This is from the southern portion of the Hudson Vineyard in Carneros.  98% Syrah and 2% Viognier.  At age 10, this is just starting to open up and will still improve.  Inky purple in color with a thin ruby rim.  The nose has black raspberries, black pepper, smoke, slight bacon fat and roasted meats.  On the palate, this is medium to full bodied.  Cooler climate in profile.  Black cherries and black raspberries with underlying char and a bit of pepperyness.  Good energy once it opens.  Drinks well now but should be about five years until peak and then be good for ten to fifteen more.  It wil

One of my favorite Alsatian wineries and my favorite bottling of theirs.  This vintage is no exception.  Light yellow god in color, but also quite intense.  On the nose, this is pretty with peaches, baking spice and a nice minerality.  On the palate, this is just slightly sweet.  A bit viscous.  The peaches carry thru but also also a steely quality.  Consumed over two nights, it was better on the second night.  More complex and deep, but still very lively and little oxidation.  Long finish.  This should continue to improve for the next seven to ten years and be good for ten to fifteen after

From an excellent producer who is still affordable in Chablis.  These are not what I think of as "traditional" wines, but they are quite good and certainly not "modern" if that would be the opposite of traditional.  Light golden in color.  The nose has some green apples more of a lemony quality.  There is a slight chalkiness to it, but more spice.  Good not great acidity.  On the palate, this is more about lemons with some underlying spice.  Nice finish.  Still young, this may yet improve a bit more.  Presuming no oxidation issues (and I have not run into any with this producer), this shoul

Nice to revisit this wine.  It is still young but has opened up a bit (as have many 2013's).  Inky purple in color.  The nose has cassis, spice, slight hay note and a bit of toast.  On the palate, this took about an hour or so and then was drinking well.  Cassis with underlying dry earth.  Good balance.  Long finish.  This may still improve a bit more.  It has fifteen to twenty years of great drinking.  Think grilled foods or roasts, but also drinks well on its own.  

This was interesting.  Pop and pour and there were light notes of what might have been TCA.  Very intermittent.  I decided to let the bottle sit over night (closed with a neutral cork) and check back the next day.  If the bottle was off with TCA, it would be worse the next day.  On the other hand, the next day, this bottle was clean as a whistle and drinking quite well.  Not sure what was going on, but glad I waited and gave it a chance.  Dark purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose had cassis, char, and spice.  Just a hint of pencil lead and slight earthiness.  On the palate, this has

A blend of 57% Mourvèdre, 29% Grenache and 14% Syrah.  Deeper ruby in color, purple at the core.  The nose has black cherries, cherries, some floral notes, black pepper and spice.  On the palate, this is medium bodied.  Black cherry fruit with some black raspberries over a slight char and a slight dried lavender note.  Good balance.  Lots of energy.   Good finish.  This is drinking well now and while it might not get better it should morph a bit darker with age.  It will work well with stews and casseroles.  It should drink well for the next seven to ten years.  

Very solid Napa Cab that is drinking quite well.  Purple in color.  The nose has black cherries, slight cassis, baking spice and slight cedar.  On the palate, this has light tannins.  The black cherry fruit comes thru over the oak/spice.  Nice balance.  This is very food friendly but not for the lightest of foods.  It worked great with some spicy chili.  This should continue to drink well for the next five to seven years at least.  

This is drinking quite well.  Opened (it needed a Durand) and poured.  Deep ruby in color.  The nose is great with black raspberries, slight coffee grounds and dark chocolate.  On the palate, this is slightly sweet.  Chocolate covered raisins with raspberries and black raspberries.  A touch of char.  Full bodied.  Deep and complex but most of all delicious.  Slight warmth on the finish.  It went quite well with a brownie.  No hurry, this has at least a decade.  

The 2013 Napa Cabs were released with a lot of fanfare, and justifiably so.  It seemed, however, that they shut down very quickly and hard.  Now, at age 7, they are starting to open back up and while, as a general rule they have lots left, many are drinking quite well.  I don't remember a Napa Cab vintage that shut down so hard so quickly and reopened so quickly as well.  In any event, this was opened and allowed to breath for 30 minutes and then served.  It was beautiful.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  On the nose, there is cassis, slight black cherries, roasted herbs, nice minerali