Labor Day cookout smoked beef brisket and premium reds

End of summer brought family gala Labor Day cookout featuring smoked beef brisket and medley of premium red wines …

Most of the family gathered at son Ryan’s and Michelle’s for a gala end of summer Labor Day cookout. Ryan smoked a beef brisket and opened from his cellar a selection of ultra-premium red wines. 

Everyone brought a salad, side dish or dessert to accompany the brisket and grilled hot dogs. 

Ryan pulled from his cellar a diverse horizontal (multiple bottles from the same vintage) selection of 2005 vintage ultra-premium red wines from Napa Valley, central California Paso Robles and Left Bank Bordeaux. 

Phillip Melka Métisse Red Wine 2005

This is from one of our favorite producers, Phillippe Melka, a producer we know well and hold several of his labels across two decades of vintages. Phillippe was the mentor for Eric White of Galena Cellars Vineyards and Winey in Galena, IL, whom we met during our stay in the estate guest house during our getaway holiday week a couple years ago. 

Philippe grew up in Bordeaux, earned his degree in Geology at the University of Bordeaux and later his Master’s degree in Agronomy and Enology. His first wine job was at Château Haut Brion in Bordeaux. His first introduction to the Napa Valley came in 1991 as an intern with Christian Moueix, proprietor of Chateau Petrus in Bordeaux and Dominus in Napa Valley. Philippe came to Dominus to study soils – then spent a few years as a traveling winemaker and ultimately settled in the Napa Valley in 1994. The list of Napa wineries that Philippe has worked with over the years reads like a whose who list of the valley – Alejandro Bulgheroni Estate, Brand, Bryant Family, Dana Estates, Lail, Hundred Acre and Tusk Estate among many other well-regarded brands.

Philippe works with co-proprietor and co-winemaker for Melka Estates, wife, Cherie Melka. Cherie earned a degree in Microbiology at Northern Arizona University and worked for a while in pharmaceuticals as a laboratory technician. In 1989, she moved to California and took her first winery job for Paul Draper at Ridge Vineyards where she ran the lab for five years. It was here that she met Philippe who was working the vineyards. Cherie was self-taught as a enologist gaining her wine knowledge from equally impressive estates such as Ridge Vineyards, Beaulieu and Silver Oak Cellars. 

Their combined science backgrounds and extensive experience in the industry made them a perfect team in their winemaking endeavors.

The Melka brand started in 1996, when Philippe and Cherie moved back to Napa Valley from France and set out to produce their own brand, despite each working for different wineries.  After years of consulting, Philippe and Cherie opened up Melka Wines, in 1996, celebrating their first vintage of a Bordeaux styled Red Wine labeled Melka Métisse with a total production of 500 cases. 

Melka Estates started with Philippe and Cherie Melka sourcing fruit for their first two labels, two wines, one named in honor of their two children Chloe and Jeremy, and Métisse. They have since grown to four collections, CJ (a red blend very approachable in its youth sourced from premium vineyards throughout the Napa Valley), Métisse (a word that means ‘blend of cultures’ with wines from the Napa Valley), Mekerra (from the property they own in Sonoma County) and Majestique (single vineyard wines from outside of the Napa Valley). As a footnote, one quickly realizes the affinity the Melka’s have for the letter ‘M’.

The vineyards that contribute to the making of Melka wines are sourced from relationships with growers over the 20 years that they’ve been making this wine. Two primary sources of fruit for CJ are Soda Canyon, a unique area in Napa Valley near Oakville with hillside fruit, and Broken Rock has brought more fresh crushed rocks, good acidity and more massive tannins.

We’ve held this label dating back to that inaugural vintage release in 1996. 

This 2005 Melka Métisse Proprietary Red is a full-bodied, elegant Napa Valley Bordeaux blend.

It is a comprised of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Petit Verdot, 100% sourced from the Jumping Goat vineyard in St. Helena.

It’s was aged 19 months in French oak barrels (75% new). Production was 475 cases.

This was rated 94 points by Int'l Wine Cellar and 93 points by Wine Spectator and 91 by Wine Advocate.

Dark ruby colored, medium to full-bodied, intense, concentrated, complex, ripe blackberry and black currant fruits with notes of spice, cassis, licorice, tar, spices and bitter mocha chocolate with smooth polished tannings on a lengthy finish.

RM 93 points.  

https://www.melkaestates.com/

https://twitter.com/MelkaEstates

https://www.melkaestates.com/assets/upload/2005_Metisse_technote_1.pdf

https://www.melkaestates.com/

Chateau Montrose St Estephe Bordeaux 2005

This is a classic left bank Bordeaux from a classic vintage that should last several decades and at twenty years is just beginning to reveal its true profile and potential. In 2024, Jeb Dunnock wrote, “ (this) Montrose has another 50-75 years of overall longevity. It should cruise for another 30 years in cold cellars“ 

“It’s just now starting to show a kiss of maturity and it looks to be in the early phases of its prime drinking window. It’s also the finest bottles I’ve had, pointing to this starting to round the corner and show its full potential.” 

It is being written that the 2005 will, at maturity, surpass the two classic vintages of 1989 and 1990 - high praise signaling a top vintage with extraordinary aging potential. 

We’ve collected this classic old school St Estephe label going back to the early 1980’s, including our kids’ birthyears, 1981’ ‘82, ‘85 and 1990. We still hold several vintages dating back to the 1980’s. 

This was the final vintage managed entirely by the Charmolüe family before the estate was sold to the Bouygues in 2006. 

We drove by the historic St Estephe estate along the Gironde River just north of the town of Pauillac during our visit to the region in 2018. 

The 2005 Montrose is classic St Estephe, old school, a behemoth wine with a massive Cabernet profile, big bold dark cassis, hints of pencil cedar shavings, and earthy and leathery aromas and tobacco just starting to reveal, big ripe fruits with great tannic and acidic structure. 

This highly acclaimed release was rated 99 points by Jeb Dunnuck, 98 points by Jane Anson of Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and The Wine Independent, and 96 points by Decanter, James Suckling and Neal Martin for Vinous. 

This is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 3% to 3.5% Cabernet Franc, and 0.5% to 1% Petit Verdot. It was aged in 60% new oak. The winemaker was Jean-Bernard Delma who oversaw the elevage of this wine. 

Jeb Dunnuck wrote in 2024, “It’s just now starting to show a kiss of maturity and it looks to be in the early phases of its prime drinking window. It’s also the finest bottles I’ve had, pointing to this starting to round the corner and show its full potential.” 

Neal Martin of Vinous wrote, “It's no shy retiring flower by a long stretch—if you seek a more bombastic Montrose then this is where to come. "

Winemaker Notes - “2005 impresses by its exceptional power, the amazing pure fruit, and the extraordinary engaging elegance without having the overwhelming charm of the 2003. Stylistically, very classical and very Bordeaux-like, without austerity. Dense purple color, almost black.The nose is still closed: black fruits, spices, chocolate. Complex palate, long, rich, powerful, cherry, cocoa, licorice, tobacco brown, prune. This is a very big wine, full and very structured, with nice length, the tannins are very robust, with great aging potential.”

As with many super highly rated wines, this shows a characteristic profile revealing a flawless lack of faults, with a terrific sense of freshness, balance, and remarkable purity and precision. 

Dark garnet, ruby/plum-hued, full-bodied, intense, dense, concentrated, complex, yet balanced, still a bit tight and closed, layered dark blackcurrant and red fruits, spices, cloves, chocolate loamy soil, leather, graphite and hints of black truffles, floral and ash, turning to refined, silky polished tannins, on a long elegant finish. 

Be patient, give this time, and hopefully if you’re lucky and able, taste periodically over an extended period to see how it matures, opens to reveal itself  

RM 95 points.

https://go.cellartracker.com/wine/222327 

http://www.chateau-montrose.com/ 

More to come …. 

Saxum Broken Stones Red Wine 2005

This limited release highly allocated label is a blend of 74% Syrah, 24% Grenache, and the rest Mourvèdre, what is commonly called a “GSM” in Australia and other parts where this southern Rhone Valley blend is common.  

This is produced by Heather and Justin Smith whose family owns the James Berry Vineyard, one of the rare sites in Paso Robles on limestone. They produce ultra-premium wines under the Saxum Vineyards label.

Saxum Vineyards is located in the Paso Robles AVA of Central California was founded in the early 2000s by Justin Smith, a young winemaker who had previously been part-owner of Linne Calodo.

Saxum gained notoriety in late 2010 when its 2007 James Berry Vineyards wine was named the #1 Wine of 2010 by Wine Spectator. The wine is a Rhone-style blend of Grenache, Mourvedre and Syrah. 

Saxxum are part of the community of producers in Central California Coast that have become known as the “Rhone Rangers,” because they specialize in Rhone Valley-style blends. 

The intense sunshine and relatively steep and rocky terrain of the Paso Robles AVA, which was officially recognized in 1983, is similar to the terrain of the Rhone Valley. 

The Paso Robles AVA is midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, and it is considered one of the West Coast’s most exciting winemaking regions. Located in San Luis Obispo County, Paso Robles, the town and its surrounding area, was traditionally a farming and ranching region. With its hot, sometimes searingly dry and sunny weather, it is especially good country for growing warm climate grapes such as Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre. 

So many Paso Robles wineries have been successful with blending these grapes into Rhone Valley-style wines, it is known as the Rhone zone of California. 

There are 32,000 vineyard acres in the Paso Robles AVA that was created in 1983. In late 2014 the AVA was divided into 11 smaller sub-appellations, so, starting with the 2015 vintages, Paso Robles wines are label with more specificity, which will now also list sub-appellations. 

Today there are more than 200 wineries.

Smith and his wife Heather owns the winery with the James Berry Vineyard,  the Smith family’s estate vineyard, located 10 miles from the Pacific Ocean with an average elevation of 1200 feet. It consists of a series of slopes with shallow clay loam topsoil covering an ancient seabed, complete with fossilized shells and sharks teeth.

Smith planted several othertop vineyards in Paso Robles while mentoring a number of his colleagues. 

Heather and Justin produce under the label Saxum Vineyards and focus on producing Grenache, Syrah, and Mataro based blends from the Willow Creek District of Paso Robles.

Their vineyards have the unique terroir of rocky calcareous soils, steep hillsides, sunny days, and cooling ocean breezes. They produce wines keeping yields low, picking the fruit at the peak of ripeness, and using a minimalist approach in the cellar. 

The vine’s roots penetrate deep through the fissures in the calcareous soil so that irrigation is rarely needed. Production is kept around 8000 cases a year divided between twelve different cuvees, Broken Stones, James Berry Vineyard, Hexe, Bone Rock, Rocket Block, Somnus, Cayucos Ridge Vineyard, G2 Vineyard, Paderewski Vineyard, Heart Stone Vineyard, 4hearts Vineyard, and James Berry Vineyard White.

The limited release Broken Stones bottling is sourced from all of the vineyards in the Saxum lineup. The Broken Stones cuvee is Syrah based, with a large portion of Petite Sirah and Grenache and a splash of Mataro. It is aged for 18-20 months in mainly new, French barriques. 

This label was rated 94 points by Wine Advocate and 91 points by Vinous. 

Winemaker notes - It is full-bodied, rich, and intense, but also reveals great purity, focus and complexity. The Broken Stones is a multi-vineyard blend, utilizing all the vineyards that we source from. Our wines are never racked off their lees and are bottled unfined and unfiltered.”

It boasts dark garnet colored, full-bodied, opulent wine with notes of licorice, forest floor, pepper, spice box, and loads of black and red fruits that saturate the palate with crisp acidity, heady alcohol, and loads of flavor, depth, and richness.

https://go.cellartracker.com/note/6136981

https://www.saxumvineyards.com/

Ryan then pulled from the cellar one of my favorite wines that is drinking optimally right now….

Odette Napa Valley Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

This wine was a highlight of another recent dinner as well as one of our Pour Boy’s wine group dinners last year. I wrote about that dinner and tasting and this producer label in these blogposts - OTBN 2025 in Charleston - https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2025/02/otbn-2025-in-charleston.html, and Christmas revelry includes ultra-premium wine flight - https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2024/12/christmas-revelry-includes-ultra.html, excerpted here.

As noted in that post, this is from the Odette 45-acre estate vineyards in the heart of the Stag’s Leap District appellation nestled against the foothills on the east side of Silverado Trail just north of Napa town. 

It’s too bad this label is part of the Plumpjack Group with their unfortunate affiliation with Gavin Newsom. Never-the-less, despite the distractions and mis-directions, they produce some fabulous wines. 

This release was crafted by Odette winemaker Andrew Haugen.

A native from Southern California, he studied biology at Cal Poly in the Central California wine region around San Luis Obispo. There, he also took the available wine classes. Pursing his interest in wine, he gained experience at Stonestreet in Sonoma County for his inaugural 2012 harvest, then at Church Road Winery in New Zealand, Howard Park in Australia, and Gran Moraine in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, before joining Odette Estate Winery in 2015.

From that time he progressed from cellar master to enologist to assistant winemaker and eventually head winemaker for the Odette and their Adaptation labels. He works closely with long-time Vineyard Manager Oscar Renteria at Oso Vineyard, and a 129-acre site located in Pope Valley.

Odette Stag’s Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

This is part of the Plumpjack group portfolio of wineries. We used to love their wines. I wrote about Plumpjack and their unfortunate demise into woke progressive politics in this recent blogpost - Plumpjack Estate Napa Valley Cabernet for meatloaf dinner, and in previous posts, Plumpjack Founders Reserve Cabernet, and Spectacular dining experience at Entourage Restaurant Downers Grove. in more detail in this recent blogpost. 

Odette Estate Winery was established in 2012, sitting on 45 acres straddling the Silverado Trail in the Stag’s Leap District in southeast Napa Valley. It was founded with a guiding philosophy of environmental responsibility and a commitment to preserving their special spot in the Stags Leap District for generations to come.

The winemaker for Odette is Andrew Haugen who gained interest in wine with the movie Sideways during his time at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. He set out to deepen his knowledge, with his fascination with relationship between ‘site and soul’ in wines. Andrew joined the Plumpjack/Odette team in 2015 as Cellar Master, honing his skills and ascending to Enologist, Assistant Winemaker, and now Head Winemaker for Odette and also sister winery estate, Adaptation.

This release is actually a blend of Bordeaux varietals- 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 6% Malbec and 2% Petit Verdot. 

Bring a classic traditional Left Bank Bordeaux Blend explains why this wine was wider and more complex and not as deep, so to speak, when compared to the other Napa Cabs. This likely showed best when consumed with the beef tenderloin. 

This release was awarded 97 points by Jeb Dunnuck. 

Dark garnet colored, full bodied, round, complex, concentrated ripe blackberry, black currant and black raspberry fruits accented by crème de cassis, licorice with notes clove spice and anise with bright acidity and smooth polished fine grained tannins on the long persistent finish.

RM 92 points. 

https://www.odetteestate.com/

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4137711

Pirouette Red Blend at Sullivan’s Steakhouse Naperville

Long Shadow’s Pirouette Red Blend at Sullivan’s Steakhouse Naperville 

To celebrate a major business transaction, we went out to dinner at Sullivan’s Steakhouse, Naperville. We both ordered steaks and from the wine list, a Red Bordeaux varietal blend from a notable producer and winemaker. 

I ordered the signature 8 oz filet of beef with a side of garlic mashed potatoes. 

Linda ordered the simple price fixe menu, a six ounce filet which came with Bordelaise sauce and a side of garlic mashed potatoes. Had we known it came with the potatoes, it would’ve saved us ordering a redundant duplicate order of such! Equally disturbing was the fact her filet seemed to be a larger portion and nicer cut than mine. C’est la vie. 

I was seriously considering ordering a lobster tail as a side to my steak, but opted for the lobster tempura starter instead, which provided us each a small tail. The impetus for this was to compare with lobster spring roles that we had as a starter at Bijoux Restaurant in Destin last fall. The spring rolls were much better! I would suggest a pass on the Sullivan’s tempura. 

The highlight of the dinner was our wine selection from the Sullivan wine list. This was a perfect pairing with the grilled beefsteaks. 

Long Shadows Vintners Collection Pirouette Red Blend 2014

This is one of our favorite labels for a Bordeaux varietal red blend, a sleeper, not well known or sufficiently regarded, given the pedigree of the winemaker and the quality of the product. This is the Bordeaux varietal red blend from the Long Shadows Vintners's Collection that features world class winemakers and Washington State Columbia Valley fruit. We’ve featured Long Shadows and their vintners collection, and our visit to their hospitality center and tasting room in Woodinville (WA) in these pages. 

We’re members of the Long Shadows wine club and hold nearly a decade of vintages of their various label releases. Checking out cellar inventory, we hold every vintage of this label going back to the year following this vintage, hence this was an obvious choice to find this aged vintage release of this label. 

This label is the collaboration of two legendary winemakers, Philippe Melka and Agustin Huneeus, Sr. teamed to combine the heritage of old world winemaking with the advancements of new world technology, using small lots from Washington State’s finest vineyards to craft this exotic red blend.

Agustin Huneeus entered the wine business in Chile in 1960 to lead Concha y Toro, a company he grew to become Chile’s largest winery. In 1971, he moved to New York, then later to California, continuing in the wine industry before becoming a partner and president of Franciscan Estates in 1985.

In addition to building Franciscan, he also built well-known California wineries Estancia and Mount Veeder and Veramonte Winery in Chile. In 1999, he left Franciscan to establish Huneeus Vintners, a portfolio that includes Napa Valley’s Quintessa where he worked with talented winemaker Phillip Melka.

The 2016 Pirouette is partially crafted by Philippe Melka, named one of the top nine winemakers in the world by Robert Parker, selected to produce this signature label for the Winemakers Collection.

We have long been fans of Philippe Melka and his signature labels Matisse and 'CJ', named for his children.

While we had owned the various labels over the years, we really discovered Long Shadows at the Long Shadows Wine Cellars tasting room during our Woodinville Wine Experience. We joined their club and have been taking regular shipments of the collection ever since. They provide remarkable wines at great value relative QPR. 

Philippe Melka, widely recognized as one of the leading craftsmen of his trade, graduated from the University of Bordeaux, France, where he received a degree in geology in 1989. After earning a master's degree in agronomy and enology, he worked at some of the most famous wineries in the world: Château Cheval Blanc, Pétrus and Château Haut-Brion, among others. There he developed a passion for and expertise in cabernet-based blends. 

He then went on to working at prestigious wineries in Australia, Italy, California.

In 1994, Philippe settled in Napa Valley where he developed his reputation making wines for such celebrated wineries as Hundred Acre, Quintessa, Bryant Family, Seavey, Constant, Lail, Dana Estates and Vineyard 29 before joining the dream project partnering with Agustin Hunneus from Quintessa and Allen Shoup at Long Shadows. 

Today, Philippe Melka and his wife, Cherie, reside at Melka Cellars in Napa Valley. Cherie is an accomplished wine professional and laboratory manager at Silver Oak.

The Pirouette Vintners' Collection label collaboration was launched with the inaugural 2003 vintage.

Philippe Melka, named one of the top nine winemakers in the world by Robert Parker, used small lots from Washington State's finest vineyards to craft this enticing red blend. Seeking to create a wine with complexity and layers, the winemakers chose a diverse selection of Columbia Valley vineyard sites, each contributing unique characteristics to the blend. 

The 2014 Pirouette checks in as a blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Petit Verdot, 17% Merlot, 7% Cab Franc and a splash of Malbec.  

This Cabernet Sauvignon dominant wine, sourced primarily from Red Mountain, displays structure, richness and a focused mouthfeel that has come to characterize Red Mountain Cabernet. Dionysus Vineyard’s Petit Verdot adds layers of complex aromas and flavors. Weinbau Vineyard (Wahluke Slope) Merlot adds bright, red and black fruit intensity.

Aged 22 months in French oak barrels (75% new) before bottling, unfiltered and unfined.

Winemaker Notes - “Deep in color and complexity, this wine combines expressive red fruit aromas with dark chocolate and blueberry flavors accented by hints of oak spice that evolve across the palate. A juicy yet beautifully balanced wine with a rich mouthfeel and persistent finish.’

“The growing season started early in 2014 and the dry, warm conditions that characterized spring set the stage for another hot summer season. Temperatures were consistently warm throughout June and July, hastening an early start to harvest, but the Columbia Valley’s balmy fall days and cool autumn nights allowed the grapes to reach full physiological maturity while preserving the fruits’ natural acidity and yielding high quality grapes across the board. In short, 2014 was a picture-perfect vintage that produced remarkably rich, flavorful wines.”

This 2014 release was awarded 94 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and called it “a killer wine from this estate, and possibly the best to date”. Wine Enthusiast gave it 91 points.

Inky dark garnet colored, full-bodied, complex, round, rich, forward, super ripe sweet blackberry and black currant fruits with notes of graphite, spice, dark mocha chocolate, smoke and herbs with ripe tannin on a lingering. The sweetness is almost off-putting. 

RM 93

https://go.cellartracker.com/wine/2503071

https://longshadows.com/library/2014-pirouette/471

https://longshadows.com/

@LongShadowsWine

https://www.sullivanssteakhouse.com/

@unwindwine

Red and White for Surf and Turf

Red and white wines for surf and turf dinner - Matanzas Creek Sauvignon Blanc and Pirouette Red Blend

Mid-week dinner, we grilled on the deck, T-bone steaks with medallions of lobster. I pulled from the wine cooler a half bottle Sonoma Sauvignon Blanc to pair with the lobster, and from our cellar, this premium Bordeaux Blend to complement the steaks.

Both the lobster tails and the beef steaks were sourced from local grocer Mariano’s and were unfortunately disappointing. (We are spoiled from having had a family owned farm raising beef cattle from which, for decades, we would regularly get a quarter from a carefully selected cow to be butchered to our specifications.) 

Before dinner we had caprese salad with home grown basil and garden tomatoes. 

Matanzas Creek Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc 2018

I opened this Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc from a small format 375ml half bottle.  This is from Matanzas Creek Winery who for four decades have “focused on creating site-expressive wines”, the technical notes show this is sourced from no less than four vineyard sites spread across the wide Sonoma County appellation. 

This is from the vast portfolio of Jackson Wines, dating back to when Jess Jackson & Barbara Banke acquired the historic property and brand back in 2000. 

Matanzas Creek Winery has a storied history dating back to its founding in 1977 by socialite Sandra MacIver, the daughter of a scion of the historic Sears Roebuck and Company, and husband Bill, with Merry Edwards as the founding winemaker.

The first Matanzas Creek Sauvignon Blanc was produced in 1980. 

In 1984, in a prescient move, they planted what became known as the the Jackson Park Vineyard, with 90 acres of the iconic Pétrus Merlot clone. 

In 1989, the notable David Ramey was appointed winemaker who went on to establish ‘pedigree of outstanding 90+ point wines’. 

In 1996, Wine Spectator named founder Sandra MacIver one of the 20 most influential people in the modern wine industry. 

Current winemaker Marcia Torres-Forno was appointed in 2011. 

Today, Matanzas Creek Winery produces a dozen labels from modest entry level to premium offerings of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Merlot and Pinot Noir as well as a Rose and sparkling wine, part of the broad Jackson portfolio of estates and brands. Their wines are “derived from nine different vineyards whose fruit has been individually harvested, fermented, and evaluated to create a shining example of what Sonoma County has to offer.”

Matanzas Creek Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc 2018

Crafted by winemaker Marcia Torres Forno, this Sauvignon Blanc is an interesting blend of 86.2% Sauvignon Blanc 9.5 % Sauvignon Musque and 4.3% Semillon. It is sourced from several vineyard sites across the Sonoma County appellation region: 56% Knights Valley, 25% Alexander Valley, 12% Dry Creek and 7% from Bennett Valley. 

Winemaker notes: Pale Straw colored, aromas of: fresh pineapple, white peach skin, white lily, jasmine, Oroblanco grapefruit, passion fruit. Flavors: guava, honeydew melon, shinko pear, jasmine, citrus blossom. Palate of light but flavor dense, this wine dances across the palate prompting salivation and a desire to take another sip.

This has a nice QPR - Quality Price Ratio in this casual pleasant sipper which should be readily available with 22,100 cases produced.

This release was rated 91 points by Wine Advocate.

I found this was surprisingly bright and vibrant with texture and buttery notes more like a Chardonnay.

Pale straw colored,  light to medium-bodied, Wine Advocate calls it “gregarious and energetic” - lacking polish and balance, round and bright, flavorful notes of buttery stone fruits, white and yellow peaches, quince, wet stone and hints of pineapple and citrus and subtle layer of spice with tangy acidity on a lingering mineral finish. 

RM 88 points. 

This was nicely paired with the caprese salad and stood up well to the rich flavorful buttery lobster. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?3370763

https://www.matanzascreek.com/wines

With the steak course, I opened this premium Bordeaux Blend. I love a more complex blend such as this to complement a hearty steak which we served with baked potato and sweet potato. .  

Long Shadows, Vintners' Series, “Pirouette” Columbia Valley Red Wine 2015 

Label from 2016

We discovered and acquired this wine during our visit to the Long Shadows tasting room in Woodinville during our Washington State Woodinville Wine Experience in 2018. 

In accordance with the Long Shadows Vintner Collection program, this was produced by legendary winemakers Philippe Melka and Agustin Huneeus, Sr., “who teamed to combine the traditions of old world winemaking, the advancements of new world technology, and small lots from Washington State’s finest vineyards to craft this enticing red blend”, as noted on the rear label.

Comparable to much more expensive, sophisticated Bordeaux Blends, this is a fraction of the cost, Pirouette, is a tribute to the Long Shadows project, and provides a high QPR - Quality Price Ratio value afforded to Columbia Valley wines.

This vintage release is a Bordeaux Blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, 11% Petit Verdot and 3% Malbec. It was fermented in barrel and aged 22 months in 75% new oak.

This received 95 points from reviewer Jeb Dunnuck, 93 points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and Vinous, and 92 points from Wine Enthusiast.

Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate said of this wine - “Of all the Long Shadow’s wines -- Michel Rolland's included -- this would be the most at home in contemporary Napa Valley.”

“Deep in color and complexity, this wine combines expressive red fruit aromas with dark chocolate and blueberry flavors accented by hints of oak spice that evolve across the palate. A juicy yet beautifully balanced wine with a rich mouthfeel and persistent finish.”

Dark purple garnet color, medium-full body, round and flavorful black currant and black raspberry fruits accented with blue fruit notes, bitter dark mocha chocolate and cassis with hints of clove spices, tobacco and graphite with firm but approachable tannins on a long lingering finish. 

RM 93 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?2777748

This showed consistently as a tasting earlier this year of this label.

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2020/02/long-shadows-duo-showcase-katy-business.html  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3107408

https://longshadows.com/ 

Pour Boys Coq-Au-Vin and wine dinner

Pour Boys Coq-Au-Vin and wine dinner features medley of premium Chardonnays

Passing through Northern Indiana, we stopped to dine with fellow Pour Boy, Dr Dan. His Linda prepared a new recipe for Coq-Au-Vin so he pulled from his cellar, and we brought from our's, several wines to accompany dinner. 

As is our custom, prior to dinner they served a selection of artisan cheeses, fresh fruits, assorted nuts, and fresh shrimp.  

Dan pulled from his cellar a duo of Gary Farrell premium single vineyard designated Chardonnay's from the Sonoma County Russian River Valley. Dan acquired these labels as part of his wine club allocation shipments. 

He joined the Farrell club during our visit to the Gary Farrell estate and winery in the Russian River Valley in Sonoma County during or Napa / Sonoma Wine Experience in 2017.

To complement, pair and compare the dinner and wines I brought from our cellar this premium label bold Napa Valley Chardonnay from Moone Tsai.

 We opened and tasted the Chardonnays in order by vintage year, oldest to the youngest, of the three sequential vintages.  

An interesting pairing comparison of three different Chardonnays, only by tasting them side by side like this can one truly appreciate and assess comparing their nuances, character and profile. 

There was unanimous agreement on rating and ranking the three wines. Everyone selected the Rochioli Vineyard as their favorite, followed by the Moone Tsai, and then the Farrell Sonoma County.

Gary Farrell Rochioli Vineyard Sonoma County Chardonnay 2015

Gary Farrell was a pioneer of winemaking in Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley appellation. He produced his first vintage in 1982, before the Russian River AVA even existed. He crafted that first Pinot Noir from fruit grown in the now-legendary Rochioli Vineyard. 

Over the years, Gary Farrell become somewhat of a legend producing a portfolio of varietal, single vineyard designated wines produced from only the best vineyards that showcase the unique terroir from the Russian River Valley and across Sonoma County.

Gary Farrell never owned a vineyard but produced consistently exceptional wines from that first vintage in 1982 by partnering based on handshake deals with the region's pioneer growers like the Rochioli, Dutton, Ramey, Allen and Hallberg families, whose Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vineyards represented the best of the time and place. Since then, the winery has produced critically acclaimed Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in collaboration with the most esteemed growers in the Russian River Valley and throughout California’s greatest wine regions.

The nearly 40 different vineyards extend beyond the Russian River Valley and include grapes from as far north as the Fort Ross-Seaview Vineyard along the Sonoma coast to the Sanford and Benedict Vineyard in Santa Barbara County.

Theresa Heredia is the winemaker for Garry Farrell. Theresa found her passion for wine through biochemistry, earning a bachelor’s degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. She became a Ph.D. candidate in chemistry/enology at UC Davis before leaving the program to pursue winemaking. At Freestone Winery in Sebastopol, she gained acclaim for her small-lot, single-vineyard Chardonnay and Pinot Noir before arriving at Gary Farrell Winery in 2012. Aside from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Theresa has also crafted Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel and a Rosé of Pinot Noir.

Farrell sold his winery in 2004, but his name and reputation for producing outstanding wines continues under the leadership of Theresa.

We visited the winery’s beautiful estate and hospitality center that lies just west of Healdsburg, (CA), perched on a hilltop overlooking the Russian River Valley during our Napa / Sonoma Wine Experience in 2017. The inviting indoor space offers stunning views of the valley with floor to ceiling windows, and there’s an expansive terrace so guests can enjoy the wines alfresco. The walls are adorned with a collection of colorful artwork.

Tonight, our favorite of the three Chardonnay labels tasted was the Gary Farrell Rochioli Vineyard Chardonnay. Rochioli Vineyard was originally purchased in 1938 by Joe Rochioli, Sr. The quest of growing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in the fertile, gravelly soils was continued by Joe Jr. after his father’s passing in 1966. This label is the result of the collaboration between Gary Farrell Winery and the Rochioli Vineyard that has been in effect for more than 30 years. It is a foundation of the Farrel portfolio of  Russian River Valley wines.

 

Most of the Chardonnay blocks are located at the far eastern edge of the estate, sitting along and above the meandering Russian River. The majority of this blend comes from the River Block clone 5, planted in 1989. The balance comes from the Mid-40s Block, a field selection planted in 1993, and Allen Block 1, clone 15, planted in 1995. 

 

Winemaker Notes: This beautiful offering from the famed Rochioli Vineyard emanates aromas of lemon oil, honeysuckle, and dried herbs, with underlying layers of flintiness and fresh cut cedar. The sandy, gravelly riverside soils, warm sunny days and morning fog yield an intensity and concentration that is unique to the Rochioli fruit. The palate offers richness that is classic Russian River Valley, yet possesses energy and vibrancy typical of our house style - ripe golden fruit, lime zest, nectarine and lemongrass, balanced by zesty spice, tangy acidity and just the right amount of phenolic structure. Altogether, these features meld together to form a wine that is enjoyable today, but also suggest increasing complexity and elegance with age.

This label was awarded 95 points by Wine Enthusiast, and  92 points by Wine & Spirits. It was #1 of the Wine Enthusiast Top 100 of 2017.

The favorite of the three, golden colored, full bodied, rich, round, concentrated, elegant and balanced, bright vibrant apple and hints of peach fruits with notes of floral, citrus and stone fruits, spice and tangy acidity on a tongue coating lingering finish. 

RM 93 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2769348

Gary Farrell Vineyard  Olivet Lane Vineyard Sonoma County Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2016

This is another single vineyard designated Chardonnay sourced from the Olivet Lane Vineyard, located on the Olivet Road in Santa Rosa, seven miles from Gary Farrell Winery. 

The vineyard sits on 65 acres of sloping bench land in the heart of the Russian River Valley, in a sub-region called the Santa Rosa Plain, in between the warmer Westside Road region and the cooler Green Valley where warm summer days are moderated by cool breezes and chilly evening temperatures, this unique site is heavily influenced by fog that rolls in through the Petaluma Gap to the south. 

The rolling bench land location with the combination of well drained clay loam soils and east/west vine exposure with long, cool nights, create an excellent environment with optimum growing conditions great for ripening, producing world-class Chardonnay that develop cool-climate characteristics and impeccable acid at fairly low sugars. The wines from this vineyard simultaneously express power and finesse, and they do so with tremendous balance.  

This historic property is one of the oldest existing Pinot Noir vineyards in the Russian River Valley, a former apple, prune and olive orchard. At the recommendation of Dr. Armand Kasimatis at University of California at Davis, the Pellegrini family planted Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, developing one of the first vineyards in the region devoted exclusively to these two varieties.

Planted in 1973 it covers 60 acres, twenty planted in Pinot Noir and forty in Chardonnay, that two-thirds of the vineyard is planted to Wente selection Chardonnay on AXR rootstock, a heritage selection that produces some of the best Chardonnays in all of California. The old vines create natural vine balance, excellent concentration and ample quantities of natural acidity. The vines are cane pruned, vertical shoot positioning (VSP) and faithfully tended by Robert Pellegrini for the past 40 years. The wines from this vineyard simultaneously express power and finesse, and they do so with tremendous balance.

Besides Gary Farrell, the Olivet Lane Vineyard provides fruit to several wineries sourcing from this vineyard including Merry Edwards Wines, Pellegrini Wine Company, WesMar Winery, Pali Wine Co., and the notable premium producer Williams Selyem.

Winemaker Notes - The Olivet Lane Vineyard is consistently a benchmark for Chardonnay in Russian River Valley, and the 2016 delivers without fail. Its’ always welcome nose of Meyer lemon, crisp apple and Satsuma mandarin fill the glass alongside the intoxicating aroma of freshly baked butter cookies. The palate is equally as generous, offering layers of lemon cream, coriander, brioche and flaky puff pastry, and the supple, lengthy finish leaves nothing to be desired.

The juice was left in tank to cold-settle then transferred to 35% new and 65% one to three-year old neutral French oak barrels and puncheons for fermentation and aging, where it remained for 9 months on its primary lees until it was bottled. The wine was racked off the primary lees only once, just before bottling.

This label was awarded 92 points by James Suckling and 91 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and Jeb Dunnuck.

Straw colored, medium bodied, crisp notes of citrus pink grapefruit and clove spiced apples, stone fruits, white peach, crushed rocks with bright acidity on a long zesty finish. 

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2951999

https://www.garyfarrellwinery.com/

Moone Tsai Napa Valley Chardonnay 2017

Moone-Tsai is the fulfillment of the vision and dream of Larry Tsai and MaryAnn Tsai, Co-Founders and Proprietors. Larry and MaryAnn started Moone-Tsai wines in 2003, with the dream of making rare and remarkable wines bearing the finest fruit from Napa Valley's most heralded vineyards. Pursuing this vision, focused on Howell Mountain, Moone-Tsai launched its distinctive, limited production Cabernets, Chardonnays, and Bordeaux blends, including Moone-Tsai's signature landmark Howell Mountain Hillside Blend. 

As founders and owners, the are entrenched in every aspect of winery operations. They are devoted residents of their beloved Howell Mountain and take pride in sharing wines that bear the "best of the best" fruit from the celebrated AVA, as well as from other most prized vineyard blocks across Napa Valley.

Fresh out of Harvard Business School, MaryAnn set her sights on a career in the Napa Valley wine industry. She helped create some of Howell Mountain's most acclaimed wines, most notably the establishment of Beringer's legendary Bancroft Ranch Merlots. In subsequent years, MaryAnn was instrumental in other acclaimed wine releases and AVAs (including three wines that each received ratings of #1-rated Wine in the World), she never forgot the allure of Howell Mountain.

MaryAnn and Larry call the enchanting Las Posadas district of Howell Mountain their home and have their winery and tasting room operations down the hill in St. Helena.

MaryAnn Tsai grew up in a spirited Italian family in Boston, Massachusetts. She spent summers helping her grandmother tend a garden featuring rows of vegetables, herbs, and an especially precious vineyard from which the family celebrated the rite of winemaking.

During college, MaryAnn did a study-abroad program at the University of Angers, France, in the Loire Valley, known for well-crafted wines and inspired cuisine. There, MaryAnn developed her interest in wines, which inspired her move to Napa Valley, following graduation from Harvard Business School, to pursue a career in the wine industry.

She was hired by Mike Moone to join Beringer Wine Estates in 1989. Over the next twenty plus years, she was involved with producing notable wines and brands, three of which earned the distinction of being named as "Wine Spectator's #1-rated Wine in the World". With the creation of Moone-Tsai wines in 2006, MaryAnn and Larry set their sights on earning a fourth #1 rating, one under the Moone-Tsai banner. 

Larry Tsai, a first generation Chinese-American grew up in the North Shore neighborhoods of New York's Long Island. After earning degrees at Princeton and the Stanford Graduate School of Business, Larry pursued a career that enabled him to indulge his intertwining interests in wine, food, and the arts.

He gained experiences across Fortune 500 companies, and emerging gourmet/food/lifestyle enterprises and Napa Valley non-profits; Larry applies his management skills to create and deliver extraordinary wines and experiences promoting Moone-Tsai.

Since taking on Moone Tsai in 2010, Larry has expanded from its single-cabernet-infancy to the brand's current annual production of 3000 cases of seven acclaimed wines. He enjoys connecting with people who enjoy well-crafted wines, teaching and tasting from "Baton Rouge to Bali, Seoul to Sun Valley, Jackson Hole to Jakarta, and Manhattan to Mumbai" as their website states, he promotes Napa Valley and Moone-Tsai wines with people over good times and fine conversation.

The legendary Philippe Melka is Winemaker for Moone-Tsai. We're huge fans of Philippe's handicraft as these pages attest throughout. Bordeaux-bred and mentored by the world's most revered winemakers, Philippe is quick to credit the masterful influences of Delmas and Masclef from Haut-Brion; Moueix and Berrouet from Petrus; Paul Draper from Ridge; and Michel Rolland from Chateau Le Bon Pasteur. 

Phillippe helped put the likes of Dominus, Hundred Acre, Bryant Family Vineyards, and Dana Estates on the map for the most discerning Cabernet labels and brands; Robert Parker named Philippe as one of the world's top nine consulting winemakers.

Moone Tsai Napa Valley Chardonnay is sourced from Bald Mountain, a neighbor of Mount Veeder in the Mayacamas Mountains on the western border of the Napa Valley. The south-facing vineyard sits at nearly 1600 feet above sea level overlooking the convergence of both Sonoma and Napa Valleys, as well as of Marin's Mt. Tamalpais to the south. Cool sunshine is abundant throughout the growing season, allowing the grapes to ripen slowly while varietal character evolves completely.

Producers' notes - The 2017 growing season was marked by ample winter rains, a mild spring, hail in June, and intermittent waves of summer heat. A third and final temperature spike prompted picking in early September.The result is a delightfully delicious chardonnay displaying both richness and resolve. On the nose, the wine expresses notes of star jasmine and citrus, giving way to flavors that tempt the palate with a pleasing panoply of lemon candy, grapefruit zest, tropical fruit, and (wait for it…), a suggestion of bananas foster and crème brulée. Aged 17-months in 30% new French oak, the wine demonstrates a pleasingly light acidity to provide a refreshing counterpoint that balances the wine from start-to-finish. Teasingly inviting but refined in a way that memorable white burgundies can often be, the wine conjures up the dulcet tones of Fleetwood Mac’s sultry singer-songwriter, Christine McVie, who in her memorable hit, "You Make Loving Fun" compelled many of us who “never did believe in the ways of magic” to "…begin to wonder why."

This is 100% Chardonnay from Bald Mountain was aged in 30% new French oak (Burgundian) Marcel Cadet, Rousseau, Francois Frères Dargaud et Jaegle (light to medium toast). 570 cases were produced. 

The 2017 Moone-Tsai Napa Valley Chardonnay was rated 95 points by Jeb Dunnuck.

This was our second favorite of the three wines - an intersection middling of the two in all respects.

Golden straw colored, medium to full bodied, elegant and balanced stone fruits and spiced apple and pear fruits with notes of pain grille and sweet floral with s smooth polished lingering finish.
RM 92 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3236491

https://www.moonetsai.com/wines/napa-valley-chardonnay/2017

2017 Moone-Tsai Napa Valley Chardonnay

Family Holiday BBQ Wine Cook-out

Family Holiday BBQ Wine Cook-out Features Family Favorites

Son Ryan and D-in-law Michelle hosted the family for a traditional Independence Day holiday cook-out and we opened several nice wines for the occasion. 

We enjoyed family, yard games with the traditional competitions in 'bags' and other, and culminating the day with celebratory fireworks.

Ryan smoked beef brisket and chicken and opened from his cellar a medley of whites and reds and I brought a couple reds for the occasion.

 

Cliff Lede Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2019

We've written much about Cliff Lede wines in these pages, one of our favored producers. The Cliff Lede winery estate and vineyards with their picturesque sculpture gardens at Yountville Cross Road and Silverado Trail are one of our popular visits during our many trips to Napa Valley. One of the more memorable was our private tour and tasting during our Napa Wine Experience 2009.

Normally one of our go-to wines we keep stocked for pleasurable casual sipping, today, we were introduced to a new label (below) from down under, one Ryan considers one of his go-to wines. 

This is a blend of 85% Sauvignon Blanc, 12% Sémillon, 3% Sauvignon Vert.  The juice was fermented in 68% French oak barrels, 30% stainless steel tanks, and 2% concrete eggs. 

This was awarded 93 Points by Wine Enthusiast and 90 Points by Wine Spectator.

Straw colored, light bodied, complex and structured but rather restrained, notes of melon and apple with hints of lemon meringue, tangerine with crushed rock and stone on the finish.

RM 89 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3710508

https://cliffledevineyards.com/

@CliffLedeWine 

 

Cloudy Bay New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc 2020 

I failed the blind tasting of these wines even with a fifty fifty chance of getting it right. I swore the Cloudy Bay was the Cliff Lede with its sprites of peach fruit. This overshadowed the Lede, normally one of my favored Sauv Blancs. 

Founded in 1985 by David Hohnen and winemaker Kevin Judd their Sauvignon Blanc put New Zealand wine on the map. Cloudy Bay joined Veuve Clicquot in 2003 and became part of the LVMH family in 2010.

Cloudy Bay’s legacy began in Marlborough with Sauvignon Blanc and now includes Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pelorus méthode traditionnelle. The spirit of adventure continues with Te Koko, a barrel-fermented Sauvignon Blanc, and Te Wahi, a sophisticated Central Otago Pinot Noir from their two special southern vineyards.

Winemaker Notes: "The 2020 Sauvignon Blanc is bright and focused, with appealing and expressive aromatics of ripe grapefruit, makrut lime and passionfruit on the nose. The palate is mouth-watering , with zesty lime, lemongrass and juicy stone fruit characters melding together, underpinned by a subtle minerality. The vibrant concentrated fruit and freshness bestow poise and balance, and lead though to a long and impressive finish. A wine that will age gracefully for many years."

Straw colored, light bodied, aromas of floral, fresh and vibrant with aromatics of bright citrus, kaffir lime, orchard blossom and passion fruit, flavors of peach predominate with a crisp clean sharp tangy finish.

RM 91 points

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3767494

https://www.cloudybay.com/en-us/

@CloudyBay 

Philip Melka CJ Cabernet Sauvignon 2001

For a family gathering I brought from our cellar a family oriented wine, this label a tribute to Philippe and Cherie Melka's children with its child's handprints on the label. I took this in tribute to our two new granddaughters additions to our family this year, Lavender and Marylin.

We've recently been enjoying Philippe Melka's handicraft in the Long Shadows Vintners Series with his Pirouette label. 

When I last wrote about this label a year ago I said, 'at twenty years this is clearly past its prime drinking window and starting to diminish from age', but that was refuted tonight with this bottle. 

The fill level and label were perfect and the cork was near so as well. There were no signs of the cloudiness reported in that earlier note, leaving me to believe that tasting was an aberrant bottle. Tonight, this resembled and was consistent with previous, earlier tasting notes.

This was dark garnet colored, medium full bodied, the vibrant dark blackberry fruits were accented by earthy flavors of cedar and tobacco with notes of tar, smoke and hints of mocha.

RM 91 points. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=19571

https://www.melkaestates.com/

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2021/07/phillip-melka-cj-napa-cab-2001.html

@MelkaEstates

Fleury Estate Lauren Bryce Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

Ryan collects this wine as a member of their wine club and has amassed a vertical collection of their various labels. We first met Brian and Claudia Fleury at a Del Dotto event in their earliest days when they were just starting Fleury Estate back in 2000.

The Fleury Estate lies just south of St. Helena in Rutherford with a tasting room, winemaking facilities and a 11 acre estate vineyard. Fleury Estate Winery also owns 50 acres of premium vineyard land in the key locations of Napa Valley with vineyards in different appellations and elevations which enables them to craft consistent, high quality Napa Valley wines year after year. 

The cork of this thirteen year old disintegrated upon opening and the bottle had a slight funk to it which blew off for the most part after a while - but the bottle was clearly an off bottle. Never-the-less I found it enjoyable and notable drinking for the occasion. 

I defer to my tasting notes from this label from two years ago since it was somewhat consistent and perhaps a more fair representation. 

From earlier tasting in 2018: This (vintage) was dark blackish inky colored with full body, rich concentrated bright, vibrant, forward unctuous fruits of sweet ripe dark berry, black raspberry and currant fruits with notes of dark mocha and sweet toasty oak turning to nicely integrated tannins on a full chewy lingering finish.

This was delicious, very much my preferred style and profile, but perhaps too sweet for some folks' palette! That day I gave this 94 points. 

Today, likely due to bottle variation I give it a 91.

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2018/08/fleury-estate-napa-valley-cabernet_8.html

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1491336

https://www.fleurywinery.com/

@FleuryWinery

Mollydooker Carnival of Love 2017

We have fun with the whimsical labels of Mollydooker with their cartoonish characters and circus poster themed labels. But, there is nothing whimsical about their big full-throttle Shiraz in their premium label Carnival of Love. We adopted this and the companion Enchanted Path labels years ago for family celebration dinners.

This is one of our family favorites that we collect and serve at special family occasions. I featured this producer and label in an extensive blogpost back in 2018, and in an broader exposition of their portfolio earlier back in 2014, and most recently in February of this year.

'Carnival of Love' has become one of our family tradition wines which began when we started serving at wife Linda's and then family birthday parties, since Linda is a Lefty. We love this style of this big opulent forward Shiraz.

The Carnival of Love Shiraz is one of their best and has made the Wine Spectator's "Top 100" twice, the 2012 was #2 in 2014, recognized as the #2 Wine in the World, and that year, Mollydooker was named Winestate's Wine of the Year for 2014.

Winemaker notes for this release: "This McLaren Vale Shiraz is powerful and expressive. Lifted aromatics of dark berries and smoky oak leap boldly from the glass. With a satin like palate; cherry and satsuma plum flavors develop into decadent dark chocolate and licorice. Complex flavors, phenomenal depth and perfectly polished tannins are what makes this Carnival of Love one to be savored and celebrated."

This is 100% Shiraz. The grapes were grown on the Gateway vineyard in McLaren Vale, and the juice was barrel fermented and matured in 100% American oak and 100% new. 

This release was awarded 94 points by Wine Advocate and 93 points by Wine Spectator.

Dark purple garnet colored, full bodied, rich, concentrated, textured, juicy velvety smooth raspberry and cherry fruits with notes of caramel, cedar, oak and spice on a tongue coating lingering finish.

RM 93 points. 

 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3097884

 

https://mollydookerwines.com.au/  

@MollydookerWine

 

Ryan also served Mollydooker Two Left Feet Shiraz Cabernet and Austin Hope Paso Robles Cabernet. I'll feature them in a follow-on tasting post.