cat shepard

Great to see you, Joy!

Welcome & good morning!

Terry, First a huge (((((((hug))))))). I am so sorry to read about your aide’s departure. I pray that you find a wonderful replacement. Fast.

😱

Thank you for getting us started, Sandi. Rich, thank you for making sure we were taken care of, while you are touring the World. It is 68 here. Rain is expected and it is desperately needed to help put some wildfires out that are just West of me. The smoke from them was so bad I had to put on one of my masks on my way to & from the gym yesterday. I pity all those who have to work outside in those conditions. And I suspect that drivers on I95 had some interesting conditions in the Ormond Beach - Daytona area. Vanessa thank you for keeping track of all our happenings. We are such a busy group. Chores, Bindi walks, online plant hunting, a trip to the gym w/mask, and then gathering at the local wine bar with friends. Not a bad day. I admit this one made me smile & tear up!❤️ Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Get well & stay well everyone! ********* Blank Canvas Syrah Hawkes Bay Gimblett Gravels Element 2019 Another elusive New Zealand wine that sounds interesting. I would love a taste, since I often find Syrahs a bit too much for me to handle. I found a few online distributors, not sure if any ship to me. Prices start at $37.25 + shipping. Distributor notes A powerful bouquet driven by aromas of spices and dark red fleshed fruits, seasoned red meats and there’s layers of barrel and smoke, wood spices and pressed violets. Complex and youthful. Equally powerful on the palate with a firm taut texture from tannins and back bone of acidity; tempering and contrasting core fruit flavours of dark berries and spiced meats layer in complexity and mouthfeel. This wine needs more time, it is delicous already, dry and lengthy. Best drinking from very late 2023 through 2033. 95 Points Outstanding

Thank you for getting us started, Sandi! Rich, thank you for checking in with us even while cruising the World! And making sure the thread continues in your absence. It is 67 and very cloudy to the East, though that should burn off. Florida is back! My pool water hit 89 yesterday. I know @summer slope Dixie will appreciate that! Thank you Vanessa for keeping track of us so well! Just gym, Bindi walks, laundry and making my plant list. Hoping to visit a local nursery on Wednesday to see what they have. Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating. Get well & stay well everyone! *********** 2019 Sterling Merlot, Napa Valley, CA I used the 2019 vintage info, since that seems to be the easiest to find, but all released vintages share the same very good - excellent ratings from consumers and critics. I found several online distributors with prices starting at $21.98. Distributor notes Complex and food-friendly, this plush and balanced Sterling Vineyards Napa Valley Merlot Red Wine from some of the best vineyards surrounding the winery is perfect for everyday meals and special occasions. 18 month oak aging adds generous spice and polished, silky tannins. Enjoy this Merlot wine with grilled pork chops or roasted game hens. Sterling Vineyards was founded in 1964 by Oxford graduate and successful businessman Peter Newton. As one of only 27 bonded wineries in Napa Valley at the time, Newton was an early pioneer of crafting Bordeaux-inspired red wines in California and helped transform the region into the premier winemaking appellation we know today.

I am sure you are correct. I used “Make up Your Own Holiday” day from a couple years ago to creat the “1st Annual International Dailyites” holiday. This should NOT be confused with the birth of the Daily. This is the 3rd anniversary of the Holiday, NOT the Daily. I did not mean to cause this confusion. Sorry.

Thank you for getting us started Sandi! It was “Make up Your Own Holiday” day a couple years ago that inspired the 1st Annual International Dailyites Day! I think it had actually started a bit earlier, but not sure. And a huge thanks to Rich for creating this great place! Vanessa, thank you for keeping our lists. It is already 68, but it is still so dark I am not sure what the sky looks like. We had a brief, but strong T-storm last night. Off to the gym, then Aldi, Bindi walks, plant hunting and definitely some pool time will round out my day. Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Get well & stay well everyone! ********* Miraval Rosé 2021, Cotes de Provence, France I would love a taste of this rosé, since I prefer dry rosés. I used the 2021 vintage info, since that should be easy to find, but all released vintages share the same excellent ratings. Numerous online distributors with prices starting at $16.95. Winemaker Notes Attractive bright and translucent color, a typical Provencal pale pink. The nose immediately reveals all the elegance of this Miraval Rosé with its superb aromatic bouquet delicately combining fresh fruit, freshly cut currants, and roses seasoned with a zest of lemon. The refinement continues on the palate with an ample, rich, and gourmet texture, perfectly balanced by the natural acidity and minerality with saline and limestone notes specific to Miraval, which continue in a long finish. A typical Miraval vintage with signature flavors. WE92 Wine Enthusiast Now jointly owned by Brad Pitt and the Stoli Group of vodka fame, this estate is run by the Perrin family of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. This is an impressive rosé, elegant with finely balanced fruit and texture. Citrus and raspberries shine through a taut structure. The aftertaste is crisp and fresh. TP91 Tasting Panel Super-pale, juicy, and dry, with good acid structure. WS90 Wine Spectator Pure and chiseled in feel, with racy-edged white cherry, rose petal, jicama and jasmine notes backed by a lingering wet stone accent on the finish. This has length and subtleties that set it apart from the pack. Cinsault, Grenache, Rolle and Tibouren.

Bon Voyage! I will be following you!

Thank you for getting us started, Sandi! And a huge thanks to Rich for making sure we could keep going in his absence. Just a heads up - tomorrow will be our 3rd Annual International Dailyites Day! Boy have we morphed into something wonderful during the past three years! It was 62 this morning when Bindi & I headed out. The Eastern sky was just getting a tint of color and we encountered several very pregnant does heading out for breakfast. Vanessa, thank you for keeping track of us so well! @0106 Tina, thank you for feeding us so well, while Debbie recuperates. My landscaper comes this morning to tour my yard and we can document what I want removed. Those 20 degree temps in December, were too much for quite a few things. Then I need to figure out what I want to put in their place. I know some things. Later today I’ll be taking my Sister out to celebrate her birthday. We will go someplace along the ocean. And it will be a gorgeous day for it. Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Get well & stay well everyone! ******** Butterworth Riesling Martinborough Dry 2022 Another elusive New Zealand wine. Consumers love this one. I found one online distributor who might ship to me, offering it for $21.86. I suspect shipping would more than double the price. Raymond Chan’s review Bright, even, pale yellow. This has a concentrated, gentle bouquet with aromas of citrus, zest, tropical fruit, floral and minerals. Medium-light bodied, bone dry to taste, focused aromas of lime, lime peels, melded with blossom, stony minerals and lingering with pink guava. The fruit is concentrated with a taut citrus core and underlined tropical fruit, delicate blossom. Stony minerals and acid tension drives with focus and appears almost unctuous, leaving a lengthy, textural finish. This is an impressive Riesling with depth, length and precision, a citrus core and a mineral-textured palate. Match with oysters and clams over the next 10 years. 10.5% alc. 19/20 pts (95 pts)

Your Captain sounds like a cool dude! Hope he is successful. That would be an amazing feat & memory!

Thank you for starting us off Sandi! You have made sure that all Rich’s hard work is shared every day. Rich, thank you for making sure the thread continues while you cruise the World. It is a lovely 59 this morning with a lovely orange sherbet tint to the Eastern sky. Vanessa thank you for keeping track of us! Cheers to @kazu & @dfish for wonderful news. Yesterday was utter chaos on my street. MetroNet, an internet provider, is installing cable in my neighborhood. Their initial communication was good. They had a supply of white flags we could use to mark our sprinkler heads near the street. Trying to pin down when to put them out was very difficult. We started to see flags marking the existing utilities, and suspected when Florida Power & Light marked the underground electric lines, installation was imminent. But because there were so many utility flags, the company hand dug all their installation pits, and never waited for my end of the street to be marked! Some of workers were even telling people on my side of the street we didn’t have to mark our sprinklers. But they were wrong. Both me and a neighbor 3 houses down have cable poles sticking up from our property. But the worst is over. I learned a lot about sprinkler systems yesterday. I helped a couple neighbors mark theirs and I admit to be ping spoiled by my system which has a “test all” feature that makes it so easy to find mine. Ok. My vent is over. I confess to channeling my inner 5 year old. It was hot yesterday afternoon & the cool sprinkler water felt great. 😎 One gym class, Bindi walks, chores and then wine & finger food at a friend’s. Bindi definitely needs to hear this! Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating. Get well & stay well everyone! *********** Clos Cibonne Tibouren Cotes de Provence Rosé Cuvée Tradition 2020 This rosé has lots of fans in the consumer ranks, as well as a few critics who give it excellent reviews. Fairly easy to find with online prices starting at $26.99. Winemaker Notes #77 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2022 The wine has a salmon-orange color. The nose is enchanting, warm and matures into smooth spicy aromas. Winy, mellow and surprisingly mineral on the palate. Blend: 90% Tibouren, 10% Grenache WS91 Wine Spectator Distinctive, with blood orange, tangerine and wet hay notes forming the core, while light herbs and a faint echo of tamarind weave through the finish. Alluring, creamy mouthfeel. Tibouren and Grenache. Drink now through 2023.

Laura How gorgeous!

Happy Birthday! May your new year be filled with laughter, love, great health & a cruise or two!

Just a quick post before heading out to get my car serviced. My not so puppy, puppy - Bindi. Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating. Get well and stay well everyone! ************ Michel Chapoutier Ermitage Le Pavillon, Rhone Valley, France 2014 All released vintages of this wine have excellent - superb ratings, and this Syrah/Shiraz has a price to match. Several online distributors with prices starting at $205.00. RP96 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate The 2014 Ermitage le Pavillon is another wine from this team that defies the vintage. Full-bodied, concentrated, impeccably balanced and seamless, with classic notes of crushed rocks, graphite, cassis and blackcurrants, it hits the palate with no hard edges, has a great mid-palate and possesses sweet tannin. Michel commented that this wine reminded him of the 1982, and while it offers pleasure even today, it won’t hit maturity for another decade. WS95 Wine Spectator Juicy and energetic, with lots of raspberry, blackberry and boysenberry confiture notes, inlaid with briary grip. Hints of sage, mint and tobacco fill in throughout, while a flash of iron enlivens the finish. Best from 2018 through 2030.

Thank you for persevering this morning, Sandi & starting us off. CC had fixed the problem by the time I checked the site. Rich, thank you for leaving us in such great hands, while you are off cruising the World! It was already 59 this morning when Bindi and I headed out. That is five degrees warmer than the high of two days ago! I guess Florida is back. Vanessa, thank you for keeping our lists. I really appreciate you doing this. @Gail & Marty sailing away, love Pete’s write up of you two leading Project Linus! What a wonderful way to give back. Going out to breakfast with my Sister & her DGS, then Bindi walks, chores and wrapping up the day at a local wine bar with friends. Prayers for all who need our support @dfish Debbie, thinking of you. Praying that your surgery goes smoothly & you recover quickly. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Get well & stay well everyone! ********** M by Michael Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California 2014 Lots of consumer and critic fans. All released vintages of this wine share the same excellent - superb ratings, so if you are willing to hold the 2018 for a few years, you can save a bit of money. Lots of online distributors with prices for the 2014 vintage starting at $189.97. Prices for the 2018 vintage start at $157.92. Sadly both are outside my budget. Winemaker Notes The fruit's rich flavors, ripe tannins and balanced acidity enabled Michael to craft Cabernet Sauvignon with unmatched richness, elegance and harmony. Stylistically reminiscent of the legendary Mondavi cabernets of the late 1960s and early 1970s, crafted by Michael. is a prestigious wine reflecting the animo, or "soul," of the vineyard: compelling, dynamic, and elegant. JS97 James Suckling #52 James Suckling Top 100 Napa and Sonoma Wines of 2017 Fabulous aromas of mushrooms, cork tree, stones and blackberries. Spices, too. Full-bodied yet focused and precise with a clarity and beauty of fruit that shows fantastic texture. Wonderful length and intensity. A wine that seduces you now but shows such promise for the future. RP92 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate A barrel sample of the 2014 M by Michael Mondavi was 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and offered up notes of wood smoke, baking spices, red and black currants, and hints of plum and licorice. It is medium to full-bodied, front-end loaded and very seductive. Drink it over the next 10-15 years. Barrel Sample: 90-92

Thank you for getting us started, Sandi! Rich, thank you for making sure this thread would continue while you are touring the World! A bit warmer here this morning, but that pesky wind is already blowing. Yesterday’s wind was brutal & weird. At my end of the street, it was blowing from the East. But at the other end of the street it was blowing from the North.🤔 I just know I was happy it was sunny out. Vanessa, thank you for keeping track of all the good and worrisome happenings. Just chores, Bindi walks and one gym class. I need to finish my taxes. The worst part is done, but I need to do a final review before submitting them. Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Get well & stay well everyone! *********** Mimi Chardonnay, Washington State I used the 2018 vintage info, though it appears that the 2021 vintage has just been released. All released vintages share the same very good - excellent ratings, so you might be safe buying the 2021 vintage. Online prices for the 2018 vintage start at $16.99. Winemaker Notes Discover Mimi, a delicious Chardonnay sourced from the Horse Heaven Hills, including Chateau Ste. Michelle’s Canoe Ridge Estate Vineyard. Mimi is crafted in a lightly oaked, fresh style which allows the bright, elegant fruit to shine through. Pair with salmon, crab cakes, and poultry. W&S90 Wine & Spirits This is crisp and lemony, with a forward juicy-apple note that’s light, fresh and firm. With its nervy acidity, it’s suitable for chilling down to serve as an aperitif. WE90 Wine Enthusiast Mimi Chardonnay (Horse Heaven Hills). Cream, spice and roasted squash aromas draw you into the glass. The palate is graceful and elegant, with impeccable balance to the stone fruit and pumpkin flavors throughout, along with a pretty sense of texture. A lingering finish caps it off. It walks the tightrope perfectly.

@kochleffel Paul, Sasha gave you the best gift by taking the decision we all dread away from you. Bless you for making her days with you wonderful ones. I hope all those special memories give you comfort. Ann

Thank you for getting us started, Sandi & keeping up with all the changes so well!! Rich, thank you for pulling all the info together! Today started out so much better than yesterday. Yesterday I laid in bed for quite some time waiting for my phone alarm to go off. I set it to make sure I am up by the time I want to be, and am usually out of bed before it goes off. I finally decided to get up - Thank goodness! I discovered my phone had lost its charge, and it was 48 minutes after I wanted to get up! Sigh. Vanessa, thank you for keeping our lists so diligently & I love your idea of substituting zucchini slices for the pasta in the lasagna roll-ups. Debbie, good luck with your surgery this week & Tina, thank you for stepping in for Debbie! Another nippy morning. 41 in mid-March seems weird. Gym, Bind walks, chores. Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Get well & stay well everyone! ********** Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2019 This one tempts me to go outside of my budget. Rarely does one find a superb version of this one under $100. But this one is! Available from quite a few online distributors with prices starting at $87.99. 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.

Morning all. Just a super quick visit to post the wine du jour info. Running really late his morning. I will check back later. ********** Neudorf Pinot Noir Nelson Moutere Home Block 2020 Another elusive New Zealand wine. But this Pinot Noir sounds lovely, though it might need a bit of time for the best experience. Not sure if the New Zealand distributors would ship to me, but if they would prices start at $41.44 + shipping. Distributor notes Complex, layered, varietal, fruity, floral and very enticing bouquet. Aromas of dark spiced cherry, red apple, some pomegranate and plum. Layers of new and older wine barrel with a sweet spice and mild toasty qualities - a touch of clove and vanilla then, a fine raw cashew nut quality. Complex and youthful. Flavours transition through the palate and reflect the bouquet - youthful, ripe and varietal. Oak provides the foundation delivering some spice and mild, toasty complexities, tannins and acidity layer in a tautness and distinctive mouthfeel. New, fresh, and complex with best drinking from mid to late 2023 through 2033+. Great potential, but please, just give this wine time. 95 Points Outstanding

Darn, I am too late to edit my post. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, if you find out the secret to breaking someone’s weather jinx, please share. I have a good friend, who has had such bad weather luck it has become a running joke.

Sandi thank you for getting us started this morning. Rich, thank you for getting everything ready, so it can continue while cruising. It is 10 degrees warmer than yesterday morning, but rain is expected. We need it, but…. The first of our wobbly legged fawns followed its Mom along the side of my house yesterday evening. Super bright spots. And so tiny. Fawn season has officially started. Vanessa, thank you for tending our Cares & Celebration lists so diligently. I don’t even catch all my typos, I suspect I wouldn’t be very good at doing it. Today Zumba, rug washing, Bindi walks, and dinner prep. Hoping that we can eat outside. As long as wind doesn’t blow the rain in to the covered area of my deck, we should be ok. Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Get well & stay well everyone! ******** Cave d’Esclans Whispering Angel Rosé, Cotes de Provence, France Thank goodness I recharged my decoder ring yesterday! This Rosé has consumer and critic fans. Widely available, online prices start at $17.49. Winemaker notes WHISPERING ANGEL IS TODAY’S WORLDWIDE REFERENCE FOR PROVENCE ROSÉ Made from Grenache, Cinsault and Rolle (Vermentino) grapes, its pale color is pleasing to the eye and draws one in. The rewarding taste profile is full and lush while being bone dry with a smooth finish. A blend of the best free run juices and press juices, fermented and aged in stainless steel with temperature control.

Couldn’t resist this one…

Sandi thank you for staying us off! Rich, thank you for making sure we still had a place to gather while you cruise, though I protest today’s quote heartedly. It was 10 degrees warmer this morning - that’s more like it! The sky was just getting a tint of color when Bindi and I returned from our walk. It is supposed to get up 8n the 80s today! Vanessa, thank you for sharing our Cares & Celebrations. Just one class at the gym this morning, then Bindi & Emma walks, more tax prep and then some prep for tomorrow- having some friends over for dinner. That should keep me busy. Boy, there are some mornings I know I resemble this look! Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Get well & stay well everyone! *********** Villa Maria Cabernet Sauvignon Hawkes Bay Ngakirikiri Gimblett Gravels 2020 Imagine having to list this wine on a wine list! Or ordering a glass of it! I hope it has a nickname. But since it is out of my budget range, I probably do not need to worry. I found no info on the 2020 vintage- not even on the Winemaker’s site. Lucky all released vintages have excellent - superb reviews. I used the 2019 vintage info. A few online distributors, none in North America. Prices for the 2019 vintage start at $81.38 + shipping! Winemaker notes Our icon wine Ngakirikiri is a presentation of the very best of Villa Maria’s holdings in the Gimblett Gravels appellation. Produced in only the most exceptional vintages with painstaking attention to detail, it is a highly aspirational project and arguably the most comprehensive and focused wine Villa Maria has ever produced. ‘Ngakirikiri’ in Māori, refers to the unique gravel soils that define the Hawkes Bay, Gimblett Gravels growing appellation, a befitting name for this stony Hawkes Bay vineyard sited on what was an ancient riverbed. The Gimblett Gravels sub-region is a majestic site with a reputation for beautiful and thought-provoking wines. Tasting Notes Upon pouring, this deep ruby coloured wine yields notably intense and pure aromatics of cassis, complex wood spices and floral violet scents, with fragrant dried thyme, graphite and clove nuances also vying for attention. Layers of concentrated flavours are revealed across a medium to full bodied frame, with optimally ripe fruit and hints of black olive and cigar, all wrapped by fine-grained tannins and supportive oak, enhancing texture and richness from start to finish. This age-worthy and age-worthy wine will benefit and gain additional complexity from careful cellaring over the next 15-20 years.

Gorgeous pics, Rich! Thank you for sharing!