Passenger Wines
Château Miraval
Côtes de Provence Rosé Blend
Color of light pink wit some grapefruit note. Nose of roasted nuts, cherry jam, spice, some ripe fruit, like mango and banana, some interesting parley note, and indeed a bit flowering note. Taste is quite a surprise as flowering and honey notes dominates, drizzled with some subtle acidity, and the nuttiness takes the passenger seat. Aftertaste follows with some nutty celebrities acidly and zesty note. I am peer happy with her. — 6 years ago
K Vintners
The Cattle King Syrah 2013
Two notable history lessons could be taught with this wine. The first being how the elevation of Snipes Mountain was just high enough to preserve its geological record during the Missoula Floods which marked the end of the last ice age, about 10,000 years ago. The second being the story of Ben Snipes, the Northwest Cattle King. Chasing gold up the Oregon Trail, Snipes arrived in Yakima Valley in the 1850s and saw the potential for raising cattle, and would eventually build an empire of 125,000 heads of cattle. K Vintners Cattle King (which also includes some Upland Vineyard juice from Walla Walla) has been on a run lately, receiving 99, 98, & 99 points for their 2012, 2013, & 2014, respectively, from Jeb Dunnuck. This brings the ruckus. It’s like eating a blueberry BLT while going 100 mph in a 15 passenger van and listening to Queens of the Stone Age in Juárez. — 7 years ago
Behrens Family Winery
The Passenger Napa Valley Petite Sirah 2016
Can't see it here, but a great, and creepy, label (yeti and a girl?). A ripe CA petite syrah, almost indistinguishable from a high end CA merlot. A heavy chocolate icing and berry nose, thick, almost crunchy on the palate with a long aftertaste. Good stuff. — 4 years ago
Weingut Knoll
Loibner Ried Kreutles Smaragd Grüner Veltliner 2015
Silvio Giamello
Vicenziana Barbaresco Nebbiolo 2014
I opened this, then the Texas snow storms hit and crippled our energy grid. Consumed over a few days while sitting in my running parked car in my driveway. I was charging my cell phone, enjoying some heat and radio, and eating my dinners, plate resting in the passenger seat. All I could jot down - new leather and bright red cherries. — 4 years ago
Cascina Degli Ulivi
Triple A Semplicemente Vino Bellotti Bianco Cortese
In the passenger seat when the sun is sinking and warm four o'clock light is only catching your face briefly through small spaces between tall buildings. Not thinking about much, not needing to. Feeling the rocky lurch of an old, beloved car carrying you forward. Things are easy and momentary. Apple cider, sweet orange, walnuts, lees, dried leaves, little sparks. — 7 years ago
Tom Casagrande
Loads of crushed limestone minerality intermingles with spicy, ripe cherry. Nice texture in the mouth. It’s got some tannic structure and acids to age a bit more but is drinking well now, particularly with food. Bone dry but with good intensity in the mouth. Little bit of animal fur comes in, with tons of crushed rock in the lead and some nice cherry fruit in the passenger seat. — 3 years ago