Byron C Mayes

8.9

Dark ruby garnet in the glass. Abundant nose of dark leather and dark fruit. Echoed on the medium-bodied palate with white flowers(!) and red currant. Medium acidity and fine, medium plus tannins wrap it all up. A wonderful Provençal expression of the classic Syrah-Cabernet (Sauvignon) blend. That will compliment a wide range of “red wine” foods. It’s just as interesting and complex as Regine Sumiere’s iconic Provence rosè, only taken to red level. Enjoy with medium to hard cheeses, beef, game, root veggies, or even darker fruit with balsamic. Drink now through 2024. — 5 days ago

Byron C Mayes

9.0

Deep ruby. Abundant nose of red cherry. Structured medium-bodied palate (medium minus tannins) yields red cherry and black tea with a lengthy dark finish. Medium acidity wraps it up making this a classic food PN that some may enjoy as a sipper. Excellent example of what the Russian River Valley can do for this variety. Drink now through 2026. — a month ago

Byron C Mayes

8.8

Clear, dark ruby. Nose of black cherry. Medium-bodied palate of black cherry and black tea. Medium plus acidity and medium minus tannins, mostly on the finish. A classic French expression of Pinot Noir built to accompany a wide range of foods, but still satisfy on its own. Drink now with your favorite meal. — a month ago

Byron C Mayes

8.7

Pale straw in color. Birch, raw almonds, and the classic iodine on the abundant nose. Full bodied palate echoes the nose adding dried pears, dried flowers, and a saline overcoat that renders it mouthwatering despite relatively low acidity. Checks off all of the boxes though none stands out. A perfect aperitif or tapas accompaniment as well as an intro to dry Sherry for the novice. QPR is high. Drink… well, whenever, it’s Sherry. — 2 months ago

Byron C Mayes

8.6

Blackish purple in the glass. Abundant nose of… blueberry and black leather. Smells suspiciously like a California Syrah. On the medium full-bodies palate, the nose is echoed. Medium acidity and medium minus tannins; too light for even a lower grade iteration of the variety. Perhaps the PS this vintage was all needed to beef up Zin, leaving the PS needing beefing up of its own with Syrah. A good wine, but not the best representation of the grape as varietal labeled. Still, enjoy with your burgers or meat loaf. Drink now through 2022. — 11 days ago

Byron C Mayes

8.9

Pale salmon in color. Nose of minerally melon, echoed on the palate which also yields white flowers and marzipan. Body is light. Acidity is medium minus (as appropriate for the appellation). Finish is surprisingly long. As I’ve read, the 2018 vintage is a bit weaker than its immediate predecessors and that shows here. Not as much depth as last year, but Madame Sumiere still managed to pull off a very nice and typical rosè. As well she should, having invented the style and all. Salade Niçoise is of course a natural pair, but feel free to take this one into the fall. Drink now. — 18 days ago

Byron C Mayes

9.0

Bright straw gold. Abundant nose of white flowers and dried yellow tropical fruit. Full-bodied palate echoes the nose adding white pepper, honeycomb, nuts, sweet corn, and a host of smaller layers. A firm backbone of acidity runs throughout from entry to finish. We all know CdP as a red wine, but its white counterpart should be on everyone’s list. The offering by Domaine de la Presidente (from the classic 2015 vintage) is an excellent entry point into this facet of Rhône wines. Well suited to pair with roasted chicken, pork loin, swordfish, game fowl, or root/green vegetable combinations. Drink now through 2025. — a month ago

Byron C Mayes

8.9

Star bright straw gold in the glass. Nose of baked quince and citrus rind. Echoed on the medium-bodied palate with stony minerals and underripe white peach. Firm acidity throughout as expected from this solid Sud-Ouest white. Pork chops, cassoulet, or even light cuts of beef with Béarnaise will pair nicely. Drink now through 2023. — 13 days ago

Byron C Mayes

8.8

Bright garnet in the glass. Appealing nose of black cherry and cranberry. Medium-bodied, fruit-forward palate echoes the nose adding black tea and a slight hint of vanilla. Medium acidity with mildly assertive medium/medium minus tannins. A really good value Pinot Noir from the young winemakers at Cloud Break. Great for a party, cookout, or Tuesday night dinner. Drink now. — 14 days ago

Byron C Mayes

9.1

Deep ruby purple in the glass. Abundant nose of cassis, rhubarb, and light graphite. Fruit forward, full-bodied palate echoes the nose with medium acidity and medium plus, dusty tannins. Long, dark red finish wraps it all up. An excellent match for my cowboy rubbed porterhouse, and the perfect subject to test out my new Repour stoppers. ITD great now. I’ll be back over the course of the week to see how it fares. IF I don’t finish it all tonight! 😉 — a month ago