I know what to do with this wine: Just get out of its way… you can practically taste the crunchy rocks amongst your teeth.

The nose is wistful with white flowers, pear, flinty minerality, lemon sharpness, bin apple & underlying baking spice notes that all build in intensity as you swirl it in the glass.

And then as you move to the palate…oh my. It’s just as lovely on the palate, a beautiful balance of stone fruits, oak spice & citrus driven by vivid minerality & laser-sharp acidity that provides lift & balance through a finessed finish.

This will gain some fat & depth as it ages gracefully for 5+ years - but is irresistible right now. 😊

Ripe strawberries & leather nose – already browning at the rim. Decanting releases more red fruit notes – but on the stewed fruit side. Unique violet & rose petal aromas here – like a young Gamay.

Palate is cherry sweet & jammy with light toasty notes, smoke & vanilla.

Not especially firm or structured - so consume in the next two years.

Now, this is a varietal BC does much better. The nose is very botanical & earthy, like smelling used coffee grounds.

The palate is very reductive – and where are the peppery notes? Very light overall with no real depth, lacking tannin with firm acids.

It may be a correct expression, but this profile will not please many.

This has a very lifted, classic & ripe Cab nose of blackcurrant, gunpowder, roasted red pepper, clove and chocolate - a very impressive nose, indeed. These grapes had a long hangtime.

Palate is full bodied, very dense, lively and a touch sweet for me - with heavy clove on the palate. Again, very concentrated, medium length, firm structure…you can tell it has seen good wood.

However, the high acid & medium tannin combo leaves it unbalanced now – but very impressive for NOTL. I bet a few years in the cellar will help.