Our wine tasting last night was Rhone focused but we started with an Italian Chardonnay that was impressive. The CDR and CDP were delicious representatives of their peers. The finale was an epic wine- The Hermitage got a perfect score on our tasting sheet.

Santa Barbara knows Syrah. This one paired beautifully with Kebabs. A gift from one of my boys.

I thought I had every spice I needed.... apparently I was one short.

Carmenere blend and Tri-tip. The 2017 Petit Clos is open for business- primary fruit is starting to give way to tertiary development yet there's tons of life left in this vintage. The 14.5% ABV slips down unnoticed and the gentle tannins pair beautifully with the lean cut.

Every so often I get to see the most amazing sights- like last night's sunset on the Potomac River. The last picture is of the back side of the newly renamed Kennedy Center. So peaceful.

Summer cocktails on a hot day. The thirst-quenching Mojito with fresh mint from the garden. A Scotch Highball with Anise, like they taught me in Edinburgh.

When we visited Glasgow- the highlight of that town was the Gin making experience. Sadly- ‘Hairy Coo’, our personal effort- is near the end of the bottle. We enjoyed the experience of mixing our own botanicals and are now enjoying the fruits of our labor. Cheers! 43.5% ABV btw.

I read somewhere that yesterday was Rosé Day, so I travelled to my local wine shop. For under $9 I was pleasantly surprised. A blend of Grenache, Syrah, Vermentino and Cinsault with great acidity and a light to medium body. 12.5 % ABV keeps it refreshing on a hot summer's day.

I don't love Syrah, but every once in a while I get a really good bottle. This one hits nicely. A bruiser at 14.5%, it has some dark fruit, a touch of oak influence along with graphite, game, and iron. Medium (+) finish. All for $50 or so.

A local beer on the Chesapeake, and new to me. So delicious I tried it two nights in a row. Its colloquial name is ‘Natty Bo’. Have you ever heard/tried it? 4.5% ABV fyi. I also had soft shell crabs two nights in a row.

Sometimes you get bottled wine on a boat, other times it comes in a box.

When did you last taste a crispy, refreshing Verdejo? At 12% ABV, this is one for the dog days of summer, serve well chilled.

I’ve been away, on the Bay. Teaching sailing is my retirement job, it has its benefits.

When you need something delicious, crisp, refreshing... Wow, this was good. Bought it years ago at the winery, the label started to go moldy so it was time to open and drink. Petrol was evident, as was a citrus melange, and some apricot. At 12.5% ABV, it was dry with a medium (-) body. Young.

Someone left this Dry Riesling on my boat the other day so I was forced to give it a go. At $11, it will be hard to beat. Citrus, petrol, apricot and acidity for days... I'm getting more. 11.5%ABV #porchpounder

Yes you can pair Pinot with Lobster. Celebrating 33 years of married bliss last night, we rounded it out with Baked Alaska.

Aussie Shiraz with some Lamb chops. Amazing pairing.

The chili popper on top is delicious, but the hot pepper jam on the side takes these deviled eggs to a new level.

Bought this semi-sweet Dornfelder by accident. It's a bit cloying. The nose was very promising but low acidity, low tannins and the residual sugar make for a very bloated mouthfeel that is red fruit driven with no delineation in flavors. I think I'll spend my next $14 more wisely. 8% ABV 😜

The Chesapeake, at night, on a sailboat.....

In my quest to expand my palate, I picked up some interesting fruit. Have you tried any of them?

This is the style of Chardonnay I am drawn to.... Unoaked, no MLF, pure and delicious. 13% in case you were wondering. From Alto Adige, $21 and 91 points in my book.

I seem to be on a Cali Cab kick right now. I have enjoyed the wines from Havens for many years. This one hails from Mendocino and offers up ripe fruit, great structure and decent cellaring capacity. It runs a touch hot at 14.5% ABV so buyer beware. I paired it with a Ouze Lamb shoulder.

Super Tuscan- sounds mighty. This one had grip, cherry and pomegranate flavors, acted youthful yet showed some development. A decent 89 pointer. 13.5 % and $16.

Napa Cabernet.... always ripe, always rich, mainly high in alcohol. This one has started to develop tertiary notes yet still hangs on to blackberry, plum, and cassis flavors alongside spice, vanilla, and eucalyptus. You won't notice the near 15% ABV until it hits. It begs for a thick T-bone steak

My son brought this for my birthday- it's pretty straightforward and basic for Pinot but I was taken aback by the tannins- which I noted were of medium intensity. The flavors are a bit one-dimensional but this bottle serves well for a pop-n-pour weekday wine. 13% ABV 😜

Primitivo, aka Zinfandel, is one of those Italian wines that's easy to drink. The tannins are chalky and relatively low- unlike other indigenous varieties giving it great mouthfeel and approachability in youth. This one is at peak, the fruit starting to fade and take on a stewed character. 89 pts

Sipping Japanese whisky on a boat at the Chesapeake Bay, not giving a fuck about another attempted assassination.

Baked Alaska paired with this stunner. I paid $16 per 375ml back in my Philly days, and travelled to all the local stores to buy up their inventory. Gold in color, bracing acidity, succulent without being cloying. This Viognier/Riesling blend has aged beautifully. Apricot, marmalade, honey, etc

I'm going deep in the cellar this week, celebrating that annual candle blowing event. First up- the amazing Cos from 2001. Still hitting on all cylinders as you would expect from a Second Growth. An amazing structure, gorgeous fruit still present and lovely tertiary development.

Drunk a bit young- this stunning Finger Lakes Riesling is just delicious. $45 at the winery- I wanted to age it a bit more but circumstances dictated that I open it today. A stunner that would rival any Riesling.

Revisiting my post on Laphroaig- I ended up with seven other similar Whiskies, almost all from Islay. Let's see how much peat, smoke and iodine I can stand.

Picked this $15 Sonoma Coast Pinot at Costco- on sale for $10. It’s pretty basic, unoaked and very serviceable as a weekday pounder.

I am really falling for Austrian wines. Under the radar, moderately priced and delicious. This blend of Zweigelt, Blaufrankisch, and Merlot ran me $17, gets 92 points and has the most delightful chalky tannins framing a black fruit core. Glad I bought a few bottles.

Saumur-Champigny Cab Franc. 12% ABV and no oak lets the fruit shine. I am really enjoying this bottle. Planning on pairing it with spiced up Chicken thighs and Persian rice.

Just headed over to pick up Epstein's friends....

It’s gotta be 30+ years since I last tasted Laphroaigh. I found it repulsive back in the day yet here I am today enjoying the Iodine and seaweed it so readily emanates. Funny how palates change. Cheers!

‘Cause Easter dinner. (Do I even need an excuse?). Stunning and youthful. Super powerful, ripe and high in alcohol. Not my preferred style, but it’s gonna rock our Roast Beef Striploin

Not a bad drop for $10, on sale at my local Costco. Regular price is $15, which is a good deal for Pinot.

Aged Rioja my buddy brought over to pair with Oxtail stew. I can't even begin to tell you how much I love tertiary development in wine. Amazing stuff.

The highly aromatic Torrontés- from high altitude vineyards in Argentina. Now that is some delicious stuff. $16, worthy of big points, and on my shopping list for more bottles.

Last night's virtual wine tasting (done over Zoom) was a huge success. Each bottle ran us $22, and they were delicious. I would sit on the Glenelly for a few years, the structure is so amazing- it will cellar beautifully.

Did the Johnnie Walker Experience in Edinburgh. An interesting time- drinks on the rooftop bar afterwards was the highlight. Such incredible views whilst sipping Scotch.

A wee pit stop on our Scottish Highlands bus tour and we ended up in a charming pub, warming up on Scotch and something fancy for the missus.

A delightful Ukrainian wine, overlooking the 18th at St. Andrew’s, Scotland.

Steakhouse dinner in Glasgow and this little beauty fit right in with our Chateaubriand. Silky, loaded with blackberry, great finish and an amazing tannic structure. A nice pairing to our Scottish beef.

This Lirac was tasty on my Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt. I followed it up with some Riesling for the main course of Thai Prawn curry.

It's a real shame that this wine fell apart on the mid-palate. It had all the makings of a 90+ pointer with medium (+) intensity aromas and flavors and a really nice structure. It finished watery and short. Not worth the $43 price point.

Still a little young but maturing nicely. The chalky tannins in this Graves are delightful. A mix of dark fruit with a hint of oak make this a delicious bottle that runs $55 or so. A gift from a buddy.

Thai chilis. They go well with beer, not so much with wine.