Stunner! One of the absolute best wines I’ve had from Chile. This is a kitchen sink blend that poured inky & brooding. No signs of age whatsoever. Immediately wafted gorgeous Left Bank notes of cherry, currant & cassis but there were also plum, blackberry & boysenberry. Distinct charred vanillin almost bourbon oak like. Subtle cedar & medicinal herbaceous quality that added depth & character. Huge plush full throttle on palate, definitely felt the ABV, aromas transferred to flavors all leading to long persistent finish. Kept opening & evolving over several hours. Impressive delineation of flavors, distinctive, integrated tannins, balanced… going back to hunt down every bottle they have. — 3 years ago
The 2020 Red Fiction, a California kitchen sink blend, offers up plenty of expressive dark fruit qualities along with suave floral topnotes. Juicy and energetic, it shows very good depth. Gentle, rounded tannins frame a long and focused finish that leaves sweet cherry and cassis notes behind. $20.00 (Josh Raynolds, Vinous, April 2022) — 4 years ago
Kitchen sink blend from South Africa: sorta all over the place, complex nose of lemon custard, apple, orchard fruit, white flowers, roasted nuts, butterscotch & honey. Silky suave on palate, oily, vibrant acidity - clean finish w/lanolin - quinine. Don’t know if these varietals belong together but it holds together just enough to pull it off. — 5 years ago
Hell’s Kitchen. Slightly yeasty. Bright. Acidic — 6 years ago
Very nice Cali blend. Not too sweet while it doesn’t give the blend it’s obviously Sauv Blanc, Semillon, Viongnet and..any guesses? I like it more the Conundrum especially at dB below $12 price. — 7 years ago
@Boston waterfront, delicious paired with New England lobster — 7 years ago
Ate leftovers from Dry Creek Kitchen dinner on 5/28/19 in our room (16) at Farmhouse Inn. Lamb chops, kale salad, mushrooms, pasta salad, and chocolate chip cookies for dessert. All delicious. Wine perfect pairing. — 7 years ago
Beautiful blend from Paso. Balanced and elegant. 60% Syrah, — 4 years ago
Easter 2022 in new kitchen. — 4 years ago
Raspberry, cherry, hint of spice on the long finish. Still in it’s prime. Cherry lingers. Faint alcohol on finish. Excellent pairing. Drank with pork chop and rice pilaf from Waterfront Grill at dad’s house. — 4 years ago
Sweet tangerine, tart grapefruit, lemongrass, and toasted crackers on the nose. White peach, lime curds, ripe orange on the palate, nice viscous mouthfeel. Should go well with most food. Great value and go-to for entertaining — 6 years ago
Happy Thanksgiving Eve. I wish you all a great Thanksgiving with family & friends giving thanks over some great food & wine pairing. 🍁🦃🍽
Coravined this last weekend as nightcap...it’s a pleasure getting back to it tonight.
The nose at the beginning broods ripe, dark fruit liqueur notes but, calms down in the glass after 10 minutes. It evolves into; bright, ruby, lush, dark, slightly candied floral currants/cassis. Ripe; blackberries, black cherries, blueberries syrup, boysenberries, olallieberries, black plum extract with poached strawberries & raspberries on the glass edges. Anise to black licorice, sweet tarriness, dark, mixed berry cola, mid intensity dark spice, dry crushed rocks, touch of incense, dry tobacco, leathery notes, wood shavings, dark chocolate, vanilla, light nutmeg & clove, dark, rich, turned earth, steeped fruit teas, mid, fresh herbaceousiness, bright, dark, red, blue slightly candied florals with fresh violets & lavender for days.
The body is full, round, lush & ruby. The fruits halfway to candied. The tension, structure, length and balance are in a very good place with another 8-10 years of good drinking ahead. The tannins are beautifully round, 55% resolved and still tarry, chewy with some teeth. Beautifully ripe; dark currants/cassis, blackberries, black cherries, blueberries syrup, boysenberries, olallieberries, black plum extract with poached strawberries & black raspberries. Anise to black licorice, sweet tarriness, dark, mixed berry cola, mid intensity darker spice on the long palate than the nose and show some heat, dry crushed rocks, volcanic minerals, limestone, touch of incense, dry tobacco, leathery notes, wood shavings, dark chocolate, malt in malted balls vanilla, light nutmeg & clove, dark, rich, turned earth, moist clay, steeped fruit teas, mid, fresh herbaceousness, bright, dark, red, blue slightly candied florals with fresh violets & lavender for days. The acidity is round and some of the best I’ve had in the 10’s I’ve had to date. The finish is delicious, ruby, lush, extremely well balanced and is the textbook definition of elegance. It persists several minutes with several nuances along the way. One of the very best 2010’s I’ve had as I am not a big fan of most 10’s. Get some if you can find.
Photos of; James Cole Winery and Estate vines, certainly one of my favorite Napa Winemakers-Charles Hendricks (FYI, has not been their Winemaker since midway through the 14 vintage), their outside patio lounge and the tasting bar. — 7 years ago
This is more tame than the Mud’s Kitchen. Not as astringent. More 93.5.
The fruit is prettier, nice ripe, not over the top. Blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, plum, dark cherries, hints of boysenberries, black licorice, tarry notes, Indian spices, cinnamon, nutmeg, salted caramel, mocha powder, dry clay, sandalwood, moist tobacco, moist clay, forest floor, eucalyptus notes, volcanic ash, dark, red, flowers framed in lavender & violets. Nice acidity with a highly structured, well tensioned, nearly balanced finish that last minutes. — 3 years ago
Smells like your kitchen on a Saturday morning.
Warming blueberry pancake syrup, splattering bacon grease, chicory steeped coffee, baked cinnamon and nutmeg, and fresh air passing through open windows directly through a bouquet of violets.
Charismatic and vibrant, it's also chewy with a rich, sweet concentrated core of raisins, dates, and compote.
Not as complex and distinct, and multilayered as I was expecting, but hard to complain in a weekend state of mind. — 3 years ago
Chasing my chaotic self-administered pandemic hair chopping with a Gewurtz from Arroyo Seco which seems to me apropos as I imagine the region as wind-swept and tousled. This wine is not so much and that is a good thing. All is in harmony. There is just the right amount of everything and it hits you in order—the lychees are followed by a green lawn leading to the flower garden full of roses and gardenias all spirited along by a nice amount of acid and powered by a prickling tannin. I’m not normally the biggest Gewurtz fan but I’d reach for this a second time. I’d maybe even pair it with a “hard to pair” thing like artichoke. Something about the floral nature of both I think could line up. Is that crazy? Maybe. But this is coming from someone who just used her kitchen scissors to give herself an intentionally asymmetrical haircut. — 5 years ago

Paul T, Missing My Beautiful Wife 24/7
Nice💇🏻♀️🪚
2/26/2020 dinner with Paul at Kitchen Six — 6 years ago
We started enjoying Davis Estates Chardonnay with their 2014 vintage and now starting to drink their 2016 vintage. Each has been really good with excellent QPR.
We don’t drink a lot of CA Chardonnay as most are over structured and oaked. We prefer White Burgundy on most occasions. The Davis Estates Chardonnay’s are the exception to that rule.
As for this 2016, it’s their best of three vintages we have come to know. It is spectacular!
A number of people love Aubert Chardonnays. We like them too but, for the money, give me this 2016 all day over the Aubert’s. It’s less than half the price! I find some Aubert characteristics & style in each glass of all three Davis Chardonnays vintages we’ve had.
The nose reveals; butterscotch, honey, green apple, slightly sour lemons, lime candy, overripe pineapple, ripe, green melon, white peach, cream, beeswax, vanillin, caramel, toffee notes, light white spice, beautiful, understated chalkiness, hints of saline, soft volcanic minerals, tree bark with drips of sap, mixed greens, spring flowers, yellow lilies and jasmine.
The body is thick, full, round and waxy. It’s simply delicious as it guilds over the palate. Loads of butterscotch, honey, green apple, some golden apple, slightly sour lemons, lime candy, overripe pineapple, ripe, green melon, white peach, haunting banana now & again, cream, beeswax, vanillin, caramel, toffee/creme brûlée notes, light white spice with just the right amount of heat, beautiful, soft, chalkiness, hints of saline & flintiness, soft volcanic minerals, tree bark with drips of sap, mixed greens, spring flowers, yellow lilies and jasmine. The acidity is round and near perfect. The long finish is, lush, ripe, soft, flat out elegant, well balanced and persists minutes. Beautiful CA Chardonnay in every way. Paired with soft white cheese.
Happy Labor Day Weekend everyone! Cheers! 🥂
@Ron R You gotta get some of their 16. Like a case!
Photos of; their Estate vines as viewed from their terrace, tasting room with their kitchen for food pairing in the back, entrance and their rotating water ball just of their terrace. — 7 years ago
Edward Nelson
Found a surprise rib roast in freezer. Turned out great. Bottle was in kitchen so easy choice. Great match. — 6 months ago