A few wines from last night at a friend's:
2014 Lawer Family Chardonnay Knights Valley
New label to me. Apple and good, typical chard flavors, a little Meyer lemon and sweet butter on the nose. Balanced and attractive.
2014 WillaKenzie Estate Pinot Noir 20th Anniversary Estate Cuvée Willamette Valley
Good, servicable Oregon pinot: offers pleasing typicity without any depth or character. A second glass later in the evening showed some fading. I would have expected better. Drink now.
2013 Chad Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve Napa Valley
This CHAD label is being sold by Wine Access. They claim Chad is a sommelier who does these negociant style bottlings, or something like that. This one is VERY good. Reports on CT say it needs years yet due to massive tannins, but this bottle had been opened the day before and it was drinking very well. There was a touch of tightness across the midpalate that indicated it was showing everything it had, but it was nonetheless eminently drinkable and impressive for the price. Excellent classy Napa-ness with that Rutherford dust thing I adore.
And this one from the night before:
2012 Domaine Jean-Marc Pillot Chassagne-Montrachet Pinot Noir
A very decent Burgundy. On the modern side, fresh and slutty/fruity, with good nose and flavor. No hugely complex or anything but very serviceable in a restaurant who did not have good glassware for drinking Burgundy.