Cracking the whip

Took some time off to visit I'd Rather Be Drinking Wine (IRBDW) for a week to lend a helping hand and taste some wine.

• 2016 Immortal Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Impassable Mountain 97 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County

  (10/16/2023)

  N: Bursting on the nose with dark flowers, matching colored fruits, dark earth, spiced and dark tree bark, and a touch of incense. Some generous chocolate that appears then gradually integrates into the rest of the aromas. A bit of anise adds to the complexity. The nose is ridiculous. It's as if the earth was damp from over saturation of fruit instead of morning dew.
  
  P: The expected spectrum of dark red and blue fruit that, when blended together, becomes almost black. A badass note of tar and graphite that plays really well with the fruit and a dark core of earth. Pleasureful bitterness of tree bark, graphite, tar and steeped tea lingers into the long finish. Powerful fruit but with the proper amount of character to keep things in balance.
  
  Enjoy now for some tasty hedonism or cellar for another 3-6 years for better integration and some sanding down of any rough edges.

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• 2013 Marcassin Pinot Noir Marcassin Vineyard 97 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

  (10/17/2023)

  N: Red cherries with an earthy and gentle funky background, dark halved pomegranates, soft mushroom notes, a touch of gooseberries, and lightly damp tree bark. With time, light red flowers really show with the fruit, giving the aromas a pretty scent. There’s also this awesome effervescence character to the aromas as well.
  
  P: Light pomegranate juice with a hint of cranberries, lightly red fruited earth that’s been basking in the sun, soft bitter oak, and a curious and exciting prickliness on the tongue. With some air time, an awesome note of leather enters the picture, seems to come outta nowhere and almost out of place, but it works for some reason. The fruit also turns darker with time, falling into the cherry realm while keeping the same lift and excitement as before. An awesome soda bite eventually surrounds the fruits and acidity, making the wine even more exciting.
  
  The fruit has lift and energy here but initially, the acidity did not want to keep up; it’s as if the acidity wielded the fruit like a javelin and launched the fruit high into the skies while the acidity stays grounded, or the acidity acts like the rocket boosters of a spaceship that detaches and falls back to earth after it helps the fruit breach the earth’s atmosphere. However, with some time in the glass, the acidity starts to cling on the finish, whereas it was dropping off kinda early in the beginning. It leaves the finish bright and lively. Drink now as a pop and pour and journey along, or cellar them away for a handful of years for a bit more development. 96-97

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• 2016 VHR Cabernet Sauvignon Vine Hill Ranch 98 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

  (10/17/2023)

  N: Clean new oak (akin to that new leather smell of a brand new car), cut stems of a flower, a clean and dry forest floor with a blend of black and dark red fruits, and a subtle dusting of graphite.
  
  P: Black and red fruits, a core of beautiful dark graphite and tar, deep earth to soften the landing of any roughness, fine black minerals, and golden steeped tea on the finish. There’s an aura of savoriness that envelops everything, protecting everything from sharp edges or random stiff arms. With time, flavors come together in a beautiful integration of everything, while keeping a dark, serious profile. Deep roasted coffee beans develop as well, with its tasty bitterness, strong earthiness and bright, savory stones.
  
  A regal darkness but with such class and grace, like a badass villain that you would cheer for.. you know you shouldn’t be, but you do anyways because of the charm and charisma the character brings (like Loki or Wukong). Amazing now and should develop into near perfection within a handful of years. This is something you should definitely try to follow along throughout the years if you have the bottles. If you’re having now, pop and pour and journey along.

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• 2016 Spence Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Atelier 95 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain

  (10/18/2023)

  N: Dark yet fresh red fruits on the nose, a bit of buoyant blueberries, deep wet earthiness, damp tree bark and tall dried stalks of straw. With time, the aromas become like a forest floor a few hours after it has rained. Graphite develops here on the nose as well.
  
  P: Big blueberry delivery with well integrated deep earth. Gently spiced oak, and a trace of minerals on the finish as well. Surprisingly, the blueberry notes seem to make way for a dark red fruit flavor, with the same earth as before and a bit of underbrush as well.
  
  Dangerously quaffable. You can enjoy now and journey along, or cellar away for another 4-6 years for even more smoothness. Honestly don’t know if it can get any smoother than this.

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• NV Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée 93 Points

  France, Champagne

  (10/18/2023)

  N: A gentle honied toast, river minerals. Golden apricots and some pears to cut through the weighty apricot notes.
  
  P: Similar honied notes from the nose, with some pear, gently bitter stems and minerals.
  
  From a 375ml bottle. Usually not a fan of Krug, but this was a nice surprise. It was gentle on the toasty notes this time around, allowing the fruits to come through much more.

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• 2011 Viña Cobos Malbec 94 Points

  Argentina, Mendoza

  (10/18/2023)

  N: Imagine if the aromas of coffee in the morning had a steroid injection of really dark red fruits, almost black. A bit of scorched earth without any heavily burnt or tar notes, like a hint of an old, lit cigar. There is this halved cocoa bean note (with husk and all) that gives it a nice bittersweet complexity.
  
  P: Aged black and dark red plums but still has a strong freshness, a subtle touch of raisin, a sprinkling of graphite with crushed minerals. The minerals here are bright but with a bold outline (like the font style). Saturated earth by the same plum juices. Gentle leather on the finish with a drying sensation of earth.
  
  A big and bold malbec with a bit of almost stewed fruits. Additional time in the cellar should improve this.

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Pre-game

• 2013 Dana Estates Cabernet Sauvignon Lotus Vineyard 96 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, St. Helena

  (10/19/2023)

  N: Ripe and rich black currants, a core of deep earthiness, pleasantly new spiced oak, and big ripe blueberries. With some time, gracefully aged characteristics of the fruit show a bit more (not stewed or plum notes, but more of polished integration), along with a gentle milk chocolate.
  
  P: Ripe, layered dark red fruits, similar black currants from the nose, a light silvery graphite coating on scattered tree bark on a landslide of dark earth. Shiny minerals with a touch of savoriness on the finish. Better integration with some time, making for a pleasurably soft and smooth textural feel on the palate.
  
  Drinking well now and should soften up any rough edges that this wine may have now. May also be better if served closer to cellar temp.

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Judgement of Eagan

Awesome dinner tasting where some Napa wines are pitted against some Bordeaux wines. Very interesting outcome, even I was surprised on some of my own votes.

A few easy calls on some while there are a few close ones. Everyone at the table had their own mix of their favorites. Tons of fun.

My votes:
Substance > V.O.
Bonneau du Martray > Marcassin
Heitz Martha's > Rothschild
Haut-Brion > Insignia
Blankiet Rive Droite > La Violette

• NV Jacques Selosse Substance 97 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  (10/19/2023)

  N: Gentle blend of cantaloupe and pears, wet stones and pebbles. Clean and airy.
  
  P: Very golden fruits, white berries, and a crisp, gentle saline along with some nicely bitter stones on the finish. The acidity along with the saline note gives the impression of a savoriness, even providing for an airy yeasty note.
  
  For some reason, this was nothing like the bottle I tried for the first time. My only guess is maybe that the disgorgement dates are different, and I don’t even know if that makes any kind of difference on the palate. More fresh on the fruits this time whereas the first time reminded me of some tasty creme brulee. Nonetheless, still good!

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• NV Jacques Selosse V.O. Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut 96 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  (10/19/2023)

  N: A notch lighter in the fruits department with fresh pears and melons, very similar to the Substance had alongside this. Spritzy minerals and fresh airiness.
  
  P: Flavors of the V.O. are also very similar to substance but just a bit more lighter on the palate, and a bit less intense while keeping a deep yellow and green pear note. The salinity on the stones seem to be a bit more pronounced while somehow being lighter. Nice ethereal profile to this.
  
  I have a hunch that having this next to the Substance might’ve had an effect on this. To me, everything about the V.O. seemed to be just a notch lighter. Even so, this was still a pleasure to taste.

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• 2010 Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne 96 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru

  (10/19/2023)

  N: Peeled mandarin oranges, yellow fruit, dried hay and a nice gentle funk. There is this citrus kick like squeezing a small kumquat, where it gives off a spritz of sharp acidity that brings freshness.
  
  P: Fuller and weightier than the nose while keeping some of the same notes. There’s a bit of pleasant must that is hard to describe, like the inside of an old wine cellar where it smells like mold and damp stone. The yellow fruit has a nice creaminess that flows into the finish without being overdone.
  
  Wish I had more time with this because this got better with time in the glass, and even more so as it came to room temp. I preferred this to be served on the cooler side as it provided a nice swiftness on the palate. This was just as good at room temp but more for its heavier flavors.

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• 2013 Marcassin Chardonnay Marcassin Vineyard 95 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

  (10/19/2023)

  N: The yellow fruits on this Marcassin are deeper and rounder having it next to the Corton, a touch of deep honey without weighing it down, and dried hay.
  
  P: A pleasantly waxy note, yellow and white fruits, a core of honied fruits with the emphasis on the fruits. The honey tastes slightly intense but allows the fruit to still shine. Gorgeous.
  
  I definitely enjoyed this closer to cellar temp as it provided more freshness. It got a little too heavy as it came to room temperature.

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• 1996 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Martha's Vineyard 94 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

  (10/19/2023)

  N: Classically styled red fruits with a bit of fermented soy, damp neutral oak, and clean forest floor.
  
  P: Flavors match the nose completely with the addition of tertiary notes starting to grow stronger and latching onto the fruits by the minute. Fruits are still there though, but for how much longer, I wouldn’t know.
  
  If you have a hankering for classic-styled cabs, this wine is definitely for you.

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• 1993 Château Mouton Rothschild

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  (10/19/2023)

  N: Earthy and strong tertiary notes with mushrooms, and funky forest floor.
  
  P: Flavors match the nose completely here too. Graceful and classic on the palate, but strong in tertiary flavors. Strong earthy and mushroom notes, with a salty, fermented note.
  
  The tertiary game is strong on this one. Might actually be good with some nigiri (joke). If you have any more of these, unless you love the tertiary notes, drink ‘em now!

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• 1983 Château Haut-Brion 96 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

  (10/19/2023)

  N: Tertiary, fermented notes, light leather with some mushrooms, and rotting bark on wet earth.
  
  P: Dark but elegant red fruits, still going strong! Wooden pencil shavings, crushed savory minerals, and awesome wet forest floor. The fruits and tertiary notes work together like a double helix, such a thing of beauty. Not once does the tertiary notes become too much (thank goodness).
  
  I gotta admit, I might be an Haut-Brion fan boy. Kinda surprised this delivered so much better than the Insignia for me. There’s a nuance and intensity I really enjoyed about this. Great complexity with such class.

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• 1997 Joseph Phelps Insignia 95 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  (10/19/2023)

  N: Rich and dark red fruits, and integrated deep earth. A ton of fruit.
  
  P: Well integrated fruits with earth, easily glides across the palate. Still tons of fruit but almost too much.
  
  Great integration and quite smooth. I’m sure that if I had this Insignia on its own, it would’ve been great. But having it next to the Haut-Brion, this came off as too much with the abundance of fruit this had.

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• 2012 Blankiet Estate Rive Droite 95 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  (10/19/2023)

  N: White and red flowers with dark red fruits, and a strong note of dried, crushed stone with dried top earth. Quite pretty and classy here on the nose.
  
  P: Ripe, dark red and black fruits, a bit of macerated fruits and almost vanilla. A high toned note of dried oak and earth that seemed to help offset the big fruits. The pretty flowers reflect here on the palate as well, quite pretty.
  
  For me, I preferred this over the Violette by just a hair. The pretty Napa fruit got me in this matchup.

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• 2008 Château La Violette 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

  (10/19/2023)

  N: Pink floral notes with light blueberry notes, crushed stones and light dried earth.
  
  P: Light red fruits with such grace and some speed, slightly savory bark with dried earth, and light steeped tea and savory minerals on the finish. Quite elegant.
  
  Graceful and elegant but might be a little too supple in this showing. Then again, we’ve had quite a few wines already of both old and new wines at this point and that may have affected my palate by now.

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• 1976 Château d'Yquem 95 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

  (10/19/2023)

  N: Deep and golden honey with a slightly dulled character. Notes of a soft, fuzzy and ripe outer layer of an apricot, and a beautiful chrysanthemum tea note with crushed stones.
  
  P: Intense and deep dark honey, bitter wax, dark minerals, really intense and heavily ripened fruits without any kind of rot or molding. The dark yellow fruits have a dark, honied and candied characteristic to them.
  
  Awesome treat at the end after an intense night of faceoffs!

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Pre-game

• 2008 Sine Qua Non Kolibri 96 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County

  (10/20/2023)

  N: Peeled, fresh and ripened clementines with a subtle injection of dark honey. A bit of zest as well that adds nice complexity to the aromas, giving it some nice bitterness and an additional boost of citrus.
  
  P: A gentle creaminess with a fresh lift coats the palate with deep white and dark yellow melons, aged citrus notes (while still maintaining freshness), a touch of honey and bitter wax. Everything leads into the finish, where a bit of spiced tree bark gets introduced.
  
  The palate has an essence of orange and other citrus notes, with a nice intensity and freshness at the same time. These seem to age really well. If the weightiness can thin out as this ages more, while keeping the freshness, this would be amazing with even more time.

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Wine-a-palooza

• 2011 Aubert Chardonnay Lauren Estate Vineyard 95 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

  (10/20/2023)

  N: Aromas of longans if they were golden in flesh when ripened. Juicy, ripe cantaloupe without being oversweet. Scents of tall stalks of dried grass and a light and airy caramel note.
  
  P: Fruits match the nose completely. A subtle hint of honey, gently bitter wax, minerals and dried, spiced hay that lingers into the finish. The airy caramel note is showing here as well (as if it was gently torched, gracing the flavors with a hint of a burnt top). Still a good sense of freshness and a juiciness that is starting to show that it may have a hard time clinging on soon.

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• 2013 Kistler Chardonnay Trenton Roadhouse 91 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

  (10/20/2023)

  N: Watered down fruits like running sliced pineapples under the water and getting the scent of both. A very gentle note of honey, which also seems watered down.
  
  P: Flavors of golden pineapples with its bitter skins, some dried oak and bitter minerals. Good stony character to this.

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• 2012 Evening Land Vineyards Pinot Noir La Source Seven Springs Vineyard 92 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills

  (10/20/2023)

  N: A really faint dark cherry note, overwhelmed by deep earth. Light fresh red fruits try to maintain a lift but struggle a bit.
  
  P: Darker fruits and more pronounced on the palate, similar earth with bitter and shiny minerals. A somewhat strong metallic note on the sides of the palate gives it an awkward zing.

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• 2017 Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon The G.T.O Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard 95 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

  (10/20/2023)

  N: Round and fresh red fruits, light and fresh floral notes and bright, clean new wood.
  
  P: Gorgeous black and purple fruits with a deep pitch of brooding darkness. Nice and deep earthiness that cradles the fruits. Great freshness also helps bring some speed to the brooding darkness that the fruits have.

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• 2006 Aubert Lucia Abreu Vineyard 91 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain

  (10/20/2023)

  N: Fresh dark red fruits, dark red floral notes, bright minerals and deep earth. So aromatic on the nose.
  
  P: A gripping fist of intense, dark red fruits, almost black to the core, with a dry mineral note that leads into the finish. Great upfront entry but surprisingly quite short on the finish. Enjoyed the nose much better than the palate.

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• 2012 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée 94 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  (10/20/2023)

  N: Fresh light red fruits, awesomely restrained funk, just enough to make it very interesting. Light earth and damp, wet tree bark, almost like mulch, but with a pretty red floral note.
  
  P: Deep yet elegant red fruits, similar earth and funk from the nose while also holding the same class and restraint as well.
  
  I personally enjoy this very much right now. The funk has a restraint and has not completely developed into a funk-bully like the ‘98 Pegau I’ve had before, where the tertiary was just so overwhelming. I’m positive this can age for even longer but this is in a great spot for me.

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• 2016 Clos du Mont-Olivet Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Cuvée du Papet

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  (10/20/2023)

  N: Some sort of artificial red berries, almost like a Grenache from the Central Coast.
  
  P: Candied red fruit, drying oak on the finish with dried earth and minerals.
  
  Usually I would say I can stand this type of fruit but it is lacking something that keeps it lively and exciting. Seems so artificially made and/or heavily manipulated.

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• 2014 Archery Summit Pinot Noir Arcus Vineyard 90 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills

  (10/20/2023)

  N: Dark red plums and dulled red cherries with freshness provided by blueberries. Good purity of fruit on the aromas, not much else though, and maybe a touch of forest floor.
  
  P: Dark, red and purple plums, without any tartness and bitterness from skins and pits. Again with the purity of fruit on the palate here, but that seems to be it. A little bit of steeped tea and slightly bitter minerals on the short finish. Great entry though.

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• 2016 Le Cadeau Pinot Noir Trajet Reserve 91 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

  (10/20/2023)

  N: Funky and fresh red fruits, some gooseberries, and tart earth.
  
  P: Dark, earthy red fruits, a gently sour mineral note, new leather, plump mushrooms and a gentle funk.
  
  This has some age but I don’t think enough to show this kinda funk, it’s almost like tertiary notes but it's not (most likely terroir). Might want to drink these now, unless you want more of everything mentioned, cellar for longer!

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• 2012 Force Majeure Syrah Force Majeure Vineyard Red Mountain 90 Points

  USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain

  (10/20/2023)

  N: Dried sand, dark red fruits with a core of blue fruits, and something like dried jerky.
  
  P: Dried earth, chipped tree bark, dried sand on a beach and dark red fruits.

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Pre-game

• 1997 Araujo Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele Vineyard 97 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  (10/21/2023)

  N: Dark yet light red floral notes, aromatic cedar notes, damp red-fruited forest floors, a really subtle hint of mushrooms growing nearby, and amazingly pure, dark red cherries with a vivid intensity, almost prickly.
  
  P: The purity of dark red fruits show beautifully on the palate as well, dark and intense yet somehow maintains a class act. Tobacco leaves, some underlying tar and matching cedar from the nose. A faded but beautiful graphite note, like an old note scribbled on parchment years ago, and dried, snapped twigs on the finish, along with some steeped tea.
  
  Amazing how day 2 showed more tertiary notes, but they recede and go back into hiding, as if it never happened in the first place. What type of black magic is this?? Resolve and integration at its finest.

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Learned something on this tasting. The pinots completely bodied the cabs on this one.. unbelievable. ~$70 California Pinot's > similarly priced (or even greater) California cabs..

Pinots started the tasting off and once we got to the cabs, it was all downhill from there.

The SQN white and Ornellaia are exceptions in this line up.

• 2021 Hoopes Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 88 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Coombsville

  (10/21/2023)

  N: If green berries were somehow ripe, white fruits, grass and freshly washed hay.
  
  P: Similar notes from the nose, but a little too airy and light on the palate, leaving behind only slightly bitter hay, earth and minerals on the finish.

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• 2009 Sine Qua Non On The Lam 94 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County

  (10/21/2023)

  N: Honied and somewhat sweet apricots, lightly fruit covered stones, and dried hay. A good amount of fruit but walks the line between cloying and just the right amount.
  
  P: Palate matches nose with the addition of bitter wax, a bit of spiced oak. Good weight on the palate but barely manages to keep somewhat light on its feet.
  
  The Kolibri was much better to me the other night, showing much better delivery and freshness. I think that is what’s missing in this one, the freshness to keep things lifted. A bit weighted down. Might want to serve at cellar temp and keep it at cellar temp if possible if opening now.

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• 2021 Orin Swift Pinot Noir Equinox #18 Case Study: Exhibit #7 Ceremonial War 91 Points

  USA, California

  (10/21/2023)

  N: Beautiful cherries that’s both ripe and fresh, while being fun, bright and buoyant. There is also a pleasant tangerine note. This nose is ridiculous, so fresh and exciting, like those fashion runway shows.
  
  P: Lighter cherries on the palate, a touch of earth but leaves rather quickly. Gracefully thin on the palate, in a good way.
  
  Palate left me wanting more, but I loved the nose very much. I could smell this for days.

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• 2018 Mount Eden Vineyards Pinot Noir 92 Points

  USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

  (10/21/2023)

  N: Dark cherries with a distinct funk and earth, like wet moss and mulch.
  
  P: Similar cherries on the palate with a damp and slightly bitter earth. Wet tree bark and something like wet forest floor.
  
  Great lift on this. It had a good amount of freshness to keep things lively.

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• 2019 Orin Swift Machete 92 Points

  USA, California

  (10/21/2023)

  N: Initially some cranberries + blueberries, but with some time transforms into a lovely dark pitch of juicy black cherries, some earth and a touch of artificial note (neon-berries).
  
  P: Dark and intense red and black cherries, a fruitful earthiness and finished with dried oak. There’s also a touch of graphite along with some dry cedar. Finishes a bit hot (the one thing I can remember about Orin Swift *pow pow*).
  
  Not bad at all. The nose led me to think this was going to be something light but this shows much darker, and even serious, on the palate.

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• 2010 Tenuta dell'Ornellaia Bolgheri Superiore Ornellaia 93 Points

  Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri, Bolgheri Superiore

  (10/21/2023)

  N: A light and clean cranberry note with a freshness to it, and an airy stone note as if you’re in an open field of dried grass, near the sea, without any saline notes from the ocean breeze.
  
  P: Cranberries with a drying sensation on the palate. Oak and graphite on the finish along with tons of steeped tea.
  
  Drinkable now but something tells me this could use even more age.. The palate is still very strict and a bit austere. Could use some decanting if serving now. Curious to see how this evolves the next 4-6 years.

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• 2015 Hendry Cabernet Sauvignon Hendry Vineyard

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  (10/21/2023)

  N: A bit of heat covering the dark cherries and earth, while having that annoying note of something artificial, something not right. It’s so hard to describe.
  
  P: Similar fruits from the nose that show a bit of brightness but cuts off quickly on the mid to end palate.

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• 2018 Thurlow Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Copperhead

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain

  (10/21/2023)

  N: The berries are kinda artificial here, more blue than red. That’s all I can really pick up.
  
  P: Dammit.. same on the palate, a kick of heat on the mid palate, drying earth and bitter minerals on the finish (unfortunately, not a good thing this time).

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• 2015 Clos du Val Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Napa Valley 90 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  (10/21/2023)

  N: Plastic wrapped strawberries in a small fruit basket, earth and some cranberry skins.
  
  P: Fruits are darker on the palate, showing some astringency and heat, and drying cedar on the finish.

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• 2021 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  (10/21/2023)

  N: Ripe red fruits but a buoyant and lofty artificial note, quite pronounced. The aromas would’ve been so much better without it.
  
  P: Black and purple fruits, has a nice push of lushness, earthiness and oak. The finish has a lift of oak, and a roundhouse of alcohol. Odd contrast of dark fruit and some sort of high-toned treatment on the finish.

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• 2019 Duckhorn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  (10/21/2023)

  N: Dark red fruits but it’s behind an artificial veil. Wet stones and some gentle earth.
  
  P: The palate almost breaks through the artificial veil with its dark fruit. A good juiciness but gets held down. It’s trying hard to shine through but has a difficult time doing so.

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• 2014 Ferrari-Carano Prevail West Face

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley

  (10/21/2023)

  N: Dark blueberry liqueur, straightforward fruit and a touch of artificial goodness..
  
  P: Somewhat rich and dark earth, with a dark fruit, and a drying artificial note that lingers on into the finish.

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• 2013 Domaine Serene Pinot Noir Mark Bradford 93 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills

  (10/22/2023)

  N: Good aromas of fresh, dark cherries with a touch of strawberry. Some damp topsoil, a little hint of a cola note, and red floral notes that add interest.
  
  P: Incredible juiciness without being overdone. Fresh black cherries, bright red cherries, clean and shiny minerals, and a really nice touch of rhubarb (finally one of the few times that it seems to be done properly as it’s usually too tart). Bitter earth and minerals, and wet tree bark, all lingers into the finish.
  
  Dangerously quaffable but better on its own, unless there is a good pairing. I forgot what I had alongside this but I wish I didn’t eat anything.

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• 2012 VHR Cabernet Sauvignon Vine Hill Ranch 98 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville

  (10/23/2023)

  N: Dark red flowers and a garden bed of stems, petals, and vivid flowers. Brooding yet pretty red and black fruits, light and aromatic cedar notes. Forest floor with stones all around. With time, it’s a beautifully humid forest floor with damp undergrowth, wet earth, and aromatic brooding yet airy fruits. The brooding aspect fades with additional time and develops into a more refreshing, bright, and floral fruit personality. Gorgeous.
  
  P: Intense, vivid and integrated dark red fruits with a gentle sheen to it, and a nice blend of black berries. A dark strikeout of graphite that’s well integrated with the black earthiness and fruits, along with some awesome tar notes, black minerals, and steeped tea on the finish.
  
  This is just as good as the ‘16, and depending on your preference, possibly better. The dark yet gently light fruits are expansive, spreading across the palate, providing an awesome feeling of cooling and refreshing mouthfeel while providing a generous coating of flavors at the same time. Gotta love the nuance that age provides.

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My goodness did doing these notes feel like work..

Shout outs to IRBDW for his generous pulls from his cellar and showing me a good time while I was in town!