cat shepard

Thank you for getting us started Sandi! Rich, thank you for making sure we can continue while you are enjoying the World. Vanessa thank you for keeping track of all our goings on. Another lovely morning. It is time for me to water some of my outdoor flowers in boxes. We are now under a fire warning and though showers are expected on Saturday, we need rain. I have thoroughly enjoyed our amazing weather, but I know it comes with a price. Sigh. Just Zumba. Then Bindi walks, a few chores and a wine delivery 😎. Not a bad day here. Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating. Get well & stay well everyone! ********** Clarendelle Rouge inspired by Haut- Brion, 2019 Bordeaux, France Another somewhat elusive wine. I used the 2019 info, since that might be the easiest to fin. Very good consumer and critic ratings, and at least one domestic distributor willing to ship to me for $21.99 plus shipping. Distributor notes Think of a classic red and you’ll hear noise — a big bombastic bottling with deep, rich flavours and a blood red colour. Clarendelle’s Bordeaux-made offering, however, is a little more refined. Rather than going for power, it perfects the balance and elegance of considerably more rarefied wines. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc swirl together to create the Rouge — a quiet symphony of dark fruits and chocolate. It is rich, but not overpowering. It has soft tannins, well-balanced acidity and a savoury character — and ends on spicy tobacco notes.

Forget the recon team. All I had to do was switch on my decoder ring. @RedneckBob we are on to you!

Welcome aboard! Consider this your alias!

Sandi, thank you for starting the day, you have done Rich proud. All his efforts have paid off. And Vanessa, you have done Roy proud, by so meticulously keeping our lists. Even organizing them a bit more. It is another lovely, dry morning here. As much as I love this weather, I know we need the rain. Bindi seems to have finally overcome her stress. Of course seeing her favorite mail carrier yesterday surely helped. Final rug cleaning, Bindi walks and my afternoon HIIT class round out the day. Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating- Happy Birthday Bruce! @aliaschief Get well & stay well everyone! *************** Backsberg Pumphouse Shiraz 2020, Paarl, South Africa Another somewhat elusive wine, but can a wine whose grapes were grown in “chocolate cake soils” be bad? I need a taste first, but the price is certainly right. Just not available in my neighborhood. I found one online distributor offering it for $11.67 + shipping. Winemaker notes VINTAGE 2020 W.O. COASTAL REGION The Family Tree honours the rich tapestry of people and places that were integral in the Backsberg legacy. The Pumphouse was a humble concrete structure, traditionally located high up on the slopes of the mountain. A vital life-source for happy healthy vines, this structure epitomises Backsberg’s approach to winemaking, being unassuming but extraordinary. VITICULTURE Grown in weathered granite and Chocolate Cake soils on high elevation mountain slopes with cooling breezes from the Atlantic. This ensures optimal berry ripening. Open-armed 22 year-old lyre trellised vines provide maximum sun exposure with carefully considered drip irrigation encouraging ideal flavour development. 8 tons/Ha delivers concentrated, high-quality fruit. VINIFICATION Soft-skinned Shiraz was fermented warm for 10 days. It was then pressed to finish fermentation in barrel. Aging occurs for 14 months in small French and American oak barriques. TASTING NOTE On the nose expect old spice, cedar and vanilla. Exhibiting a wonderful velvety depth, this is a powerhouse of a wine with flavours of ripe plum, black cherry, mulberry, liquorice and spiced fruit cake. A generous wine that just keeps giving. Pair with hearty stews and rich roasts AWARDS Decanter Silver (‘22) | IWSC Bronze (‘22)

Thank you for starting our day, Sandi! Rich, thank you for making sure the Fleet Report & Daily continue while you are touring the World! Vanessa, thank you for keeping up with all of us. Dixie & Debbie thank you for taking on our drinks and meals! It is another lovely morning here. Off to Aldi, then Bindi walks, an early after class and maybe some more pool time later. Bindi still has not returned to her calmness, since she is stressed by not seeing her mail carrier. Hoping she calms down soon. And for our garden club members…. Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Get well & stay well everyone! ********* Chateau Talbot St.-Julien 2019 A lovely sounding red blend that is just a bit outside of my budget range. Lots of consumer and critic fans. Excellent reviews with prices starting at $69.98. Winemaker Notes #4 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2022 Blend: 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot The Barrel Sample for this wine is above 14% ABV. WE96 Wine Enthusiast A rich, spicy and smoky wine, this has generous tannins to balance the blackberry fruit flavors. The structure is already impressive, showing ripeness as well as density, which is promising for plenty of aging. Barrel Sample: 94-96 JS95 James Suckling A juicy, fruity wine with lots of blue fruit, blackberries and dark chocolate. Pretty depth and structure to this. Polished and structured at the same time. Barrel Sample: 94-95 WS95 Wine Spectator Well-built and rather refined for the vintage, with a deep well of red and black currant paste and plum reduction flavors supported by a deeply inlaid iron note, all of which run the length of the wine. Offers subtle savory, tobacco and singed cedar notes that add range, with a savory echo that leaves a mouthwatering feel in the end. Built to cellar. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Best from 2025. D93 Decanter St Julien's largest property at 110ha (up there with Lagrange if you're keeping track), this has lovely plump black fruits on the nose. Takes hold right from the start, with clear tannic build and a silky character to the tannins. This continues the run of good vintages that Talbot has been producing since 2016. Well balanced, with plenty of St Julien character. Tasted twice two weeks apart. Highest ever level of Cabernet Sauvignon at the estate. Harvest 19 September to 8 October. 60% new oak. JD93 Jeb Dunnuck The 2019 Château Talbot is straight-up impressive, sporting a dense purple hue as well as a powerful nose of cassis, scorched earth, smoked tobacco, and spicy wood. Rich, black-fruited, medium to full-bodied, and structured, it's a rock-solid, balanced Saint-Julien that will benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and age for 15-20 years. Rating : 93+ Best After 2026 RP93 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate The 2019 Talbot is performing well, opening in the glass with aromas of earthy cassis, plums, burning embers and pencil shavings. Medium to full-bodied, fleshy and succulent, with powdery tannins, lively acids and a savory finish, it's Jean-Michel Laporte's second vintage at this sleeping giant of Saint-Julien. This will be an estate to watch closely going forward. Best after 2027.

@cruising Katie I am proud of you for making that decision. One of the hardest humans have to make. Hope wonderful memories help ease your pain. I also hope you share more of your days with us.

Dixie, please stay away from this golf course. Be sure to tell your family & friends, too! Perhaps not why you want to make the news…

Thank you for starting our day, Sandi! Rich, it really was so generous of you to set us up to continue while you sailing the World. Vanessa, thank you for your very thoughtful and precise keeping of the lists. A bit foggy here this morning, but the sun is already breaking through. My visitors enjoyed some amazing weather. My pool was even warm enough to enjoy! We started and ended each day outside and enjoyed the birds singing in the morning. Bindi did not do well with the stress of visitors and the disruption to her routine. She may be at an age where a stay at her Pet Paradise is more enjoyable for her. Not sure. Off to the gym and then some cleanup & Bindi walks will help fill up the day. Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating. Get well & stay well everyone! ******** Felton Road Chardonnay Central Otago Block 6 2021 Another elusive New Zealand wine, but I did find one Australian distributor who ships to me - and who provided some excellent insight into why this Chardonnay is so good. You might find others. Now if the shipping cost wouldn’t be astronomical, I might be tempted. My price was $44.44. Distributor notes The higher elevation and north-facing slope of Block 6 provide a unique difference in the growing and ripening conditions compared to Block 2, whilst sharing very similar deep, schist gravel soils. Riper fruit with delicate brioche notes and almond lead the aromatics. A more mouthcoating and broader Chardonnay that is still transparent and detailed from the careful handling. The 2021 vintage has yielded precise and sophisticated Chardonnays. Critic insight Felton Road wines are located in Bannockburn, Central Otago in New Zealand, the most southerly wine-growing region in the World. Here, vineyards are nestled into small macroclimates totally surrounded by high mountains, many of which are snowcapped all year round. Though the location is on the edge of sustainable viticulture these macroclimates consistently combine hot days, cool nights, and long dry autumns. The latitude of 45 degrees south is similar to the Willamette Valley in Oregon and some of the finest wine regions of France. "Both of Felton Road's Pinot Noirs are breakthrough efforts in New Zealand and compete with the finest wines being made in California, Oregon, and Burgundy's Cote d'Or. The Wine Advocate; Robert Parker

Sandi, thank you for starting us off this morning! Rich thank you yet again for making sure we could meet every day! Vanessa, your keeping of our lists is much appreciated - you often catch something that I miss. Another spectacular morning. Yesterday was just filled to the brim with fun, activity, food and even some wine. I am hoping to sneak a quick trip to the gym in this morning. Then we all gather one last time for breakfast before wishing our visitors safe travels. They are heading South to Vero Beach for a few days before flying back to Boston. My Grand-nephew had a lot of “man time” with his Uncle, and we hope this has helped him deal a bit with his grief. Perhaps a bit too much wine? Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Get well & stay well everyone! *********** Familia Zuccardi Malbec Paraje Altamira Concreto 2021 This Argentinian Malbec is enjoyed by critics and consumers. I tend to veer away from them, unless they are very smooth. So I would be willing to at least taste this for the team. 😎. Several online distributors with prices starting at $31.92. Winemaker Notes #43 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2022 Red color with violet hues. It expresses a great herbal character with notes of red fruits. In the mouth is long and with a distinctive mineral texture. A wine of great structure and acidity. Blend: 100% Malbec JS95 James Suckling Such a brooding nose with black pepper, violet and fresh blueberry and blackberry fruit. Spicy and tight on the palate, but super polished, racy and refined. Medium-to full-bodied red with beautiful tannin tension and expressive, floral notes in the finish. Exemplary and authentic! So delicious now. Why wait? RP95 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate The 2021 Concreto Malbec has to be one of the finest vintages of this wine despite its youth and still shy personality. But there are tons of flowers, wild herbs and berries there waiting to emerge in an insinuating way, with austerity but unfurling layers and layers as the wine sits in the glass. It's incredibly fine-boned with chalky tannins that scream limestone, full of precision and purity. For Sebastián Zuccardi, they didn't do anything different, it's just the character of the year. This is the wine that explains their philosophy without breaking your piggy bank. Rating: 95+ WS92 Wine Spectator A youthful, lively and expressive red, showing floral macerated cherry and plum flavors amid toasted herb and espresso bean details. Ends with minerally tannins, which are firm yet perky, and a note of baker's chocolate.

Thank you Sandi, a lovely start to my day! Rich thank you for making it happen. Vanessa, thank you for keeping our lists. Just a quick pop in to share the wine info. My visitors woke up as early as I did. 😎. It is already a beautiful day here. Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating. Get well & stay well everyone! ******** Fattoria Le Pupille Toscana Saffredi 2019 This amazing red blend sounds lovely. Lots of fans everywhere! But those fans pay a bit to enjoy this one. Several online distributors with prices starting at $98.99. Winemaker Notes #8 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2022 Dense ruby red. Dark fruit on the nose, such as blackberry and black mulberry, intense aromas of black pepper and cinnamon, tobacco and freshly ground coffee, hints of sandalwood, rhubarb, pepper and balsamic notes at the end. The mouthfeel is fresh, with elegant and round tannins. Very long persistence on fruity notes. Blend: 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot JS99 James Suckling So much crushed stone, rosemary, lavender, mint and blackberry. Full-bodied and very structured with layers of powerful and polished tannins. It goes on for minutes. Ink, blackcurrants and blueberries. 60% cabernet sauvignon, 35% merlot and 5% petit verdot. Needs at least five or six years to open. Try after 2025. RP97 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate My article on icon wines from Tuscany focuses primarily on releases from the 2018 vintage. Fattoria le Pupille releases its top wine, the 2019 Saffredi, earlier than the rest. This blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot is explosive. The percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon has been slightly increased in this vintage (and we can expect the same in the warm 2020 vintage that saw the percentage of Merlot further reduced). This 2019 expression boasts a very compact and powerful quality of fruit with deep intensity, thick layering and a velvety texture. This is a real beauty that should be put aside for a few more years of aging. Rating: 97+ WS96 Wine Spectator A deep, polished red, whose black currant, blackberry, plum, violet and oak spice aromas and flavors mesh well with the dense structure, showing terrific length. Very focused and balanced, this needs a few years to integrate.

Welcome aboard, Todd! Ann

Well, just hold all those birthday wishes until June, Roy. And now I have marked my calendar, so I can’t imagine it again. I had even had two cups of coffee, too!

So is this Happy Birthday, Roy? If so, may your new year be filled with great health, laughter, love, and a cruise!

Thank you for getting us started, Sandi. Rich, thank you for making this all happen! A super dense fog here this morning. Bindi was very puzzled. But it is already 67, and looks to be a beautiful day. Vanessa, thank you for tracking our highs & lows so diligently. Off to the gym. Then I am hoping the company comes to out the furniture back while I am gone. All the preps for my family coming in are done. Even the pool temp is cooperating at a balmy 84. Hoping this bittersweet gathering will help all of us cope with my nephew’s passing. Especially his son. Sometimes my nose has an off day, and I feel like this person… Prayers for all who need our support. @marshhawk Annie, extra prayers for Neko, you & DH. ❤️ Cheers to all who are celebrating! Get well & stay well everyone! ********* Chateau Ste. Michelle Chardonnay 2018 Canoe RidgeEstate, Horse Heaven Hills, Washington I used the 2018 vintage info, since that seems to be the easiest to find. Excellent reviews from consumers and critics, and available from numerous sources. Online distributor prices start at $19.99. BTW Mr. Parker’s review takes on a poetic note near the end. Winemaker Notes The Canoe Ridge Estate Chardonnay is refined and elegant and offers apple and citrus aromas with a clean, refreshing finish. We age the wine in lighter French oak barrels to maintain the fresh, elegant style of this Chardonnay. Ideal pairings include salmon, crab cakes, and pork. JS92 James Suckling Peach, apricot, pineapple, cream and praline on the nose. It’s medium-to full-bodied with creamy layers and bright acidity. Concentrated, yet fresh and pretty. Drink or hol WE90 Wine Enthusiast Aromas of peach, straw and sweet spice lead to stone fruit flavors that are rich in the center. Like many wines from this vintage, its appeal is much about the balance it brings. W&S90 Wine & Spirits This chardonnay from a warm site has a rich scent of chopped pineapple, cut slightly by citrus. It’s satisfying, delivering a lot of weight and body for the price. RP89 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate The 2018 Chardonnay Canoe Ridge Estate Vineyard displays a pale gold core and offers aromas of candy corn, yellow apples, wax melon, marshmallow and sweet citrus. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is layered with flavors of citrus pastry cream and offers a rich mouthfeel with a soft nutty undercurrent from sur lie aging. The wine comes to a close with a delightful and round finish. 6,500 bottles were made.

Welcome! Hope to see more of you!

@JazzyV Vanessa, I was so sorry to hear of your BFF’s Uncle’s passing. My prayers to you both and the rest of his friends and family.

Thank you for getting us started, Sandi! I am toasting you and Rich, who created this amazing place, with my coffee! Vanessa thank for so diligently keeping our lists, you are taking such care of us. Another glorious day here this morning. Today the pavers on my pool deck are sealed. The company had time to seal the driveway yesterday, so I am able to use it this afternoon. Just Zumba, final prep for my weekend visitors and Bindi walks will round out my day. Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Get well & stay well everyone! ********** Pine Ridge 2017 Chardonnay, Napa Valley, California This Chardonnay sounds interesting and I’d love a taste. Excellent consumer and critic reviews. Available from a few online distributors with prices starting at $45.97. I used the 2017 vintage info since it covered more, but more recent vintages might be easier to find. Winemaker Notes Tension between richness and acidity. Lemon zest and bright apple aromas give lift to mango, white peach, and toast. The palate follows with lemon curd, white peach, Bartlett pear, and hints of graham cracker and nutmeg. This wine is round, silky, and viscous, showing good weight with zesty acidity that carries freshness and provides added dimension. Enjoyably broad and expansive on the palate with a long, lemony finish. JS93 James Suckling Lots of dried apricots and apples with peaches on the nose and palate. Full bodied, round and layered with a creamy and delicious finish. Lightly toasted oak plays well with the wine. Drink now. W&S90 Wine & Spirits Developing a golden color with age, this wine sustains fresh pear and lemon-balm scents over simple grapeskin flavors. It’s soft and elegant, built for lemony roast chicken

Annie Bless you & DH for giving Nemo the most important gift of all and the most difficult for you. ❤️

Sandi, she is part Australian cattle dog and part Corgi.

Bindi is my avatar. Here is the entire pic. I took it her adoption day - almost 7 years ago. A lot more grey around the muzzle.

Thank you for getting us started, Sandi. I see that you were up super early this morning. Rich, thank you for making it so easy for us to continue while you are enjoying the World! Vanessa, thank you for making sure our lists include all our happenings! It is a very foggy morning here this more, but once it burns off - it should be another gorgeous day. Today is paver cleaning day, Bindi walks, meeting with a local group that offers pre-paid cremation/burial services and then my HIIT. I also need to do a bit more prep for my out-of-town family. I should sleep well tonight. Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Get well & stay well everyone! *********** Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou, St.Julien, Bordeaux, France 2014 An amazing sounding Bordeaux blend that has a low critic score of 95! But those ratings come at a hefty price. A decent number of online distributors with prices starting at $194.89. Winemaker Notes Intense garnet red color. An elegant bouquet very Ducru-Beaucaillou! Cedar at the start then notes of black pepper with a hint of vanilla. With airing, it evolves towards subtle hints of fine spices and notes of black cherry. Gorgeous palate with a beautiful tannin grain and perfect harmony. A neat and polished wine with excellent definition. Great freshness. Amazing purity. A succulent wine, vibrant, brilliant, wonderfully balanced. Blend: 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot JS99 James Suckling Fabulous aromas of crushed berries such as blackberries and blackcurrants, not to mention spices. Wet earth and cedar, too. Complex. Full-bodied, yet agile and complete. A dense center palate. Ultra-round tannins. Everything in the right balance. Wonderful to taste but better to drink in 2022. D97 Decanter We are now in the realm of truly young wines, and also in the realm of Ducru just totally hitting its stride and celebrating it potential. This is young and inky in colour, fresh with plenty of St Julien signature: real menthol freshness and cigar box seduction - great Cabernet flavours. This is barely getting going and is a wine that you want to know what happens next. Excellent stuff, spicy, powerful and juicy. 100% new oak. WE96 Wine Enthusiast This powerful wine has a superb mix of the crispest fruit and great structure. Blackberries and black currants shine through the tannins, expressing the liveliness of the vintage. It is so well delineated with everything in its place. The wine is certainly going to age for decades. Drink from 2027. Cellar Selection JD96 Jeb Dunnuck I just love the style of this estate and the 2014 Ducru-Beaucaillou is an undeniable success in the vintage. Made from 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot brought up in 100% new French oak, it offers a deep purple color as well as both elegance and power in its crème de cassis, raspberries, cedarwood, graphite, and floral bouquet, with its background oak smothered in fruit. Possessing a classic elegance, full-bodied richness, sweet tannin, and stunning length, it one of the wines of the vintage and will drink nicely for another two to three decades. RP95 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate Very deep garnet in color, the 2014 Ducru-Beaucaillou springs from the glass, offering vibrant notions of fresh black currants, black cherries and black raspberries with touches of spice box, licorice and fragrant soil plus a waft of lavender. Medium-bodied, the palate bursts with lively, crunchy black fruits, supported by ripe, grainy tannins and finishing on a lingering spicy note. WS95 Wine Spectator Opulent, with layers of warmed fig, boysenberry and blackberry confiture that loll along, yet are kept going by a terrific graphite note that is well-buried throughout. Alluring black tea, singed mesquite and bittersweet cocoa accents add to the panache. A head-turner. Best from 2020 through 2040.

Thank you for getting us started, Sandi! Rich, hope you are enjoying the World! Thank you for making sure we are able to continue on while you are away! Vanessa, thank you keeping track of all our happenings for the lists. Another lovely morning here. Today is laundry day, and finish getting the pool deck stuff moved so the pavers can be cleaned & sealed- though the company will move the big things. And then I need to start getting ready for my visitors who arrive on Friday. Add Bindi walks and a gym class - and I should sleep well tonight! Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating. Get well and stay well everyone! ********** Nalle Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley 2019 This California Zinfandel might be a bit too bold for me, but I would a taste. Excellent consumer and critic reviews and though a bit elusive there are several online distributors with prices starting at $42.99. Winemaker Notes #32 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2022 Rich with dusty cherry, pomegranate compote, vanilla, and plum spice. What you’ll taste here can only be described as Dry Creek sunshine in a bottle bursting with zinberry, dried cherries, and blueberry notes. Nuanced oak imparts a burst of fresh mid palate spice. Tannins are fine-grained and in tune with bright acidity and moderate alcohol, adding structure and body but never overpowering. This wine is cool and oh so gluggable. This wine has staying power. WS94 Wine Spectator Refined and graceful, this is a top form Zinfandel, with vibrant cherry and raspberry flavors laced with sweet anise and pepper. The finish lingers long toward polished tannins. Drink now through 2030

Sandi - welcome back & thank you for posting today’s Report & Daily! Hope your return home wasn’t too traumatic. Rich, thank you for making sure we were all set - even with you touring the World! Vanessa, thank you for keeping our lists! It is a glorious day here, with just a hint of coolness in the morning. Off to the gym, then Bindi walks, chores, and getting ready for my pavers to be cleaned & resealed will round out my day. Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Get well & stay well everyone! ********** Gérard Fiou Sancerre Terroir Silex 2021 Another opportunity to use my upgraded decoder ring. This Sancerre sounds interesting and I would love a taste. Excellent critic and consumer ratings. A bit elusive, but I found one online distributor that would ship to me for a decent price -$29.99. Winemaker Notes #81 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2022 Overflowing aromas of flints and spices. Powerful in fruit and in body evokes the Sauvignon flower and the sap of the vines. With a superb balance, a delicate and harmonious expression, all of its elegance grows on the finish. D92 Decanter Light citrus aromas and mouth-filling ripe fruit nicely balanced by its refreshing acidity in its long finish. This promising, charming Sancerre should develop further in bottle. The 34ha Gérard Fiou domaine is based in St-Satur with its vineyards on the flinty slopes of this commune. Due to a lack of successors, the domaine was sold to the Famille Bourgeois in 2005. As with Domaine Laporte, the Bourgeois family decided to keep the domaine separate with its own winery rather than vinify in their winery at Chavignol. WS90 Wine Spectator Offers grapefruit, lemon verbena and fresh-cut herbs interwoven across a nicely structured, dense palate edged in salty, fine-grained minerals. The finish is carried by lime zest, with dried tea leaf and flint accents.

Thank you Rich for making this happen & still enjoying your cruise! Vanessa, thank you for keeping our lists. Sandi hope your ride home wasn’t too bad. Lots of traffic in my area the last few days. Just starting to get light out. Lots of stars accompanied Bindi and me on our morning walk. Just an early trip to the gym, then Aldi. Bindi walks and getting ready for my visitors coming in Friday. Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating. Get well & stay well everyone! ********* Chateau Ste. Michelle & Dr. Loosen Eroica Riesling, Washington State Easy to find & very good - excellent consumer & critic reviews. I used the 2021 vintage info. You can even find this one at a grocery store. Numerous distributors with online prices starting at $14.95. 91 Wine Enthusiast The aromas are dynamic, with notes of Nestea Iced Tea, lemon, white grapefruit rind, white peach, melon and wet slate. The palate is considerably fuller than many recent years, true to the vintage, loaded with stone fruit and citrus flavors. The acid that is the hallmark of this wine remains.

Today is National Chocolate Mint Day, Iwo Jima Day, and National Vet Girls Rise Day I have begun to think of life as a series of ripples widening out from an original center. - Seamus HeaneyMeal Suggestion for today - Radicchio And Mandarin Orange Salad With Walnuts ADrink of the Day - Bloody MarkWine of the Day - Chateau Ste. Michelle & Dr. Loosen Eroica Riesling, Washington StateDestination of the Day - Zanzibar, Tanzania Eurodam At Sea Destination Fort Lauderdale, Port Everglades, Florida eta 3-04 Koningsdam At Sea Destination Kailua-Kona, Hawaii Island eta 2-24 Nieuw Amsterdam Fort Lauderdale, Port Everglades, Florida 07:00 - 16:00 Nieuw Statendam Half Moon Cay, Bahamas 08:00 - 15:00 Oosterdam At Sea Destination Puerto Chacabuco, Chile eta 2-21 Rotterdam At Sea Destination Kralendijk Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles eta 2-20 Volendam Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 15:00 Depart Zaandam At Sea Destination Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico Riviera eta 2-21Eastern Hemisphere Noordam Picton, New Zealand 10:00 - 20:00 Westerdam Pulau Komodo Island, East Nusa Tenggara Indonesia 08:00 - 15:00 Zuiderdam At Sea Destination Fremantle, Perth, Western Australia eta 2-21 Ann for Paul, Sandi, Roy and Rich - the Editor-in-Chief!