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David,

Am in San Antonio for a few days visiting family. Picked up a bottle today to go with dinner. Paid $19.99 at a local Sprouts. Not all that interesting right out of the gates, pretty tight and closed up but give it 30 min air and look out, this was a rock solid OR Pinot Noir at a very attractive price point. 5 Star QPR and a definite bulk buy!

I'm glad you approve!

I have only a small single temperature six bottle counter-top wine cooler. (it's all I have room for at the moment) I set it to 55F and put all bottles I intend to drink in the near future in there including reds. So, for reds. I generally open them and let them sit for 20-40 minutes to not just open up, but to warm up a little bit from 55F to closer to 65F where I prefer my reds.

I suppose in my notes. I should taste it immediately at opening and take early notes with it. (those I suppose at 55F they will come off a bit flat at opening anyhow) If they are still tight once they have warmed up. I will usually pull out the decanter.
 
Most OR Pinot's at this price point are just not all that interesting. Not much depth, lots of strawberry in the bouquet and if your lucky a half decent finish. This had depth, was very complex and a really nice finish. If you have a bottle open for 2 hours and are sipping on it because you don't want the (last) glass to be empty you know you have found a really nice bottle of wine. This had that in spades.

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Ehhh??? :HB

Gotta make a trip to Costco wonderland soon...
 
Ehhh??? :HB

Gotta make a trip to Costco wonderland soon...

To be honest, I just joined today. And I almost didn't. I've been 'touring' for a few years now, walking through and checking prices. Prices just aren't all that great, but one thing sold me: beef. Chicken, seafood, produce, milk, bottled water, etc are all cheaper at my local Giant. And if I go a few miles further, Wegmans out-prices Costco on just about everything, including wine (which Total Wine also does, but only 3 miles from home). This wine was a good deal though - $12.99 at Total Wine, so at $8.99 it is an absolute steal.

Also got some CC Cabernet at $8. It is the 2015, so we'll see if it compares to the 'coveted' 2014. TW has the 2014 at the same price.
 
If I could find this this at my local Costco I would never make or attempt to make a Riesling ever again. Absolutely amazing for $7.50 a bottle. Year in and year out. Like liquid Pop Rocks in your mouth. Thank you Charles Smith.

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If I could find this this at my local Costco I would never make or attempt to make a Riesling ever again. Absolutely amazing for $7.50 a bottle. Year in and year out. Like liquid Pop Rocks in your mouth. Thank you Charles Smith.

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I've seen, but haven't bought. Will change that soon.
 
Some wines are better for the memories. My wife's birthday trip to Italy. A cliff side terrace over the sea, a bottle, toast, sardines and olive oil. Two years later and it is a very nice complex wine, crisp with layers of cream and spice, but it is the memories. Who knew toast and fresh sardines could taste so good.

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Always a favorite. They change the blend each year and not just a little. Some years its a Syrah majority blend, the next it may be a Merlot majority. So from year to year you have a completely different wine. Wish they would just pick one and tweak it a bit from year to year!

As part of my final weekend before going dry. First time I've had this and I'm really, really enjoying it. $8.99 at Costco.
 
As part of my final weekend before going dry. First time I've had this and I'm really, really enjoying it. $8.99 at Costco.

WTH? Called Costco, this one is at $13.99
Everything up here is typically more expensive, so no surprises but the difference in the price gap is surprising....:sh
 
As part of my final weekend before going dry. First time I've had this and I'm really, really enjoying it. $8.99 at Costco.

Always a favorite. They change the blend each year and not just a little. Some years its a Syrah majority blend, the next it may be a Merlot majority. So from year to year you have a completely different wine. Wish they would just pick one and tweak it a bit from year to year!

Yeah, the H3's have a permanent place in my cellar, both the single-varietals and the blend(s). I agree, Mike, it is funny how much the red blend changes, but I have "learned" to enjoy them all! :D

One thing I have been known to do when hosting a party is to take a bottle of H3 (or similar) Cab, a bottle of Merlot, and glug them both into a pitcher at the same time. Generally comes out to be a nice blend.
 
@Boatboy24

Was that with an instant rebate of sorts?

Costco like other stores will have sales on stuff that is not flying off the shelves like they have to be. Costco is constantly adding different stuff all over the store so stuff has to MOVE fast. If it isn't selling like it should they can make it move with an instore instant rebate. If its moving like it needs to then they may not want to discount it. Since the MSRP of H3 is $15 it's still discounted but not as much as usual. I typically find that wine for $8.99 - $10.99. If its above that I will pass as I think I have enough wine in my cellar to last a few years.....

WTH? Called Costco, this one is at $13.99
Everything up here is typically more expensive, so no surprises but the difference in the price gap is surprising....:sh
 
@Boatboy24

Was that with an instant rebate of sorts?

Costco like other stores will have sales on stuff that is not flying off the shelves like they have to be. Costco is constantly adding different stuff all over the store so stuff has to MOVE fast. If it isn't selling like it should they can make it move with an instore instant rebate. If its moving like it needs to then they may not want to discount it. Since the MSRP of H3 is $15 it's still discounted but not as much as usual. I typically find that wine for $8.99 - $10.99. If its above that I will pass as I think I have enough wine in my cellar to last a few years.....

$8.99 was the price as marked. Which surprised me, as the H3 cab was $10.99. At $8.99, I kinda regret not buying a case.
 
I will probably make another Costco run this weekend here in SA (3 miles away!) to pick up something for dinner. They had some H3 Les Chaveux but didn't notice the price or year. Sometimes if its an older vintage they will put a huge discount on it to move it as well. They make so many cases of that stuff these days (like hundreds of thousands of cases of each one)

I did snag a few bottles of the 2014 Columbia Crest Grand Estates Cabernet Sauvigon as well. Can't beat 91pts WS and a whopping $7.50 a bottle!
 
I did snag a few bottles of the 2014 Columbia Crest Grand Estates Cabernet Sauvigon as well. Can't beat 91pts WS and a whopping $7.50 a bottle!

I have 2 of those Merlot/Cab Sauv, bought them a while back when you mentioned how good it was, they're sitting in my cellar quietly..:HB
 

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