Spectacular Champagne.  The P2 series is held back for almost 15 years before being released.  This one is from the excellent 2002 vintage.  The extra time has served to make this a bit fuller and rounder but with all the verve of the original release.  Golden in color with some green hues.  A lovely stream of tiny bubbles in the fluted glass.  On the nose, this is smoky with lemons, salinity and spice (ground coriander?).  Full bodied.  On the palate, this is incredibly smooth and seamless.  Deep.  Notes of lemons, limes, smoke and salinity.  Great balance.  Incredibly long finish.  And, d

Nice to get a chance to revisit this with some serious age on it.  The last time I tried it in 2014, it was great but young.  Purple in color, ruby swirls, opaque and bright.  The nose has black cherries, black raspberries, leather and black pepper.  Velvety texture.  This seems fully mature.  Complex.  Light tannins.  On the palate, this has black raspberries, some char, a bit of earthy funk and black pepper.  A bit sweet on the finish.  This is everything one wants in a mature Syrah.  Great on its own, this will work better with food.  It would work well with Lamb Curry.  

When Marquis Phillips wines burst onto the scene around the beginning of the century, this was the flagship and quite the divisive wine.  It was a poster child for the big, perhaps overblown style of Aussie Shiraz that was so popular at the time.  Most loved them but many disliked the style.  It was interesting to check in on this 21 years later.  If you loved it then, you will still and vice-versa.  Purple in color with ruby hues.  Mostly clear and bright.  It seems the color has faded a tad in the intervening 21 years.  On the nose, this is fresh and big with black raspberries, black oliv

I had the 2015 in a visit to the winery in the Sierra de Gredos mountains just west of Madrid.  It was interesting to revisit, this time at a wine bar in Charlotte, NC.  This is one of their "Village" level wines which is also much more affordable.  Ruby in color, clear and bright.  The nose has sour cherries, some black cherries and thyme.  Light tannins.  On the palate, cherry, licorice and spice.  Great texture.  Delicious.  Nice on its own but better with food.  Nice finish.  This is Grenache but it is different than most with a bit of a "Pinot" profile to it as well.  Drink over the ne

This is the basic wine from this great, traditional winery.  Purchased at a Tapas restaurant, this is an excellent value.  It is a blend of Tempranillo (65%), Garnacho (25%), and the rest Mazuelo and Graciano.  Deep ruby in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is great with cherries, slight dill, tobacco and slight mushrooms.  Medium bodied.  Great balance.  On the palate, loads of fresh cherry fruit with just a bit of dried over a dry tobacco base.  Some spice.  Nice finish.  This is nice on its own but worked even better with a series of small Tapas plates.  Drink over the next eight

This is a white from the Albillo Reale grape which is an indigenous grape to Gredos. I had the 2016 five years ago while visiting the winery in the mountains west of Madrid.  This bottle was found at the Barcelona Wine Bar in Charlotte NC.  Golden in color, a bit cloudy. The nose has minerals, saline, beeswax and slight thyme note. Creamy texture.

Sitting in a wine bar in Charlotte, NC, I got up to peruse the shelves and found a single bottle of this for $80.  Despite it's youth, the opportunity could not be passed up.  It is an equal blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan and Cinsault from vineyards near the Bekaa Valley villages of Aana and Kefraya on gravelly soils over limestone.  Deep garnet in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose seemed very clean with black cherries, cassis, slight char and vanilla.  Medium tannins.  Full bodied.  Good balance.  On the palate, cassis and black cherries with underlying spice and slight cho

An Eric Solomon selection sporting a new label.  This is always an excellent value that is a blend of 50% Garnacha, 30% Merlot, and 20% Syrah.  Garnet in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with black cherries, cherries, spice, roasted herbs and slight black pepper.  Full bodied.  Light tannins.  On the palate, this is easy drinking and very tasty.  Lots of black cherry fruit with some black raspberries and cherries.  Clean.  Works great on its own and enough acidity to work well with pasta or burgers.  Drink over the next five years.  

This is the basic Brunello in Altesino's line-up.  Drinking well right now.  Deep ruby in color, clear and bright.  The nose takes some time to open, then shows cherries, tobacco, some forest floor and slight chocolate and spice.  Medium bodied.  A nicer backbone of acidity.  On the palate, there is some depth here with vibrant cherries and underlying dust and fresh tobacco.  Nice finish.  This is drinking well with just a bit of air.  Moderate tannins.  It works better with food and past with Bolognaise sauce would be great.  Drink over the next seven to ten years.  $75 purchased at a tren

This is a white wine made from 100% Paien grapes in Switzerland. A really interesting take on a middle of the road, mineral driven style white. Light golden in color, clear and bright. On the nose, there isn't much fruit but plenty of minerality with a touch of dried flowers. Medium bodied. The palate is also mineral driven. It is possible this wine is a bit long in the tooth, but on the other hand, it seems vibrant and very enjoyable. Moderate acidity. Long finish. It seems better to drink this soon. It was nice on its own but worked very well with vegetarian flat breads.