2016 Borne of Fire Cabernet Sauvignon The Burn Columbia Valley
Suckling's 96 pt score of this new product from Columbia Winery is a joke, but that aside, the wine is quite good. Has sensual flavors and texture via dark cherry fruit, green tobacco, and very slight tannins. Most notably it's not heavily oaked or sweet. A good red for a mixed crowd--geeks and newbies alike can enjoy. I was very sorry when this ran out and I was stuck with sweet, oaky Chateau Michy's.
2016 Oberon Chardonnay Carneros
Very pear-y with good concentration and body, but also flagrantly toasted oak. Finishes hot, though bottle only admits to 13.4% abv.
2004 Concha y Toro Cabernet Sauvignon Don Melchor Puente Alto
A terrific bottle. Black cherry, tobacco and eucalyptus, everything we hope to find with leathery secondary nuances. Still lots of room for tertiary development. Would hold another bottle, if I had one, to 2025.
2007 Loring Wine Company Pinot Noir Clos Pepe Vineyard Sta. Rita Hills
A gift from friends with careful but passive Southern California storage--not mistreated but no doubt more mature by 2-3 years than properly stored bottles. Riper, pulpier than the 07 Loring Garys' they shared last week, and on the edge of pruniness. I'm alarmed to see 251 bottles still in other CT cellars--these wines aren't made for aging, and they won't get any better. Drink up!
2014 Liquid Farm Chardonnay La Hermana Santa Maria Valley
Complex but plenty ripe, with lemons, baked apples, nectarines and the like. More overtly Californian than some LF's.
2014 Chad Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District
Just medium body with the diminished complexity of what tastes to me like young vine fruit--or it's tight and closed. Either way, it needs time.
2016 Bow and Arrow Sauvignon Blanc Union School Willamette Valley
3rd bottle since February. Not as fleshy and ripe as the second bottle, but definitely lacking the multi-faceted Dagenau-ish plumage of the first bottle that caused me to pursue these, which I now regret.
2014 Azienda Agricola Cos Sicilia Ramí White Blend
Surprisingly, an orange wine. Mildly cloudy and the color of a ripe apricot, severe nose and dry on the palate with fruit the flavor of golden tomato and dry mustard. Interesting but demanding, like a calculus quiz--not a waste of time, but it takes a lot out of you and gives little back.
2013 Fidelitas 'Canyon' Red Blend
Andouzed four hours before dinner, 83% cabernet 17% malbec. The favorite of inexperienced dinner guests among three cabs opened for it's plush, velour textures.
2008 San Juan Vineyards Destiny Ridge Vineyards Horse Heaven Hills Red Bordeaux Blend
Andouzed for four hours. Opened three cabs for guests and this was the least liked due to harsh(er) acidity. Not bad, just slightly less friendly than the rest.
2011 Coho Cabernet Sauvignon Summit Vine Ranch Diamond Mountain
Good showing. Andouzed the bottle about four hours in advance, and found the usual Napa cab suspects barely into secondary development. Loads of structure--supports my original theory of 2025 or beyond.
2014 Domaine Pattes Loup Chablis 1er Cru Butteaux Chardonnay
1 yr since last bottle. Cashmere texture remains and flavors are more evolved, but there's a hint of oxidation. Not happy about that.
2008 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Nebbiolo
Cloudy from the first drop. Indistinct, muddied flavors: not worth drinking. Too bad, this is the second damaged bottle of the four I owned.