[gjbingham]

CJ: There's a thought! - "Jim's List - Items for Barter"

XJ - I lived pretty extravagantly when I was single. Retired, with a family and new daughter, I look for inexpensive bargains. I really like Mary Hill Vinyards Zin from Eastern WA. They do several other wines that are top quality for the money. Google will get you there. I've been really disappointed with the latest release of Pinot Noirs from everywhere, CA to WA. '05 was not a good vintage anywhere as far as I can tell.

I hope to get some grapes off my vines this year, just to see how much sugar they can concentrate. I'm only 40 miles north of the pinot vineyards of Oregon, so I have hopes that my SW exposure will bring these berries in with great sugars.

Locally, there's a small vintner, Captsone Cellars, that buys grapes from E. Washington and ferments locally. A very common practice in Western WA where it is not as warm, but where everyone lives. They do a very nice Sangiovese and another blend that I've forgotten the name of, that was a killer last year, but then again, I had a Reisling by them that was bottled too early and was still slightly fizzy.

Sadly, I've fallen out of the better wines of the past. Hopefully, I can make my own in the future. I've got 11 gallons of Blackberry wine bulk ageing in carboys right now. Somehow, just not the same ;(