This is from the Guria region of western Georgia near the Black Sea and made from 100% Chkhaveri grapes.  This is a light red grape, but when the wine is crushed it is immediately put into a Kvevri (Amphorae) so there is very little skin contact.  The resulting wine is amber in color.  It is a "natural" wine.  Orange gold (light amber) in color, clear and bright.  The nose is interesting with oranges and a "fruity bubble gum" quality along with slight honey and and slight pepper.  Good acidity with light tannins.  On the palate, plenty of orange citrus with a bit of pepper.  Tart, long fini

This is from western Georgia near the Black Sea.  It is a "natural" wine made from the Tsitska and Tsolikouri grapes and fermented in amphorae on its skins.  Really an unusual and different wine, but quite good.  Deep golden in color (not amber), clear and bright.  The nose is different with oranges, Spree candies, honey and quince.  Medium bodied.  Light tannins.  On the palate, the quince comes thru along with a bit of minerality and orange peel.  Good balance.  Nice finish.  This is nice on its own but will work great with a fruit salad or even Risotto.  Drink over the next couple of yea

This is made from the Ribolla Gialla grape in Slovenia.  It is fermented on its skins and matured for four years in Acacia barrels. Deep amber in color, clear and bright.  The nose is tight but with coaxing shows orange peel, and slight cinnamon.  Medium bodied.  Dry.  Lovely seamless texture.  On the palate, white raisins, slight wax, slight honey but no fruit.  Moderate acidity.  Medium finish.  An interesting wine that benefits from food.  This wine is 16 years from vintage but it does not seem old or past, just different.  It will work better with salty foods or perhaps shellfish.  

Rkatsiteli is the most widely grown grape in Georgia, but this wine is from the Finger Lakes.  The late Dr. Frank planted the varietal there in the 1960's.  This one is excellent and a nice change of pace.

Pop and pour, this was surprisingly open and accessible.  Deep ruby in color, clear and bright.  This is big and bold.  On the nose, cherries, sandalwood, some black cherries and baking spice.  Full bodied.  On the palate, lots of fresh cherries and sour cherries with some underlying char.  Delicious and vital.  Long finish.  This seems to be a five to ten years from full maturity but drinking well.  It is great on its own and would delicious with salmon or tuna.  

Sadly this was corked (TCA).  Underneath it seemed like a very good, bold wine with plenty of depth.  The TCA showed up almost immediately and but 30 minutes in, it was overwhelming.  

Great showing for this wine and in a perfect place of maturity.  Garnett in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is beautifully perfumed with cherries, cinnamon, sandalwood and slight earthiness.    Full bodied.  On the palate, this clean with bright cherry fruit.  Some underlying earthiness.  Levels of complexity.  Great balance.  Long finish.  This has big fruit.  The oak is now integrated and the tannins are silky.  Everything one could want in a Grand Cru at age 20.  It drinks great on its own.  Contemplative.  It also worked well with food.  While it might last longer, drink over

Tasted two bottles of this.  They were part of a cellar purchase from which most of the bottles had been in excellent shape.  On opening, this was old and off a bit.  With a couple hours of air, it improved quite a bit although never got to the point of not being past prime.  Depending on one's level of enjoyment from wines with this much age, it seemed mostly a miss among the tasters.  I enjoyed it for what it offered.

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.