Former Wine Critic @ Robert Parker Wine Advocate, reviewing wines there from 2006➡️June, 2023, primarily for Portugal, Greece, USA off of West Coast (esp. NY, VA), & others in E. Europe, Middle East. Retired.
Recovered trial lawyer.😱Long retired. Interested in lots of things besides wine & law--travel, photography, politics, film, music, art and SyFy, among others.
Header photo: Santorini, Greece.
This is a new instance for me, but I've been at Masto a couple of years longer than Nov. '24!
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I should have a drum roll for last bottle moments. 🥁 A few years after Blankiet's founding, this 2001 vintage, with winemaker Helen Turley, helped make a new Napa cult. All Cab Sauv, it has held beautifully, years left.
Solid in the mid-palate, it shows the benefits of age. If not young and fruity, it has the subtler concentration of more nuanced fruit.
Velvety, tasty, classy and in a perfect moment, a Last Bottle Victory. 🤗 $175 then.
@blankietestate
2/2
The aromatics steadily improved, and it became a fine food wine, more mature these days, but very much still prime time, and...maybe even somewhat improved, more interesting compared to release. It is no longer as straightforward.
$30, 11% alc.
1 of 2
This has held really well over the years. This time, the first taste of this 2013 Riesling collaboration between 3 FLX wineries was not promising, though, as it seemed to develop a touch of petrol. Happily, that generally blew off, unveiling a wine that is sturdy in the mid-palate, fresh around the edges, dry and a bit stern on the finish.
to part 2 in reply
Again? (1st paragraph, this lawyer's in trouble "again.") "...six false citations...one didn’t exist at all...."
Really, how is this anything but a major offense at this point? AI hallucinations are not new. Writing briefs with AI, not checking cites, a clear problem and NOT A NEW ONE at this point for him or anyone.
ONLY a $5k fine? No disciplinary referral? Seems light. I was a former lawyer. I'd be ashamed to show my face.
😉
U.S. District Judge Kai N. Scott sanctioned Raja Rajan $5,000 last week for submitting a court filing with AI hallucinations. Scott sanctioned Rajan $2,500 previously for errors in AI-written briefs.
So many age-indicated Tawnies have big age numbers these days! The times, they are a-changin'! Here's a mere 30. Hey! 30s are a good sweet spot, not exactly chopped liver. A traditional blend of key Douro grapes and on the sweeter side, this is caramel colored and scented, but the distinction is the acidity and elegance. Bright and perky on the long, flavorful finish, this lingers and is good to the last drop.
$75, 2017 bottling, long cork.
The ripeness is relative, as this retains the brightness and tightly-wound nature of the 2009, while adding a layer of fruit and flavor to help soak up tannins. It's youthful today and it will improve more. Expect a long life ahead--a decade and then some
P.s. I tried to position the label photos to emphasize the interesting graphic on the bottom of the label. If you're wondering, it is Kefraya's tribute to Phoenicians who planted vines in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley 4000+ years ago
$45-ish #wine
1/2
Lebanon is not just Musar! Two examples: 2009/2010 of Chateau Kefraya's flagship "Comte de M," a Cab Sauv/Syrah from vines at 1100 meters
The 2009 is a bit funky and a bit dusty, but silky and firm on the finish, with good acidity, concentration and tightly-wound focus. This has a lot more time left and may still improve.Leaning to N. Rhone, needs food!
If the '09 is very good at 15+ years, the youthful 2010 has blossomed into a bigger star, riper and less funky
This was just the 2d vintage of a brand dedicated to the memory of an historic TBA with 303° oechsle. The theme is ripe & sweet (listed Spätlese, it's more Auslese), but it's not really a dessert wine and it has fine balancing acidity.
It's full bodied, fresh and bright. The peach and mango flavors are in control, but delectable.The unctuous texture is cut by that acidity. It seems shockingly young, impossibly delicious. Riesling, baby!
$25 then, about $60 now.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXkeH6bNuCQ6ds_nTlmkpqrPKCCJgb9Ym&si=K4-h7HEf1VdsP-_c
If anybody remembers it, this was a rather terrific mini-series by Steven Spielberg and others. All 10 episodes, complete and remastered, are on YouTube.
Sort of picks up where Close Encounters left off.
Had good luck of late on older Santorini. Gai'a's '08 flagship, just shy of 20 years, is mature & perhaps then some, but enticing with benefits of age
The color's darker & you can taste some oxidation, but there's also chirpy acidity & rich flavors. Tasty! Be happy if you still have this lively Assyrtiko, but drink soon. The flaw--wasn't as good the next day, when age and more oxidation caught up, power took over. 13%, synthetic cork. About $50 these days
