Quarter One Wines Promoted

Quarter One: 2021 Januik Cabernet Sauvignon Quintessence, 2017 Reynvaan Family Vineyards Syrah In the Rocks, 2008 Anderson’s Conn Valley Eloge, Result of a Crush 2017 & 2021 Syrah,  2020 Concha y Toro Cabernet Sauvignon Don Melchor, 2021 Idda Etna Rosso- Italy, Sicily, Etna DOC.

Quarter Two Wines Promoted

Quarter Two: 2020 Mark Ryan Merlot Little Sister,1998 Fox Creek Shiraz Reserve, 2020 Achával-Ferrer Quimera, 2011 Sheridan Vineyard L’Orage, 2023 Hartford / Hartford Court Chardonnay Russian River Valley, 2012 MTR Productions Syrah Memory Found

Quarter Three Wines Promoted

Quarter Three: 2016 Buty Rediviva of the Stones Cailloux Vineyard  2022 Ceritas Pinot Noir Costalina 2021 The Standish Wine Company Shiraz The Standish 2007 Corliss Estates Cabernet Sauvignon  2022 Patricia Green Cellars Pinot Noir Mysterious 2021 Abbott Claim Chardonnay Temperance Hill Vineyard  2022 Abbott Claim Chardonnay 2014 Result of a Crush Red Wine

Quarter Four Wines Promoted

Well last year I was lucky to visit Elephant Seven one last time. I think I was in their tasting foom in Walla Walla five total times. Great people and great wines. Well this is for sure a top 20 wine of the year especially factoring in the price of $40 via WineBid.

  • 2016 Elephant Seven Syrah Yellow Bird Vineyard – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (11/6/2025)
    Day 1: Natural cork. Via auction. Ok had this before but this bottle off the charts for $35 round trip pricing. Rich dark fruits, iodine, white pepper, spices, rocks and black olives. This is big, bold and beautiful. What a great auction purchase. 95 points
    Day 2: Holding form. One of my top 10 wine surprises of 2025 with white pepper, crushed rock, blue currants, iodine, black olives, red flowers and exotic spices. What an amazing wine. Top 20 candidate for sure. 95.5 points
    Day 3: Rocking and top 20 wine of the year at any price point. I should have saved this for an under $50 tasting coming up as it would have easily won first. White pepper, dried olives, blue currants, smoke, exotic spices, blue currants, iodine, dust and rocks. Super concentration and long finish. A masterpiece and sad to see Elephant Seven no longer in business. 96 points
    Recommendation: Please don’t outbid me on auction. (96 points)

Well when I started the Wines Promoted in 2025 I never thought a domestic Rose would make the list but it has. On Facebook I said there are not great Rose wines from California (at least I never tasted one). Well Adam Lee challenged me and I am glad he did. This is the best domestic Rose I have ever tasted which does not include the sparkling category.

  • 2024 Morét-Brealynn Rosé of Pinot Noir – USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands (10/23/2025)
    Day 1: Outstanding quality with nice acidity. Strawberries, watermelon, spice, dust, rose petals and stone. Very complex for a Rose and I drink them at room temperature and this is outstanding quality. Yes sir! 91+
    Day 2: Even better. Drinking these around 65 degrees. Full flavor of course. Chery, watermelon, spice, rose petals, stone, strawberries and dust. Medium plus finish and this drinks well on its own so a serious wine for sure. Nice acidity. 92 points
    Day 3: Excellent and holding form of the quality of day 2. Love the fruit featuring cherry, watermelon and strawberries. Nice acidity and also features rose petals, stone, dust and some earth. Medium finish. 92 points
    Recommendation: Highly recommended. For me to give a domestic Rose 90 is tough but this is better than that. (92 points)

The best value at the Haskell’s Sale at $29.99 which is part of the buy one get one free but you will want more than 2 for sure. Outstanding quality.

  • 2020 Torbreck Shiraz The Struie – Australia, South Australia, Barossa (10/8/2025)
    Day 1: Wow wine for $30 on sale. Brings me back to the early 2000s with these wines. Black pepper, spice, sawdust, soy, black currants, funk and minerals. Very complex offering. Will be buying a case for sure. 94 points
    Day 2: Blackberries, spices, tar, soy, menthol, Eucalyptus, spices, black pepper, minerals and dark cherry. Super complex wine and medium to long finish. 94 points
    Day 3: Holding form and will age for 20 years. Bigger style but excellent. 94 points
    Recommendation: No brainer from Haskell’s at $29.99. (94 points)

Well we got two more last night. Thank you Jason for one of them and throwing in the 2004 Two Hands!

  • 2018 Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay Art Series – Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River (10/11/2025)
    Aussie, Aussie Aussie Part 2 at Lori’s (Lori’s House Twin Cities): Day 1: Electric Chardonnay with lemon, spice, wood, grapefruit, tropical fruit, stone and white flowers. Outstanding effort. 94+
    Day 1:25: So had this at the end of the tasting and off the charts. Warmer serving temperature and much better. Needed some air and it delivered. Stone, tropical fruit, wood, spice, white flowers, dust, orange peel, lemon, minerals and vibrant acidity. Just changed and improved and really hard to describe how great this evolution was. One of the best Chardonnay’s I have tasted all year and had a lot of great ones. This will cellar for 15 plus years. 97 points (97 points)