2018 Marqués de Riscal Rioja Reserva Tempranillo Blend, Tempranillo
Purchased to season some homemade sausage. Very surprised at how balanced and tasty this was. We recently made a point of tasting Washington tempranillos, many of which were 2-3 times this price, and none of which were as immediately enjoyable.
2001 Château Bellisle Mondotte St. Émilion Grand Cru Red Bordeaux Blend
Little or no change since Mar '22. Perhaps a tad mustier, but wow did the tertiary notes mirror the flavor in the Stilton cheese and shitake mushroom souffle I paired it with. A magical match! Minor sediment the texture of coffee grounds required filtering out.
2019 Stolpman Roussanne Ballard Canyon
WGMCCALLUM's CT note in 2021 still describes this perfectly: "Pale gold. Rich aromas of almonds, dried apricots, vanilla, with a hint of sherry. Rich honied fruit on the palate, and full-bodied with a touch of sweetness, light acids, long finish. 13.5% alcohol. Fleshy but with spine." Interesting to know that what tasted like a very evolved wine actually hasn't changed much since birth.