2010 Cadence Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Red Mountain Red Bordeaux Blend
Last bottle of this one year ago was much lighter in color and density than this bottle. Therefore had low expectations here but instead youthful color and tannins with vivid, modern black fruit on the palate were a total surprise. Good bottles should handle another five years of cellaring easily.
2009 Louis Jadot Beaune 1er Cru 150th Anniversary Pinot Noir
PnP. Mixed feelings here: great nose and a lot more depth/color than expected based on a juvenile bottle ages ago, but the fruit faded away during the second glass. Should have gone the other way.
2016 Bodegas Muga Rioja Flor de Muga Grenache Blend, Grenache
Beautiful grenache rose, subtle and understated. A tough sell at $28/bottle, though, even if it comes in a cool oversized bottle with an extraordinarily deep punt (looks like a liter, but is only 750).
2015 Georges Descombes Brouilly Gamay
Liquid cherry pie: red fruit and spice, good body and concentration, assertive on the palate. Shows great now but has enough tannins for further cellaring.
2016 Villa Sparina Gavi di Gavi Cortese
Splendid stuff. Good body, fruit, acidity. More serious QPR than I expected from the quirky (but attractive) bottle.
2015 Shooting Star (Jed Steele) Aligoté Washington
Aligote in Washington? For only $10? Had to try it. Glad I did--it's a solid wine and value. More body and character, without huge oak, than expected for the price with good varietal character. (Was afraid it would taste like a weak chard or PG, but it doesn't.) Abv only 13.6%, though I thought it tasted a little higher, and it showed some legs in the glass.
2015 Loic et Noel Bulliat Beaujolais-Villages Gamay
Better now than five months ago, and showed especially well--firmer, more delineated--chilled.
NV Domaine Chandon American Summer 2017 limited edition California Champagne Blend
A great little afternoon tipple. Fruit forward but balanced and dry, and uniquely packaged.
2014 Cameron Hughes Cabernet Sauvignon Lot 541 Paso Robles
At Brian & Kathy's. Not a fan of the producer or Paso Robles at all, so the significant info on this wine is less what it is than what it's not. It's not alcoholic (14.5, but it doesn't show), and it's not sappy/overripe/extracted/sweet. Medium bodied and entirely agreeable for an everyday kind of wine.
2013 Erewhon Pinot Noir New Zealand
Pnp. Youthful color with typical NZ raspberry fruit, evolves in the glass. Quite attractive but needs more time. Next bottle: 2021.
2015 Botanica Pinot Noir Mary Delany Collection Elgin
Opened for guests alongside a '13 New Zealand pinot, and the comparison surprised. Blind, would have guessed this the older wine--paler and brick-colored with a leathery nose that attractively includes herbs and a little Burgundian wet dog. Not a long hauler but the premature maturity is delish.