Always a great start to a an evening. One of our go-to aperitif wines...from a magnum

From Prior notes: "Great pink salmon color. Nose of yeast, brioche and red berry. Crisp palate of strawberry, raspberry, toast. Bubbles were great, persistent, cream notes in mid palate."

A big hit...

From a magnum, served with a chilled Basil Zucchini soup as the first course

Consistent with prior notes:"Medium/pale yellow, cloudy. Nose showing peach blossom (of course), white flowers, petrol. Elegant palate of lime, orchard fruits, marinated pears, orange zest, white tea. Medium weight and finish..."

The crisp peach and aromatics of this make it an excellent pairing for lots of Summer fare. Showed will on this evening - mag format has kept life in the...may have more longevity than I had speculated previously. Great stuff

Second wine of the dinner...2 bottles served this with an Heirloom Tomato, Local Burrata and Basil Verrine (excellent!). Nicely chilled, heeding other tasters advice I went with the screwtop bottles, saving the corked bottles for another time.

Light straw/gold color. Showing pear, faint citrus, mineral and saline. Very crisp and refreshing, was a great pairing with the tomatoes and burrata. Was not sure what to expect but this was a hit with the crowd...:) I paid ~$20 for this from garagiste...great QPR should have bought more!

Paired 2 bottles with 3rd course, pesto pasta with sauteed shrimp. Chilled, opened about 3 1/2 hours prior drinking. Fun to introduce Viura to this group...its a unique varietal not often known or purchased in the US.

Medium brass color. Nose was notable, showing ripe orchard fruits, brioche/toast, floral notes. Smooth and layered palate showing baked pears, lemon candy, orange peel, caramel, vanilla oak(?), spice/ginger and almond...a lot going on here. Rich but not heavy. Layered through the mid palate and finish. Medium/full body, long finish.

This was a big hit and turned out to be an excellent pairing with the pesto/shrimp, stood up to the spices and garlic. The chill and slow ox made a difference in this case, this wine needed time to wake up. Tasting a splash when first opened it was good but needed the time to show its depth. Nicely aged, in a good spot now. Based on these bottles could go a while but a must drink now if you have more than one...I should have bought more

From a magnum, decanted 4+ hours prior to drinking. Good excuse to introduce Saxum to this group of friends. Paired with the main course of tenderloin and grilled asparagus...perfect combo on a rainy Summer night...

Dark, inky purple color. Intense nose of red and blue fruits, dried flowers, spice and smoke. Full and dense palate of dark berries, liqueur, floral, leather, spice and mineral notes. Savory and spice notes persist through the mid palate and finish. Tannins are smoothed...Full body, long finish.

A big wine to be sure, but not overpowering. More pliant and elegant than I would have expected. Was a perfect pairing for tenderloin or any savory/meat courses. Outstanding showing on this evening - based on this bottle it has a lot of life left in it, worth drinking now...WOTN for me

Second wine with the main course, from a magnum. Slow oxed for about 3 hours, splashed into a decanter.

Dark ruby/garnet color, some thinning at the edge. Nose showing black cherry, cocoa, spice, and graphite. Palate showing the Howell Mountain berry signature, along with cassis, earth/mushroom, pencil shavings. Smooth through the mid palate - Merlot content likely softens the wine for an energetic and plush finish. Medium/full body, long finish,

Classic Howell Mountain Cab from a great vintner and winemaker, nothing to not like here...:) Showed beautifully on this evening, should go for a while but I think this may be at its best in the next few years. WOTN for a few in this group

With fruits and dessert, my last 2 375ml bottles from this vintage. Chilled, PnP.

Consistent with prior notes:"Gorgeous gold/chestnut color. Nose showing candied citrus, must/botrytis, honey, figs. Sweet and viscous palate of apricot, mango, honey, baked peach, creme brulee. Full body, long and layered finish...."

Great showing, color and nose are really notable at this point. Going strong, still has a good arc in front of it

Post dinner/dessert, went to an "open cellar" phase...picked this one to try. Last bottle from a batch bought at release. PnP, drank over 30 minutes.

Dark purple/red color. Nose showing dark cherry, spice and oak. Rich and fruit forward palate of plum, violets, cassis, leather and mocha. Floral, licorice, earth showing up on the mid palate.

Did better with time...good showing but decant is advisable. I dont think this really opened on this evening. Overall in a good spot, would drink over the next 3-5 years.