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New York Cabernet Franc Grand Tasting 2026
In my oenophile journey, Cabernet Franc was one of the early discoveries. It all started in Bordeaux, and I don’t mean visiting, just reading about it, not even so much tasting. Continuing that journey, at some point I arrived in the Loire, and there, of course, Cabernet Franc is the king. I wouldn’t remember what the very first Cabernet Franc I tasted was, but I’m sure it was a Cabernet Franc from Loire – Chinon, Saumur, I’m not sure.
As I live on the East Coast of the US, it is only logical that my Cabernet Franc journey continued while discovering East Coast wineries – Finger Lakes, Niagara on the Lake, Hudson Valley, Long Island. In the wine world of the East Coast, Cabernet Franc is the undisputed king of red wines – practically every winery I know of makes Cabernet Franc wine, and they make it quite successfully.
It is interesting how we hear things in our lives, and only many years later, those things of a sudden start making sense (call me slow, I’m sure I deserve it). When Lori Budd of Dracaena Wines started Cabernet Franc Day celebrations more than 10 years ago, it was all done under the slogan “Not just a blending grape”. Yes, I understood the slogan, but never thought of the full notion behind it. Getting into the wine world on the East Coast, Cabernet Franc was never a blending grape for me – the absolute majority of the Cabernet Franc experiences were with 100% Cabernet Franc wines. However, as the California wine world grew up following Bordeaux, Cabernet Franc was generally not taken seriously on their own, but only in the supporting roles to the major grapes – e.g., Cabernet Sauvignon, the kind of California. As I’m typing this sitting on the train on my way to New York City to attend the Cabernet Franc Grand Tasting, I finally realize what Lori meant by her slogan, bringing her love of the Cabernet Franc from the East Coast to reality on the West Coast, in California. Yes, of course, it is not just a blending grape, and I’m just about to deep dive into the world of 100+ Cabernet Franc bottling from 40 producers.
Okay. So everything written above was written on the train on my way to the Cabernet Franc Grand Tasting 2026. Now, I want to share my impressions about the event, about the Cabernet Franc wines, and the experience overall.
Let me start with the event itself. In a word, top-notch. Pay attention – these are the impressions of the wine blogger/writer/geek. From that point of view, the event was possibly the best-organized I have ever attended. Of course, I will explain, no need to nudge.
Before the event, I got the list of wineries and wines planned for the event. The list was sorted alphabetically, with all the wine details (vintage, ABV, grape composition, MSRP). In the event, the wineries were located in the same exact order! If I didn’t want to go one by one, I would just easily locate the winery I wanted! Okay, I get it, there were only about 40 wineries in the event, but I don’t see how this wouldn’t scale. Also, talking about organization – we had individual spit cups provided, and every (!) table had a large spittoon – an absolute convenience in the wine tasting. Every year, I attend probably 10, maybe 15 large wine tasting events, so from that experience, this was literally the best, if not the best ever.
An impression of New York Cabernet Franc Grand Tasting in One Picture
Next part of the experience – Cabernet Franc seminar. My first attraction point to this seminar was the fact that it was led by Kevin Zraly, whom I really consider my wine teacher, after taking his Windows on the World wine school classes a few decades back. So I was very happy to be in his presence again. For the rest of it, the seminar experience was more of an “all over the place” type. It was too long (was supposed to be 1 hour, but it was 1:20 or so running time, plus a bit of a delay at the start). The panelists were all knowledgeable, but none of them were the winemakers, so I really didn’t learn much from them, and they all loved to talk. And the worst part, unfortunately, was the wines in the seminar, and here I’m a bit perplexed. I loved the classic method sparkling Cabernet Franc from Macari Vineyards on Long Island, which we were greeted with as we walked into the seminar room. I also loved the last wine #9, 2012 Cabernet Franc from the Arrowhead Spring Vineyards Niagara Escarpment- it was superb. The other 8 wines were all over the place, from greatness to a simple “no, I’m not drinking that” – but, if I overheard the panel correctly, the wines for tasting were poured 3 hours prior. If this is the case, this didn’t help those wines at all. Again, it is entirely possible that I completely misheard that. But for further details, please see my notes on the seminar wines below.
Kevin Zraly
Now, let’s talk about my Cabernet Franc impressions after tasting and the seminar.
I have to say that it’s been a while since I had a deep immersion opportunity into the New York Cabernet Franc at any scale, never mind such a large and focused event – this was my first time attending it. But that is not even an important point. It’s been a significant lapse since I had New York Cabernet Franc, so all comparisons I was making were the present state of the New York Cabernet Franc versus New York Cabernet Franc as I remember it.
The State of New York has 7 defined AVAs – Champlain Valley, Finger Lakes, Hudson River Region, Upper Hudson, Lake Erie, Long Island, and the Niagara Escarpment. Out of this list, I’m mostly familiar with Finger Lakes, Hudson Valley (lumping together both Hudson regions), and Long Island. These were mostly the regions represented in the tasting, plus the Niagara Escarpment.
The State of New York’s Cabernet Franc definitely evolved compared to what I knew. This evolution now includes not only widely available Cabernet Franc Rosé, but also sparkling Cabernet Franc. I’m curious when (I think “when” is more appropriate than “if”, but of course I can be wrong) we will see Cabernet Franc Blanc (similar to what we see in the Oregon Pinot Noir scene). I also would think that at some point, we should see Cabernet Franc “port” just to complete the full range of Cabernet Franc expressions.
Now, to summarize my impressions, I have to use the word I don’t like using – interesting. Interesting is definitely not a very kind descriptor, but that’s the best I can do at the moment – let me explain.
I loved the absolute majority of Rosé wines across the board. They were elegant, mostly lean, and many of them capable of perfectly competing with Provence. The same goes for sparkling wines – fresh, generous, with a wide range of expressions, but I would be happy to drink the majority of them (if we exclude the price). But the main body of the tasting, Cabernet Franc reds, represented a mixed bag.
During the seminar, one of the panelists used the descriptor “finesse” to describe Cabernet Franc. I love this descriptor, but for me, finesse first and foremost means perfection of the balance. All your taste buds have to sing in unison for the wine to be declared as having “finesse”. For example, Cayuse wines might be the most expressive wines made in the United States, solely based on their ability to express the specific terroir, but the main descriptor for Cayuse wines is “power”, not “finesse”. Burgundian Pinot Noir possesses finesse, but the main expression of Oregon Pinot Noir is power, not finesse. Going back to our Cabernet Franc wines, I found “finesse” maybe in 2-3 wines out of 60 – 70 I tasted.
Tannins often were my main issue. And please note – tannins, not the use of oak. A number of wines were proudly unoaked. When the front of my mouth was literally locked up by the borderline painful tannins, and the winery rep was explaining that the wines were aged in stainless steel, I had to ask, “how is the wine so tannic?”. “Ah, we macerated with the skins for 71 days”, was the reply. Oh… I don’t know if it will help the wine to age better, but for those of us who want to drink the wine now… Please, don’t do this.
Along the lines of “finesse,” my second gripe would be another claim made during the seminar – “terroir”. It was said that now we can find similarities among the wines coming from the same “place”. That means that we should be able to find similarities between Cabernet Franc made in the Hudson Valley and successfully differentiate them from Cabernet Franc made in the Finger Lakes. Feel free to call me an amateur shmuck, but I would not be able to find similarities or differentiate most of the Cabernet Franc wines (excellent wines, mind you!) I tasted, even if my life depended on it.
On a positive side, practically all Cabernet Franc aged expressions were delicious. We had 2005, 2010, 2012, 2015, 2016, and other vintages with some age, and they were excellent across the board. The 2005 Millbrook was probably at its peak, and I don’t know how long that peak will last. But my general observation is that New York Cabernet Franc can age.
Please don’t get me wrong – there were lots of excellent Cabernet Franc reds in the tasting. If you want to surprise someone with a delicious red from the East Coast of the United States, a bottle of Cabernet Franc would probably be your top contender. Better yet – if you find – and afford – a library Cabernet Franc, your friends would thank you profusely.
Now, for what it’s worth, I would like to share my notes from the seminar and the tasting. One generic note – if grape composition is not listed, the wine is made from 100% Cabernet Franc.
Seminar wines:
2024 Macari Vineyards “Horses” Cabernet Franc Pet Nat (11.4% ABV, $32) – wow! Fresh, delicious, crisp bubbles, just perfect.
1. 2024 Fjord Vineyards Estate Cabernet Franc Hudson River Region (12.6% ABV, $30)
A Wow nose, classic with cassis and tobacco.
The palate is disappointing. Green, aggressive
2. 2022 Benmarl Winery Estate Cabernet Franc Hudson River Region (13.7% ABV, $40)
Complex nose with graphite and herbs
Green, tight, tannic palate. Not enjoyable.
3. 2024 Paumanok Vineyards “Minimalist” Cabernet Franc North Fork of Long Island (12.5% ABV, $55)
Carrot Juice? Pomegranate?
Just no…
4. 2023 Lieb Cellars Estate Cabernet Franc North Fork of Long Island (12.9% ABV, 88% Cabernet Franc, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Malbec, $38)
Classic nose
Classic palate
+++, nice, enjoyable
5. 2021 Wölffer Estate Vineyard “Caya” Cabernet Franc Long Island (13.5% ABV, 87% Cabernet Franc, 13% Merlot, $37)
Volcanic nose, pleasant, nice
The palate is powerful and balanced, earthy notes, tobacco, pronounced but balanced tannins.
+++-|, excellent
6. 2024 Boundary Breaks Vineyard Cabernet Franc Finger Lakes (13.5% ABV, 95% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot, $25)
Classic Nose on a lighter side.
Nice and classic palate, but tannins kick in quickly. Still, overall – not bad.
+++
7. 2023 Herman J.Wiemer Magdalena Vineyard Cabernet Franc (12.8% ABV, $45)
Rutherford dust on the nose, medicinal notes, bell pepper.
No bad, but fruit fades away quickly, leaving you with tannins.
8. 2020 Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery Cabernet Franc Finger Lakes (13% ABV, $28)
Beautiful, classic nose.
On the palate, the wine is balanced, with succulent fruit, tannins are present but well-balanced and appropriate.
+++-|
9. 2012 Arrowhead Spring Vineyards Library Selection Cabernet Franc, Niagara Escarpment
Nose is definitely medicinal, with iodine, cassis, and herbs.
Wow palate – wonderful, fresh, tight, great acidity, excellent.
++++, a special treat.
Here are my notes for the general tasting. I had time for about half of the tables (probably 23-24 out of 40), and the notes are very limited, as I mostly use my trade tasting rating system of “+” signs, with “+++” being a very solid rating. I’m also using “-|” as .5 improvement, so “++-|” basically means 2.5.
Okay, without further ado, here are the notes from the general tasting:
Apollo’s Praise 2024 Cabernet Franc – Picardie Finger Lakes (13% ABV, $28.00) – horrible. Green and biting
Arrowhead Spring Vineyards 2023 Cabernet Franc Stainless Steel Niagara Escarpment (12.5% ABV, $19.95) – gripping tannins (71 days maceration???)
Arrowhead Spring Vineyards 2023 Cabernet Franc Barrel Aged Niagara Escarpment (13.3% ABV, $24.95) – approacheable, nice
Atwater Vineyards 2024 Dry Rosé of Cabernet Franc/Blaufränkisch Finger Lakes (11.6% ABV, $27.00, 85% Cabernet Franc, 15% Blaufränkisch) – +++
Atwater Vineyards 2023 Cabernet Franc Finger Lakes (11.7% ABV, $32.00) – good
Atwater Vineyards 2024 Cabernet Franc Finger Lakes (14.1% ABV, $32.00) – ++, good
Benmarl Winery 2024 Pétillant Hudson River Region (12.3% ABV, $25.00) – +++, joy!
Benmarl Winery 2024 Dry Rosé Hudson River Region (12.2% ABV, $20.00) – ++-|, very good
Benmarl Winery 2022 Estate Cabernet Franc Hudson River Region (12.1% ABV, $40.00) – okay, strange. Petrol?
Boundary Breaks Vineyard 2024 Cabernet Franc Finger Lakes (13.5% ABV, $21.95, 95% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot) – ++
Boundary Breaks Vineyard 2024 Cabernet Franc Reserve Finger Lakes (13.5% ABV, $25.95) – ++, supposedly unoaked, gripping tannins
Boundary Breaks Vineyard 2024 Dry Rosé Finger Lakes (12.5% ABV, $15.95, 60% Cabernet Franc, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon) – on a sweeter side
Clovis Point Vineyard and Winery 2022 Cabernet Franc North Fork of Long Island (13.2% ABV, $45.00, 95% Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec) – ++-|
Clovis Point Vineyard and Winery 2022 Sparkling Cabernet Franc (12% ABV, $49.00) – delicious! light sweetness
Damiani Wine Cellars 2024 Cabernet Franc Finger Lakes (13.5% ABV, $28.00) – +++
Damiani Wine Cellars 2024 Cabernet Franc Reserve Finger Lakes (13.7% ABV, $60.00) – +++
Damiani Wine Cellars 2024 Cabernet Franc Valois Vineyard Finger Lakes (14.1% ABV, $42.00) – +++
Damiani Wine Cellars 2022 Cabernet Franc Barrel Select Finger Lakes – superb
Dr. Konstantin Frank 2022 Cabernet Franc Finger Lakes (13% ABV, $27.99) – +++, classic, clean
EV&EM Vineyards 2023 Classic Cabernet Franc North Fork of Long Island (12.7% ABV, $58.00) – too lean. 2023 was a very difficult vintage
EV&EM Vineyards 2024 Classic Cabernet Franc North Fork of Long Island (12.7% ABV, $58.00) – much bigger than 2023. 2024 was an excellent year on Long Island
Fjord Vineyards 2024 Estate Cabernet Franc Hudson River Region (13.8% ABV, $30.00) – +++
Fjord Vineyards 2024 Estate Dry Rosé of Cabernet Franc Hudson River Region (12.6% ABV, $22.00) – +++, excellent, my favorite so far
Fjord Vineyards 2022 Estate Cabernet Franc Hudson River Region (13.1% ABV, $30.00) – ++-|, interesting, volcanic notes
Forge Cellars 2020 Willow Vineyard Cabernet Franc Seneca Lake Finger Lakes (13% ABV, $26.00) – good
Forge Cellars 2023 Caywood Vineyard Cabernet Franc Seneca Lake Finger Lakes (13% ABV, $28.00) – good
Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard 2023 Cabernet Franc Finger Lakes (12.5% ABV, $27.00) – +++, excellent
Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard 2023 Cabernet Franc Magdalena Vineyard Finger Lakes (12.8% ABV, $45.00) – +++, excellent. Surprise – I didn’t like it in the seminar… Go figure…
Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard 2021 Library Vintage Cabernet Franc in Magnum Finger Lakes (12.5% ABV, $90.00) – +++-|, excellent, round, powerful
Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard 2016 Library Vintage Cabernet Franc 3 Litre Finger Lakes (12.5% ABV, $360.00) – +++, excellent
Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard 2019 Single Clone 214 Cabernet Franc Finger Lakes – an original Loire clone, very good
Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard 2019 Single Clone 327 Cabernet Franc Finger Lakes – a Bordeaux clone, certified in 1975, very good
Heron Hill Winery 2020 Heron Hill Classic Cabernet Franc Finger Lakes (13.3% ABV, $22.00) – +++, nice, round, clean
Heron Hill Winery 2022 Ingle Vineyard Cabernet Franc Finger Lakes (13.8% ABV, $40.00) – +++, nice, round, clean
Keuka Spring Vineyards 2024 Cabernet Franc Finger Lakes (13.1% ABV, $28.99) – +++, excellent, clean, delicate, light color with a lip-smacking palate
Keuka Spring Vineyards 2025 Dry Rosé Finger Lakes (11.8% ABV, $19.99, 60% Cabernet Franc, 40% Blaufrankisch) – +++-|, a new favorite
Keuka Spring Vineyards 2024 Epic Finger Lakes (12.1% ABV, $29.99, 65% Cabernet Franc, 35% Blaufrankisch) – +++-|, excellent
Lakewood Vineyards 2024 Cabernet Franc Finger Lakes (13.8% ABV, $20.00) – good, light, nice color
Lakewood Vineyards 2020 Reserve Cabernet Franc Finger Lakes (15.9% ABV, $50.00) – good
Lakewood Vineyards 2024 Cabernet Franc Dry Rosé Finger Lakes (13.1% ABV, $18.00) – good
Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars – Rosé was too sweet, and I didn’t like any of the reds
Lenz Winery 2021 Estate Selection Cabernet Franc North Fork of Long Island, Peconic (13.5% ABV, $55.00) – excellent. This is a new project at Lenz. Until 2017, Cabernet Franc was used only for blending
Living Roots Wine & Co. 2025 Finger Lakes Pet-Nat Rosé Finger Lakes (12.8% ABV, $26.00, 50% Cabernet Franc, 50% Blaufrankisch) – too sweet
Living Roots Wine & Co. 2025 Finger Lakes Dry Rosé Finger Lakes (12% ABV, $22.00, 41% Cabernet Franc, 33% Pinot Noir, 26% Blaufrankisch) – excellent
Living Roots Wine & Co. 2023 Finger Lakes Cabernet Franc Finger Lakes (12.6% ABV, $30.00) – excellent
Macari Vineyards & Winery 2024 “Lifeforce” Cabernet Franc North Fork of Long Island (12.9% ABV, $30.00) – +++, excellent
Macari Vineyards & Winery 2022 Cabernet Franc North Fork of Long Island (12.9% ABV, $38.00) – excellent
Macari Vineyards & Winery 2010 Cabernet Franc North Fork of Long Island – ++++, wow, powerful, delicious
McCall Wines 2021 Cabernet Franc North Fork, Long Island (12.8% ABV, $28.00) – +++, excellent
McCall Wines 2015 Cabernet Franc Reserve North Fork of Long Island (13% ABV, $49.00) – ++++, outstanding, elegant
Milea Estate Vineyard 2023 Milea Estate Vineyard Farmhouse Cabernet Franc Hudson River Region (12.5% ABV, $40.00) – ++-|, good
Milea Estate Vineyard 2023 Milea Estate Vineyard Reserve Cabernet Franc Hudson River Region (12.5% ABV, $50.00) – +++, excellent
Millbrook Vineyards & Winery 2025 Cabernet Franc Estate Rosé Hudson River Region (13.9% ABV, $30.00) – ++-|, good
Millbrook Vineyards & Winery 2023 Cabernet Franc Hudson River Region (13% ABV, $28.00) – ++-|, good
Millbrook Vineyards & Winery 2021 Cabernet Franc Proprietor’s Special Reserve Hudson River Region (13% ABV, $45.00) – +++, excellent
Millbrook Vineyards & Winery 2005 Cabernet Franc Hudson River Region (13% ABV, Library, 75% Cabernet Franc, 18% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon) – ++++, wow, delicious. Oldest in the tasting. Might be at its peak
Neverstill Wines 2023 Cabernet Franc Finger Lakes / Hudson Valley (13%, $49.00) – good
One Woman Winery 2020 One Woman Cabernet Franc North Fork of Long Island (12.8% ABV, $42.00) – good
One Woman Winery 2022 One Woman Cabernet Franc North Fork of Long Island (12.8% ABV, $42.00) – good
Suhru & Lieb Vineyards 2023 Lieb Estate Cabernet Franc North Fork of Long Island (12.9% ABV, $38.00, 88% Cabernet Franc, 9% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Malbec) – good
Suhru & Lieb Vineyards 2024 Suhru Wines Rosé North Fork of Long Island (11.6% ABV, $21.00, 54% Cabernet Franc, 18% Merlot, 16% La Crescent, 12% Lagrein) – good, and a new grape!
The Red Hook Winery 2019 Jamesport Vineyard Cabernet Franc Long Island (14.1% ABV, $40.00) – good
Wölffer Estate Vineyard 2023 Estate Cabernet Franc Long Island (13.5% ABV, $25.00, 82% Cabernet Franc, 11% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Petit Verdot) – good
Wölffer Estate Vineyard 2021 Caya Cabernet Franc Long Island (13.5% ABV, $37.00, 87% Cabernet Franc, 13% Merlot) – good
Wölffer Estate Vineyard 2010 Caya Library Selection Cabernet Franc Long Island (13.3% ABV, Library, 85% Cabernet Franc, 14.5% Merlot, 0.5% Cabernet Sauvignon) – outstanding
Uff, this was a long post. Hope you reached here, but if you didn’t, you are not reading this anyway 🙂
Until the next time – cheers!
Seeking Amarone: Grace and Beauty of Cesari Amarone Bosan
What do you think of Amarone? I know that some people simply dismiss it as an alcohol bomb, as many Amarone wines nowadays are sporting 16.5% ABV, and winemakers blame climate change. Okay, climate change is not the subject of this post, so let’s quickly rewind before we go too far.
Let me repeat the question – what do you think of Amarone? Love it, hate it, or indifferent?
While you are deep in your thoughts, let me share my take.
I love Amarone. I tried it for the first time in 2003, during Kevin Zraly’s Windows on the World wine school class. The wine we tried was 1998 Le Ragoze Amarone. The contrast of dry fruit assemblage on the nose with lean, focused, powerful, and perfectly balanced palate was stunning, delicious and memorable. And that was the beginning of my love-hate relationship with Amarone (please keep reading, I promise to explain all the high emotions).
Maybe a quick historical perspective would be appropriate here. Amarone wines are made in the Valpolicella region in Veneto Province. While winemaking across Italy goes back to Roman times, Amarone has not been around for too long. Historically, the Valpolicella region was best known for its sweet wines called Recioto. The grapes for Recioto production were first dried under the sun to concentrate sugars (this process is called Appassimento), and subsequently made into the sweet wine. In 1936, supposedly, a barrel of Recioto was forgotten in the cellar, the fermentation continued, and resulted in the dry and powerful wine which was called Amarone, which means Great Bitter, contrasting it with sweet Recioto. Amarone wines began to be internationally recognized in 1970th. Amarone della Valpolicella received the status of DOC in 1990 and advanced to DOCG in 2010.
Amarone is not my pivotal wine. Actually, I don’t have a pivotal wine as some wine lovers do – many wines left lasting impressions on me and I would be very hard pressed to identify “one and only”. But Amarone is definitely one of my favorite wines – except that I more or less gave up on it for now.
The “Seeking Amarone” theme of this blog post is not random. I wrote a few posts under the same theme in the past (none as of late), as that spectacular experience with 1998 Le Ragoze happened to be really hard to replicate. With the exception of a few Masi single vineyard Amarone, most of the Amarone I taste are lacking balance, with alcohol being not well integrated and simply destroying any joy the wine could bring. Side note – 16.5% ABV in itself means nothing. Anyone who casually enjoyed Turley or Carlisle Zinfandels can attest to the perfect balance and harmony those wines exhibit, at the same 16.5% of ABV.
Possibly a bigger issue affecting Amarone was a dramatic expansion of the DOC growing area, which allowed subpar quality fruit to become a fuel for Amarone’s attempt to meet the global growing demand – Amarone production increased from 1 million bottles to 16 million bottles in 2008. However, that didn’t affect single vineyard Amarone, and this brings us to the intended subject of this post – Cesari Bosan Amarone, a single vineyard Amarone from the heart of the Amarone Classico di Valpolicella.
During the Tre Bicchieri 2026 event in New York, I was lucky enough to attend the masterclass where we had an opportunity to deep dive into the world of Cesari Amarone. And not just Amarone, but single vineyard Amarone Bosan.
Cesari Winery was formed in 1936 (so this year Cesari is celebrating 90 years). The first vintage of Amarone was produced in 1971, and in 1973, Cesari Amarone began exporting to the USA. And talking about important dates, 1997 marked the beginning of production of Cesari’s single-vineyard Amarone, Bosan.
Bosan vineyard is located in the heart of the Amarone Classico della Valpolicella production zone, at about 1,500 feet elevation (500 meters), on the hills facing south and southeast with volcanic/limestone soils. The grapes for Bosan Amarone are harvested about 2 weeks prior to the grapes for the other wines in two passes. Speaking about the grapes, Cesari Bosan Amarone is always made from 3 main grape varieties, used always in the same proportions. Bosan wines are made from 40% Corvina grapes, giving structure and complexity; 40% Corvinone grapes, bringing freshness and crunchiness; finishing it up 20% of Rondinella grapes, bringing balance and color. By the way, while the grape composition remained the same over the years, the drying time (appassimento) has changed from 4 months in the previous years to about 3 months (90 days) now.
Production of Bosan Amarone is a labor of love for sure, as it takes 10(!) years to produce Amarone Bosan, and another 3 years for the wines to reach “historical vintage” designation. After drying the grapes, vinification and fermentation are conducted in stainless steel. After that, the wine rests in stainless steel for 3 years, then goes into the barriques for 2 years, back to stainless steel for 3 years, finishing off with at least 2 years in the bottle. If the wine is designated as a historical vintage, it will take another 3 years in the bottle. If anything, Cesari Amarone Bosan production commands respect.
We had an opportunity to taste 6 Bosan Riserva wines, going all the way back to the 2000 vintage, thanks to the generosity of the Cesari family. To say that this was a special experience would be an understatement – the experience was truly one of a kind. Here are my thoughts on the 6 wines we tasted.
2016 Cesari Bosan Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Riserva DOCG (15.5% ABV)
Beautiful, a touch of gunflint, dark fruit, minerality, cherries, rocky undertones
Powerful, crisp, firm and crunchy, rocky undertones, well-integrated tannins.
8+, great food wine, but perfectly enjoyable by itself
2015 Cesari Bosan Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Riserva DOCG (15.5% ABV)
Legs are more expressive than in 2016
Dark cherries on the nose
Rounder on the palate than 2016, dark fruit, tannins a bit untamed, green notes on the finish. Needs more time
8-/8
2006 Cesari Bosan Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Riserva DOC (15.5% ABV)
Beautiful nose, with dried fruit and a touch of dried fig.
Wow! Beautiful, balanced, perfectly integrated tannins, round, spectacular.
8+/9-
2003 Cesari Bosan Amarone della Valpolicella DOC (15.5% ABV)
A bit too much of the dry fruit, the nose suggested past prime. After some additional time in the glass, just fine.
Sublime, just needed the time to open. Still fresh tannins on the palate, round, well integrated, layered, with dry fruit undertones on the palate. Wow. delicious!
9-/9
2001 Cesari Bosan Amarone della Valpolicella DOC (15.5% ABV)
Intense nose, clean, open, elegant, hint of roasted meat, fresh red fruit, cocoa powder, a wow nose.
Wow. I can’t spit this wine! Wow, Round, elegant, layered, mind-boggling elegance, a touch of dried fruit. Impeccable balance.
9, a wow wine all around
2000 Cesari Bosan Amarone della Valpolicella DOC (15.5% ABV)
Intense tertiary aromas with the addition of roasted meat.
No tertiary aromas on the palate. Wow. Sweet cherries, perfect acidity, round, elegant, outstanding.
9-
Here we are – an Amarone worth seeking. Cesari Bosan Amarone will not be inexpensive, but it might be well worth it as a special treat.
So, have you finally come up with an answer to my question? Do you like Amarone? Hoping that you do, what is your favorite Amarone? Cheers!
As Expected and Full of Surprises
Today, I want to share two recent wine experiences. One, unfortunately, as expected. The second one is unexpectedly surprising.
About 10 days ago, I had the opportunity to open a wine from the 2002 vintage to celebrate my youngest daughter’s birthday. I don’t have a lot of 2002 lying around, so I had to decide which bottle to open.
I asked wine friends on Twitter (can’t bring myself to call it X, I still prefer Twitter) which one of the two 2002 bottles you see in the picture above I should open. A few people said “come on, open both and compare!” which I would gladly do if I had a good supply of both. I also got suggestions to open BV, and somehow, this was also my inclination, so BV it was.
Now, deep inside, I knew that I was probably making a mistake opening my only bottle. Based on my experience, California Cabernet Sauvignon wines need 40+ years to truly shine, but hey – wine is meant to be drunk, especially when you have a good reason… So yeah, the decision was made.
BV, which stands for Beaulieu Vineyard, needs no introduction to wine lovers. One of the oldest producers in Napa Valley, and one of the legendary ones, as the name André Tchelistcheff, “The Maestro” and literally the father of Californian winemaking, is closely associated with BV, where he was making wines for almost 50 years. Georges de Latour Reserve, the wine named in honor of the winery’s founder, is a flagship Cabernet Sauvignon made at the winery. So while I was opening this 2002 Beaulieu Vineyard Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford Napa Valley (14.5% ABV), I knew that I’m making a mistake.
The mistake was very simple – too early. The wine of this caliber probably had another 25 years ahead of it before it would really reach its peak. Don’t get me wrong – the wine was classic and delicious, with Rutherford dust, gobs of black currant, mint and eucalyptus, powerful, voluptuous, big and fresh, with well-presented tannins. This was the wine in its prime, but not at a peak. As expected. And a bit sad as I know I can’t find out how well this wine could evolve. Sure, first-world problems.
Now, let’s talk about surprises. Over the weekend, we visited friends whom we hadn’t seen in a while. Over the years, they have accumulated a variety of bottles – nothing of the “collector” level, no, just simple everyday wines which were acquired to be enjoyed at a party and simply left unopened. Now, when we come over, knowing that I’m a wine geek, they always love to pull out some random bottle to try. This time, the random bottle was a 2002 Gallo Family’s Gallo of Sonoma Syrah Reserve Sonoma County (13.75% ABV).
If you would generally offer me a bottle of Gallo wine, I would almost take it as an offense. I would never buy a Gallo wine on my own. But in this situation, why not? I had a backup in the form of Turley, so I was definitely not afraid :).
By the way, before we talk about the wine, you can also have a laugh at my expense. This is the first time that the actual Gallo wine is discussed on this blog – I can even quote myself saying “Rest assured – Gallo is the last wine I want to ever discuss on this blog“. And yet here I am, talking about Gallo wine on this blog. Never say never, huh?
The cork crumbled and I had to push it in, so we were pouring the wine into the glasses using a little tea mesh. The first smell was not bad at all – mostly plums, no tertiary aromas. The first sip found a well-rounded wine, with plums, roasted meat notes, still present tannins and earthy undertones. I was absolutely not expecting to be so pleasantly surprised by the wine, but I guess California wines are just full of surprises. And let’s not forget that this wine was probably acquired for $5 if not less…
I always advocate that California wines can age, and yet I was surprised at how well both wines have aged.
If you have California wines in your cellar, and you are not afraid to wait – give them time, let them surprise you at some point.
What do you think about the ability of Californian wines to age? For how long do you think you can wait to let your wines truly shine? Cheers!
Restaurant Files: 888 Sushi & Robata in Las Vegas
When it comes to food, Las Vegas is one of the top places in the US. There is no shortage of great restaurants in Las Vegas, no matter what cuisine you are craving.
Considering that the city of Las Vegas is located in the middle of a desert, you wouldn’t think that sushi should be one of the culinary staples there, but it is Las Vegas after all, the city of no limits.
When visiting Las Vegas, which typically happens once a year for the work conference, I always try to include sushi in the dining repertoire. This year was no exception, and while researching online, I found this highly rated place, called 888 Sushi & Robata, which had very high ratings on Yelp, so it definitely got my interest. The only challenge was the fact that the restaurant doesn’t accept reservations and offers a waiting list instead.
I conveniently joined the waiting list on Yelp, and was told that even for the solo diner (none of my colleagues arrived yet), the wait time would be between 3 and 3.5 hours (we are talking about the middle of the day on Sunday). Okay, waiting is not a problem. I decided to walk to the restaurant as it was only about a mile away from the hotel, so I left about 40 minutes prior to the earliest time I could be seated according to the wait list information. Arrived at the restaurant, let them know that I was there, and as I was happy to sit in the bar, I was seated almost instantly (my waiting list was still not complete, but it worked fine).
The restaurant offers a number of menus at different price levels and with different content. As I didn’t want the menu with Wagyu beef (carpaccio, etc.), I settled for the Sushi and Robata menu.
I was not familiar with the term Robata, so based on the menu, I figured that Robata is basically a Japanese BBQ, with food served on little skewers. The waiter explained that the restaurant is all you can eat, but you need to order as you go; this is not a buffet, and you have only 90 minutes to dine. Note that the menu is really overwhelming, but my waiter was very helpful and we were able to figure out I think an excellent program.
I fully took advantage of dining just by myself. I took a bunch of pictures and took notes for almost all the food I was having, so now all I need to do is share my notes with you. Here you go:
I started with a few Robata items:
Squid on the skewer – tasty, but a little chewy
Beef on the skewer – very good, tasty.
Kurobuta sausage, made from the famous Japanese Kurobuta pigs – superb, incredible amount of flavor. I would love to eat like 10 those little sausages at once.
The next few items were served on the small plates:
Crispy Calamari – wow! Crunchy
Tuna Poke – wow. Flavor!
And then there were sushi, many different types of sushi. What was very interesting was that generous pieces of fish were served with tiny, very tiny rice balls – I really appreciate that we were truly able to enjoy fish in the sushi.
Salmon – a huge piece of fish and a tiny amount of rice
Salmon roll – very good
Yellowtail – perfect
Seared salmon – wow. Absolute wow. A little slice of fatty salmon just very lightly seared – what a pleasure!
Mackerel – great, really good. Love mackerel!
Yuzu yellowtail – not very spicy. This was one of the few small disappointments – if you promise spicy, you better deliver 🙂
Eel – melt-in-your-mouth goodness. Love eel, this was delicious.
I asked for a few more pieces to complete the meal.
Ikura – superb. Delicious caviar, excellent quality.
Uni – good, a touch of bitterness which you can often find in the uni. I’m personally looking for a uniformly sweet profile.
As I was looking for something else to complete the meal, I noticed in the Robata section a bacon-wrapped scallop, but it was not available. Instead, the waiter suggested that I should try a bacon-wrapped oyster mushroom. OMG.
Bacon-wrapped oyster mushroom – wow. Tastes similar to scallop. This is really something. A properly chewy, slightly sweet mushroom wrapped in a delicious, salty piece of bacon. Wow.
This was an amazing finish for an amazing meal. Well, almost finish, as I couldn’t resist a soft-serve green tea ice cream, which was delicious and refreshing.
Here you go, my friends – 888 Sushi & Robata. If you are in Las Vegas, I can’t recommend it highly enough. Next time I’m in Las Vegas, this restaurant will definitely be on the list.
888 Sushi & Robata
4480 Paradise Rd #900,
Las Vegas, Nevada 89169
In Memoriam: Michel Rolland
Last week, the world of wine lost an icon. Michel Rolland, often referred to as “flying winemaker”, passed away at the age of 78. Michel Rolland influenced winemaking all around the globe, from France to the US Napa Valley, Argentina, Spain, South Africa, and even Israel.
There is lots and lots written about Michel Rolland in the form of articles and books, and his winemaking practices are sometimes portrayed as controversial. However, I truly believe the wines he helped craft made many wine lovers happy.
I was lucky enough to have the pleasure of sitting across from Michel Rolland and asking him questions – unlike most of my interviews, this one was done face-to-face 10 years ago, during one of his visits to New York. In memory of Michel Rolland, I would like to share that interview again on this blog.
OTBN 2026 – What a night!
Open That Bottle Night (OTBN for short) is one of my favorite wine holidays of the year – possibly simply the favorite.
The event, always taking place on the last Saturday in February, was created by Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher, writers of the Wall Street Journal wine column, 27 years ago. The purpose of the event or a holiday, if you will, is simple. Every wine lover has a special bottle waiting for a special moment. Let’s declare that special moment has arrived, and let’s open that special bottle to enjoy it now – nobody knows what’s ahead in life, so we should enjoy things while we can.
As I said, this is possibly my favorite wine holiday, I always make an effort to participate, and a few times even wrote about them (here are posts from 2016, 2019, 2020, 2023, and 2025). Whether I’m celebrating with friends or just with my wife, I always make an effort to make that day wine-special – I believe I have never been disappointed so far, judging by “what a night!” being a favorite descriptor.
OTBN 2026 was no exception. Typically, my OTBN experience starts with self-inflicted drama – what to open???? I have more than a few bottles worthy of a “special” designation, and it is always hard (very hard!) to decide which one or two should be called special in a given year. In 2026, somehow I managed to solve this conundrum somewhat easily – the decision just materialized on its own as I was mindlessly moving wine cabinet shelves in and out.
Lopez de Heredia needs no introduction to wine lovers. Way, way back, Lopez de Heredia Blanco was my first foray into white Rioja wines, and I have been a devoted follower ever since. Fiction by Field Recordings was the first wine that led to the discovery of the Field Recordings wines 17+ years ago, and it has been a perennial staple ever since. I can’t say what led to the decision on the 33-year-old white Rioja and 13-year-old California red blend, but this became one of the most memorable wine experiences ever.
Let’s talk about 1993 Lopez de Heredia Viña Tondonia Blanco Rioja (12.5% ABV). I have to start by saying that I’m not a fan of oxidative white wines. When I mentioned on Twitter that I plan to open this bottle for the OTBN, some comments expressed excitement about oxidative and nutty notes, which I was supposed to find, similar to what you would find in a glass of Jerez. And so I was expecting to find that, and was wondering if I would be able to like that wine. And then there were literally none! Nothing oxidative on the nose, mostly minerality and whitestone fruit. And then a beautiful, complex, powerful structure on the palate, somewhat along the lines of a good Roussanne, still with perfect acidity and freshness. Oxidative notes were lurking in the background, showing up and instantly dissipating a few times, but those were only tiny glimpses, not taking anything away from the wine. An absolutely delightful experience, a 33-year-old white Rioja possibly at its peak (but I wouldn’t dare to insist).
And then there was 2013 Fiction by Field Recordings Paso Robles (13.5% ABV, 31% Zinfandel, 26% Tempranillo, 15% Mourvèdre, 10% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 8% Touriga Nacional). This was my only bottle with an original label, which I really loved and much prefer to the current ones. There is nothing wrong with the current label, only that the original one, with a flock of birds, was conveying the message of bottled poetry a lot better – or rather music, as I wrote in my first post about this wine, Music, Recorded in the Vineyard.
I also loved the back label. As this might be the last time I look at such a label (the current ones don’t carry any of the text), I would allow myself to cite the text written on that back label:
“It’s 6 A.M. and if I don’t find them soon, they’ll be gone. The back of my pickup stocked with trash bags, I head out. If I was looking at the road, I would notice the truck’s path change from frontage road, to side road, to no road. I would notice addresses begin to dwindle and buildings become fields. But I’m not looking at the road. I’m looking at the sky, searching for the living static that gathers above the grapes when they are perfectly ripe. When the black cloud finally appears, I weave through the vineyard, throw her in park, stuff my pockets with plastic and dance my way through a mess of moving wings and beaks. Hours later, bugs filled with ripe fruit, bulge from the bed of my pickup and the birds have disappeared. Tomorrow, I will search again.”
Now, let’s talk about the wine. Screwtop. 13 years old California Paso Robles blend. Stored at somewhat consistent conditions, away from direct sunlight and vibration, but not in the cellar or a wine cooler. Priced at not more than $20 originally (directly from the winery). And yet, one of the very best wines I have ever experienced. A truly memorable one.
I poured the wine in the glass, smelled it, and couldn’t put the glass down. The time slowed down. Sounds practically disappeared. The aroma was magical. And the wine in my mouth was too.
Dreams, smiles, baby laughter, endless meadows, fresh mountain forest air. I know, it sounds like a brain dump, but I don’t want even to try to describe this wine in technical terms – raspberries or blueberries are not important here, what’s important is how the wine makes you feel. Refined, elegant, layered palate, flavors are transitioning and interplaying in total harmony, each sip asking for the next. Am I exaggerating? I don’t know, and it is up to you to believe me or not. But the wine was absolutely stunning and memorable. That I’m completely sure about.
Here you are, my friends. An OTBN experience that will not be easy to beat.
Two amazing wines, an amazing experience, great memories.
I don’t know if I will be able to do better next year, but this is the beauty of wine – the mystery in the bottle.
Until the next time – cheers!
For the Love of Riesling
I love Riesling.
What do winelovers do when they love the wine?
That’s easy.
We want to share that love.
The biggest reward for a winelover is to offer someone a glass of wine and hear them say “oh, it is good!”.
Sharing the wine is the most enjoyable part of drinking the wine. We want the other people to experience the same joy as we do, we want them to experience the pleasure only the wine can deliver.
As I said before, I love Riesling.
Riesling might be the most underappreciated white grape. It is one of the main 3 white grapes (Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Riesling). Riesling wines are made everywhere in the world – Germany, Alsace, Australia, New Zealand, New York (Finger Lakes, Hudson Valley), Canada, Oregon, California, and so on – and yet many of the wine drinkers wouldn’t even openly admit that they like Riesling and that they are happy to drink it.
It is hard to tell why that is. Many people associate the word Riesling with the word “Sweet”. It is a big mistake, as it means, for example, that they never experienced bone-dry, tongue-twisting Rieslings from the Claire Valley in Australia. I would even dare to say that the majority of the well-made Rieslings are not sweet, unless they are purposefully made to be sweet, such as BA or TBA German Rieslings. The main trait of Riesling, similarly to all other wines, is balance. As long as the Riesling is balanced, it is one of the most enjoyable white wines you can imagine. And it pairs well with the wide range of food. I’m telling you – Riesling is one of the best white wines in the world.
The love for wine needs to be shared. And so earlier in the year, I decided to do a Riesling wine tasting. My audience (family, future in-laws) wanted to learn more about the wines, and I have decided that tasting a bunch of Rieslings will offer an excellent educational opportunity (was I right? I have no idea, but I know we had fun).
Ask me to name three of my favorite Cabernet Sauvignon producers, and I will quickly become frustrated – can I give you at least 10? 20 or 30 would be even better. The same would be for a Chardonnay, Syrah, and Tempranillo. When it comes to Riesling, however, that would be an easy task. Grosset from Australia. Smith-Madrone from California. Brooks from Oregon. This is my “top 3 Riesling producers” list. I would absolutely love to do a comparative testing of these 3 Rieslings, but I managed to get only 2. I got Smith-Madrone Rieslings first, and then when I got the idea for the tasting, I wrote to Brooks, and they were kind enough to send me a nice vertical of Brooks Rieslings. I also asked Ravines Wine Cellars from Finger Lakes for a similar set, but got no reply, so my tasting consisted of a vertical of Smith-Madrone Rieslings from 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2023, and Brooks Ara Riesling from 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023 (both wineries didn’t produce wines in 2020).
It is important to note that Riesling can age very well, and aged Riesling is just a special experience. I did an online search and found out that it is rather hard to find aged Riesling anywhere, at least for the price I was willing to pay (age your Riesling, people, take my advice). I managed to find a bottle from 1997, which was seemingly in reasonable condition. At the same online store, I also managed to find a sparkling wine made out of Riesling, known in Germany as Sekt. I scored a bottle of Sekt at the same online store, and it became our first wine in the tasting.
The tasting was non-blind as it had more of an educational purpose than anything else. Here is what transpired during the tasting (outside of the fact that I numbered Brooks Rieslings in the wrong order, so we tasted them from the older vintages to the newer, where I really wanted to go in the opposite direction):
Wine #1: 2013 Dreissigacker Riesling Brut Rheinhessen (12.5% ABV)
bubbles were still present, lemon, a touch of sugar, well balanced, very nice overall. Believe it or not, but this was the first Sekt that I liked.
8-
Wine #2: 2018 Brooks Ara Riesling Willamette Valley (14% ABV, 325 cases produced)
Beautiful color. Honey, petrol, explivit nose of tropical fruit
Great complexity, perfect balance, showing off an interplay of pear, apples, peach, even vanilla and quince. Delicious. 8
Wine #3: 2019 Brooks Ara Riesling Willamette Valley (13% ABV, 225 cases produced) – a very interesting wine, as my tasting notes for day 1 and upon re-tasting the next day differ dramatically.
Day 1: Very unusual, some honeydew, hint of pear. 8-
Day 2: Superb. Lean. Acidity is through the roof, fresh, crisp. Needs 20 years to become amazing. 8++
Wine #4: 2021 Brooks Ara Riesling Willamette Valley (12.5% ABV, 225 cases produced)
Day 1: Beautiful petrol and flowers on the nose
Fresh, petrol, complex, white fruit, excellent balance. 8+
Day 2: Petrol + earth. Beautiful, honey notes on the palate, much richer than ‘19. Still lean and mean. 8
Wine #5: 2022 Brooks Ara Riesling Willamette Valley (12.5% ABV, 150 cases produced)
Day 1: Flowers, touch of brown sugar
Most complex so far – wow, beautiful. 8+
Day 2: Petrol, hint of tropical fruit. Lemon with a touch of honey, lean, crisp, built for aging, let’s say another 20-something years. 8++
Wine #6: 2023 Brooks Ara Riesling Willamette Valley (12.5% ABV, 100 cases produced)
Day 1: Very muted nose. Palate is young, nice, concentrated. 8-
Day 2: Nose almost non-existent. Very lean palate with a hint of honey mixed with lemon. Need to develop for a long, very long time.
Wine #7: 2023 Smith-Madrone Riesling Spring Mountain (13.2% ABV)
Light color
Candy on the nose
White flowers, fruit medley, bitter orange, crisp, spectacular. 8+
Wine #8: 2022 Smith-Madrone Riesling Spring Mountain (13.2% ABV)
A touch of petrol
White fruit, white apples, delicious. 8+
Wine #9: 2021 Smith-Madrone Riesling Spring Mountain (13.2% ABV)
Petrol, beautiful
Lots of complexity, apples, excellent. 8
Wine #10: 2019 Smith-Madrone Riesling Spring Mountain (13.3% ABV)
Complex aromatics, flowers
Flowers on the palate, a touch of honey, beautiful, complex. 8+
Wine #11: 2018 Smith-Madrone Riesling Spring Mountain (13.3% ABV)
Beautiful, hint of petrol, white fruit.
Wow, playful, amazing. 8++
Wine #12: 1997 Dr. Fischer Ockfener Bockstein Riesling Kabinett Mosel (8% ABV)
Apple juice all the way, past prime. Still an interesting experience.
As always in such tastings, it is fun to figure out the group’s favorite wine. There were 8 of us tasting the wines, and everybody were asked to decide on 3 of their most favorite wines (mine were #11, #8, and #5), and then we took a vote. To my surprise, we had a clear winner after the first round – wine #8, 2022 Smith-Madrone Riesling, was everyone’s favorite, with wine #11, 2018 Smith-Madrone Riesling getting 5 votes. It was interesting that even wine #12, 1997 Riesling, got 3 votes (for me, it was an interesting experience, but not the wine I want to drink again).
As you can see from the notes above, I had a chance to re-taste the wines, this time at a bit of a slower pace. It is very clear that Brooks Rieslings needed more time to open, as you see that on the second day they showed a lot more of what they got, but even then, I believe they would benefit from another 20 years in the cellar, or maybe more.
As I’m writing this, I’m already dreaming of setting up the tasting of 20+ years old Rieslings. Give me Grosset, Brooks, Smith-Madrone, Zind-Humbrecht, and maybe Markus Molitor, from the early 2000s – and this would make it an absolutely amazing tasting. By the way, talking about dreams – what would your dream Riesling tasting include?
I can’t speak for my guests, but I really enjoyed the opportunity to taste such beautiful wines side by side. While both Brooks and Smith-Madrone perfectly exhibited my beloved petrol, Brooks Rieslings on average were a bit leaner than Smith-Madrone, while Smith-Madrone exhibited a richer bouquet on the palate. I’m saying this not in the comparative sense – each one of these wines would make me super-happy any time.
There you are, my friends – my Riesling experience. Do you like Riesling? What are your favorite “go-to” Rieslings?
and A Few Good Wines
Ohh, time flies (who knew? What a pathetic opening – I know, don’t say it.)
About a month More than 2 months ago, we hosted a party (about 40 people). When it comes to a party of this size, I never try to put out “the best stuff” at the beginning. Of course, I’m not talking about offering “plonk” to my guests – the wines will always be quality wines, those which I would be happy to drink every day – but they would be exactly that, “everyday”. So we started with some bubbles, whites, and Rosé. And then…
Well, wait.
The first wine I want to mention was not in my “everyday” category – it was a magnum of the champagne that one of my friends brought to the party.
I never heard of Champagne Jacquesson before, so this was my first encounter with it – and I have to say it was a pleasant one.
NV Champagne Jacquesson Cuvée 745 Grand Vin Extra Brut (12.5% ABV, harvest 2017, disgorged in 2022)
Perfectly classic champagne with toasted notes packaged in the generous fine mousse, deliciously present on the palate. Cut through acidity leads to a clean finish with some lingering plumpness. This magnum didn’t last for too long.
Let’s get back to where I started. As the party gets going, and people have a bite to eat, there is always a moment to say to your wino-friends “hold on, let me bring something”. Whatever happens next is totally unpredictable, as in most cases, I don’t have a plan, or if I do, it would be a really vague one.
Here is what we ended up tasting:
2007 Revana Cabernet Sauvignon St Helena Napa Valley (14.8% ABV) – I got the bottle as a present for a friend way back. Was always waiting for the right moment… The wine was stunning. A beautiful Cabernet Sauvignon, fresh, layered, cassis all the way, on the nose and on the palate, silky smooth and balanced. The bottle was gone in no time, but it was thoroughly enjoyed.
2014 Hors Categorie Syrah Hors Categorie Vineyard Walla Walla Valley (14.1% ABV). I truly don’t know what the right moment Christophe Barone wines is. Hors Categorie Syrah is one of his very top wines (expensive too). The wine was classic “liquid rock” from Washington, with enough gunflint and smoke to almost feel you visited the range. What was interesting is how quickly the wine was changing in the glass – from more rock to more fruit and back. I’m not sure this was the right moment. I should have a few more bottles, and all can say that I’m not touching them for as long as possible…
1993 Limerick Lane Zinfandel Collins Vineyard Russian River Valley (13.5% ABV) – the wine from my Benchmark Wine loot. 30 years young, and beautiful. No, it was not fresh like it was made yesterday, it went all into the tertiary aromas and flavors, but the body was there, the fruit was there, the acidity was there, and therefore, there was lots and lots of pleasure.
2006 Mazzei Castello di Fonterutoli Siepi Toscana IGT (14% ABV, 50% Sangiovese, 50% Merlot) – another wine brought by a friend. I never had this wine before. This is perfectly on point, beautiful as only Italian wines can be, lots of sweet cherries, a touch of mint, silky-smooth, round, delicious.
Huh, a few wines wine experiences down, and so many more to go. I’m trying to catch up on sharing my wine experiences of this year (well, that’s hardly sufficient), so stay tuned.
A Few Days on Cape Cod, 2025 Edition
I enjoy writing about our trips to Cape Cod as it is always an opportunity to share some picture and talk about wines.
This trip was no exception. We were blessed with beautiful weather, warm and dry. And we drank a lot of delicious wines I’m happy to talk about.
Before we talk about wine, a few of the pictures I love to bring back from Cape Cod:
First, a sparkling wine – NV Incandesa Brut Traditional Method California Sparkling Wine (11.5% ABV, 70% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir). The wine was delicious, with a classic nose of baked bread and apples, fine mousse, and a round, generous palate. I had to do a bit of research to learn more about this wine, as the bottle itself offers very little information, and it is not easy to find anything on the web. It appears that it shouldn’t be surprising that this sparkling wine tastes so good – it is made by one of the most famous Spanish Cava producers, Raventos Codorniu, as its first foray into the North American market. Side benefit – this was a perfect pairing for the oysters…
Appropriately for the weather, we enjoyed 3 Rosé wines.
2023 Poggio Stenti Sangiovese Rosato Maremma Toscana DOC (13.5% ABV) was delightful, a Rosé with a presence. A full assemblage of strawberries on display – from aromatics on the nose to the flavors on the palate, coupled with a good mid-palate weight, a well-present body. Too bad this was my last bottle brought back last year after our family European trip.
2024 Turley Zinfandel Rosé California (12% ABV) – I’m so glad Turley started producing this wine some years back – it is absolutely delightful, can perfectly compare to any Provançal Rosé in its lightness, effervescence, and beautiful aromatics.
2024 Field Recordings Domo Arigato (Mr. Ramato) Skin Contact Pinot Grigio SLO Coast (12.5% ABV) – one of my perennial favorites from Field Recordings. This is a skin contact wine, so it is more than just a light Rosé; the wine offered herbaceous undertones on the palate, and had good body weight, with red fruit mixed with herbs. Delicious.
We had only a few of the white wines, so here are notes on one of them.
2024 Field Recordings Super Gnario El Palomar District (13.1% ABV, 100% Malvasia Bianca) – amazing aromatics, with flowers, whitestone fruit, guava, overall very intense. On the palate, the wine might be even a bit too much with “in your face” white plums and green pears, medium to full body, good acidity and lingering fruit on the long finish.
Let’s take a little break from wines – here are some garden pictures for you, and a little bit of food:
Now, to the reds.
2018 Pedra Cancela Winemaker’s Selection Dão DOC (13% ABV, 40% Touriga Nacional, 30% Alfrocheiro, 30% Tinta Roriz) – Portuguese wines are delivering great QPR, and this wine was no exception. Open and inviting on the nose with red and black fruit continued with black fruit interplay on the palate, with a touch of spices and good earthy undertones. Simple and tasty.
2017 Carlisle The Integral Red Wine Sonoma County (14.5% ABV, 62% Syrah, 38% Mourvèdre) – you rarely can go wrong with Carlisle, and this wine didn’t disappoint. Dark cherries on the nose, dark cherries on the palate, perfectly integrated tannins with elevated but smooth mouthfeel, excellent balance, medium to long finish. An excellent wine.
2017 Alban Vineyards Patrina Estate Syrah Edna Valley (14.8% ABV) – Alban is one of my favorite producers. This Syrah had a beautiful nose of dark fruit with a hint of barnyard. On the palate, the wine was surprisingly sweeter than I expected, with blackberries dominating the palate. My guess is that I opened this wine at the wrong moment in time – it probably needed another 5 years to turn around.
1993 Storr’s Winery Merlot San Ysidro District (12.8% ABV) – I keep opening these old wines that I got from the Benchmark Wine, and so far, not a single one has disappointed. To begin with, just take a look at this cork – it looks like the wine was just made, not 30 years ago. Yes, of course, tertiary aromas dominated, with dry fruit well present, but the wine was still perfectly alive, with medium to full body, good acidity, and perfect balance. This wine was a treat.
There you are, my friends – a few delightful days on Cape Cod. How was your summer?
An evening with friends, August 2025 Edition
I love to be the wine guy.
When someone says “I’ll cook, you bring wine”, I’m absolutely delighted to oblige. First, it is one of the greatest pleasures for the oenophile to choose wines for dinner. The only pleasure bigger than selecting wine is when your friend takes a sip and says “ah, this is delicious”. And of course, there is a side benefit of taking wine out of the house, where the wine is literally stored everywhere, but let’s leave that aside for a moment.
I generally don’t care too much about what exact dishes will be served. My goal is to have a wine “program”, to bring a range of experiences. If a particular wine doesn’t work with a particular dish, it is not a problem – we can enjoy food on its own, and wine on its own.
On Friday, we got together with friends for dinner, and I was happy to be the wine guy.
To play it simple, I decided to go with a “classic” line-up – bubbles, white, red, dessert. Here is what transpired.
My choice of bubbles was NV Champagne Pascal Leblond-Lenoir Brut Tradition (12.5% ABV). This is a very generous Champagne, it perfectly combines crispiness with generous body, apples and vanilla eloped with a fine mousse, delivering lots of pleasure with every sip. Everyone loved it, particularly being happy about this Champagne not being too acidic.
Next was the white wine – 2014 Ott Der Ott Grüner Veltliner Austria (12.5% ABV). White wine with age is a real joy, and this 11 years old wine unquestionably delivered. Whitestone fruit with a touch of petrol on the nose (yes, petrol, one of my favorite aromas). Round and elegant body, with more of the whitestone fruit, good earthy undertones, perfectly balanced and perfectly delicious.
Side note: Bernard Ott is one of the very best wine producers in Austria, practicing Biodynamic viticulture after visiting Domaine la Romanée Conti in 2006. And lastly, 2014 vintage was so difficult that no single vineyard wines were produced – I have to say this was a glorious wine from a difficult vintage.
Next, we opened 2009 Sauvella Luscinia Canta Costers del Segre DO (14.1% ABV, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache). I was blown away by this wine last year (number 7 on the Top 24 of 2024 list) – and the wine continued over deliver. Delicious, generous and round, with wallops of fresh dark fruit, perfect structure and perfect acidity. The wine showed a touch more sweetness and plumpness compared to our second red wine – 2005 Domaine De l’Île Margaux Cuvée Mer de Garonne Grand Vin Bordeaux Supérieur (13.5% ABV, 33% Merlot, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Petite Verdot).
This is the second time this year I have enjoyed this wine, which comes from a unique place, a small island in the middle of the Gironde River, overlooking the great estates of Margaux. Perfectly Bordeaux, perfectly on point – a bit leaner than the previous wine, with a precise Bordeaux profile – cassis, eucalyptus, cedar box, a hint of bell pepper, and firm structure with a delicious finish. A pure delight in the glass, and an excellent accompaniment for the lamb stew, which was served as a main course.
Dessert time! Liquid dessert it is.
I always love an opportunity to open a bottle of dessert wine, especially with a group that would appreciate it.
I went through a few options, and somehow decided on 2020 Balderdash Cellars Kill Joy Late Harvest Viognier Eden Valley, California (10% ABV). The wine had a beautiful nose of tropical fruit, and a tropical fruit medley on the palate, not too sweet and with perfectly cleansing acidity. “Ohh, it is so good” was the group’s sentiment.
Here you are, my friends. Happy dinner. Happy diners. Happy memories. And as I’m finishing writing this, I’m ready for a repeat.
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