Somm David T 
Spring Mountain Vineyard
Elivette Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2012
Alban Vineyards
Reva Alban Estate Vineyard Syrah 2013
I have wanted to do Alban side by side with Rostaing with a well seasoned Tri-tip. Tonight is the night.
The crowd that leans California liked the French better.
I have always thought Alban in the new world mimicked Rostaing’s style.
Both phenomenal and I enjoyed both for slightly different climate & soil reasons.
These two producers do Syrah without the heavy smoked meats & bacon fat of say Cayuse. — 10 days ago
Jacquesson & Fils
Aÿ - Vauzelle Terme Extra Brut Champagne Blend 2013
Delicious!
Beautiful mousse. Bruised red apple, apricot, yellow nectarines, pineapple flesh, apple cider, Bosc pear, bread dough-baguette crust-well done toast, graham cracker crust with butter, beautiful soft white spice, crumbled to chunky chalkiness, sea spray to saline, limestone, yellow lilies & spring flowers, zesty acidity, exceptionally well balanced, nice tension/structure with elegance that is smartly polished, lasts two-minutes and long finishes on minerality. — 10 days ago
Trimbach
Réserve Alsace Riesling 2008
Nice pairing with my Spicy Asian Lettuce Wraps. As the saying goes, if you have heat, bring the sweet.
This 08 has settled in nicely.
The petroleum has softened. White peach, tropical melons, apricots, Meyer lemons, some green apple, underripe pineapple juices, kiwi, liquid caramel, honeycomb notes, nut w/ skin, dry crushed, rock powder, saline notes, volcanic minerals, white & yellow flowers, grand acidity with nice balance and elegant finish that lasts nearly a minute and lands on soft earthiness and minerality.
Photos; Trimbach landscape, bottle cellar, Riesling grapes & Owner/Winemaker-Jean Trimbach.
Alsace has such history. Phylloxera in the late 1800’s destroyed the vines. World War I & II saw Alsace change hands twice, French & German. Also, saw German tanks roll over their vineyards. It takes 7 yrs for replanted vines to produce the first quality useable fruit. German soldiers drank all their cellars. Name me another non France region that saw that many issues. Maybe, Sicily? — 5 days ago
Pierre Gimonnet & Fils
Special Club Grands Terroirs de Chardonnay 2012
Delicious with Burrata, Sliced Peaches, Greens drizzled in light Olive Oil & Tondo Balsamic Vinegar over Holy Moly Batard Crostini’s made from Companion Bake Shop.
I have come to fully embrace cuvées from Gimonnet & the quality & value they bring over higher priced champagnes.
Nice fuller body. Yellow stone fruit-peaches, nectarines, Bosc Pear, bruised green & red apple, tropical melons, overripe pineapple flesh with heavy juice, hints of ginger ale, graham cracker, baguette crust, understated yeasty notes, very soft white spice, chalky powder, sea spray, limestone powder w/ volcanic minerals, yellow flowers, jasmine, rainfall acidity with elegance & smartly polished finish that last just over a minute and lands on gentle minerality.
Resellers tab this Brut but it comes in a 4.5g, which makes it an Extra Brut.
Vineyards: 60% Cramant Grand Cru, 30% Chouilly Grand Cru & 10% Cuis 1er Cru
100% Chardonnay. Rested 6 years on the lees.
Disgorged 1/19.
This also finished up the night well with Key Lime Tart w/ Graham Cracker Crust. — 5 days ago
Walter Hansel Winery
Cahill Lane Vineyard Pinot Noir 2016
Dollar for dollar, the best producer of CA Pinot Noir.
Dark cherries, plum, blackberries, black raspberries, mid berry cola/licorice, hint of eucalyptus, dark, rich soil, dry, crushed rocks, limestone, soft; clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt me grilled meats,soft smokiness, mix of dark & red flowers with violets. Round acidity with balance, smartly polished elegance with a finish that lasts 90 seconds and falls evenly on earth & fruits. — 10 days ago
Lail Vineyards
Georgia Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2018
Full disclosure, I really don’t embrace Sauvignon Blanc. There are 2-3 that I really like and this one tops the chart.
$175 for an SB is ridiculous, but got this on the secondary market for $75. It is really good but definitely not worth $175.
Excellent with this dish. When I remember most SB’s, they would not pair with peaches. However, this with its age shows 1/2 elegant SB & 1/2 White Burgundy. Perhaps, that is why I like it so much.
There is not the typical cat pee & heavy cut grass with this bottling.
The nose shows; stone fruits, marmalade, kiwi, pineapple flesh, lemon, lime, softly, understated cut grass, frothed whole milk w/ yellow flowers.
The palate is full, lush & little waxy like a White Burgundy. Nice viscosity. It is gorgeous. Stone fruits, marmalade, kiwi, pineapple flesh, lemon, lime, underripe cantaloupe, honeycomb, touch of caramel-butterscotch notes, softly, cream, understated cut grass, gritty chalkiness with grippy volcanic minerals, gentle, white spice, yellow flowers & white spring flowers, very, round acidity, gorgeous; tension, structure, balance & flat out elegant finish that last two-minutes and lands on white spice.
This is the better pair than the 2012 Gimonnet SC Grands Terroirs de Chardonnay. — 5 days ago
James Cole
Aliento Napa Valley Red Bordeaux Blend 2013
The last James Cole vintage that Charles Hendricks made and 13 was a grand vintage that will age. I do not buy 2014 vintages of James Cole forward.
Recently a bunch of James Cole 2013 and previous vintage’s appeared on the secondary market and I bought them for far less the winery priced them. Lucky & fortuitous me.
Charles Hendricks perhaps the most missed winemaker in Napa Valley. — 10 days ago
Rene Rostaing
Ampodium Côte-Rôtie Syrah 2015
I have wanted to do this producer side by side with Alban with well seasoned Tri-tip. Tonight is the night.
The crowd that leans California liked the French better.
I have always thought Alban in the new world mimicked Rostaing’s style.
Both phenomenal and I enjoyed both for slightly different climate & soil reasons.
These two producers do Syrah without the heavy smoked meats & bacon fat of say Cayuse. — 10 days ago
Château Ausone
La Chapelle d'Ausone Red Bordeaux Blend 2002
Many critics would say the 2002 vintage fell short, not here. In every difficult vintage, some producers still made a good wine. The 2nd wine of Chateau Ausone is amazing with the Ribcap.
21 years in bottle says, magic. I have had better Bordeaux but, not in some time.
The fruits on the nose & palate are gloriously Bordeaux ruby.
The palate entry glides. Heavenly; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, baked plum pudding, creamy raspberries, poached strawberries and a touch of pomegranate seeds. Dry & moist tobacco, sweet graphite, charcoal, dark, rich earth with leaves, dry herbs, very soft baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanillin, the best dark spices I can remember, limestone, moist clay, crushed, dry rocks, hints of menthol/eucalyptus, dry twig, dry pebbles, withering to dry, dark, red flowers, liquid violets with a touch of red roses, near perfect acidity, balance, tension, elegance for days and a finish that last 90 seconds and falls on beautiful earth tones.
Happy Labor Day Weekend! — 12 days ago
Somm David T
Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator
At the end of the Last Bottle Marathon a few weeks ago, I am surmising they cleared out the remaining Spring Mtn. Inventory. So, I bought this 2012 & a mag of 2007. Pretty good decision at $29 on the 2012 and $79 on the 2007 magnum. The 2012 is over delivering at $29.
Interesting story with this winery that closed in 2019. An investment fund bought the property & two others Spring Mtn. wineries and started investing to build them into something better. As bad luck goes sometimes, the Glass Fires followed in 2020. That was a big setback and they’re still in the process of regrouping.
The nose has a dark currents, red, blue & some purple fruits in its core. Hints of smoke, dark, sharpish spices, baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanillin, soft used leather, fresh tobacco, barrel shavings, fresh & withering red & dark florals.
The palate shows dry, velvety, dark medium to plus tannins. Ripe; blackberries, black raspberries, both plums, hovering raspberries dark cherries with notes of strawberries & blueberries. Dark spices that press the palate with heat, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon stick shavings, vanillin, dark chocolate, warm caramel, some black licorice, dry herbaceous tones, moist to dryish grey volcanics/clay, crushed dry rocks, dark, rich earth with dry leaves, dry tobacco with ash, dry; dark, red, florals with withering violets, very nice acidity. The finish is long almost two-minutes, it’s well structured/tensioned for a 2012, balanced with elegance & smartly polished settling on earthiness & spice on the long set.
Has another 10-15 yrs ahead of it. — 3 days ago