Quick wine thoughts from a week+ of vacation.
2017 Failla Chardonnay (Sonoma Coast)
Brisk, fresh – not deeply fruity so the background acidity stands out. Very good.
2018 Elyse Cabernet Sauvignon Morisoli Vineyard (Napa Valley)
Something about the 2018 Elyse wines just always shines. Richness stops just short of excess. Enough tannin for structure. Excellent.
2020 Extradimensional Wine Co. Yeah! Innervisions Red (California)
As with the wine below, I can’t think of a better type of wine to have while spending a week at a cabin on a lakeshore in downeast Maine. Beautiful fruit, fresh as a fall breeze, and delicious with our homemade butter chicken. Excellent
2022 Extradimensional Wine Co. Yeah! Summer Salters II (Amador County)
Drank this outside by the lakeshore from the WineCo insulated wine cups. Three of us polished it off in about 20 minutes. Refreshing, almost literally salty in its minerality. Watermelon and strawberry fruit. Slurp! Excellent+
2020 Peay Vineyards Pinot Noir Savoy Vineyard (Anderson Valley)
I am not normally an Anderson Valley Pinot fan. I adored this wine. Depth of fruit, good underlying structure – it’s all there. In my top 5 of Pinots I have had this year. Outstanding
Rhys Perpetual Reserve Sparkling Wine
This was from the first release of the Perpetual Reserve. Markedly better than when I first had it in 2021. Knitted together, shows classic citrus and crisp apple fruit. My wife liked it which is key when bubbles are involved. Very good+
2021 Desire Lines Wine Co Red Wine Evangelho Vineyard (Contra Costa County)
Has some of that sappy fruit that I associate with Evangelho, but this one is a bit more linear and structured. What it does still have is a mouthful of umami, and a finish that is long as the golden hour in fall. Excellent
2019 Ridge Zinfandel (Paso Robles)
This does have some sappy fruit, but it’s not sloppy. Just easy, and classically Ridge Zin with a bit more ripeness than the Geyserville or Lytton bottlings. Made a great pairing for burger night by the lake. Very Good+
2017 Under the Wire Sparkling Chardonnay Alder Springs Vineyard (Mendocino)
Popular around the table. More precise than the Rhys sparkler, if a tad less complex. Overall, a lot of fun to drink though, and gone way too quickly. Excellent
2021 Massican Idlewild White Wine (Napa Valley)
Fresh tree fruit with a light herbal undertone, and then just a hint of grassiness on the finish. Perfect for afternoon snacks on the lakeshore while the loons swam by in the lake. Very Good+
2018 Evesham Wood Pinot Noir Temperance Hill Vineyard (Amity Hills)
Maybe a tough spot for this wine, as it was hard and ungiving when opened and still the same way 24 hours later. Didn’t seem obviously flawed in any way, just zero fun to drink. Fair-
2020 Loersch Riesling Auslese Apotheke (Mosel)
Rich, fruity and well balanced. Did a fine job cozying up to our Indian dal a tandoor-style chicken. Probably should come in magnums for that purpose. Excellent+
2021 Crivelli Ruché di Castagnole Monferrato
A toast to my late father on our final night in Maine, with his favorite daily drinker wine. Great with the pizza. Great with the memories. Excellent