cat shepard

Just a quick update. My Sister is off most of the tubes & is able to drink clear liquids! She got out of bed and using a rollator, she walked a few steps to a chair. 
 

Her A-fib is still a concern and a cardiologist will be visiting her today to discuss options. 
 

Again, thank you all for keeping her in your prayers & well wishes. 
 

A very grateful Ann & family

Jacqui, thank you for today’s FR & D. Roy, thank you for our maps. 
 

Vanessa, I really love to read your posts about almost no pain! Praying that the numbness and tingling disappear, too and that you start getting more sleep. 

Once again, thank you all for keeping my Sister in your thoughts and prayers. She is off the ventilator. And right now the biggest concern in Afib, which they are trying to manage with meds.  She can’t even have ice chips until someone from Speech makes sure there was no damage from the ventilator tube. 
 

Her son came down from Boston and though he has some work to do, he is here and can see for himself how she is doing. Her daughter arrives on Saturday. 
 

I am tired. Emotionally and physically. But her place is cleaned up, her laundry is done and she doesn’t have any messes to come home to. 
 

Prayers for all who need our support. Terry, thinking of you and Tana.

Cheers to all who are celebrating!

May we each find a reason to smile today. 

*******

Bien Nacido Estate 2020 Pinot Noir (Santa Maria Valley)

This PN sounds lovely, but it is pricey. A decent number of distributors with online prices starting at $69.99.

Winemaker Notes

Professional Ratings

• 96Jeb Dunnuck

  I loved the nose on the 2020 Estate Pinot Noir, which offers a wild assortment of red and black berries, sappy herbs, flowers, iron, and exotic baking spices. These carry to a medium-bodied, concentrated, focused, age-worthy Pinot Noir with beautiful depth of fruit, ripe tannins, and a great finish. Give it a year or two and enjoy over the following decade. I followed this bottle for multiple days, and it only got better. It’s unquestionably a thrilling, brilliant wine. This was all destemmed and spent 16 months in 43% new French oak.

   

• 95Tasting Panel

  Scents of cherrywood and cinnamon spice are welcoming. Black cherry and pennyroyal mix the pleasures of fruitiness and savoriness, joining notes of soy sauce, sassafras, and mustard seed. Juicy and generous, with a glossy mouthfeel and a pop of white pepper on the finish.

• 94Wine Enthusiast

  Creamy while detailed aromas of black cherry, loam and slate make for a very inviting and intriguing nose on this bottling. The palate lands with a bold richness, carrying fresh and vibrant flavors of black cherry and blackberry in a hedonistic vintage for this estate.

• 93Wine & Spirits

  Brooding and controlled, this wine has a peppery reductive note to go along with tobacco scents. Its translucent red shade is intriguing and pretty, with rosy cherry and strawberry flavors, a flower-petal bitterness and fine tannins. It opens appreciably with air, still reserved and recessive within its cool texture.

Thank you for today’s FR & D, Jacqui. Roy, thank you for our maps!

Vanessa, I really enjoy ready your posts about how you are improving each day! Thank you for keeping up with all of us. 
 

I want to thank you all again for keeping my Sister in your thoughts and prayers. I hope to get an update later this morning. 
 

Prayers for all who need our support. Terry, thinking of you and Tana.

Cheers to all who are celebrating.

Eva, @superoma Happy Anniversary!

May we each find a reason to smile today. 
 

********

Josh Cellars Rosé

Widely available with online prices starting at $12.99, this rosé is the perfect choice to try without breaking the bank. 

Distributor notes

Crisp, refreshing and bright: Josh Cellars Rosé is perfect for sunsets and warm summer days. This bottle of wine with a pink wine color has flavors of white peach and strawberry complemented by hints of nectarine.
 

Josh Cellars works with California's best growers to source and assemble wine of great character and complexity. Pair this vibrant rose wine with grilled fish, summer salads, and chilled seafood. This Josh Cellars Rosé wine bottle is 750ml and 12.5% ABV.

Created by Joseph Carr and named after his father, Josh Cellars makes high-quality, well-balanced, delicious wines that are expressions of gratitude grounded in hard work, high standards and the recognition of others. Josh wine is worth sharing with those who matter.

Thank you all for your prayers and well wishes. 
 

She had emergency stomach surgery. She is in recovery and will be on a ventilator tube overnight. She is not totally out of the woods, but the surgeon sounded very encouraging.  None of the major risks materialized. 
 

Ann

Just a quick visit. I am at the ER with my Sister who has been really sick for two days. Please keep her in your prayers. 
 

Our second Canadian wine. Widely available CA 32.95, or $24.95.
 

Natalie's Score: 92/100

This sparkling gets better every year, even though it's not vintage-dated. Lovely finesse and mousse with green apple vibrancy. The grapes were hand-picked in 50 pound lugs so they weren't bruised. The winery does press fractioning meaning the first bit of the juice (the head) and the last bit (the tail) aren't used in the wine just the juiciest, tastiest part of the juice. They also use the traditional Champagne method to make the wine. The wine spends 30 months on the lees which gives it a creamy texture. Serve as an aperitif on its own or add 1 oz. of Riesling Icewine or 1 oz of Cabernet Franc Icewine to 3 oz of Cuvee Catharine to make a Kir Catharine.

Sparkling food pairings: salmon caviar with sour cream; malpeque oysters with a hint of lemon.

48 minutes ago, summer slope said:

On my way to my Mohs surgery.  Will check in later.

 

 

Good luck Dixie! Hope everything goes smoothly!

Thank you for today’s FR & D, Jacqui!  Roy, thank you for our maps. It is a lovely 43 this morning, but will reach the low 70s. 

Vanessa, thank you for keeping up with us. I am thrilled that you are showing improvement each day. I pray that you will soon be able to put this behind you. 
 

Other than Bindi walks & chores, I am just going to take it easy. This is the first cold I have had in almost 9 years, so I can’t complain. 
 

Bike week starts this coming weekend….

Prayers for all who need our support. @smitty34877 Terry, thinking of you & Tana. 
 

Cheers to all who are celebrating. 
 

May we each find a reason to smile today. 

***********

August Forest 2021 Eritage Vineyard Syrah

“Soft, round and generous” - sounds delightful. This wine from Walla Walla won a Double Gold medal at the San Francisco Chronicles 2023 competition. The “soft” description intrigues me, since I find many Syrah’ a bit too bold for me. A bit elusive and at the top of my budget - I found it online for $46.00.

Owen Bargreen, critic 92 points

The 2021 August Forest Syrah comes from the Eritage Vineyard as this wine saw 41% stem inclusion and was unfined and unfiltered. Soft, round and generous, this delivers a silky texture with coffee ground favors alongside potpourri, allspice, black cherry compote and smoked meat accents. This is exceedingly delicious stuff to savor now and over the next eight years. Drink 2023-2031- 92

@Lcubed

Laura, thank you for covering the Wine du Jour! Boy I am thrilled you covered today. I came back with a cold and was not particularly energetic this morning. I am ready to take back the reins tomorrow. 
 

@rafinmd Roy, did I miss your birthday? I have a note on my calendar that yesterday was your birthday. 

@JazzyV Vanessa, I was thrilled to read that your pain has decreased! Praying that it continues to decrease. 
 

Thank you for today’s FR&D, Jacqui! Roy, thank you for the maps. 
 

I enjoyed the cruise. We had lovely weather. The best show I have ever seen on a ship - The Choir of Man. It will be opening in Chicago some time this year. It could hold its own on Broadway.
 

Great food. A super Cellar Master, who put together informative and delicious wine tasting events.
 

The smoothest embarkation & disembarkation of any cruise I have been on.

A ropes course & zipline. The only time it was open that coincided with my schedule was in Saint Thomas. Many times it was too windy to be open. 

It never seemed very crowded around the ship.

The not so great…

The worst coffee I have experienced on a cruise. Starbucks and one Pub had the only decent coffee on the ship.

A less than helpful app and TV.

The worst internet I have experienced at sea. Perhaps I should have purchased the Premium package. 

Only two elevator banks to handle 4,000+ passengers. 

A very small weight section in the gym. 
 

The biggest disappointment was the swells in the Bahamas prevented us from tendering to their private island that was chock full of activities. But the tenders that came out to get the crew were really rocking, so the Captain made the right call. 

Thank you for today’s FR & D, Jacqui! Roy, thank you for our maps. 

Just a quick visit to thank @Lcubed Laura for volunteering to cover the wine du jour while I am gone. 
 

Vanessa, praying that all goes well next Thursday & you can start to put this ordeal behind you. 
 

Terry, thinking of you & Tana - even if I can’t post. 
 

Everyone - be well!

Thank you for today’s FR & D, Jacqui! Roy thank you for taking on the maps!

Yesterday’s beach clean was wild. My 2 mile swatch delivered 63 bags of trash. The rough surf of the past few weeks has churned up so much trash.  So many people still don’t cut the plastic six pack holders. I guess I should be happy that none of the ones I saw yesterday had trapped a creature. 

Vanessa, thank you for keeping up with us. Praying that this time next week, you will have enough relief from pain that you can start catching up on your sleep. 
 

Gym, Bindi walks, chores, taking Bindi to her resort & packing. That will keep me busy. 
 

Prayers for all who need our support. Those suffering from pain, trauma, and debilitating conditions or grieving the loss of a loved one. The caretakers. 
 

Terry, thinking of you & Tana. 
 

Cheers to all who are celebrating! @Mr. Boston Bon Voyage!

May we each find a reason to smile today. 
 
 *********

Neyen 2019 Espíritu de Apalta Malbec (Apalta)
This Chilean Malbec has lots of fans in spite of its price tag. Perhaps not quite as bold as some, but the tasting notes make me want a taste. A decent number of distributors. Online prices start at $139.99.

Distributor notes

Ripe, foresty aromas of cassis, sous bois and root beer are classy and elegant. While this is saturated on the palate, it isn’t outright syrupy or fat. A ripe berry fruit flavor profile includes spice notes and a hint of minty green, while chocolate mint and spice flavors take over on a lush and saturated palate. Hailing from a hot year, this is a delicious and well-balanced fruit bomb to drink from 2024.

Thank you for today’s FR & D, Jacqui! Roy, thank you for sharing our maps. I am a very visual person and the maps help me really understand each ship’s location. 
 

It is quite a bit warmer this morning and it looks like a real cloud cover out there. Yesterday was lovely, but so busy. I survived. 
 

Vanessa, I am just going to send a (((hug))) after reading what the Doctor said. And keep praying. Hard. I won’t be here, when you go for the procedure, but if there is any internet available to me - I will check next week. Thank you for still taking care of our lists, and being such an amazing part of our community in spite of it all. 
 

Gym, Bindi walks, chores & starting to pack unwrinkables. That should keep me busy. 
 

Prayers for all who need our support. Those suffering from pain, trauma and debilitating conditions, or grieving the loss of a loved one. The caretakers. 
 

Terry, thinking of you & Tana. Always. Praying. 
 

Cheers to all who are celebrating. Bon Voyage @MISTER 67
 

May we each find a reason to smile today!

********

2021 Sauvignon Blanc, Bundschuh, Emil Bauer & Sohne, Pfalz

A very elusive German wine - unless you live in or are visiting Europe. It sounds lovely and refreshing for a hot day. I will say the vintners have some wild names for some of their wines. 😎 If you can find it, it will cost about $19.00. 

$19.00

Distributor notes

When brothers Alexander & Martin took over the family estate in 2011 they wanted to show German wines in a new light.

Their controversial names and labels of course captured people’s attention and their wines have even featured pit-side at the German Grand Prix! The Bundschuh’ is a 500-year-old symbol of the rural peasants’ uprising to claim their independence from the feudal system. Behind the fun and poignant labels are fab wines, and you’d be forgiven for thinking this German Sauvignon Blanc is from New Zealand.

Tasting notes: passion fruit, lime. 

Thank you for today’s FR & D, Jacqui! Roy, thank you for our maps. 
 

Hope everyone in the path of yesterday’s winter storm is ok. 

 

It is 20 degrees colder here this morning. I guess Winter isn’t through here yet. 
 

Vanessa, thank you for keeping up with all of us!  Praying that next week gets you on the road to being pain & numbness free with lots of wonderful sleep. 
 

I have my annual wellness visit early this morning, then a manicure, Bindi walks, HIIT and regular chores will keep me busy. I finished the first pass of my grout cleaning. When I get back, I will tackle the stubborn areas. 

Here’s a headline you don’t see everyday….

Prayers for all who need our support. Those suffering from pain, debilitating conditions, trauma or feeling down. The caretakers. 
 

Terry, thinking of you & Tana.

Cheers to all who are celebrating! Happy Valentine’s Day - everyone!

May we each find a reason to smile today. 

***********

Joel Gott 815 Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

I used the 2021 vintage info, since that was the oldest vintage still in stock & very easy to find. Lots of consumer fans of this priced right Cab. You can find this just about anywhere. Online prices start at a reasonable $12.48.

Winemaker Notes

The 2021 Joel Gott Blend No. 815 Cabernet Sauvignon has aromas of raspberries, blackberries, plum, and mocha with notes of cinnamon and cedar. The wine opens with red fruit flavors, followed by velvety tannins on the mid palate and notes of black pepper on the long, textured finish.

90 James Suckling

Blackcurrants, black and green olives, rosemary and some crushed walnuts on the nose. Fresh and refined, with a medium to full body and fine-grained tannins. Drink or hold.

@Lcubed

Laura has graciously volunteered to cover the Wine du Jour, while I am gone. I really appreciate her offering to help. 
 

Thank you Jacqui, Eva & Paul for offering. 
 

Ann

Checking back in before class to let you know that both Jacqui & Eva, who are currently on the staff of the FR & D, have volunteered to research the wine of the day, while I am away. 
 

I confess, I was hoping that someone not currently on the staff would volunteer, before having either of them do double duty. Any takers?  
 

If so just shoot me an email at annge3@gmail.com

Ann

18 minutes ago, StLouisCruisers said:

 

Ann that is very sweet of you to say about offering Morgan a place to stay while she finds herself a new home.  I'm sure she would love living with you and Bindi!❤️

 

Sandi, I have provided a safe place to friends and family members before. I know how important it was to them. I hope Morgan is able to get out of there soon. 

Thank you for today’s FR & D, Jacqui! Roy thank you for taking on the maps. We had quite a storm last night. Lots of thunder and rain. I am sure there was lightning, but I couldn’t see it from where I was sitting. 
 

Vanessa, thank you for tracking our happenings so well, I am always surprised by something I miss. Praying that next week’s procedure helps you!

Gym, Bindi walks, chores and - drumroll please - today I finish the grout with my bathroom. There are at least 6 high traffic areas where I will have to use an application of paste, but I am astounded at the difference. 

Prayers for all who need our support. Those suffering from pain, trauma and debilitating conditions, grieving the loss of a loved one, or dealing with events outside of their control. Sandi, I wish I lived out West. Morgan could stay with me while she searched for her own place. 
 

Terry, thinking of you & Tana. Pray that her condition improves, so you can relax a bit. 
 

Cheers to all who are celebrating. 
 

May we each find a reason to smile today!
 

***********

Brewer-Clifton 2021 Pinot Noir (Sta. Rita Hills)

From one of the best Pinot Noir regions in California, this wine has lots of consumer and critic fans! I would need to compare it to my other two favorite PN before I bought it though. It is a bit pricier than both Meoimi and Bueña Vista. Easy to find. Online prices start at $35.99. 

$35.99

Winemaker Notes

• 95Wine Enthusiast
  Even Greg Brewer’s appellation cuvée carries his hallmark, addictive combination of sensory sensations. Light in the glass, it begins with aromas of fresh strawberry, red plum, wild thyme and chaparral spice on the nose. The palate snaps with refreshing acidity, powering through vibrant red fruit, earthy herb and peppery spice flavors. Delicious, fun, memorable. Editors’ Choice
• 95Jeb Dunnuck
  Leading off the reds, the 2021 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills offers a pure, complex, intense perfume of ripe raspberries, peppery herbs, exotic flowers, and underbrush. This deep, rich, medium to full-bodied Pinot Noir has a layered mouthfeel, ripe tannins, remarkable purity, and a great, great finish. It will stand up to anything in the vintage and should be snatched up by savvy readers.
• 93Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

  The 2021 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills, made with an unusually high proportion of whole clusters (90%), has broody scents of dark cherries, blackberries, woodsmoke, underbrush and rooibos tea leaves. The medium-bodied palate is chalky and refreshing with concentrated, spicy flavors and a long, nuanced finish.

• 91Wine Spectator
  Pretty, with high-pitched damson plum and cherry notes infused with rose petal and iris hints. The fresh finish is lined with red tea and sanguine hints. Drink now through 2027.

16 minutes ago, smitty34877 said:

Good morning. Our weather people are all excited today since the report shows some snow for our area tonight and tomorrow. It is cloudy and 35 going up to 40.

I will celebrate all three days, like the quote and the recipe but have not been to the port. 
 

@MISTER 67, a very Happy Birthday to you! 
 

@Mr. Boston, safe travels to both of you today. I am glad you were able to change flights.

@cat shepard, Thank you so much for your kindness. Some days are harder than others but when I read your words I do feel better. 
 

Enjoy the day everyone!

I always hope they do. Sometimes I fear “it’s the same old, same old…”. 
 

❤️

Thank you for today’s FR & D, Jacqui. Roy, thank you for our maps!

A lovely 66 this morning. Will start cooling off a bit over the next few days. Yesterday was gorgeous!

Vanessa, thank you for keeping up with us, in spite of your pain. Praying that the procedure gives you the relief you deserve and need. 

I am still looking for a volunteer to take on the Wine du Jour postings from February 17th - 25th. If willing to help, just shoot me an email at annge3@gmail.com

Gym, Bindi walks, chores and more grout cleaning will keep me busy. 

Prayers for all who need our support. Those suffering from pain, trauma, or debilitating conditions, or grieving the loss of a loved one. The caregivers. 
 

Terry, thinking of Tana and you today. 

Cheers to all who are celebrating! That means you @MISTER 67!

May we each find a reason to smile today!
 

*********

2022 Riesling, Mülheimer Sonnenlay Zeppelin, Max Ferd. Richter, Mosel

Good thing I keep my decoder ring charged. Never know when I will need it. Today’s Riesling has lots of consumer fans, is easy to find and reasonably priced. Online prices start at $16.93.

Winemaker Notes

On the nose, apple, citrus and slate stone. Clean pure structure; mineral texture with rich mouth-filling flavors of orchard fruits and juicy layers. Shows a well zesty and spicy refreshing style. Well-balanced structure, animating. The elegant fruit structure finishes with great length.

Happy Birthday @MISTER 67

Hope your new year is filled with laughter, love, great health, a smooth move, lots of golf & a cruise or two!

Just a quick visit. Our local state park has opened up a new hiking trail and a group of us are off to explore it. Then we will go out for coffee. 

Thank you Jacqui & Roy for bringing us the reports and maps!

Vanessa, thank you for sharing our happenings- in spite of what you are dealing with. 

Prayers for all who need our support. Cheers to all who are celebrating!

May we each find a reason to smile today!

**********

Graham Norton Sauvignon Blanc 2022

Another New Zealand star for us to enjoy! This one is made by a partnership with comedian Graham Norton. https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/124042362/graham-norton-expands-wine-range-with-nz-company-invivo
Widely available. Consumers and critics like it. Online prices start at $14.99.

Distributor notes

The Graham Norton 2022 Sauvignon Blanc is an inviting menage of apricot, fig and lemon zest. The palate is full bodied and displays a pristine expression of Sauvignon Blanc. I think it’s delicious and has that New Zealand zing. It’s soft and fruity. It’s full but floral-like. It’s sunshine in a glass.

Thank you for today’s FR & D, Jacqui! Roy, thank you for our maps!

Another lovely morning, though there is a bit of a marine layer moving in. 
 

Vanessa, thank you for keeping up with all of us. Praying that you get the relief you need from your upcoming procedure. 
 

Gym, Aldi, Bindi walks, chores, and wrapping up the day at a friend’s for dinner. 

Prayers for all who need our support. Those suffering from pain, debilitating conditions, trauma, or grieving the loss of a loved one. The caregivers. 
 

Terry, praying for Tana and you. 
 

Cheers to all who are celebrating - Elizabeth, that’s you. And Vanessa, thank you for taking care of our lists for a year!
 

May we each find a reason to smile today. 
 

************

La Ferme du Mont 2021 Vendage White (Châteauneuf-du-Pape)

Lately I have been on a red or white blend kick. But white blends are much harder to find. Sadly this one is outside of my budget, but it sounds nice. A bit elusive, online prices start at $69.99.

95 Wine Enthusiast 

Fresh aromas of white peaches, tangerine, lime zest and acacia fill the glass in this bright expression. The palate is round with flavors of sliced lemon, pink grapefruit, green pear, fresh almonds, white flowers and river rocks. Mouthwatering acidity uplifts and provides tremendous energy to this wine. 

@Haljo1935

Happy Birthday, Elizabeth!

May your new year be filled with laughter, love, great health & a cruise or two!

1 hour ago, 57redbird said:

@cat shepard  What are you grouting?

I am cleaning grout. Painstaking, but rewarding.  I hope to complete everything but the two bathrooms this weekend. 🤞🏻

I was lucky to hear the sonic boom just a minute before splashdown. 

Thank you for today’s FR & D, Jacqui!  Roy, thank you for our maps!

A lovely morning with a seasonal temperature of 54. Looks like a lovely weekend coming up. 
 

Vanessa, thank you for keeping up with all of us. Praying that you get relief from your pain  - soon. 
 

Gym, Bindi walks, my local food bank asked me to switch my afternoon to today,  more grout work and other chores will keep me busy. 

Prayers for all who need our support. Those suffering from pain, debilitating conditions, grieving the loss of a loved one, or dealing with a difficult time in life. The caregivers. 
 

Terry, praying Tana’s condition improves. And you get some rest. 
 

@StLouisCruisers Sandi, praying that Morgan can work through this trauma. I take safety for granted. 
 

Cheers to all who are celebrating!

May we each find a reason to smile today. 
 

*********

Figeac 2020, Grand Cru

What price do you put on near perfection? Start saving your pennies, this superb - classic wine is way outside my budget. I guess if I were a gazillionaire, I might enjoy a bottle. I know a would love a taste.  Online prices start at $244.00.

Winemaker Notes

• 100James Suckling

  A mesmerizing nose here with flowers such as violets and red roses, then shows cherries and currants with some mineral and black truffles. Full-bodied yet so refined and harmonized with ultra-fine tannins that run the length of the wine. Flavors of perfectly ripened fruit (al dente) with a hazelnut character that comes from the seeds. Incredibly transparent young red. Breathtaking. 37% merlot, 32% cabernet franc and 31% cabernet sauvignon.

• 100Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

  The 2020 Figeac is the finest wine that has been bottled to date at this estate since its renaissance began a decade ago. Wafting from the glass with aromas of blackberries and raspberries mingled with cigar wrapper, pencil shavings, licorice and black truffles, it's medium to full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with a suave, harmonious profile, vibrant acids, and beautifully refined structuring tannins. This sapid, complex wine represents the essence of this great terroir. Two years after extensive soil studies of the estate were carried out, and the first growing season to see cover crops used in the vineyards year-round, the 2020 benefited from more coherently demarcated parcels and more precise élevage, which taken together help to account for its edge over the excellent 2019. Best After 2030

• 98Jeb Dunnuck

  The Grand Vin 2020 Chateau Figeac checks in as 37% Merlot, 32% Cabernet Franc, and 31% Cabernet Sauvignon that spent 18 months in new barrels. They also utilize plenty of press wine, and the 2020 has 8% in the blend. Straight-up awesome aromatics of creme de cassis, ripe black cherries, iron, spring flowers, and an almost bloody, salty character emerge from the glass, and it's full-bodied, with a seamless mouthfeel, gorgeous tannins, plenty of mid-palate depth, and absolutely perfectly integrated oak. It's still tight and reserved, which is certainly the vintage, so do your best to hide these in the cellar. It should hit the early stages of its prime drinking window in 8-10 years and will have 30+ of overall longevity. It will unquestionably flirt with perfection at maturity. Best After 2031. Rating: 98+

• 97Wine Enthusiast

   Newly promoted to Premier Grand Cru Classé A, the very highest rung of Saint-Emilion’s hierarchy, this estate is at peak performance. This new release, rich in Cabernet Sauvignon, has an impressive structure as well as modulated, velvet tannins. It is a serious, concentrated wine, still just starting out.

• 96Decanter
  This delivers concentration and intensity, a ton of black fruits, definitely Cabernet dominant in terms of fruit, and its slightly serious character, with a whoosh of juice on the finish. An extremely elegant and controlled wine, with savoury bilberry and loganberry, then peony and tobacco leaf as it opens. Tannins are finely layered but there are a lot of them. Not an exuberant Figeac, but this is rarely a wine that rushes out to seduce, it takes its time and has ageing potential in spades. The gravel soils in the drought of the summer meant the grapes slowed their ripening process, although only the youngest vines suffered blockages, and that combined with the high Cabernet content of Figeac means lower alcohols than the past few years, giving a classic balance and a feeling of effortless success. 75% of the production went into the first wine. Harvest September 4 to October 1, a full five weeks. Their final yield here was around 37hl/ha, (higher than in 2019 at Figeac, which was 34hl/ha). As with on the Left Bank, the Cabernet Sauvignons were the lowest yield (30hl/ha), with tiny berries so had to be careful with the extraction. First vintage in the new cellars.
  Barrel Sample: 96
• 96Wine Spectator

  A broad-shouldered wine that captures the vintage's heat well in a core of cassis and blackberry fruit flavors, which are dotted with lively savory, tobacco leaf and warm earth accents. Reveals a tarry, grippy edge as well as polish as this pulls deeply from its terroir, leaving an echo of warm paving stone at the very end. Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.