Bordeaux Newcomer Château Page is a Project to Watch

Patrick Honnef and Gerald Lecomte were neighbors before they were business partners. Patrick worked in the wine business while Gerald Lecomte came from the world of finance, and they would frequently spend time together, enjoying sports and drinking wine.

In 2011, they had hatched a plan to purchase a small vineyard and start their own winery. Chateau Page (which is a combination of the first two letters of their first names) is their cooperative project — and if you like suave, balanced Bordeaux, it’s a project to watch.

Patrick, who is German by birth, isn’t new to Bordeaux. He worked as technical director of Chateau d’Aiguilhe for 10 years. He also lives a good portion of the year in the ancient winemaking country of Georgia, where he oversees the viticulture at Chateau Mukhrani (whose wines I know and respect).

During a week of visiting winemakers in Bordeaux, I had the pleasure of meeting with Patrick and Gerald and tasting their wines. I had never heard of this very small producer before, but the wines showed a level of class and quality well beyond their humble beginnings.

The winery is located in the Castillon Cotes de Bordeaux appellation, which rises up from the banks of the Dordogne River and shares similar qualities to nearby Saint-Emilion. Patrick and Gerald’s vines (only about four acres) are located on a plateau with clay and limestone soils.

When they purchased the vineyard, it was in a sorry state, due to years of generous doses of herbicides and pesticides. Immediately, Patrick kicked off a transition to organic farming. While not common in Bordeaux, Castillon has a higher percentage (about 25%) of organic estates than most other appellations in Bordeaux. He says he saw change almost immediately. “The vines came back to life,” he said.

Their flagship wine is a blend of about 80% Merlot with 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. In certain vintages they also produce a Page Noir, which is about 90% Cabernet Sauvignon. I tasted a few vintages of each wine, and really grew to appreciate their style. More old school in their earliest vintages, the wines had more pronounced dusty-earthy elements. While the wines seem even fresher and more refined in the 2016 vintage (which has quickly become one of my favorite recent Bordeaux vintages).

My notes on the wines I tasted are below. 

Patrick (left) and Gerald (right) of Chateau Page. Credit: Castillon Cotes de Bordeaux

2012 Château Page - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux
Dark and saucy aromas, tangy black currants and cherries, with lots of earthy, smoky, peppery elements. Shows tannic guts on the palate, and there’s a lot of concentration in the blackberry and raspberry fruit, but the acidity is fresh. Notes of anise, graphite, smoke, this has an old school feel to it, like it needs a while to come around. The non-fruit elements are going to evolve into something beautiful, but there’s also enough delicious fruit to age as well. (91 points)

2013 Château Page - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux
Saucy fruit, dark and plummy with violets, coffee, loamy earth. On the palate, this is dark and juicy with velvety tannins, more approachable than the 2012, moderate acidity keeps it lively, but this is a dark and juicy wine with a forward but fresh appeal. (89 points)

2014 Château Page - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux
So pretty, wow, lots of violets, floral perfume, anise, pepper, on top of pure, juicy cherries. Great balance on the palate, medium-velvety tannins meet vibrant acidity. Tangy red plums and red and black cherries mix well with lots of earthy, soy, violets, and underlying notes of minerals and graphite. Elegant, complex, a very expressive 2014. (91 points)

2015 Château Page - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux
Gorgeous dark fruits on the nose (all kinds of fruit), pure and juicy, with soy, leaves, pencil lead. Such intrepid balance on the palate with great tannic grip and vibrant acidity. Plums, blackberry and cassis, laced with lots of violets, loamy earth, pencil lead and charcoal. Long time ahead for this wine. Really impressive stuff. (93 points)

2016 Château Page - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux
The nose is gorgeous, waves of dark fruit, with lots of soy, pencil lead, leaves, coffee. Beautiful balance between tannic grip and vibrant acidity on the palate. Plum, blackberry and cassis fruit, complex and crunchy with violets, loamy earth notes. Complex forest floor, anise, cedar. Great concentration, but also balance. Another beautiful 2016, but this was is really special. (93 points)

2012 Château Page Page Noir - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux
Deep currants on the nose with lots of tobacco, pepper, leather. Serious grip to the tannins (this is a powerful and young wine) with medium/low acidity. Dark currant and tart plum skin flavors. I love the gravelly, earthy, tobacco notes. Still quite tight, but this is quite lovely and should do great things over the next five to ten years. (91 points)

2015 Château Page Page Noir - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux
Beautiful core of blackberry and cassis on the nose, with mint, pepper, leather. Pure and fresh, built on solid tannic group but the acidity is fresh as well, and the wine has an effortless feel at this young age. Blackberry and currant, smooth but tangy fruits, laced with complex earth, cocoa, pepper, anise. The depth and balance are delightful. (93 points)

Rolling the Dice on 1990s California Zinfandels

There's a well-known old saying that goes something like: There are no great wines, just great bottles of wine.

That is so true, especially when dealing with aged wines. And especially dealing with wines that are not traditionally cellared for long periods of time, like California Zinfandel.

Sure there are some known to age well (Turley, Ridge and Ravenswood come to mind), but Zinfandels are usually fun, early-drinking, juicy wines. What happens when they have 25 or so years of cellar time?

Well, in some cases, nothing good happens. But some bottles can really shine, as a recent tasting of California Zinfandels from the 1990s demonstrated.

These wines were all curated by a good wine-collecting buddy of mine who bought them from various sources over the years and kept them in good cellar conditions. But aging wine isn't an exact science, and some of the wines showed serious flaws - mostly volatile acidity, which can happen when aging higher alcohol wines for this long.

We all expected a few of the wines to be undrinkable, and we were right. But I'm not sure I expected some of the wines to pop out of the glass with life and wow me. A few sure did. Below are my notes of the aged Zins I tasted.

If you've tasted any good aged Zins recently, I'd love to hear about them in the comments. Cheers!

1992 Boeger Winery Zinfandel Walker Vineyard - USA, California, Sierra Foothills, El Dorado

This one is sported some stewed tomatoes on the nose with mint, leaves, hints of brambly red fruit. Light tannins, showing some heat, moderate acidity. Red cherries still there, with notes of coffee grounds, oak and leather. Actually a lot better on the palate than I was expecting. (86 pts.)

1990 Storybrook Zinfandel Estate Reserve - USA, California, Napa Valley
Pepper and plums on the nose. Fresh, zesty, dusty tannins. Seems to show quite a bit of life left here with red plums and raspberries, and notes of pepper, soy and leaves. Impressive complexity on this refined, aged wine. (88 pts.)

1993 Greenwood Ridge Vineyards Zinfandel Scherrer Vineyards - USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley
A more muted nose with sweet cherries and coffee. Plum cake dominates the palate with soft tannins and medium acidity. Raisined, but showing some cool wild herb notes underneath. (83 pts.)

1991 The Terraces Zinfandel - USA, California, Napa Valley
Leafy aromas in a good way (like all kinds of forest floors) mixed with bell pepper, black pepper, on top of tangy red currants. Zippy, dusty and spicy on the palate with light tannins and crisp acidity. This is a really cool and fresh wine, and the red fruit is still going, while the earthy, savory, spicy notes take front seat. One of the better wines of the evening. (90 pts.)

1991 Storybrook Zinfandel Estate Reserve - USA, California, Napa Valley
Tired but wild on the nose with strawberries, tomato leaf and a massive amount of paprika. Sour, tart and crazy on the palate with volatile acidity. The amount of insane paprika and cumin flavors cannot be overstated. (FLAWED)

1992 Storybrook Zinfandel Estate Reserve - USA, California, Napa Valley
What a world of difference from the 1991! Shows lively strawberries and raspberries and red licorice on the nose. Plush, still going on the palate with dusty tannins and juicy raspberry and cherry fruit. Integrated notes of gamey meat, soy, black pepper glaze. This one is a lot of fun. (89 pts.)

1994 Storybrook Zinfandel Estate Reserve - USA, California, Napa Valley
Yikes, this is a Sherried, Madeirized wreck. In a feat of palate masochism, I made myself taste it after realizing how messed up it was on the nose, just to have another point of reference in the wine fault memory. The wine was not pleasant in any way. (FLAWED)

1992 Ravenswood Zinfandel Dickerson - USA, California, Napa Valley Pretty yet bold on the nose with strawberries, plum cake, pepper, oak and cedar. Juicy on the palate with a rich texture but nuance and integration from age. Yummy strawberries and wild berries on the palate with complex elements of menthol, charcoal, leather, wild herbs. Wow, this is balance, delicious, has aged well. Just really good stuff. My wine of the night easily.  (91 pts.)

1993 Ravenswood Zinfandel Los Chamizal - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley
Cherry pie on the nose with cola, herbs, pepper. Really ripe, juicy, dark and roasted, but it’s put together well and still lively. Juicy and dark but some black pepper, bell pepper and cocoa notes. Delicious stuff! (89 pts.) 

1993 Ravenswood Zinfandel Grandpère - USA, California, Sierra Foothills, Amador County
This wine was a bit weird, dusty, with volatile acidity throwing things out of whack. Sour cherries and tart raspberries with dusty, earthy, sooty notes. Ah well. I was hoping this was still pumping. (FLAWED)

California's Cartograph Rocks Sparklers, Chardonnay & Gewürztraminer

Cartograph dates back to around 2009, when founders Alan Baker and Serena Lourie came to Healdsburg with two barrels of Pinot Noir. 

Alan had been making his own wines at CrushPad, the San Francisco custom crush facility. Drawing on his tech consulting experience, he also oversaw CrushPad’s online platform, Crushnet. It was at this facility where he met Serena Lourie (whose background was in healthcare administration, technology and finance), and they came up with the idea for Cartograph. In 2016 Alan and Serena purchased their first vineyard, 10 acres of Pinot Noir near Sebastopol and Cotati. 

This was my first time tasting Cartograph wines, and it was a very pleasant experience tasting these wines together and seeing the nuanced differences, but also the stylistic similarities. The Pinot Noirs are fresh and lively, and the fruit has this fresh, red, early-picked quality, while maintaining the juiciness and fruitiness that you’d expect from Russian River Pinot. The inaugural vintage of their Estate Pinot Noir is something special, a really bright, elegant, floral, spicy Pinot. And their sparkling wines are on the leaner, zippier side, while showing solid complexity and depth. 

These wines were received as trade samples and tasted sighted.

2013 Cartograph Pinot Noir Brut Zéro Leonardo Julio Vineyard - California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
SRP: $68
Deep yellow color. Brisk and inviting on the nose with oyster shells and chalk dust over top of salted butter, biscuits, bread dough, apricot and lemons. Zesty and light-bodied on the palate but there’s plenty of texture and depth. Green apples, apricot and lemon work really well with these notes of saline, crushed seashells, chalk and minerals. A bracing (in a good way) Brut Zero that would pair wonderfully with shellfish. All Chardonnay, 11.9% alcohol. (91 points)

2013 Cartograph Pinot Noir Brut Rosé Leonardo Julio Vineyard - California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
SRP: $68
Pale copper color. Bright nose of strawberries, raspberries, rose petals, with bread crumbs, chalk dust and mint notes. Light-bodied, bright acid, fine bubbles, but there’s a nice creamy depth. Lemon meringue, sweet red apples, white cherries, the fruit is laced with chalky, mineral notes. Lovely depth, lots of chalky-dusty vibes, this is delicious, zippy, complex stuff. 11.9% alcohol. From the Leonardo Julio Vineyard. (90 points)

2018 Cartograph Dry Gewürztraminer Starscape Vineyard - California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
SRP: $26
Deep yellow color. A peach explosion on the nose, with lemon-lime, guava, sea salt, and a spiced white tea and white pepper note. Dry, bracing, crisp on the palate, this has a really pleasantly brisk quality with lots of minerals and chalk elements. Peaches, guava and lime mix well with verbena, white pepper and honeysuckle notes. A nuanced, vibrant, complex California Gewurztraminer – that’s not something I’m used to writing! 13.3% alcohol. (90 points)

2016 Cartograph Pinot Noir Estate - California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
SRP: $68
Medium ruby color. Rhubarb pops from the nose, along with roses, cola, sweet strawberries and raspberries. The palate is fresh and bright with dusty tannins and juicy fruit (strawberries, red currants, raspberries). I get notes of raspberry leaf, mint and white pepper that add complexity. Juicy, fruity and fun but really vibrant and lively. I’d like to see where this goes in 2-3 years. 13.6% alcohol. (91 points)

2017 Cartograph Pinot Noir - California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
SRP: $48
Deep ruby color. Nose shows fresh but chilled red fruits (cherries, raspberries, strawberry jam) along with rhubarb, cola and some mushroom and pepper notes. Medium+ bodied, velvety tannins, medium acidity. Tangy yet juicy raspberries, red plums and strawberries, mixed with notes of cinnamon, clove and roasted chestnut. The earthy-complexity is very attractive and melds well with the ripe red fruits. 13.9% alcohol. (90 points)

2015 Cartograph Pinot Noir Transverse - California, North Coast
SRP: $64
Light purple color. Nose of sweet raspberries, cherries and strawberries, with healthy dollops of violets, rose petals and sweet herbs. Medium-bodied, brisk acidity, juicy and lively red fruits (cherries and raspberries). Notes of savory spices, mesquite barbecue, rose petals and cola add complexity. This is a ton of fun, shows a lot of personality, exuberant but balanced and lively. A blend of fruit from Choate Vineyard, Saltonstall Vineyard and Starscape Vineyard. 13.4% alcohol. (90 points)

Wine Reviews: California Reds

I’m back this week with a diverse handful of newly-released California reds.

I’ve long been a fan of Adam Lee’s Siduri Pinot Noirs. It was purchased by Jackson Family a few years ago, but based on this and other tastings, I’ve found the aesthetic seems to be staying quite similar to what drew me to these wines in the first place. And while it’s Sonoma fruit Siduri is known best for, Adam Lee’s first wine was actually produced from Anderson Valley fruit, and it’s really cool to see the wines come full-circle and show so well.

Napa’s Frank Family comes through with a Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon that bring a lot of personality for wines in their respective price ranges. And Louis Martini’s Sonoma and Napa Cabernets show themselves as accessible, fun but also “serious” wines that offer lots of value.

These wines were received as trade samples and tasted sighted.

2017 Cline Cellars Carignane Ancient Vines - California, San Francisco Bay, Contra Costa County
SRP: $23
Deep purple color. Aromas of sweet plums, black cherries (warm, mulled fruit) with cocoa, cola and sweet black pepper glaze. Full but fresh with suave tannins and medium acidity. Roasted plums and black cherries, the fruit is warm and rich, backed up with notes of spicy pepper, leather, coffee and charcoal grill. Fun, yummy, a solid choice to pair with pretty much anything that’s been grilled. All Carignane aged 12 months in French oak (35% new). (87 points)

2017 Siduri Pinot Noir Anderson Valley - California, North Coast, Anderson Valley
SRP: $40
Deep ruby color. Bright and juicy nose of raspberries, red currants, cranberry sauce, with lots of roses, violets, rhubarb and wild herbs. Plum and juicy texture but lively acidity, with dusty-light tannins. Crisp raspberries, cherries, pomegranate, tangy and chilled, with rose petals, rhubarb, mint and cola elements. Fruity and fun, but elegant, spicy, lively. It’s good to see Siduri keeping things going in this style. A blend of three-vineyards around Boonville, aged 15 months in 35% new French oak. (90 points)

2017 Siduri Pinot Noir Edmeades - USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley
SRP: $50

Medium ruby color. Lovely aromas of fresh cherries, raspberries and red plums, topped in cola, rhubarb, white pepper, violets, and some earthy-clay notes. Plush yet zesty on the palate with dusty tannins. Bountiful but crisp fruit (cherries, strawberries, raspberries), and I get notes of spiced tea, rhubarb, cola, violet petals and earth. Plump and fruity but vibrant and complex as well, this should do well with two or three years, but it’s very accessible now, too. From a block of Pommard clone in the Londer block of this vineyard, 50% whole cluster fermentation, aged 10 months in 33% new French oak. (92 points)

2016 Bear Flag Wine Zinfandel - California, Sonoma County
SRP: $30
Light purple color. The nose is juicy and sweet with black cherry, blueberry and raspberry jams, mixed with yummy notes of coffee, cola, sarsaparilla and vanilla. Full-bodied with smooth tannins and surprisingly fresh acidity. Lots of plums, raspberries, black cherries and blueberries, all cooked down into jams with notes of mint, sweet pipe tobacco and cola. Velvety, plush, fun, fan-friendly, but it also sports complexity and vibrancy. There’s this cool earthy, incense, pipe tobacco thing on the finish, too. Really yummy. (89 points)

2016 Frank Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon - California, Napa Valley
SRP: $58
Bright purple color. Big and juicy on the nose with currants, plums and black cherries, suave and fruity but complex notes of eucalyptus, tobacco, mint and dark chocolate notes. Full-bodied on the palate with a warm, inviting feel; velvety tannins, medium acidity. Very pretty fruit (black cherries, currants, dark plums), dark but tangy, and it’s paired well with notes of mint, eucalyptus, tobacco and vanilla. Harmonious and smooth, accessible young but has the structure to hold for a while as well. Includes a combined 10% Merlot and Cabernet Franc, this spends 20 months in 1/3 new French oak. (91 points)  

2016 Frank Family Vineyards Zinfandel - California, Napa Valley
SRP: $38
Bright purple. Juicy, tangy aromas of cherries, plums and raspberries, with cola, mint, chewing tobacco and cracked pepper. Full but suave on the palate with velvety tannins and surprisingly fresh acidity. Jammy raspberries, cherries and plums, but the fruit shows a tangy edge, and it’s accented by notes of spicy mint, tobacco, black pepper, hints of espresso and vanilla. So fun to drink bow but this could age for a few years. Includes 9% Petite Sirah, this spends 16 months in 1/3 new French oak. (90 points) 

2016 Provenance Vineyards Deadeye - California, Napa Valley
SRP: $50
Deep purple color. The aromas are dark and deep (currants, blueberries, blackberries), with anise, cocoa, vanilla and spice rub notes. This is big, juicy and deep on the palate, a mouth-filling presence with velvety tannins and enough acidity to moderate things. Waves of dark, smooth fruit blend well with cocoa, mint, scorched earth, cedar and tobacco. Graphite and mineral elements on the finish. Big (15.5%) but it holds itself together very well. Sourced from fruit from St. Helena, Howell Mountain, Oakville and Spring Mountain, aged 18 months in French, American and Hungarian oak (50% new). (90 points)

 2016 Louis M. Martini Cabernet Sauvignon - California, Napa Valley
SRP: $40
Medium purple color. The nose is sweet and inviting , with plums, black currants and fig paste, and notes of cedar, cocoa, coffee and scorched earth. Full-bodied with a bold presence on the palate, smooth tannins but they provide some grip, medium acidity. Flavors of juicy dark plums and blackberries (deep but the fruit has a nice tangy edge). Notes of cocoa, cedar, coffee grounds and mint add complexity. A nice warm, slightly earth aesthetic. This is really pleasant yet complex — Louis Martini’s Napa Cab is killer for the price. Aged 21 months in 30% new French and American oak. (90 points) 

2016 Louis M. Martini Cabernet Sauvignon - California, Sonoma County
SRP: $20
Light purple color. The nose shows plum sauce, black cherries and currants, warm but fresh fruit, mixed well with anise, cocoa, tobacco and vanilla. Full-bodied with a smooth, suave yet fresh appeal. Juicy and fresh black cherries, plum and cassis. Notes of tobacco, vanilla, clove and forest floor are woven in nicely. This is a really fun, accessible and early-drinking Cabernet, but complex, too, and consistently one of the better Cabs in this price range. Sourced from Frei Ranch and Barrelli Creek Vineyards, this includes some Petite Sirah, Petit Verdot and Merlot, aged 16 months in oak. (88 points)


This post first appeared on the daily wine blog Terroirist.

Celebrating Summer & Natural Wines with Maryland's Burnt Hill

I've grown tired of the term "natural wine."

When I first heard the term pop up a decade or so ago, usually among conversation with my dorky wine trade friends, it made some sense. It was used to describe a lot of the wines we all had liked for a long time: lower alcohol, no overt new oak, sometimes fizzy (Pet-Nat, for example), sometimes funky and quirky.

The winemakers who extolled this old-school, less technologically-focused aesthetic seemed like the kind of crunchy nerds I loved to hang out with. The focus on sustainability, biodynamics and other eco-conscious farming and winemaking methods has always resonated with me. And, of course, I found the wines to be delicious and fascinating.

But the term avoided definition or classification, and was used loosely and unsparingly. As the movement grew and garnered more and more attention in the culture, I noticed two loose camps begin to assemble.

The Natural Wine Evangelists seemed driven by levels of conviction and certainty that were beyond me. Now, I'm a semi-crunchy, organic-loving, biodynamic-supporting, nature-worshipping outdoorsman who really enjoys plenty of low-sulfite, extended skin contact, funky wines. But while I support low-intervention farming methods for environmental reasons, I'm unconvinced natural wines are any better for the human body. I have similar worries about the holier-than-thou attitude that seems to be a byproduct of the certain elements within the natural wine movement.

Then there are the Natural Wine Haters. They write off the entire movement as misguided, the wines as undrinkable, the natural wine-lovers as hipster lemmings. Their disdain for natural wines rivals the missionary zeal of the other side.

I'm not happy in either camp, although my sympathies lie with small producers trying to minimize their impact on the environment. But I find most of the discussion about what is and what is not "natural wine" and why it's good or bad to be exhausting. This is why I've written so little on the topic.

But I was beyond stoked to attend the inaugural Solstice Festival at Burnt Hill in Montgomery County, Maryland. This natural wine festival attracted me, first and foremost, because of the people behind it. I first wrote about Old Westminster Winery in 2016. I could tell Drew Baker and his sisters Ashli and Lisa were onto something great, and I was going to keep my eye on them.

When they broke ground on their new farm, Burnt Hill, and started talking about Maryland Gamay, I was all ears. Dave McIntyre at the Washington Post has a great, in-depth write-up on Burnt Hill in the Washington Post, which I won't attempt to reiterate because, well, he gets it all down pretty damn well here.

The Burnt Hill Crew teamed up with a few dozen low-intervention winemakers from all over the country (and world). They all gathered at a gorgeous farm in the rolling hills of Clarksburg, Maryland, to crack open bottles and spread positive wine vibes.

Only a cynical teetotaler could manage not to have a total blast at this festival. Hundreds of people gathered under large tents to taste unique and quirky wines of all different varieties and styles. I saw a few greased mustaches, but found nary a hint of pretension. I met up with some old friends, made a few new ones, and enjoyed supporting one of the Mid-Atlantic's most exciting wine producers.

Through it all, I managed to take a bunch of tasting notes on some delicious wines, which are included below. Enjoy! I sure did. And I can't wait to celebrate the Summer Solstice again at this festival in 2020.


Broc Cellars

2018 Broc Cellars Chenin Blanc Pétillant Shell Creek Vineyard - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles
Yeasty, lots of fizz, pear, honey, dusty, tart lemon, some spice and herbal tones, Really delicious. (90 points)

2018 Broc Cellars Friulano amore bianco Fox Hill Vineyard - USA, California, North Coast, Mendocino
Tropical, floral, peach nectar, tiny bubbles, lots of flowers and fruit, balanced nicely, a transparent style, and I love it. (91 points)

2017 Broc Cellars Cabernet Franc Whole Cluster - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County
Juicy, cherries, plush, not too herbaceous, bright and spicy, whole-cluster fermented. (88 points)

Hiyu Wine Farm

N.V. Hiyu Apple Floreal Cider - USA, Oregon, Hood River County
Juicy, crunchy, fizzy, fun. (87 points)

2018 Hiyu Zinfandel Smockshop Band Rosé - USA, Oregon, Columbia Valley
Gorgeous cherry color. Rich texture, juicy raspberries, with spice and herbs. (89 points)

2018 Hiyu Grenache Smockshop Band - USA, Oregon, Columbia Valley
Spicy, earthy, strawberries, bright and fun, spicy and tangy with a charcoal and forest floor element. Very exciting. (91 points)

N.V. Hiyu The May II - USA, Oregon/Washington, Columbia Gorge
Deep auburn color. Shows caramel, spiced tea, tons of pepper and grilling spices, shows some tannins, some volatile acidity but it’s woven in nicely (kind of like Madeira) and the wine shows a lot of depth and intrigue. A blend of wines from five different vintages, skin-fermented Pinot varieties. A weird wine that actually really works out, and I’m a fan. (89 points)

Georgian wines

2017 Chona's Marani Mtsvane & Rkatsiteli - Georgia, Kakheti
Almond, hay, waxy, apricot, sea salt. (88 points)

2017 Chona's Marani Rkatsiteli - Georgia, Kakheti
Very perfumed, briny, big texture, spiced tea and ginger, mint and menthol elements, a really balanced but wild wine that I found really impressive. (90 points)

2018 Baia's Wine Tsolikouri - Georgia, West Georgia, Imereti
Quince, orange marmalade, super zippy with briny, salty complexities, and hay, waxy, honeyed notes. Really unique and fascinating, totally delicious, a real surprise and treat. (91 points)

2018 Gvantsa's Wine Aladasturi - Georgia, West Georgia, Imereti
Super spicy red with cherries, strawberries, lots of incense, potpourri, spiced tea, bitter black tea. Fun stuff with some unique spicy flavor profiles. (88 points)

2016 Naotari Rkatsiteli Kisi Khikhvi Amber Wine - Georgia, Kakheti, Kvareli
So briny, dusty, earthy, a bit heavy and bitter. Pass. A blend of Rkatsiteli, Kisi and Khikhvi. (80 points)

2017 Orgo Saperavi - Georgia, Kakheti
Dark tart, anise, incense sticks, tangy plum skins and pepper. Fun! (87 points)

California

2017 Matthiasson Chardonnay Harms Vineyard - USA, California, Napa Valley
Salty and fresh with lemon crème, apricot. Pure, salty, a bit briny but lots of lush elements of honey and cream as well. Very pretty Chardonnay from Matthiasson, per usual. (91 points)

2018 Matthiasson Mataro Tendu - USA, California, Central Valley, Yolo County
Fresh, spicy, tangy, yet shows complexity. Vibrant red fruits with earthy, savory elements. Complex yet goes down so easily. (88 points)

2018 Matthiasson Tendu - USA, California
Barbera-based blend. Juicy, tangy but sweet cranberry sauce, raspberries, fun and fresh and crushable. (87 points)

2017 Matthiasson Grenache Syrah Mourvèdre - USA, California, Napa Valley
So fresh and floral with tangy red fruits and lots of pepper, potpourri, grilled herbs. Juicy but it’s really complex and spicy as well. (90 points)

Lightwell Survey

2016 Lightwell Survey Cabernet Franc The Weird Ones Are Wolves - USA, Virginia, Shenandoah Valley
Crushable, punchy, juice, nice floral, spice, tea elements. Has dashed of Petite Manseng and Riesling in it. Pretty cool stuff. (88 points)

2018 Lightwell Survey Blaufränkisch Dark Days - USA, Virginia
Really dark ruby color. Lots of fun, fresh, juicy strawberries and floral, spicy tones. 100% Blaufränkisch. (87 points)

2016 Lightwell Survey Hintermen - USA, Virginia, Shenandoah Valley
Peachy, tennis ball, magnolia flowers on the nose. Floral and juicy on the palate with super ripe peach, drizzled with lime, a mineral-rocky undertone. Really fun and cool stuff. Riesling and Petite Manseng. (89 points)

Fausse Piste

2018 Fausse Piste Muscat Fish Sauce Pet-Nat - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills
Spicy, floral, punchy, fine bubbles, really fresh. (88 points)

2018 Fausse Piste Oyster Sauce Grenache Rosé - USA, Oregon, Southern Oregon, Rogue Valley
Grenache rose. Fresh cherries and strawberries, racy acidity. (89 points)

N.V. Fausse Piste Pizza Sauce - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
Zesty, cherry-driven, accessible but has this complexity of texture and flavors from the aging and solera-style of this wine. Easy-drinking in the best sense of the word, but a lot of fun, too. A multi-vintage blend of all sorts of red (and some white) grapes. (90 points)

Scholium Project

2015 Scholium Project La Severità di Bruto Farina - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Mountain
Deep texture, rich fruit (orange, lemon, peach) with spicy herbal tones. Vibrant and impressive. (89 points)

2016 Scholium Project The Prince In His Caves Farina - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Mountain
Lemon, peach, honey, waxy notes, some mint and white pepper. This has some skin-contact that gives it a lot more textural depth and some cool olive oil and almond elements. (90 points)

2016 Scholium Project 1MN Bechtold Ranch - USA, California, Central Valley, Lodi
So aromatic with rose potpourri, pepper, clove, warm clay, tangy red apple and raspberry fruit. Gorgeous texture, dusty tannins, crisp acidity, crunchy red fruits laced with all sorts of earthy, savory complexities. A beautiful Bechtoldt vineyard that should do interesting things with age. Wine of the festival for me. (93 points)

Purity

2018 Purity Wine Verdelho Silvaspoons - USA, California, Central Valley, Lodi
Whoa! No formal notes, but this wine wowed me and kept me at this table to try the others. (90 points)

2018 Purity Wine Roussanne Orange Carbo-Crush Oakstone - USA, California, Sierra Foothills, Nevada County
So, this is really fun. Skin-fermented, semi-carbonic Roussanne – and it works! Texturally deep but fresh, with a pleasant bitterness and lots of complex spicy, floral tones. Fascinating and, yeah, weird, but it works. I bought a bottle to blind some wine nerds on and mess with them. (91 points)

2016 Purity Wine Grenache Covfefe Oakstone Vineyard - USA, California, Sierra Foothills, Nevada County
So spicy, tangy, nice grip. Tart fruits with lots of pepper and earth and a fun but not overwhelming amount of funky, beefy notes. (87 points)

2015 Purity Wine Syrah Blackbird - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Mountain
Stewed plums, incense sticks, black pepper, mulling spices. A warm and roasted kind of Syrah, but still nice. (86 points)