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Rich, thank you for today’s R & D! A bit of a marine layer this morning, and that may be why it feels a bit cooler this morning. Yesterday was so hot that my 90+ degree pool water actually felt cool! Vanessa, thank you for keeping track of all of us. @smitty34877, Terry, praying that Lou’s transfusion takes care of the issue, and that this is the only detour on his road to recovery. And please wish him Happy Birthday from me. Tell him he gets a birthday wish! @bennybear Brenda, please tell DH that he gets a birthday wish, too! @luvteaching, Karen hope you are able to find peace and rest. Gym, yard work, Bindi walks and cleaning & salad prep for the dinner with friends I am hosting. Lenda & Joy, this is dedicated to you… Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! @kochleffel Paul Happy Retirement day! Get well & stay well everyone! ********* Martinborough Vineyard Pinot Noir Martinborough Home Block 2020 Well I found several distributors who ship this New Zealand wine worldwide. The cheapest individual bottle price I found was $44.04 + shipping from a Singapore distributor notes. Distributor notes From 'some of the oldest Pinot Noir vines in New Zealand', the classy 2020 vintage (5*) was matured for a year in French oak casks (22 per cent new). Deeply coloured, it is a mouthfilling, rich red, savoury and complex, with concentrated cherry, plum and spice flavours, very finely integrated oak and ripe, supple tannins. Still youthful, with obvious cellaring, it's well worth cellaring to 2024+.

@smitty34877 Terry - praying that the issue is a relatively simple fix.

Praying that Murphy’s surgery is successful & recovery is quick. Bless the surgical team.

Thank you for today’s R & D, Rich! A lovely morning starting off another scorcher. We had some rain & a brief T-storm yesterday afternoon. The heat and breezes quickly dried everything off. Vanessa thank you for capturing & sharing our happenings so meticulously. @luvteaching Karen hoping you and your family are at peace. @smitty34877 Terry, praying Lou, you and your clan are all doing well, getting much needed rest and that Lou’s recovery road is a smooth one. Zumba, Bindi walks, chores and pool time should keep me busy. Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating. Get well & stay well everyone! ********** VHR Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville 2019 It has been awhile since we have had a big Napa Cab. But this is one - with a matching price tag. Numerous online distributors with prices starting at $239.00. Winemaker Notes #89 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2022 The 2019 VHR, Vine Hill Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon is dark, sumptuous, and wonderfully expressive. Blackberry fruit, gravel, spice, menthol, licorice, and dried flower notes provide the vintage with myriad layers of breadth and texture, celebrating the varied nature of this marvelous vineyard. The vintage’s expansive and lush mouthfeel is framed by a seamless bond of structured fine-grain tannins, dark ripe fruit, and vibrant acidity. Beautiful and wonderfully complex, the 2019 VHR Cabernet Sauvignon possesses a signature depth and opulence, harmoniously showcasing the attributes of the individual vineyard blocks to create a wine that is balanced, persistent, textural, and distinctive to our family’s vineyard in Oakville. D100 Decanter Fresh, enticing aromas of sappy red and black fruits, leather, sandalwood, cassis, violets and sweet cedar. Gorgeous on entry, brimming with elegance in its finely delineated fruit notes that lead with blackberry, and black cherry morphing into tangy red fruit and currants. Featherweight fine-grained tannins are almost powdery; a wealth of savoury mineral character floods the mid-palate like liquified granite. And it keeps giving, revealing wild herbs, sagebrush, bittersweet chocolate and brown spices. One of the more elegant 2019 Napa Cabs in this concentrated, dark-fruited vintage, with beautiful structure and a freshness that remains present in every single sip. JD99 Jeb Dunnuck Even better, yet certainly in the same mold as the 2014, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon VHR is straight-up heavenly stuff, and I suspect it will warrant another point in 5-7 years. This deep purple-hued effort has a great nose of cassis, redcurrants, dried herbs, and tobacco, with some background chocolaty oak. Deep, full-bodied, concentrated, and mouth-filling, it has a seamless texture, velvety tannins, and the balance to evolve for over two decades. It doesn’t get much more classic Oakville. WE98 Wine Enthusiast This red is beautifully rich and supple in red fruit, polished tannin and a depth of layered complexity. It is broad and generous, with complexity to age and fresh, lasting acidity that illuminates and energizes the palate. Enjoy from 2029–2039. Cellar Selection V98 Vinous The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon tastes like a barrel sample, such is its purity of fruit and lushness! It is perhaps the most opulent wine ever made here and therefore likely to require a number of years before it is even close to being ready to drink. Primary fruit and plush contours are front and center. The 2019 needs time to come together, and yet its sheer beauty is impossible to miss. The 2019 is a real head-turner, that much is clear. Rating: 98+ JS98 James Suckling Flowers and brambleberries on the nose, together with lavender and sandalwood. Very perfumed. Full-bodied, yet very tight and polished, with gentle, graceful sensibility that shows through clearly and subtly. The tannins are soft and focused, providing finesse and a fine texture that runs the length of the wine. WS97 Wine Spectator This Oakville stunner is loaded with cassis, plum reduction and boysenberry pâte de fruit aromas and flavors, all allied to a deeply embedded iron spine. Singed alder and apple wood notes frame the edges, while sparkles of anise, violet and bramble add range and textual nuance. Reveals a great tug of earth late on the finish, with the fruit still dripping at the very end. Built for the cellar.

Thank you for today’s R & D, Rich! A bit overcast this morning. Yesterday was a scorcher. Even Bindi did not want to walk far and she skipped supper totally. 😱 Hope today is not as bad. Even our prevailing winds did not offer much relief. But it would have been brutal without them. Vanessa, thank you for keeping up with our cares & celebrations. Keeping @luvteaching Karen and her family in my prayers. @smitty34877 Terry, praying that Lou, you, and your clan are getting much needed rest & that Lou’s road to recovery is smooth. Just chores, Bindi walks - short ones, HIIT and pool time should keep me out of trouble. 🤞🏻 Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Get well & stay well everyone! ************ Stonecroft Chardonnay Hawkes Bay Gimblett Gravels Old Vine 2021 Another somewhat elusive New Zealand wine. But at least one online New Zealand distributor ships worldwide for the decent price of $26.43 + shipping. Cameron Douglas’ review - 94 points A complex bouquet with aromas of grapefruit and wild peach, other orchard stone fruits than aromas of oak from, vanilla and toasted barazil nut to a light wood smoke quality. Just shy of full-bodied on the palate with a lactic-cream quality, then flavours of nut and orchard fruits that reflect the bouquet. Fine wood tannins and medium+ acidity set the structure and foundation. A youthful, taut and complex wine with cellar time or immediete drinking options. Best from 2024 through 2029. Excellent

Karen Thank you for letting us know. Praying that you & Jeff find comfort in the wonderful memories you all shared. I love the idea of your September cruise.

Just a super quick wine du jour post. Heading back to the car dealer to have the replacement part installed. Praying for Lou & Phil. *************** Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough Section 94 2020 New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs are much easier to look for - I appreciate the break. Numerous online distributors with prices starting at $34.49. Winemaker Notes Section 94 is widely regarded as the most distinctive and greatest Sauvignon Blanc made in New Zealand today. James Healy and Ivan Sutherland were among the first to begin fermenting their Sauvignon in barrel with wild yeasts, a technique that along with the old vines from which they source, leads to a full-bodied wine that is less fruit-forward, more exotic, with immense textural complexity. JS95 James Suckling Layers of crushed stones, smoked almonds, green apples, lemon pith, white pepper, licorice and oyster shells. It's so powerful and concentrated. Tightly wound and phenolic with a medium body and sharp acidity. Intense, and just keeps going. Always a sophisticated and complex sauvignon blanc. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold. WS95 Wine Spectator Stunning, with a complex, aromatic mix of beeswax, litsea oil, vetiver and honeysuckle notes up front, followed by ripe peach, melon and lemon curd flavors at the juicy core. Reveals whiffs of grilled lemon and smoke that swirl around the flavors, as well as a hint of crushed rock minerality on a supple, seamless frame. Gains momentum on the epic finish. Drink now.

Karen Praying that Phil rests comfortably and that you and Jeff find comfort in arranging for in home hospice. I had hoped Phil’s journey would be different.

Thank you for letting us know, Terry. Hope you all get some good rest & and that the rest of Lou’s recovery goes smoothly.

Thank you for today’s R & D, Rich! It is another spectacular morning here. Yesterday was gorgeous. It was hot, but strangely very little humidity. I loved it! And I even got some decent pool time in. Thank you, for keeping track of us, Vanessa! @smitty34877, Terry - Lou, you, your entire clan and Lou’s medical team are in my prayers. May the surgery be successful & Lou’s recovery be quick. Gym, Bindi walks, chores & pool time 🤞🏻 will fill my day. Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Enjoy your special day, Carol - @mamaofami may you have a great new year! Get well & stay well everyone! ************ Fromm Syrah Marlborough Fromm Vineyard 2019 If you want to enjoy the 2019 vintage, you may have to live or visit New Zealand, Australia or Hong Kong. But oddly enough, the 2020 is available worldwide for $28.24 + shipping. It might need a bit more aging though. Cameron Douglas’ review - 95 Pure, ripe and varietal with distinctive floral and mineral scents, black cherry and dark raspberry. These ideas are mirrored on the palate with surrounded by a firm textue of fruit then some wood tannins, youthful acid topline and complexity from baking spices and lees and earthy mineral qualities. Delicious, fresh, very new still and will continue to age and develop if you can be patient. Lengthy complex finish with best drinking from late 2024 through 2030+. Outstanding

Jake, please share with DH! Happy birthday Juan! May your new year be filled with laughter, love, great health & a cruise or two!

@Sharon in AZ Sharon I am so sorry to be late! May your new year be filled with laughter, love, great health and a cruise or two!

Thank you for today’s R & D, Rich! It is a lovely sunny morning here and hoping we don’t have rain today. 🤞🏻 Vanessa, thank you for keeping up with all our happenings. @smitty34877 Terry, keeping Lou, you and your clan in my prayers. Gym, Aldi, yard work, chores and possibly pool time. Folk in my neighborhood agree with this one… Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Get well & stay well everyone! *********** Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2021 Thank goodness the world knows about New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs! And with Rich letting us all know about the other amazing varietals, hopefully some of the more elusive wines will make it out into the world. Numerous online distributors with prices starting at $21.99. Winemaker Notes #13 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2022 A delightful fusion of ripe summer fruit and delicate floral perfume – Golden Queen peaches and poached yellow pears; baked apples, mango and rock melon; mingled with apple blossom fragrance and a twist of lemon sherbet. Succulent and crisp, with a delicate fennel-like herbal quality and a dry, textural palate. Quintessentially Marlborough, but a deliciously subtle, ripe interpretation of the classic style. WS94 Wine Spectator This stunning white is aromatic, fresh and intense, with notes of lemon curd, yuzu, peach, ripe melon and honeysuckle that are effortless and mouthwatering, backed by lemongrass and candied ginger notes on the long, expressive finish. V93 Vinous The 2021 Sauvignon from Greywacke is classic yet classy. It is richly aromatic yet not flamboyant, with good purity of fruit: expect flavors of black currant and nectarine alongside subtle tropical fruit and citrus. Due to a naturally low-yielding season, it offers impressive concentration and a ripe, succulent midpalate. The fine, mouthwatering acidity provides length and line on the zesty, passionfruit-infused, lightly structured finish. Delightful in youth, but it will evolve and provide a different Sauvignon experience in five to seven years. JS93 James Suckling An aromatic nose of white flowers, peaches, sage and a hint of banana leaf. Medium-bodied with silky texture and a crisp finish. Refreshing and tasty, showing a lot of restraint and class. Drink or hold. Screw cap.

Thank you for today’s R & D, Rich! Bindi and I had this morning’s walk in sunlight! And then it disappeared behind a huge cloud bank. It would be nice if it were just a marine layer, but if it is true to this week’s weather pattern - we have more rain coming. My flowers & plants are so happy! The locals are finding lots to eat - this young one was fascinated by Bindi. And my pool’s water temp is 90.9 - even with all this rain! Vanessa, thank you for taking such great care of “the lists”. Zumba, Bindi walks, chores and dinner at a friend’s should keep me busy. Prayers for all who need our support. @smitty34877 Terry, extra prayers for Lou, you, your clan & Lou’s medical team. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Get well & stay well everyone! ********** Craggy Range Hawkes Bay Sophia Gimblett Gravels 2020 Another elusive New Zealand wine. Some distributors refer to it as a red blend. Some refer to it as a Merlot. A few mentioned Merlot & Cabernet Franc, but I could not find the specifics of what % of each was included. I found an Australian distributor that ships to me - $84.50 + shipping. Cameron Douglas’ notes - 95 Complex, youthful and seductive bouquet with a core of ripe Doris plums and smoky black olive, black currant and baked berries are laced with vanilla and clove scents from barrel with a layer of wood smoke. Youthful, complex, ripe and engaging. Delicious on the palate with weight and a youthful intensity, firm tannins and strong acid line. The soft sweetness from the melot ushers in the darker berry fruit flavours and dried herb qualities from the cabernets. A strong structure, plenty of new oak flavours with ripe fruit at the core this wine will ensure it ages well with best drinking from 2024 through 2034. 95 Points - Outstanding

Gosh, Bruce. I believe I ate there when I visited Mont Saint-Michel in 2004! We actually stayed the night and had breakfast there before we left.

Thank you for today’s R & D, Rich! It has been pouring since before we got up this morning. Bindi is not happy. She had to take care of business in stages. And I am on my second change of clothes already! Vanessa thank you for taking great care of our happenings. Debbie & Dixie, I am proud to be a member of the F & B department with you! Gym, Bindi walks, chores, and maybe some salad prep for the salad I plan to bring to my friend’s for dinner tomorrow. Prayers for all who need our support. @smitty34877 Terry, keeping Lou, you and the rest of your clan in my prayers. I will include Lou’s medical team. Cheers to all who are celebrating! I hope you are one of them, Roy! Enjoy that birthday ice cream - how lucky to have a medical excuse. Get well & stay well everyone! *********** Alloro Pinot Noir Chehalem Mountains 2018 This Willamette Valley Pinot Noir sounds lovely. Lots of consumer and critic fans. I would love a taste, though I would have a tough time paying its price when there are so many reasonable amazing offerings out there. I found it online for $25.00 from an auction house or $44.99 from a distributor Winemaker Notes #38 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2022 A blend of all Alloro Vineyard's older Pinot noir blocks, crafted to represent a complete expression of their estate and showcase its distinctive personality. WS93 Wine Spectator Alluring for the silky texture and elegantly layered raspberry, toasty spice and orange peel flavors, which gather richness and polish on the lingering finish. Drink now through 2028. W&S92 Wine & Spirits This starts out spicy and dark, with scents of clove, turf and black cherries. Just from the scent it feels like it’s going to be rich—overly so; but, instead, the flavors are deep and focused, with pronounced linear movement that comes off as vibrant and lively. JS92 James Suckling Some brambly, herbal accents, across red berries and cherries here. The palate has a smooth, juicy core of fresh and pure red cherries with a late, spicy build. Drink or hold.

@rafinmd Happy 80th birthday, Roy! May your new year be filled with laughter, love, great health and a cruise, or two!

Final Four is a big deal, Sandi! But I was hoping. Ren has an amazing future ahead of him.

Thank you for today’s R & D, Rich! It is a gorgeous morning here! Perhaps we have finally broken out of the recent weather pattern, though the rain helped fill our water reservoirs & made everything lush and green. Vanessa, thank you for what you do for all of us! I believe I read posts carefully, until you share something that I miss & I have to go reread them. Zumba, Bindi walks, chores and hopefully- pool time, will keep me busy. Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Go Ren & the Jaguars! Give us something to celebrate! Get well & stay well everyone! ********** Tony Bish Chardonnay Hawkes Bay Skeetfield 2021 Another elusive New Zealand wine, though I did find a few distributors who ship worldwide. Consumers love this Chardonnay, and I even found one review of it! The Australian distributor that I found, offers it for the lowest price that I found - $61.65 + shipping Raymond Chan - 98 points Bright, straw-yellow with depth and a light green sheen, slightly lighter on the rim. The nose is complex and enticing, with aromas of stonefruit, citrus and yellow blossoms entwined with layers of toasty, creamy and spice elements. Medium-full bodied, aromas of peach, apricot, lemon sherbet and pink grapefruit show purity, unveiling toasted brioche, almond, lemon curd and delicate oak spice. The wine is sleek with a seamless acidity flow; it elegantly binds and integrates oak elements and underlines power and structure. Chalky phenolics left a silky, opulent mouthfeel. This sleek Chardonnay possesses pristine fruit with elegant, well-portioned, integrated oak elements on a seamless palate. Match with lemon butter langoustine and hamachi sashimi over the next 8+ years. Dry-farmed Mendoza clone handpicked, whole bunch pressed. 100% barrel-fermented to 14% alc, 60% new Taransaud French oak. 100% MLF, battonage, on lees for 12 months. 19.5/20 pts (98 pts) Sep 2022

Rich, thank you for getting us started. We are definitely in a rainy period, I don’t dare head out with Bindi without my rain jacket. And I keep her drying towel just inside the door. She may not like getting wet, but she loves getting towel dried. 😎 Vanessa, thank you for sharing our happenings. I have a manicure this morning, then Bindi walks, chores, yard work - weather permitting, and a visit to a favorite wine bar with friends. Prayers for all who need our support. @smitty34877 Terry, keeping Lou and all of you in my prayers. Cheers to all who are celebrating. Get well & stay well everyone! *********** Trinity Hill Syrah Hawkes Bay Homage 2019 Well you not be able to find this wine, but you will know a heck of a lot about it - if you do. I found one New Zealand distributor who will ship to me with a price of $93.45 + shipping. If still in stock, you might find earlier vintages easier to find. And just as highly valued. The best Syrah I ever enjoyed was from Latta wines in Washington state. It had 3% Viognier grapes which added an amazing smoothness to this bold varietal. Distributor notes Grape Varietals: 99% Syrah & 1% Viognier Growing Region: Hawke’s Bay - New Zealand Chief Winemaker: Warren Gibson The growing season in Hawke’s Bay during 2019 was another stunner, with one of the hottest summers on record. Plus, their vineyards had very little rainfall in January and February that continued through into harvest time from late March into the middle of April, which was ideal for the fruit to reach full physiological ripeness. And at harvest time fruit quality of the highest order. The Syrah grapes selected for this wine were hand-harvested from several individual sites, blocks, and even specific clones. On arrival to the winery the different fruit parcels were fermented separately. Each parcel was either hand- plunged twice or pumped over once daily during fermentation to optimise colour, flavour, and tannin extraction. The parcels from their Gimblett Stones and Roy’s Hill vineyards were 100% whole bunch fermented. The latter was also co- fermented with Viognier skins. The remaining batches were fermented with a high proportion of whole berries. These winemaking techniques were to increase aromatic, structural, and textural complexity. The wine was then matured in traditional oak barrels and large oak vats to help mould the qualities of each parcel. 60% was matured in 228-litre French oak barriques for 18 - 21 months, of which 34% was new oak. The remaining 40% was matured in seasoned 5400-litre French oak ovals for 14 months. The final wine was blended in January and bottled in February 2021 with no fining and minimal filtration. The 2019 ‘Homage’ has a refined, sophistication to its confidence, that has become a hallmark of this tribute to Hawke’s Bay Syrah. An inviting bouquet, revealing forest berries, dark plums, liquorice, five-spice, dried herbs, and subtle ember notes. The palate has a broad impact, showcasing a controlled intensity and concentration of dark berries and cacao flavours, supported by fine-grained tannins providing structure and direction for this generous wine with a silky texture. This Syrah has retained natural fruit acidity, that balances the supportive oak nature that is still forward due to its youth. While ensuring the wine remains vibrant, focused, and giving definition to the detailed complexity evident in this wine, and reinforced by its exceptional length and seamless finish. Treat yourself - this wine is definitely worth sharing. This 2019 Trinity Hill 'Homage' Syrah has 13% Alc./vol. Classic dry style. If opened in the next 12 - 18 months decant for 45 - 50 minutes and serve in a generously shaped red wine glass at 16°- 18°C. Cellaring Potential: *(Posted 2/06/2023) With good decanting, it is approachable now; though will appreciate another 2 - 3 years and will repay and age nicely for another 8 - 10 years. Food Pairing Suggestions: Perfect wine pairing with tender lamb shanks with a red wine jus, slow cooked prime meats, well-seasoned pasta dishes and earthy vegetarian cuisine, plus aged hard cheeses - enjoy.

Just a quick post to share what info about the wine I could find. I am at the dealer’s for routine maintenance and using my phone. Let’s just say it has been painful. Stay well everyone. ********* Maude Pinot Noir Central Otago Poison Creek 2020 Another elusive New Zealand wine. If you can find it, or find someone who is willing to ship to you, the online starting price is $30.55. Distribution notes Vintage Summary The year no-one will ever forget, 2020. Our 2020 growing season followed a very mild winter, bud burst coincided perfectly with very cool Spring conditions, thankfully we avoided any damage from 3 significant frosts. Spring conditions remained cool with intermittent periods of rain. Flowering as a result was interrupted and drawn out which affected our fruit set, we knew we were in for a light cropping year. With the beginning of the calendar year, the weather settled, warmed up and despite our initial predictions that we would need to do a lot of green thinning to even up the crop, we found the tiny berry size and bunch weights ripened easily in the warmer conditions. A year where the small berries, light bunches and cool ripening conditions has meant flavours are ripe and concentrated, with good vibrancy and acidity

Thank you for today’s R & D, Rich! A lovely morning after another rainy night. Bindi & I got caught in a pop-up deluge last night. My sandals are still damp from getting soaked. Good thing Bindi enjoys being towel dried. Vanessa, thank you keeping our lists so meticulously. Gym, Bindi walks, chores and then dinner with friends. Possibly some pool time - if I can fit it in and the weather cooperates. Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Get well & stay well everyone! *********** Bodegas Resalte de Peñafiel Ribera del Duero de Restia Crianza Selected Harvest 2019 We are lucky the price of this Tempranillo isn’t determined by the number of letters in its name. I used the 2019 vintage info, since that should be the easiest to find. A few online distributors with prices starting at $23.22. Winemaker Notes #23 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2021 This maturing red is beautifully balanced, showing fresh, ripe fruit flavors of black cherry and blackberry, with deeper notes of cedar, tobacco, mineral and spice. WS93 Wine Spectator This maturing red is beautifully balanced, with fresh, ripe fruit flavors of black cherry and blackberry, and deeper notes of cedar, tobacco, mineral and spice. The firm tannins are softening, yet this remains fresh and focused through the long finish. Tempranillo.

Wonderful news, Sandi!

Happy belated birthday Susan! Hope your new year is filled with love, laughter, great health & a cruise!

Rich, thank you for getting us started with today’s R & D! A bit cloudy after some late storms that swept through here last night. My dinner with the neighbors was fun. We even enjoyed some pool time. Vanessa, thank you for keeping track of us. Just gym, Aldi, Bindi walks and clean up after last night should keep me busy. Maybe some pool time. Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Get well & stay well everyone! ************* Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2019 A very lovely wine for a pretty amazing price. Outside of my normal budget, but I would love to try it. What an amazing blend of grapes. Who knows, I just might want a bottle for a special occasion. And compared to similar wines, this price is reasonable. Numerous online distributors with prices starting at $79.99. Winemaker Notes #7 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2022 The 2019 Château de Beaucastel red has an elegant deep ruby red color. The powerful and elegant nose offers superb notes of spices, cherries and cocoa. Elegantly and perfectly balanced, the mouth reveals a beautiful dense structure with fine tannins and complex aromas of red fruit such as blackcurrants and floral notes. The finish is very long and harmonious. A very sophisticated wine, signature of Beaucastel’s style. Blend: Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Counoise, Vaccarèse, Terret, Muscardin, Clairette, Picpoul, Bourboulenc, Picardan & Roussanne JS97 James Suckling So much ripe damson-plum and blackberry fruit, but also notes of licorice, candied ginger and baking spices. In spite of all the considerable power and concentration, this is anything but loud or domineering, rather it tastes very poised and precise. Very long finish with pronounced stony character. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold D96 Decanter Immediately rich and damson-scented with a shot of cassis running through it. A medium-bodied, very classic vintage with good freshness. Has a good sense of weight and drive, not endlessly deep like 2017 or 2016 but perfectly balanced. Should age well into the medium, if not long term, but what's more important is that it's extremely delicious, balanced and fresh. Grenache and Cinsault fermented in cement, Syrah and Mourvèdre fermented in foudre. A little less Syrah this year. JD96 Jeb Dunnuck The 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape is the usual blend of roughly 30% Mourvèdre, 30% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Counoise, and the rest a mix of permitted varieties that was brought up in foudre. It offers a vivid ruby/purple hue as well as stunning aromatics of blueberries, violets, peppered beef, leather, and spring flowers. Medium to full-bodied, beautifully balanced, and elegant, it has just a kiss of classic Beaucastel wild, sauvage nuances, ripe, silky tannins, and a great finish. Give bottles 4-5 years of bottle age and enjoy over the following two decades. Rating : 96+ WS96 Wine Spectator This is pretty gorgeous, with a remarkably pure display of cassis, cherry puree and plum reduction flavors laced ever so gently with threads of leather, alder and dried garrigue. The sleek iron spine is buried deeply on the finish, and there’s a lingering hint of warm stone as the fruit echoes through. Built to last. RP95 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate The dark-fruited, plummy and cola-scented 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape is a rich, full-bodied effort reminiscent of the 2007 or 2009. Dense, powerful and savory, it may drink well for a short time on release, but expect it to close up shortly, only to reemerge in several years. There's ample concentration and sufficient tannins for the long haul, with a long, dusty finish and hints of licorice that bode well for the future.