5/26/2022 - gutt22 Likes this wine:

13.9% alcohol. This is just such a classy, seamless wine. The Arista touch on Chardonnay is superb. Beautiful bouquet of apple, judicious oak spice, and lemon. The palate is precise and dialed in. It gives the impression of richness but is also light on the palate. The acidity flexes some muscle but remains refined. Excellent on the finish. Great stuff. A

5/13/2022 - gutt22 Likes this wine:

14.3% alcohol. This has hit an incredible point in its evolution. Since it was in barrel, this has been an extraordinary Pinot Noir, and it's even more expressive now than ever before. A dark cherry color frames a bouquet that is intoxicating, full of cherry, spice, and now a rich earthy note as the first hints of secondary aromas come out of this wine. In the palate, as this has aged, it has become more lush and velvety. It's incredibly pure, with beautiful balance and still plenty of structure. But it's seamless at this point. I'm not sure I even anticipated this would develop so beautifully. A+

4/14/2022 - gutt22 Likes this wine:

Fascinating blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Sauvignon Blanc. Served chilled, this drank like a light Loire red. Very pleasant for summer and with enough body to stand up to food. B+

12/24/2021 - gutt22 wrote:

This is in a great place right now. The bouquet is that fine, Trenton Estate "ode to cherry." Red and black cherry, baking spice, and an undertone of earth jump out of the glass. On the palate, as juicy and delicious as this wine is, it's the texture that's a standout right now. Plush and beautiful, with fruit that's still primary, this is showing less overt acidity than some vintages. The finish is velvety and long. This is outstanding. A

12/24/2021 - gutt22 Likes this wine:

<14.0% alcohol. The way the Swan Estate Pinots age is remarkable. This had a lightly amber rim, betraying its 45 years from vintage. The nose was hugely complex, earthy and with the first signs of that soy-like back-end decline, so I think we hit this just at its peak. The fruit is clinging to life, with dried cherry, plum, and loads of earthy, floral elements. It's silky and complete, with a lovely finish that doesn't dry out. Drink them if you've got them, and it's a textbook example Swan Estate, if not quite up to the very best vintages. A-

12/23/2021 - gutt22 Likes this wine:

14.5% alcohol. Youthful, with a deep purple color. Classic TRB nose, full of bold fruit, a judicious use of oak, and tobacco undertones. A tribute to texture in the mouth, with supple mouth feel and impressively refined tannins. This really is just textbook modern Napa Cabernet and delightful. A-

2/25/2021 - gutt22 Likes this wine:

14.5% alcohol. This is superb, though very young. Dark red color. Complex nose of herbs, cassis, tobacco, and earth. Very identifiable as a Thomas Rivers Brown wine -- bright and beautifully full of fruit but also with a rich, compelling texture. It's very fine knit with a great finish. Just a wonderful wine. A

2/11/2021 - gutt22 Likes this wine:

13.7% alcohol. This is in such a stunning place right now. Gorgeous, forward nose packed with fruit, spice, earth, and flowers. This is still very much in its primary phase. In the mouth, vibrant, an explosion of bright fruit in the mouth. It's got superb texture and depth, with loads of complexity waving from behind the forward fruit. Unapologetically acidic, with a long, velvety finish. This is just freaking awesome. A

2/9/2021 - gutt22 Likes this wine:

Echoing Ryan's note above, tasted from the same bottle. This is proper Chardonnay ... it's alive and mature but with fruit and an evolving, complex palate. It's just a dynamite wine. A-

12/24/2020 - gutt22 Likes this wine:

A vigorous, lively showing for this wine. It's probably just hitting its first plateau of peak. Red cherry color. Stunning nose of black cherry, cranberry, mushroom, spice, and flowers. In the mouth, seamless, focused, but perhaps not the full weight and velvety quality of the absolute finest Trenton Estate. Nevertheless, this is extremely impressive. Great length. Generous finish. Not dried out or tired in any way. The fruit is extremely lively. A

12/19/2020 - gutt22 Likes this wine:

13.5% alcohol. This is a really lovely bottle of Pinot, even at this early stage. Dark cherry color, with a nose that took a bit of coaxing but opened up beautifully. There's a mix of red and black cherry on the nose, along with the more earthy tones of Sonoma Coast. A velvety and very refined palate, with excellent concentration and delineation of the cherry fruit, along with good structure. Glad to have found this. A-

12/15/2020 - gutt22 Likes this wine:

8.5% alcohol. Beautiful wine that is drinking quite generously young. The petrol notes blow off quickly, and the generous peach and green apples notes come through. Wonderful acidity balances out a perfect sweetness. This is a very fine wine. A total bargain. A-

12/4/2020 - gutt22 Likes this wine:

13.1% alcohol. Pretty cherry color. Lovely nose that took some coaxing to open up, but it blossomed into a lovely floral, black cherry, spice bouquet. In the mouth, pure and delightful, with focused fruit supported elegantly by floral and spice notes. The acidity remains for this to age more time on, and the finish is smooth and pretty. A-

12/3/2020 - gutt22 wrote:

Light yellow color. This is truly a California grand cru for good reason -- precise, delicious, and a wine of true depth. The fruit has a slightly sour edge to the apple and pear notes, giving a lemony hit, and the minerality and acidity are achingly pure. Superb stuff. A

12/2/2020 - gutt22 wrote:

14.5% alcohol. Just superb, even this youthful. Light yellow color and a lovely, well-developed nose of apple, pear, green apple, minerals, and oak spice. In the mouth, it has that uncanny Rochioli marriage of lush texture, bold fruit, and brilliant acidity. This creates marvelous balance and just an eminently drinkable wine. A-/A

12/2/2020 - gutt22 Likes this wine:

14.8% alcohol. Dark and smokey is a great description of the nose. There's lush and pure black cherry notes, too, and ample acidity to back up the structure of this wine. A nit is the touch of heat on the finish. A-

11/28/2020 - gutt22 Likes this wine:

This is so lively and perfectly representative of what makes Rivers Marie Pinot so compelling. Dark cherry, a signature touch of orange peel, raspberry, and spices on the nose. So lively on the palate, with generous fruit and beautiful complexity, mixed with a supple texture and generous structure. Long finish. A great example of this marvelous vineyard. A-/A

11/25/2020 - gutt22 Likes this wine:

Light but delightful -- a wonderful daily drinker. Light yellow color. Nice aromatics of apple, pear, and minerals. In the mouth, gives what it gave on the nose -- pleasant apple and pear fruit with good minerality and moderate acidity. Outstanding QPR. B+

11/21/2020 - gutt22 Likes this wine:

14.6% alcohol. In a beautiful place. Translucent cherry color, with an explosive nose of cherry, flowers, and spice. In the mouth, linear and beautiful, just packed with life and fruit. That kind of beautiful, lively Pinot that's easy to drink but also layered with complexity. A really, really fine effort out of this underrated vineyard. A-/A

11/11/2020 - gutt22 Likes this wine:

12.8% alcohol. Bright cherry color, with brilliant luster like a sour cherry. And that's the story of this very young, very tightly wound Cuvee de Trois. Glorious nose of sour cherry that's just packed in with minerality. In the mouth, same story -- sour cherry, stacked with acidity, and a tangy finish. There's some spice just barely peaking out, but this is strikingly wound up and likely long-lived for Cuvee de Trois. Let it rest a couple years because the patience surely will be rewarded. Potential to be one of the best of this blend, like the 2005. A-/A

11/10/2020 - gutt22 Likes this wine:

12.8% alcohol. This is a total temptation of fate. The second-ever bottling of my It Wine. The wine that completely forced head-over-heels down the staircase of wine passion. From the second-oldest block of Trenton Estate, which is five-sided -- hence, Pentagon. How did it go? The fruit is so achingly pure it makes me want to cry. The nose took a little while to open, but it’s also a chameleon ... I’m getting a bit of floral even on it at this point, which normally I wouldn't expect from Trenton Estate at this point. Maybe a touch more oak presence on the finish than I recall on the 1997 at this stage, but my palate certainly is different, and apparently this is only 50% new oak, not 100% like the 1997. The finish is insanely long and persistent. I mean. It simply doesn’t end. This is a true legend. I haven’t had more joy spending such a long time with a bottle in many, many moons. What a true treat. This is a tour de force. A great, great wine. Worthy of every bit of its distinguished lineage. One of the great wines I’ve ever drunk. For sure. A+

10/24/2020 - gutt22 Likes this wine:

13.5% alcohol. Medium yellow color. Pretty nose of apple and pear, with just a wink of oak. The palate is vibrant, with tangy and bright fruit mixing nicely with good acidity. Good finish. A-

10/24/2020 - gutt22 Likes this wine:

12.5% alcohol. Still a deep ruby color. Not massively complex but a damn good wine indeed and a great example of Graves. Plum and currant on the nose, with good underlying spice and earth, with a touch of herbs. In the mouth, fully resolved and drinking beautifully. Soft and linear in the mouth. Just a really nice wine. A-

10/21/2020 - gutt22 Likes this wine:

14.2% alcohol. Still a quite youthful cherry color. Beautiful and classic Trenton Estate nose of bright cherry, baking spice, flowers, and earth. Sumptuous palate that has only a trace of volatile acidity that detracts slightly in this bottle. Apart from that, darn near perfect and from a great vintage. A-/A

10/21/2020 - gutt22 Likes this wine:

Light cherry color. Elegant nose, with a building crescendo of cherry fruit framed by spice and floral notes. In the mouth, beautifully linear, focused, and layered with complexity. This is in an ideal place right now. A-

10/17/2020 - gutt22 Likes this wine:

13.3% alcohol. Very young, with a purple-red color, and somewhat reticent on the nose at first. But some vigorous swirling and a couple hours of air really let this open up. Restrained and a decidedly cool blue fruit notes on the nose, with a nice spicy and peppery component. In the mouth, it's not as brawny as I prepared myself for. The balance is impeccable. Overtly fruit but balanced beautifully by great acidity and gentle but present tannins. Excellent. A-

10/17/2020 - gutt22 Likes this wine:

14.0% alcohol. Moderate yellow color. This comes with a very attractive nose of lemony floral notes, with a kind of spiced pear sensibility. In the mouth, superb balance. It's very fruit forward with good tang and excellent acidity. This keeps the focus and purity just right, avoiding any bitter notes that sometimes creep into these white Rhone blends in California. A really excellent effort. A-

9/29/2020 - gutt22 Likes this wine:

This is a wine of such great life, zest, and purity of fruit, it makes me want to reach for another bottle. Still youthful but a wine of outstanding balance, generous fruit, tangy acidity, and a supple finish. The Eastside Road always seems to be quite flashy, which makes sense since it comes from somewhat warmer sites, and this is just phenomenal. A

9/15/2020 - gutt22 Likes this wine:

13.7% alcohol. Absolutely rocking right now. Medium yellow color. It took about 45 minutes to really open up and show its hand; served at cellar temperature throughout. Beautiful apple, pear, and stone notes on the nose. Good concentration with strong acidity and mineral notes. Great depth. A really serious Chardonnay. A

9/15/2020 - gutt22 Likes this wine:

Still a beautiful full red color. A complex, brooding nose full of spice and earth initially. As it opened over a few hours, the fruit became more prominent, showing velvety and almost sweet. Incredible texture and complexity to this wine. It's just a delight. Beautiful mature Zinfandel. A-

9/15/2020 - gutt22 Likes this wine:

A really nice contrast to the 1990 Estate, this shows more elegance. It's earthy, spicy, and showing great texture behind black cherries and floral notes. Wonderfully integrated. Long finish. A genuinely elegant and stately wine. A-

9/15/2020 - gutt22 Likes this wine:

Stunningly youthful at age 30! Ruby red color. Stunning nose of red cherry, earth, spice, a touch of mushrooms, and minerals. In the mouth, this is so lively and packing so much -- gorgeous cherry fruit, baking spice, forest floor, and plenty of acidity. This has the bones for the really long haul. A truly great Estate from Swan. A

9/15/2020 - gutt22 Likes this wine:

Remains superb -- bright and full of fruit, lively acidity. It's amazing how consistent and beautiful these wines are. A-

8/30/2020 - gutt22 Likes this wine:

An excellent showing for this bottle. Very dark red color. The nose was generous, with a hint of wood framing beautiful black and blue fruit, pepper, and spice notes. In the mouth, surprisingly refined. A powerful wine, but the balance is impeccable. Still quite chewy on the finish, but this is really excellent. A-/A

8/30/2020 - gutt22 Likes this wine:

The youthful edges have softened in this wine, but it's still got a long, happy life ahead of it. Opened four hours before serving but not decanted. Translucent cherry color. Beautiful nose of cherry, flowers, spice, and minerals. A powerful yet reserved palate presence, with great finesse and discipline as it unfolds the fruit, earth, and spice notes on the palate. Still a moderate tannic kick at the end, but the finish is superb. A-

8/19/2020 - gutt22 Likes this wine:

Marvelous showing. Gorgeous cork, with only about a half-inch of saturation. After a bit of funk blowing off the nose for 30 minutes or so, this was a really pretty, earthy, tobacco-laden, red fruited nose. The palate was beautifully textural, with a good deal of sweet fruit, and retaining good acidity. The finish shows some signs of drying out, but this was an absolutely awesome showing. A-

8/17/2020 - gutt22 Likes this wine:

This is a lovely, delicate Burgundy. Light cherry color. Refined and cool nose of red cherry, violets, and minerals. In the mouth, supremely elegant, with beautiful texture. The flavors are persistent, and the wine glides effortlessly across the palate. It's a very pretty wine and drinking well and softly right now. A-

6/23/2020 - gutt22 Likes this wine:

Yes, it's still absurdly young. Yes, it's absurdly good. Still a straw/hay yellow color. The aromatics are unbridled and concentrated. To describe the nose and palate on this wine is an exercise in cliches and platitudes. It is all of them. It is the archetype, and this is a great vintage for Yquem, without a doubt. Leave it for at least ten years now. A+

6/15/2020 - gutt22 Likes this wine:

14.2% alcohol. Incredible how youthful this is showing. Bright cherry color. Absolutely superb bouquet of vibrant cherry, spice, minerals, and a subtle floral note. The palate is the definition of energy. There's an urgency about the wine as it runs across the palate, bursting with aggressive, tart cherry notes, explosive acidity, and leaving behind a trail of complexity that has only begun to show the depth of the full material in this wine. Absolutely awesome. No rush. This will make it to middle age easily. A

6/7/2020 - gutt22 Likes this wine:

Great showing for this wine. Textbook Margaux elegance and aromatics. It's laser focused and beautifully concentrated. Robust fruit, moving from fully primary to embracing secondary characteristics. This is just so fine and so fun to drink. Classic wine from a classic vintage. A-/A

6/4/2020 - gutt22 Likes this wine:

14.5% alcohol. Medium yellow color. Beautiful nose of spiced apple and lemon curd. In the mouth, it's got shockingly deep and rich texture. This is unabashedly Grand Cru California Chardonnay. Beautifully long finish. The best American Chardonnay I can remember in quite some time. A

6/2/2020 - gutt22 Likes this wine:

Another beautiful, classic example of Swan Estate Pinot Noir with great age on it. At age 35, this retains a slightly bricked red cherry color. The nose remains boldy fruity, but the secondary aspects, especially the spice and rich earth notes, are coming to the fore. In the mouth, exceptionally lively. Packed with fruit and secondary notes, this is aging with total grace. Awesome acidity remains. Moderate finish. A-/A

5/21/2020 - gutt22 Likes this wine:

13.5% alcohol. It's been ten years since I had this bottling. Now, I call it "baby" Pentagon, since it's the usual Estate wine with the Pentagon block bottled separately. And it's screaming good, just like it always has been. Took a bit of time for the funk to blow off the nose, but this is just fresh and lively and intense, with secondary aromas and flavors starting to make their presence known. This is still greatly driven by red fruit, spice, floral notes, and plenty of acidity. It's hard for me to describe this wine because it just has so much memory associated with it. Brilliant. A

4/3/2020 - gutt22 Likes this wine:

12.5% alcohol. This is just humming along with no end in sight. Ten years later, and it's still fresh and lively. Dark red color to the rim of the glass. Very Margaux nose of flowers, elegant fruit, and spice notes. In the mouth, seamless, with fine texture and primary fruit. Sails across the palate with poise, finishing with great length and detail. This is a great example of how profound the 2000 vintage is. A wonderful wine that delivers incredible enjoyment. This will go another ten years easily. A-

2/23/2020 - gutt22 Likes this wine:

13.4% alcohol. This is an absolute knockout, although very youthful right now. Stony cherry fruit on the nose. Racy in the mouth, with tart-yet-rich fruit and high acidity. It's awesome and precocious. A crazy good Saralee's. A-/A

1/24/2020 - gutt22 Likes this wine:

Incredibly fresh and vibrant, more so than the first bottle. This was an extraordinary showing, especially for a wine whose cork was soaked, even with a bit of wine stuck under the capsule. About 4 cm of ullage. But it didn't show it at all. Bright fruit. Great complexity, with plenty of secondary notes. Acidity that still had some kick. And an awesome finish. What a bottle! A

10/22/2019 - gutt22 Likes this wine:

<14% alcohol. Agree wholly with Ryan that this was leaner than the 1974; a more typical old Pinot, in a sense. Well-bricked in color. Mature notes mingle with surprisingly bright cherry fruit on the nose. On the palate, still vivid and packing a nice cherry note, along with soil, earth, spice, and minerals. Moderate finish. Very good example of aged Swan. A-

10/22/2019 - gutt22 Likes this wine:

15.4% alcohol. An insanely great showing for this wine. Bricked at the rim, but mostly just a bright, rich cherry color. It was superbly open and profoundly fruity on the nose, with cherry pie and blackberry, along with some creeping tertiary notes and spice. In the mouth, velvety and dripping with fruit. It's incredible that this wine is so fresh at age 45; profoundly delicious. A+

12/25/2019 - gutt22 wrote:

13.6% alcohol. This remains improbably stunning. Aromatic. Beautiful. Bricking at the rim now, but full of black cherry fruit and bright acidity. Brilliant. A-/A

12/25/2019 - gutt22 Likes this wine:

13.0% alcohol. Stunning wine. A great Mazis from a great vintage. Black cherry color. Youthful nose of cherry, soil, minerals, and spice. Gained and gained with air and time. In the mouth, this was brilliant. It has shed any youthful brashness and is a complete, smooth, beautifully balanced wine. Coolly fruity, backed up by ample but refined structure. Unapologetically spicy and earthy in the middle palate. This is a dream with black truffles. A