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This is Screaming Eagle's Merlot based wine.  This year the blend is 61% Merlot, 37% Cabernet Sauvignon and 2% Cabernet Franc.  It is still young and tight and took some time to open.  That said, it was delicious. Purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose has black cherries, cherries, dark chocolate, violets and a bit of earthiness.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, this has a lush texture.  Black cherries and cherries with some chocolate and char.  Great balance.  Long finish.

Three Palms is unquestionably the most well-known and famous Merlot in the United States. That Duckhorn has made a commitment to Merlot for decades is to be applauded. This iteration beautifully spells out why they have made that commitment. The deftly handled balance of fruit, acidity, tannin and oak is simply marvelous. Black cherry, blackberry, boysenberry and huckleberry lead off, followed by back notes of black cherry, plum, anise, and cocoa powder. Aged for 18 months in predominately new French oak. ORIGIN: Napa Valley. ALCOHOL: 14.5%

This wine has always been one of the outstanding performers in the Cuvaison portfolio and year after year is a wine that never ceases to impress. It is also one of those Chardonnays that makes you rethink Chardonnay because it is so beautifully balanced, so definitely handled, that it surpasses what most of us know about Chardonnay. Yes you’ll find light lemon-lime, green apple, kiwi, guava notes, but also viscosity and minerality. It also possesses a slight resin and stone fruit quality and maturity of fruit. That these vines are just 20 years old suggests there are great vintages ahead.

The name Pisoni is well known in the Monterey area and the Lucy label is of part of brothers Jeff and Mark Pisoni’s wide variety of offerings. A blend of 70% pinot gris and 30% pinot blanc, the result is a sum that is far greater than its parts. Wonderfully crisp and flavorful this offers muted notes of lemon-lime, guava, resin, red delicious apple, and nectarine. There’s an ever so slight tartness on the tongue, solid acidity and a uniqueness that just might make this your new go-to white. Native yeast fermentation leads to aging in neutral barrels for a lithe viscosity.

What a treat to try this at age 10.  Deeper gold but with a bit of yellow hues, clear and bright.  The nose has lemons, minerals, slight hazelnut and some oak/spice.  Full bodied.  Nice velvety texture.  On the palate, lemons and minerals.  This is slightly past its prime but drinking well.  Plenty of depth and interest.  This drinks well on its own but probably better with food at this point.  It would pair well with lobster.  Drink over the next few years.  

Light golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with lemons, peach and slight green apple.  Medium to full bodied.  Little or no oak showing on this wine.  On the palate, this is crisp and easy to drink.   Notes of peach and slight lemon zest on the palate. Nice finish.  Refreshing.  It works better with food but is still a nice sipper.  Pair it with grilled sea food such as trout.  drink over the next five years.  

This is a blend of 66% Roussanne, 21% Grenache Blanc, 8% Picpoul Blanc, 3% Picardin and 2% Clairette Blanche.  Light golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose has pears, peaches, some minerality and spice.  Full bodied.  On the palate, pears and peaches with good acidity.  A roundness of the wine makes it very accessible.  Long finish.  Still youthful, there is plenty of depth and complexity.  White Rhone varietals are notoriously difficult to guess an ageing curve, but this should easily have a decade left.  It worked quite well with a Caprese Salad and also Guacamole.  

Classic Napa Cab.  This is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot, 2% Malbec, and 2% Cabernet Franc.  The nose has cassis, dust, graphite, and mocha.  Full bodied.  Complex.  Velvety texture.  On the palate, cassis and black cherries with underlying spice/sandalwood.  Firm tannins.  Long finish.  This is still young but drinking well.  It should drink well over the next twenty years.  A great wine to drink on its own or serve with braised lamb.  

Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is very tight, but with air it shows cassis, blueberries, spice and slight mocha notes.  full bodied.  Firm tannins.  Very concentrated.  On the palate, black cherries, cassis, blueberries and mocha.  A bit of menthol on the finish.  Long finish.  This needs time or a few hours in a decanter but it is quite good.  Maybe another three to five years of cellaring and drink for fifteen to twenty after that.  Great on its own, it will need big, fatty foods such as prime rib. 

This wine is now called simply The Flight to prevent any confusion from thinking this is a second wine.  It normally has a more significant percentage of Merlot, but in 2012, it is actually 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot, and 9% Cabernet Franc.  Beautiful wine.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose has black cherries, cassis, cherries, graphite and slight black olives.  Full bodied.  Silky but rich texture.  Great depth and balance.  On the palate, black cherries, mocha, slight char and spice.  Long finish.  Delicious.  Medium tannins.  This is drinking well no