The Intern

Domaine Sérol

Champtoisé Chenin Sur Granite 2023

Chenin blanc. Did Delectable lay off the one intern who used to correct misidentified bottles? / oop he’s back! — 8 months ago

Tom and Dylan liked this

Black Canvas

California Pinot Noir

Drank at 2nd intern bachelor night — 4 years ago

Par Binner

Les Vins Pirouettes Pinot Noir

Glouglou indeed! Fresh strawberries and just the right amount of brett.

Updating because of a coincidence too fortuitous not to document/share: I just learned that my current boss/winemaker for Goldeneye was herself a harvest intern at Domaine Binner back in ‘14 and has lots of great anecdotes...
— 7 years ago

Maura Passanisi
with Maura
Paul liked this

Domaine Bruno Clair

Clos de Bèze Chambertin Grand Cru Pinot Noir 2006

Ross Cobb
9.1

Great post- harvest surprise from our intern — 9 years ago

Kimberly, Andrew and 15 others liked this

Corison Winery

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

Somm David T
9.2

On the nose, stewed fruits of; black plum, blackberries, dark cherries, plum and blueberries. Mocha, chocolate, mixed berry cola, sweet spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, caramel, loamy mineral soils and dry dark florals. The mouthfeel is less concentrated than other vintages of Corison but that's indicative of the 10 Napa vintage generally. The tannins are nicely resolved with another 5-8 years before they are completely resolve. The fruits are; dark cherries, black plum, plum, black raspberries, blackberries with strawberries that dance around the rest of the fruit. There's nice barrel toast, vanilla, nutmeg, light clove, cinnamon, touch of wood shavings, liqueur notes, caramel, mocha chocolate, mix berry cola, loamy soils, dry crushed rocks, bramble, dry stems with nice soft round acidity. The finish is a little lean but tasty. Good balance of fruit and earth with long, rich elegance. Cathy slightly overachieved the 10 vintage as a whole. Photos of; her estate building, Cathy in her vineyard, grapes coming in at night (better to harvest when the fruit is cooler) and her estate vineyard in all it's glory. Producer notes and history...Cathy Corison grew up in Riverside, California. She studied biology at Pomona College and was on their men's diving team, because the school didn't have a women's team. In 1972, she had to take an extracurricular class. She signed up for a trampoline class, but changed her mind upon seeing a sign-up sheet for a wine tasting class. This class was the catalyst that sparked her interest in winemaking. After graduation in 1975, she moved to Napa Valley in California. She received her Master's degree in Enology from University of California, Davis. Upon moving to Napa, she started working in the tasting room at Sterling Vineyards and at a wine shop. During this time, she was getting her Master's degree at the University of California, Davis. She was told by her professor that she would not get a job in Napa Valley because of being a woman. However, if she wasn't the first Napa Valley female Winemaker, she was certainly one of the first. She tried to get a job at Freemark Abbey and was denied because they believed she could not work in the cellar. She almost took a job at Christian Brothers in the enology lab. However, she decided not to take the job and in 1978 she became an intern at Freemark Abbey and eventually became their Winemaker. She joined Chappellet in 1983 and was their Winemaker for nearly ten years. She founded Corison Winery, in 1987. The winery is located in St. Helena, California in a barn built by her husband, William Martin. Corison makes Cabernet and Gewürztraminer. They produce about 3,500 cases a year depending on the vintage. The winery makes a Kronos Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon and as well as a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. The Kronos is an estate wine that is made from organic grapes. The vineyard is dry farmed. The grapes come from one of the oldest vineyards in Napa Valley. The Napa Valley Cabernet comes from Rutherford. The Gewürztraminer is called Corazón and comes from the Anderson Valley. — 9 years ago

Eric, Trixie and 40 others liked this
Eric

Eric Premium Badge

Checking this out later this month
Somm David T

Somm David T Influencer Badge

@Eric S Corison is a pleasant visit. They also do a nice harvest party on Sunday afternoon in September.
Severn G

Severn G Influencer Badge Premium Badge

@David T Nice write up again David. I'm intrigued to find her connection with one of my favorite producers, FAW. I'll drink vintages crafted under her care with a renewed perspective. Thank you.

Château Ducla

Entre-Deux-Mers Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend 2001

Great Bordeaux for the money. Just sat on this for over 10 years. Bought several red and white Ducla's on recommendation is the French intern at a local wine shop. Very fresh fruit aroma at open. Melon critus mineral and slight chalk. — 11 years ago

Wendy Fox
with Wendy

Ökologisches Weingut Trautwein

Grauer Burgunder Halbtrocken 2023

A gift from my intern. It has a remarkably long finish! 👌🏻 — a year ago

Daniel and Robin liked this

Failla

Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2021

Oh Failla how I’ve missed you ❤️. I remember my tasting visit on the verandah and Ehren walking in through the front. This was back in 2013 when I was working as an intern for Abe Schoener at The Scholium Project. Magical times, magical wine found in my small Australian hometown. 2021 at $110 Australian and worth every dollar ❤️ — 2 years ago

See TaleggioErika Turner
with See and Erika
Erika and Laura liked this

Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin

Demi-Sec Champagne Blend

Always a treat. Congrats on finishing intern year, Mike! — 7 years ago

Left Coast Cellars

The Orchards Estate Grown Pinot Gris 2016

Helped make this wine when I was a harvest intern at Left Coast Cellars in 2016! I swear my rating isn't biased. — 9 years ago

Trixie, Serge and 8 others liked this

Yohan Lardy

Les Michelons Moulin-à-Vent Gamay 2013

Reaffirming my love for biodynamic Cru Beaujolais. Brings back memories of the Swiss gamay I survived off of as a poor intern in Geneva — 10 years ago

The Intern

Santa Lucia Highlands Chardonnay 2010

Alex Lallos
9.1

This is the Chardonnay. Absolutely amazing 2010 — 10 years ago

Tenuta Caparzo

Brunello di Montalcino Sangiovese 2009

Very good Brunello. Given to us as a gift from Marks intern — 10 years ago

Pascal Potaire

Les Capriades Piège à Filles Rosé Blend

Harvest lunch wine. Great bubbles. Slightly sweet, paired well with our spicy salsa on burros. The life of a harvest intern 😝 — 11 years ago

Velma, Paul and 1 other liked this

Framingham Wines

Select Marlborough Riesling 2013

Oh my God! Spectacular. Shipped around the world specially by KSV Super-Intern Rachel Hadley (who worked vintage at Framingham), the wine was worth it's circuitous journey. Medium sweet, complex automatically and texturally fascinating. Opulent. One of those wines that makes my say "Damn, I wish I loved my own Riesling this much." Something to aspire to. — 12 years ago

Alishia liked this

Scholium Project

Golgotha Widowmaker Block Hudson Vineyards Syrah 2010

Golgotha - Scholium Project 2010.
Widowmaker Block Hudson Vineyards.

Abe, the man who would be king, gifted this bottle (amongst many others) to me after being an Intern in 2013. They travelled from Napa to London to Western Australia.
15 years later on a Monday night of a week I wasn’t meant to be drinking…
I pulled it out of the wine fridge in Margaret River. Cork fresh as a daisy and some decent sediment on first pour. Aerated with Vinturi and poured. Some early VA blew away and a Star Was Born. The floral powderiness on my mid palate is intoxicating. Never before have I tasted a big inky, 15% delicate ballerina like this. So glad I opened it alone so we can have a week together understanding each other. Has to be Petite Syrah. Wine study X 1000 ♥️ Pretty Pimpin
— a year ago

See TaleggioErika Turner
with See and Erika
Laura liked this

Bread & Butter Wines

Napa Valley Pinot Noir 2018

Enjoyable PN with unusual tasting notes. Nose was light maraschino cherry & brown sugar essence. Appearance is transparent electric red & legs are skinny. A debate on tastes between myself & my trusty intern...I had splash of raspberry with flavour of Kahlua throughout mouth & end of sweet chilli warmth. The intern had flavours of Lowney’s chocolate Cherry 🍒 Blossom nugget bar. Maraschino Cherry + syrup, milk chocolate, shredded coconut and roasted peanut pieces. #Grasshopper👏🏻 well played. Bargain @ $15 🍷! — 6 years ago

Top Winery

Poise Top Roussanne 2015

Somm David T
9.3

This wine is called "Poise." On the nose, the fruits are combination of candied, tart and just a touch sour all at the same time. The fruit on the palate are ripe; Banana w/peel, pineapple, Meyer lemons, green & golden apple & lime candy. Soft/delicate minerality, spice that's subtle but builds as it sits on the palate, dry top soil and yellow florals/lilies. The body is medium. It's slightly waxy & oily. There's a honey beeswax quality. Banana w/peel, pineapple, Meyer lemons, green & golden apple, lime candy, grapefruit, soft/delicate, powdery minerality, dry top soil, brilliant round acidity, yellow florals/lilies and a long, rich, well polished finish. Most of the photos were sent to me by Elena from Top. One of their vineyards, Stanley Barrios (Owner/Winemaker), barrel storage & tasting area, some of their beautiful fruit and some rows of vines. Producer notes and history...Stanley Barrios was born in Los Angeles and raised in Inglewood California. Stanley got into wine after he met Nick Elliott of Nicora at a wine storage facility in North Hollywood where he was pouring his wines. At the time, Stanley was getting deeply involved in wine. He read all winemaking materials he could get his hands on. The day he met Nick he convinced him to let him intern in his cellar and worked his first harvest in 2013. Stanley still holds his investment firm job in Los Angeles. He and his wife started TOP in 2014. They both shared a passion for wine and had talked about starting a winery but with limited resources and living in Los Angeles the idea of starting their own winery seemed far-fetched. When opportunity knocked, they rushed to the opportunity. They chose a spinning top as their logo. For them, it's a metaphor for balance. Life is constantly in motion, but seldom in balance. Right now, they make wine in small quantities...only 200 cases their first vintage. In 2015, they produced about 500 cases and the 2016 vintage about 800 cases. They mainly focus on Rhone varietals; Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, and Roussanne. They are very minimalistic in cellar and try not to get in the way of what the grapes want to do. I have said this many times, if you have good fruit get out of it's way. If you don't, bring in lots of influences...like over oaking it etc.. Good to see a young producer know that earlier in their career. Nice job on the Poise. — 9 years ago

Sofia, Paul and 12 others liked this
Stanley Barrios

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@Paul Treadway Huntington Beacher Exert Syrah releasing in two weeks!
Somm David T

Somm David T Influencer Badge

My pleasure. Nice work on the Poise and look forward to trying the Exert Syrah as well. Will be ordering more Poise.

Wölffer Estate

No. 139 Dry Rosé Cider

Good riddance, intern. Hello Cider! — 11 years ago

Douglas, Mason and 3 others liked this
Caleb Pietrafesa

Caleb Pietrafesa

You know I can see your profile, right john?
Caleb Pietrafesa

Caleb Pietrafesa

Oh look, I'm there in the background.