cat shepard

Thank you for today’s Report & Daily, Rich! Thank you for keeping our lists, Roy! It was quite chilly this morning. 48 with quite a breeze from the North. Had to wear socks with my Tevas. But the sun is just coming up, so it should get warmer. I may have to turn the heat on tonight. It was only 65 in the house this morning. This is a first. I have only lived here 7 years, but I have never turned my heat on in Florida before the end of November before. Luckily Bindi only chases cats… Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Stay well everyone! ******* Mimi Chardonnay, WA I used the info for the 2018 vintage, since that is the one most readily available. Enjoyed by consumers and at least one critic gave it a very good review. I guess I need to sniff a crayon, I do not remember them having a scent. 😎. Reasonably priced with several online distributors. Prices starting at $11.93. 88 Wine Enthusiast The aromas are expressive, with notes of baking spice, crayon and peach. Medium-bodied supple flavors follow. Ripe peach notes linger on the finish.

Welcome!

Thank you for today’s Report & Daily, Rich. Roy thank you for tracking our Cares and Celebrations. @StLouisCruisers Sandi, I am so sorry to read of Beverly’s passing. Prayers for her family and you both. I pray the wonderful memories help ease your pain. It is quite cool here this morning. 49 with quite a breeze. It felt good to walk this morning. Bike week is officially over, so traveling is a bit easier, though flood waters are still causing slow traffic where they spill over on the road. Off to the gym. Then I need to do somethings around the house. Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Stay well everyone! ******** Allegrini 2016 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Here is another Italian red with excellent reviews. A bit outside of my budget, but I would love a taste. Available from several online distributors with prices starting at $57.99. Winemaker Notes The result of the Allegrini family’s expertise, a true classic of the appellation, this red wine embraces tradition, territory and the know-how of country ways. Corvina, Corvinone, Rondinella and Oseleta are left to air dry at least until December and are checked daily to ensure perfectly healthy grapes. Lengthy refining and ageing finally yields a red wine that has become emblematic of Italian oenology, alongside Barolo and Brunello di Montalcino. It has imposing structure and depth, as much in its aromas of mature fruit and spices, as on the palate, where the alcohol is sustained by the right degree of acidity and refined tannins. WE95 Wine Enthusiast Ripe plum, blue flower and spice aromas lift out of the glass in this full-bodied red. The smooth, concentrated palate boasts a weightless elegance, delivering blackberry compote, ripe Morello cherry, licorice and baking spice framed in enveloping, velvety tannins. Drink 2022–2031. Cellar Selection. V95 Vinous There’s a dark, mineral-driven complexity to the 2016 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico that keeps you coming back to the glass over and over again. Sometimes it’s licorice, sometimes blackberry or maraschino cherry, but always backed by a mix of autumnal spice, sour citrus and hints of animal musk that intrigue the senses. Velvety-smooth and almost creamy in weight, as sweet red fruits flesh out, taking on nuances of violet candies and cloves toward the close. This is pure elegance, dense yet balanced, and delivering a layer of fine tannins that linger long, as hints of bitter coffee and dark chocolate slowly fade. All of this, and at an amazingly respectable 15.5% abv. Bravo. JS94 James Suckling Very attractive dried fruit, such as plums, with fig and walnut undertones. Full-bodied with round, polished tannins that are chewy, but very smooth. Flavorful finish. D93 Decanter Allegrini's Amarone brings together grapes from hillside estate vineyards in the Classico zone, predominantly around the town of Fumane. It is rounded out with 5% Oseleta which amps up both colour and tannins. Vanilla, cedar and cherry are upfront and the oak is prominent yet polished. This is a compact, chewy Amarone that really bursts with dried cherry and plum skin on the long finish. It could do with a few years in the bottle to assimilate but has the backbone and concentration to age a decade beyond that. Drinking Window 2023 - 2033 WS93 Wine Spectator An elegant red, medium- to full-bodied and mouthwatering throughout, this layers supple, lightly chalky tannins with a pleasing range of crushed black currant, fresh thyme and minerally salt and iron notes. Bright and polished, with a lingering, spiced finish. Drink now through 2030.

Thank you for today’s Report & Daily, Rich! I have enjoyed traveling with you and the rest of the Dailyites. Roy, thank you for our lists! @Seasick Sailor & @SusieKIslandGirl Our birthday twins! May your “new year” be filled with laughter, love & great health! Just a busy day of stuff for me. You know the things you put off because they aren’t a priority. Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating. Stay well everyone! ******** Torre dei Beati Mazzamurello Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2017 This wine is a bit elusive, but I did find one online distributor offering it for a reasonable $16.99. I would love to taste this one. 93 Wine Enthusiast This rich red delivers dense aromas of brandy-soaked berries, tobacco, cocoa powder and clove. It's plush in texture, with succulent berry flavors that envelop the palate. Savory and sweet spices weave throughout, making for a cohesive whole. Firm tannins give power, with fresh acidity riding closely behind. Drink 2023–2030.

Thank you for today’s Report & Daily, Rich! Roy, thank you for keeping our lists. Lovely morning here, though we may get some rain later. Early gym class for me. And it is bike week, so it takes a bit longer to get everywhere. Then chores, Bindi walks etc… Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Stay well everyone! ********* Collosorbo 2016 Brunello di Montalcino This Brunello has rave reviews from both consumers and critics. Superb - excellent ratings. And the price doesn’t break the bank. Not cheap, but for the ratings - fairly reasonable. Numerous online distributors with prices starting at $44.94. Winemaker Notes Obtained from a meticulous selection of Sangiovese grapes from the best company vineyards, Brunello di Montalcino is the result of painstaking campaign work and targeted interventions in the cellar which, in respect and in the worship of an ancient tradition, preserve the integrity of the fruit and enhance the quality of a wine that in history and time of renewal in each bottle. D96 Decanter Intense and complex nose with black cherries, cinnamon and dried red roses over hay and spicy undertones. Exuberant palate, full-bodied with freshness and firm structure. WE96 Wine Enthusiast Balsamic aromas of camphor and cedar align with ripe plum, underbrush and new leather in this full-bodied red. On the concentrated, enveloping palate, tightly knit, fine-grained tannins accompany ripe Marasca cherry, blood orange, vanilla and licorice before a tobacco close. Fresh acidity lifts the dense richness. Best After 2024 JS94 James Suckling Plum, cedar and walnut aromas and flavors with some milk-chocolate and cappuccino undertones. It’s medium-to full-bodied with a tight, focused palate and a flavorful finish. Drink after 2023.

Thank you for today’s Report & Daily, Rich. Enjoying your “Live from”. Happy to see other Dailyites sharing their adventures and pictures, too! Thank you for keeping our lists, Roy. Off to the gym. Then grocery shopping. Today we are celebrating a 15-year-old’s birthday! He is turning into quite a handsome Dude with an amazing head of hair. Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Stay well everyone! ******** Walla Walla Vintners 2019 Merlot This Merlot review mentions chocolate twice! I would love a taste. Quite a few online distributors with prices starting at $25.00. 92 Wine Enthusiast The aromas offer immediate appeal, with notes of milk chocolate, dried herb, raspberry, tea leaf and pencil lead. The flavors are sumptuous, with the tannins giving a light grip. Chocolate notes linger on the finish. It's a classic Walla Walla Vintners-style Merlot, with the brightness and clarity of the vintage along with undeniable appeal. Decant if drinking in the near term.

Thank you for today’s Report & Daily, Rich! And I appreciate you sharing your cruising days with us. Roy, thank you for keeping our lists. Fall is back, and this morning is spectacular. I spoke to my friends who owned a Winter home in Ft. Myers Beach and they lost everything except what was stored higher than the flood waters - their high water mark was 27 inches & could be safely sanitized. Luckily they were still in Maine when the storm hit. They will probably no rebuild - at least not there. They are now dealing with FEMA and their insurance company. They know it will take a long time since so many were affected. Once again, I realize how lucky I was. Off to the gym. Then I am hosting dinner for some friends this evening, so I have some prep and cleaning to do. How can one woman and one dog track in so much grass? My mantra… Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Stay well everyone! ********* Lubanzi 2020 Chenin Blanc (Swartland) This South African Chenin Blanc sounds very interesting. Especially since it has an “affectionate” finish. A bit elusive. I found one online distributor offering it for $18.20 + shipping. Winemaker Notes The 2020 Lubanzi Chenin Blanc displays a deep straw color that points towards both ripe freshness & complexity. The nose brings tropical & stone fruits first, eliciting thoughts of tangerine & lychee. The palate is round and fleshy, purshing forward lychee again, along with white peach, apricot & green apple, all carried by a touch of elevated acidity. There is Brightness & a slight hint of freshly baked bread throughout. the finish is long, soft & affectionate. WE90 Wine Enthusiast There’s a vibrant floral element to the bouquet of this pretty white, with supporting tones of freshly cut pear, peach and white melon. The palate is medium-full in feel, with a lovely rose-spiked peach accent that carries across the palate and is then refreshed by ample acidity. The finish ends clean and refreshing, with very good lingering vibrancy.Editors' Choice.

It has been three year since I cruised from San Diego, but HAL used to use the Sheraton near the airport. It is quite a walk to the terminal/pier from there, but an easy taxi/Uber ride. There are two very good hotels across from the pier/terminal: the Wyndham and the Residence Inn. The Wyndham is just a wee bit closer - walking wise.

Thank you for today’s Report & Daily, Rich. Glad you are enjoy your cruise. It is great to see pictures of the Dailyite gang! Roy, thank you for keeping our lists. Last night with my neighbors was fun. I have too much food left over though. Off to the gym. Then I need to come home and put stuff away and do some laundry. Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Stay well everyone! ************ Freire Lobo 2020 Vigno Branco White (Dão) Portugal This white blend from Portugal sounds interesting. I would love to try it. Consumers and reviewers give it excellent reviews. Available from several online distributors with prices starting at a very reasonable $13.00. Distributor notes VARIETAL: Encruzado (50%), Bical (35%), Cercial (15%). Elisa grows all of the grapes for her wines - nothing is purchased. VINEYARD: Located in the center of Portugal, and influenced by the Serra da Estrela, the highest mountain on Portugal's mainland, the Dão DOC was created in 1908. It was the first demarcated region for non-fortified wines in Portugal. In addition to Serra da Estrela, the climate is largely influenced by the Caramulo, Lousã, Buçaco, Nave and Açor Mountains, which surround the Dão region, protecting the vineyards from sea winds, and creating large diurnal swings. The soils are dominated by granite, one of the main contributions to the minerality of its wines. VINIFICATION: Stainless steel fermentation and aging prior to being bottled. Elisa pays particular attention to maintaining soils with biodynamic / organic farming practices, essentially using the help of Serra da Estrela Bordaleira sheep. Controlling vegetative growth with sheep - traditionally known as animal weed control. 90 Wine Enthusiast

Thank you for today’s Report & Daily, Rich! Roy thank you for keeping our lists. Dixie glad you are feeling better. Tina, thank you for being such a great stand in for Debbie! Lots of prep for me today, but happy to have my great group of neighbors over for a visit. One couple will be celebrating their 35th anniversary next year and are planning their trip to Alaska around the same time I did mine. They have lots of questions. Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Stay well everyone! ************ Domäne Wachau 2019 Ried Achleiten Smaragd Grüner Veltliner With these excellent - superb reviews, I would expect to pay much more for this amazing sounding wine. I would love to try a taste. It is near the top of my budget, so definitely want to try it first. Available from several online distributors with prices starting at $42.15. Winemaker Notes Ried Achleiten is known for wines with great uniqueness. A smoky minerality, subtle flinty notes and a very complex structure are typical for Achleiten wines. Grüner Veltliner from this vineyard has a particularly fine herbal spice, as well as delicate stone fruit notes and some exotic aromas. The gneiss soil of the Achleiten supports the firm acidity enormously. The term Smaragd stands for dry, dense, and complex wines of the Wachau; Apart from structure and depth, Smaragd wines also convince with great storage potential. Well chilled, the wine goes great with veal and poultry like pigeon and quail or with spicy cheeses and strong fish dishes. WE98 Wine Enthusiast Stony savor swings as a vestige alongside zesty citrus on the closed nose. The palate starts off tight and taut, right now it is all sleek and stony. Time in the glass allows glimpses of what still lies deeply buried: a rich, profound yeastiness reverberating with peppery, salty depth. This is an astonishingly concentrated package that may just be a time capsule that survives us. Drink 2030–2050. Cellar Selection W&S95 Wine & Spirits Achleiten, a steep, high-altitude site of gneiss and mica-schist, is known for producing austere wines. This one feels like it’s in supreme control, revealing only what it wants to when it wants to—a glimpse of florals, some sandalwood scents; golden-plum fruit, acacia-honey notes. Altogether, however, those notes add up, gathering energy and creating a sense of richness and power without weight. It’s firm, long and packed with potential; give this cellar time. JS95 James Suckling What a lovely, silky and creamy dry white, caressing the palate in such a seductive way. Very delicate herbal notes, a touch of snow pea, then a lot of minerality at the long, filigree finish. Drink or hold. RP94 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate From manifold plots from west to east, the 2019 Ried Achleiten Grüner Veltliner Smaragd has a brilliant and intense citrus color and offers a deep, delicately flinty and refreshing bouquet of crushed stones intermingled with lemon oil and juice notes as well as mirabelle aromas. Full-bodied and round, with crystalline acidity and a tight mineral and phenolic structure, this is a dense and complex Achleiten with an intense and still tight but persistent finish. An excellent 2019 to be aged for years. WS91 Wine Spectator This white starts out with piercing scents of elderflower, then grapefruit and peach flavors, shaded by legume and earth notes. Powerful and broad, shows some heat on the finish. Drink now through 2025.

Melisa, I will keep you all in my prayers. Especially your DSIL - that the treatments can stop the spread of the melanoma.

Thank you for today’s Report & Daily, Rich! Thank you for keeping our lists, Roy! Summer is back this morning. It is already 77 here. We believe the rivers have finally crested, so the flood waters should recede. And then people can return to assess the damage. Off to the gym. Then I need to do some stuff around the house. I have neighbors coming over tomorrow evening to look at my Pictures and hear about my trip. Throw in some Bindi walks - and there is my day. Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! @Quartzsite Cruiser Lenda, so glad DH’s surgery went well. Stay well everyone! ************ Yacoubian-Hobbs 2017 Rind Areni (Vayots Dzor) This is my first Armenian wine! I would definitely love to at least try it. All released vintages share similar ratings. I found several online distributors with prices starting at $27.97. Winemaker Notes The 2017 Areni captivates with aromas of dark fruits, muddled strawberry and freshly cracked black pepper. The palate gives way to a bright, fresh fruit expression, revealing a firm tannic structure and finishing with a pleasantly refreshing acidity. WE92 Wine Enthusiast This deep garnet colored wine has aromas of strawberry, pomegranate and lilac. It is bright on entry, with velvety tannins and flavors of black cherry, blackberry, aniseed and vanilla that culminate in a soft, spicy finish.

Jack It is the end of your brother’s pain and suffering. May wonderful memories help ease your pain. Ann

Thank you for today’s Report and Daily, Rich. And thank you for sharing your cruise with us! Roy, thank you for taking such good care of our Cares and Celebrations. Another beauty of a day. The deer are taking advantage of the “curbside dining” with all the yard waste moved out to the street waiting for pickup. Another early gym class. Then getting together with a group of friends at the local wine bistro to celebrate surviving Ian. Prayers for all who need our support. @Quartzsite Cruiser Lenda thinking good thoughts for DH and you today. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Stay well everyone! ************** Brovia 2017 Brea Vigna Ca' Mia (Barolo) Piedmont This amazing Barolo has a cheaper cousin that sounds just as amazing and costs about $30 - $35 less than this one - if this one is too pricey for you. Several online distributors carry this one with prices starting at $94.98. 98 Wine Enthusiast Mesmerizing aromas of violet, rose, perfumed berry and dried aromatic herb mingle together with a whiff of forest floor in this compelling wine. Full-bodied, elegant and delicious, the structured palate delivers ripe Morello cherry, cranberry, licorice and tobacco framed in youthfully assertive but refined tannins. It closes on a tangy mineral note. Drink 2027–2037.

Lenda, praying that all goes smoothly for DH tomorrow morning and you are able to relax a bit.

Happy Thanksgiving to my neighbors up North! Thank you for taking the Report & Daily on location with you, Rich! @Sharon in AZ Sharon thank you for sharing that wonderful picture of the Dailyites! @StLouisCruisers Sandi, thank you for sharing the picture of precious Elliott Rose! Roy thank you for keeping up with our ever-changing lists. Another lovely day here. The deer were everywhere this morning. They let Bindi and I get very close to them these days. Maybe they have figured out we are not threats. One of my favorite pictures from Hilo is from inside a lava tube. Off to the gym. I got my flu shot yesterday and certain movements make me aware of it, so I will see what I can do. Then Bindi walks and chores. Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Stay well everyone! ******** Vignobles Mayard 2017 Domaine du Père Pape It is not very often that I find a Château Neuf du Pape within my budget range. And this one has superb reviews from consumers and critics. A bit elusive, but there are several online distributors with prices starting at $38.98. 95 Wine Enthusiast A small addition of Cinsault in this Grenache-Syrah-Mourvèdre blend seems to contribute smoky shades of earth and bramble to otherwise pure, luminous blackberry and cherry. Vinified in concrete and matured in large-format foudres, it's a rapturously fruity, concentrated red framed by firm, strident tannins that should meld as the wine gains complexity and depth through this next decade. Drink through 2029.

The Kenai Fjords trip is one of my favorite tours. Wildlife, marine life, raptors, glaciers, surreal rock formations. But this was the 8.5 hour tour. If you do one of the shorter tours, I am not certain what gets cut. Out of fairness, it was really foggy on the 26 glacier cruise, so we missed College Fjord with its 10 glaciers. Both Captains got us close to a glacier. Both provided nice lunches. But Talkeetna gives you a chance to see Denali. If I had your choices, I would do the 6.5:hour Kenai Fjords tour and Talkeetna. Assuming the transportation options work. Enjoy whatever you end up doing.

How wonderful, Sandi! Thank you for letting us know!

Thank you for the “on location” Report & Daily Rich!Looking forward to you sharing your journey with us. Thank you for keeping our lists, Roy! Off to the gym and then grocery shopping. Will check back in later. Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Stay well everyone! ************ Castello di Gabbiano 2017 Cavaliere d'Oro (Chianti Classico) This Chianti sounds nice. Very good - excellent reviews from critics and consumers. And reasonably priced. Available from numerous online distributors with prices starting at $10.97. JS91 James Suckling Cherries and orange peel with some spice and cedar character. Medium body, light tannins and a clean finish. Nice hint of bitterness at the end. Drink now.

Bon voyage! Have a great cruise!

Thank you for today’s Report & Daily, Rich. Bon voyage to you & all the cruising Dailyites! Roy thank you for keeping our lists! I suspect you are the only one who thinks your lists are lacking. Another spectacular morning, but in spite of the fact that we have not had a drop of rain since Ian moved on - flooding is getting worse in some areas, and more people are being evacuated. Praying that this stops soon. A couple of classes, some dead heading in the garden, and then dinner at a friend’s are in my future today. Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating! Stay well everyone! *********** Disznókó 2007 Eszencia (Tokaji) Hungary I would probably have to point to this one on a wine list, if I wanted to try it. At least until I heard someone else pronounce it. But its price tag, even as a dessert wine, would prevent me from ordering it. It has a stellar rating from consumers and critics. Several online distributors carry it with prices for a half bottle starting at $299.56! 99 Wine Enthusiast Mahogany colored in the glass, this Eszencia draws you in with ethereal aromas of acacia honey, beeswax, caramelized pineapple upside-down cake, English toffee and apricot jam. These heady aromas transfer seamlessly onto the palate. It is hefty and voluptuous in mouthfeel yet silky smooth and creamy, with just the right amount of acidity to counteract the intense sweetness. Drink through 2035.

Thank you for sharing your adventures @*Miss G* Looking forward to Part II!

Safe travels, Debbie! Enjoy yourself!

Have a wonderful adventure. Love your itinerary. Thank you for sharing it with us. The most uncomfortable seat/leg room I have ever experienced was on Air France. But that was in 2006, and I was in Economy.

Thank you for covering our MotD!