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Cabernet in Santa Rosa? (and Livermore and Flying Geese)

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Brian K Miller

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Cabernet in Santa Rosa? (and Livermore and Flying Geese)

by Brian K Miller » Mon Nov 13, 2017 12:39 pm

A nice cycling weekend was combined with wine clubs!

Tara Bella, who grow Cabernet off Olivet Lane in the heart of Pinot Country, remain an amazing place. The owners and their manager are awesome people. We just sat overlooking the autumn ablaze vineyards and tasted amazing balanced, earthy cabernets (Mendoza and Bordeaux clones). I really recommend visiting this winery!

In Livermore, I have rediscovered the old world style of the Taylors at Retzlaff Winery (South Livermore Avenue near Tesla Road). Elegant, leaner style. Delicious...and they are not shoving 2016 vintage wines out the door (they just released a 2012!) Plus, they have a simply beautiful shady winery lawn where they hold concerts. Noah Taylor is a great winemaker.

With steak dinner Sunday night we tasted the lovely 2013 Goosecross Cellars State Lane cabernet. I almost liked it better last night than last weekend. Some interesting funkiness, earth, lovely cassis fruit. Balance of acidity and tannins. Like I said....they have really stepped up their game! As has the winemaker-I prefer his Goosecross wines to the Duckhorn bottlings I have sampled.

Finally, a gift to my friend Joe: 1998 Mondavi Reserve. Still a ton of fruit and even some tannins left in this washout year wine! The mature earthiness came out more towards the end of the evening. I must confess, though, that I liked the Goosecross more!!!! 2013 was a really good year, winemakers tell us!
...(Humans) are unique in our capacity to construct realities at utter odds with reality. Dogs dream and dolphins imagine, but only humans are deluded. –Jacob Bacharach
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wnissen

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Re: Cabernet in Santa Rosa? (and Livermore and Flying Geese)

by wnissen » Mon Nov 13, 2017 3:20 pm

It's been probably a decade since I tasted at Retzlaff. As my tastes have moved toward the leaner side, I admit to pretty much writing off Livermore. Climactically it has more in common with the Central Valley, so I've enjoyed a few zins, cabs, and petite sirahs, but there's just so little acid and so much alcohol. I wonder how Retzlaff gets that more restrained style, which I should probably revisit. One more thing, Costco tends to stock at least a few Livermore wines, at the best prices in town.
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Re: Cabernet in Santa Rosa? (and Livermore and Flying Geese)

by Joe Moryl » Mon Nov 13, 2017 10:37 pm

Brian - glad to hear you are visiting these places on the bike again. How are you feeling?
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Re: Cabernet in Santa Rosa? (and Livermore and Flying Geese)

by Brian K Miller » Tue Nov 14, 2017 9:07 pm

Joe Moryl wrote:Brian - glad to hear you are visiting these places on the bike again. How are you feeling?


I have a lot of functionality (and am definitely riding again). There is still serious stiffness and some ache, and I have not really felt ready to re-engage in my secondary interest, weight lifting. :? I am hoping January. I am not obsessive about the weight lifting, but I do like doing it and it is good for you, so the situation is somewhat frustrating!

Mobility is not 100% but it's decent. I am old (54), so I expect this will just be a reality for the rest of my life. :twisted:
...(Humans) are unique in our capacity to construct realities at utter odds with reality. Dogs dream and dolphins imagine, but only humans are deluded. –Jacob Bacharach
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Re: Cabernet in Santa Rosa? (and Livermore and Flying Geese)

by Joe Moryl » Wed Nov 15, 2017 10:50 am

Brian K Miller wrote:
Joe Moryl wrote:Brian - glad to hear you are visiting these places on the bike again. How are you feeling?


I have a lot of functionality (and am definitely riding again). There is still serious stiffness and some ache, and I have not really felt ready to re-engage in my secondary interest, weight lifting. :? I am hoping January. I am not obsessive about the weight lifting, but I do like doing it and it is good for you, so the situation is somewhat frustrating!

Mobility is not 100% but it's decent. I am old (54), so I expect this will just be a reality for the rest of my life. :twisted:


I'm hoping your stiffness and aches continue to subside. At least you are in CA - here in the NE I have had to break out the winter gear (Sunday ride finished at 41F). I try to ride all year outside - it is still better than trying to maintain winter fitness on a trainer.
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Re: Cabernet in Santa Rosa? (and Livermore and Flying Geese)

by Brian K Miller » Wed Nov 15, 2017 11:47 am

Joe Moryl wrote:- it is still better than trying to maintain winter fitness on a trainer.


Gawd I hate indoor cardio. :lol:

My gym has a "9000 foot elevation chamber". Have read mixed reviews, but I try to use it a time or two a week since I can't ride after work anymore. :?

I do have an amazing collection of scary European heavy metal, which helps. :twisted:
...(Humans) are unique in our capacity to construct realities at utter odds with reality. Dogs dream and dolphins imagine, but only humans are deluded. –Jacob Bacharach
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Re: Cabernet in Santa Rosa? (and Livermore and Flying Geese)

by wnissen » Wed Nov 15, 2017 11:59 am

An elevation chamber, fascinating. The liability for placing people in situations of reduced oxygen must be byzantine.

To keep this wine related, I see that K&L has quite a few Arbois in stock. Always nice to see a selection.
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Re: Cabernet in Santa Rosa? (and Livermore and Flying Geese)

by Brian K Miller » Wed Nov 15, 2017 9:51 pm

wnissen wrote:
To keep this wine related, I see that K&L has quite a few Arbois in stock. Always nice to see a selection.


Cool! Have you been to their new brick and mortar palace, Walt? It's pretty impressive.
...(Humans) are unique in our capacity to construct realities at utter odds with reality. Dogs dream and dolphins imagine, but only humans are deluded. –Jacob Bacharach

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