Jay Kline

9.3

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of a couple hours. The 2023 RTW Lodi pours a bright ruby color with a transparent core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of tart and ripe mixed fruits: blackberries, blueberries, strawberry, red rope licorice, flowers, dried green herbs, sandalwood and dry stony earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. Best wine from Lodi. Incredible versatility. It just gets better and better. Bravo! Drink now through 2033+. — 21 hours ago

Jay Kline

8.7

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 2022 Mâcon-Villages Blanc pours a straw color with medium viscosity. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of squishy tropical fruit, lemon cream, almond, and butter. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium. Drink now. — 3 days ago

Jay Kline

9.2

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of a couple hours. The 2017 M-S-D Blanc pours a straw color with medium viscosity. On the nose, the wine is developing with fascinating notes of champagne cake, Comice pear, lemon zest, almond, and limestone earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long; laden with limestone minerals and grippy. Almost as if it is tannic! This is such a distinctive wine. I’m in love. Drink now through 2032. — 6 days ago

Jay Kline

9.1

This is the second edition of Rasa’s Founder’s Reserve. Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of a couple hours. The 2018 Founder’s Reserve II pours a deep ruby color with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of ripe black and red fruit: Bing cherry, blackberries, plum, licorice, vanilla and baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium. Juicy. This is in a great spot right now. Drink now through 2033. — 2 days ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 2016 Lore Vineyard pours a deep ruby/purple color with an opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with powerful notes of ripe black fruits: brambles, plums, cassis, loads of tobacco, leather, a touch of bell pepper, organic earth and fine baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and the texture is velvety. This is modern Napa through and through. Balanced but big. Drink now through 2036. — 3 days ago

Jay Kline

9.2

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of two hours. It’s been almost a year since my last visit with the 2018 vintage and it’s in a very pretty spot right now. All notes previously apply though I should point out that the florals are especially showy right now. The nose is simply beautiful to experience. The fruit remains fresh and mostly red fruited. The structure is still firm. Very, very easy to enjoy on its own or with a meal. Drink now through 2038+. — 9 days ago

Jay Kline

9.0

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of two days and fairly consistent throughout. The 2023 Zinfandel CCC pours a deep ruby/purple color with a magenta rim and a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with light staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of ripe and tart black, red and blue fruits: brambles, plum, green herbs, freshly opened beachball, some black pepper and dry earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium. Drink now through 2033. — 11 days ago

Jay Kline

9.2

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of two days and best on Day 2. The 2022 pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is youthful with notes of ripe and tart red and black fruits: currants, blackberries, tobacco, leather, dry earth, a combo of cool and warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and a bit more tart than the nose previously suggested. So fresh right now. Drink now with patience; better after 2027 and through 2047. — 3 days ago

Jay Kline

9.1

Popped and poured; the 2022 pours a a straw color with medium viscosity. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of tart and ripe orchard and tropical fruit: green apple, pineapple, lemon curd, lightly toasted bread. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium with some chalky minerals. Drink now through 2032. — 6 days ago

Jay Kline

9.2

From arguably the oldest vines in California, the Mission vines at Deaver Ranch were planted by John James Davis in 1854. While the Mission variety may be considered obscure by today’s standards, back in the day, it was the common variety being cultivated in California. It’s a versatile variety which served multiple purposes. Anymore, it’s rare to find a serious dry wine made with Mission. Thankfully, Tegan Passalacqua has been known to occasionally make such a wine from these historic plantings.

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of several hours. The 2019 pours a pale garnet color with a transparent core; medium viscosity with no staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of confected cherry, watermelon Jolly Rancher®️, strawberry, rhubarb, semi-dried hay and soft minerals. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium. There is something unexplainable about how remarkable this wine is. There’s humility to it A wine full of wisdom. I wish I had more to try down the road alas, I was only allocated a single bottle. However, I am so grateful for the one and to be able to share it with some old friends and some new friends. Drink now through 2034+. — 6 days ago