cat shepard

Sandi thank you for getting us started! Vanessa, thank you for keeping such meticulous track of our happenings. Rich, Be Nasty Day?????? - I can picture you sitting at your computer, rubbing your hands together thinking “This will get the Dailyites started.” 😎 Another glorious morning here. Mani pedi for me this morning. Then Bindi walks, HIIT and pool time. Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Get well & stay well everyone! ********* Prophet's Rock Pinot Noir Central Otago Retrospect 2017 If you are lucky enough to live in New Zealand ( @erewhon ) or at least visit it - you could try this wine. I found a few online distributors of this organic Pinot Noir, but I am not sure if any ship to me. And even if they did, how much would they charge for shipping? Even the sales price of $83.03 is outside of my budget, but the wine sounds amazing. Winemaker notes Vineyard notes: "The vineyard sits on a high elevation (320 – 390m), steep glacial terrace high above the valley floor. The site features some of the oldest vineyard soils in the valley with the formation of the terrace occurring approximately 650K years ago. The soil age and dry Central Otago climate have combined to create the unusual clay and pedogenic lime soil structure. Beneath layers of clay at a depth of 50cm in this parcel sits a thick layer of chalk. The 7.5ha site was prepared and planted between 1999-2001 and the parcel of Pinot Noir for this wine is a single clone at the eastern end of the steep front face. Full organic certification (Biogro) was completed prior to the 2018 vintage. A strong focus on viticulture is the foundation of the winemaking approach.

@RedneckBob Happy Birthday! May your new year be filled with laughter, fun, great health & better jokes.

Sandi, thank you for getting us started! You have taken such care of us & still shared your wonderful pictures. Vanessa, thank you for helping us to celebrate and commiserate with each other. This is such a safe place to vent and share - the good and the tragic. @smitty34877 Terry, praying that all goes well for DH and you today. @summer slope Dixie, I am so happy to read that Bailey is doing well! Woo hoo! This morning is exquisitely beautiful. I am so spoiled. I know we need rain & lots of it, but I hope it waits a bit longer, so that the bikers visiting can enjoy the great weather. Last year was not that kind to them. I need an Aldi run this morning, and then I will attempt my afternoon gym class - but I will use the back way. No traffic lights until right before the gym and no “temporary biker crosswalks” erected across a four lane highway. 🤞🏻 Wish me luck. Bindi walks, Emma walks (my next door neighbor’s dog), laundry & pool time. Sounds good to me. Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Get well & stay well everyone! ****** The Elder Pinot Noir Martinborough 2019 Rich, where did you pull this one from? I found NOTHING about the 2019 vintage using Google. So that leaves us with the 2018 vintage, and it is an excellent one. Good thing. A bit pricey online, but a few New Zealand distributors will ship to me with prices starting at $41.99. I am certain that shipping costs would bring it outside of my budget. @erewhon, I keep dropping hints that you could have a very lucrative shipping business, if you were so inclined. Though I will settle for you trying the wine and sharing your thoughts. Winemaker notes The Vineyard The vineyard is located on an elevated river terrace at the southern end of the Te Muna Valley, at the confluence of the Ruakokopatuna and Huangarua Rivers. The grapes are grown following organic principles in the most sustainable manner possible, with minimal use of irrigation. The Season A warm settled spring with no frosts and very little wind provided an excellent start to the season. The lovely weather continued through into summer giving us favorable fruit sets in all varieties and everything was looking very positive. February threw us a curveball with high humidity and rainfall was three times higher than the monthly average meaning extra vineyard work was needed to thin canopies and bunches. Overall a very promising vintage with bright fruit expression, low acids, and supple tannin structure. The Cellar All fruit was carefully hand-picked over two vineyard passes. In the winery, we destemmed all fruit into 3T open-top tanks, and fermentation started naturally from indigenous yeasts, which add to the wine’s complexity. The wine spent between 18 and 20 days on skins including punching down by hand up to two times a day, before being pressed to French oak barrels. The wine underwent malolactic fermentation in the barrel and remained on its lees for ten months before racking, blending, and bottling. Tasting Notes Aromas of ripe dark red berry fruits dominate the nose with hints of spice and floral notes in the background add complexity. Velvet soft tannins form the backbone of this succulent and vibrant Pinot Noir. Spice flavours come through on the mid palate along with rich cherry fruit flavours and underlying savoury notes. This is a superbly balanced, elegant and weighted Pinot capable of ageing for up to ten years.

Sandi, thank you for making sure everything continues, while Rich is touring the World. And Rich, thank you for making sure Sandi has all the info she needs at her fingertips! Vanessa, I have run out of new ways to say how much I appreciate how well you keep our lists. I bet Roy is epreslly able to relax, since you are doing it so well. Just an early gym class, Bindi walks and chores for me. Perhaps taking my next door neighbor’s dog out, since my neighbor sprained her ankle. Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Get well & stay well everyone! ********* DeLille Cellars Chaleur Blanc, Columbia Valley, Washington State Ooh a new white blend to try! They are starting to appear in more and more places. This is moving to the top of my list, and with its excellent consumer and critic reviews and reasonable prices it deserves the top spot widely available with prices starting at $27.97. Note: I used the 2020 info. Winemaker Notes Offering hints of tropical fruit, peaches and lemon zest, the nose of the 2020 Chaleur Blanc is bright and intriguing, with earthy barrel notes of light vanilla and chocolate mint. On the palate, characteristic grapefruit and honeysuckle flavors are carried by vibrant acidity, with barrel aging contributing crème brûlée and baking spices to the wine’s dry finish. Intensely powerful, with oak influence and notable minerality dominating on release, time in bottle will allow the fruit to come forward and showcase the balance of the vintage. Blend: 72% Sauvignon Blanc, 28% Semillon JS93 James Suckling Aromas of sherbet lemon, peach and thyme. Medium-to full-bodied with lovely stone fruit on the palate. White-tea aromatics, such as jasmine, hibiscus and chamomile come through. Very tasty. Drink now. JD92 Jeb Dunnuck The 2020 Chaleur Blanc showed beautifully, with lots of ripe melon, honeyed lemon, caramelized citrus, and white flower notes in a medium to full-bodied, richly textured, racy package. It should age gracefully for a solid decade if stored correctly. This is based on 72% Sauvignon Blanc and 28% Semillon, sourced from the Boushey, Sagemoor, and Klipsun vineyards, and was 90% barrel fermented and aged all in 60% new French oak. Best After 2022 WS91 Wine Spectator Combines brisk acidity with a plush texture, offering lemon verbena, flint and fig accents that finish on a lush note. Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. Drink now.

Sandi thank you for starting off our day with a positive note! Rich, thank you for making it happen. Vanessa, thank you for keeping up with all of us so well! Just a quick visit this morning. Taking a good friend out for a birthday brunch celebration. We are going to an amazing food place that offers Mimosa flights with their Sunday brunches. The food is innovative and delicious and the Mimosa flights are fun. Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Get well & stay well everyone! ******** Domaine Ste. Michelle Brut, Columbia Valley, Washington State This easy to find & very reasonable sparkling wine will “sing with your meal”. I would need to taste this first, since I am a bit leery of “not too dry”. But with online prices starting at $9.99, I can afford that taste. Winemaker Notes Not too dry or sweet, Michelle Brut is a palate-pleasing sparkling wine that delivers aromas and flavors of apples and citrus with a light, toasty finish. Blend: 63% Chardonnay, 19% Pinot Noir, 18% Pinot Gris W&S90 Wine & Spirits Broad and expressive in its pear and lemon aromas, this steal of a sparkler has wonderful cut. It’s driven by clean, chalky minerality and a modest phenolic bite that will make it sing with a meal—even a simple roast chicken.

Dixie, praying the Prednisone works. Hugs to you and Kitty.

Thank you for getting us started, Sandi! Rich, you were so generous to set this up so it could continue while you are cruising the World! Vanessa, you really amazing at keeping our lists. A sunny start, though the weather folk still say showers later. Bindi opted for a super long walk this morning. It was the most lovely morning walk. Last night I had a great view of Jupiter & Venus, and the sky was so clear. I wanted Lenda & Steve here, so he could capture the most amazing picture with his telescope & post it. Sadly, you are left with my iPhone snapshot. No gym for me - it is Spring bike week and the traffic around my gym is brutal. But I have plenty to keep me busy, since I am having friends over later. Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Get well & stay well everyone! ************* Dry River Chardonnay Martinborough 2021 This Chardonnay sounds lovely. Lots of excellent critic scores, but I could not access the actual reviews without subscribing to their sites. Several online distributors with prices starting at $44.15. Distributor notes Dry River was founded on the Martinborough Terrace in 1979 with a vision of creating high quality wines that age beautifully, using organic farming and low intervention winemaking. They've changed ownership once since they started but it's still a family owned winery and their ethos is as originally intended. Their wines are new to me but they're excellent. The Chardonnay exhibits a lovely freshness with citrus, brioche, white flowers and hints of tropical fruit. Toasty notes as well. On the palate, it has a lovely mouthfeel with layers of different fruit (lemon, apple, mango, peach), crisp acidity, minerals and creamy textured oak. Complexity is added by the wild yeast ferment and lees stirring and there's a hint of nuttiness on the lengthy finish. Built to age for a decade or more, it's truly excellent and I look forward to drinking more from Dry River.

And we are only about 90 minutes from each other. It all depends how the storm/winds tracks. Hurricanes have taught me to pay very close attention to tracks.

Dixie, praying that your kitty’s issue is an easy one to fix. And she lives at least a few more years.

Thank you for getting us started, Sandi! Vanessa, I really appreciate how well you keep track of us. Rich, thank you for making sure this continues to happen - even while you see the World! Another amazing morning in my neighborhood, though it is already quite breezy. My beaches are already flying the red flag. @cunnorl Charlene is it expected to be really windy down where you are, too? Just a gym class, Bindi walks, a few chores and then an evening of nibbles and wine with friends. Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating. Get well & stay well everyone. ********* Grgich Hills 2019 Chardonnay, Napa Valley, California If you were ever looking for a wine with a “gun smoke” nose - this is it. I used to think these folk were crazy, until I sniffed an amazing white wine that smelled like stereo. Readily available, rave critic and consumer reviews. Lots of mention of oak… I used the 2019 vintage info, though every vintage has excellent reviews. Online prices start at $35.00. Winemaker Notes This Chardonnay entices you with aromas of fresh peach, Asian pear, citrus, and honeycomb to delight your senses. The flavors are just as complex with delightful undertones of red pepper and Madagascar vanilla, followed by fresh lemon, green apple, wildflower honey, stone fruit, and a hint of lavender. The rich, dense texture is balanced by its juicy acidity, leading to great minerality and a long, satisfying finish. W&S94 Wine & Spirits When Mike Grgich made the 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay — the white wine that won the Paris Tasting — he used fruit from the Bacigalupi Vineyard in the Russian River Valley. He soon moved into a partnership with Austin Hills, assembling an organically farmed estate that includes 88 acres in Carneros and 163 in American Canyon, the cool, southern districts of the Napa Valley where this chardonnay grows. Now, at 98, Grgich leaves winegrowing to his nephew, Ivo Jeramaz, who produced this complex and compelling wine. Put aside any preconceptions you might have about contemporary Napa Valley chardonnay; consider instead an agriculture that might include native corn (one taster cited the ethereal sweetness of nixtamalized corn) and stone-fruit orchards (a scent of apricots). There’s the smokiness of ancho chile and a scent of woodland mushrooms in the wine’s dark-toned leesiness. Then the layers of flavor last, harmonious and delicious. JS91 James Suckling Mangoes, papayas, cooked lemons, ripe melons, gun smoke and salted caramel on the nose. Full-bodied, ripe and rich yet bright. Smoky, toasty notes to close. From organically grown grapes. D91 Decanter Orange blossom nose, ripe peach, pear and apricot. Tropical fruit on a broad, expansive palate. Rich, layered and a long, toasty finish.

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.