Northstar

Today we share one of the Pacific Northwest’s finest producers of Merlot. For more than twenty years Washington Merlot became a household wine, whether it was the killer value Columbia Crest ‘Grand Estates’ or more upscale Northstar bottlings. For years I have admired the wines by Northstar — a winery who certainly helped place Washington State Merlot on the national stage.

Northstar Merlot has been a pillar of consistency over the years. Even in challenging vintages like 2010 and 2011, Northstar has made brilliant wines. I love the 2021 Northstar ‘Columbia Valley’ Merlot (OB, 92) which is a killer wine for the price. Learn more about these great wines at northstarwinery.com and here are my reviews of the latest releases by Northstar.

2021 Northstar ‘Columbia Valley’ Merlot- A beautiful value the 2021 Northstar Merlot delivers a soft mouthfeel with black cherry and chocolate cake flavors that mingle well with shades of black licorice on the palate. Full of flavor, enjoy now and over the next eight years. Drink 2024-2032- 92

2021 Northstar ‘Columbia Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The delicious 2021 Northstar ‘Columbia Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon offers loganberry and wild blackberry flavors that collide with dark chocolate shavings and espresso ground on the palate. Ripe and delicious, with a smooth texture, enjoy now and over the next ten years. Drink 2024-2034- 92

2021 Northstar ‘Dionysus Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- Coming from this site planted in the 1980s, the  ‘Dionysus Vineyard’ offers loamy soils and garrigue notes on the nose alongside graphite and shades of black licorice. The palate is soft and refined with a silky texture and great sense of length. Great to consume now, watch this evolve over the next ten plus years. Drink 2024-2036- 94

2021 Northstar ‘Walla Walla Red Blend’ Red Wine- The 2021 ‘Walla Walla Red Blend’ is a soft and refined mouth that is seamless once on the mouth. Cuban cigar and anise notes combine with dense dark fruits, chocolate and espresso grounds. Really well-done, enjoy over the next ten plus years to come. Drink 2024-2034- 93

2021 Northstar ‘Walla Walla Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2021 ‘Walla Walla Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon offers sagebrush and black cherry flavors with black licorice on the palate. Medium to full-bodied with soft tannins, enjoy now and over the next ten plus years. Drink 2024-2034- 93

Domaine Carneros

One of my favorite California wineries to visit and a winery with unbridled beauty outside of the town of Napa, Domaine Carneros is perched on a hill overlooking the scenic Napa Valley. My wife and I recently visited this house and we adore the experience of tasting top sparkling wines with incredibly thoughtful food pairings on a terrace with sweeping views of the valley. You have to be there to experience this!

The ouse dates back to the 1970s as Claude Taittinger, of famed Champagne house Taittinger, began his search for a good spot to make California Sparkling Wine. Finally in 1987 he selected a 138-acre parcel in the Carneros region of the Napa Valley. The spot he selected is truly unique, as it has a massive maritime influence being perched near the bay. The vineyard is quite windy and produces highly concentrated berries that are very small in size. 2022 was not an easy vintage for Pinot Noir but this cooler, windy site seemed like it was less-affected by the severe heat spike that hit harvest. The new wines were well-structured and also very dense — not jammy.

Remi Cohen serves as CEO and the wines have been really focused in the last few years. I think these are the best red wines that they have made at this house. I adored the 2022 Domaine Carneros ‘The Famous Gate’ (OB, 94) which is a refined and beautifully textured pinot Noir that is exceedingly delicious to consume now. Learn more about these outstanding wines at https://www.domainecarneros.com Here are the new sparkling wines by Domaine Carneros

2022 Domaine Carneros ‘Estate’ Pinot Noir- The outstanding ‘Estate’ Pinot Noir offers red currant and red raspberry notes alongside garrigue accents on the palate. Soft, round and showing good freshness considering the heat spikes at harvest, this is a beautiful bottling that is best consumed now and over the next few years. Drink 2024-2030- 92

2022 Domaine Carneros ‘The Famous Gate’ Pinot Noir- The beautiful 2022 Domaine Carneros ‘The Famous Gate’ Pinot Noir was aged for 16 months on the lees before bottling. Coming from their estate vineyard in the Carneros region, this delivers teaberry and red raspberry notes alongside shades of lavender and thyme on the nose. The palate is big, bold and beautifully textured, showing beautiful weight and texture. Delicious now, enjoy over the next ten years. Drink 2024-2034- 94

2022 Domaine Carneros ‘Le Ciel Serein’ Pinot Noir- The 2022 ‘Le Ciel Serein’ is a site known as ‘Bliss Hill’ and was the background for Microsoft Windows XP. The Pinot Noir from this site was planted to a range of clones between 2002 and 2004. The palate is loaded with salty black cherry and cola notes alongside shades of provencal herbs and salty minerals. Fresh and lithe, with a core of medium-bodied dark fruits, enjoy now and over the next ten years. Drink 2024-2034- 93

Cellar Selection: 2017 Doubleback Cabernet Sauvignon

For those with their hands in the sand, Doubleback was founded by NFL legend Drew Bledsoe. Bledsoe has been in the limelight in the past year, helping participate in the Roast of Tom Brady   (which was a huge hit this year on Netflix). A fellow Barolo enthusiast, Bledsoe has a great palate and is a great dude to chat wine with.

Doubleback winery relies in the winemaking talents of former Leonetti Cellar assistant Josh McDaniels. He is easily one of the Pacific Northwest’s best winemakers. The wine I tasted from my cellar was the 2017 Doubleback Cabernet Sauvignon. 2017 was a good vintage for red wines, sandwiched between two great vintages. There were some smoke issues with some reds in 2017 but this wine was not impacted. The wine is brooding, intense and is very driven by non-fruit flavors. It is a stunner, one that has a really long life ahead of it. Learn more about the wines at doubleback.com and here is my review of the 2017 Doubleback.

2017 Doubleback Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2017 Doubleback is a show-stopping wine that has really come into its own in terms of drinkability. The wine was initially quite reticent and even now it benefits from 30 minutes of air. It is alive and thriving with lovely tar and tobacco leaf notes on the palate alongside dark chocolate shavings and a graphite edge. Full-bodied and beautifully textured, this will easily live on for another fifteen plus years. Drink 2024-2040- 95

Dutton-Goldfield

Today we share one of the greats out of Sonoma County. I have enjoyed Dutton-Goldfield wines from my personal collection for many years. They make a brilliant range including 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

I adored the 2022 Dutton-Goldfield ‘Rued Vineyard’ Chardonnay (OB, 93) which is dense and rich from this warm vintage. I was also so impressed with the 2022 Dutton-Goldfield ‘Emerald Ridge Vineyard’ Pinot Noir (OB, 94) coming from the Green Valley and is loaded with fantastic flavor range. Learn more about Dutton Goldfield at http://www.duttongoldfield.com. Here are the great new releases from Dutton Goldfield.

2022 Dutton-Goldfield ‘Dutton Ranch’ Chardonnay- This beautiful wine comes from a range of sites in the Russian River Valley.  Rich butterscotch flavors combine with white peach and juicy Japanese apple, with salty nuances on the palate. Soft and generous, enjoy now and over the next five to seven years. Drink 2024-2031- 92

2022 Dutton-Goldfield ‘Rued Vineyard’ Chardonnay- The ‘Rued Vineyard’ is set in the Green Valley and is planted to Old Wente selection Chardonnay. Stored in all French oak (44% new) this offers good weight and length, with a soft mouthfeel. Banana and ripe pineapple give this a tropical edge alongside shades of pie crust and cloves. Really enjoyable now, savor this over the next seven years. Drink 2024-2031- 93

2022 Dutton-Goldfield ‘Dutton Ranch’ Pinot Noir- A really good warm vintage wine, the 2022 Dutton-Goldfield ‘Dutton Ranch’ Pinot Noir offers concentrated cola and black raspberry flavors on the palate with citrus rind nuance and salty soils. Medium to full-bodied and delicious, enjoy now and over the next five to seven years. Drink 2024-2031- 92

2022 Dutton-Goldfield ‘5 Wells Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The 5 Wells Vineyard is a cooler site in the Russian River Valley, set on well-drained Goldridge Sandy Loam soils. Stored n 40% new French oak for 17 months before bottling, this delivers beautiful red florals on the nose alongside orange peel and cinnamon stick notes. The palate is juicy and ripe, laded with guava and wild strawberry fruit flavors. Enjoy this delicate and delicious Pinot Noir now and over the next eight years. Drink 2024-2032- 93

2022 Dutton-Goldfield ‘Angel Camp Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The outstanding 2022 Dutton-Goldfield ‘Angel Camp Vineyard’ Pinot Noir comes from this 10 acre site in the Anderson Valleyowned by Brian Zalaznick. It is wonderfully salty and earthy, with salted wet stone nuance on the palate, followed by wild blackberry and black cherry notes. Medium-bodied and already nicely evolved, enjoy over the next eight years. Drink 2024-2032- 93

2022 Dutton-Goldfield ‘Emerald Ridge Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The Emerald Ridge Vineyard is an east-facing site in the Green Valley, set on Goldridge soils. The Pinot Noir was stored in French oak barrels for 17 months (50% new) before bottling. Soft on the mouth, this is loaded with rich guava and red cherry fruit flavors, alongside shades of dark truffle and cola. Complex and delicious, enjoy now and over the next ten years. Drink 2024-2034- 94

2022 Dutton-Goldfield ‘McDougall Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The 2022 ‘McDougall Vineyard’ is a windy site located in the Fort Ross-Seaview AVA. This location is set at 1,100 feet and has a strong influence from the Pacific Ocean. Stored in 50% new French oak, this is a total stunner, showing the salty/briny character of the region, yet is highly poised and concentrated. Tart red and dark fruits parade with mandarin orange zest and salty minerals on the palate. A truly great wine, enjoy over the next fifteen years to come. Drink 2024-2039- 95

Brittan Vineyards

Today we present the beautiful wines of Robert Brittan, former winemaker at Stags’ Leap Winery in Napa. Brittan is a former graduate of the UC Davis Viticulture and Enology program and founded Brittan Vineyards in 2004, acquiring a 128-acre hillside property with soils that are a mixture of glacial deposits and volcanic material, with a predominant presence of broken basalt. There is nothing quite like this rustic, stony property in the Willamette Valley — only a few others have vines set like this.

I was first introduced to these wines more than a decade ago. The stony character that comes from the vineyard was just amazing to me. Set on broken basalt rock, the Brittan Estate Vineyard has Pinot Noir planted as well as 4 acres of Chardonnay and 1.5 acres of Syrah have been planted. In addition to his own wines, Brittan serves as the winemaker for several other brands.

The new wines are from the warm 2021 vintage. I adored the 2021 Brittan Vineyards ‘Gestalt Block’ Pinot Noir  (OB, 95) which is loaded with tension and rich dark fruits. . Learn more about the great wines of Brittan Vineyards at http://www.brittanvineyards.com Here are the brilliant releases by Brittan Vineyards.  

2021 Brittan Vineyards ‘Gestalt Block’ Pinot Noir- The 2021 Brittan Vineyards ‘Gestalt Block’  comes from two-acre plantings of Pinot Noir at the estate vineyard. Very dark in the glass, and deeply perfumed, this opens with aromatics of lavender and purple rose petals alongside wild blackberry, orange peel and shades of marionberry. The palate is round and generous with a silky mouthfeel and great sense of underlying verve despite the heat of the vintage. Big and bold, loaded with bright dark fruits and laden with minerals, this is an outstanding bottling, with a great stony essence coming from this site set on broken basalt. Enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next ten to fifteen years. Drink 2024-2038- 95

2021 Brittan Vineyards ‘Heritage Block’ Pinot Noir- A totally gorgeous new bottling, the 2021 ‘Heritage Block’ is a 3.5 acre site on a south-western ridge of the vineyard. This site has shallow volcanic soils that are atop basalt rocks. Dazzling in terms of weight and minerality, this glides throughout the drinking experience. An unabashedly big wine for the varietal, this leads with a generous core of red and dark fruits, alongside smoldering stones, kumquat zest and tobacco leaf flavors. Seamless and elegant, with a lengthy finish and wonderful earthy nuance, enjoy this beauty over the next fifteen years. Drink 2024-2039- 96

2018 Brittan Vineyards ‘The Puncheon’ Pinot Noir- The epic 2018 ‘The Puncheon’ comes from this outstanding, warm vintage and is amongst the great Oregon Pinot Noirs I have tasted this year. This is a hand-selected puncheon by winemaker Robert Brittan from several of the blocks across the vineyard. Black truffle crudo and loganberry compote mark the nose alongside suggestions of pine needles, wet rock and fresh thyme. The palate is soft and elegant with a round and generous mouthfeel. Seriously good now, showing good length and underlying tension, watch this evolve over the next fifteen years to come. Drink 2024-2040- 96

Tablas Creek

Today we share one of the greats from Paso Robles. Many years back Jean-Pierre and François Perrin and Robert Haas purchased a former alfalfa farm that is set on limestone soils in the Adelaida Hills. This was the site that they chose for Tablas Creek with the unique terroir that they felt would create a novel minerality. From the beginning they focused on Rhône-style wines made organically. The first plantings took place in 1994 and the first Tablas Creek Vineyard wines produced in 1997. The winery has been an incredible success since that time, reaching worldwide acclaim particularly for their Rhone style red and white blends. I remember first tasting these beautiful wines more than twenty years ago.

The wines have been a pillar of consistency and I had a great visit with their CEO Jason Haas earlier in the year. We uncorked many older vintages of the ‘Espirit de Tablas’ and the aging potential of these wines was simply magical. The new wine, the 2022 Tablas Creek ‘Espirit Blanc de Tablas’ Red Wine (OB, 95) is a remarkable achievement in this vintage that saw heat spikes at harvest.  Learn more about these outstanding wines at https://tablascreek.com Here are the outstanding new wines by Tablas Creek. 

2023 Tablas Creek ‘Patelin de Tablas Blanc’ White Winę- A leaner style than the ‘Cotes’ the really good 2023 Tablas Creek ‘Patelin de Tablas Blanc’ White Winę combines mainly Grenache Blanc (50%) with the remainder Viognier, Roussanne, Massanne and Vermentino with a dash of Bourboulenc. This comes off vibrant and fresh from the Grenache Blanc, with kiwi and starfruit notes that mingle well with stony minerals and shades of green papaya and peach. Really good and complex considering the price, enjoy this outstanding bottling now and over the next five to seven years. Drink 2024-2031- 91

2023 Tablas Creek ‘Cotes de Tablas Blanc’ White Wine- The outstanding 2023 ‘Cotes de Tablas Blanc’ is mainly Viognier and Marsanne with smaller pats Grenache bLanc, Roussanne and Clairette Blanche. Neatly texftured, this offers orange blossom water and rich melon fruit flavors alongside cashew nut notes with good weight and verve. Delicious and polished — another outstanding wine for the price. — enjoy over the next seven years to come. Drink 2024-2031- 92

2023 Tablas Creek ‘Patelin de Tablas’ Red Wine- A really good wine at the entry level, the 2023 ‘Patelin de Tablas’ combines 45% Syrah with 30% Grenache and the remainder Mourvèdre and Counoise.Delicate to medium bodied red fruits parade with citrus rind, stony minerals and shades of garrigue on the palate. A wine to buy by the case, enjoy in the short-term. Drink 2024-2030- 91

2022 Tablas Creek Syrah- The 2022 Tablas Creek Syrah is light in color and low alcohol (13.5%) considering the heat spikes this vintage. White pepper dusted brisket and loganberry cordial mark the nose alongside shades of menthol and allspice. The palate is vibrant and fresh with a soft texture and loads of mouth-watering acidity. Showing good freshness despite the heat of the vintage, this is already nicely evolved stuff that will drink well over the next eight to ten years. Drink 2024-2032- 93

2022 Tablas Creek Mourvedre- Also very translucent in the glass, you wonder if there is potentially a mis-print as this weighs in at only 12.5% alcohol. The wine comes off very Pinotesque, showing blood orange zest and red currants that parade with salty minerals and suggestions of red rose petal water. Very elegant and refined, this is a really nice effort considering the challenges presented at harvest. Drink 2024-2031- 93

2022 Tablas Creek ‘Esprit de Tablas’ Red Wine- The 2022 ‘Esprit de Tablas’ combines mainly Mourvèdre (40%), Grenache (28%) and Syrah (22%) with the remainder Vaccarese, Cinsault and Counoise. Also translucent in the glass, this warm vintage wine weighs in at 13.5% alcohol. Garrigue and sandalwood notes mark the nose alongside Satsuma orange zest, cloves, and shades of Linzer torte. The palate is refined and elegant with a smooth texture and great sense of weight and poise. A stunning wine from 2022, enjoy now and over the next fifteen years to come. Drink 2024-2038- 95

Château d’Armailhac

A winery with an amazing history, Château d’Armailhac comes from the d'Armailhacq family who purchased the estate in 1660. Dominique d'Armailhacq bought the vineyards at a place called "Mouton" or "Sheepö. Dominique d'Armailhacq developed the vineyard and renamed it "Mouton-d'Armailhacq". His new neighbour at Mouton, Baron Philippe de Rothschild, acquired the vineyard, calling it "Mouton-Baron-Philippe" in the late 50s. Today, his daughter Baroness Philippine is in charge of the estate. In 1991 she decided to rename the estate "Chateau Armailhac" written without the final q.

The wines have been steadily increasing in quality over the last ten plus years. These are wines that have improved concentration and focus — and age gracefully. The latest wine I tasted was the 2018 Château d’Armailhac (OB, 95) which is a totally gorgeous effort from this warm vintage. Dense and chewy, with a great tannic backbone, this will cellar well for at least another fifteen years. Learn more about this famed srstate at https://www.bpdr.com/en/chateau-darmailhac-2 and here is my review of the 2018 Château d’Armailhac.

2018 Château d’Armailhac- A world-class bottling, the 2018 Château d’Armailhac has the flavor density and structure to live on for two decades. Needing about an hour in the decanter to fully get going, you are aroused to beautiful Asian spices and perfumed black rose petals that mark the nose alongside graphite, wet stone and rich blackberry compote. The palate is lush and round with a silky mouthfeel and great sense of underling tension. Uncork one now and let sit in the decanter — you are going to be amazed at its development! Drink 2024-2040- 95

San Leonardo

One of the great historic estates in northern Italy, San Leonardo has been family-owned by the Guerrieri Gonzaga family since 1724. Based in the southern end of Trentino in Northern Italy and nestled amongst the Trentino Alps. San Leonardo Winemaker/owner Marchese Carlo, and now his son Anselmo, have been in charge of the winemaking program for many years. Carlo was the first grower in Trentino to use the Guyot vine training method and to avoid pesticides and herbicides. This location has the coolness from the Alps but also has warmth due to its location near Lake Garda.

The new wine came from the 2019 vintage and is a brilliant expression of Northern Italian Bordeaux varietals. A total stunner, the 2019 San Leonardo (OB, 94) is deep, herbal and expressive with a great tannic backbone. It is a beauty that will live on for at least another decade. Learn more about this famed Italian winery at https://www.sanleonardo.it/en/la-storia?srsltid=AfmBOopowlUKk2OxOWVZGD7IBvVjPFVUhjKtAQKkA2tGPGbdiM9bCYDx and here is my review of the new wine by San Leonardo.

2019 San Leonardo Red Wine- A brilliant new release, the 2019 San Leonardo blends 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot with 10% Carmenère. Right away this offers alluring red bell pepper notes with a listing of white pepper alongside rich dark fruits and chocolate on the nose. The palate is rich and viscous with a great sense of texture and underlying tension. Delicious now enjoy over the next ten plus years to come. Drink 2024-2036- 94

Ridge

One of California’s truly great winery, Ridge got its start with Paul Draper all the way back in the 1960s. Draper saw the calling to produce a range of varietals in the Santa Cruz Mountains as this high-elevation site is set at 2300. This is a must-visit for any lover of great California wine. Ridge Vineyard's 1971 Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon achieved international fame for its fifth-place finish in the 1976 “Judgement of Paris” wine tasting.

I loved the new wines by Ridge. Check out the fabulous 2021 Ridge ‘Monte Bello’ Chardonnay (OB, 97) which is one of the finest Chardonnays that I have tasted all year. Big, viscous and broad-shouldered, with serious aging potential, this is a total stunner. Learn more about this historic winery at ridgewine.com Here are the amazing new release wines from Ridge Vineyards.

2023 Ridge Grenache Blanc- Mostly sourced from the Fossil Creek and Adelaida Vineyards, the 2023 Grenache Blanc has 14% Picpoul, and 2% Roussanne blended in. Mostly stainless steel fermented, this offers bright kiwi, green papaya and shades of salted cashew nut on the palate with a smooth texture. Seriously good now, enjoy over the next six to eight years. Drink 2024-2030- 93

2021 Ridge ‘Monte Bello’ Chardonnay- Truly one of the outstanding new world Chardonnays, the 2021 ‘Monte Bello’ Chardonnay was stored in mainly American oak barrels (18% new) before bottling. This really needs about an hour to breathe. Everything is in total harmony here. Vanilla and pear notes mingle well with peaches, and shades of banana on the nose. The palate is viscous, seamless and beautifully textured, as this glides throughout the drinking experience. While quite rich, the dazzling underlying tension produces a mouth-watering effect, as the mid-palate flavor density and flavor range really drives this beauty. This has both the poise and opulence to cellar well for another fifteen years to come. Drink 2024-2039- 97

2022 Ridge ‘Lytton Springs’ Red Wine- The outstanding 2022 Ridge ‘Lytton Springs’ Red Wine is now the 50th bottling of this wine. Mainly Zinfandel (67%) with 19% Petite Sirah and the remainder Carignan and Alicante, this offers rich dark fruits and chocolate on the nose alongside black rose petals. The palate is rich and seamless on the palate, with gorgeous texture and length. A big and broad wine, with dark chocolate, black cherry and red raspberry core, this is already drinking beautifully now. Drink 2024-2040- 95

2022 Ridge ‘Pagani Ranch’ Zinfandel- The 2022 ‘Pagani Ranch’ has 9% Alicante Bouchet as well as smaller portions Petite Sirah and Mataro blended in. This is rich and concatenated Zinfandel, showing chocolate with bramble, red cherry and dill notes on the nose. The palate is fresh and beautifully textured, with serious depth and structure. The balance here is impeccable despite the obvious warmth of the vintage. Drink 2024-2034- 95

2022 Ridge ‘Blasi’ Zinfandel- The 2022 ‘Blasi’ Zinfandel has a touch of Petite Sirah blended in. Fresh herbs and bright red fruits combine with citrus peel and cardamom on the nose. The palate is soft and refined with good elegance and richness. Showing beautifully right now, this will continue to evolve well for at least another decade. Drink 2024-2034- 94

2022 Ridge ‘Pagani Ranch Norma’s Block’ Zinfandel- A stunning wine and a truly novel blend, the 2022 Ridge ‘Pagani Ranch Norma’s Block’ Zinfandel has 7% Petite Sirah, 7% Alicante Bouschet, 4% Grand Noir, and 4% Lenoir blended in. White pepper dusted coffee bean and dark chocolate shavings meld well with cinnamon and allspice alongside boysenberry fruit flavors on the palate. Fresh and showing great nerve, enjoy this beauty now and over the next fifteen years. Drink 2024-2039- 95

2022 Ridge ‘Evangelho’ Red Wine- Coming from Costa County, the 2022 ‘Evangelho’ combines 55% Carignane with the remainder Zinfandel and Mataro. This shows spicy, savory and salty notes on the nose alongside pretty red florals and shades of menthol. The palate is rich and soft with a serious sense of nerve and seamless drinking experience. Showing no rough edges, this beautifully balanced and red fruit-driven blend will cellar well for another fifteen years. But why wait? Drink 2024-2039- 96

2022 Ridge ‘Rockpile’ Red Wine- The 2022 Ridge ‘Rockpile’ Red Wine has a large portion of Petite Sirah (32%) blended in. Chocolate and roasted figs mark the palate, alongside good structure and depth, with boysenberry fruit and salty nuances. Delicious now, this has both the stuffing and finesse to cellar well for another fifteen years. Drink 2024-2038- 94

2022 Ridge ‘Sandy Lane’ Carignane- The beautiful and 100% varietal 2022 Ridge ‘Sandy Lane’ Carignane opens with a beautiful bouquet of black rose petals, wild blackberry and garrigue alongside suggestions of loamy soils and tobacco leaf. Soft and very approachable right now, with a great concentrated core of black and red fruits, this is drinking marvelously in its heady youth. Enjoy now and over the next ten plus years. Drink 2024-2036- 95

2021 Ridge ‘Lytton Estate’ Petite Sirah- The outstanding 2021 Ridge ‘Lytton Estate’ Petite Sirah sits dense in the glass, as this 100% varietal offers tar, black licorice, black rose petals and graphite notes on the nose. The palate is beautifully textured, filled with dense black and blue fruits that parade with shades of creme de violette flavors. Great now, enjoy this over the next fifteen years to come. Drink 2024-2039- 94

Cellar Selection: 2010 Domaine Serene 'Mark Bradford Vineyard' Pinot Noir

As we tasted in the heat of summer, it had been a beautiful time running through the latest new lineup of Domaine Serene wines. Domaine Serene Director of Winemaking Michael Fay and I both had brought some blind wines to taste and I was eager to see what was behind the bag. We sat in the summer sun and uncorked several special bottles. I was pretty close to the pin on this one.

We looked out at the Mark Bradford Vineyard which is named after Domaine Serene proprietors Grace and Ken Evenstads’ son. This high-elevation location is set on the west-facing slope of the Evenstad Estate. This was the first vineyard planted at Domaine Serene and is always one of the biggest wines made. The wine I tasted was from the 2010 vintage. I was pretty close with my guess, thinking it might be a 2012 which are generally more reticent, well-structured wines. 2010 came between a warm vintage (2009) and an exceedingly cool vintage (2011). The vintage was very classic in nature with wines that had serious acidity and needed time to come around. 2010 had cumulative growing degree day (GrDD) values for that tracked slightly down from 2008. The wines are certainly known for their tension and aging potential.

This beautiful bottling was amongst the finest that I had tasted from this vintage. The 2010 ‘Mark Bradford Vineyard’ Pinot Noir (OB, 97) is ripe, round and generous with dazzling acidity and a smooth mouthfeel. It still has a long way to go in the cellar! Learn more at domaineserene.com and here is my review of the incredible 2010 ‘Mark Bradford Vineyard’ Pinot Noir by Domaine Serene.

2010 Domaine Serene ‘Mark Bradford Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- Tasted twice from separate sittings and bottles, the 2010 ‘Mark Bradford Vineyard’ Pinot Noir offers nothing short of insanely good concentration and flavor range now at the fourteen year mark. Tasted upon release, this was quite backwards and reticent, really needing a lot of bottle age to get going — which is truly the case from any wine from this site. Loganberry preserves, fresh strawberries, Bing cherry, dusty soils and white truffle shavings all fill the palate, creating intense aromatics, with high-toned red florals and Satsuma orange zest. A complete wine, this will surely satisfy any lover of top-class Oregon Pinot Noir. Enjoy over the next decade. Drink 2024-2034- 97

'The Hills' Cabernet Franc Report

Today we share some of the great Cabernet Franc wines of Washington State. ‘The Hills’ refers to the rolling hills of the the Rattlesnake Hills AVA. This location sees a very limited amount of rain each year and is an arid desert that has an overall south to southwest aspect, exposing vineyards to unobstructed sunlight. This leads to an average of 3100 ~3000 annual growing degree days; one of among the top 3 AVAs in the state for warmth and much warmer than the surrounding Yakima Valley. The location has roughly 300 days of sunshine each year which shares similar sun hours to the Napa Valley due to the long days at high latitude.

This location has some of the great vineyards for Bordeaux varietals including DuBrul, Dineen, Pollard, Sheridan and Two Blondes. In this region two of the most famous Washington wineries, Cote Bonneville and Andrew Will, shape their respective portfolios from this terroir. The DuBrul vineyard was planted all the way back in 1982 and is set on a rocky hillside that has a range of microclimates in its 45 acre site.  These low vigor soils combined with our deficit irrigation regimen produce small berries, small clusters, and low yields from the vines. 

Not far from Cote Bonneville is the Two Blondes Vineyard which is the estate vineyard for Andrew Will. Set in Zillah Washington the 30 acre vineyard was planted in 2000 to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Malbec. The vineyard manager is Chris Hoon. The soils are a complex mix of Harwood - Burke - Wiehl series which are silty loams.

While I did not taste the new Cote Bonneville wines, and have been meaning to meet with winemaker Kerry Shiels to try, the new wines from Andrew Will topped my Cabernet Franc report. I adored the 2021 Andrew Will ‘Two Blondes Vineyard’ Cabernet Franc (OB, 95) which has some massive aging potential. Other highlights from this report include the amazing 2023 Bosma Estate Winery Cabernet Franc (OB, 93) which is a stunning wine made by Washington winemaking legend Caleb Foster. Pearl And Stone make some outstanding wines and their new 2021 ‘Reserve’ Cabernet Franc (OB, 93) is a stunner from the Pollard Vineyard. I also really enjoyed the 2019 Pollard Cabernet Franc (OB, 93) which has beautiful poise and nuance from this cooler vintage. Learn more about the Rattlesnake Hills AVA at https://thehillswa.org/#about and here are my reviews of the new Cabernet Franc releases from the Rattlesnake Hills AVA.

Andrew Will

2020 Andrew Will ‘Two Blondes Vineyard’ Cabernet Franc- A stunning wine made from a tough vintage, the 2020 ‘Two Blondes Vineyard’ Cabernet Franc comes from this cooler site in the Yakima Valley AVA. Coffee grounds and worn leather mark the nose alongside anise and beautiful black florals. The palate is soft and refined with lovely earthy character along medium to full-bodied dark fruits. Coming off very clean, no reason to cellar this beauty. Drink 2024-2030- 94

2021 Andrew Will ‘Two Blondes Vineyard’ Cabernet Franc- Even better than the 2020 bottling, the 2021 Andrew Will ‘Two Blondes Vineyard’ Cabernet Franc is a total knockout in this warm vintage. Once on the nose this takes on layers of espresso grounds and violets that parade with dense black cherry and loganberry notes. The palate is soft and elegant with serious viscosity and a refined mouthfeel. Showing generous length and a pillowy texture, this is clearly one of the great Cabernet Francs made in Washington State. Drink 2024-2040- 95

Bosma Estate

2023 Bosma Estate Winery ‘Bosma Estate Vineyard’ Cabernet Franc- This comes from a new winery as Caleb Foster serves as winemaker. The nose is downright killer with dried herbs and sagebrush notes alongside shades of red bell pepper, Cuban cigar and dense dark fruits. The palate is fresh and lively with serious tension and mouth-watering acidity. Really youthful now, this will be released in 2025. Drink 2025-2040- 93

Callan

2020 Callan Cellars ‘Elephant Mountain Vineyards’ Cabernet Franc- This 2020 Cabernet Franc opens with a bouquet of espresso grounds and tar with black floral notes. The palate is nicely textured with a smooth mouthfeel, showing bitter chocolate notes towards the back end. Drink 2024-2030- 90

Category 5

2022 Category 5 ‘Franc Blanc’ White Wine- Sourced from the Dineen Vineyard, the 2022 Category 5 ‘Franc Blanc’ White Wine was made without skin contact. It is soft and approachable with melon and strawberry fruit flavors alongside a good sense of tension on the palate. Enjoy now. Drink 2024-2029- 90

2020 Category 5 ‘Dineen Vineyard’ Cabernet Franc- The 2020 Category 5 ‘Dineen Vineyard’ Cabernet Franc shows straightforward blackberry and black cherry notes with bay leaf and scorched earthy accents on the palate. Enjoy now. Drink 2024-2029- 90

Dineen

2021 Dineen Cabernet Franc- Showing good freshness, the 2021 Dineen Cabernet Franc is very herbal and is lacking a bit in terms of mid-palate richness considering the warmth of the vintage. Green bell pepper and chocolate notes with tart wild blackberry notes alongside good structure complete this wine. Drink 2024-2030- 89

Esja

2022 Esja Cabernet Franc- The juicy and very approachable 2022 Esja Cabernet Franc offers black plum and red cherry notes with good tension on the palate, with salty mineral accents. Medium-bodied, enjoy now and over the next few years. Drink 2024-2030- 90

Maryhill

2021 Maryhill ‘Elephant Mountain Vineyards’ Cabernet Franc- This 2021 Cabernet Franc shows a smooth texture with good structure and medium-bodied red fruit flavors with citrus rind accents. Soft and approachable, enjoy now. Drink 2024-2030- 90

Nota Bene

2020 Nota Bene ‘Dineen Vineyard’ Cabernet Franc- The 2020 Nota Bene ‘Dineen Vineyard’ Cabernet Franc offers creosote and bright red cherry with red bell pepper on the palate. Enjoy now. Drink 2024-2027- 87

2018 Nota Bene ‘Dineen Vineyard’ Cabernet Franc- Drinking nicely now, the 2018 Nota Bene ‘Dineen Vineyard’ Cabernet Franc is soft and supple on the mouth with a smooth texture. Medium-bodied red and dark fruits parade with chocolate and herbal accents. This is already nicely evolved stuff to savor now. Drink 2024-2029- 91

Pine Lake

2021 Pine Lake ‘Two Blondes Vineyard’ Cabernet Franc- The 2021 ‘Two Blondes Vineyard’ Cabernet Franc delivers dense creme de violette, ash and tar notes alongside black currants and fresh sage. Drink 2024-2028- 85

Pearl And Stone

2021 Pearl And Stone ‘Reserve’ Cabernet Franc- The 2021 ‘Reserve’ Cabernet Franc comes from the Pollard Vineyard in the Yakima Valley. It is a seamless, beautifully-textured effort that is drinking exquisitely right now. Orange bell pepper flavors combine with salty minerals, milk chocolate shavings and shades of espresso grounds on the palate. Really complex, well-weighted and speaking true to this warm vintage, enjoy now and over the next ten to fifteen years. Drink 2024-2036- 93

Pollard

2019 Pollard ‘Pollard Vineyard’ Cabernet Franc- The Pollard Vineyard is set in the upper Yakima Valley of Washington State was planted under the management of Patrick Rawn of Two Mountain Winery.  This vineyard is densely planted at 2400 plants per acre. This is dark in the glass, offering violets, tar and tobacco leaf on the nose alongside wet stone accents. The palate is soft and seamless with good elegance and underlying verve. Medium to full-bodied, enjoy now and over the next ten years to come. Drink 2024-2034- 93

Pondera

2020 Pondera ‘Dineen Vineyard’ Cabernet Franc- The 2020 Pondera ‘Dineen Vineyard’ Cabernet Franc shows milk chocolate and bright loganberry fruit flavors that combine with salty soils on the palate. Medium to full-bodied, and a touch sweet, enjoy now and over the next few years. Drink 2024-2029- 89

Silver Bell

2021 Silver Bell Cabernet Franc- The 2021 Silver Bell Cabernet Franc offers a smooth texture with tart red fruits that mingle well with shades of red licorice and baking spices. Enjoy now and over the next few years. Drink 2024-2030- 90

Two Mountain

2019 Two Mountain ‘Brothers Reserve’ Cabernet Franc- The soft and approachable 2019 Two Mountain ‘Brothers Reserve’ Cabernet Franc offers a smooth texture on the approach. Red cherry and boysenberry fruit flavors combine with salty soils on the palate. This is really nice stuff made in a difficult vintage for Bordeaux varietals. Drink 2024-2030- 90

2021 Two Mountains ‘Reserve’ Cabernet Franc- The 2021 ‘Reserve’ comes from the Copeland Vineyard. Coming off soft, this delivers violets and black cherry notes with plenty of finesse on the palate. Elegant, enjoy now and over the next eight years. Drink 2024-2032- 91

Van Arnam

2018 Van Arnam ‘Estate Reserve’ Cabernet Franc- Delicious and bold, the 2018 Van Arnam ‘Estate Reserve’ Cabernet Franc offers rich dark fruits with shades of potpourri and shades of salty soils on the palate. Delicious now, enjoy over the next eight plus years. Drink 2024-2032- 92

Whitman Hills

2020 Whitman Hills Cabernet Franc- The 2020 Whitman Hills Cabernet Franc comes off soft on the mouth with tar and bright red fruits alongside sandalwood notes. Medium to full-bodied, enjoy now. Drink 2024-2027- 88

Jacob Williams

2023 Jacob Williams Rose- This 2023 Cabernet Franc-based Rose offers guava and peach notes on the palate with a smooth texture. Slightly sweet, enjoy now. Drink 2024-2028- 89

Cattleya

Winemaker Bibiana Gonzalez Rave has a great story in wine. She immersed herself into French culture, moving to France and in 2001 earning a BTS degree in Viticulture and Enology from Cognac followed by a degree in Enology from the University of Bordeaux. She worked at Domaine Stéphane Ogier, then at Domaine Clusel-Roch. At the famed estates of Château Haut-Brion & La Mission Haut-Brion, I completed research for her thesis. She then worked for other family-owned wine producers in Burgundy, Alsace, and Cognac before moving to California. The winery name is inspired by the Cattleya Trinae, an epiphytic orchid that grows abundantly throughout Colombia. It is the national flower as Bibiana is originally from Medellin in Columbia.

The wines are really good across the board. I really enjoyed the 2023 Alma de Catteya Rose (OB, 90) which is delicate and juicy. A delicious, warm vintage Pinot, the 2022 Cattleya ‘Russian River Valley’ Pinot Noir (OB, 92) offers the classic cola tones while having good underlying acidity. Learn more about these wines at https://cattleyawines.com/ and here are my reviews of the new Cattleya wines.

2023 Alma de Catteya Rose- Pale in the glass, this 2023 Rose shows off delicate red fruits with crushed red flowers and suggestions of white tea. The palate is soft with copious minerals. 100% Pinot Noir. Drink now. Drink 2024-2028- 90

2023 Alma de Catteya ‘Sonoma County’ Sauvignon Blanc- A really delicious wine from 2023, this 2023 Sauvignon Blanc offers a smooth texture with juicy kiwi and cantaloupe flavors alongside copious minerals. Really nice in terms of body and flavor density, enjoy over the next few years. Drink 2024-2030- 91

2022 Catteya ‘Cuvee Number Five’ Chardonnay- Sourced from the Sonoma Coast AVA, the 2022 Catteya ‘Cuvee Number Five’ Chardonnay is beautifully textured stuff with juicy pear and vanilla cream notes on the palate, offering good weight and poise from this warm vintage. Unabashedly big and showing good salty nuances, enjoy now and over the next six years. Drink 2024-2030- 92

2022 Cattleya ‘Sonoma Coast’ Pinot Noir- Juicy red plum and black raspberry mark the nose on this 2022 Pinot Noir. Salty accents and bright red fruits combine with citrus peel on the palate. Enjoy now and over the next few years. Drink 2024-2030- 91

2022 Cattleya ‘Russian River Valley’ Pinot Noir- A gorgeous wine that exudes Sonoma character from this very warm vintage, the 2022 Cattleya ‘Russian River Valley’ Pinot Noir delivers rich bing cherry and cola notes on the palate, with a smooth texture and good sense of length. Enjoy now and over the next six to eight years. Drink 2024-2032- 92

2022 Alma de Catteya ‘Sonoma County’ Pinot Noir- This offers straightforward juicy red currants and strawberry flavors with a dusting of sea salt. Medium-bodied and a touch sweet, enjoy over the next few years. Drink 2024-2029- 89

2022 Alma de Catteya ‘Napa Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2022 Alma de Catteya ‘Napa Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon delivers anise and dark currants on the nose with loamy soils and shades of black licorice. The palate is juicy and rich with sweetened black fruit flavors. A bit out of balance, enjoy over the next few years. Drink 2024-2030- 89

St. Innocent

You might not know that St. Innocent was originally going to be a sparkling wine-based winery. In fact, marking sparkling wines was the original idea for the winery. St. Innocent owner and winemaker Mark Vlossak worked as a physician’s assistant and during his medical training in Colorado. He and his best friend would drink sparkling wines and champagnes on the weekend. He was inspired to eventually make sparkling wines. He stated “I was drinking champagne and buying Bordeaux futures. We went to some amazing tastings and one was a tete d’.cuvee tasting. Another was a vintage Krug tasting which blew my mind. My mother always liked champagne more than still wines and one of my birth wines, a bottle of ’52 Haut Brion and drank that when I was 21. I had a case of Chateauneuf du Pape from ’52. My dad collected this before Robert Parker was into this region.” His father eventually worked as a French wine importer “And he bought German Mosels and Rheingaus and they were the wines that I drank as a kid. My dad bought all the great GG wines from the great producers and I was drinking this stuff in its youth.”

In March 1983 he was inspired to make wine based on his experiences with top champagne. For five years he learned how to make sparkling wines, taking UC Davis enology and viticulture extension classes, learning from legends like Mark Cleaver. “Everybody was there because this was a post-masters level update on the new research and how it affected what was going on” he said. For years he took those classes and Mark also worked in a vineyard, the people who started Seven Springs. He apprenticed for two years with the first person in Orgon to make sparkling wines, Fred Arterbury, who made sparkling wine and Pinot Noir. Fred was the first person to be on Wine Spectator’s Top 20 wines of the year for his 1985 Marsh Vineyard Pinot Noir. “I learned his incredible way to make Pinot Noir” he said. “He was the fist person to use significant amounts of Freedom Hill and that was their first years of making Pinot Noir. From this site it was ripe enough but it had well-developed tannin structure and nice acidity and it took me more than a decade to figure out why.” Vlossak made Chardonnay from this site “Because it got ripe and it had nice acidity. I called it ‘Reserve’ in the early years.”

Vlossak wanted to make wines that “Tastes like the place rather than someone’s idea of Pinot Noir.’ He has been making sparkling wines for many years but they have been only on the retail market for the past several years. “I wanted to make sparkling wine that had a flavor profile that spoke to the source and vintage.” He mentioned that he initially was selling his hand-made and hand-riddled sparkling wines for 15 dollars USD. In 2000 he said that he didn’t want to make the sparkling wines anymore. He stated “you make a base wine and then age it on its lees for nine months and build more texture than you have in the bottle. Then I was aging for three years which is align with the French rules in Champagne. People in Oregon were making the wines and then selling after 18 months. But that doesn’t work because it didn’t have the texture.” A visit to France in 1998 inspired him to start making sparkling wines again. He said “Stayed at this woman’s house for four days and she asked me to go to lunch. Rapidly this becomes very awkward because I was sitting alone and she and her girlfriend were sitting on high chairs basically watching me eat. She says that her son makes champagne and I have gone to my heroes, Paul Barra, Moet, Ruinart.” He said “She pours this wine in my glass and I am expecting something that is not a lot. Put the glass to my nose, taste the wine and it is like I have been drinking Gallo all week. I was like ‘who is your son?’ And she says ‘Ansolm Selosse’ and I don’t know who this is.” He went to visit Selosse “And there are all these loading docks, farmers warehouses and I have no idea where I am going. I see these journalists and we are going to this old wooden warehouse that has heavy pine floors. I walk in and in the middle of the room is two rows of barrels. All lined up except those in the mlddle. We started tasting the base wines and I had them lined up with the magnetic direction of the earth.” He talks about his compost program “And this is not a normal compost and there are shredded bags and wooden things and this is crazy. Yeah it seems like they have garbage everywhere. We get in this rusty elevator, holes in the bottom of the elevator and it is chalk. Go through the chalk layers, there are four levels. Get out and taste wines and by the time I am going to the bottom one he is pulling out his vintage. I don’t care if I die because I am in heaven.” He made sparkling wines in 1998 and 1999 and then he realizes “That I can make sparkling wine as well as they do in champagne. I say that what I really want to do is make vintage Selosse.”

He was inspired to make great wines like Selosse and aged a wine for six years, from 2006 and 2007 vintages. He tastds the wines in 2014 and 2015 “And I realized that this is not what I wanted. People like it but there are 96 cases and my wife likes it but I am not thrilled with it.” He said “Now I know what I want to do. I want to make this wine this way and I want to make this blanc de blancs and I don’t have access to the grapes. I want to make a Brut, do that for a few vintages and then transition to blanc de blancs. I am going to plant a dedicated region at my block for Pinot Noir where it rolls off to the northeast and it has more shade. If I plant Dijon clone on a late ripening stock then I can do it. We planted about 1.2 acres and then filled in the space with Riesling above it.”

Mark is fully focused on making world-class sparkling wines again. I have really enjoyed the past few releases that he has done. A fabulous wine for the price, the 2020 St. Innocent ‘Cremant de Innocent’ Sparkling Wine (OB, 92) is bright and shows great tension with good nuance. Even better is the fabulous 2018 St. Innocent Blanc de Blancs Sparkling Wine (OB, 94) which is deep and concentrated, showing the warmth of the vintage. Learn more about the great wines of St. Innocent at https://stinnocentwine.com/ and here are my reviews of the new wines by St. Innocent.

2020 St. Innocent ‘Cremant de Innocent’ Sparkling Wine- The beautiful Cremant de Innocent is 100% Pinot Blanc from the Freedom Hill Vineyard. This spent 27 months en tirage. Right away shows a silky mouse with bright pear, kiwi and starfruit flavors alongside macadamia nut notes. Soft and refined with beautiful effervescence, enjoy now and over the next few years. Drink 2024-2030- 92

2020 St. Innocent ‘Cremant de Innocent’ Rose Sparkling Wine- The brilliant 2020 St. Innocent ‘Cremant de Innocent’ Rose Sparkling Wine is very pure and pretty in terms of bright red fruits with strawberry and pomegranate seed alongside shades of salty minerals. Showing a soft mousse, this is brilliant stuff that will also age gracefully. Drink 2024-2034- 93

2018 St. Innocent Blanc de Blancs Sparkling Wine- (Disgorged Feb 2024) This spent 51 months en tirage and comes from the Freedom Hill Vineyard. A golden color, this offers serious ripeness with citrus oil alongside ripe melon, oyster shell and shades of marzipan on the palate. Showing serious weight and viscosity, this is a stunning wine that has a long way to go. Drink 2024-2034- 94

2023 Not So Innocent ‘Grauburgunder’ Pinot Gris- Coming from the Momtazi vineyard, this Rose colored wine offers orange blossom on the nose alongside guava and red cherry notes. The palate is fresh and neatly textured with a touch of sweetness. This shows nice weight from the extended skin contact. Drink 2024-2029- 91

2023 St. Innocent ‘Oeil de perdrix’ White Pinot Noir- This is white Pinot Noir from the Momtazi Vineyard. This is very impressively textured stuff with melon, Yakima cherry and salty minerals alongside damp soils on the palate. Fresh and neatly textured, don’t serve too cold. Drink 2024-2030- 93

2018 St. Innocent ‘777’ Pinot Noir- This was a single clone and single vineyard wine coming from the Freedom Hill Vineyard, made from winemaker Mark Vlossak’s five best barrels. It comes off rich and layered with black truffle shavings, sea salt dusted black cherry and marionberry pie. The palate is lush and ripe with serious texture and weight. A joy to consume now, this is drinking marvelously right now, offering serious weight and length. Drink 2024-2038- 95

2018 St. Innocent ‘Terrace Block’ Shea Vineyard- This wine comes from the Terrace Block as this 2018 Pinot Noir was stored in 33% new French oak before bottling. Made from three barrels, this delivers garrigue and beautiful red fruits on the nose alongside pink grapefruit blossom accents. The palate is refined and elegant with serious texture, length and salty essence from the marine sedimentary soils with sand underneath the vines. Fabulous right now, this beauty still has a long way to go in the cellar. Drink 2024-2036- 95

Bollinger 2015 ' La Grande Année' Champagne

Today we share one of the great champagnes of the world, the new edition of ‘La Grande Année’ by Champagne Bollinger. I was able to taste this wine on several occasions last week and it is a total knockout champagne that is drinking remarkably well despite its obvious youth.

Bollinger is one of the great, historic houses of its region. It is an amazing place to visit. Founded back in 1829 in Ay by Hennequin de Villermont, Paul Renaudin and Jacques Bollinger. Today the house continues to be run by members of the Bollinger family. This house has been particularly popular in Britain as Bollinger Champagnes have been come to be known as “Bolly”. It is quite amazing that Bollinger dates back to 1585 when the Hennequins, one of the Bollinger founding families, owned land nearby. Before the Bollinger house was founded, in the 18th century the Villermont family made wine and then 1750, Villermont settled in the location 16 rue Jules Lobet, which would eventually become the head office for Bollinger. Bollinger received a Royal Warrant in 1884 from Queen Victoria which still appears on their label.

Following the death of Jacques Bollinger in 1941, Lily Bollinger took over the brand and expanded production considerably. Since 1994, Ghislain de Mongolfier has managed Bollinger. A great-grandson of the founder, Mongolfier has also served as president of the Association Viticole Champenoise since 2004, after leading the Commission of Champagne for 10 years. Bollinger has had roles in many James Bond films, including the 1973 film Live and Let Die  where Bond asks for a bottle of Bollinger entering his hotel. In the 1985 film A View to a Kill James Bond notes that his champagne is ‘Bollinger 1975.’

Bollinger produces a great range of Champagnes and is probably best known for their ‘Special Cuvee’ Champagne that is Pinot Noir dominant and includes reserve wines that are up to fifteen years of age. The outstanding 2015 Bollinger La Grande Année’ Champagne (OB, 95) is a stunner that is rich and deep from this warm vintage. Learn more about this famed Champagne house at https://www.champagne-bollinger.com Here is my review of the beautiful new 2015 La Grande Année by Champagne Bollinger.

2015 Champagne Bollinger ‘La Grande Année’ Champagne- A total stunner, the 2015 ‘La Grande Année’ speaks to the warmth of the vintage with its richness and primary fruit character. Once on then one this takes on shades of honey and wildflowers alongside rich melon and citrus rind fruit aromatics that all take shape in the glass. The palate is dense and big with refined effervescence and a glorious sense of weight. This gorgeous champagne will easily clear for another fifteen to twenty years. Drink 2024-2040- 95

Cellar Selection: 2004 Charles Heidseick 'Blanc de Millénaires' Champagne

Today I share a wine that I opened from my cellar. Truly one of the outstanding Champagnes of the world, the ‘Blanc de Millenaires’ is a Chardonnay wine that is aged for at least a decade before disgorgement. The house Charles Heidseick has an amazing history.  The founder Charles Camille Heidsieck worked as a French Champagne merchant and founded his namesake house back in 1851. He played a large part of growing Champagne in the United States and was known as "Champagne Charlie" for his influence. Amazingly during the Civil War he was placed in jail for a suspicion of being a spy and this was an international incident between France and the US known as the Heidseick Incident.

This house did not produce a tete de cuvee until 1993 when they launched their 1983 Blanc de Millenaires. My 2004 was a remarkable achievement at 20 years of age and a rare one at that as just over 1,000 standard-sized bottles of the Blanc des Millénaires 2004 were imported into the U.S.

This wine comes from five villages, one Premier Cru and four Grands Crus make up this champagne: Vertus, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Oger, Avize and Cramant. This wine was disgorged in November 2017 after spending 13 years on the lees and is only the fifth edition of this wine (1983, 1985, 1990 and 1995). For a special occasion Champagne this would be an amazing wine — one at peak maturity. Learn more at https://charlesheidsieck.com/en and here is my review of the stunning 2004 Charles Heidseick ‘Blanc de Millenaires’ Champagne.

2004 Charles Heidseick ‘Blanc de Millenaires’ Champagne- A world-class wine, the incredible 2004 Charles Heidseick ‘Blanc de Millenaires’ Champagne is a remarkable achievement showing off the warmth of this vintage. It is rich and nutty now, with a seamless texture and deft effervescence that remains intact. Rich melon and kumquat fruits collide with flinty minerals and candied ginger on the palate. A total stunner, enjoy now and over the next eight years. Drink 2024-2032- 96

Review: British Airways First Class Seattle to London

Travel insiders always insist that British Airways First Class is the best Business Class flight in the sky. I’ve found that long haul on British Airways First Class to be consistently great and a better product than BA Business Class. British First service on my last four trips has been exemplary and food options also have been very good. Sure, there are some areas that deserve some improvement and I have had many flying friends complain about seat malfunctions. But for me, I have found British First to be consistently great.

Famed salt and pepper squid at Qantas First Lounge, LAX.

I began my journey in the posh Qantas First Lounge in LAX. I then travelled to Seattle and gate S10 there after some time in the relatively poor British Airways First Lounge in Seattle. Champagne selections in the Seattle BA First Lounge are not great [currently Piper Heidseick NV] but there are some decent wines available including Ferrari-Carano Chardonnay. Food in the lounge has also improved in terms of their a la carte menu.

Boarding was easy as I made my way to seat 2F. First Class was entirely full and I had caught a glimpse of the new champagne upon board, the 2015 Bollinger ‘La Grand Annee’ which retails for roughly 200 USD. The top champagne really did make this flight.

Many people are upset that the Laurent-Perrier ‘Grand Siecle’ Champagne is now gone. The edition that they were formerly pouring was their 24 ed. which was good but didn’t come from the best vintages. I really enjoy the three options that BA are currently pouring — truly one of the great champagne and sparkling wine options in the skies. The English sparkling wine by Haltingley is amazing as well which I enjoyed later in the flight.

BA seats in First are spacious, being wide for nearly all humans including 78 inches in length — which was a great cavernous confine for my 6’5’’ frame. Seats are easily adjusted to a lay flat bed that was extremely cozy with the classy bedding selected. The leather arm rests offer good support as does the back of the seat. This is going to be an extremely comfortable seat for someone tall or overweight.

Each seat boasts a small to medium-sized storage locker behind the seat where small personal belongings could be stowed. There is also a small wardrobe on the right side of this photo. The simple bathroom was offered rather spartan aesthetics but features their great-smelling Elemis products.

BA First does an excellent job with their pre-flight service and drinks. I received my 2015 Bollinger ‘La Grand Ainee’ Champagne immediately with some mixed nuts.

Each seat in first has easy to use screens which were added back in 2023. They have a fun interactive map, great for AV geeks. I had to watch Tulsa Kings again on television as there are loads of entertainment options for every class of travel flying. I am not impressed with the headphone quality in first which could be better. Charging stations were easy to use.

Throughout my flight I had marvelous, attentive service. Some of my flying friends have noted that British First does not always have exemplary service but I have found that in my past four First flights the service has been really top notch. All First flight attendants have additional training for their guests. We were given amenity kits, pajamas and slippers that are really nicely made by Temperly

We flew over my hometown of Everett, Washington. The monitor has decent resolution which has improved considerably over the past few years and is very easy to use.

It was a hard choice for my meal but there were some really nice selections. I was fortunate that despite the cabin being entirely full they had all of my food choices.

The smoked salmon selection was delicious and I really enjoyed the quail eggs. This was a lovely match for the top champagne. I also opted for the roasted carrot soup which was served piping hot and had some lovely chive oil blended in. This was a great healthy selection with no cream.

These were great starts to my experience. Service was excellent during the dining and cadence was not too rushed. I finished with the halibut which was a bit bland and well-cooked but extremely healthy. I was hoping for a bit more sauce and savory elements.

It is very hard to cook fish on a flight and this fish was actually quite moist. It was just missing a bit of sauce. Now it is time for the real star of the show, the cheese plate. These were absolutely delightful selections that paired magically with my aged Bordeaux from the tough 2011 vintage. This wine was now in its prime and was extremely mellow and earthy — perfect or some earthy cheeses.

I adore wines when they are served right at their peak. Such is the case with this wine. BA has really taken on excellent work with their wine program that has improved significantly in the past few years in terms of finding really good, aged Bordeauxs for their long-haul first flights. This is a touch that you won’t see in business class.

I happily enjoyed more of the 2015 ‘La Grand Annee’ Champagne. BA first does a fabulous turndown service which I indulged in. I also enjoyed a glass of the 250 USD retail Johnny Walker Blue Label Scotch. I was able to get some good rest on the flight.

Upon waking I ordered an espresso and a full English breakfast which was generally good. Service prior to landing was very efficient. We prepared for landing and I was relatively well-rested after several hours of sleep. I eagerly awaited visiting with my friend in the famed Concorde Room at Terminal 5 in London Heathrow.

It isn’t a perfect product but British Airways has once again delivered a really solid First Class embodies which embodies excellent food and wine and really world-class service. Attendants are engaging and care about your needs. This was such a beautiful departure to service that I receive from other US airlines where flight attendants usually can’t seem to be bothered. I really look forward to my next First Class adventure aboard British Airways.

Liminal

Today we share a truly unique Washington house that utilizes grapes from the famed WeatherEye Vineyard (https://www.weathereyevineyard.com). This incredible site is set on the windswept ridgeline of Red Mountain in Washington State and is planted to 30 acres of Rhône, Bordeaux, and Spanish varieties. This is absolutely extreme terroir. The vineyard ranges from 950’ to 1410’ of elevation, and has extreme slopes and soils ranging from dune sand to fractured bedrock basalt. Ryan Johnson serves as vineyard manager, having previously managed the esteemed Ciel du Cheval Vineyard for 15 years. Ryan farms this vineyard meticulously and wines from this site have a very wild appearance from the sagebrush, rabbitbrush and yarrow as well as many other native plants that can be found amongst the vines. It is incredible how the nuances of these plants can come into the wines.

You are overwhelmed by the rustic and wild character from the underbrush and surrounding plants in the wines. I was enamored by the fall releases and the spring 2024 releases are nothing short of world-class. One of the outstanding Washington Viogniers on the retail market, the 2022 Liminal Viognier (OB, 95) is bold and dazzles with its depth and flavor range. Learn more at https://www.liminalwine.com Here are the beautiful new wines by Liminal Wines.

2022 Liminal Viognier- Coming from the WeatherEye Vineyard this beautiful new 2022 Viognier comes from a parcel of land high atop Red Mountain. This is wonderfully textured stuff with honeysuckle water and hints of rosemary alongside rich honeydew melon and shades of juicy nectarine on the palate. Fresh and lithe with a smooth texture and great underlying tension, enjoy now and over the next eight plus years to come. Drink 2024-2032- 95

2022 Liminal Grenache- The 2022 Liminal Grenache is a dense and burly style of this varietal reminiscent of some of the newer vintages of Chateauneuf du Pape. Red cherry cordial, dried yarrow and sage and suggestions of smoldering earth all combine on the nose with Linzer torte accents. The palate is ultra-refined and elegant with serious texture and underlying tension. Salty and rich, enjoy this beautiful now now and over the next ten plus years to come. Drink 2024-2036- 96

2022 Liminal Syrah- The 2022 Liminal Syrah is a head-turning wine coming from the WeatherEye Vineyard. Once on the nose this takes on shades of boysenberry fruits drenched in oyster sauce with pulled pork shoulder alongside fresh thyme and beef drippings. The palate is beautifully balanced, in terms of depth, flavor range and texture, showing marvelous salty and savory character. A stunning wine to consume now, enjoy over the next ten plus years to come.  Drink 2024-2036- 96

2022 Liminal ‘The Barbarous Heart’ Red Wine- The 2022 ‘The Barbarous Heart’ is a Southern Rhone inspired blend of mainly Grenache (48%) and Mourvèdre (37%) with the remainder Syrah. Dried provencal herbs and crushed wildflowers mark the nose alongside heady dark fruits and smoked BBQ pork ribs. The palate is dense and finesse-laden with plenty of mouth-watering acidity. A total knockout, showcasing the pretty character of Grenache with the meaty essence of Mourvèdre, enjoy this beauty now and love the next twelve plus years. Drink 2024-2036- 96

Cellar Selection: 2012 King Estate 'Domaine' Pinot Gris

I have long had an affinity for great Oregon Pinot Gris. My love for this grape began more than twenty years ago, tasting the great wines of the Alsace and then also beautiful Oregon editions of this varietal. Great Gris will age well for decades and King Estate is a stalwart producer of this varietal — the largest producer in North America. Their entry level bottling is consistently good and their ‘Domaine’ Pinot Gris is amongst the finest you will taste in Oregon. Visiting the estate in August I had the chance to check in with their stunning 2012 ‘Domaine’ Pinot Gris.

2012 was a beautiful growing season after the more than challenging 2011 vintage. Ripening was rather slow in 2012 but this moderate year made beautifully astringent whites and reds that have been exceedingly age worthy. Learn more about these great Pinot Gris wines at kingestate.com and here is my review of the beautiful 2012 ‘Domaine’ Pinot Gris.

2012 King Estate ‘Domaine’ Pinot Gris- Uncorked after being purchased at the winery, the 2012 King Estate ‘Domaine’ Pinot Gris is a magical wine that shows the incredible aging potential of top-class Pinot Gris. Kiwi, cantaloupe and macadamia nut flavors combine with wonderful viscosity and underlying verve on the palate. This still has life ahead of it! Drink 2024-2030- 94

Burgess Cellars

It is my pleasure to share the story of Burgess Cellars — a Napa house with a fantastic history. This house began 1800s and then was purchased by Tom Burgess in the 1970s after the winery was with the Pillsbury company. For 42 harvests Bill Sorenson served as Burgess winemaker. The winery was then purchased in 2020 by Lawrence Wine Estates. Tasting with their CEO Carlton McCoy, MS, he explained “Loved the old Burgess wines that I really enjoyed. The winery came with a great library which was a blessing for us. We did a deep dive into the history and we learned about Bill and found out that he is still alive and works a few days a week for ETS. Nobody knew his pedigree and what he contributed to the valley. I met with Cathy Corrison and we peppered up a 1996 Magnum. Bill was an honest, quiet guy and we spent some time with him, learning about the vineyards and the Quartz Creek Vineyard.”

I found the new wines to be the best I had tasted from this house. Each were very black-fruit driven with good structure and refined tannins. McCoy and his team wanted to improve the overall quality of this house. He said “What does it look like to be a leader in Napa Valley viticulture right now? We own Chateau Lascombes and I don’t know if there is a region that coddles vines like we do here in the Napa Valley. The goal in viticulture is doing less and balancing things to diversity of plant material so it is naturally balanced each year. We took a deep dive into ancient farming techniques. Sometimes technology and science has pushed us away from the natural process of the vine.” He stated “We dug into the ancient viticulture on Arigultura Promiscua and this was a viticulture book written over a thousand years ago. How can we implement this? We are re-developing different blocks and how can we interplant different fruit trees and bring pollinators that can bring bio-diversity.”

The estate itself has roughly 150 different species of plants and trees. McCoy noted that the new vineyard plantings “Are thriving with the new work we are doing on the viticulture side.” I loved the 2021 Burgess ‘Quartz Creek’ Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 95) which was very concentrated and nervy, showing plenty of power and flavor range. Learn more about this outstanding house at https://www.burgesscellars.com/ and here are my reviews of the new releases by Burgess.

2021 Burgess ‘Promiscua’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2021 ‘Promiscua’ comes from three separate sites and is a homage to the Ancient Roman practice of Agricultura Promiscua. The wine comes from both the Sorenson and Quartz Creek Vineyards. This comes off nicely structured with dense blackberry and black cherry fruit flavors alongside coffee grounds and shades of dried herbs on the palate. Great now, enjoy over the next fifteen years to come. Drink 2024-2039- 93

2021 Burgess ‘Quartz Creek’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The outstanding 2021 Burgess ‘Quartz Creek’ Cabernet Sauvignon comes from this 50 acre parcel planted to Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon in the Oak Knoll District. Stored for 22 months in only 30% new French oak, this delivers tar, tobacco leaf and anise on the nose alongside heady dark fruits and pencil lead accents. The palate is nicely structured and fresh but shows excellent flavor density from the heat of the vintage. Powerful and muscular, give this a year or two to shed its baby fat. A beauty! Drink 2025-2040- 95

Castello di Amorosa

Today we share one of the beautiful travel destinations in the Napa Valley. Castello di Amorosa is a must visit for anyone interested in Tuscan history. The history dates back many years with Dario Stattui, who is is the great grandson of pioneering vintner Vittorio Sattui, an Italian immigrant who founded St. Helena Wine Cellars in 1885. The Sattui family lived at the winery, even after Prohibition closed the business in 1920.  Dario returned to the U.S. in 1972, with plans to re-open the family winery that had been dormant for more than 50 years. In 1975, he launched V. Sattui Winery in St. Helena. Then in 1993, and after decades of searching Dario finally found the ideal parcel — 171 acres near Calistoga where Colonel William Nash had planted one of California's first vineyards in 1846. Dario bought the property, which had acres of beautiful forest and hills, a stream and a lake, and a great Victorian home where he decided to settle. And the rest has been history.

The property is expansive and very scenic. The Castello was finally born using more than 8,000 tons of hand-chiseled local stone and nearly one million antique bricks imported from Europe to complete the construction. More than 200 containers of old materials and furnishings were shipped over from Europe to decorate the interior. The construction took 15 years and opened to the public on April 7, 2007.

Brooks Painter has served as director of winemaking since 2005 and Peter Valleno has been winemaker since 2014. The new wines have been consistently great over the past five plus years. I love the 2021 Castello di Amorosa ‘Il Rubino’ Pinot Noir (OB, 91) which is forward and juicy with good tension. Even better is the outstanding 2022 Castello di Amorosa ‘Morning Dew Ranch’ Pinot Noir (OB, 93) which shows some nice cellaring potential and has marvelous damp earth tones. Learn more about this beautiful winery at https://castellodiamorosa.com and here are my reviews of the outstanding new Castello di Amorosa wines.

2021 Castello di Amorosa ‘Il Rubino’ Pinot Noir- Forward and juicy, the 2021 ‘Il Rubino’ offers bright pomegranate seed and Bing cherry flavors alongside salty soils and orange peel notes. Medium bodied and delicious, enjoy now and over the next few years. Drink 2024-2030- 91

2021 Castello di Amorosa ‘Anderson Valley’ Pinot Noir- Wonderfully earthy, the 2021 Castello di Amorosa ‘Anderson Valley’ Pinot Noir delivers a smooth texture with layers of boysenberry and wild blackberry fruit flavors that mingle well with salty soils and shades of peat moss. Medium to full-bodied, enjoy now and over the next eight years. Drink 2024-2032- 92

2022 Castello di Amorosa ‘Morning Dew Ranch’ Pinot Noir- A stunning wine that is deep, concentrated and finesse-laden, the 2022 ‘Morning Dew Ranch’ comes from this cool site in the Anderson Valley. Rich coffee grounds and cola notes combine with damp soils and suggestions of wild blackberry on the palate. Full-bodied and beautifully textured, enjoy now and over the next ten years. Drink 2024-2034- 93

2022 Castello di Amorosa ‘Terra de Promissio’ Pinot Noir- The outstanding 2022 Castello di Amorosa ‘Terra de Promissio’ Pinot Noir-comes from this maritime influenced vineyard in the Sonoma Coast AVA. This is wonderfully salty Pinot Noir that offers cran-cola and black cherry flavors on the palate, bursting with underlying finesse and a smooth mouthfeel. Full-bodied, enjoy now and over the next ten plus years. Drink 2024-2034- 93

2023 Castello di Amorosa ‘Terra de Promissio’ Pinot Noir- Really young and lithe, the 2023 Castello di Amorosa ‘Terra de Promissio’ Pinot Noir shows some serious potential from this slightly colder vintage. The freshness is outstanding as layers of teaberry and cran-orange mark the palate alongside smoky accents. Very savory and salty, from this novel part of the world, enjoy over the next ten years. Drink 2024-2034- 92

2023 Castello di Amorosa ‘Cresta D’Oro Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The ‘Cresta D’Oro Vineyard’ is set in the Green Valley as this PINot Noir utilizes clone 115, 777 and Pommard 4 clonal selections. The palate is dense and decadent with a racy minerality. Cola and pomegranate seed flavors combine with shades of Yakima cherry and copious minerals on the palate. A joy to consume even now, watch this evolve over the next twelve years. Drink 2024-2036- 94

2020 Castello di Amorosa Sangiovese- The 2020 Castello di Amorosa Sangiovese offers a smooth mouthfeel with tart red fruits that mingle well with shades of worn leather and cardamom on the palate. Enjoy now and over the next few years. Drink 2024-2029- 90

2021 Castello di Amorosa Sangiovese- A gorgeous wine from this warm vintage, the 2021 Sangiovese comes off bold and rich with refined tannins and a seamless sense of mouthfeel. Blood orange and pomegranate seed flavors combine with suggestions of dill and baking spices. Smooth and soft, enjoy now and over the next eight to ten years. Drink 2024-2032- 92

2020 Castello di Amorosa ‘Zingaro’ Zinfandel- The 2020 ‘Zingaro’ comes from old vine Zinfandel vineyards that neighbor the coast. This shows strawberry jam and red currants alongside salty soils on the palate. Drink 2024-2028- 89

2019 Castello di Amorosa ‘Quattro’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2019 ‘Quattro’ comes from four sites across the Napa Valley. This is delicious Cabernet Sauvignon that shows off black cherry and bay leaf on the palate alongside red bell pepper and espresso grounds. Medium bodied, enjoy now and over the next ten plus years. Drink 2024-2034- 92

2015 Castello di Amorosa ‘Il Barone’ Cabernet Sauvignon- Powerful and dense, the 2015 Castello di Amorosa ‘Il Barone’ shows decadent cassis, anise and dark chocolate flavors alongside soft tannins and graphite undertones. Full-bodied and intense, this has at least another decade of life in the cellar. Drink 2021-2033- 92

2018 Castello di Amorosa ‘Rutherford’ Cabernet Sauvignon- A beautiful wine from a really good vintage, the 2018 Castello di Amorosa ‘Rutherford’ Cabernet Sauvignon is a fabulous effort from winemaker Brooks Painter. On the nose this takes on cassis and molten chocolate notes alongside espresso grounds and shades of potpourri. The palate is plush and rich, loaded with a core of black fruit flavors. Generous and delicious, enjoy now and over the next ten plus years. Drink 2024-2036- 93

2019 Castello di Amorosa ‘Diamond Mountain District’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2019 ‘Diamond Mountain District’ has a small portion Petite Verdot and Malbec blended in. Stored for two months in French oak barrels this delivers dusty soils alongside wet stone, black currants and violet rose petals on the nose. The palate is soft and elegant with a silky texture and great sense of weight and balance. A glorious effort, enjoy now and over the next fifteen years to come. Drink 2024-2039- 94