Showing posts sorted by date for query otbn. Sort by relevance Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by date for query otbn. Sort by relevance Show all posts

Monday, September 28, 2026

Home-made pizza with ‘pizza wine’

Home-made pizza with ‘pizza wine’

During our Destin, FL getaway, we spent a day out on the boat enjoying the crystal clear waters and abundant sea life of the Emerald Coast. Seeking to unwind and enjoy a quiet relaxing evening in, Linda crafted a delicious homemade pizza for dinner. 

Home made pizza with thin crust, red peppers, green peppers, sausage, pineapple, feta cheese …

To complement the pizza, I pulled from the wine cooler a couple ‘pizza’ wines - easy sipping, affordable everyday wine that goes well with lots of things including pizza. 

I have said often, it’s easy to find a great sipping wine for $40 or more … the challenge is to find a great, enjoyable, sipping wine for under $15. Let’s face it, almost everyone has an economic reality in choosing wine - affordable every day wines, once a week wines, once a month, once a year, and even once in a lifetime wines - according to their price point justification. 

These two wines tend to be affordable, for every day drinking, but also had other economics in play. One was gifted to us by friends, Pam & Rod, who enjoy this label as one of their favorites, insisting we take it to discover and enjoy. The other was ‘gifted’ to me by Total Wine, the beverage super store, in recognition of my loyal customer status and my birthday. 

So it was that I brought these two bottles to our Florida vacation home, waiting for an appropriate time for discovering, and casual enjoyable sipping. (PS. Kind of like our annual OTBN - “Open that bottle night”, but for a different class of wines for different reasons. See our OTBN chronicles from recent years for this annual special wine event.)  https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/search?q=OTBN

This is such a wine … simple, unpretentious, and a nice pairing with the pizza.

Gambler's Ghost Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 

This is described as a budget-friendly, full-bodied American red wine produced by Precision Wine Company from California's North Coast AVA. This AVA covers the North Coast of California including grapes sourced from Lake and Sonoma counties.

This wine is a high QPR - Quality Price Ratio label widely found in distribution including Costco, which strives to find and offer such offerings. Notably, few people realize that Costco is actually one of , if not THE largest wine retailer in the US! One Mid-Atlantic distributor supplies this label to over fifty wine retailers in Delaware and Maryland. 

This is a blend of Bordeaux varietals, in this vintage case, 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot. I would contend the blend is determined largely by availability of bulk grapes available in the secondary market, as much as technical viticultural winemaking craftsmanship. 

It was sourced from multiple vineyards found in the Lake County and Sonoma County - all the vineyards are part of what make up the California North Coast AVA. Hence the wine is labeled simply “California”, (as opposed to Sonoma County or Lake County which would required 75% of the contents be sourced specifically from that area).

It’s published that this release was aged 10 months in 60% new French oak barrels. This is remarkable, and I find it a bit hard to believe, given the cost of cooperage (barrels) in the crafting and production of fine wines. At this price point, it’s hard to believe they employed such expensive processing aids. This is often available online and in stores between $9 and $25 (notably found as a bargain around $8.99 at some retailers like Costco). 

This release of Gambler’s Ghost Cabernet Sauvignon was reviewed by Dave McIntyre in the Washington Post as “Excellent” and a “Great Value”. It was also #36 in Wine Enthusiasts Best Buys of 2024 and was rated 92 points from Wine Enthusiast and 89 points from James Suckling. Strong accolades indeed, especially for such a price point! 

Highlights from the Washington Post review by Dave McIntyre: “This tasty cab offers cherry and berry flavors with spice accents, and is a fine accompaniment to a casual meal.”

The full Washington Post Article is available at this link:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/food/2024/11/26/cabernet-sauvignon-recommendations-mercer-wine-estates

Wine Enthusiast referred to maple syrup infused flavors in the wine. I don’t know if this is hyperbole or fact. 

Dark garnet colored, full bodied, rich round expressive, abit ‘flabby’ (unstructured) juicy blackberry, black cherry and black currant fruits with notes of black olives, herbs and chocolate, hints of espresso and tobacco, with a core rounded by firm tannins.

RM 89 points. 

https://www.gamblersghost.com/

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Sunday, September 6, 2026

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.  


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 


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.



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. 


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Sunday, May 31, 2026

Tomahawk Ribeye and Vintage Wines for Celebration dinner

Tomahawk Ribeye and Vintage wines for Celebration dinner 

We hosted son Sean and d-in-law Michelle and family for a mini-celebration dinner for a recent business and career milestone that will be announced soon. I pulled from the cellar a birthyear vintage bottle for both his and Michelle’s birthyears - two big reds to accompany the grilled tomahawk ribeye beefsteak. 

Linda also prepared sweet corn, roasted potatoes, a medley of mixed vegetables, and Sean prepared baby artichokes. 



Dunn Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1985 

If you’re acquiring wines to commemorate a special vintage year for a future date, such as a birthyear, you select a producer with a track record for producing long lived wines, and select wine from a region that had a good harvest of quality fruit suitable for producing long-lived wines. 

Hence we hold a collection of such wines from Randy Dunn, the legendary, independent Napa Valley winemaker known for pioneering producing powerfull structured, age-worthy Cabernet Sauvignons. His 1985 Cabernet Sauvignon has shown longevity, maintaining incredible freshness and structure even four decades after harvest.

Randy Dunn helped shape the modern identity of Napa Valley. After studying enology at UC Davis, Dunn became the first head winemaker at Caymus Vineyards in 1975 where Caymus launched its legendary ultra-premium Special Selection Cabernet.

In 1978, Dunn and his wife Lori bought property atop Howell Mountain where he was instrumental in getting established the Howell Mountain AVA, which in 1983 became Napa’s first official sub-appellation.

While modern Napa moved toward micro-sorted, plush, high-alcohol wines, Dunn maintained his traditional style, crushing fruit with bits of stems intact for raw structure, and aging wines no less than thirty months in oak, crafting balanced, elegant, lower alcohol wines designed for the dinner table.

Dunn Vineyard’s Howell Mountain property is planted with 24 acres of Cabernet vines aging between 10-37 years.

We’ve written about Randy Dunn and select wines before in these blogposts -  

Dunn Vineyards and Caymus #40 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons, 

Dunn Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1999

We visited the Dunn Vineyards estate up at Angwin on Howell Mountain during our Napa Valley Howell Mountain Wine Experience back in 2008. We were hosted by Kristina Dunn that day but we had the privilege to meet winemaker, producer, patriarch and Napa Valley pioneer Randy Dunn. 

While not one of the larger holdings in our cellar in terms of number of bottles, it may be one of our broadest holdings in terms of number of vintages in our vertical collection of this label, and the flagship premium label Dunn Howell Mtn Cab.  We also collect Randy Dunn's "Feather" label that he produces for the Long Shadows Vintners Collection Series in Washington State. 

Our Cellartracker records indicate we have a vertical collection of several mixed cases of each label from almost two dozen vintages dating back to 1981. 

Selections from Vertical Collection of Dunn Napa Valley Cabernets

With Randy Dunn at Dunn estate high atop Howell Mountain.
Dunn is known for age-worthy long-lived Napa Cabernets, especially the premium Howell Mountain label.  Robert Parker tasted both Dunn labels at ten years of age in 1996 and wrote: "Two of the most impressive wines in these tastings, both of Dunn's 1986s tasted like 3-4-year old Cabernets rather than 10-year old adolescents.... Rich, pure, and youthful, this 1986 is accessible now, but will unquestionably last another 20+ years." That would bring this wine to 2016 and here we are five years later. 

Dunn Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1985 

Back in the 1980’s this vintage release was rated 94 points and “Top 100 Wines of 1988” by Wine Spectator, and 93 points by John Gillman as late as 2021.

Amazingly, at 40 years of age this 1985 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon is still holding its own showing some but little sign of diminution from age. The fill level, foil, label and most importantly the cork, were all in good, acceptable condition. 

The bottle still has the pricetag sticker on the bottle showing $54.95, which would've been the purchase price back on release in the late 1980's. 

In his 2021 review of this label, John Gilman wrote, “I last drank the 1985 Napa cabernet from Randy Dunn back in early 2018 and felt it was starting to turn the corner. However, at one of our most recent tastings, it was back in its tannic suit and tie and demanding to be left alone in a cool corner of the cellar for another ten-plus years.’ 

“The potential here remains exceptional, but I was hoping to see even a bit more softening of the tannins, rather than a still closed and cantankerously-structured wine!” 

“The bouquet is excellent, wafting from the glass in a complex blend of cassis, sweet dark berries, stony soil tones, cigar smoke, incipient notes of petroleum jelly, pretty spice tones, a touch of road tar and cedary oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and still pretty clenched in its tannic chassis, with a lovely core, excellent soil signature and grip, firm, chewy tannins and a long, nascently complex and still very promising finish. Was my last bottle more forward, or is this bottle from a particularly cool cellar? I am not sure, but this most recent bottle needs still more time in the cellar before it starts to drink with generosity. Someday, it should be a terrific bottle of wine! (JG) 93+” 

Wine Spectator wrote of this release - “Intense and concentrated, packed with ripe cassis, cherry and currant flavors that are rich and elegant. The acidity and tannins are crisp and juicy, offering great potential for the cellar.” 

This was dark garnet colored, medium bodied, tangy dark blackberry and black raspberry fruits holding on, accented by notes of tobacco, spice, leather, hint of graphite, espresso and cassis with nicely integrated tannins on a round lingering finish. 

RM 90 points. 

https://go.cellartracker.com/wine/18231

http://www.dunnvineyards.com/

@dunn_vineyards  


Marston Cellars Napa Valley St Helena Petit Syrah 1984 

This is the last bottle from the 1984 vintage that we hold in our cellar, since it was not a collectable year, nor a birthyear of note at that time. I wrote about this label back in 2018 in this blogpost which I repeat excerpts here. 

My notes from an earlier review of this wine back in 2004 on this label's vintage twentieth anniversary.

"Dec 31 - Marston (Family) Vineyard Napa Valley Petit Syrah 1984 (Bottle 790 of 812) - RM 90 - Today, 'Family' is part of the name and the winery provides cabernet fruit for Beringer Private Reserve. Not many 20 year olds down in the cellar (since the 84 Bordeaux's are long gone being a short lived vintage) but pulled this one out on the last day of 04... Surprising body, structure and backbone with inky purple colour. Intense currant, black cherry, cedar anise and plum with a firm tight long full finish. Amazing staying power and life left - thankfully I have at least one more ... 2014?

From the Marston (Family) Vineyard website - Over the last 25 years, the Marston Vineyard has produced numerous award winning wines.Andre Tchelistcheff helped craft small quantities of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, and Zinfandel in the early 1980’s. Sean Thackery produced legindary Petite Sirahs from the Marston Vineyard in the early 1990’s winning Best Red Wine in the world. For the last decade Beringer has been responsible for the vineyard. Cabernet Sauvignon from Marston Vineyard is in the Beringer Private reserve Cabernet. Marston Vineyard designated Cabernet is also made by Beringer. The year 1998 marked the beginning of a new era for Marston Family Vineyard. The first Marston Family Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon was made by one of our favorite and noted winemakers, Philippe Melka."

We missed pulling this wine in its thirtieth anniversary year, 2014, but here we
are four years later. At thirty-four this is still holding its own showing surprising vibrancy and resilience and no signs of diminution from age. And my earlier notes indicating we still held a bottle missed the fact we were holding two. Hence, after drinking this one, we still hold one more. As shown on the rear label of this wine, released from library in 1998, it was built for long term cellaring. It is standing up to that objective indeed!

According to the Marston Family website today regarding their wines, each vintage will remain “forever limited” to 600 cases and is produced from selected blocks on the property. According to the handwritten serial numbers on these bottles, exactly 812 bottles were produced of this wine.

Marston Family Vineyards dates back to Michael and Alexandra Marston purchasing the property back in 1969 as part of a consortium. then acquiring the remaining ownership in 1976. Back in 1969, many of the original vineyards dating back to the turn of the century were still in production.


Over the next four decades, Marston Family Vineyardhad a line of legendary winemakers who produced numerous award winning wines. In the early 1980’s, Philip Togni and the late Andre Tchelistcheff crafted small quantities of Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Rhone (this Petite Sirah) and Zinfandel.
This vintage was among the vintages from 1982 – 1986 that were overseen by legendary André Tchelistcheff, who was considered America’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker, and was notable for his contributions toward defining the style of California’s best wines, especially Cabernet Sauvignon. Called the “Dean of American winemakers”, industry giants such as Robert Mondavi and Louis Martini considered him their mentor.

Noted winemaker Sean Thackery produced legendary Petite Sirahs from the Marston Vineyard under his Sirius label through the early 1990’s including winning “Best Red Wine in the World” with the 1992 (some records say 93) vintage.

Noted winemaker Philippe Melka and his team managed the property and winemaking for a dozen vintages up until 2010. During this time they began replanting certain blocks of the vineyard, and in 1998 released the first vintage under the current label. 

The release of the 2010 vintage marked the first release of current winemaker, Marbue Marke who continues to this day.


Marston Family Vineyards sit on the most southern slopes of Spring Mountain on the western slopes of Napa Valley above the town of St Helena. The original vineyards date back to the late 1800s and over the years were planted with as many as eleven different varietals, including Johannesburg Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, and Cabernet Sauvignon. This 1984 vintage of the Marston Petite Sirah was sourced from a small 3-acre plot on the property where some of those first plantings were done back as early as 1890.


As noted, this was our last remaining bottle.



Previous owner Al Menasco became a pioneer in developing new vineyard practices. He experimented with different types of vineyard spacing and planted a dozen varieties of grapes in different soil types and micro climates on the property. He kept meticulous records to discover the optimum growing conditions for these varietals.
Over the years, the family whittled the vineyard’s focus from eleven varietals to one, and the Pettit Sirah vines, like the others were replaced with Cabernet Sauvignon which is the sole focus of property today.Today the vineyards comprise about 10 percent of the 500 acres of heavily forested land on terraced hillsides that range in elevation from 700 to 1,100 feet just above the fogline resulting in extended hours of sunlight. The additional sunshine coupled with the lower temperatures allow the fruit to ripen more slowly and uniformly, which ultimately enhances the wine’s concentration, complexity and texture. Furthermore, the rocky, mountain soils limit the vigor of the vines contributing to their fruit's richness and concentration.
We have one remaining bottle of this 1984 vintage release. Based on its storied history and amazing stamina and longevity, we'll look forward to a suitable and appropriate occasion to open it - clearly an OTBN candidate in the next few years! 
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Saturday, February 28, 2026

Pour Boys Wine Group - OTBN 2026

Pour Boys Wine Group - OTBN - Open That Bottle Night 2026 

For the fifteenth year in a row, our Pour Boys Wine Group gathered together to celebrate OTBN - Open That Bottle Night. As is customary, the annual OTBN wine event – Open That Bottle Night OTBN is held on the last Saturday night in February. This year was the 25th such event since its creation in 2000 by Dorothy Gaither and John Brecher wine columnists for the Wall Street Journal. OTBN was established to set aside to share and compare special bottles of wine, that have been held in our cellars, waiting for the special occasion to open, that hasn’t yet come, so as to eventually succumb to the inevitable, its time, open that bottle (to)night! 

Tonight's wine flight offered an extraordinary selection of wines including no less than five 100 point perfect score labels!  While we don't subscribe to the ratings and rankings as our true north, they do provide a valid benchmark for judging a label.

Last year, we all traveled to Charleston (SC) for a getaway weekend to visit fellow Pour Boy Bill and Beth as featured in this blogpost - OTBN 2025 in Charleston.

OTBN 2026 was our fifteenth straight year, since 2011, that we have celebrated together,  Last year we traveled to Charleston (SC) for a getaway weekend to visit fellow Pour Boy Bill and Beth.  That an abbreviated replay of our OTBN - Open That Bottle Night - 2023, which was also held in Charleston, as featured in these pages in this blogpost, excerpted below. 

Invariable, OTBN provides an opportunity to gather with like minded friends and share and compare a selection of spectacular wines!!!
 

The last two years we followed the seasons, striving to head south during the winter, and back north during the other seasons. After our October gathering, it was decided Chicago was a more amenable meeting point this year so we agreed to host on the traditional end of February date.  

This year we were joined by regular’s Lyle, Dan, and John (below), who came in from Williamsburg, and Eric & Cathy who just returned from a tour in Italy. 

We were joined this year by son Ryan and two of his wine buddies, Brian W and Mark C, and son Alec. 


My remarkable wife Linda, loves to cook, and single-handedly prepared a wonderful dinner of tenderloin Beef Bourguignon, an extensive medley of roasted vegetables, pomme purée, and a course of ramekins of lobster medallions with fresh croutons and butter, a fresh mixed salad and extensive charcuterie and cheese course. 

She also spent the previous day preparing the Chocolate Mousse and Beef Bourguignon sauce. 


 

Prior to dinner there was an extensive selection of artisan cheeses, charcuterie, fresh fruits, mixed nuts, artisan chocolates and shrimp cocktail.  


 

As to be expected, we had a fabulous extensive flight of extraordinary wines - Champagne, whites, reds, and dessert wines.

As he is known to do, “Champagne John” brought two exceptional single vintage Champagnes.  

Krug Brut 2011 

The final blend of this vintage is forty-six percent Pinot Noir, thirty-seven percent Chardonnay and seventeen percent Pinot Meunier. 

This was a star in a challenging vintage ... It was rated  98 points by James Suckling, 97 by Jeb Dunnuck and Wine Spectator, 96 by John Gilman and 94 by Decanter. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4926833

https://www.krug.com/en-int 

Tattinger Champagne de Comtes Grands Cru Blanc de Blanc 2007 

Another highly acclaimed top rated label - this was rated 98 points by James Suckling, 97 and Cellar Selection by Wine Enthusiast, 96 by Decanter, Vinous and Int'l Wine Review, and 95 by Wine Advocate and John Gilman. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1555753

https://www.taittinger.com/en 

In addition, for the cheese and salad course shrimp and lobster, there was a diverse selection of interesting white wines - a traditional Napa Chardonnay, two Rhône blends and a Spanish Priorat. . 


Merryvale 'Silhouette' Napa Valley Chardonnay 2017

This Napa Valley label is sourced from “the best Chardonnay blocks on the historic Stanly Ranch and Hyde vineyards” in Carneros.  This bottling represents the best Chardonnay fruit of the vintage. 

The wine captivates with aromas of orange blossoms, jasmine, and candied pineapple, evolving as it opens. Full on the palate, the unctuous mouthfeel is brilliantly supported by the wine’s natural acidity, leading into a long finish that showcases the traditional minerality and freshness of Stanly Ranch.

This premium limited release label is packaged in a distinctive heavy painted bottle showing the 'silhouette' images of the producers. 
 
 
Winemaker Notes - The 2017 Silhouette Chardonnay has an intense nose filled with exotic fruit notes including pineapple, stone fruit and tangerine, and a fragrant vanilla finish. The mouth is very round with a nice sweetness and very clean minerality. The wine is dense and ample with a touch of sweetness and citrus (yuzu) finish. A very balanced and elegant wine with a stylish touch of oak and a beautiful finish.

It was rated 95 points by Jeb Dunnuck, and 92 points by James Suckling, Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast and Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate.

The wine fermented in barrel with native yeasts and full malolactic. It was aged 16 months with the full lees in 40% new French oak. 700 cases were produced. 
 
 
 
Lillian California Rousanne 2015

This is produced by Maggie Harrison, legendary winemaker who gained fame working at Sine Qua Non, known for ultra-premium Shiraz. This white wine is a unique Rhône Valley varietal, Rousanne.


From the winery: "The goal with all Lillian wines — Roussanne, Syrah, Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon — is to work with these historical, noble varieties in a sun-drenched place but raise the wines in such a way that gives the wines levity.  

Lillian is also winemaker for the ultra-premium Antica Terra, in Dundee, OR, who shares the winery and tasting room with Lillian.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2739240

https://www.lillianwinery.com/

https://www.lillianwinery.com/lillian-wines/

E. Guigal “La Doriane” Condrieu (Viognier) 2014

This is from iconic prolific producer E. Guigal, known for their vast portfolio of wines - this Northern Rhône Viognier is a blend of five-choice parcels from the Condrieu appellation, vinified separately and blended just before bottling.. 

It the was rated 96-97 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 95 by Wine Spectator, and 93 by James Suckling and Vinous. 

Parker’s Wine advocate writes - “The 2014 Condrieu la Doriane is a sensational white with full-bodied richness, awesome purity and integrated acidity. Deep, rich, lengthy and profound, it’s up there with some of the greatest Condrieu ever made.”

Winemaker Notes - “La Doriane is a luxury cuvée of Condrieu that E. Guigal has produced since the 1994 vintage. A great success since the firstvintage, the wine always seems richly oaked and very fruity when young, transforming in 3-4 years into a seamlessly complex,aromatic and vibrant wine. La Doriane contradicts the accepted wisdom that Condrieu does not age well.” 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2118402

Another unique white varietal … 

Laurel Blanc Clos i Terrasses Priorat 2023
 
 
This is the artwork of producer/winemaker Daphne Glorian, the visionary behind Clos i Terrasses, long celebrated for her exceptional red wines in Priorat. The Priorat wine region in northeastern Spain, is 90 miles southwest of Barcelona in the Catalonian province of Tarragona. It is the only other appellation besides the Spanish region of Rioja to achieve the highest quality level in Spain, Denominación d’Origen Qualificada (DOQ).

In 2023, Glorian expanded with this inaugural release of Laurel Blanc, crafted from Priorat’s Clos i Terrasses estate vineyard  on a recently acquired 13-hectare parcel in Les Manyetes near Gratallops on the Mediterranean coast.

The Laurel Blanc 2023 is a blend crafted with 85% Garnacha Blanca, 8% Chenin Blanc, and 7% Viognier. The grapes were hand-harvested in early meticulously destemmed and gently pressed using a manual press. Fermentation occurred with native yeasts in a combination of 400-liter barrels and amphorae, where the wine matured for seven months. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?5283639

https://www.europeancellars.com/wine/laurel/

Moving to the dinner course of Beef Borgogne and roasted vegetables we had a broad diverse flight of exceptional reds … 


In the true OTBN tradition of opening bottles that have long been held in the cellar waiting for that special moment, I served three aged vintage classics from Napa, Bordeaux and McLaren Valley …. Both 1986’s, at forty years were still in good condition, label, foil, and importantly, the corks and fill levels. Same for the 1990 vintage release. 
 

Dominus Napa Valley Red Blend 1986 

This classic wine is the US Napa Valley offering from this legendary French producer Christian Moueix - owner of an extensive collection of some of the world's greatest vineyard properties. He founded the Napanook vineyards and winery in 1983 on the historic property that George Yount planted some of the very first vines in Napa Valley back in 1838.
  
This is the next to last bottle of a full case I acquired on release. Opening one every couple of years, it wasn’t until bottle 8 or so that it started to show its true potential. The last bottle opened was past prime and at the end of its drinking window. This one, a couple of years later was still approachable and enjoyable, more so on day two. 

Back in those days, from 1983 to 1991, Dominus labels were were a ‘artist series’ of pencil, chalk or watercolor drawings of the legendary producer, Christian Moueix, making for a fun collection. We still hold bottles from those years 1983, ‘86, ‘88 and ‘90, at least. 
 
In a horizontal tasting of the 1986 vintage releases Robert Parker's Wine Advocate wrote - "One of the richest, densest, most concentrated offerings in the entire tasting, it also proved to be one of the best-balanced, with better integration of acidity and tannin than many 1986s exhibited." He rated this 93 points.   
 
At forty years, the label, foil and most importantly the fill level and cork were still in ideal condition, taking into account their age! The cork extracted entirely intact using an 'Ahso' two pronged cork puller. 
 
 
 

Chateau Montrose St Estephe 1986 

Interesting mini-horizontal tasting of these two 40 year olds wines. I recall reviews of the 1986 Bordeaux release and pundits talking about how long it would take for those wines to be ready to drink. Parker said his grandchildren would benefit from aging some of those labels. 
 
Tonight, this was very much approachable, enjoyable, still in its drinking window, with a few years yet to go. 
 
This bottle was acquired upon release back in 1988 and has been stored in our cellar ever since. At forty years, the label, foil and most importantly the fill level and cork were still in good condition. The cork was partially saturated but still extracted intact using an 'ahso' two pronged cork puller. It might have been retrieved using a traditional corkscrew but is clearly nearing the end of its functional life.  
 
Decanter rated this 98 points and wrote, "This is a masterclass in the ageing aromas of Bordeaux."
 
Dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon (67%
), with Merlot (27%
) and Cabernet Franc (6%
). 

Wine Spectator rated it 95 points and a *Spectator Selection*. Wine Advocate gave it 92 points. 
 
We drove by the Montrose Chateau estate and vineyards during our Bordeaux region tour in 2019.  
 
 
 
http://www.chateau-montrose.com/ 

Penfold’s Grange Hermitage 1990 

This is part of our special birthyear vintage collection where we hold several bottles from the birth year vintages of our kids. This label in particular is special as it was also Wine Spectator’s #1 Wine of the Year back in 1995 and was rated 100 points, and a near perfect 99 points by Decanter.
 
Penfolds Grange has been awarded over 30 perfect scores from top wine critics around the world, including 100 points from both Wine Spectator and Robert Parker's Wine Advocate for the 2008 vintage and eight perfect scores for the 2018 vintage.

In addition to serving this at son Alec and Vivianna’s wedding celebration, we also toasted their engagement with this label as well. We’ve featured it in these previous wine posts - 


In a tasting back in September 26, 2020, it was WOTN - Wine of the Night in a tasting.
In a previous tasting in October, 2019 ... 

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2019/10/parents-son-dinner-features-birth-year.html

October 26, 2019 - Dark garnet colored, medium-full bodied, flawless, elegant, polished, harmonious, perfectly balanced, silky smooth flavors of concentrated black berry and black raspberry fruits with notes of vanilla, licorice, spice, black truffles and oak with hints of spice and cedar turning to fine grained tongue puckering tannins on the long lingering finish.

Consistent with earlier tasting of this label, dark garnet colored, medium-full bodied, flawless, elegant, polished, harmonious, perfectly balanced, silky smooth flavors of concentrated black berry and black raspberry fruits with notes of vanilla, licorice, spice, black truffles and oak with hints of spice and cedar turning to fine grained tongue puckering tannins on the long lingering finish.
 
 

Dan brought Kathryn Hall Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 

We’ve visited the magnificent Hall Rutherford estate vineyard and winery on several occasions and met Kathryn together at the Kathryn Hall Vertical Tasting - Hall Wine Release Tour 2015. Our visits to the Hall Rutherford site have been highlights of several of our Napa Valley Wine Experiences including our trip in 2013 and again in 2017.

Dan also brought a Chateau Montelena Chardonnay 2017 

Lyle brought his customary Vintage Port for the dessert course, and a Super Second Bordeaux … 

Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou St Julien Bordeaux 2014 

This is one of our favorite producers of which we hold a large collection dating back four decades. Our Visit to Château Ducru Beaucaillou was a highlight of our visit to the St Julien Appellation in Bordeaux back in 2019. 

Beside the Champagnes, and the Viogner, John brought a fabulous arguably Super Second Margaux …

Chateau Palmer Margaux Bordeaux 2016

John brought this spectacular 100 point ‘super second’ Margaux, from one of our favorite producers. 

Upon opening, I immediately considered this a candidate for WOTN - Wine of the Night!

At ten years old, this is just beginning to settle and integrate and start showing its true character and potential. We’re still holding this label going back to our kid’s birth years, 81, ‘82, ‘85 and ’90. We opened the ‘81 in magnum format for Christmas dinner just last year. 

It was rated 100 points by Wine Enthusiast, Vinous and Jeb Dunnuck, who rated this 100 points and wrote, "The finest vintage I’ve ever tasted from this estate, surpassing the 2009 and 2010, the 2016 Château Palmer."

It was rated 98 points by James Suckling, Wine Advocate and Decanter.  

This release is a blend of 47% each of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, with the balance Petit Verdot, all of which was brought up in 65% new French oak. This release should keep for half a century. (Jed Dunnuck) 

We stayed within walking distance of the Chateau during our Bordeaux wine Experience back in 2019. Regrettably, we played phone tag over several days and were never able to synch up to confirm our tasting tour. We did walk over and see the magnificent Chateau and grounds. 


https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2594466 

https://www.chateau-palmer.com/en 

Primissimo Puglia Salento Negra Amaro 2021 
 
Eric & Cathy just returned this week from Italy and brought this limited release Italian Nebbiolo that they obtained while staying at the Producer’ estate winery … 

Primissimo is an organic wine produced by Guy Martin, a Michelin-starred chef who discovered, fell in love with and acquired wine estates and a nine acre vineyard in Nardò in the heart of Solento, in Puglia in Southern Italy. The site is organically farmed land, the vines grow in clay-limestone soil, nourished by the ample sun and the Mediterranean climate - “exceptional terroir gives the wine its structure and roundness, and a strong Mediterranean identity that is both wild and controlled.”

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=5696827

Son Ryan arrived with wine buddies Brian W and Mark C, each with a couple of notable wines to share and compare. 

Ryan brought from his cellar two spectacular 100 point labels …

Sine Qua Non “The Hated Hunter” California Syrah 2017

 
This classic, highly allocated label is named after winemaker Manfred Krankl’s grandfather. The 2017 Syrah "The Hated Hunter" is 82.4% Syrah, 7.8% Petite Sirah, 5.2% Mourvèdre, 2% Grenache, and the rest a mix of varieties that spent just over 23 months in 59% new French oak. 

Sine Qua Non produce Rhone Ranger wines from primarily Rhone varietals sourced from four different vineyard sites in the Central California Coast.

It was rated 100 points by Jeb Dunnuck, 98 points by Wine Advocate, and 96 points by Vinous. 

This may have been the clear WOTN - Wine of the Night, except I would put it in almost its own category ... apart from the Bordeaux varietal labels.   

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3368169

http://www.sinequanon.com/ 

Cliff Lede Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

Cliff Lede is one of our favorite Napa Valley producers. We've visited the estate several times and our tastings there have been highlights of several of our Napa Valley trips.  

https://www.mcnees.org/winesite/napa/napa-09/lede-0909/napa_harvest_09_lede.htm 

This was arguably my WOTN - Wine of the Night, (amongst the Bordeaux varietals, although the Turnbull was notable, and the Bordeaux blends were in a class by themselves). 

This was rated a perfect 100 points by Jeb Dunnuck, 98 points by Wine Advocate, 96 by Int'l Wine Review, 95 by James Suckling, Wine Spectator and Vinous/

Suckling wrote, "The Cliff Lede, 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon is pure perfection in a glass. This extraordinary wine is unquestionably one of the finest in this report and has an awesome, singular style that's hard to believe."
 
Jnt'l Wine Review wrote, "The 2016 Beckstoffer To Kalon Cabernet Sauvignon from Cliff Lede is an absolute monster. This colossal wine instantly grabs your attention with its impressive opaque, dark inky color and intense aromas of ripe black and blue fruits which are joined by fresh violets, graphite and sweet exotic spices that all come together and burst from the glass."
 
Vinous wrote, "The 2016 is one of the finest editions of Cliff Lede's To Kalon Cabernet I can remember tasting."
 
 
 
Ryan's buddies Brian and Mark brought the Laurel Blanc Priorat, above, and some notable big Napa Valley reds. … 

Stalworth Napa Valley Rutherford Bench Cabernet Sauvignon 2021


This is the product of Sabrina and Timothy Persson who took over the family Napa Valley winery in 2012. They farm two vineyards on the Rutherford Bench of Napa Valley, known for narrow alluvial fans that spill out from the Mayacamas foothills along the western edge of Rutherford and Oakville. These ancient deposits marry depth and complexity with natural drainage, compelling the vines to reach deep into the soil while tempering vigor. 

The two vineyards showcased by Stalwørth sit along Napa Valley’s western benchlands and share the hallmarks of the Rutherford Bench, yet each brings its own distinctive voice. 

The Rutherford vineyard is a small, organically farmed site producing more red-toned fruit with supple tannins and graceful texture. 

The Oakville vineyard is a small, dry-farmed vineyard at the base of the Oakville Grade, yielding darker fruit with a refined, velvety structure. Together, these vineyards capture the full range of the western benchlands’ character, complementing each other in balance and expression.
It is crafted by legendary winemaker Celia Welch. 

Turnbull Black Label Oakville Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 

Turnbull Winery sitting on St Helena Hwy in Oakville, are owners and farmers of four premiere estate vineyards in Napa Valley, 90 acres in Oakville and 60 acres in Calistoga dating back over four decades. 

This is their ultra-premium label sourced from the Oakville vineyards, primarily from the Leopoldina vineyard and the remaining 30% of the fruit from the Fortuna vineyard. 

The Fortuna vineyard sitting atop the Oakville bench with a western exposure was the original homestead of the pre-vine era Weitz cattle range and then home to the first vines planted in the area. 

The remainder is from the historic Fortuna vineyard site from pre-Prohibition and originally sourced by the venerable Christian Brothers winery. Fortuna sits at the base of the gently sloping Oakville Bench, on the eastern side of the Oakville appellation. 

Only 62 cases were produced in this select bottling. 

This release was rated 96 points by Vinous and Wine Enthusiast (Cellar Selection), 95 points by Jeb Dunnuck, Wine Advocate and Wine Spectator and 92 by James Suckling.


https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4115879

https://www.turnbullwines.com/ 

Altamura Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2017

Altamura Vineyards and Winery, established in 1985 by Napa natives Frank and Karen Altamura, is the only winery in Wooden Valley located within the Napa Valley appellation. Born and raised in Napa Valley, Frank began working with his cousin, a vineyard manager, right out of high school working at Sterling Vineyards in 1976, the at Caymus with mentor Charlie Wagner for five years.

Their sprawling 400 acre Altamura Ranch in historic Wooden Valley, on Mt George at the south end of the Vaca Mountain range that forms the eastern wall of Napa Valley, high above the town of Napa. The historic ranch was settled by members of Karen Altamura’s family back in 1855. Frank and Karen cleared 65 acres and planted Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese on six different sites. Caves were dug and they constructed a stone winery at the Altamura Family home in Wooden Valley.

We visited the Altamura estate winery on one of our first Napa Valley trips back in the late 1980's. 

Their hillside and valley floor estate vineyards in Wooden Valley are at elevations of 700 to 1000 feet with diverse soil types on the ranch which are similar to the Rutherford Bench and the mountainous regions of Howell Mountain, Pritchard Hill and Mount Veeder.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3830998

https://www.altamura.com/ 

Son Alec arrived and brought this interesting Napa Cab .. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3830998

https://www.altamura.com/

Soquel Partner’s Reserve Atlas Peak Stagecoach Vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

Soquel is a small winery on Glen Haven Road in the Santa Cruz Mountains high above the south end of Silicon Valley. They also produce several labels in concert with several neighboring growers partners as well as this label, sourced from the historic Stagecoach Vineyard on Atlas Peak in Napa Valley. 

This label was rated 95 points by Wine Advocate, 93 by Vinous and 92 by Jeb Dunnuck.  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3005686 

https://soquelvineyards.com/ 

For finishing the evening Linda prepared her delectable chocolate mousse. For an accompaniment, Lyle opened his signature Vintage Port, and I opened a limited production Austrian dessert wine. 

As the night wore on, the boys raided the cellar and pulled some additional interesting reds to taste and compare … including the Penfold’s Grange, mentioned above, and this limited release Diamond Mountain selection … 

Constant Diamond Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

At twenty years, this is very much in stride at the apex of its drinking window. We tasted and acquired this label at the Estate, high atop Diamond Mountain during our Diamond Mountain Wine Experience - Constant Vineyards & Winery back in 2011. 

Taylor Fladgate Quinta de Vargellas Vintage Port 1995

If John is the 'Champagne guy', Lyle is the 'port guy' ..., although he's acquired a collection of and has been bringing some spectacular Brunello's in recent years ... as well as the occasional Bordeaux ... 

Taylor’s is one of the oldest of the founding Port houses dating back to 1692. 

The Taylor's Port Quinta de Vargellas vineyard was acquired in 1893 and is now a Class A vineyard, one of the pre-eminent among the wine estates of the Douro dating back to the 1820s. It ranks among the great vineyards of the world.

Wine Spectator cited this as "Ranked #10 Top 100 Wines of 1998", and gave it 92 points. 

Vinous rated it 94 points, and John Gilman gave it 91 and gave it a drinking window out until 2030 - "Drink between 2011-2030"

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=19047

https://www.taylor.pt/ 

And I pulled from our cellar some aged TBA's from Austria … 

Kracher Welschriesling Trockenberenausliese Zwischen Den Seen Number 8

From the Austria, Burgenland, Neusiedlersee region, we hold more than two dozen labels of this Austrian producer’s releases spanning more than two decades. 

https://mcnees.org/winesite/labels/label_library_pages/label_library_Europe.htm 

These rare ultra-premium dessert wines are fun to watch as they age, turning from straw colored, to butter, to golden, to weak tea and to tea colored, as shown here at twenty-five years. 

They were great to taste over the ensuing week for sipping with a variety of entrees and desserts. 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=19088 

http://www.kracher.at/ 

 


At the risk of missing some wines, and numerous photos, and not clipping Links to other pages, I’m publishing this now, before it’s ready, as I’m getting on a jet plane and don’t know when I’ll get an opportunity to finish this post … Watch for updates and a cleaned up version … 

And THANK YOU to all that attended for sharing some great wines!!!
 
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