Somm David T 
Cascina delle Rose
Rio Sordo Barbaresco Nebbiolo 2012
From 3L
Light red color with brick edges.
The nose shows; sweet & sour cherries, vanillin, plum, crazy, brilliant, floral. raspberries, strawberries, low key blackberries, red cola, savory notes, light herbs, slightly moist black earth w/ dry leaves, soft, beautiful oak, dry crushed rocks w/ limestone and red roses.
The palate is soft, nicely resolved. Sweet & sour/tart, cherries, vanillin, plum, brilliant raspberries, strawberries, low key blackberries, red cola, gentle/understated baking spices-nutmeg, clove, cinnamon savory notes, soft/light mid darkish spice, used leather, soft cigar box, light herbs, slightly moist black earth w/ dry leaves, soft oak shavings, dry crushed rocks w/ limestone and red roses, blue lilies, dry, undertone violets, pleasant acidity with a soft, elegant, well balanced/knitted, nicely toned/structured finish that lasts two-minutes.
Roughly 1000-1500 bottles made. Only nine 3L’s made. This is one of them. — a day ago
Pierre Gimonnet & Fils
Special Club Chouilly Grand Cru Champagne 2015
The nose shows; pineapple flesh to canned juice, green & golden apples, Bosc pear, white citrus blend-lemon-lime-grapefruit w/ pith, kiwi, vanillin, nougat, cream, ginger-ale, soft white spice, volcanic minerals, brioche, light caramel notes, yellow lilies and white spring flowers.
The palate reveals, ripe, juicy; green and some golden apple, lime candy with zest, lemon, grapefruit w/a bit of pith, Bosc pear, green melon, mango & kiwi. Graham cracker crust, vanillin, cream, note of caramel, brioche, volcanic minerals wrapped in limestone marl, beautifully toned chalkiness, sea spray, sea fossils-oyster lead, white spice w/ mid palate heat, some yeasty bread dough, touch of dry herbs, yellow lilies-flowers, white spring flowers, lively, crisp acidity with an elegant finish that is; balanced, nicely toned with excellent structure & length that lasts two-minutes.
94 with additional cellaring.
Vineyards planted between 1951 and 1991. 100% Chardonnay. Manual harvested at optimal maturity on 9/10-11. No chaptalization. Aging on fine lees in tanks 6 months. Bottled on April 25, 2016. Disgorged 6/22. Dosage-4g/l. Just over 3900 bottles made. — 6 days ago
Morlet Family Vineyards
Coeur de Vallée Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
Elegant Cabernet with great character & depth. Would like to try it again in 5-8 yr.
Nice pairing of elegance with the Wagyu Short Ribs. — 8 days ago
Cascina delle Rose
Rio Sordo Barbaresco Nebbiolo 2018
From 3L.
Mid red color with very light bricking.
The nose reveals; cherries, poached strawberries, spiced plum and just a hint of late to the party raspberries and rhubarb, red cola, dry leaves, dry soils-volcanics, soft, dry herbs, dry tobacco, used, dry leather, withering red flowers and red roses,
This is fresh, nice but it needs more 5-7 yrs more time in the cellar. Add a point then.
The palate is ripe, juicy with dry M tannin powder. Tart cherries, dry plums, rhubarb, strawberries, blackberries and some pomegranate and late arriving raspberries, dry soils-limestone-sandstone, crushed rock powder, bay leaf, very understated baking spices, dry tobacco w/ ash, dry, used leather, grilled meats w/ a touch of char, dry twig, steeped tea, some white & black pepper, soft Asian spices, withering to dry, red flowers, nice acidity, well balanced, nicely knitted, good; structure, tension & length 90 second finish that lands on dry earth.
3000 bottles made and only nine 3L’s. This is one of them. — a day ago
D.R. Stephens
Estate Collateral Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2014
My wife Sofia brought this on a birthday weekend in Napa for me. We hoped it would be something close to their 03 Premiere Napa Valley bottling I bought 8-10 bottles. @Paul T, Missing My Beautiful Wife 24/7 bought the rest and I sold one to @Shay A. They were amazing.
This needs more time in the cellar to be more like the 03 PNV, but it is a ripe, ruby, lush Napa Cabernet. Right now, this is very classic Napa Cabernet. Better things are ahead in another 7-10 yrs.
The nose shows; brambly dark cassis, blackberries, black raspberries, black plum to pudding, black cherries, poached to baked strawberries & a frame of raspberries, mid berry cola, black licorice, dark spices, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon powder to stick, vanillin, moist, grey volcanic clay, dark, rich forest floor w/ dry leaves, dry twig, dark chocolate bar, herbaceous notes, some graphite, soft leather/fresh tobacco, dry crushed rocks, fresh to slightly candied; dark, red flowers w/ violets.
The palate is a bit of Cabernet candy. It is, ruby, rich & lush. brambly, dark core of cassis, blackberries, black raspberries, both plums, black cherries, poached to baked strawberries & a frame of raspberries, mid berry cola, black licorice, sweet tarriness, dark spices w/ heat, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon powder to stick, vanillin, moist, grey volcanic clay, dark, rich forest floor w/ dry leaves, dry twig, graphite, charcoal, dark chocolate to pudding, herbaceous notes, some graphite, soft leather/fresh tobacco, dry top soils/crushed rocks, fresh to slightly candied; dark, red flowers framed in liquid violets/lavender, grand, rainfall acidity, balance for days, well knitted-structured-woven, elegant finish that goes on for minutes and long sets on clays, spice and dry twigs.
Add a point or two in 5-8 yrs. — 6 days ago
Caffè Pacori
Pacori Select
@Delectable This is the Pacori Select.
Over the yrs, I have done a deep dive into coffee in a quest to make the perfect espresso. It has been a close 2nd obsession to my wine journey.
Pacori has come very close, closest. They make many different roasts but their “Select” is the best I’ve had and I have tried many different beans to get here.
Pacori guarantees you will have their beans within 5 days of roasting. Many beans don’t put a roast date on their beans. Starbucks, Peet’s etc. might be 30-60 days from roast date or more before you buy them. Grocery stores, longer. Fresh beans make a difference.
Pacori offers many roasts but I like that they will do sampler 4 packs…a 1/4 pound of each you select from. Their select is a perfect balance of bold and smooth. Bold darkish espresso tones w/ notes of nuts, mocha powder, milk chocolate and caramel.
I have narrowed my selections to Select and Sumatra. But they are all good. Finding your wheelhouse is a pleasurable journey.
Like grapes, same as coffee, you can’t make a good bottle-cup w/o good fruit/beans.
Ranking the most important elements of making good espresso:
-Beans
-Grinder
-Machine/Barista skills
-Adding a 49mm step down baskets to your standard 58mm portafilter. There is real science now that 49mm basket makes superior shots.
After waking up, this is just the best part of my morning. — 6 days ago
Cascina delle Rose
Rio Sordo Barbaresco Nebbiolo 2016
From 3L
Core of red with light brickish edges.
Nose is pretty. Dryish cherries to cherries, strawberries, blackberries flow underneath, raspberries, some fresh rhubarb, notes of cherry Jolly Rancher, red to mid berry cola, some soapy baking powder notes, tobacco, used leather, (might be the glass), soft, mid intensity baking spices, vanilla-in, soft oak shavings, moist clay, limestone, dry top soils, red flowers, red roses & candied violets.
The palate is ripe, juicy; sweet & tart cherries, strawberries, some black berries, dry pomegranate, somewhat stewed/spiced plum, blackberries with circling raspberries, nice mid spice, dry tobacco, leather, grilled meats, soft, mid intensity baking spices, vanilla-in, soft,dry, oak shavings, moist clay, limestone, volcanics, hints of white pepper, dry leaves, dry top soils, red flowers, red roses & candied violets, excellent acidy with a well made, balanced, biggish structure & tension, good length finish that lasts minutes and fall on spice & minerals.
1800 bottles made and only 6 3L’s. This is one of From 3L. — a day ago
Michel Bouzereau et Fils
Bourgogne Côte d'Or Chardonnay 2023
With this producer & the amended meaning of Cote D’or says something to the buyer. Putting it in its simplest terms, it says this is more somewhere between Bourgogne & Village level. Leaning a bit towards Village. I was told that the fruit that went into this bottling is all from Meursaut, both Puligny & Chassagne Montrachet and one other area I cannot recall that Alex the Burgundy Buyer at K&L shared.
If you know this producer, you understand they are fairly well respected for good not necessarily great quality. Keeping in mind, 2023 was an excellent white burgundy vintage.
The nose shows; lemon-lime, green apple, underripe pineapple, green melon, not quite ripe kiwi, white peach, honey, cream, soft vanillin, sea spray, some sea fossils, beautiful, soft chalkiness, gentle white spice, caramel tones, understated white spice, fresh to dry herbaceous notes, yellow & white flowers with greens.
The palate is round, lush and somewhat viscous. Tart lemon-lime, green apple, underripe pineapple, green melon, not quite ripe kiwi, white peach, honey, cream, soft vanillin, cream, sea spray, some sea fossils, beautiful, soft chalky powder, white spice w/ medium palate heat, caramel tones, understated white spice, crisp volcanic minerals, dry limestone, dry twig, oak powder, mint, fresh herbaceous notes, yellow & white flowers with greens. Rainfall acidity, great; balance, structure, length with smartly polished elegance that lasts minutes and long sets on spice & volcanics.
Coravin decanted in glass for 30-40 minutes.
$59. My other bottle will slumber 2-3 yrs. Think it picks up a point then.
You can spends hundreds on Grand Cru & Premiere Cru whites, but I am all for buying Village & Bourgogne level whites in grand vintages like the recent 22’s & 23’s given Burgundy prices these days. That’s the smarter play. — 6 days ago
Morlet Family Vineyards
Ma Princesse Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2022
Leave it a to a Frenchman transplant to make beautifully styled Chardonnay from Sonoma that is tastefully treated with the right amount of restrained new oak. — 8 days ago
Somm David T
Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator
Tons of dark cherries, strawberries, mid berry cola, crushed rocks, volcanics, limestone powder, sweet tarriness, French expresso, dry herbs, grilled meats, tobacco, leather, dark spice and red roses for days framed in liquid violets. — a day ago