Sean Thackrey has gone to meet the galaxy

[David M. Bueker]

Passed today after a long battle with cancer. The world is now smaller and less interesting.

Drinking a Pleiades XXVI in his memory.

[David M. Bueker]

• NV Sean Thackrey Pleiades XXVI Old Vines - USA, California (5/30/2022)
  Sean Thackrey passed early this morning. I opened this in his memory. Pleiades always seemed like the calling card. It has always had a rather confusing history of what it was and where it came from, but edition after edition it always brought complexity and pleasure. The XXVI is no exception, as it blends earthiness and red fruit with a minty streak and spice. It’s glou-glou (chuggable for normal people) while also being engaging. Fine wine indeed but with no frills, no fanfare. Enjoy sailing amongst the stars Sean. We’ll miss you.

Nice tribute, David. And nice TN as well.
Tom

[Jenise]

Oh dear. Wish I had a Pleides. Used to buy them every year, often by the case but they stopped showing up within shopping range. I have but one of his wines left, a petite sirah.

[David M. Bueker]

Oh dear. Wish I had a Pleides. Used to buy them every year, often by the case but they stopped showing up within shopping range. I have but one of his wines left, a petite sirah.

I literally scoured Wine Searcher for a few extra bottles of Pleiades after I heard of Sean's passing.

[David M. Bueker]

• NV Sean Thackrey Pleiades XXVI Old Vines - USA, California (8/8/2023)
  Hard to believe that it's been over a year since Sean Thackrey slipped the surly bonds of Earth. Thankfully we have his wines, though in a steadily dwindling supply. The Pleiades follows a wandering path in my experience, and this wine is taking a road less traveled, with a lighter profile, but no lack of aroma and flavor. More in the strawberry/cranberry vein, there's also an abundance of floral and herbal notes, with a sweet aroma not unlike being near a cotton candy vendor at the county fair. Thankfully there's no aroma from the farm animal barns! Light to medium bodied on the palate, the berry fruit and herbal tones ride on waves of fresh acidity, with just a trace of tannin at the finish. This is drinking very well now, and probably the near term. I would not measure this one in light years.

Thanks for note. Sorry to learn of this. I don't think I've ever owned a bottle of Thackrey, though I have enjoyed. I do remember one of the quickest blind tasting calls I've ever seen, John G took a whiff of a wine, pretty sure he called Thackrey before tasting (he said it smelled like pot- its true he knows Mark's cellar which helps).

[David M. Bueker]

I prefer "herbal tones" as it avoids Federal entanglements.