2015 Tranche Cellars Pape Blanc Walla Walla Valley White Rhone Blend
Beautifully delineated white flowers and stone fruits, elegant mouthfeel. So perfect I should probably give it more points.
2012 Quinta do Quetzal Cabernet Sauvignon Alentejo
Black currant, Italian plums, black olive. Unusual for a cab, but delish.
2005 Finca Sandoval Manchuela Syrah Blend, Syrah
Black and meaty with real character. Perfectly middle-aged, no decant required. OFS. Sorry this was my last one.
2004 Fernando Remírez de Ganuza Rioja Tempranillo Blend
Coconut oil, huge oak, reductive, heavy sediment, low acid. Too old. Yuck.
2017 Envinate Benje Ycoden Daute Isora Listan Negro
Grapey, Bazooka bubble gum (carbonic maceration?), modern, awful. Tastes poorly made, not flawed, but since another bottle showed up at the same tasting and it had none of these qualities--flawed.
2001 Bodegas Alejandro Fernández Ribera del Duero Tinto Pesquera Tempranillo
Identical to last bottle a few weeks ago. No brett, just mature dark fruit with churros and rosemary. Great finish. In prime shape now.
2017 Envinate Benje Ycoden Daute Isora Listan Negro (Canary Islands)
Light red. Cranberry, cumin, other spices, good minerality. Quite nice.
2016 Guimaro Ribeira Sacra Mencía
Skunky nose mostly blows off, cactus pear fruit, pinot-ish, cranberry-like tartness, refined tannins. Liked this a lot.
2016 Casa Agricola Alexandre Relvas Alentejo Alentejo Pimenta Vinho Regional Amphora Herdade da Pimenta Red Blend
Berry fruit, roasted nuts and other savory notes. Nice.
2014 C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Rioja Monopole Blanco Clasico Viura, Macabeo
Coconut, flor, obvious American oak, creamy, very rich but not heavy, manzanilla-like.
2016 Quinta de Chocapalha Arinto Vinho Regional Lisboa
Subdued nose, bone dry on the palate with ocean/sea shell flavors.
2006 Bodegas Franco-Españolas Rioja Blanco Reserva Viura, Macabeo
Pale color. Nose of clean laundry, light bodied, astonishing for it's age--and this is a relatively new release.
2006 R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Viña Gravonia Viura, Macabeo
Wonderful to drink immediately after a '98. Identical to the other, just fresher.
1998 R. López de Heredia Rioja Blanco Viña Gravonia Viura, Macabeo
Lemon balm, macadamia nut, mushrooms, almonds. Very mild oxidation.
2007 Gramona Cava Gran Reserva Macabeo-Xarel-lo-Parellada Blend
Flat, didn't make the long haul.
NV C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Cava Cava Macabeo-Xarel-lo-Parellada Blend
Very pale, excellent mousse with fine persistent bubble. Classic cava grapes but better than most as it lacks that bittersweet finish I tend to dislike about cava.
NV Dulcinea Santos Ferreira Sidónio de Sousa Spécial Cuvée Espumante Vinho Regional Beiras White Blend
Pretty blend with a good toasty finish. Grapes are 25% Maria Lopez 25% Bical, 35% Arinto.
2011 Mount Eden Vineyards Chardonnay Monterey
Overly rich with red apple and butterscotch. Shows it's age. Drink up!
2010 Calera Pinot Noir 35th Anniversary de Villiers Vineyard Mount Harlan
Calera's trademark dusty purple color here (how do they do that?) Nose of spice and sandalwood with black cherry and a wonderful, if surprising, pepperiness on the palate. Drinks younger than its eight years with a taut and grippy texture. I'm guessing it has more time than the window suggested below (up to 2023).
2009 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Weir Vineyard Yorkville Highlands
Cherry fruit and pie spice with a modestly earthy core. Begins and ends sweet. Very nice, but not a long-term hold. I'd pull the plug by 2020.