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2013 Bevan Cellars Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2013
Score: 
98
Grade: 
A+

Wow.  Yes, this is expensive but this is truly an amazing wine.  Purple in color.  The nose is just amazing.  Cassis, blueberries, slight spice and sandalwood, some cedar.  Deep and complex.  On the palate, open for business.  Bevan wines drink better younger than any luxury wines I know of.  Cassis, blueberries, slight earth/minerals.  Deep and complex.  Great mouthfeel.  Damn delicious.  One of those wines where each sip leaving you wanting another one.  Then the bottle is drained.  Hard to say if this will get better, maybe so with some maturity.  

2013 Grgich Hills Chardonnay, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2013
Score: 
89
Grade: 
B+

A classic Napa Chardonnay.  Light golden in color.  This has seen a lot of the oak integrate over the last year or two which is good.  There is still some vanilla on the nose but also some nice lemon cream.  On the palate, this has good acidity.  Lemon with spice and vanilla.  Decent finish.  This is not their top of the line and is priced accordingly.  As such, it presents some value in the Napa Chard world.  Not a stunner but certainly a wine most people at least enjoy.  There is still some possible room for this to improve with a couple more years of cellaring.  

2007 Saxum Syrah Booker Vineyard, USA, California, Paso Robles, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2007
Score: 
97
Grade: 
A+

Saxum just killed it in 2007 and now that the wines have shed their baby fat and some of the exuberance, they are rocking.  Inky purple in color.  The nose has black raspberries, black pepper and gamey meats (in a good way).  On the palate, wonderful texture.  High energy.  This is a big wine but so light on its feet.  Lots of alcohol but it never shows in anywhere.  Delicious.  Deep and complex.  Still, may have some upside as this ages.  Easily has a decade, probably two.  Just a fantastic wine.  

2009 Château Nairac. France, Bordeaux, Barsac, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2009
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-

Deep golden in color.  The nose has canned peaches and simple syrup.  On the palate, this is a bit cloying.  It is good, but lacks the acidity that the better vintages have.  Sugary apricots.  A bit clipped on the finish.  That said, it is also delicious if you are just having a sip or two.  Very rich.  

2015 Ridge Zinfandel Ponzo Vineyard, USA, California, Sonoma, Russian River Valley, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-

Inky purple in color.  The nose is very nice with black cherry fruit.  Some bramble.  A bit if spice.  On the palate, this has a lovely, juicy texture.  Black raspberry and black cherry fruit.  Some depth although this is young and its packed tight.  It does unwind in the glass.  Nice finish.  This is really enjoyable now and should store well for a decade or more.  

2015 Ridge Zinfandel Pagani Ranch, USA, California, Sonoma, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+

I love ridge Zin and Zin blends.  And I love Pagani fruit, so I thought I would like this more than I did.  Its good, and maybe with some time it settles down a bit but I hoped for more.  Purple in color.  The nose has black raspberries and some bramble to it.  Also a bit of underlying charcoal.  On the palate, this is solid black raspberry fruit but it seems over ripe and bordering on cloying especially on the finish.  Perhaps with some cellaring it some into more balance and if so, there is room for a couple of points of upside.  As it is, it is a good wine but if sweetness bothers you, p

1995 Château Grand Mayne, France, Bordeaux, Saint Emilion, Wine Review

Vintage: 
1995
Score: 
89
Grade: 
B+

Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  Clear and bright.  The nose has black cherries but also some barnyard stink.  This only partially blew off with air.  On the palate, this has cherries, cherry juice, slight black cherries and layers of damp earthy forest floor.  Still has some tannins.  This certainly is at peak at best and probably a bit past but not too far.  There is a nice complexity and still fruit left.  I would drink these over the next five to ten years depending how you like your Bordeaux.  For my wallet, this house usually over delivers albeit not at the top level of Bordeaux eit

2007 Virginie de Valandraud, France, Bordeaux, Saint Emillion, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2007
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-

Purple in color.  Ruby at the rim.  The nose is nice with cherries and cedar.  Some spice.  On the palate, there are medium tannins.  Plenty of cherry fruit.  A bit of earthy funk.  This has a good complexity.  Showing far better than I might have expected from the vintage or the second label status.  Good finish.  Seems to have plenty of life left.  Not sure if it improves but might gain some complexity.

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