Kirk's Wine Deals

Kirk's Wine Deals

Sharing My Best Wine Deals With My Friends  //  I've been collecting for over 10 years... so I come across a lot of great wine deals. Here's where I'll share some of the best deals with my friends. My objective is to find world-class quality wine without paying ridiculous prices.

Archive for

January 2012

Jan 28 / 3:39pm

Managing Your Wine Cellar

Okay, You've been reading the wine blogs, buying deals as you see them, and now you've got a ton of wine.
 
When you had 50 bottles, you knew exactly what you had... when you got to 100 bottles, you'd be out shopping and forget whether or not you had a specific bottle... once you're up over 200 bottles, you can't remember what you have. This is dangerous... as you know, wine has certain "drinking windows" indicating the wine's prime time. If you don't keep close track of your wine, you could have select wines (or entire cases) that get overlooked until they are in their declining stages.

I use an online service called www.cellartracker.com. Designed by a fellow wine lover, this program is the world's leading cellar tracking software with the largest database of wines on the planet. It was originally created by Eric LeVine as a project during his sabbatical from Microsoft in the early 2000s. After he retired from Microsoft a few years later, he dedicated the bulk of his time to making cellartracker a successful tracking program.

I've been using the site for 6 years, and I'm using most all of the deep feature-set that it offers.

  • It's extremely cost effective 
  • Entering in wine purchases is easy... most of the wines already exist in the database, and you just put in your purchase info. 
  • This system keeps track of every bottle, giving each bottle its own id number. 
  • The service feeds in critics' wine reviews, bottle values, and drinking windows. 
  • You can key in where the wine is stored and in which "bin" (or section) of the cellar. 
  • It offers a "drinkability" button where an algorithm looks at all your wine and makes sure you are drinking your collection at its peak. 
  • Offers the capability of printing your own barcodes for each wine bottle (these are not UPC codes... they're unique bar codes for each bottle of wine, exclusively for your cellar) 
  • Works with the Dymo printer and custom size labels (30336) to print  the barcodes 
  • Works with barcode scanners you hook up to the computer 
  • Barcoding allows you to take wine out of inventory easily, do inventorying, perform wine moves, etc. 
  • It's a web-application, so you can see your entire collection anywhere (iphones, android, computers) 


Here's the barcode kit I use:
- Dymo LabelWriter 450
- CipherLab 1000 Barcode Reader
- OEM Labels

Take a look, also at the CipherLab 1166 wireless bluetooth scanner. It's more expensive, but worth it. I just got it, and using it as a wireless scanner really frees you up from being tethered to the laptop. 

If you're going to collect wine, this setup makes your life so much easier!   Check it out and tell me what you think.

Pics below are:
1. Eric LeVine, CellarTracker founder and wizard
2. CellarTracker logo
3. CipherLab 1166 wireless scanner 
4. Custom Labels for barcoding
5. CipherLab 1000 wired scanner
6. Dymo 450 Label Writer
7. A laptop and scanner set up in a cellar

(download)

Jan 6 / 6:57pm

SUPER SuperTuscan - 94+ points, under $47

Just headed out to dinner, but I've got to post this jewel! 

Oreno is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Sangiovese, all
grown in a mix of limestone and schist soils and oak-aged for 18
months. Made in an international style, Oreno combines concentration,
silky tannins, and wonderful balance. Deep, dark fruit, herbs and
spices combine on a densely packed, ripe palate offset by amazing
structure. It can be enjoyed now or cellared for ten years or more.

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate —94+ Points: "The 2009 Oreno is
stunning. Layers of soft, well-articulated fruit caress the palate in
this sweeping, dramatic wine. There is tons of depth, freshness and
vitality in the glass, not to mention terrific overall balance. Sweet
flowers, spices and licorice wrap around the seamless, captivating
finish. Oreno is one of Italy’s most improved wines. The 2009, a blend
of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese, represents another move
in the right direction. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2029. Antonio
Moretti’s Sette Ponti continues to make important strides, especially
with the flagship Oreno." —Antonio Galloni

James Suckling—95 Points: "Currants, blueberries and mint on the nose.
Full body, with velvety tannins and juicy fruit. Tannic now, but will
soften with age. Lots going on here. Very close to the superb 2008. A
blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Try after 2013."

Normally around $70, this jewel is going for under $47!

Get it by contacting cory.gowan@jjbuckley.com

It's a "private client" price, so you've got to mention www.kirkswinedeals.com

I just picked up a 6 pack.

6643785587_b8774081b5

Jan 5 / 5:30pm

Wow - 98 point cabernet under $70

Here's a deal, guaranteed to be gone within 24 hours...

Winelibrary.com is offering a 98 WA rated wine for under $70 bucks...
I just ordered my case.

Look here: https://winelibrary.com/specials/14822-zapata?promotion=82

And use the coupon code ZAPATA

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