Beatus

Today we share the brilliant wine of Beatus which is a magical collaboration between winemaker Todd Alexander and Anne-Charlotte of Chateau de la Font Du Loup. Anne-Charlotte Mélia Bachas is the fourth generation winemaker in the Mélia family. Soils at this 20 hectare site are quite diverse, having a large portion of sand and also cobblestone material. The stones range considerably in size here, from small pebbles to larger cobblestones.

Todd Alexander has crated another ebullient wine here. The 2023 Beatus Chateauneuf du Pape (OB, 96) is dense and shows a fantastic purity of red fruits. This is hedonistic and highly pleasurable stuff that shows beautiful salty accents and depth. Learn more about these wines at https://beatuswine.com/ and here is my review of the 2023 Beatus Chateauneuf du Pape.

2023 Beatus Chateauneuf du Pape- A stunning wine from the 2023 vintage, this Beatus comes from the Chateau de la Font Du Loup estate vineyard. A dizzying nose greets you with red rose petals and potpourri notes alongside tobacco leaf, worn leather and salted red currants. The palate is fresh and viscous with terrific viscosity and freshness. This is seamless throughout the drinking experience, with bright red fruits and salted Mandarin orange zest, alongside stony nuances. Enjoy this delicious, tension-filled Chateauneuf and over the next ten plus years. Drink 2025-2038- 96

Turnstile Cellars

Today we turn our attention to a brand new winery out of Sonoma. I have never had these wines and was massively impressed with the winemaking here. The Chardonnays have a beginning, middle and end — and quite frankly all end with glorious length. They are dense and heady but also possess a weightless quality.

Formerly with Rivers-Marie, winemaker Jidhin Ramankutty packed his bags and moved to California to pursue winemaking. His new wines are sensational. I love the 2024 Turnstile ‘Confluere’ Chardonnay (OB, 94) which is very heady and dense stuff, with terrific freshness. Learn more at https://turnstilecellars.com/ and here are my reviews of the new Turnstile wines.

2024 Turnstile ‘Saisei’ Chardonnay- The 2024 ‘Saisei’ comes from the Purrington Rued Vineyard. This comes off soft and velvety on the palate, offering dense pineapple and mango notes that collide with vanilla cream and buttered French bread. This is seriously delicious stuff in its heady youth. Drink 2025-2033- 93

2024 Turnstile ‘White Dragonfly’ Chardonnay- The 2024 ‘White Dragonfly’ was sourced from a range of sites across Sonoma County. Salted cantaloupe and brioche tones combine with shortbread notes on the palate. Rich and viscous, with good underlying freshness, length and salty nuances, enjoy now and over the next six plus years. Drink 2025-2031- 93

2024 Turnstile ‘Confluere’ Chardonnay- The 2024 ‘Confluere’ was sourced from the Scopus Vineyard on Sonoma Mountain. This is a dense and heady effort, loaded with intense tropical fruits, alongside vanilla creme brûlée and hints of ginger. Full-bodied, showing great depth, freshness and a lengthy finish, enjoy this beauty now and over the next decade. Drink 2025-2035- 94

Adelsheim

We focus our attention to one of Oregon’s historic wineries, dating back to 1971. Adelsheim’s roots began in the north of the Willamette Valley in the Chehalem Mountains AVA. Visionary David Adelsheim had previously worked in Beaune as well as The Eyrie Vineyards before starting his own winery in Oregon. Having spent time in Burgundy, he saw the potential for producing Pinot Noir in Oregon.

Today Adelsheim now owns nearly 200 acres of land, with 180 acres of vineyards as they produce a brilliant range of wines — from Rose to stony Pinot Noir. Vineyard sites range from high elevation to low elevation, as well as volcanic and sedimentary soils.

At the helm is their talented winemaker, Gina Hennen, who in former years worked as semiconductor engineer for seven years in both Oregon and Dublin, Ireland. A former graduate of Reed College, Gina moved back to the Pacific Northwest to focus on winemaking.

I love the new wines. Check out the 2022 Adelsheim ‘Breaking Ground’ Chardonnay (OB, 93) which is marvelously viscous and fresh. I adored the new 2022 Adelsheim ‘Ribbon Springs Vineyard’ Pinot Noir (OB, 95) which has amazing purity of red fruits. Learn more about these beautiful new releases at http://www.adelsheim.com Here are the excellent new release wines by Adelsheim. 

2017 Adelshiem ‘Blanc de Blancs’ Sparkling Wine- Coming from the Bryan Creek Vineyard, the 2017 Adelshiem ‘Blanc de Blancs’ Sparkling Wine delivers juicy melon and peaches on the palate with citrus zest dusted brioche notes. Rich and full, with an elegant mousse, enjoy now and over the next eight to ten years. Drink 2025-2033- 94

2019 Adelsheim ‘Brut Rose’ Sparkling Wine- The 2019 ‘Brut Rose’ stands with a beautiful salmon hue in the glass. On the nose this takes on cran-pomegranate and orange zest aromatics with red rose petals and shades of yellow plum. The palate is wonderfully dense with a smooth mouthfeel. This is powerful stuff, showing good richness alongside loads of salty minerals. Drink 2025-2033- 93

2024 Adelsheim Rose- Made from Willamette Valley Pinot Noir grapes, this 2024 Rose shows bright red fruits, with starfruit and citrus rind accents. Enjoy now. Drink 2025-2030- 90

2021 Adelsheim ‘Willamette Valley’ Chardonnay-  An excellent edition of this entry level bottling, the 2023 ’Willamette Valley’ Chardonnay shows pear and banana bread flavors that meld well with sea salt dusted green apple. Lively and fresh, showing a smooth texture and bright underlying acidity, enjoy now. Drink 2025-2031-91

2022 Adelsheim ‘Breaking Ground’ Chardonnay- The outstanding 2022 ‘Breaking Ground’ Chardonnay comes from the Chehalem Mountain AVA. It is soft and delicious stuff to consume now, with its core of melon fruits alongside French bread and salty nuances. Full and fat on the tongue, enjoy now and over the next eight plus years. Don’t serve too cold! Drink 2025-2033- 93

2022 Adelsheim ‘Ribbon Springs Vineyard’ Chardonnay- Sourced from this Ribbon Ridge estate, the 2022 ‘Ribbon Springs Vineyard’ is a rich and viscous effort, loaded with dense melon and tropical fruit flavors, alongside a brisk sense of minerality on the palate. Full-bodied and delicious, enjoy now and over the next ten years. Drink 2025-2035- 94

2023 Adelsheim ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir- The 2023 ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir is a really nice value. It is soft and supple on the mouth with a terrific texture. Loaded with bright red and black fruits, this bears bay leaf and tobacco nuances on the palate. Fresh and also quite viscous, enjoy now. Drink 2025-2031- 91

2022 Adelsheim ‘Breaking Ground’ Pinot Noir- The 2022 ‘Breaking Ground’ is a tribute to the Chehalem Mountain AVA where Dick Adelshiem first planted back in 1978. The freshness is terrific as loganberry and red currant fruits collide with blood orange zest, black truffle shavings and damp earthy notes. Complex and delicious to consume now, watch this evolve over the next ten years. Drink 2025-2035- 93

2022 Adelsheim ‘Ribbon Springs Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The Ribbon Springs Vineyard is the largest of the Adelsheim estate vineyards as this location is set on ancient marine sedimentary soils. Gorgeous red florals mark the nose alongside orange peel, menthol and shades of pomegranate seed. The palate is rich and viscous with amazing tension, texture and verve, as well as length. Generous and also showing good underlying freshness, enjoy now and over the next fifteen plus years to come. Drink 2025-2042- 95

2022 Adelsheim ‘Laurel Leaf Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The Laurel Leaf Vineyard is neighboring Bald Peak which is the highest point in the Willamette Valley and is set on Laurelwood soils. This 2022 Pinot Noir opens with wild blackberry and black raspberry notes on the nose with shades of peat moss and salted kumquat. The palate is smooth and refined with a terrific combination of texture and finesse. Enjoy this beauty now and over the next fifteen years. Drink 2025-2040- 95

2022 Adelsheim ‘Boulder Bluff Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The 2021 ‘Boulder Bluff’ Pinot Noir comes from this location that is set on a steep, southern aspect in the Chehalem Mountains AVA. It is fresh and viscous stuff, offering salmonberry and boysenberry flavors that combine with black tea and suggestions of crushed wet rock on the palate. This obviously has a long life ahead of it. Drink 2025-2040- 94

Review: British Airways First Class Seattle to London

It is always remarked my frequent flyers that British Airways First Class has the finest Business Class product in the sky. I do find that BA First Class is consistently better than BA Business Class which is also a very polished product — especially in the Club Suites. Service in British First is usually exemplary and food options also have been very good. Some of my close friends have had bad seats or broken flight entertainment systems. While this journey was definitely not my most memorable, having some spotty service issues, overall the experience was seriously good

I began my journey to London Heathrow in the newly revamped BA Seattle Lounge.

After a glass of NV Pol Roger Champagne I made my way to seat 2F which has been my favorite First Class seat on a non-A380. First Class was entirely full and I was eager to try their champagne upon board, the 2015 Bollinger ‘La Grande Annee’ which retails for roughly 200 USD. The top champagne really did make this flight.

I think some BA flyers are still disgruntled that Laurent-Perrier ‘Grand Siecle’ Champagne has been removed from the Concorde Room. I am super impressed with the wine list that they have which is arguably the most deep and richest range of sparkling wines on any flight. They had two top champagnes on the menu as well as a great English bubbles from 2014, their Nyetimber.

The First Class seats were updated by BA several years back but still give you a modern feel. They are comfortable and functional. They are also wide enough for nearly all humans and 78 inches in length — which creates comfort for my 6’5’’ frame. With a touch of a button they are 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 and the bedding they use with 400 thread count is lush and comfy. I prefer sitting in the second row as the first is closer to the galley.

I was immediately served some snacks and a glass of the incredible 2015 Bollinger ‘La Grande Annee’ Champagne. Each seat has a small compartment for a jacket. There is also a small to medium-sized storage locker behind the seat where small personal belongings could be stowed. The bathrooms could use a refresh but they were cleaned regularly. They have spartan aesthetics but feature their really nice Elemis products from their Ultra Smart pro-collagen range.

Service was initially quite slow. One of the pursers was fantastic and he helped me for about half of the flight. However, the first woman purser was not always having the best attitude. I think she was having a bad day and was also tired admitting that she had flown standby the day before to get to Seattle. I think she could have done a better job with attitude and effort. This was also quite an anomaly from my other BA first flights this year.

The amenity kit by Temperley London is solid. The eye mask in particular is really good. This isn’t an Emirates First amenity kit. . . but what is? New television screens were added to the First Suites in 2023. They are very good and high resolution. I love the interactive map that they have while you are in the air. They have an awesome range of in flight entertainment. Headphone quality is decent but could be better Charging stations were easy to use.

Throughout my flight I had marvelous, attentive service from one of the pursers. The other was definitely not at top of her game and she also slept through a large part of the flight. While a few of my flying friends have noted that British First does not have great service I have found that in my past few years of BA First flights, the attendants really do try to make you have an enjoyable journey. I was given pajamas but not slippers for some reason. Because of the female purser’s attitude I chose not to bother her for slippers.

I happily settled into a second glass of 2015 Bollinger. Food selections were good and I decided to go healthy, ordering a seafood main as well as a salad nicoise. The smoked duck which a neighbor ordered looked fabulous.

Their still wine list is decent but nothing like their sparkling wine and champagne selection. They were unfortunately out of the Bollinger PN19 which I was really hoping to do a side by side with the 2015 Grand Annee. However, when you look at this list I don’t know if there is another airline that offers these two top champagnes together. I didn’t try both but the fact that they have these as well as the top wine by Nyetimer from 2014 makes this one of the best sparkling wine/champagne lists in the skies.

I was massively impressed with my cheese plate which I had after my mains. The Nicoise was a fabulous start and very fresh. It is not easy to serve raw tuna on a flight but this was a really good starter. I really liked the dressing in this dish as well as the bright veggies.

My main was very small. I loved the fresh Dungeness crab and the scallops were also good. They could have done a better job with this entree making it larger and something that was more of a main rather than a starter. I do understand making meals that are healthy and small in portion but I would have liked more options for those who want something heartier and still enjoy eating seafood

However, it was devoured in a mere few bites and I asked the female purser if she had any extra entrees. She immediately responded that she did not. But she later came back and said that she has found some vegetarian pasta, which I ordered to try.

It was far from impressive. The photo looks better than it actually was. Coach pasta would have been more tasty and this was really bland and also the pasta was very hard. It could have been overcooked by the purser, I wasn’t quite sure. But I could only manage a few bites so that made me a bit hungry.

Conversely, we have the cheese plate here. It might not look like much but the cheeses were really high quality and I loved that there were a range of crackers that you could enjoy them with. The fig spread was a wonderful foil. The richness of the cheese went really nicely with the Bordeaux selection.

Cadence was generally good throughout the meal. I opted to try their 2011 Chateau Bouscaut to match the cheese and found it to be excellent despite the obvious challenges of the vintage. This one is right at peak right now. It is not the best Bordeaux I have had on BA First but it was still a solid selection that is drinking nicely.

I then settled into the flight and had my glass of Johnny Walker Blue Label before it was time to hit the sack. My bed was instantly made into a life flat and I snuggled into the comfortable sheets and duvet. It wasn’t long before I was asleep for several hours and arose to a beautiful sunrise over the United Kingdom.

My male purser did a great job with the turndown service. Upon waking I ordered an espresso which was immediately presented to me. 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.

BOTTOM LINE:

This was not the best First flight that I have had with British Airways. One of the pursers had a fabulous attitude while the other didn’t and usually this is not the case for BA. I have found that their service in First is generally consistently great.

Food quality was generally very good other than the veggie pasta. I really enjoyed my starter and the have an incredible array of sparkling wines and champagnes. They definitely have one of the best sparkling wine/champagne lists in the skies.

Generally speaking the first class attendants are engaging and care about your needs. This is always a beautiful departure to service that I receive from other US airlines where flight attendants usually can’t seem to be bothered. I will always look forward to flying BA First Class.

Scharffenberger

Today we share one of the great bubbles producers of the Anderson Valley. Scharffenberger Cellars was founded back in 1981 and is located only a few miles from Pacific Ocean. The brand was started by John Scharffenberger, and was bought by Louis Roederer in 2004. Winemaker Jeffrey Jindra crafts some beautiful value sparkling wines that are fresh and vibrant with great texture. The tasting room is in a charming Mendocino country bungalow in downtown Philo. Behind it, the 35,000-square-foot winery sits to the north amid hillside vineyards. An old redwood grove has been carefully protected on the 160-acre property.

Check out the  NV Scharffenberger ‘Brut Rose’ Sparkling Wine (OB, 91) which has great freshness and salty nuance. Learn more about this storied Anderson Valley house at https://scharffenbergercellars.com and here are my notes on the beautiful new sparkling wines.

NV Scharffenberger ‘Brut Excellence’ Sparkling Wine- A terrific value, the NV Scharffenberger ‘Brut Excellence’ Sparkling Wine is composed of 60% Chardonnay with the remainder Pinot Noir. This has juicy orchard fruits that mingle well with kiwi and nutty accents on the palate. Enjoy now. Drink 2025-2030- 90

NV Scharffenberger ‘Brut Rose’ Sparkling Wine- Another fantastic edition of this wine, the Brut Rose, combines 55% Chardonnay with 45% Pinot Noir. Lively and fresh on the tongue, this delivers bright guava and red cherry flavors that meld well with Mandarin orange zest on the palate. Drink 2025-2030- 91

2019 Scharffenberger ‘Blanc de Noirs’ Sparkling Wine- A really good vintage sparkling wine, the 2019 ‘Blanc de Noirs’ opens with guava and cranberry tones on the nose alongside suggestions of baking spice laced pastry crust. A soft mousse greets you as layers of melon and citrus fruits collide with a dusting of Yakima cherry. Enjoy now and over the next decade. Drink 2025-2035- 92

Roederer Estate and Domaine Anderson

It is my great pleasure to share the beautiful wines of Roederer Estate which dates all the way back to 1982. At the time it was the vision of Jean-Claude Rouzaud, president of Louis Roederer, who saw  the cool climate and rolling fog of the Anderson Valley to craft some of the region’s finest sparkling wines. The 580 acre estate produces four sparkling wines: the multi-vintage Roederer Estate Anderson Valley Brut, debuted in 1988, the Brut Rosé and Roederer Estate's vintage tees de cuvee, L'Ermitage and L'Ermitage Rosé. 

Roederer Estate is under the leadership of Jean-Claude’s son, Frédéric Rouzaud. I loved the new wines. The outstanding NV Roederer Estate ‘Brut Rose’ Sparkling Wine (OB, 92) is a stunning wine in both nuance and value. I adored the new 2007 Roederer Estate ‘L’Ermitage’ Sparkling Wine (OB, 98) which is a stunning wine that is a total masterclass in flavor range. Learn more about this outstanding sparkling wine house at https://roedererestate.com Here are the beautiful new wines by Roederer Estate.

NV Roederer Estate ‘Brut’ Sparkling Wine- A really impressive non-vintage wine, the Roederer Estate ‘Brut’ Sparkling Wine is a blend of 60% Chardonnay with the remainder Pinot Noir that was aged on the lees for more than two years. Shades of candied ginger and saffron fill the nose alongside honeydew melon and cashew nut accents. This is deeply textured stuff with a refined mousse. Elegant and viscous, enjoy now and over the next eight plus years. Drink 2025-2033- 92

NV Roederer Estate Rose Sparkling Wine- Another fabulous edition of this wine, the NV Roederer Estate Rose Sparkling Wine is a fabulous blend of 56% Pinot Noir and 44% Chardonnay. Given 8 G/L dosage, this offers a lively effervescence on the mid-palate. Bright Japanese pear and cranberry notes combine with salty minerals on the palate. Sleek and refined, enjoy now and over the next eight years to come. Drink 2025-2033- 92

2021 Roederer Estate ‘Clark Road Vineyard’ Sparkling Wine- The 2021 ‘Clark Road Vineyard’ comes from this location in the Anderson Valley as this beauty is nearly all Pinot Noir (77%) with the remainder Chardonnay. This is big, rich stuff that comes off fat on the tongue. Dense melon and red fruits collide with sea salt dusted French bread and star jasmine water on the palate. A seamless, delicious bottling to enjoy now, this has both the stuffing and verve to cellar well for another ten plus years. Drink 2025-2035- 94

2019 Roederer Estate ‘L’Ermitage’ Brut Sparkling Wine (PURCHASED BOTTLE)- Every bit dazzling the 2019 ‘L’Ermitage’ Brut Sparkling wine spent considerable time on the less before disgorgement. Wildflowers, pink grapefruit blossom and quince notes fill the nose alongside kiwi and freshly cut limes. The palate has sterling tension and racy, mouth-watering acidity, with terrific viscosity. A total stunner, enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next fifteen years to come. Drink 2025-2040- 96

2007 Roederer Estate ‘L’Ermitage’ Brut Sparkling Wine- The mind-bending 2007 Roederer Estate ‘L’Ermitage’ Brut Sparkling Wine is a late released bottling that is showing right at its peak right now. Disgorged in November 2024, this is packed wth poached pear and roasted pineapple on the nose alongside salted praline and shades of ripe mango. The palate is equally exotic with loads of texture, tension and salty minerality. A complete masterclass, enjoy now and over the next ten years to come. Drink 2025-2035- 98

2022 Domaine Anderson ‘Fairhills Vineyard’ Chardonnay- The 2022 ‘Fairhills Vineyard’ Chardonnay offers baked apple and diatomaceous earth on the palate alongside saline drenched banana. Neatly-textured, enjoy now and over the next few years. Drink 2025-2031- 91

2022 Domaine Anderson ‘Estate’ Chardonnay- The 2022 Domaine Anderson ‘Estate’ Chardonnay is soft on the mouth with bright acidity. Medium-bodied orchard fruits mingle well with nutty and tropical undertones on the palate. Drink 2025-2031- 91

2022 Domaine Anderson ‘Pinoli Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The 2022 Domaine Anderson ‘Pinoli Vineyard’ Pinot Noir delivers pine needle and damp earth aromatics alongside tart red fruits. Soft and approachable, enjoy this juicy and earthy Pinot Noir now and over the next several years. Drink 2025-2031- 92

2022 Domaine Anderson ‘Estate’ Pinot Noir- The really good 2022 Domaine Anderson ‘Estate’ Pinot Noir shows off cola and salty earthy on the nose with black raspberry and Bing cherry notes. The palate is rich and tension-filled, with loads of salty and stony minerals. Drink 2025-2031- 92

Valette

Today we present the stunning wines of Valette and Chef Dustin Valette. Valette is a limited-production wine brand with bottlings carefully crafted but by Jesse Katz (Devil Proof, Aperture). Katz is making clearly some of the finest wines on the West Coast and creates a pillowy, signature texture and refinement with all of his wines. His Devil Proof brand is without a doubt the best new world Malbec on the market today.

Chef Valette landed at Thomas Keller’s one-Michelin-star Bouchon in the Napa Valley and later worked at Michelin-starred Aqua in San Francisco, finally as executive sous chef under Laurent Manrique. Back in 2015 he opened his own restaurant, Valette in Healdsburg. The cuisine here is focused on modern American with a French twist.

This is now the third round of wines that I have tasted for Chef Valette’s brand. As remarkable as the first edition of the wines were, these are even more remarkable considering the obvious challenges of the 2022 vintage — one that was marred with heat spikes at harvest. Katz and his fellow winemaker Hillary Sjolund essentially pulled a rabbit out of the hat by making wines from 2022 that show obvious depth and concentration but also remarkable freshness.

I love the loamy soil character of Oakville. highlighting the loamy soil character of Oakville. The 2022 Valette Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 100) is another perfect wine made by Katz and Sjolund. It is seamless, beautifully-textured stuff that is absolutely scintillating to enjoy in its heady youth. So without further adieu here are my reviews of the new releases by Valette. Learn more at https://www.valettewines.com/

2023 Valette Sauvignon Blanc- The 2023 Valette Sauvignon Blanc is a new wine for me that comes from the Fountain Grove AVA. Stored in mainly stainless steel before bottling beautiful white florals on the nose with kiwi and shades of lemongrass on the nose. The palate is viscous and intense with heady melon and citrus fruits. There is a beautiful push-pull in terms of finesse and viscosity. Drink 2025-2032- 95

2022 Valette ‘Pocket Peak’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2022 ‘Pocket Peak’ Cabernet Sauvignon comes from this location that is farmed by Stonestreet. Aged for 22 months in 100% new French oak this delivers a sinfully good texture with remarkable freshness and tension. Concentrated dark fruits, combine with mocha, tar and graphite on the palate. A total stunner, enjoy now and over the next fifteen plus years to come. Drink 2025-2042- 99

2022 Valette Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2022 Valette Cabernet Sauvignon has slightly less Petit Verdot than the ’21. The wine comes from this Oakville site that is near Screaming Eagle. Gorgeous red and dark florals with red bell pepper mark the nose alongside chocolate and stony minerals. The palate is seamless and beautifully structured, as this is very pretty and stony. It is a remarkable achievement from this hot vintage. Drink 2025-2042- 100

L'Ecole No. 41

One of my fondest early memories in wine was tasting at L’Ecole when I was in college. It was 2002 and the wine scene across the Walla Walla Valley was nothing short of electric. Today we share one of the jewels of the  Walla Walla Valley. One of Washington’s historic wineries, L’Ecole No. 41 is set at a historic schoolhouse outside the town of Walla Walla. Winemaker Marcus Rafanelli has been crafting a beautiful range of wines. The wines he crafts are very poised and focused. They need time in the cellar, particularly their top bottlings. The new wines in particular, the Ferguson wines, continue to improve and are now some of the great upper tier wines made in Washington.

The entry level wines have always been some of the best values you can find on the shelf. I love the 2022 L’Ecole No. 41 ‘Columbia Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 92) which is nicely poised and balanced, with excellent flavor range. It is a steal at 35 bucks. Learn more about this outstanding winery at http://lecole.com/ Here are the great new wines by L’Ecole No. 41.

2024 L’Ecole No. 41 ‘Columbia Valley’ Semillon- Soft and delicious, the 2024 L’Ecole No. 41 ‘Columbia Valley’ Semillon has 15% Sauvignon Blanc blended in. Right away this offers a smooth mouthfeel with Japanese pear, cashew nut and green papaya flavors that collide with copious minerals on the palate. Medium-bodied and showing good depth, enjoy this outstanding value now and over the next few years. Drink 2025-2031- 92

2024 L’Ecole No. 41 ‘Stillwater Creek Vineyard’ Semillon- An awesome new release, the 2024 L’Ecole No. 41 ‘Stillwater Creek Vineyard’ Semillon offers gardenia water and salty nuances on the palate alongside hazelnut, shades of cantaloupe and brioche bread. Complex, with a great acid backbone, and awesome texture, enjoy now and over the next few years. Don’t serve too cold! Drink 2025-2031- 93

2024 L’Ecole No. 41 ‘Luminesce’ White Wine- A Bordeaux-inspired blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc from the Seven Hills Vineyard, the 2024 ‘Luminesce’ delivers shades of mango and honeydew melon on the nose with wet stone, and white grapefruit blossom. The palate is fresh and viscous with a glorious combination of texture, length and verve. Enjoy now and over the next six plus years to come. Drink 2025-2032- 93

2022 L’Ecole No. 41 ‘Columbia Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon- An awesome wine to buy by the case, the 2022 L’Ecole No. 41 ‘Columbia Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon comes from a range of Columbia Valley sites including the Stone Tree, Bacchus, and Summit View vineyards. 100% varietal, this was stored in 25% new French oak before bottling. On the nose this takes on dark currants with tobacco leaf, pencil lead and shades of Black Forest cake. The palate is soft and approachable, with elegant tannins and excellent structure. Medium-bodied and delicious, enjoy now. Drink 2025-2033- 92

McCollum Heritage 91

Today we share a brand new winery out of Oregon. Founded by NBA legend CJ McCollum and his wife, Dr. Elise McCollum, McCollum Heritage 91 was created in partnership with Adelsheim Vineyard and all wines are made at Adelsheim by eminent winemaker Gina Hennen. CJ was introduced to wine in his early 20s by his wife Elise, and while playing for the Portland Trail Blazers he found himself regularly visiting the Willamette Valley and tasting. Turning his passion into business, CJ launched McCollum Heritage 91 in 2020 with the release of the inaugural 2018 Pinot Noir. McCollum Heritage 91 is a culmination of CJ’s passion for wine and dedication to creating a brand that carries his legacy forward. Together with Elise, CJ acquired a 318-acre vineyard property in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA in 2021.

The new wines come from the 2021 vintage and were seriously good. I love the 2021 McCollum Heritage 91 Chardonnay (OB, 93) which is silky and viscous from this warm vintage. Learn more about this electric new wine brand at https://mccollumheritage91.com/ and here are my reviews of the new McCollum Heritage 91 wines.

2021 McCollum Heritage 91 Chardonnay- Sourced from the Chehalem Mountains AVA, this 2023 Chardonnay offers juicy white peach, Meyer lemon cream with brioche notes on the palate alongside juicy starfruit and salty minerals. Smooth throughout the drinking experience, with terrific viscosity, enjoy this beauty now and over the next eight plus years to come. Drink 2025-2033- 93

2021 McCollum Heritage 91 Pinot Noir- Also sourced from the Chehalem Mountains AVA, this 2021 Pinot Noir offers rocky soils on the nose with tart cranberry, blood orange zest and shades of red licorice. The palate is smooth on the approach, as this comes off loaded with bright red fruits, with wet gravel and citrus rind accents. Drink 2025-2033- 92

Clarice Wine Company

Adam Lee is one of California’s great winemakers. He has been making Pinot Noir for 25 years from Oregon to the Santa Rita Hills. A unique, newer winery project, Clarice Wine Company has now been focusing on world-class Pinots from the Santa Lucia Highlands over the past several years. Lee was first exposed to wine while in Texas working in wine sales in the 1990s. Fast forward to 1994 he and his wife founded Siduri which became one of the state’s top producers of Pinot Noir. Their brand grew from 107 cases in 1994 to 25,000 cases in 2015 when they sold to Jackson Family Wines.

Clarice Wine Company is named after Lee’s grandmother who was his closest friend growing up. The wines are sourced from top sites in the Santa Lucia Highlands. Check out the world-class 2024 Clarice Wine Company ‘Rosella’s Vineyard’ Pinot Noir (OB, 96) which is a heady, stunning wine with loads of tension and salty nuance. Learn more about this outstanding wine project at https://claricewinecompany.com/ and here are my reviews of the new wines by Clarice and winemaker Adam Lee.

2024 Clarice Wine Company ‘Santa Lucia Highlands’ Pinot Noir- The 2024 ‘Santa Lucia Highlands’ was sourced from Rosella’s and Gary’s Vineyards, and comes off big, burly and broad-shouldered — seriously packing a punch at the entry level. This is loaded with dense dark fruits with black florals, tobacco leaf, salty soils and orange zest notes with stony undertones. Drink 2025-2035- 94

2024 Clarice Wine Company ‘Rosella’s Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The amazing 2024 Clarice Wine Company ‘Rosella’s Vineyard’ Pinot Noir was sourced from this windswept 50 acre location right under the Santa Lucia Mountain Range. Dark and brooding in the glass, this offers cola and cranberry notes on the palate alongside heady Bing cherry and blackberry notes on the palate. Salty, savory and showing great concentration and verve, enjoy now and over the next fifteen years to come. Drink 2025-2040- 96

2024 Clarice Wine Company ‘Gary’s Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The ‘Gary’s Vineyard’ is a older site that is planted to 30 year old Pinot Noir vines, named after owners Gary Franscioni and Gary Pisoni. On the nose this delivers purple rose petals with shades of marionberry, red currants, and salted Mandarin orange zest. The palate is powerful and concentrated, with great acidity and salty/stony nuances. A joy ton consume now, enjoy over the next fifteen years. Drink 2025-2040- 96

Moret-Brealynn

Sharing the wines of Moret-Bealynn, this brand was founded back in 2021. Moret Brealynn is a California born Mexican-American who started in hospitality at the tasting rooms of Silver Oak Cellars and Twomey. She then took a marketing position at Kosta Browne where she organized all winemaker and principal involvement in national and local events. She spent the next five years at HALL Family Wines and managed the Hall's book, A Perfect Score. Morét managed multiple departments and companies to propel the book to the New York Times Bestsellers List (#11, so good it got number one twice) along with 40+ events for the book tour. Through that role, she formed a strong connection with Vintner Kathryn Walt Hall and at the end of the project, became Kathryn's Executive Assistant. Morét became the Happy Hour Show Producer for the company's multiple social channels. This role expanded to being able to meet and work with A-List talent from Tina Fey, the cast of Schitt's Creek, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Martin Short, countless athletes, musicians, and other inspiring individuals.

Morét met Adam Lee, co-founder of Siduri Wines and owner and winemaker for Clarice and Beau Marchais. Adam was impressed with the professionalism and organization of the show and after further discussions, Morét joined him as his General Manager. Morét's exposure to the production side of the wine industry grew and her passion for making her own wine.T

hrough Adam, Morét met Jim Pratt, who manages vineyards around Sonoma County, including Lakeview Vineyard in Russian River Valley. Jim offered her the opportunity to source four tons of Pinot Noir for her first vintage in 2021.

Morét Brealynn makes a range of wines with co-winemaker Lee. These are well-priced wines that are perfect for any budget. The wines are fabulous. I love the  Her new wines were really good. I love the 2024 Moret-Brealynn ‘Russian River Valley’ Pinot Noir (OB, 92) which is dense and viscous, showing good freshness Learn more at https://moretbrealynnwines.com/morét-brealynn and here are my reviews of the new Moret-Brealynn wines.

2024 Moret-Brealynn Rose- Bright and vibrant in the glass, this 2023 Rose offers orange rind and kumquat flavor alongside tart pomegranate seed and red raspberry notes on the palate. Fresh and nicely textured, enjoy now. Drink 2025-2030- 91

2024 Moret-Brealynn ‘Sonoma County’ Pinot Noir- The 2024 Moret-Brealynn ‘Sonoma County’ Pinot Noir offers straightforward black fruits with cola on the palate and good freshness. Delicious now, enjoy over the next few years. Drink 2025-2031- 91

2024 Moret-Brealynn ‘Russian River Valley’ Pinot Noir- Rich and viscous, the outstanding 2024 ‘Russian River Valley’ Pinot Noir delivers peat moss and damp earthy character alongside cran-cola and shades of sassafras on the palate. The combination of weight and freshness is excellent. Drink 2025-2031- 92

2023 Moret-Brealynn ‘Sonoma County’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2023 ‘Sonoma County’ Cabernet Sauvignon was sourced from a range of sites in this huge AVA. This is dense and delicious stuff offering heady cassis and blackberry fruit flavors alongside milk chocolate and damp soils. Enjoy now and over the next decade. Drink 2025-2035- 92

Domaine Carneros

Today we share one of the great sparkling wine houses on the West Coast. Perched high on a hill, overlooking the valley., Domaine Carneros is one of my favorite wineries to visit. Founded back in 1987 by Claude Taittinger, of famed Champagne house Taittinger, the location is 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. At the helm is Remi Cohen who serves as CEO and director of winemaking. She took over Napa pioneer Eileen Crane, who had been crafting sensational, age-worthy sparkling wines in the Napa Valley for over 30 years. There is little doubt that their, ‘Le Reve,’ is one of the finest sparkling wines made in North America. They also have been steadily improving their Pinot Noir program and currently have a glorious range of still wines.

I love the new wines. The 2016 Domaine Carneros ‘Le Reve Late Disgorged’ Sparkling Wine (OB, 98) is arguably the best sparkling wine from North America I have tasted in the past year. It is a stunning, thrilling wine to consume now. Do not sleep on this beauty. Learn more about these outstanding wines at https://www.domainecarneros.com Here are the new wines by Domaine Carneros

2016 Domaine Carneros ‘Le Reve Late Disgorged’ Blanc de Blancs Sparkling Wine- A total masterclass by this storied house, the 2016 ‘Le Reve Late Disgorged’ saw nearly ten years on the lees before disgorgement. The nose is sensational with candied ginger and lemon rind that combines with suggestions of basil leaf, and salted French bread. The palate takes on a silky mousse that glides throughout the drinking experience. The finish will last for an entire minute as this is undeniably one of the finest sparkling wines from North America that I have tasted in the past year. A joy to savor now, enjoy this impeccably balanced sparkling wine now and over the next ten plus years to come. Drink 2025-2035- 98

2023 Domaine Carneros ‘Estate’ Pinot Noir- The 2023 ‘Estate’ Pinot Noir is a fresh and complex bottling from this storied estate in the Carneros district. It comes off soft and neatly-textured on the mouth with terrific freshness. A beautiful melange of red currants, guava and Yakima cherry combine with shades of salty soils on the palate. Viscous and fresh, enjoy now and over the next ten plus years. Drink 2025-2038- 94

2023 Domaine Carneros ‘Le Ciel Serein’ Pinot Noir- The 2023 Domaine Carneros ‘Le Ciel Serein’ Pinot Noir is a beautiful edition of this wine that is fresh, viscous and shows outstanding flavor range. Salted soils and shades of wild blackberry fill the nose alongside hints of cola, white pepper and Hoisin sauce. The palate is dense and rich with a lifted freshness and lovely floral accents. Drink 2025-2040- 95

2023 Domaine Carneros ‘The Famous Gate’ Pinot Noir- Mainly Swan clonal selection Pinot Noir, the 2023 ‘The Famous Gate’ was stored for 16 months in 45% new French oak before bottling. This is a totally dazzling Pinot Noir in terms of weight, finesse and salty character. A killer melange of red and dark fruits combine with shades of black peppercorns, oyster sauce and shades of milk chocolate. This is highly complex, delicious stuff that beautifully displays the lift, tension and nuance from this vintage. Drink 2025-2040- 96

Votto Vines New Releases

Here are the outstanding new releases by Italian wine importer Votto Vines.

Nestore Bosco

2024 Nestore Bosco Pecorino- The really good 2024 Nestore Bosco Pecorino is nicely textured with Japanese pear and nectarine flavors alongside nutty nuances on the palate. Fresh and ripe, enjoy now and over the next few years. Drink 2025-2030- 90

2022 Nestore Bosco Montepulciano D’Abruzzo- The forward and juicy 2022 Nestore Bosco Montepulciano D’Abruzzo delivers chocolate and wild herbs on the palate, with damp soils and suggestions of cigar ash. Lightly tannic and delicious, enjoy now. Drink 2025-2030- 90

Podere La Pace

2024 Podere La Pace ‘Prima Viola’ Bianco- This 2024 Maremma Bianco combines 60% Viognier with the remainder Chardonnay. This is tension-filled stuff with ripe melon and fig flavors alongside shades of cashew nut on the palate. Soft and inviting, enjoy now. Drink 2025-2030- 91

2020 Podere La Pace ‘Pittoresco’ Rosso- Made from mainly Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc grapes, this delicious 2020 Maremma Rosso shows off terrific flavor density and weight with a great melange of red and dark fruits that connect well with chocolate cake and dried herbal accents on the palate. Drink 2025-2031- 91

2021 Podere La Pace ‘Silvano’ Cabernet Franc- 100% varietal, the 2021 ‘Silvano’ is nicely concentrated and delicious stuff that is already drinking very well. Menthol and dusty soils combine with dark chocolate shavings, graphite and refined tannins on the palate. Deep and rich, enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next decade. Drink 2025-2035- 93

Tenuta Bellafonte

2024 Tenuta Bellafonte ‘Sperella’ Bianco- Made from estate-grown Trebbiano grapes, the 2024 Tenuta Bellafonte ‘Sperella’ Bianco offers copious minerals alongside green apple and herbal accents. Enjoy now. Drink 2025-2030- 89

2021 Tenuta Bellafonte ‘Pomontino’ Montefalco- The 2021 ‘Pomontino’ is a delicious, straightforward red, with red currants, dusty tannins and tobacco leaf flavors. Mineral-laden, this would be best savored now and over the next several years. Drink 2025-2030- 90

2015 Tenuta Bellafonte ‘Collenottolo’ Montefalco- The outstanding 2015 Tenuta Bellafonte ‘Collenottolo’ Montefalco offers green olive and sanguine notes on the nose alongside crushed red flowers and shades of black licorice. The palate is plush and inviting with refined tannins, wintergreen and a great melange of red and dark fruits. Enjoy this beauty now and over the next eight to ten years. Drink 2025-2033- 93

Terre Rubine

2021 Terre Rubine Langhe Nebbiolo- The 2021 Terre Rubine Langhe Nebbiolo shows sea salt dusted red fruits on the nose with shades of red florals and stony soils. The palate shows a smooth mouthfeel with good flavor density. Enjoy now and over the next few years. Drink 2025-2031- 90

2020 Terre Rubine Barolo- A really nice effort from this excellent vintage, the 2020 Terre Rubine Barolo delivers black rtruffle shavings and damp earthy notes on the palate that combine with wild blackberry and black raspberry. Refined tannins and a silky mouthfeel push through this delicious and already well-defined Barolo. Drink 2025-2033- 92

Lorenzo Melani

2023 Lorenzo Melani Rosso di Montalcino- A really nice and youthful effort, the 2023 Lorenzo Melani Rosso di Montalcino pushes on juicy red currants and wild strawberry flavors on the palate with copious minerals and stony accents on the palate. Explore this good value now and over the next few years to come. Drink 2025-2031- 90

2020 Lorenzo Melani Brunello di Montalcino- A really good effort, the 2020 Lorenzo Melani Brunello di Montalcino is already drinking beautifully now at the five year mark. On the nose this takes on peat moss and stony soil notes alongside red currants, guava, and shades of sweet pipe tobacco. The palate is plush and elegant with a silky mouthfeel and great sense of weight and tension. Drink 2025-2033- 92

Ethos

What was formerly a line under the Ste. Michelle Portfolio, Ethos is Ste. Michelle Wine Estates new brand that focuses on high quality wines from the Columbia Valley. The program focuses on wines made from grapes grown at Ste Michelle’s estate’s vineyards and from grower partners across the Columbia Valley’s most notable AVAs. Winemaker Tristan Butterfield has a longstanding history in Washington wine, having a degree in physics from The University of Notre Dame before settling on Red Mountain working for Kiona Vineyards.

The new wine is outstanding, settling in nicely as the cool vintage 2022 Ethos (OB, 93) is glorious to consume now. Learn more at https://ethoswine.com/ and here is my review of the gorgeous new Ethos wine.

2022 Ethos Cabernet Sauvignon- A new release of the Ethos, this 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon was stored in new and neutral French and American oak barrels for 22 months before bottling and was sourced from Red Mountain, Horse Heaven Hills, and Wahluke Slope appellations, as well as the famed Cold Creek Vineyard. It comes off inky in the glass, delivering tar, sandalwood and dark currants on the nose with shades of black licorice. The palate is smooth and viscous with a terrific mouthfeel and great length. Enjoy now and over the next ten plus years. Drink 2025-2035- 93

Nine Hats

One of the great Washington value wine brands that still seemingly sneaks under the radar, Nine Hats Nine Hats wines are essentially the second wines made by Long Shadows.  They are all handcrafted in Walla Walla by famed winemaker Gilles Nicault. They have made wines that totally overdeliver for the price, even in challenging vintages such as 2020.

Now they even have a terrific line of bubbles. It is fair to say that these wines punch considerably above their weight class and offer some of the best value in Washington wine. These are not one-off wines. The wines have good flavor density, good freshness and are all a downright killer glass pour.

Don’t miss out on the amazing 2021 Nine Hats Syrah (OB, 93) which is essentially a baby Sequel. The same is true for the 2021 Nine Hats Merlot (OB, 93) which is likely the best Merlot I have tasted all year for the price. Learn more about these outstanding wines at ninehatswines.com and here are my reviews of the new Nine Hats wines.

NV Nine Hats ‘Blanc de Blancs’ Sparkling Wine- This is the first sparkling wine made by Gilles Nicault that is a blend of several vintages. Mainly coming from locations in Zillah, this delivers oyster shell and nutmeg drenched French bread on the nose alongside suggestions of Japanese pear. This takes on the rich mousse with a beautiful sense of effervescence. The palate is fresh and fleshy with a terrific mouthfeel. This is seriously delicious stuff. Drink 2025-2031- 92

NV Nine Hats Rose Sparkling Wine- The NV Nine Hats Rose Sparkling Wine is made from Malbec grapes. This comes off a touch sweet with pretty red cherry and strawberry fruit flavors alongside honeydew melon on the palate. Enjoy now. Drink 2025-2030- 90

2024 Nine Hats Chardonnay- The outstanding  2024 Nine Hats Chardonnay comes from mainly the Gamache and Boushey vineyards. Stored in a combination of mainly neutral oak alongside concrete and a touch of new French oak barrels this delivers juicy pear and brioche notes alongside shades of toasted pineapple. This is super stuff for under 20 bucks. Bright, juicy and delicious, enjoy now and over the next five to seven years. Drink 2025-2030- 91

2021 Nine Hats Sangiovese- The 2021 Sangiovese by Nine Hats is beautifully aromatic, offering black tea and worn leather notes with red rose petals and tart cranberry. This totally over-delivers for the price, offering a gorgeous range of red fruits and orange rind with good tension and mouth-watering acidity. Drink 2025-2031- 93

2021 Nine Hats Merlot- The 2021 Nine Hats Merlot is essentially a baby Pedestal — loaded with chocolate cake, black currants and anise flavors that parade with copious minerals on the palate. Neatly textured, smooth and delicious, enjoy now and over the next eight to ten years. Drink 2025-2033- 93

2021 Nine Hats Syrah- This 2021 Nine Hats Syrah has a large amount of Grenache (10%) blended in. Inky in the glass, this shows off smoke and beef drippings alongside shades of underbrush on the nose. The palate is plush and rich with a great sense of decadence and underlying tension. At 25 bucks, this could easily be double the price. Enjoy this beauty while you can. Drink 2025-2032- 93

2021 Nine Hats Malbec- Inky in the glass, the 2021 Nine Hats Malbec mainly comes from the Weinbau Vineyard and has a large amount of Syrah blended in. Creosote, black licorice and creme de violette combines with shades of mountain huckleberry on the nose. The palate is seamless and beautifully-textured, showing serious weight and underlying freshness. Drink 2025-2033- 93

Ponzi

Today we present one of Oregon’s historic wineries. Ponzi Vineyards dates all the way back to the 1960s when Dick and Nancy Ponzi moved their young family to the Willamette Valley on a mission to make top notch Pinot Noir. After many research trips to Burgundy and an extensive search for the ideal location, Dick and Nancy bought 20 acres on a small farm just southwest of Portland, Oregon. There were only a few other farmers growing Pinot Noir back then but Dick and Nancy saw the potential for the varietal in the Northern Willamette Valley. For years Ponzi Vineyards was under their second generation with former President and Director of Sales and Marketing, Anna Maria Ponzi and former eminent Winemaker Luisa Ponzi. In May 2021, Groupe Bollinger acquired Ponzi Vineyards which was the family-owned company’s first property outside France. Max Bruening currently serves as winemaker.

The new wines come from the really delicious and approachable 2023 vintage. I loved the new 2023 Ponzi ‘Laurelwood District’ Chardonnay (OB, 92) which is drinking beautifully right now. The 2023 Ponzi ‘Avellana’ Chardonnay (OB, 94) is a stunning bottling that has some beautiful aging potential.  Learn more about these outstanding wines at ponzivineyards.com. Here are the great new wines by Ponzi.

2023 Ponzi ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Gris- Coming from a range of sites throughout the Willamette Valley, the 2023 Pinot Gris offers pear and star jasmine water alongside serious tension and stony minerals on the palate. Delicious now, enjoy over the next few years. Drink 2025-2030- 91

2023 Ponzi ‘Laurelwood District’ Chardonnay- The  2023 ‘Laurelwood District’ Chardonnay delivers a smooth mouthfeel with loads of melon fruits alongside orange rind, juicy starfruit and brioche tones on the palate. Drink 2025-2032- 92

2023 Ponzi ‘Avellana’ Chardonnay- The 2023 ‘Avellana’ comes from this location planted to Chardonnay Dijon Clonal selections 76 and 96. It is dense and unctuous on the tongue with a brisk feeling of verve. Dense honeydew melon and poached pear mingle well with roasted pineapple and freshly cut Key limes on the palate. Rich and decadent, enjoy now and over the next ten plus years to come. Drink 2025-2036- 94

2023 Ponzi ‘Aurora’ Chardonnay- A really delicious new bottling, the 2023 ‘Aurora’ was sourced from a site planted in 1990 set on Laurelwood soils. Once on the nose this takes on honeysuckle and shades of white peach alongside wet stone and juicy kiwi. The palate is plush and refined with terrific volume, tension and texture. Offering great length, with plenty of salty minerals, enjoy now and over the next ten plus years to come. Drink 2025-2038- 94

2023 Ponzi ‘Tavola’ Pinot Noir- The 2023 ‘Tavola’ offers forward and medium-bodied red fruits with salty soil nuances and shades of red licorice. Enjoy now. Drink 2025-2030- 90

2023 Ponzi ‘Laurelwood District’ Pinot Noir- Great to savor now, the 2023 Ponzi ‘Laurelwood District’ Pinot Noir comes from this location set on northeastern facing slopes on the Chehalem Mountains. Cran-pomegranate and Bing cherry flavors meld well with salted orange zest on the palate. Enjoy now and over the next few years. Drink 2025-2033- 92

2022 Ponzi ‘Reserve’ Pinot Noir- Needing a little time in the decanter to fully evolve, the outstanding 2022 ‘Reserve’ is a barrel selection Pinot Noir that was sourced from a range of locations spanning the Laurelwood District and Chehalem Mountains AVA. The wine takes on a dense amalgamation of beautiful texture with heady red fruits, Mandarin orange zest, and salty soil nuances. Fresh and rich on the mouth, enjoy now and over the next ten plus years to come. Drink 2025-2037- 93

2023 Ponzi ‘Avellana’ Pinot Noir- The gorgeous 2023 ‘Avellana’ Pinot Noir comes from a northwestern facing site that sounds the winery and is a field blend of 20 different clones. This offers terrific volume and mouthfeel once on the tongue. Copious minerals fill the palate with blood orange zest and tobacco leaf alongside shades of cranberry and Asian spices. Enjoy this outstanding bottling now and over the next fifteen years. Drink 2025-2040- 95

2023 Ponzi ‘Aurora’ Pinot Noir- One of the great wines of the new Ponzi lineup, the 2023 ‘Aurora’ comes from this location planted all the way back in 1990. Orange peel and forest floor notes fill the nose alongside exotic spices and shades of black plum. The palate is fresh and viscous with a great combination of weight and lip-smacking acidity. Generous red and dark fruits parade alongside with damp earthy accents on the palate. Enjoy now and over the next fifteen plus years to come. Drink 2025-2040- 95

2023 Ponzi ‘Abetina’ Pinot Noir- The 2023 ‘Abetina’ was sourced from 1975 Pinot Noir plantings in the Laurelwood District. The nose comes off very pretty with red rose petals and potpourri notes alongside salty soils and suggestions of red raspberry compote. The palate is dense and delicious with bright acidity and serious weight and texture. A delightful bottling to consume now, this has both the weight and tension to cellar well for another fifteen plus years to come. Drink 2025-2040- 95

2023 Ponzi ‘Chehalem Crossing’ Pinot Noir- The 2023 ‘Chehalem Crossing’ Pinot Noir is sourced from this location on a southern facing slope in the Laurelwood District that is LIVE certified sustainable. Right away this delivers alluring aromatics of allspice dusted red fruits alongside Satsuma orange zest, damp earth and suggestions of bergamot. The palate completes a gorgeous melange of red and dark fruits alongside salty and stony nuances. A beautiful bottling to consume now, watch this evolve over the next fifteen plus years to come. Drink 2025-2040- 95

2023 Ponzi ‘Madrona’ Pinot Noir- Another standout single vineyard, the 2023 ‘Madrona’ was sourced from a cooler, northern-facing location planted back in 1983. This offers terrific weight and freshness on the tongue, as this is brimming with bright red fruits alongside kumquat rind and salty soil nuances. Medium to full-bodied and delicious, watch this beauty evolve over the next fifteen years. Drink 2025-2040- 95

2023 Ponzi ‘Paloma’ Pinot Noir- The 2023 ‘Paloma’ comes from a higher elevation site planted back in 2001. It offers a generous melange of red and dark fruits on the nose, combining with shades of peat moss, crushed wet rock and Shitake mushroom accents. The palate is soft and elegant with a smooth texture. Great now, enjoy over the next fifteen years. Drink 2025-2040- 95

Tablas Creek

It is my pleasure to share the brilliant wines of Paso Robles legend Tablas Creek. Founded by Jean-Pierre and François Perrin and Robert Haas on what was formerly an former alfalfa farm they struck gold planting vines on limestone soils in the Adelaida Hills. They saw immense potential to produce wines with stony 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.

I love visiting this historic Paso site. Earlier in the year I tasted with CEO Jason Haas who has incredible knowledge about the wines, region and estate vineyard. I am totally blown away with the 2023 Tablas Creek ‘Espirit de Tablas’ Red Wine (OB, 96) which needs a lot of air now but is a thrilling, highly complex wine to consume even in its bright, tension-filled youth  Learn more about these outstanding wines at https://tablascreek.com Here are the outstanding new wines by Tablas Creek. 

2024 Tablas Creek ‘Patelin de Tablas Blanc’ White Wine- This edition of ‘Patelin de Tablas Blanc’ is mostly Grenache Blanc (40%) and Viognier (29%). This is vibrant and juicy with pear and starfruit flavors alongside racy minerality on the palate. Drink 2025-2030- 91

2024 Tablas Creek ‘Cotes de Tablas Blanc’ White Wine- The outstanding 2024 Tablas Creek ‘Cotes de Tablas Blanc’ White Wine is 41% Viognier and 26% Marsanne with smaller portions Grenache Blanc, Picardin and Clairette Blanche. This is round and generous, laden with tension. Orange zest and Key lime combine with suggestions of white peach and nutty underpinnings on the palate. Drink 2025-2033- 93

2024 Tablas Creek ‘Alouette’ Grenache- The 2024 Tablas Creek ‘Alouette’ Grenache is a unique, chillable Grenache that tastes terrific at a warmer temperature as well. Candied red fruits and cranberry notes combine with shades of exotic spice and stony soils on the palate. Delicious and tart, with lovely citrus fruit rounding things out, enjoy now. Drink 2025-2032- 92

2023 Tablas Creek Syrah- The seriously good 2023 Tablas Creek Syrah shows off white pepper and iodine on the nose alongside beef brisket and mountain huckleberry on the nose. The palate is fresh and lithe with a great vein of tension. Medium-bodied dark and red fruits greet you alongside wild herbs on the palate. Drink 2025-2033- 93

2023 Tablas Creek Mourvedre- A leaner and more linear version of this varietal, the 2023 Tablas Creek Mourvedre offers considerable flavor complexity rather than flavor density. A killer melange of red and dark fruits greet you on the palate, alongside shades of Hoisin sauce and blood orange zest that produce a fabulous mouth-watering effect. While personally I would prefer a touch more weight, you can’t argue with the personality and beautiful range performed here. Drink 2025-2033- 94

2023 Tablas Creek ‘Espirit de Tablas’ Red Wine- Another stunning edition of this wine, the 2023 ‘Espirit de Tablas’ combines 33% Mourvèdre (compared to 40% in 2022) and 31% Syrah (compared to 22% in 2022) alongside 26% Grenache and small parts Cinsault, Vaccarese and Counoise. The heady aromatics entice as herbs de Provence, orange peel, white pepper dusted beef, and shades of oyster sauce all parade on the nose. The palate is fresh and rich with a terrific sense of texture and underlying verve. This might not be the most dense or heady edition of this wine, but the flavor complexity and freshness makes this simply irresistible to enjoy right now. Simply put, the novelty is astonishingly good as there might not be another wine quite like this in the world. Be sure to give this about an hour in the decanter if savoring now. Drink 2025-2040- 96

Audeant

Today we share the beautiful wines of Audeant. Andrew Reichers has long been making great wines. He trained under eminent Santa Barbara producer Matthias Pippig of Sanguis fame. Reichers has made wine in New Zealand, at Burn Cottage, and in Burgundy in the Haute Cote working for Claire Naudin at Domaine Naudin Ferrand. In Oregon he served for five years as the assistant winemaker at Antica Terra and Lillian with Maggie Harrison prior to joining and founding Audeant Wines with Proprietor, Teal Walker, in 2016.

The wine sthat he make have a beginning, middle and end. They are well-structured and produce amazing flavor range Just as I loved the ‘22s, the ‘23s also have brilliant tension but show slightly more muscle. I love the value here with the 2023 Audeant ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir (OB, 93) which is a stunning wine for the price. Similarly, the 2023 Audeant Rose (OB, 93) is amongst the finest expressions of Oregon Rose that I have tasted this year. Learn more about this exciting winery at https://www.audeant.com Here are the beautiful new wine releases by Audeant.

2023 Audeant 'Seven Springs Vineyard’ Chardonnay- The stunning 2023 Audeant 'Seven Springs Vineyard’ Chardonnay comes from a half-acre of this site that is set on the south ridge of the property. The wine was stored in 30% new French oak before bottling. Nutmeg and clove drenched French bread combines with apricot, white peach and shades of star jasmine on the nose. The palate is ripe, round and generous with a terrific mouthfeel and loads of mouth-watering acidity. A complete wine, enjoy this beauty now and over the next decade. Drink 2025-2035- 95

2023 Audeant Rose- The 2023 Audeant Rose comes from both the Cherry Groave and Luminous Hills Vineyards. The wine was destemmed and then sat on the skins for six days before fermentation. The wine then was stored on the lees for 11 months before bottling. This comes off very a la Big Table Farm in terms of flavor density, weight, viscosity and flavor range. Mandarin orange zest combines with guava puree, wild strawberry and walnut alongside shades of peat moss on the palate. Very complex and delicious, don’t serve this beauty too cold! This is not cheap at 50 bucks, but it is every bit a thrilling joyride to consume. Drink 2025-2033- 93

2022 Audeant ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir- The 2023 Audeant ‘Willamette Valley’ comes from mainly the Luminous Hills, Cortell-Rose and Cherry Grove Vineyards. This offers terrific weight and freshness with a fabulous melange of red and dark fruits alongside exotic spices and damp earthy undertones. A great wine to consume in its heady youth, enjoy over the next ten plus years. Drink 2025-2035- 93

2023 Audeant ‘Foothills’ Pinot Noir- The 2023 ‘Foothills’ Pinot Noir delivers gorgeous red rose petals on the nose with salty red fruits and a blast of blood orange zest, with bergamot accents. The palate takes on lovely leafy and also Amaro underpinnings alongside a generous core of red fruits and copious minerals. Enjoy now and over the next ten to fifteen years. Drink 2025-2037- 94

2023 Audeant ‘Luminous Hills Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- Another sterling edition of this wine, the outstanding 2023 ‘Luminous Hills’ Pinot Noir comes from this site in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA. It is quite vibrant and nervy once on the mouth, showing loads of tension and salty minerality. Red cherry compote and red licorice flavors combine with cran-orange and shades of peat moss on the palate. This clearly has a long way to go in the cellar, showing slightly less nerve than the ’22, but more unbridled power. Drink 2025-2040- 95

2023 Audeant ‘Stardance Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- A new site for me, the ‘Stardance Vineyard’ is set in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA, as they utilize Pommard clonal selection Pinot Noir set on Peavine soils. This is nicely rocky on the mouth, with damp wet stone alongside shades of wild blackberry, baking spices, and shades of tangerine peel, with light bay leaf accents. Elegant and smooth throughout the drinking experience, with good verve, enjoy now and over the next fifteen years. Drink 2025-2040- 94

2022 Audeant ‘Nysa Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The 2022 ‘Nysa Vineyard’ was sourced from this dry-farmed location in the Dundee Hills AVA. Volcanic soils and terrific tension fill the mid-palate, alongside pomegranate seed, wild blackberry and shades of wild mushroom on the palate. Complex and loaded with freshness, enjoy now and over the next ten plus years. Drink 2025-2040- 94

Haynes Vineyard

Today we share one of the historic sites of Coombsville. Haynes Vineyard s a longtime producer of Pinot Noir, Syrah, and three tiers of Chardonnay from the oldest Chardonnay vines in Napa Valley. Lawrence Wine Estates acquired the Haynes Vineyard back in 2019 from Patricia Haynes. Her family had owned the property since the 1860s.

Speaking yesterday with Carlton McCoy, MS, he explained “this was originally a homestead and they grew animals. Then in the 1960s Patricia was approached by Louis Martini and Andre Tchelistcheff to convert their agricultural land to viticulture. Her response was she doesn’t know anything about growing grapes but if you want to plant it and manage it that is great. They did that in 1967. We bought it in 2019 and they had original Wente Clone planted in 1967. The Pinot Noir was also planted then, the Louis Martini clone.”

The vineyard has a gentle slope which is north-facing. Chardonnays come from three different locations which are very impacted by the wind. McCoy explained “What we found by tasting the fruit and making the wines is scientifically there are very different reactions with heavy wind. They dig deeper to stabilize the vines. That is true with wind drawn areas where the vines are super deep. Second, grapes naturally grow a thicker skin as a defense to the wind. We see this in the Ucco Valley in Mendoza where the skins become thicker. What this does is produce a Chardonnay that has much more phenolics and more depth than the other two Chardonnays.” The Chardonnay are given native yeast fermentation and are stored in large format barrels. They see no sulfur for a years and there is no battonage and racking. The wine stays on the lees for the entire time in unique Stockinger barrels. Wines are stored in barrel or 21 months before bottling.

I was enamored by the new Chardonnay bottlings. These by far surpass the wines that I tasted in the ‘00s from this site. I adore the 2022 ‘Corazon’ Chardonnay (OB, 95) which is rich, viscous and marvelously flinty. This is reminiscent of a world-class warm vintage Chablis. Learn more about these electric wines at https://haynesvineyard.com/ and here are the great newlines by Haynes Vineyard.

2022 Haynes Vineyard ‘Forgeron’ Chardonnay- The 2022 ‘Forgeron’ Chardonnay delivers toasted hazelnut alongside Key Lime and shades of white peach. The palate is plush and rich with great flavor density and outstanding length. Delicious and mineral-laden, enjoy now and over the next eight plus years. Drink 2025-2033- 94

2022 Haynes Vineyard ‘Vigneron’ Chardonnay- The 2022 ‘Vigneron’ Chardonnay offers brioche and lemon rind alongside suggestions of gingerbread. This is loaded with lemon rind, diatom and nutmeg alongside suggestions of freshly cut limes and sourdough bread on the palate. The length of the wine is really outstanding. Drink 2025-2033- 94

2022 Haynes Vineyard ‘Corazon’ Chardonnay- Coming from a south-facing portion of the vineyard, the 2022 Haynes Vineyard ‘Corazon’ Chardonnay offers great flavor density and weight. Roasted pineapple and mango notes combine wth salted nectarine and shades of honeydew melon and wet rock on the palate. Drink 2025-2035- 95

2023 Haynes Vineyard ‘Estate’ Pinot Noir- The 2023 Haynes Vineyard ‘Estate’ Pinot Noir saw native fermentation and nearly 70% whole cluster fermentation. Stored in mainly natural oak, this delivers salted pomegranate and wild strawberry notes alongside dried herbs. The palate is loaded with freshness and mouth-watering acidity. Juicy and delicious, enjoy now and over the next ten plus years. Drink 2025-2035- 94

2023 Haynes Vineyard ‘Estate’ Syrah- The 2023 ‘Estate’ saw all stem inclusion and was aged in all large format barrels before bottling. Blood orange zest and white pepper with beef drippings combine on the nose. The palate is concentrated and fresh with a fleshy texture and a marvelous core of black fruits and herbs. This is very Napa meets Cornas. Drink 2025-2035- 94

Abloom

Today we present one of the really killer new wine brands out of Napa. Abloom is a Rose project by three famed female winemakers: Molly Hill, Ashley Hepworth and Sally Johnson Blum. The wine is inspired by the great Grenache based rose wines of Provence and comes from a high elevation site atop the Napa Valley.

The wine is made in a very textural style, offering a very Domaine Tempier v Napa feel. It is pretty and complex wine that is gonna be astoundingly good at the Thanksgiving table or any Tuesday night. The 2024 Abloom (OB, 93) is one of the standout Rose wines I have tasted this year. It is pretty and downright sexy with its core of red fruits and flavor range. Learn more at https://www.abloomwine.com/ and her is my review of the inaugural release of Abloom Rose.

2024 Abloom Rose- Sourced from the Paras Vineyard on Mount Veeder, this is 100% Grenache Rose that was made by three female winemakers: Molly Hill, Ashley Hepworth and Saslly Johnson Blum. This is rich and beautifully-textured stuff, with good stuffing and verve. Pretty guava and strawberry fruits collide with Mandarin orange peel, alongside copious minerals on the palate. This is absolutely gorgeous stuff that will age gracefully for years to come. Drink 2025-2033- 93