Light golden color. Drank 1 glass over 45 minutes. The nose has nice green melon, lime, citrus, quite bright on the nose, almond, mineral notes. The palate is also quite bright with melon, citrus, trending more to grapefruit tonight, chalk, and citrus pith, with a touch of almond. Very nice fruit that jumps out at you, and there's a fair bit of chalk here as well; but it did become a bit angular on the finish after 30 minutes. 91+ to 92pts.

Light medium gold color. PNP, drank 1 glass over an hour. This shows fairly classic California chardonnay character on the nose initially, lemon, pineapple, apple, fairly bright fruit though at this point nowhere near as precocious as it once was, hints of vanillin and oak toast that feels fairly integrated. The palate is pretty lush still, round and full bodied, has some weight, but also not exactly heavy. Lemon cream, lemon oil palate, subtle vanilla, oak spice, pineapple, and a clean finish, The acid keeps this pretty fresh and the balance is there. I'm not as crazy about this wine as I was a few years ago, but still a very nice drink. 91+ to 92pts.

Light gold color. PNP, drank 1 glass over an hour. This was leaner and more white fruited, melon, lemon, apple on the nose. The palate is also more lean, white melon, apple, a touch of mineral, medium bodied, modest oak. This was a solid bottle, but further supports my feeling that these show much better earlier on and just lose some vivacity as they age.

Palate green gold color. Drank a small pour over 40 minutes. Wow, here's the definition of gooseberry. Just a blast on the nose and palate; followed by lime, mineral and grapefruit. Very bright with zesty acid. Not for the faint of heart, more in your face, but quite tasty.

Very dark red color. PNP, drank 1 glass over an hour. This was savory on the nose with a mix of sweet dark red and black fruits, dill, spice box, and oak. The palate feels medium full bodied, more black cherry and black raspberry here, dill, oak, spicy. This was becoming more interesting over the hour and can really still use some significant air or cellar time.

Very dark red color. Same bottle and treatment as noted by Chablis28; drank 1 glass over 75 minutes. Very much a classy drink, still young, but so pretty and very easy drinking currently. Very attractive earthy goodness on the nose, pretty dark fruits of dark cherry, black raspberry, damp, and dusty. The palate is so silky and textured, lovely ripe red fruits; red cherry, red berries, dusty tannins, medium full body, and a long lush finish. It will be fun to follow this down the road.

Very dark red/purple color. PNP, followed one glass over an hour. The nose is ok, spice, subtle garrigue, red licorice, with muted brooding dark fruit. The palate is where this falls apart for me. Whether this is in CDP no man's land between the early drinking window and the more mature window; or hopefully the slow, plodding evolution of what is VT is just yet to come. However, my fear is this is not going to go the route of an aging beauty, but instead unravels amidst the alcohol and oak on the palate. I not sure the the syrupy dark ripe fruit can last against the harsh woody opposition. Maybe I'm being harsh, but the lack of balance made me wince.

Very dark red/purple color. PNP, followed 1 glass over an hour. I don't know. This was certainly a disappointment. Folks, if I wanted to drink blackberry wine, I'd go to Door County. Now this was still in a bit better place for me than the '05 VT, but it really felt overdone and over the top. I generally think Beaucastel needs 15 to 20 years anyway, but I can't say i have faith this will come around. I hope to be proven dead wrong. The word here is ripe, ok overripe, liqueurish blackberry and baked cherry, kirsch, oak, pepper. The palate is also overripe black fruits, alcohol shows through, very concentrated, anise. Obviously there are those that just love this style. For me, I crave balance and nuance, and it is becoming increasingly more difficult to find in CDP.