2008 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Rio Sordo Nebbiolo
Too hard for current drinking when first opened, so recorked and refrigerated. Two days later--pruney, nasty. Third one of a set of signed bottles with various degrees of 'cooked' that were purchased direct from the winemaker when on a North American tour about ten years ago. Beware winemaker trunk shows!
2008 Red Car Syrah Twenty Two Vivio Vineyard Bennett Valley
No new CT reviews since '14? WHAT? This is a fantastic California syrah with some delightful secondary development but while at peak or close to it, it's not yet mature, not even close, so it's hard to understand why I'm one of the only people to hang onto one till now. Good youthful color. Lavish aromas pop out of the glass and it's equally exuberant on the palate with leathery dark cherry, plum and an undercurrent of tar and herb. Delightful.
2019 Devison Vintners Sauvignon Blanc Evergreen Vineyard Columbia Valley
Fairly high acidity with assertive lemon notes on the otherwise cautious fruit and light body. Comes across as very cold climate, which I don't think applies to either the vintage or the Evergreen vineyard location. Puzzling.
1999 Jean Raphet et Fils Clos Vougeot Clos Vougeot Grand Cru Pinot Noir
I've had some great '99 Burgundies: this wasn't one of them. Dull in every way possible.
2019 Smith & Sheth Sauvignon Blanc Cru Wairau Wairau Valley
Love it when the label speaks to the contents: in this case, very sophisticated with a panoply of flavors not typical of NZ's ripe citrus style. Excellent.