Pott Wines

We toured up to the top of Mt. Veeder and looked out at the morning sun. “You can’t usually see all the way to the bay” said Aaron Pott, who had taken me to this scenic lookout. “But today it is really clear” he said. My jaw dropped as I looked south, as you could see San Pablo Bay all the way from Mt. Veeder. It was an extraordinary view. A graduate of the famed University of California, Davis viticulture and enology program, Aaron Pott worked for many years in Bordeaux at famed houses Château Troplong Mondot and later became director of Château La Tour Figeac.

Originally from Oregon, Pott wanted to return to the Napa Valley and make world class Cabernet Sauvignon there, and served as Beringer’s “flying winemaker” making wine in France, Italy and Chile, later taking over as winemaker at St. Clement in 2001. Aaron then was honored to become winemaker at famed property Quintessa in 2004 which was the same year that he brilliantly purchased a 76 acre (.2 acres planted) property on Mt. Veeder and began to develop their own vineyards. 2007 marked the birth of Pott Wines and as the first vintage of Incubo was created.

I have loved these wines for years and have had a few chances to taste older wines. It was a great thrill to taste several older wines with Aaron as we talked about Napa vintages, Bordeaux wines and, of course, English Premier League soccer. One thing was clear from my tasting — Pott Wines age gracefully. For my palate the finest wine I tasted was the absolutely scintillating 2019 Pott Wines ‘Her Majesty’s Secret Service’ Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 99) which now has a few years of bottle age and is very slowly starting to shed some baby fat. This bottling is of course named after the only Bond film which did not feature Roger Moore or Sean Connery. The irony is that the movie is a total disappointment but these namesake wines go toe to toe with any Cabernet made in Napa.

It was a great but albeit brief visit with Aaron that was long overdue. As I sped off down the hill I thought with delight about these memorable wines and how they might taste in another Learn more about these beautiful wines at https://www.pottwine.com/ Here are my tasting notes for the new Pott Wines.

2017 Pott Wines Viognier- This 2017 Viognier shows serious concentration with good freshness. Layers of banana and starfruit combine with baking spices and pie crust notes on the palate. This is dense but has fantastic underlying finesse. Enjoy now and over the next several years. Pott whites age gracefully. Drink 2023-2029- 94

2022 Pott Wines Viognier- This wine will be released in February 2022. The wine was stored in  all amphorae prior to bottling. The palate has great freshness alongside papaya alongside wet stone, and salty minerals on the palate. Finishing long this is gorgeous stuff that is already drinking beautifully. Drink 2023-2031- 94

2021 Pott Wines ‘Pour Ma Guele’ Carignan- The ‘Pour Ma Guele’ is sourced from old vine Carignan from the Green Valley. This shows plenty of alluring pure red fruits on the nose with red rose petals and yarrow notes. The palate is soft and inviting with a seamless texture and weightless effect. This is really well-done. Drink 2023-2031- 94

2018 Pott Wines ‘Kaliholmanok’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2018 Pott Wines ‘Kaliholmanok’ Cabernet Sauvignon was sourced from a property developed by Aaron Pott, as this site is owned by the Ballard Family. The wine shows beautiful lavender and violet florals alongside huckleberry and dark chocolate shavings. The palate is unbelievably good, with serious weight and bright acidity, with a beautiful core of black fruits alongside sandalwood, coffee grounds and shades of black tea with exotic spices. The nuances here are really starting to sing. Finishing exceedingly long, enjoy now and over the next fifteen to twenty years to come. Drink 2023-2040- 98

2019 Pott Wines ‘Majesty’s Secret Service’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2019 Pott Wines ‘Majesty’s Secret Service’ Cabernet Sauvignon is a totally stunning wine that is a total head-turning monster right now. Literally displaying no rough edges, this is concentrated and also finesse-driven Cabernet Sauvignon that has rocky soil notes alongside a glorious core of black and blue fruits with menthol accents. Enjoy this captivating joyride now and over the next twenty years. Drink 2023-2043- 99

2014 Pott Wines ‘Incubo’ Red Wine- The 2014 ‘Incubo’ is very concentrated and polished on the mouth, loaded with dense chocolate and espresso ground flavors alongside silky tannins and a refined texture. Big and bold, with salty soils and rocky nuances, this is drinking beautifully now. Drink 2023-2038- 97

Perez Pascuas

Visiting the Ribera del Duero region is a must for any wine-lover. Wind-swept vineyards greet you as this charming area is not only worlds behind in wine tourism but you will visit wineries without any other guests. There are also beautiful lodging options in this region known for earthy and rich Tempranillo wines. Many of the wines from this region are either 100% Tempranillo or have 10% or less of Cabernet Sauvignon blended in. The area is rustic and not fancy, as you feel like you are back in the 1970s. People are not focused on tourism, they are focused on making world-class wines.

Bodega Hnos. Perez Pascuas is a historic site in the Ribera, crafting earthy and layered Tempranillo wines that will stand the test of time. I recently had the chance to visit this beautiful lineup and was completely blown away across the board. Look to the 2015 Bodega Hnos. Perez Pascuas ‘El Pedrosal Reserva’ Ribera del Duero (OB, 93) which is astonishingly good to consume now. Learn more about these great Ribera del Duero wines at https://perezpascuas.com/ and here are the outstanding new release wines by Bodegas Hnos. Perez Pascuas.

2019 Bodegas Hnos. Perez Pascuas ‘Vina Pedrosa La Navilla’ Ribera del Duero- The 100% Tempranillo ‘La Navilla’ by Vina Pedrosa delivers wild blackberries alongside dark truffle shavings, anise and freshly tilled salty soils on the nose. The palate shows beautiful freshness and purity of dark and red fruit flavors. Graphite and refined tannins caress the palate, as this finishes long with tart red fruits and copious minerals.  Savor this beautiful wine now and over the next ten to fifteen years. Drink 2023-2033- 92

2015 Bodegas Hnos. Perez Pascuas ‘El Pedrosal Reserva’ Ribera del Duero- The 2015 Bodegas Hnos. Perez Pascuas ‘El Pedrosal’ is a downright brilliant effort from this warm vintage in Ribera. On the nose this takes on graphite and tilled stony and salty soils that combine with a great core of dark fruits. The palate shows fantastic tension and a light dusting of salinity that falls on the black cherry and black raspberry flavors alongside shades of kumquat zest. Really gratifying now, enjoy over the next ten plus years. Drink 2023-2035- 93

Dutton-Goldfield

For many years I have bought and enjoyed Dutton-Goldfield wines from my personal collection. These are wines that exude class and won’t break the bank. It always shocks me that this is a Sonoma producer that flies under the radar. Dutton Goldfield makes a killer range of wines from Riesling and even Pinot Blanc to Syrah. For years I have enjoyed visiting this top notch producer located in the Russian River Valley. Dutton Goldfield dates back to 1998 when colleagues Steve Dutton and Dan Goldfield decided to start a winery together. Steve Dutton is a 5th generation farmer while Dan has a background in chemistry and later completed the illustrious UC Davis program in winemaking. Dan previously worked at Robert Mondavi Winery and even made wine in Portugal for two years before coming back to California and starting Dutton-Goldfield

Winemaking here is exceptional and the wines are never overblown and always have great bright acidity. I love the new 2021 Dutton-Goldfield ‘Rued Vineyard’ Chardonnay (OB, 94) which is dense with serious nerve.  which is very dense and has fantastic underlying tension.  A knockout wine is the 2021 Dutton-Goldfield ‘Stubbs Vineyard’ Pinot Noir (OB, 95) which shows amazing intensity and flavor density. Learn more about Dutton Goldfield at http://www.duttongoldfield.com. Here are the great new releases from Dutton Goldfield.

2021 Dutton-Goldfield ‘Rued Vineyard’ Chardonnay- The famed ‘Rued Vineyard’ is located in the Green Valley and is planted to Old Wente selection Chardonnay. Stored in all French oak (44% new) before bottling, this saw extended battonage. This shows off a seamless texture with lovely weight and intensity from the battonage. Layers of roasted pineapple, banana and Meyer lemon zest mingle well with copious minerals and creamy accents on the palate. Finishing very long, this is an exceedingly delicious effort that will live on for another ten years. Drink 2023-2033- 94

2021 Dutton-Goldfield ‘Dutton Ranch-Walker Hill Vineyard’ Chardonnay- The outstanding 2021 Dutton-Goldfield ‘Dutton Ranch-Walker Hill Vineyard’ Chardonnay comes from this site that has now been sourced from since 2006. This is a big and burly Chardonnay that obviously saw extended battonage. Toasty oak, ripe fig and rich melon flavors combine with citrus rind accents and vanilla cream on the palate. Finishing very long, this is delicious now but will live on for another ten years to come. Drink 2023-2033- 94

2021 Dutton-Goldfield ‘Stubbs Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The Stubbs Vineyard was planted back in 1996 by Tom and Mary Stubbs. This site is set in the Petaluma Gap appellation and is a cooler site that is located at the bottom of a valley. The win3 was stored in 50% new French oak before bottling, and offers wet soil notes alongside dark cherry, plum and shades of baking spices on the nose. The palate is soft and refined with plenty of earthy and damp soil notes alongside a core of rich dark fruits and hints of cola. This is seriously good stuff in its heady youth. Drink 2023-2035- 95

2021 Dutton-Goldfield ‘Docker Hill Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The Docker Hill Vineyard is located southeast of the town of Mendocino, as the site sets at 1,000 feet elevation. Stored for 17 months in 45% new French oak, this delivers a great melange of red and dark fruits, with beautiful finesse, orange peel and wild mushroom flavors on the palate. Enjoy now and over the next ten plus years. Drink 2023-2035- 94

2021 Dutton-Goldfield ‘Deviate’ Pinot Noir- The 2021 ‘Deviate’ comes from two Sonoma Coast Vineyards and was aged in 40% new French oak before bottling. Silky smooth on the mouth, this is exceedingly refined with beautiful sense of texture and verve. Layers of pretty red and dark fruits parade with chocolate, sassafras, and dried herbs on the palate. Dense and chewy, loaded with a bright sense of minerality, this is already drinking beautifully now at the two year mark. Drink 2023-2035- 95

2021 Dutton-Goldfield ‘Devil’s Gulch Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The 2021 Devil’s Gulch Vineyard comes from Western Marin County which shows steep terraces up to 60% grade, set on very shallow soils. This 2021 Pinot Noir is loaded with concentrated tart red fruit flavors alongside cherry cola, freshly tilled loamy soils and shades of cardamom on the palate. Novel and delicious, this finesse-driven bottling will entice any lover of top class California Pinot Noir. Drink 2023-2035- 95

2021 Dutton-Goldfield ‘Dutton Ranch-Emerald Ridge Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- This site in the Dutton Ranch is an east-facing site located in the Green valley that was planted back in 2001 and set on Goldridge sandy loam soils. This comes off soft and inviting with straightforward red and dark fruit flavors with plenty of minerals and shades of baking spice dusted black licorice. Drink 2023-2035- 93

2021 Dutton-Goldfield ‘Fox Den Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The 2021 ‘Fox Den Vineyard’ is located at the top of Stoetz Ridge which is at the western part of the Green Valley. Stored in 55% new French oak for 18 months before bottling, this offers salty soil flavors alongside wild blackberry, cola and shades of menthol on the palate. This is really complex stuff that will live on for a really long time. Drink 2023-2035- 94

2021 Dutton-Goldfield ‘McDougall Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The McDougall Vineyard is set in the Fort Ross-Seaview appellation which is set at 1,100 feet and neighbors the Pacific Ocean. This comes off wonderfully salty from this site, as saline drenched red currant and black raspberry combine with stony and tilled soil notes on the palate. Finishing long this is drinking beautiful right now with its weight and tension. Drink 2023-2035- 94

BACA Wines

Zinfandel is not always easy to make with extreme heat. With the heat dome of 2022, ripening was sometimes an issue for Zinfandel. But HALL President Mike Reynolds explained that their optical sorting machine greatly helped this problem “Because with the optical sorting you get grapes in the cluster at 35 brix and 19 brix and we get rid of the 35 brix grapes.” Reynolds mentioned that fruit quality was very high in 2022 for BACA, one of the newer HALL brands that focuses entirely on producing world-class Zinfandel from top sites across California. BACA also makes one of the best canned wines you will taste, their Rose wine that shows both outstanding texture and flavor range.

Jennifer Brown is the Vintner of BACA Wines, as she heads marketing, operations and sales. Prior to working at HALL, WALT and BACA Wines, Jennifer was the founder of Omghow/Girl Karma Inc., a social platform and positive destination for teen girls. Jennifer grew up in the wine industry and is the daughter of Vintner Kathryn Walt Hall. She has a law degree from Stanford University. To say she has done an exceptional job with this exciting new brand would be a gross understatement as these wines have been a massive success from the beginning. Despite the obvious heat of the 2022 vintage, the new releases by BACA were really good. I love the 2022 BACA Zinfandel ‘Cat’s Cradle’ Zinfandel (OB, 93) which is very dense and chewy with fantastic aging potential. Learn more about these beautiful wines at bacawines.com and here are my reviews of the new BACA wines.

2022 BACA ‘Double Dutch Dusi Ranch’ Zinfandel- This 2022 Zinfandel comes from the Dusi Ranch which is a head-trained vineyard set in Paso Robles. These vines were planted in 1945. The palate is soft and refined with silky tannins and a smooth texture. Layers of sweet fig and dates combine with salted wet stone and baking spices on the palate. Showing good underlying freshness, this is already nicely evolved stuff. Drink 2023-2029- 92

2022 BACA Zinfandel ‘Home Base’ Zinfandel- This beautiful 2022 Zinfandel comes from the Dry Creek Valley where the BACA tasting room is located. Inky in the glass, this offers loads of freshness on the palate. Rich dark fruits parade with chocolate and dried herbs on the palate. Drinking beautifully now, enjoy over the next eight to ten years to come. Drink 2023-2031- 93

2022 BACA Zinfandel ‘Cat’s Cradle’ Zinfandel- This wine comes from the Rockpile Appellation, located in the northwestern part of Lake Sonoma. The nose shows graphite and anise alongside a nice core of dark fruits and coffee grounds. The palate is soft and refined with a smooth texture and great sense of power. Bright underlying freshness combines with the rich core of dark fruits. Drink 2023-2033- 93

Champagne Brice

A house with serous history, Champagne Brice dates back to the 17th century as the Brice family has lived in the village of Bouzy since the 17th century. Three generations ago, they were focussed exclusively on red wine production, shifting to Champagne elaboration just after WWII. The house headed today by brothers Jean-Rene and Remi has a “no-nonsense” approach to wine making and strive to reveal the true nature of the Terroir of four villages that are Ay, Bouzy, Cramant and Verzenay.

I loved the new wines by Champagne Brice, especially the NV Champagne Brice ‘Blanc de Noirs’ (OB, 93) which was very dense and shows incredible finesse. This beauty will go for another ten years. Learn more at https://champagne-brice.com/en/accueil-english/ and here are my reviews of the great new Champagnes by Champagne Brice.

NV Champagne Brice Brut- Soft on the mouth, this offers plenty of bright pear and apple flavors with candied ginger and baking spice dusted pastry crust notes. Finishing long with copious minerals, this is beautiful to enjoy now. Drink 2023-2031- 91

NV Champagne Brice ‘Premier Cru’ Blanc de Blancs- This beuaxiful bottling from only Premier Cru Vineyards offers a smooth texture once on the mouth. Loaded with texture and sandalwood notes, this offers melon and Japanese pear fruits that combine with shades of kumquat zest on the palate. Drinking beautifully now, enjoy over the next ten plus years. Drink 2023-2033- 92

NV Champagne Brice ‘Blanc de Noirs’ Champagne- Rich, layered and beautifully tension-lanen the outstanding NV Champagne Brice ‘Blanc de Noirs’ Champagne exudes class with its red raspberry, citrus zest and copious minerals, this show a silly mouthfeel and mousse. Delicious. Enjoy now and over the next ten years. Drink 2023-2033- 93

Bella

One of Sonoma’s great producers of Zinfandel wines, Bella relies on the talents of Director of Winemaking Ryan Schmaltz. Originally at Bella as a harvest intern in 2012, Schmaltz has earned a PhD in organic chemistry, which helps with learning about fermentation science. He soon took over Bella’s laboratory as Enologist and later became Assistant Winemaker. After serving as winemaker at Trattore he came back to Bella to be head winemaker.

Schmaltz relies on some choice sites, including their estate Lily Hill vineyard which is planted to old vine Zinfandel in the center of the Dry Creek Valley. This location is also home to Bella Winery.  It was at this site that where Italian immigrant Adamo Micheli and his young son, Angelo, planted the first vines over 100 years ago in 1915.

The new wines by Bella were awesome across the board. I love the new 2019 Bella ‘Lily Hill Estate’ Zinfandel (OB, 92) which is unabashedly bold with really good nuance and bright acidity. Just as good is the outstanding 2019 Bella ‘Maple Vineyards’ Zinfandel (OB, 92) which is really dense with outstanding flavor range. Learn more about this outstanding Zinfandel house at https://www.bellawinery.com/ and here are my reviews of the new Bella releases.

2019 Bella ‘Lily Hill Estate’ Zinfandel- The Lily Hill Estate is located in the northwestern part of the Dry Creek Valley. The palate shows good structure and weight with layers of beautiful red fruits alongside bramble, green olives and fresh sage. Full-bodied and delicious, this is really good stuff to savor now. Drink 2023-2030- 92

2019 Bella ‘Maple Vineyards’ Zinfandel- This beautiful 2019 Zinfandel comes from the Maple Vineyards which is located in the Dry Creek Valley appellation, quite literally overlooking Dry Creek and is planted to old vine Zin. Juicy and nicely balanced, with bright underlying acidity, this offers weight and finesse, without being flabby. Sweet peach and juicy Yakima cherry flavors mingle well with wet stone on the palate. Enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next seven plus years. Drink 2023-2030- 92

2022 Bella ‘Special Release Syrah + Grenache’ Red Wine- Mostly Syrah (70%) this offers bright minerality alongside red raspberry and pomegranate seed flavors that mingle well with red currants and citrus rind accents. Nicely textured, this is seriously good stuff. Drink 2023-2029- 92

Abeja Cabernet Sauvignon Vertical Tasting

Dan and Amy Wampfler know a thing or two about Cabernet. I loved the wines that Dan made at Dunham which were consistently great Cabernet wines for the price. Today he makes Abeja wines with his Uber-talented wife, Amy Alvarez-Wampfler. They are both a delight to spend time with and they are producing world-class Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay.

It was at Columbia Crest where the couple's professional and personal lives crossed. With Dan leaving Columbia Crest and joining Dunham Cellars, Amy then served as Sinclair Cellars' general manager and winemaker. Abeja approached the couple in late 2015 and in January 2016 they then joined Abeja as general manager and co-winemakers. I have been enjoying these wines from my personal collection for many years and it was time to uncork some beauties. Each wine came from my cellar. They were all glorious.

The incredible 2016 Abeja Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 95) is soft and generous, showing depth and concentration from this amazing vintage for reds. Just as good was the 2018 (OB, 95) which is slightly less open at this five year mark but shows equal potential. Tightly wound and compact, with bright underlying acidity, this is a beautiful wine especially after a few hours of air. Learn more about these incredible wines at https://www.abeja.net and here are my reviews of the 2016, 2018 and 2020 vintages of Abeja Cabernet Sauvignon.

2016 Abeja ‘Columbia Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon- Very soft and refined now at the seven year mark, the 2016 Abeja ‘Columbia Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon offers sagebrush notes alongside milk chocolate, anise and allspice on the nose. The palate is seamless throughout the drinking experience. Layers of black currants and wild blackberry mingle well with pencil lead and salty undercurrents on the palate. Finishing long with black fruits and minerals, this beautifully-textured Cabernet has at least another ten years of life ahead of it. Drink 2023-2033- 95

2018 Abeja ‘Columbia Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon- A glorious wine from a great vintage, the 2018 Abeja ‘Columbia Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine is mainly Cabernet (89%) with 10% Merlot, and a dash of Cabernet Franc added. It really needs several hours to fully evolve but once aroused it is compact, refined and utterly delicious. Rich dark fruits parade with espresso grounds, and shades of Black Forest cake on the palate. If enjoying now, make sure to give this 2-3 hours in the decanter, as your patience will be rewarded. This is a total masterclass by Amy and Dan Wampfler. Drink 2023-2035- 95

2020 Abeja ‘Columbia Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The gorgeous 2020 Abeja ‘Columbia Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon also is mainly sourced from estate vineyards (roughly 70%). This shows a beautiful aromas of dried herbs and tar with espresso grounds and shades of black currants. The palate is rich and voluptuous with refined tannins and a beautiful array of black fruit flavors. Enjoy this beauty over the next five plus years. Drink 2023-2030- 94

HALL

It was a glorious fall Friday afternoon as I descended upon the Napa Valley. HALL has been one of my favorite places to taste wine at prior to my career as a wine critic. It has now been nearly twenty years since I first visited the winery. Post-pandemic it had sadly been several years since I had tasted in person with HALL founding winemaker and president, Mike Reynolds. He shed some of his insights on the 2021 vintage, mentioning that “2021 was a difficult year because this was the last year of the drought and the vines didn’t have any extended soaking from rain which would give you ai deep root profile” he explained. “The water resources caused challenges and the ability to keep the vines irrigated was hard. As a result of all of that we saw exceptionally low yields with very small berries and tiny clusters. The wines were very dense and concentrated that I feel will have phenomenal agability over time. I think this will be in line with 2013.” I loved the 2013 HALL wines and as I tasted I noticed some similarities in terms of compactness, underlying finesse and massive concentration.

Mike describes HALL’s Cabernet Sauvignon program as “trying to showcases the different appellations and that is the essence of who we are. We want the wines that we produce at the winery to be expressions of place and specific vineyards.”

Truly one of the great wineries of Napa, HALL was founded in 1992 by Katheryn and Craig Hall. HALL’s Saint Helena estate is a must visit for anyone interested in wine. They offer world-class service and wine quality that will tempt the broadest of palates.

HALL also have two separate lines, WALT (focusing on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay) and BACA (Focusing on Zinfandel) that are seriously good in their own rights. I have been blown away with the consistency of these wines, particularly in recent years. HALL has been known for making exceptional wines even in tough vintages. The new releases from 2021 were incredible. I think this is arguably the finest lineup of Cabernet Sauvignon that HALL has ever produced. 

Do not miss out on the stunning 2021 HALL ‘Kathryn Hall’ Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 97) which is pillowy and soft with a refined mouthfeel. I am floored by the new 2021 HALL ‘Rainin VIneyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 100) which is a Cabernet perfected. Dense and massive, with decades of aging potential, this one really needs two plus hours of air if enjoying in its heady youth.  I wanted to share my congratulations to the winemaking team at HALL for these unbelievable new wines. Learn more about these incredible wines at hallwines.com Here are the beautiful new wines by HALL.

2021 HALL ‘Coeur’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2021 ‘Coeur’ comes from Saint Helena and is a selection of some of their choicest sites in this appellation. The wine shows tar, pencil lead, mocha and anise on the nose with dark currants. The palate is fresh and polished with a smooth mouthfeel. Finishing long with pencil lead and medium-bodied dark fruits this is a beautiful with violet rose petal accents. This shows wonderful balance. Drink 2023-2035- 94

2021 HALL ‘1873’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2021 HALL ‘1873’ Cabernet Sauvignon is named after the first grapes documented on the HALL property come from this year. The wine comes from grapes sourced mostly the eastern Vacca hillsides. The palate is very rocky and stony on the palate, with serious power and underlying finesse. Dark currant cordial, mocha, cigar box and volcanic ash flavors all seamlessly come together on the palate. Drink 2023-2040- 96

2021 HALL ‘Katheryn Hall’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2021 HALL ‘Katheryn Hall’ Cabernet Sauvignon is a knockout bottling that follows an incredibly long line of this wine. Mainly coming from the Sacrache Vineyard, this wine displays beautiful dark florals on the nose alongside mocha, creme de cassis and exotic spices. The palate is soft, round and generous with a seamless texture, showing serious concentration and power. Finishing long with roasted figs, refined tannins and copious minerals, this is a silky, elegant Napa Cabernet that is already drinking beautifully. Drink 2023-2040- 97

2021 HALL ‘Jack’s Masterpiece’ Cabernet Sauvignon- Named after director of winemaking Mike Reynolds’s youngest son, the 2021 HALL ‘Jack’s Masterpiece’ Cabernet Sauvignon is a proprietary barrel selection wine made by the winemaking team. Very inky in the glass, this offers black rose petals notes on the nose with pencil lead, Asian spices, Turkish coffee and shades of black licorice. The palate is velvety and soft with serious concentration and great underlying finesse. Finishing very long, this will easily be a 20 year wine. Drink 2023-2043- 97

2021 HALL ‘Rainin’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2021 ‘Rainin Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon was sourced from this small vineyard set on Diamond Mountain. This 8 acre site is set on iron rich volcanic soils on what was once a lush forest. Once on the nose this displays sweet pipe tobacco notes alongside espresso grounds, creme de violette and violets. Very inky and brooding in the glass, this takes on an opulent, pillowy texture once on the mouth that makes this truly a joy to drink. This powerful and dense yet very seamless throughout the drinking experience. Finishing exceedingly long, with heady dark and blue fruits, this stunning wine is nothing short of perfection in a bottle. Drink 2023-2045- 100

2021 HALL ‘Beller’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2021 ‘Beller’ Cabernet Sauvignon comes from their estate vineyard on Mt. Veeder, as this is now the second edition of this wine. The wine is a selection of the best barrels from this 17 acre site which was planted primarily to Cabernet Sauvignon. An ultra-saturated color, the 2021 ‘Beller’ opens with roasted fig notes and black currants and graphite on the nose alongside cigar box, anise and allspice dusted huckleberry The heady aromatics brings you back to the glass for more enjoyment. The palate is plush and seamless with serious density, weight and as a massive black and blue fruit flavor profile. Loads of mouth-watering acidity and non-fruit flavors line this incredibly complex, stony, and mineral-laden wine that exudes class. Get your hands on this beauty while you can. Drink 2023-2045- 100

2021 HALL ‘Sacrache Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The Sacrache Vineyard was the first location that the HALL family purchased when they came to the valley back in 1995. This scenic location overlooks Rutherford and is set on volcanic, shallow soils which allows the vines to struggle. Exceedingly dark in the glass, the 2021 ‘Sacrache’ opens with aromatics of Turkish coffee, graphite, tar and blueberry compote. The palate is downright massive and dense, offering Turkish coffee grounds, scorched earth, mountain huckleberry and creme de violette flavors. Finishing very long, this is a head-turning effort that will live on for another twenty plus years to come. Drink 2023-2045- 100

2021 HALL ‘Montagna’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2021 HALL ‘Montagna’ Cabernet Sauvignon comes from Pritchard Hill, located on the slopes that rise on the southern side of Lake Hennessy. The site is lined with scrub brushes and is set on rocky soils at high elevation. A brooding black color, this offers serious viscosity and flavor density with plenty of stony character from this site. Creme de cassis, anise, tar and black licorice candy flavors combine with refined tannins on the palate. Give this beauty at least another year in the bottle before consuming. Drink 2024-2043- 97

Bledsoe | McDaniels

Today we share an outstanding producer of Oregon wine. Bledsoe | McDaniels is a new Oregon wine project from this Walla Walla mainstay. For many years Josh McDaniels wanted to make Oregon Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. A few years back there was a really exciting development with their purchasing of a new vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills which they have named their estate ‘Coulee Vineyard.’ This site has 29 acres planted to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, set on Saum-Parrett, Woodburn soils.

The new wines by McDaniels were beautiful across the board. I love the new 2021 Bledsoe | McDaniels ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir (OB, 94) which is deep and concentrated with a seamless texture. Even better is the stunning 2021 Bledsoe | McDaniels ‘Lefore Vineyard’ Syrah (OB, 96) which shows beautiful Rocks character with amazing flavor range and a smooth mouthfeel. I have also included my reviews of the Bledsoe Family Wines and 2021 Doubleback Chardonnay (OB, 96) which is arguably the finest Chardonnay you will find in Washington. Learn more about this outstanding winery project at http://bledsoemcdaniels.com/#top Here are the beautiful new wines by Bledsoe | McDaniels.

2021 Bledsoe | McDaniels ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir- The brilliant and very juicy 2021 Bledsoe McDaniels ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir comes from the Ribbon Ridge and Eola-Amity Hills AVAs. Smooth and soft on the mouth, this delivers loads of bright red fruits that parade with allspice, kumquat zest and shades of salty soils on the palate. Enjoy now and over the next ten plus years to come. Drink 2023-2035- 94

2021 Bledsoe | McDaniels ‘Coulee Estate’ Pinot Noir- This is the first version of this wine that is sourced from their estate vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills that is a windy site set on broken basalt. Stored in all new French oak, this saw 50% whole cluster fermentation. The wine comes off as wonderfully earthy on the nose, with red rose petals and black truffle shavings that mingle well with orange peel and shades of freshly tilled salty soils. The palate shows a world-class purity of red fruit flavors. Think pomegranate seed, guava and bright red cherry flavors that meld with the lovely earthy, stony and salty nuances of the wine. Drink 2023-2038- 96

2021 Bledsoe | McDaniels ‘LFG’ Red Wine- An exceptional Pinot Noir stored in 35% new French oak for 17 months prior to bottling. Juicy red fruits combine with baking spices, wet gravel and suggestions of tangerine zest on the palate. Neatly textured, enjoy this forward and delicious wine now. Drink 2023-2033- 93

2021 Bledsoe | McDaniels ‘McQueen Vineyard’ Syrah- The highly novel 2021 ‘McQueen Syrah’ comes from this very small amount of Syrah plantings in this vineyard. The wine was stored in 50% new French oak before bottling. Wonderfully inky in the glass, this offers serious aromatic range with violets, smoked brisket, tar and black licorice notes that combine with shades of coffee grounds on the nose. The palate is dense and heady with a bright underlying acidity that combine with the core of juicy black fruit flavors. Finishing long with copious minerals, this beautifully textured Syrah will surely live on for another fifteen years to come. This is really impossible to resist stuff right now in its vibrant youth. Drink 2023-2038- 95

2021 Bledsoe | McDaniels ‘LeFore Vineyard’ Syrah- Years ago when I was tasting with Drew Bledsoe and Josh McDaniels, I tasted Syrah from this site that was being blended into another Syrah. Because the wine from this Rocks location was so good, I was able to convince Josh and Drew to make a single vineyard expression that comes from the LeFore Vineyard. This 2021 edition displays a knockout nose, ranging from umami, bacon fat, allspice dusted black fruits and suggestions of milk chocolate with green olive tapenade. The palate is soft and inviting with a seamless texture and glorious sense of weight. For my palate, this is the best edition of this wine yet. It’ll live on for another decade but I see no reason to cellar this total heavyhittter of a wine. Drink 2023-2033- 96

2022 Bledsoe Family Wines ‘Healy’ Rose- The 2022 ‘Healy’ Rose comes from Walla Walla Valley Syrah grapes. It is downright dazzling in the glass, with its verve and levels of tension. Tart raspberry and cranberry notes combine with citrus blossom, and shades of wild mushroom on the palate. Enjoy now and over the next five years. Drink 2023-2028- 92

2021 Doubleback Chardonnay- A downright ebullient bottling, the 2021 Doubleback Chardonnay once again enshrines itself in the upper echelon of Pacific Northwest Chardonnay. A golden color dawns the glass, as the 2021 Doubleback Chardonnay saw extended battonage before bottling. Speaking with winemaker Josh McDaniels last summer, he mentioned how this wine is one of his favorite projects. The palate is utterly seamless, showing tremendous depth, concentration and underlying finesse, as this glides throughout the drinking experience. Buttered French bread, marzipan and salted cashew nut flavors with hints of bananas foster. This really needs to be served at a warmer temperature to take in the full scintillating range of flavors and aromatics. Do not miss out on this very Kongsgaard meets Washington Chardonnay wine. Drink 2023-2033- 96

2022 Bledsoe Family Wines ‘Elizabeth’ Chardonnay- Delicious and juicy with its vibrant minerality, the 2022 ‘Elizabeth’ Chardonnay offers bright pear, peach and green apple notes on the palate, with salty and lemon-vanilla cream accents. Medium-bodied, and chalk-filled with finesse, enjoy now and over the next five plus years. Drink 2023-2028- 92

2021 Bledsoe Family Wines ‘Stolen Horse’ Syrah- The 2021 ‘Stolen Horse’ Syrah is a glass-staining purple, showing violets, black currants and shades of green olive tapenade on the nose. The palate is fresh and shows good tension with ripe dark cherry, huckleberry and garrigue undertones. Enjoy this medium-bodied effort now and over the next eight years. Drink 2023-2031- 92

Buil & Gine

For years I have admired a gem located in the D.O.Q. Priorat. Buil & Gine all starts with the vision of Joan Gine. Her grandson, Xavi, has since taken over the winery, as this winery’s journey began back in 1996. Based in Gratallops, the winery has 200 acres planted including Viognier, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Garnacha, with a large amount of Carinena.

I have been enjoying these wines for more than a decade and have been so impressed with the value that they offer. Only recently they have brought a killer Rose to their range of wines. Roughly 15 years ago they purchased land in Toro as well as Rueda to expand their holdings. The wines offer some sensational value including their new brilliant Rose from the 2021 Vintage (OB, 91 )which is fresh and beautifully textured. I love the value of the 2013 ‘Pleret’ (OB, 93) is massively complex with herbal and earthy tones. Learn more about this outstanding house in Priorat at https://builgine.com/en/buil-gine-2/ and here are the brilliant new wines by Buil & Gine.

2019 Buil & Gine ‘Joan Gine’ White Wine- The 2019 ‘Joan Gine’ combines mostly Garnacha Blanca (50%) with smaller parts Macabeo, Viognier and a dash of Pedro Ximenez and Muscat.  Stored in barrique for six months prior to bottling, this delivers amazing aromatic range from pink grapefruit blossom to white peach, honeydew melon and salted Marcona almond. The palate offers serious weight and underlying acidity, with a lengthy finish. Refined and elegant, this is stunning wine to consume now and over the next decade. Drink 2023-2032- 93

2021 Buil & Gine ‘Nosis’ Rueda- The 2022 ‘Nosis’ comes from 35 year old Verdejo vines that are set in sandy-loam soils. This beautiful wine opens with kiwi and Bartlett pear flavors alongside good richness and viscosity on the palate. Salty and nutty tones accent this beautiful wine that is best served slightly on the warmer side. Drink 2023-2027- 91

2013 Buil & Gine ‘Pleret’ Priorat- The 2013 ‘Pleret’ is a stunning Priorat now at the eleven year mark. The wine shows damp earthy notes alongside tart cranberry and red raspberry fruit flavors, garrigue with stony soils and a bright beam of salinity on the palate. Finishing long with plenty of verve and concentration, this is delicious, complex wine that is really peaking now. Drink 2023-2030- 93

Walnut Ridge Vineyards

A ranching family that moved west to produce wines, Walnut Ridge Vineyards was founded by the Young family who have a longstanding history in farming. The Young family founded Blue Mountain Ranch which sits on the south watershed of the Ochoco Mountains, where an 800 cow herd grazes across emerald meadows. Over time the family sought to learn more about wine and the Oregon wine industry.

The family felt particularly inspired to start their own winery and after doing a yearlong 2020 travel adventure in their Airstream trailer which included an inspired visit to New Orleans, Walnut Ridge Vineyards was launched. The fleur de lis graces each bottle that would be a perfect fit at any Saints game.

Andrew Smith serves as winemaker. I really enjoyed the consistency of these red wines. Andrew has made a gorgeous 2022 Gamay (OB, 91) which is fresh and elegant with a great purity of red fruit flavors. Even better is the 2022 Walnut Ridge ‘Mystere’ Pinot Noir (OB, 92) which comes from an obscure clone of Pinot Noir and relies on beautiful flavor range with a smooth texture. Learn more at https://www.walnutridgevineyard.com and here are my reviews of the new Walnut Ridge wines.

2022 Walnut Ridge Riesling- The 2022 Walnut Ridge Riesling offers a kiss of sweetness alongside good verve and a smooth texture. Layers of sweetened gooseberry and melon tones combine with stony minerals on the palate. Despite the coolness of the vintage this is missing a bit of finesse. Drink 2023-2028- 88

2022 Walnut Ridge Gamay- This 2022 Gamay comes from vines that were originally planted to Merlot and were grafted over in the early 2000s. This was stored in all neutral French oak before bottling. Juicy raspberry and Bing cherry fruits combine with salty soils and orange rind flavors on the palate. Enjoy now and over the next seven plus years. Drink 2023-2030- 91

2022 Walnut Ridge ‘Estate’ Pinot Noir- This ‘Estate’ bottling comes from the 16.5 acres of Pinot Noir planted on Bellpine soils. The wine is soft, showing a smooth texture, with layers of boysenberry and wild blackberry fruit flavors alongside wet stone and shades of peat moss on the palate. Medium-bodied, enjoy now and over the next eight plus years. Drink 2023-2031- 91

2022 Walnut Ridge ‘Mystere’ Pinot Noir- The ‘Mystere’ comes from a ‘Beba’ clone which was verified by DNA testing to be Pinot Noir back in 2006. This is the only known bottling of this clonal selection. Stored in 50% new French oak, this offers a smooth texture with layers of rich red fruit flavors that mingle well with allspice and shades of Mandarin orange zest on the palate. Drink 2023-2033- 92

2022 Walnut Ridge ‘Vielles Vignes’ Pinot Noir- The ‘Vielles Vignes’ comes from 27 year old Pinot Noir vines. Rich and polished, this shows a smooth mouthfeel on the mid-palate. Layers of red cherry candy and guava combine with salted orange zest, wild mushroom and baking spices on the palate. Medium-bodied, enjoy now and over the next ten plus years. Drink 2023-2033- 92

2022 Walnut Ridge ‘Emma’ Pinot Noir- The 2022 ‘Emma’ comes from the highest elevation block at the Walnut Ridge Vineyard. Showing good finesse, this offers medium-bodied red and black fruit flavors that meld well with stony and salty accents on the palate. Drink 2023-2031- 91

2022 Walnut Ridge ‘Belle Amie’ Pinot Noir- The 2022 ‘Belle Amie’ was stored in 40% new French oak before bottling and comes from three estate blocks. Red rose petals combine with tart red fruits and kumquat notes on the nose. The palate is soft and displays a good combination of texture and freshness. Medium-bodied, enjoy now and over the next few years. Drink 2023-2031- 91

2022 Walnut Ridge ‘La Petite Fete’ Pinot Noir- The 2022 ‘La Petite Fete’ is made by winemakers Jerry Sass and Drew Voit. This comes off very juicy and lively on the palate, with good underlying finesse, with guava, lavender and red raspberry fruits. Estate Pinot Noir and Gamay. Drink 2023-2030- 91

Early Mountain

Today we share an outstanding producer out of Virginia. Early Mountain has produced a beautiful range of new wines. Owner Jean Case is the Chairman of the National Geographic Society and CEO of the Case Impact Network and the Case Foundation. Case had a prominent career in the private sector, being a former senior executive at AOL and started Early Mountain back in 2012. , spanned nearly two decades before co-founding the Case Foundation in 1997.

Winemaker and viticulturist Maya Hood White is a native Californian, who earned an M.S. in Viticulture and Enology from U.C. Davis, with her research focusing on time-dependent sensory profiles and bubble nucleation of sparkling wine, as well as studies of Viognier wines from France, California and Virginia. She has formerly worked at some excellent Virginian producers before serving as winemaker.

I loved the new wines across the board. Check out the 2021 Early Mountain Petit Manseng (OB, 92) which is very concentrated and shows a great mineral backbone. Absolutely delicious was the 2020 Early Mountain ‘Eluvium’ Red Wine (OB, 92) which has a great core of black fruits and chocolate. Learn more about this great Virginian producers at https://www.earlymountain.com/ and here are my reviews of the new Early Mountain wines.

2022 Early Mountain ‘Pur’ White Wine- A proprietary blend, the 2022 ‘Pur’ offers bright pear and citrus fruit flavors alongside orange blossom and shades of green apple on the palate. Fresh and lively, with plenty of mouth-watering acidity, enjoy now. Drink 2023-2028- 90

2021 Early Mountain Petit Manseng- Brightly colored in the glass, the 2021 Early Mountain Petit Manseng shows off rich Macadamia nut aromas alongside wild mushroom, white tea leaf and shades of starfruit on the nose. The palate is soft and inviting with a smooth texture and plenty of bright acidity. Drink 2023-2030- 92

2022 Early Mountain ‘Quaker Run’ Rose- This 2022 Rose of Merlot comes from old vine plantings in the eastern portion of the estate vineyard. Brightly colored, this offers plenty of mouth-watering acidity with layers of pretty red fruits, orange zest and shades of cardamom on the palate. Drink 2023-2028- 90

2022 Early Mountain Cabernet Franc- Herbal and nicely weighted, the 2022 Early Mountain Cabernet Franc displays bright red raspberry, garrigue and bing cherry flavors with a smooth texture on the palate. This is delicious wine to enjoy now and over the next seven years. Drink 2023-2030- 91

2020 Early Mountain ‘Eluvium’ Red Wine- The 2020 ‘Eluvium’ combines 75% Merlot with the remainder Petit Verdot. Soft and well-balanced, this offers good concentration and weight, with lovely black tea and garrigue notes from the Petit Verdot. With more air dark chocolate shavings and blackberry pie flavors mingle well with the smooth texture. Finishing long, this is delicious wine that will live on for another decade. Drink 2023-2033- 92

Artist Block

It is nearing 8PM Pacific time and it brings me extreme delight to post on one of the most transcendent wine brands that I have tasted for quite some time. A brand new winery that I have to immediately wrote about, lined with a beautiful, highly evocative neon bottle imprint, Artist Block was founded by Anna Sweet who studied at Manhattan School of Visual Arts and is producing some of the most electric brands of wine — if not THE most exciting — new wines that I have tasted in the past year from the Pacific Northwest. At the helm is winemaker Bree Stock, MW. Stock is Oregon’s only Female Master of Wine, who is an Aussie who brings a global perspective to Oregon. Stock has held positions with the Oregon Wine Board, NW Wine Coalition, and Assemblage Diversity in Wine. She is a delightful person to chat wine with.

As a person with incredible talents, I was absolutely floored when I tasted the first wines from her. These are wines that embody texture, finesse and delightful concentration. They are also low in alcohol, making them beautiful foils for an unmanageable range of foods.

To say that Stock has burst onto the Pacific Northwest winemaking wine scene with these new wines would be a complete understatement. She has produced three new wines, a Rose, a Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Each are a must-taste for any serious collector of Oregon wines. Learn more at https://www.artistblockwine.com/ and without further adieu here are my reviews of the new Artist Block wines.

2021 Artist Block ‘Woo Juice’ Chardonnay- The 2021 ‘Woo Juice’ comes from the Eola-Amity Hills AVA. This is stony, salty and seductive Chardonnay which offers a very polished mouthfeel and glorious sense of length. The flavor range is really outstanding from salted Marcona almond to Japanese pear, baking spice dusted French bread and shades of kumquat zest, with wet gravel accents. Highly complex, big and juicy, this is impossible to resist even at the two year mark. Drink 2023-2033- 94

2021 Artist Block ‘Yummy Yummy Yummy’ Pinot Gris- Cloudy in the glass which suggests that this is both unfined and unfiltered, the 2021 Artist Block skin contact Pinot Gris is a stunning example of this type of wine, very a la BTW with its burly texture and sense of weight. Once on the mouth, this comes off very generous and deeply concentrated, yet shows good underlying tension despite the warmth of the vintage. Layers of white truffle shavings, guava puree, and pomegranate seed all combine beautifully on the palate. Don’t miss out on this beauty. Drink 2023-2031- 93

2021 Artist Block ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir- Made by winemaker Bree Stock, MW, this Chehalem Mountains AVA Pinot Noir offers beautiful stony and salty tones on the palate, with a smooth texture. Layers of pretty cranberry and red raspberry fruits combine with cardamom and blood orange zest on the palate. Complex and delicious, this is a seriously good effort that has both the stuffing and finesse to live on for another fifteen years to come. Despite the heat of the vintage this checks in at only 13.0% alcohol. Drink 2023-2038- 94

Delamotte

I love Champagne that exudes good value. One of the great producers that also offers insanely good value, Champagne Delamotte is located in the heart of the Cote de Blancs and is the sister winery of famed house Champagne Salon. This historic house dates back to the 1760s and sources from some of the great vineyards in Champagne, including those located in Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Avize and Oger, as well as the Cote des Blancs, marvelously highlight world class Chardonnay. I’ve been enchanted by these wines for many years. Didier Depond serves as general manager for Delamotte as well as for Salon. Like Salon, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay grapes for Delamotte are sourced  from Grand Cru-rated vineyards. The Delamotte range of wines offers more approachability, than those made at Salon — but also share some really good cellaring potential.

I adored all of the new releases by Delamotte including their gorgeous NV ‘Blanc de Blancs’ Champagne (OB, 93) which is dense and plush with plenty of weight and gorgeous chalky mineral tones. I was enamored by the sinfully good 2014 Delamotte ‘Blanc de Blancs’ Champagne (OB, 95) which is a rich and layered style that is built for aging. Find out more about this historic Champagne house at https://www.champagne-delamotte.com/en/ Here are the gorgeous new wines by Champagne Delamotte

NV Delamotte Brut Champagne- This fantastic NV Champagne bottling was stored in stainless steel and given 8G/L dosage. Saline dusted pear, persimmon and notes of yellow plum all combine with stony mineral accents on the palate.  Drink 2022-2028- 91

NV Delamotte Rose Champagne- Ver delicate and nuanced, the NV Delamotte Rose utilizes 7G/L dosage. Made from 80% Pinot Noir with 20% Chardonnay (from Le Mesnil), this offers guava and red raspberry fruits that combine with salted melon tones on the palate This is drinking beautifully now. Drink 2023-2029- 92

NV Delamotte ‘Blanc de Blancs’ Champagne- The outstanding NV Delamotte ‘Blanc de Blancs’ Champagne contains 10% reserve wines and comes from four separate villages as this was stored in stainless steel, this then was aged for four years. Given 7G/L dosage, this delivers salted cashew nut alongside green apple, lime zest and suggestions of sourdough bread flavors on the palate. This is seriously good stuff for the price.Drink 2023-2031-  93

2014 Delamotte ‘Blanc de Blancs’ Champagne- The 2014 ‘Blanc de Blancs’ by Delamotte is comes from Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Avize  and Oger. Disgorged in June 2021, with 6.5G/L, this shows serious weight and power on the mouth with a silky mousse. The flavors beautifully combine with lemon oil and salted almond notes that combine with juicy starfruit and French bread notes on the palate. The beam of salinity is really refined here as this 2014 is drinking beautifully now. Drink 2023-2038- 95

August Forest

One of the really exciting new wineries out of Walla Walla, August Forest was created by C.J. Augustine and Forest Rogers-Phillips who met while studying winemaking in Walla Walla. Both independently left careers and life on the East Coast seeking to further their wine knowledge and enrolled in Walla Walla Community College’s Enology and Viticulture Program.

Forest Rogers-Phillips formerly worked in the Virginia wine industry, at Pearmund Cellars in the tasting room, and production from 2009 – 2016. Then in 2017 he was hired as assistant winemaker for The Winery at LaGrange. In fall 2018 he accepted a harvest internship at Cellar Door Winery in Maine, where he met Aaron and CC Peet, who had both graduated from the Enology and Viticulture program in 2009. He then started the Walla Walla program, moving across the country.

C.J. Augustine left a business career Washington D.C. to make wine, starting with the Capital Wine School in D.C. and earning his WSET Level 3. He then moved west to start the Walla Walla Community College EV Program just as Forest had done.

The new wines by August Forest were really good across the board. I love the 2022 August Forest Rose (OB, 91) which is neatly textured, showing good flavor range. Even better is the delicious 2021 August Forest Syrah (OB, 92) which is rich and delicious with great smoky and black fruit tones. Learn more about this electric new winery at https://augustforest.com/ and here are my reviews of the new August Forest wines.

2022 August Forest ‘White Bluffs’ Riesling- Coming from the Bacchus and Gamache Vineyards, this 2022 Riesling is made in the ‘Trocken style’ coming off very dry. Nicely textured, this delivers green papaya, sour mango and green apple flavors that combine with salty minerals on the palate. Nicely made, this can benefit from more underlying tension. Drink 2023-2027- 89

2022 August Forest Rose- Made from Cabernet Franc grapes which were sourced from the Eritage Vineyard, this 2022 Rose offers a good sense of weight and freshness on the palate. Delicate flavors of peach and red raspberry greet you, as this nicely textured bottling, with earthy accents, would be a tremendous fit at the Thanksgiving table. Drink 2023-2028- 91

2022 August Forest Merlot- The 2022 August Forest Merlot comes from the Dwelley Vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley. Neatly textured, this comes off exceedingly soft and juicy with ripe red cherry, roasted figs, tobacco leaf and shades of anise on the palate. This is seriously well-done., nicely concentrated stuff that has both the stuffing and finesse to last for at least another decade. Drink 2023-2035- 92

2021 August Forest Syrah- The 2021 August Forest Syrah comes from the Eritage Vineyard as this wine saw 41% stem inclusion and was unfined and unfiltered. Soft, round and generous, this delivers a silky texture with coffee ground favors alongside potpourri, allspice, black cherry compote and smoked meat accents. This is exceedingly delicious stuff to savor now and over the next eight years. Drink 2023-2031- 92

Cava Mestres

A historic spot in Cava, Mestres is a house with an incredible past. A few years ago I embarked on a trip to Cava for the first time. What we currently think of Cava in the United States is an antiquated point of view, based on inexpensive wines that are mainly imported to our country. Top Cava is nothing short of world-class wine.

One of the oldest houses in Cava, The Mestres family dates back to 1312 as a wine negotiant and they have owned vineyards in Sant Sadurni d’Anoia since at least 1607. Many years later in 1925  Josep Mestres Manobens made his first sparkling wine by blending indigenous varietals Macabeu, Xarel-lo, and Parellada. Joan Aura serves as cellar master winemaker. They source from their 74 acre estate, which is divided into two plots: Clos Damiana and Clos Nostre Senyor as well as some area vineyards. Their vineyard is set on calcareous clay soils.

Having visited this winery it is set in a storybook setting in the small town of Sadurni d’Antonia, which is roughly an hour from Barcelona via train. The region is quite mountainous and it has a very different climate to Barcelona having a considerably lower maritime influence. Mestres give their sparkling wines extended time (18 months to 7 years) on the lees in bottle, which contributes to the complexity of the wines. During our cellar tour we had a chance to see some of their wines that have date back fifty years. Like many of Spain’s most celebrated houses, Mestres prides themselves at aging their wines and releasing them when they find them ready. While visiting I was able to view the disgorgement process as well as some bottling while we were there and I was amazed at the attention to detail as the cellar master inspects each individual bottle, regardless of price. They are truly a storied house in sparkling wine. 

I love their new ‘Reserva’ bottling, the 2020 Mestres ‘1312’ Rose Cava (OB, 92) is super fresh and lively with great nuance I loved the with their 2018 Mestres ‘Coquet Gran Reserva Brut Nature’ Cava (OB, 93) which is wonderfully salty and shows good weight and length. Learn more about this storied winery at http://www.mestres.es/?lang=en Here are the great new wines by Cava Mestres.

2020 Cava Mestres ‘1312’ Rose Reserva- The outstanding 2020 Cava Mestres ‘1312’ Rose Reserva blends 50% Trepat with 30% Monastrell, and 20% Pinot Noir. Aged for 2.5 years on the less prior to disgorgement in May 2022, this was given 6G/L dosage. Guava puree, kumquat zest, and suggestions of black truffle shavings all mark the nose. The palate shows plenty of body, finesse and mouth-watering salty undercurrents that combine with the very pretty core of red fruit flavors. Enjoy his beautiful wine now and over the next ten years. Drink 2023-2033- 92

2018 Cava Mestres ‘Gran Reserva Coquet’ Cava- The 2018 Cava Mestres ‘Coquet Gran Reserva’ Cava is a beautiful wine that combines of 30% Macabeu, 30% Xarel.lo and 40% Parellada which is named after the first vineyard Mestres purchased all the way back in 1607. This Brut Nature was stored on the lees for 42 months before disgorgement in December 2022, this offers cashew nut flavors alongside green papaya, mango and shades of Pink Lady apple. Fresh and nicely textured, showing good weight, this is drinking marvelously now. Drink 2023-2037- 93

2016 Cava Mestres ‘Gran Reserva Visol’ Cava- The 2016 ‘Visol’ is a masterful effort made from Macabeo, Xarel·lo and Parellada vines that are more than 50 years old. The base wine was stored on the lees for six months and then a further 50 months before disgorgement in December 2022.  and lasts 50 months. Showing a rich, golden hue, the ‘Visol’ offers nutmeg dusted French bread, and salted Macadamia nut aromas alongside sandalwood and Japanese pear notes that all meld in the glass. The palate is rich and refined with serious texture and underlying verve. With the nutty and earthy tones, this is drinking marvelously now at the seven year mark. Drink 2023-2037- 95

Brilliant Mistake

There is little doubt that the Napa Valley is teeming with amazing new winery projects. Brilliant Mistake Wines was started by John & Stacy Reinert now a decade ago. While dating John and Stacy would frequent the Napa Valley and were inspired by the wines made by Thomas Rivers Brown and Juan Mercado amongst others. They learned more and more about wine and thought that it would be best to start their own project.

One of Napa’s great talents, winemaker Maayan Koschitzky, has cut his teeth at cult projects such as Screaming Eagle, Dalle Valle, and currently serving as director of winemaking at Atelier Melka. For all of his success, he is extremely down to earth. Brilliant Mistake was first born in 2013, and has been producing knockout quality wines. These are made in very limited production and source from esteemed sites including the famed ‘Beckstoffer Vineyard Georges III.’

The wine show good structure and poise, with fantastic concentration throughout the drinking experience. These are fruit and non-fruit driven, with some seriously good aging potential. I was enamored by the 2022 Brilliant Mistake Sauvignon Blanc (OB, 95) which is rich and layered with fantastic flavor range. The insanely good 2021 Brilliant Mistake ‘G3’Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 98) is a total show-stopper that is remarkably elegant and will live on for decades to come. Learn more at brilliantmistakewines.com Here are the incredible new releases by Brilliant Mistake.

2022 Brilliant Mistake Sauvignon Blanc- The 2022 Brilliant Mistake Sauvignon Blanc was stored in French oak barrels before bottling. Beautifully textured, this offers rich pear and pink grapefruit flavors that combine with shades of lychee and kiwi on the palate. Showing copious minerals, this beautiful wine will live on for another ten years to come. Drink 2023-2033- 95

2021 Brilliant Mistake ‘Napa Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon- Coming from a range of vineyards throughout the Napa Valley, the 2021 Brilliant Mistake Cabernet Sauvignon is a totally stunning new effort by winemaker Maayan Koschitzky. This shows beautiful concentration with good underlying verve. Mocha, tar, cassis and tiled soil notes all enter the palate, with crushed wet rock and shades of pipe tobacco. Complex and highly delicious in its heady youth, with a smooth texture and great underlying finesse, this beauty will cellar well for another twenty years to come. Drink 2023-2041- 96

2021 Brilliant Mistake ‘G3’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 100% varietal Brilliant Mistake ‘G3’ Cabernet Sauvignon comes from the famed Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard in the Oakville AVA. Right away the brilliant high-toned florals allure, with dark rose petals that combine with loamy soils, mocha, black licorice and dark chocolate shavings. The wine is brilliantly structured with a hedonistic bent and plenty of salty minerals. A fabulous core of black and fruit flavors greets you, as this elegant, evocative wine is just starting to come into its own. Give this several hours in the decanter if savoring in its full-throttle youth. Drink 2023-2042- 98

TOR

A world-class producer of Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, TOR is a namesake winery for Tor Kenward who spent 26 years building Beringer Vineyards into the wine juggernaut that it is today. As their vice president he was instrumental in helping create that brand into national prominence  before retiring in 2001. For years the Beringer Reserve wines were truly some of the finest in Napa and Tor played a major role in that project. Beringer actually paid for Tor to study viticulture and enology following his retirement, as Tor built his brand as an ultra-premium producer single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons, sourcing from the top blocks within premium sites throughout Napa Valley. The current TOR lineup sources from esteemed sites such as Beckstoffer To Kalon, Vine Hill Ranch and Tierra Roja in Oakville, and Melanson on Pritchard Hill. These wines have really spoken to me for years. I love their polish, their texture and sense of place. For my palate, this is some of the finest expressions of Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon that you will find in the entire valley.

The new releases that I tasted come from the warm 2021 vintage. Don’t miss out on the 2021 TOR ‘Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 99) which flirts with perfection. Learn more about these outstanding wines at https://torwines.com Here are the gorgeous new wines by TOR. 

2021 TOR ‘Melanson Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- This incredible 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon was sourced from the Melanson Vineyard which is located on Pritchard Hill, and set on very rocky soils.  This edition is 100% varietal and was stored in 80% new Taransaud French oak barrels before bottling. It is a masterpiece by winemaker Jef Ames and proprietor Tor Kenward. Very inky in the glass, this offers wet gravel and creme de violette aromatics that leap out of the glass, alongside shades of creosote and sandalwood. The palate offers a seductive texture, with a bright beam of acidity that runs through the generous core of mocha with black and blue fruit flavors, with salty and stony accents. With more air, notes of lavender and crushed mint enter the fray. The combination of concentration, texture and underlying finesse really drives this wine that flirts with perfection. Truly a joy to consume in its heady youth, this stunning Cabernet Sauvignon will shine on for decades to come. Drink 2023-2045- 99

2021 TOR ‘Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon-  One of the finest new world wines that I have tasted in the past year, the 2021 TOR ‘Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon is a masterclass from this famed Napa house. This wine comes from the famed vineyard that was planted in 1868 and acquired by Andy Beckstoffer in 1993. The wine has as small portion of Cabernet Franc blended in, as this spent 31 days fermenting and then was stored for twenty months in 80% new French oak barrels before bottling. Needing an hour in the decanter to be fully expressive, once aroused this unveils layers of freshly tilled loamy soil aromas alongside dried herbs, creme de cassis and suggestions of espresso grounds that all sing in unison. The palate is soft and initing with an opulent texture and refined structure. Dense, yet showing a weightless appearance once on the palate, this is pure class and liquid velvet on the mouth. Enjoy this head-turning Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon now and over the next twenty plus years. Drink 2023-2045- 99

R. Lopez de Heredia

Some winery visits you just never forget. Such is the case with my visit to R. Lopez de Heredia several years back. For years I have admired the incredible Vina Tondonia wines and I was so eager to see the cellar, winery and vineyards. R. Lopez de Heredia is without a doubt one of the famed properties in the La Rioja region. It has an incredible history as R. Lopez de Heredia was founded in the nineteenth century when French negociants visited the Rioja region to find alternative sources of quality grapes to transform into wine, following their phylloxera epidemic had decimated their vineyards. Don Rafael López de Heredia y Landeta, started his winery in Haro, the capital of the Rioja Alta region. The winery is a stunning older building with arguably the most incredible wine caves of the region.

This is a winery pitted in tradition as R. Lopez de Heredia wines are aged considerably longer than most and they are only sold when the winemaker finds them to be drinking perfectly. Their current releases are more than a decade old. I had the incredible chance earlier in the year to taste the 2008-2010 Vina Tondonia together. These are wines that at 15 years of age are incredibly youthful and still have decades of life in front of them. I am completely enamored by the 2011 R. Lopez de Heredia ‘Vina Tondonia’ Rioja Reserva (OB, 95) which shows amazing aging potential in this brilliant vintage. Learn more about this famed  winery athttp://www.lopezdeheredia.com Here are the beautiful new wines by R. Lopez de Heredia.

2011 R. Lopez de Heredia ‘Vina Tondonia’ Reserva Rioja- The 2011 R. Lopez de Heredia ‘Vina Tondonia’ Reserva is a world-class Rioja with 20% Garnacha and 5% both Graciano and Mazuelo blended in. Coming from this vineyard set on limestone and clay, the wine was stored in homemade 225L American oak barrels before bottling. This 2011 Rioja offers beautiful red rose petals on the nose with cranberry, orange peel, worn leather and shades of freshly tilled stony soils. The palate is soft and refined with elegant tannins that frame a core of bright red fruits alongside blood orange zest, wild mushroom and great length. This is a total stunner that will live on for another twenty years to come. Drink 2023-2042- 95

Andrew Januik

One of the nicest guys in Washington wine is also making some world-class Cabernet Sauvignon that you need to keep your eye on. It has now been ten years since Andrew Januik started his own line of wines, focusing on Cabernet Sauvignon. Today he is making a range of wines which includes his fantastic ‘Southern Sojourn’ wine from Argentina. His ‘Stone Cairn’ is a Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon that is inky and intense, with beautiful texture and a good core of finesse. The wine is sourced from a host of Red Mountain AVA vineyards including Shaw, Obelisco, Quintessence, and Ciel du Cheval vineyards. Oak treatment is moderate, usually around 55% for roughly twenty months before being stored in the bottle. The wines are well-priced when you consider the price that Cabernet Sauvgnon can fetch.

I have really enjoyed how these wines age, as I have tasted many older vintages with Andrew and have found them to get better and better. He did an amazing job navigating the cooler 2019 vintage. His work in 2020 was even more impressive as the wines were all exceptional despite the obvious challenges of the September weather.  The 2020 Andrew Januik ‘Stone Cairn’ Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 94) is a marvelous effort that is rich and shows loads of nuance with a silky mouthfeel. These wines are extremely reasonably priced under 50 dollars. Check out more about these beautiful wines at https://www.noveltyhilljanuik.com/wines/andrew-januik/ Here are my tasting notes from the new Andrew Januik wines.

2020 Andrew Januik ’Lady Hawk’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2020 Lady Hawk Cabernet Sauvignon comes from the Horse Heaven Hills AVA and is 100% varietal Cabernet Sauvignon. This is very soft and round on the mouth, with a silky texture. Layers of toasty oak mingle well with graphite, black currants, espresso grounds and shades of mint leaf. Really delicious now, this will be great to savor over the next seven years to come. Drink 2023-2030- 93

2020 Andrew Januik ‘Stone Cairn’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2020 ‘Stone Cairn’ comes from Red Mountain as this is now the 10th edition of this wine. Inky dark in the glass, this unveils layers of cassis, creme de violette and scorched earth on the nose with sandalwood and pencil lead notes. The palate is concentrated and deep with refined tannins that frame a beautiful core of black and blue fruits with garrigue undercurrents. This is seriously good stuff to consume in its heady youth. Drink 2023-2030- 94

2020 Andrew Januik ‘Baba Yaga’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2020 ‘Baba Yaga’ comes from the Southwind Vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley. This edition is really delicious and inviting already at the three year mark. Tar, anise and creme de cassis flavors mingle well with dark rose petals and shades of black licorice on the nose. The palate is soft and nicely textured, with good weight and length. Finishing long, this is great stuff to consume now and over the next few years. Drink 2023-2030- 93

2020 Andrew Januik ‘Doppel Ganger’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2020 ‘Doppel Ganger’ is the inaugural release of this wine which was sourced from the Andrews Family Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills. Right away alluring aromatics of violets, tar and mocha combine on the nose wth freshly tilled soil notes. The palate is soft and inviting with polished tannins that frame a core of blackberry and black cherry fruit flavors with coffee grounds and a graphite edge. Drink 2023-2033- 93

2020 Andrew Januik ‘Los Molinos’ Red Wine- This is Andrew Januik’s GSM-inspired bottling that is near all equal parts Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. This is nicely smoky and savory with layers of wild blackberry and black raspberry fruits that mingle well with the dried herbs, smoked brisket and scorched earthy notes. Drink 2023-2030- 92