From two dinners with friends this week:
2021 Idlewild Erbaluce Mendocino
More golden than our last bottle in June with deeper flavors. Aging well, but quickly.
2009 d'Angelo Aglianico del Vulture Riserva Caselle
Cedary mature nose on ripe plums, tomato leaf and leather. More tertiary than expected. Pleasing with veal chops and broccolini risotto, but pretty much at the end of its run. Drink up.
2017 Rocky Pond Winery Stratastone Double D Vineyard, Lake Chelan, Grenache Blend
Last bottle from a case. These wines went through a nasty, bitter phase but the wine has pulled out of that and this showed good depth and GSM complexity. Sorry I don't have more.
2019 Juan Gil Jumilla Red Blend Mourvèdre Blend, Mourvèdre
Brought to dinner by a guest. Blend of mourvedre, cabernet and syrah. A tad sweeter than the other reds on the table but not overly so, and medium bodied with balanced acidity and tannins. Very approachable--I was much happier with this than most of the $13 wines people bring to my table.
2021 Lariana Cellars Viognier Okanagan Valley VQA
Pale, barely more color than water, nose of Asian pear with an exotic hint of ginger-spice. On the palate subtle white nectarine with bergamot, more spice and chalky minerality. Crisp and classy. $38C retail and worth it. Just exceptional for a new world viognier. This was my bottle and the next morning I attempted to find more of it (I bought this in August). No luck. It's all gone, and it should be.
2006 Castello di Monsanto Chianti Classico Riserva Il Poggio Chianti Classico DOCG Sangiovese
2nd time I've had this in the last two months--from different cellars but results identical. Dark and polished with expansive and lavish fruit. The kind of wine that makes you feel spoiled (in the best way). Excellent.
2020 Domaine Serguier Côtes du Rhône La Joie de mon Pere Red Rhone Blend
Not grapey like the first bottle a year ago, in fact initially spot on for a CdR. Red fruit flavors turned rather jammy toward the end, though. Meh.