Going Underground with PA Wine

For the first time in a while, I threw out a few ratings - I kinda wondered where I'd been, as I wonder about some of the Phila-based folks I miss - massi3v and Capaneus, where are you?! No knock to Pittsburgh folks, you are the heart and liver of this site. I would have joined any of your outings if I was ever in Pittsburgh on a Friday.

So here's where I've been - I have not been buying many Chairman's Selections - however I am still spending much of my wine dollars in PA stores. I've been enthralled with the hunt for the smaller lots. There is some exciting stuff that only appears in small quantities, and then ghostships into the mist. We've all caught glimpses in the larger stores, I'm sure. They draw my fire away from the CMan's, so I have little to report. I'd be curious to hear what you are finding & where. Here are my good finds from this weekend:

SCHAFER-FROHLICH RIESLING SPATLESE NAHE BOCKENAUER FELSENECK 2007 - 94pts WS, $28 (!!)

Margerum M5 Santa Barbara Cty 2006 90pts WS, $21

Cheers
timo

The noive of the man! We have disappeared? Hello, Kettle!

I've been around, but honestly haven't had much to say - partly because I've been mostly picking up older stuff Elsewhere, so other than the big sale a couple of weeks back I haven't thought much about the PLCB.

Masi3v is around occasionally as well. We should do something sometime soon: one thing about buying older wines is that they need drinkin'.

Hey, New to the site! Poking around for some Sancerre PLCB advise around Philly or any really. It seems like a nice spring day for a good white?

Les gouts sont bon mais rare.

I really enjoyed Langlois-Chateau Sancerre Chateau de Fontaine-Audon 2005 but it probably won't do you any good since it's sold out, and I don't see any other Sancerre in the PLCB system from this producer.

For what it's worth I read a note in Wine Spectator about a year ago saying that there was unfavorable weather in the Loire Valley in 2006-2008 and it advised buying up the '05 while you could.

If you go to the PLCB website's search page, and search for "sancerre" in the "luxury" category, you'll find a page and a half of listings for wines that are available somewhere in the system, from a number of vintages and ranging from a little under $20 to about $40 - the prices varied, from very good to a bit on the high side. I didn't see some of the my favorite producers, no Cotat, no Boulay, no Vatan, but there were many that I've found reliable, like Crochet, Vacheron and a number of others. I agree with Mark that '05 is a superior vintage - particularly since these wines can stand a bit of bottle time - but the more recent vintages are decent, particularly if you trust the winemaker.

Anyway, happy hunting.

Editing to remark that darn little of it is available in the Philly area. Harrisburg and Pittsburgh, as usual, have the market cornered. So you could transfer whatever you fancy, but that won't help your immediate needs.

Drank an '05 Cotat "Les Monts Damnes" at dinner at Matyson Friday, otherwise I'd offer to share... Delicious with the scallops appetizer, by the way.

Yeah, like Capaneus, I am around without much to say. Would be up for another get together. Any other Philly types interested?

Hey, as before, if you plan it on a Saturday when I'm free I'd gladly make the trip from "out west"...

Yeah, I'd be in.