Continuum
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2022
2022 vintage. Light-medium body. Not decanted and tasted after 2 hours open. Dusty, earthy intro. Some cherry mid-palate with a return to forever dust, earth, herbs, spices, Etsy/micro-producer attitude paired with serious backing and terroir. Long finish. Wanted and expected both more front and mid-palate action and mouthfeel but wasn't getting it. To be fair...without a decant...and a new release as a distinctively different (leaner) style would be a slight miracle to be (perceived) as a pop and pour. Needs at least a half-decade to be fairly assessed but, decidedly, quality juice. 10.25.25. — 8 days ago
Alban Vineyards
Reva Alban Estate Vineyard Syrah 2002
2002 vintage. Decanted and tasted 15 minutes and 1 hour after decanting. Slight amount of sediment. Cedar, cinnamon and traces of bacon fat in the nose along with a splash of VA. The VA blew off and wasn’t there after 1 hour but was hanging out at the onset. Medium heavy body with another 5-7 years likely dropping this to medium body. Smoked meats, bigg dark plum and roasted nuts still part and parcel during. No rush to crush. 10.28.25. — 4 days ago
Domaine François Raveneau
Monts Mains Chablis 1er Cru Chardonnay 2018
2018 vintage. Double decanted and tasted after one hour at approx 59-60 degrees. Medium Chablis body. Lilacs, lemon curd, minerals aplenty along with a slightly curious, white pepper, finishing splash. Obviously too soon as this could easily stretch two decades. Saying this as a decided Chablis non-fan but this was arguably the best white (sparkling or flat) I've had in quite a spell. Le woof. 10.25.25. — 7 days ago
Domaine du Pegau
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhône Blend 2013
2013 vintage. Nice fill. Excellent cork. No Durand needed. Decanted with some sed and tasted multiple times over the course of two hours. Origin story medium-heavy body now a light-medium body but with zero loss of color intensity. Primary flavors completely evacuated with secondary and tertiary flavors rushing in to fill the nature-abhorred vacuum. Initially, pretty bretty and likely too much for many...especially those not enamored with/used to such. Black olives, garrigue and cracked black pepper throughout mitigated the sweaty saddle and in serious leather (apologies to Frank Zappa) tendencies in the first hour. Overt, bretty notes dissipated after 45 minutes, This particular wine and vintage at the zenith/absolute top of its' particular bell curve and tastes like it can hover there another 5-6 years without drop-off or apology. 10.28.25. — 5 days ago
Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego
NV. Super chalky upon first sips immediately after opening. That tails off rather quickly and the lemon zest alongside the medium body and above-average acidity rushing in settles affairs down a spell. 10.28.25. — 4 days ago