cat shepard

Thank you for today’s R & D, Rich! This morning is spectacular! After a day of torrential downpours and area flooding, we deserve it. It rained so hard coming back from the gym that the drains could not keep up with it and roads were horrible. And poor Bindi. She hates getting wet, but the weather left her no options. Luckily she loves being towel dried. Eva, keeping you and your family in my prayers. Debbie, praying that all goes smoothly for you tomorrow. Tina, thank you for taking over! Just Bindi walks, gym, yard work and maybe a visit to one of our local wine bars. Dailyites - meet the crazy cat man! Prayers for all who need our support. Sandi, hope you feel better today. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Get well & stay well everyone! ********* Bilancia Syrah Hawkes Bay La Collina 2020 This vintage is elusive, unless you live in New Zealand. But I found a few distributors who will ship the 2018 vintage to me! The bad news is that it is outside of my budget. The 2020 vintage with several distributors who only ship to NZ is available for $84.97 + shipping. The 2018 vintage is available for $83.94 + shipping. Cameron Douglas’ review Due for release in November 2022 this wine is fantastic - with a bouquet of concentration and power, is very expressive with aromas of dark berries and field mushrooms, fruit and barrel spices, wood smoke and very youthful energy. Black currant and baked meats, mushroom and clove, dark fleshed raspberry, barrel spices and violets. Equally fantastic on the palate, very taut still, youthful and high energy with concentrated flavours of fruit and earth, wood and power. Tannins are ripe, polished, in abundance and layer in mouthfeel to an already impressive texture. The backbone of acidity contrasts the core fruit flavours adding length, shape and form. Delicious, new and cellar worthy. Best drinking likely from 2025 through 2040. 97 Points Outstanding

Thank you for today’s R & D, Rich! Our early clouds have burned off and the sun is out. The rains came last night and we’re so heavy they woke me up. But I like the idea of the rains coming at night. Just no flooding. Eva, keeping you and your family in my prayers. And thank you for continuing to keep track of everyone. Gym, Bindi walks, chores, pool time. That will keep me busy. Prayers for all who need our support. @StLouisCruisers, Sandi hope your stomach issue resolves itself quickly. Cheers to all who are celebrating. @Crazy For Cats, Jake you can consider that a rescue at sea! Get well & stay well everyone. ********* St Francis 2021 Pinot Noir, California I used the 2021 vintage info, since that might be the easiest to find. But all released vintages share the same excellent reviews and reasonable prices. I found several online distributors with prices starting at $19.49. Winemaker Notes Expressive and aromatic with bright fruit flavors of red cherry, raspberry and pomegranate that are balanced with spicy notes of dried orange peel and sandalwood. Fresh acidity from start to smooth finish shows off the wine's vibrancy. WE92 Wine Enthusiast A plummy richness is backed by some raspberry snap in this full-bodied, focused and flavorful wine. Vivid black cherries, cloves and a touch of toasted oak give the wine plenty to savor.

Thank you for today’s R & D, Rich! Another lovely morning here! Yesterday turned out to be a lovely day. Eva, thinking of you and your family. Thank you for sharing that your Dad took care of his final arrangements. My family knows what I want, but I am planning on taking that burden off their shoulders altogether. Off to the gym early, then Aldi, Bindi walks, yard work and pool time. For you white wine lovers - my friend served an Australian Viognier with dinner last night that was lovely. It was medium- full bodied, dry and not very acidic. It had such a fruity nose, I was afraid it would be sweet, but it wasn’t. And it had the color of a Chardonnay, but it certainly didn’t taste like one. Here is a pic of the label: Back to our regularly scheduled program… Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Get well & stay well everyone! ************ d'Angelo Aglianico del Vulture 2019 This Italian red sounds lovely, has consistent reviews, is fairly easy to find and is reasonably priced. There are a decent number of online distributors with prices starting at $16.98. Winemaker Notes #49 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2022 The wine is a fairly intense ruby red, turns to garnet as it ages. Aromas of berries, typical of this vine variety. Dry, robust and fairly tannic. Over the years, it becomes more mellow and harmonious. WS91 Wine Spectator Compact and fresh, this medium- to full-bodied red reveals macerated black raspberry fruit accented by notes of dried sage, graphite, fig cake and mineral, with firm, dusty tannins. Let this open in the glass or decant ahead of time.

Well Hello & Welcome Aboard!

Bon Voyage Jake & DH! I will be following. Did your fur family members help you pack?

Bon voyage Jake & DH!

Thank you for today’s R & D, Rich! We have a thick marine layer that is just starting to burn off now. Eva, I am so sorry to read about your Dad’s passing. My prayers for you and your family and your Dad’s friends. I hope wonderful memories help ease your pain. Dixie & Debbie, thank you for making the Daily happen! I am heading to Zumba this morning. Then yard work, Bindi walks and ending the day at a friend’s for dinner. Prayers for all who need our support. Sandi, hope you are feeling better. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Get well & stay well everyone! ********** Kusuda Pinot Noir Martinborough 2020 Well this Pinot Noir is not only elusive, it is way outside of my budget. It has a large number of fans in the consumer world. I could see a couple of critic ratings, but could not access their full reviews without becoming a member of their group. I did find one UK distributor that would ship a case to me for a mere $1,861.97. But I would love a taste. Distributor Notes Tokyo-born Hiroyuki (known as Hiro) Kusuda trained as a lawyer and worked for Fujitsu, then the Consulate General of Japan in Sydney before giving it all up to pursue his other love, wine and winemaking. He went to Germany, learned the language, enrolled at Geisenheim and then emigrated to New Zealand to pursue both the Riesling and Pinot grapes – to which a third challenge, Syrah, has now been added. The choice of New Zealand in general and Martinborough in particular apparently came about through tasting the 1992 Ata Rangi Pinot Noir. Hiro is a driven individual, totally focussed on seeking purity of fruit character in his wines. A key feature to achieve quality is the extremely meticulous if not fanatical sorting of the fruit, at harvest and especially on the berries before vinification. The Claremont Motel in Martinborough has Kusuda as their most important client during vintage as hordes of pickers pay their own way from Japan to say they’ve been able to work with one of Japan’s most highly regarded winemakers and contribute to the quality! Some stay for two days, others for a month or more. It takes 2-3 days for 10-15 people to sort through one tonne of Pinot Noir, depending on the health of the fruit. From around 10-15 tonnes of fruit, the annual output is less than 1,000 cases. 70% of the tiny Kusuda production goes to Japan, where it has a cult following. The remainder is sold evenly in NZ, Australia and the UK.

Thank you for today’s R&D, Rich!nit is a lovely morning here! We had more rain last evening, but the T-storm was kept to the West of I-95 by a strong onshore breeze. Eva, thank you for keeping up with all our happenings! Just gym, Bindi walks and chores for me today. If I am lucky I will get into the pool this evening. This is not quite true. But whatever coffee does not solve, wine does. Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Get well & stay well everyone! ************ Seña Red Blend Biodynamic, Aconcagua Valley, Chile 2015 I wondered how long it would take Rich after he returned to test my decoder ring.🤔 As our Editor-in-Chief he needs to be sure it is up to date. This red blend sounds amazing. All released vintages have excellent-superb reviews, and are quite pricey. If you are willing to wait to open the bottle, you can save some money by purchasing a more recent vintage. The 2915 is available online starting at $129.97, but according to one critic - its window of prime enjoyment ends this year. Winemaker Notes Seña 2015 shines by its perfect balance and seamless structure, marked by its many layers of pure fruit and silky tannins. The wine displays wonderful complexity, along with unique tension, energy and elegance. This is a definite recognition that Chile belongs to the major leagues of wine, and is a righteous reward to the team's hard work and dedication. JS100 James Suckling Stunning aromas of blackcurrant, stone, blueberry and licorice. Also iodine. Floral. Perfumed. Full body, fantastic density of fruit and ripe tannins. It goes on for minutes on the palate with such energy and focus. Touch of chewiness on the finish. A complex and complete wine that delivers a generosity with firmness. RP96 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate As a comparison to the 2014 vintage of this wine, the 2015 Seña resulted in 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Carmenere, 12% Malbec, 7% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc, with now 12% of the wine matured in new Stockinger oak foudres and the rest in barrique for some 22 months. 2015 might have been a slightly warmer year, but the resulting wine is lower in alcohol and higher in acidity, which provide for a more vibrant mouthfeel and a more focused expression of the character of the place. This vintage has half a degree less alcohol, and the acidity is a little more pungent; and, the amount of wine in foudre seems to help the oak to show better integrated. This is dry, nicely textured, and the replacement of the Merlot by Malbec seems to have also added to the refinement of the tannins that are super-elegant. 66,000 bottles were filled in February 2017. WS92 Wine Spectator A suave and focused red, with crisp cherry and currant flavors backed by crunchy acidity. Hints of sandalwood and cardamom linger on the taut finish. Petit Verdot, Merlot, Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now through 2023

That stinks. The good side is at least you were reachable & you could connect with the hotel. Hope the rest of your voyage is wonderful.

Go Bailey! Great news Dixie!

Welcome home, Laura! Hope you share some of your highlights with us!

Hope Bailey has a good checkup!

Thank you for today’s R & D, Rich! It is a lovely morning! We had a wild group of T-storms yesterday evening. I just made it home from HIIT and got Bindi out, when the first one hit. The rain came down so heavily, I could not see out my windows. The thunder was so close, Bindi stuck very close to me. And then the first one was done. We had about an hour before the next one hit. It was less severe and lasted much longer. We needed the rain. Eva, thank you for keeping track of us! Just Zumba, Bindi walks, chores and a visit to a neighbor’s for me today. Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Get well & stay well everyone! ********** Long Shadows 2018 Sequel Syrah, Columbia Valley, Washington State I used the 2018 vintage info, since it was the most recently released, and hopefully easiest to find. I would love a taste. It would have to be really special for me to step even a couple of dollars outside my budget. Available from several online distributors with prices starting at $52.75 . Winemaker Notes An expressive wine showing wonderful varietal character. Dark and inky in color with layered aromas and flavors of wild blackberries, crushed rock, currants, charcuterie and oak spice. Sporting a rich mid-palate with appealing viscosity, the wine’s balanced acidity creates a vibrant impression that carries throughout a lovely, violet-imbued finish. JD97 Jeb Dunnuck Loads of black fruits, smoked game, liquid violets, and cracked pepper notes emerge from the 2018 Syrah Sequel, which has gorgeous Syrah wildness and gaminess, full-bodied richness, a pure, elegant, seamless texture, ultra-fine tannins, and a great finish. Count me impressed. You could safely put this up with the best Syrah coming out of Washington and California. JS94 James Suckling Blueberry, wild blackberry, violet, peppercorn and charcoal on the nose. It’s full-bodied with firm, integrated tannins. Rich, inky and fleshy on the palate. Concentrated. Long, flavorful finish.

Jacqui, thank you for getting it fixed before I posted! I admit to being surprised when my post ended up on page two!

Thank you for today’s R & D, Rich! It is a lovely morning in the neighborhood! And there is already an ocean breeze helping to keep the humidity at bay! Eva thank you for keeping up with all our happenings! I sometimes miss an event, and I can count on you to make sure I know about it. Yard work, Bindi walks, HIIT and pool time. I also think I need to apply Grub-ex to my front lawn, the voles are starting to tunnel. Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Get well & stay well everyone! *********** Col Solare Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, Red Mountain, Washington State I used the 2018 vintage, since it might be easier to find. And it just squeaks in to my budget. Though I admit to rarely spending more than $30 for a bottle of wine. It has to be something unique and special. This wine has a decent number of online distributors with prices starting at $48.95. Winemaker Notes Aromas of black cherry, currants, and spice blend with subtle notes of dark chocolate and cola. Tannins are rich and refined on the finish, a characteristic of Red Mountain fruit, with flavors of berries, black fruit and cocoa. Blend: 97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc JD96 Jeb Dunnuck The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon (97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc) reveals a vivid purple/ruby color to go with a young, unevolved bouquet of pure cassis, spicy oak, chocolate, and tobacco. Full-bodied on the palate, it has remarkable tannins, a great mid-palate, and a rare mix of richness and elegance. It needs 4-5 years of bottle age to develop additional complexity, but it has incredible potential and is one head-turning Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon. W&S94 Wine & Spirits Col Solare’s 2018 cabernet seems like a master class in taming the Red Mountain beast. It’s a big, powerful wine: Smelling it is like stepping up to an edifice, but what may impress you most is its savor and smoky complexity. If you can imagine grilled blueberries, that’s the idea. The flavors are heady, dark and concentrated, with a formidable oak component, and yet the wine feels like it’s on tiptoe, the intensity on a small scale. It needs years in the cellar. RP93 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate Deep ruby colored at its core, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon possesses all of the great expressions worthy of representing Col Solare. Dusty notions of sticky, resinous flowers, crème de cassis, redcurrants, dark plum skin, black raspberry and bitter dark chocolate sway with elements of juicy tobacco and luxurious baking spices. Medium to full-bodied, the wine offers impeccable balance with an elongated palate with flavors of blackberry skin, black cherry and dusty roses, fine-grained tannins and succulent acidity. The wine concludes with a long, complex finish that will have no problem lasting for 20 years. JS93 James Suckling A full-bodied red with aromas of black fruit, dried violets, bitter chocolate, cedar and slate. Concentrated and intense with firm, polished tannins. Firm and compact with mineral undertones on the finish. WS92 Wine Spectator A handsome red that's deeply structured and polished, with expressive black currant, stony mineral and savory black olive notes that gather tension toward medium-grained tannins.

May Fluff have a wonderful remaining time! My Winkie lived two years with her cancer, so you never know.

Gerry my high will be 84 today 🤔.

Welcome back Rich! Thank you for sharing your journey with us & even enhancing the Daily while on the cruise! Sandi, I have run out of words. So I am sending you a huge HUG of thanks! Eva, thank you for keeping track of all of us so well! It is a gorgeous morning here. Gym, yard work, Bindi walks, chores & a visit to the local Beachfront Winery to wrap up the day. I definitely need one of these bags…. Prayers for all who need our support. This includes fur family members, like Fluff! Cheers to all who are celebrating! Get well & stay well everyone! ************** Joseph Phelps Insignia, Napa Valley, California 2014 Well all released vintages share the same excellent - superb reviews & hefty price tag. The more recent vintages just have to hang out in your cellar longer. I would love a taste of this one, but with the lowest online price being $240.00, it is outside of my budget. Winemaker Notes The 2014 Insignia opens with expressive blackberry, cocoa powder, Bergamot and floral aromatics. Fresh and focused with concentrated black fruit, mocha, cardamom and Madagascar vanilla notes. Opulent and rich with supple tannin structure and balance. Blend: 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot, 2% Malbec, 2% Cabernet Franc JS97 James Suckling The blackberry, dark-chocolate and walnut aromas are persuasive. Full body, a dense and fruity center palate and beautiful depth and intensity. The tannin texture is exceptional. Great wine. Drink in 2020 and onwards. RP97 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate Composed of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot, 2% Malbec and 2% Cabernet Franc coming from six vineyards and reared for 24 months in 100% new French oak, the 2014 Insignia Proprietary Red Wine has a deep garnet-purple color and nose of crushed blackberries and fresh blackcurrants with touches of cigar box, sandalwood, dried lavender, beef drippings and mocha plus a waft of wild thyme. Medium to full-bodied and incredibly elegant and fine in the mouth, the lively fruit is well structured by grainy tannins and seamless acid, finishing long and earthy. Rating: 97+ WE96 Wine Enthusiast This fine vintage of Insignia combines 87% Cabernet Sauvignon with 9% Petit Verdot, 2% Malbec and 2% Cabernet Franc. Soft, supple and seamless, it offers rich but balanced cassis and milk chocolate flavors, with supportive and complementary oak. It should do well in the cellar and will be best from 2024–2034. Cellar Selection WW96 Wilfred Wong of Wine.com Always a wine on my radar screen, Joseph Phelps has produced a tannic one for the ages. The 2014 vintage rocks with superb black currants that are complemented with its oak treatment. Give this wine time in the cellar.

@1ANGELCAT Adding mine to Jacqui’s for you & Fluff.

Roy and Sandi did you proud, Rich! They didn’t just post, they corrected and updated as needed. I really appreciate them keeping us going.

Thank you Sandi & Rich for today’s R & D! Another gorgeous morning here. A couple tiny new fawns have wobbled by. Their Moms are looking for some safe hiding places for the day. Eva, thank you for taking the time to track our happenings. Gym, Bindi walks, chores and some yard work. Ooh and pool time. My water is a perfect 87 degrees. Prayers for all who need our support. @Cruzin Terri Praying all goes well for DH’s MOHS. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Get well & stay well everyone! ******** Vigna Vecchia Brunello Di Montalcino D.O.C.G., San Paulo 2015 I would need to taste this wine before purchasing - if I could afford it. It sounds a bit “too much” for me - both taste and price. But I have been wrong before. Available from several online distributors with prices starting at $239.00. Wine Enthusiast 94 pts Aromas of underbrush, camphor and tobacco form the nose along with a whiff of prune. Tightly knit and full-bodied, the palate features black-cherry jam, licorice, roasted coffee-bean and toasted notes alongside close-grained, velvety tannins. Drink 2022–2027.

Thank you Sandi & Rich for today’s R & D! A lovely morning. Once the humidity cleared out yesterday, the day was lovely. But the early morning was icky sticky. Eva, thank you for so diligently tracking our happenings! Just gym, Aldi, Bindi walks and deconstructing the pool party stuff. In honor of Mothers’ Day, I bring you…. This one fascinates me! Must be quite a hike for the babies to crawl up Mom’s shell! Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Get well & stay well everyone! ******* Lapostolle 2019 Cabernet Cuvee Alexandre, Colchagua Valley, Chile The good news is that every released vintage of this Cab shares the same great reviews and prices. I picked the 2019 vintage info, because you should still be able to find it & it should be ready to enjoy! Available from numerous online distributors with prices starting at $17.95. Winemaker Notes Intense, deep red color with purple edges. Expressive and intense nose with cassis and black currant aromas. Elegant palate with round and persistent tannins, with fresh cherry along with a light toast flavor. Pairs well with dishes as lamb shank with herbs or pork fillet with mustard and honey. JS94 James Suckling Very pretty currant, blackberry and floral aromas and flavors. It’s medium-to full-bodied with firm, silky tannins and a chewy finish. Give it two or three years to soften. RP92 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate I was surprised by the varietal purity of the 2019 Cuvée Alexandre Cabernet Sauvignon despite being blended with some 9% Carmenere, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, which probably adds complexity and more Bordeaux character to the bottled wine. But it also has Chilean character, balsamic and round, with good acidity and pungent flavors. It fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured in French oak barrels for 16 months. It's quite classical.

Thank you for today’s R & D Sandi & Rich! Safe travels home, Rich! A gorgeous morning here. A quick pop in, before I head out to breakfast with friends. Then we are visiting a nearby state park for their monthly plant sale. I still have some gaps to fill. Wrapping up the day with a pool party at my place. Thank you for keeping track of us, Eva! Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Get well & stay well everyone! ********* Nino Franco Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Brut, Veneto, Italy This Prosecco sounds lovely and lively! Numerous distributors with prices starting at $18.99. Winemaker Notes #1 Wine Enthusiast Top 100 Wines of 2019 Made in the heart of the Prosecco DOCG zone, Nino Franco’s Rustico Prosecco Superiore is unquestionably the world’s finest value in a high-quality sparkling wine. Made from 100% Glera (traditionally called Prosecco), the non-vintage, light-bodied Rustico offers gorgeously elegant notes of pear, citrus and honeysuckle. The texture is creamy, soft and delicate with persistent effervescence. The word ‘Rustico’ dates back to an old winemaking tradition where Prosecco was made using a short second fermentation in the bottle and leaving the sediments in the wine. Although no longer the technique, the name ‘Rustico’ has remained as a reflection of quality and tradition. Pair with charcuterie, risotto, vegetables, seafood and delicate pasta dishes. WE94 Wine Enthusiast This lovely sparkler never disappoints. It's fragrant, with delicate scents of white spring flowers and white stone fruits while the dry, refreshing palate offers ripe pear, apple and white peach alongside a hint of fennel seed. An elegant perlage and fresh acidity provide the backdrop. JS92 James Suckling A very well-made Prosecco with a fresh and pure nose, showing peaches, flowers, melon and a mineral undertone. Creamy with lively froth, carrying the refreshing and green citrus and apple flavors through to the end. V91 Vinous The NV Prosecco Superiore Rustico wafts up with a remarkably fresh mix of sweet florals, melon and smoke. It washes across the palate with an elegant wave of ripe orchard fruits and sweet spices; a twang of sour citrus adds contrast. There's a slightly tropical feel to the finale, yet savory as well. The Rustico keeps the mouth watering, and hints of candied almonds slowly fade. Anyone looking to take their prosecco game to the next level without breaking the bank, look no further.

Karen that is just wonderful news! So much less stress for you!

I almost don’t need glasses! Very nice looking.