2022 Kutch Pinot Noir Falstaff Vineyard (Sonoma Coast)
Early days, but beautifully integrated, with depth to reward cellaring. Dark red fruit with balanced structure.
2023 Extradimensional Wine Co. Yeah! Full King Crab III Brosseau Vineyard (Monterey County)
Totally crushable, especially with chilled lobster and lemon.
2018 Ramey Wine Company Chardonnay (Fort Ross-Seaview)
Lemon and green apple fruit, spice still there but calmed down from release. Delicious as always, and still has time to spare.
2013 Beringer Vineyards Merlot Bancroft Ranch (Howell Mountain)
Bigger than I prefer, but not into caricature territory. Worked well with strongly flavored food. Still youthfully fruity.
2023 Desire Lines Grenache Rosé Sky Vineyard (Mt. Veeder)
With temps soaring into the 80s I had to open this by the lake for afternoon snacks. Just as good as my prior bottle just a week or so ago, and quickly emptied as the sun began to set.
2023 Bedrock Wine Co. Ode to Lulu Old Vine Rosé (California)
It was still warm, so we had to open more Rosé. Slightly darker fruit tones than the Desire Lines, but equally refreshing.
2015 Rhys Blanc de Blancs Bearwallow Vineyard (Anderson Valley)
This was the inaugural wine of the Rhys sparkling program, and I had hoped time would help it. Not so much. Everyone commented about how sweet it was. Drinkable for sure, but Roederer Estate NV is way cheaper, and better balanced.
2004 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate (Napa Valley)
Just sneaking into early maturity but with fruit to spare, this is very drinkable now, and definitely getting more elegant as it ages. Another five years could see this in a very nice spot.
NV Wolves Above / Kelley Fox Wines Blueberry Wine (2023 Edition)
I poured this out of sight, so nobody knew what it was. Everyone loved it, and was stunned when I passed the bottle around. The label is fantastic too! I think I will bury one bottle just to see what happens with several years.
2021 Vincent Pinot Noir (Eola-Amity Hills)
Almost as delicious as the 2021 Ribbon Ridge (just kidding), this was bright, focused, and very Pinot Noir. Disappeared in a flash.
2020 Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer Riesling Spätlese
Tropical, a little soft as with many 2020s, but well balanced. Should age into something more interesting.
1981 Porto Souza Reserve Port
Our hosts had been holding this bottle for several years, so while kept reasonably well, it was not cellared. That said it was still a tasty drop, with lots of nutty aromas, along with dried fig, and dried cherries. Drank like an old Tawny, and that was OK!
There was also beer, and a little Bourbon.