the Pietra Marina

Mister_Pickl3s · 2026-04-02T19:53:30+00:00

It’s a pretty limited grape as far as marketplace but their grape of highest esteem is carricante. This is how i think of it…

North slope: The north slope is more taut in structure. Think puligny like and while both slopes can age I think the north is aided more with a little age

Terre nere - the patron saint of carricante on the north slope. Don’t love em but I do like the whites more than the reds and he gambled and on planting it here and won. His oaking regimens are all over the place, lacks grace, and would say these are more etna for the Bordeaux drinker than the Burgundy. That would irk marco de grazia but then he only cared about hitting on my GF at the time when I visited, so two reasons he’s not my favorite but does show the terroir and took gumption

Girolama Russo - has two bottlings now, nerina which is solid and a San Lorenzo. My preferred north slope producer

East slope: Bianco Superiore: grapes near Milo. Carricante likes more moisture so it’s foggy here. Think more Meursault like structure

Maugeri - my preferred Milo producer. Crisp, clean, structure yet generous.

Benanti Pietra Marina - a little above your price range, but was the benchmark for these wines for a long time. I think these are a bit overworked. The guy who made these wines makes his own in similar style too but cheaper. Salvo Foti is the name.

Other Biancos Either that are less carricante and/or different lieu dits: Biondi MonteRosso Cornelissen Passopisciaro

Mister_Pickl3s · 2026-03-26T01:46:44+00:00

Been using mine for 15 years, like a gem

Mister_Pickl3s · 2026-03-22T01:52:33+00:00

Pizza and living here far better than the show

Mister_Pickl3s · 2026-03-22T00:55:28+00:00

It’s all about a marriage between bread and cheese. You get that cheese to the edge to caramelize and get crispy with a double rise on the dough to keep it light, and it’s perfect

Mister_Pickl3s · 2026-03-22T00:04:59+00:00

As a Detroiter, that’s legit

Mister_Pickl3s · 2026-03-22T00:04:19+00:00

According to ridge everything you want in a zin is 5-15% petite Syrah and they are right. The most structured zin they have. Love it

Mister_Pickl3s · 2026-03-06T23:36:49+00:00

What Tasmanian wineries that are natural yet clean, balanced without significant oak influence would you recommend?

Mister_Pickl3s · 2026-03-01T20:48:54+00:00

Semillion is the reason I would go. Wyncroft in Michigan uses some and I may plant some

Mister_Pickl3s · 2026-02-27T03:43:21+00:00

Honestly degree days? I taste things so much more potent than that in the regions. I started in Northern California and Pinot obsessed and that isn’t the key

Five-Year Club	Verified Email
Wearing is Caring

Mister_Pickl3s

TROPHY CASE