WineBoard
Best Consistently Good Winery? - Printable Version

+- WineBoard (https://www.wines.com/wineboard)
+-- Forum: GENERAL (https://www.wines.com/wineboard/forum-100.html)
+--- Forum: Talk With Your Moderators (https://www.wines.com/wineboard/forum-3.html)
+--- Thread: Best Consistently Good Winery? (/thread-20914.html)



- Auburnwine - 10-09-2003

Of wineries with a good range of products, who does it best -- year after year?

I would nominate Peter Lehmann and d'Arenberg. I have never been disappointed with either.


- Innkeeper - 10-09-2003

There is an interesting article about Peter Lehmann on the back page (p.4) of "Dan Berger's Vintage Experiences" today (10/9). It seems that Mr Lehmann turned down a takeover offer from Allied Domecq and accepted one for 4% ($4 M) less from a Swiss outfit called Hess. The latter more or less promised to keep hands off the operation.

Though I've been disappointed by some specific offerings I like Tobin James, Easton/Terre Rouge, Paul Jaboulet Aine, and, believe it or not, Georges DuBoeuf.


- Kcwhippet - 10-09-2003

That's very subjective, and you should probably get as many choices as answers. My choice is Lewelling. They're a small winery that makes only Cab and this year they're releasing the 2000 with a production of about 900 cases at $38 a bottle. They actually farm over 200 acres in St. Helena and have been at the same location since 1864. Most of their grapes go to Caymus, Viader and Beaulieu, but you pay a bit higher price for those wines from the same grapes. FWIW, Parker raves about them and they're worth the praise, IMHO.


- Drew - 10-09-2003

For medium priced wines, Cabs, I don't think you can beat the Gallo single vineyard wines. Year in and out, a lot of bang for the buck with positive consistency...decent agers too. Bogle and a Frenchie, Chateau de la Negly also are spot on year after year.

Drew


- dananne - 10-09-2003

I have certain wineries that I return to each year and have rarely, if ever, been disappointed. In the land of Oz, I've had d'Arenberg across the price spectrum year after year and am always happy. I've had every Mt. Langhi Ghiran from '96 and have not had a bad one. In Italy, I buy and enjoy Tommasi every year -- reds espacially, but I've enjoyed their pinot grigios, too. Here in the US, I return to Cline (again, across the price spectrum) every year. Rex Hill's pinots have pleased me for several years in a row. In Spain, I have not tried a Bodegas Muga that I've not enjoyed for a long time. Probably 5 vintages, or so.

There are many that I've liked for the past 2 or 3 years, but I either didn't include them because I have not had earlier vintages or because I've only had one wine from their portfolio. Interesting question, though. I'm interested to read other responses, as they may get me looking at some wineries that I may have passed on, to date.


- Thomas - 10-09-2003

Consistency in what? Can a winery change the nature of a particular vintage? No. Can a winery consistently produce good wine, even in bad vintage years? Yes. But which winery can do that? Not all, but does that disqualify the others? Not really.

Tough and subjective question, especially when you drink as much wine as a guy like I, and from as many producers as a guy like I--which reaches into the hundreds.


- stevebody - 10-09-2003

I can't believe I'm going to be such a homer here but I gotta A) agree wholeheartedly with the Lehmann mention and B) Put up the name of L'Ecole No. 41 out of my homie state of WA.

Marty Clubb has made sexy, thoughtful, finely-honed wines in every vintage, red and white, and has managed as well as anybody up here to capture our weird, slippery terroirs. His basic, the Schoolhouse Red, is as good a bottle of $15 wine as we see here, every vintage. I've never had a wine from him that was even mildly boring. Everything is drinkable, characterful, and even reasonably priced.


- winoweenie - 10-10-2003

Gotta put in my 16 cents worth. Catagorically; Cabs....Under 20 Hess Select,
Bogle, Columbia Crest. Under 30 Second Gallos' Single vineyards, Hess Collection, BV Rutherford, Markham Napa, Whitehall Lane Napa, Beringer Knights Valley, Montelena Calistoga Cuvee, Heitz Napa, Phelps Napa,
Under 50 Robert Craig, Raymond Reserve, Justin Isosocles, Groth Napa, Flora Springs Trilogy, Franciscan Magnificat, Ferrari Carano Tresor, Stags Leap WC Napa, Paradigm Oakville, Truchard Reserve,and for the skys the limit selection, Phelps Insignia. I'll post on other varietals when my head clears.ww


- Thomas - 10-10-2003

ww, you illustrate my point...and you didn't even go beyond California wineries to do it!



[This message has been edited by foodie (edited 10-10-2003).]


- winoweenie - 10-10-2003

Presactamente Foodie-Poo and i quit 'cause my eyes were crossing. WW