Like any good cuvée, this blend of Pinot Noir clones 115, 667, 777, Calera and Mt. Eden showcases how a blend can exceed its individual components. A mix of fruit and earthy notes, this cuvée showcases Sonoma’s premier Pinot region, the Russian River Valley. There is subtle black cherry, red raspberry, rhubarb, cola, green tea leaf, boysenberry,  and firm tannins and an almost subversive acidity. The oak program is judicious and still allows the fruit to shine through while the oak provides some structure for the wine on the mid-palate and concentrated finish. 486 cases.

This is from a small producer in the south of burgundy.  Light ruby in color, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with cherries, char and slight green/herbal notes.  Medium bodied.  Wispy tannins.  This is better on the palate with elegant cherry fruit.  Slightly complex.  Good finish.  This is a delightful Pinot Noir that drinks well on its own and is also great with food.  A nice wine for Roasted Duck.  

A nice showing especially considering the vintage.  Light golden in color.  A steady stream of smaller bubble.  The nose is clean with good minerality and slight pear notes.  Full bodied but overall the wine is more on the delicate side.  Clean.  On the palate, slight pear and nice minerality as well.  Long finish.  This should drink well over the next eight to ten years.  Very food friendly.  Nice to open a bottle of this with some popcorn.  

A difficult vintage in Champagne, but this one is drinking very well.  Golden in color, clear and bright.  A persistent bead of small bubbles form a nice mousse.  The nose is big with apples, pears, yeast and salinity.  Full bodied but good acidity.  On the palate, apples, salinity and slight yeast.  Long finish.  Delicious.  This is drinking well but should easily go another five to eight years.  Very food friendly, this would be very nice with spicy Thai food.  

This is a sparkling wine from Spain.  It is a blend of 45% Xarel.lo, 40% Macabeo, 12% Parellada and 3% Malvasía de Sitges.  Golden in color.  A fair amount of smaller bubbles.  The nose has char, and lemons.  Nice mouthfeel.  Good backbone of acidity.  The lemons carry thru to the palate.  Shorter finish.  Drink over the next five years.  Very food friendly, this makes a nice starter with appetizers for a holiday party or dinner.  

A delicious cooler climate Syrah.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries, black pepper, slight bacon fat and black olives.  Medium to full bodied.  Light tannins.  On the palate, this is going strong.  Lots of black raspberry fruit with some black pepper.  Good balance.  Long finish.  Drink over the next eight to ten years.  Nice on its own, but works well with food.  It went well with a vegetarian sausage casserole.  

Always a pleasure to try something like this.  While 1961 was a top year for reds, less so for whites.  This one was past prime.  It still had a bit of roasted fruits to offer and not dead, it peaked thirty years ago.  Still fun though.  

Pallisades is one of the great Petite Sirah vineyards and Carlisle really nailed it with the 2016 vintage.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with boysenberries, gravel, blueberries and spice.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Boysenberries, black cherries, blueberries with underlying gravel.  Clean.  Long finish.  This is drinking well now but still young and may improve.  Drink over the next fifteen years.  Nice on its own, this would work well with grilled meats.

From the late Phillipe Cambie, this is 100% destemmed Grenache.  Purple in color with ruby swirls, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with black raspberries, black cherries, graphite, spices and roasted meat.  Full bodied.  Light tannins.  On the palate, black cherries with great minerality.  Not as big a wine as one might expect from Cambie.  Deep.  Delicious.  Nice finish.  Drink over the next ten years.  Nice on its own, but better with food.  This would work well with fried chicken.  

This is not your regular Chianti.  Deep garnet in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is great with cherries, slight anise, slight tea leaves and spice.  Full bodied.  Great backbone of acidity.  On the palate, lots of bright cherries with some anise.  Long finish.  Deep and complex.  Light tannins.  Drinking great now and will continue for another ten to fifteen years.  This works great with food, pasta with a tomato sauces is a classic choice.