Well the biggest transformation on a pop and pour to day 2 in a long time! 85 points and left the cork out over night and wow 95 points! Here you go.
- 2016 Buty Rediviva of the Stones Cailloux Vineyard – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (9/26/2025)
Day 1: Well nothing great to report so far but that could change. Cheap via auction so no loss. Watered down fruit, spice, green olives and white pepper. Not bad but certainly glad I didn’t buy a second bottle. 85 points
Day 1.5: Well Cailloux Vineyard you would hope it would improve and it did. Green olives, stone, white pepper, minerals, roasted meats, floral and tar. Concentrated effort. Never give up. 92 points
Day 2: Well what can I say. 3 Day Wine Review. This is the biggest change from a pop and pour of the year. Left the cork off all night and bottle just sitting out. Super complex wine and now we are talking Cayuse being from the Cailloux Vineyard. Roasted meats, green olives, cracked pepper, lavender, tar, blue currants, stone and crushed flowers. Long finish and satisfying. You won’t believe what I paid for this with shipping. 95 points
Day 3: Maybe not at the level of day 3 but close. Much better than day 1 on the pop and pour. 94 points
Recommendation: Get some via auction if you can find it. (95 points)
Final wine most liking on Wines Promoted for 3rd Quarter. Wow just wow a Pinot Noir from California with 12.5% alcohol. This is so enjoyable and balanced. Will even improve in a few years I believe.
- 2022 Ceritas Pinot Noir Costalina – USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (9/22/2025)
Day 1: Diam 10 and that stupid wax capsule. Very nice cooler climate style. Cranberry, rose petals, dust, minerals, stone, earth, violets and mushrooms. Medium finish and nice acidity. Fun to see how this develops over 3 days. 93 points
Day 2: Nice acidity and bright, powerful wine. Cranberry, spice, violets, crushed rock, sour cherry, minerals and dust. Medium plus finish. 93 +
Day 3: Really what good California Pinot is all about. Not the overripe stuff or high alcohol stuff. Super balanced wine with nice acidity and featuring cranberry, minerals, dust, violets, crushed rocks, stone, mushrooms, forest floor and spice. Medium plus finish. 94 points
Recommendation: A relative bargain for the quality. (94 points)
Well this was the wine of the night at a stacked tasting in Minneapolis this past Tuesday. Can’t believe how well this was drinking for a 2021.
- 2021 The Standish Wine Company Shiraz The Standish – Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley (9/16/2025)
Epicurean & Forziati Wine Imports Aussie Tasting (Minneapolis, MN): Ok top 10 wine of the year candidate. At an industry event there was half a bottle left at the end of the event. Hard to believe but here is the review. Black pepper, plum, dust, minerals, smoked meats, charcoal, spice and black currants. Super concentrated wine and long finish. Brings back memories. Absolute stunner. 96.5 points (96 points)
- 2007 Corliss Estates Cabernet Sauvignon – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley (8/13/2025)
Outstanding with cherry, plum, menthol, wood, spice, floral and blue currants. Medium finish and I would argue these are the best cabs from Washington. (95 points)
Patricia Green Cellars was one of the highlights of a recent trip to Willamette as owner Jim Anderson took us into the vineyards for an amazing tour and we were able to sample all of the 2023 Estate Pinots from Ribbon Ridge. Later in the month my friends Tom & Bruna brought the wine of the night to an event.
- 2022 Patricia Green Cellars Pinot Noir Mysterious – USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills
Wood, cranberry, floral, spice, mushrooms, violets and minerals. Balanced wine and by far my favorite of the Pinots tasted tonight. This will age for 15 years and is a must have in the cellar. (94 pts.)
Well we have some wine of the year candidates in quarter 3 already.
Abbott Claim was recommended by Seth Morgen Long from Morgen Long winery. One winery he would recommend so you know it is going to be amazing. 2 best back to back wines I have ever tasted and forget they are both domestic Chardonnay.
- 2021 Abbott Claim Chardonnay Temperance Hill Vineyard – USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola – Amity Hills (7/10/2025)
Abbott Claim (3 day wines) Off the Charts!!! (Abbott Claim Winery): Well half a point lower than the 2022 eola amity. Let me tell the 3 best wines I have ever tasted in a row. Who pours their Chardonnay’s second? Abbott Claim. Carmel, oak, stone, apricots, dust, apple and exotic spices. LONG finish and super complex. Wow, wow and wow!!! (97 points)
- 2022 Abbott Claim Chardonnay – USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola – Amity Hills (7/10/2025)
Abbott Claim (3 day wines) Off the Charts!!! (Abbott Claim Winery): Let me talk to you! This is one of those once or twice a year wines that get your attention. This is top five wines of the year for sure and maybe one! Bought 4 bottles at the winery.
Electric wine! 1,100 to 1,200 elevation with lemon, Carmel, spice, oak, stone, sour apple and minerals. Hard to describe the level on this but might be the best nose on a wine in 15 years for me. An absolute bargain at $100 a bottle. New French oak for 12 months and about 6 after that in stainless.
For sure a top 10 wine maybe of all time!!! 97.9 but not quite 98. (97 points)
It really doesn’t get better than this wine and tasted blind. $15.00 bottle of wine and 96 points. What is not to like?
2014 Result of a Crush Red Wine – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (7/12/2025)
4 Blind Syrah’s/Shiraz (Results Impress); 7/11/2025-7/12/2025 (Seattle, Washington (Brother’s House)): Tasted blind and again I have said these wines get lower scores because of price. This beat 2010 Reynvaan in the rocks and the 2022 Mark Ryan Wild Eyed. Rocks, green olives, white pepper, green pepper, dust, stone and red currants. Off the charts and excellent wine. Long finish. (96 points)
