"Many of them are not to my liking—I prefer leaner, drier, more mineral-driven wines"

Thank you, thank you, thank you so much for this Mike.

I am SO tired of all those overly alcoholic, great big fruit bombs. They don't last so long in the glass before they turn way too jammy or flabby.

I keep trying to tell my wine dealer that I want my wines with more acid and balance to be served with food.

I like some leaner Cote d'Rhones and if I could afford more Burgandies I'd drink those.

We, wine, and world politics could all use some more balance.

One of the best wines I ever had was a modest Burgandy that looke thin and not overly colored in the glass but whose flavors kept developing over the course of the meal and just got better and better and more layered.

You're right about the Cline Syrah and Zins, they're very good for the price and I've been drinking them for several years. The years do vary of course.