A youthful Chardonnay with complexity built on Burgundian-style wine making and Californian ripeness. Hazelnut, smoke and popcorn rise over a range of fruits from lemon to pineapple. Vanilla, ginger and wet stones showcase the wine making. Full body and intense flavour lead to a long finish. An excellent wine to drink now and over the next 3-5 years. (2021 tasted 16 March 2024)

United States » California » Central Coast, Chardonnay

A very good, textbook, straight-up Gamay with ripe cherry/raspberry fruit and dried violets, a fresh medium body palate, light chalky tannin, and a juicy finish. Serve slightly chilled and drink over next year or so. The 2022 vintage is currently available. (2021 vintage tasted 16 March 2024)

France » Burgundy, Gamay

Nineteen years old and in a beautiful drinking window. Intense ripe cassis with mature dark fruit, mint and vanilla giving way to tobacco and cedar on the palate. Mellowed tannin frames a rich, full-bodied core. I'm sorry it's my last bottle! A "Cellar Starter" wine. (2005 vintage tasted 8 March 2024)

South Africa » Stellenbosch, 2005, Cabernet Sauvignon

A delightful young wine based on Nebbiolo and "local red grapes." Bright cherry/raspberry fruit, perfume/floral notes, ripe framing tannin, juicy palate, medium body, and a mouth-watering finish demand a second sip, and a third... So good to drink as a young wine--serve slightly chilled and soon. 2020 vintage tasted 8 March 2024.

Italy » Piedmont, 2020

A squeaky clean, crunchy, cherry-raspberry Pinot Noir with medium intense ripe tannins and underlying savoury notes that add interest. Very food friendly and ready to drink. A challenging vintage saved by a good summer and fall--good job! (2022 vintage tasted 8 March 2024)

Canada » British Columbia » Okanagan Valley, Pinot Noir

An Australian take on a grape variety from NW Spain. A spicy intensity suggests the warmer climate but the pithy, citrus, orange, honeydew and white pepper are all Albarino (with the volume turned up). Youthful at the moment and wanting a little bit more time in bottle, but already making a good impression. 2023 vintage tasted 8 March 2024.

Australia » New South Wales » Hunter Valley, 2023

This single-vineyard wine from an outstanding hillside site has racy acidity, Sauvignon Blanc traits of pear, apple, apple blossom, citrus, wet stones and anise. What sets it apart is a brilliant, beautifully balanced restraint and its lingering intensity. Outstanding. (2022 vintage tasted 8 March 2024)

France » Loire Valley, Sauvignon Blanc

From Trentino in northern Italy with classic mature Bordeaux character! Mature cassis, black cherry, cedar, tobacco, and spice with smooth mellowed tannin, beautiful balance and a long finish--all from the maligned "hot" 2003 vintage. San Leonardo is deservedly one of the most hallowed wines of Italy. Outstanding. 2003 vintage tasted 23 Feb 2003.

Italy » Trentino-Alto Adige, 2018, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carménère, Merlot

A grand old wine, fully mature with cooked cherry/strawberry, savoury spice and underbrush notes, smooth tannins, and food-loving acidity. Excellent balance sustaining a surprisingly long finish. Terrific aged Pinot Noir character with engaging complexity, but time to drink up if you have some. 2008 vintage tasted 23 Feb 2024.

South Africa, 2008, Pinot Noir, with a community rating of 93/100

Each vintage of this wine provides excellent North Rhone typicality--black pepper, violets, blackberry/cherry, hot black earth, Provencal herbs, medium body, fine tannin-- this vintage is possibly a bit less obvious than others but the one picked by Wine Spectator as a Top 100 for 2023. The balance is excellent so that the wine drinks well now and likely any time over the next 8 years. Classically styled. 2020 vintage tasted 23 Feb 2024.

France » Rhône, Syrah, with a community rating of 92/100

An inky deep, purple wine with pronounced aromas of blackberry, dried currant, and white pepper. Uber-ripe but not jammy; rich and full bodied. Ripe soft tannin, pronounced intensity, long finish. A tad monolithic, but a great mouthful of powerful wine. Drink now and over next 2-5 years. 2021 tasted 5 Feb 2024.

Australia » South Australia » Barossa » Barossa Valley, 2021, Shiraz, with a community rating of 93/100

2019 Lingenfelder Ganymed is again a Burgundian expression of Pinot Noir more savoury than fruity with mature cherry/berry fruit, sous bois, integrated oak, a touch of brown sugar and a warming touch of alcohol. The tannin is lightly gripping, the mid-palate is round, and the wine shows surprising maturity for a 4-year old wine. Drinking now and for at least the next 2-5 years. Complex and illustrative of the difference between "wine" and "fermented grape juice." 2019 tasted 5 Feb 2024.

Germany » Pfalz, 2019, Pinot Noir, with a community rating of 92/100

Almost a generation old :). Was impressive as a powerful young Central Coast Pinot Noir, but now is showing cooked cherry fruit with a bit of a cough syrup quality including a warm finish. It's a lot to ask a wine to age for 16 years, so I'm not disappointed, in fact it it's still drinking well and it brings back memories of an already past era of winemaking. 2007 tasted 5 Feb 2024.

United States » California, 2014, Pinot Noir

A typical German Riesling with refreshing high acidity and a just-detectable touch of sweetness to give a sweet-sour (yin-yang) balance to green apple-lemon flavours. Ideal for German or Asian cuisine. Drink now and for several years. Very good. (2021 tasted 15 Dec 2013)

Germany » Rheinhessen, 2021, Riesling

Street talk: drink your Langhe Nebbiolos while waiting for your Barolos and Barbarescos to mature. Good advice. This tasty wine at 9 years old shows excellent Nebbiolo character but not the development of complexity expected of its more famous/more expensive role models. Pale ruby, firm tannins, juicy cherry and sous bois traits, great balance for food pairing and hallmarks of excellent wine making. It was also great 6 years ago :). Drink up and enjoy. 2014 tasted 4 Feb 2024.

Italy » Piedmont, Nebbiolo