There are many pretty grape(s leaves), but this one is surely high up on the list:

This is Monastery Muscat budding out. It's a white grape but you can see from the pink tinges that there is some red grape in its heritage, too.

This grape is my "beast of the vineyard--" as it has the thickest trunk, the highest yield, the best disease resistance. It is a champion and a survivor. Great Muscat bouquet in the juice.

Sort of in love with walnut slabs

I just finished sanding and staining Slab 4. See photo.

The sanding takes forever. I fill cracks and pits with epoxy, then let it dry hard and sand it down. Sometimes that must be done two or three times. Just the sanding was tough, as I bought these slabs from a guy who uses a chainsaw to make them, in the field, and thus the slabs are super-rough when I bought them. The top is as smooth as glass now.

Next is a tung oil finish, and then legs to make this a bench seat that will be at a to-be-built dining table that will reside in our to-be-remodeled barn, where we will hold wine-related events!

Oh, My! 2016 Wines of Substance 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon - Review

Oh holy smokes! Opened this with slow-smoked BBQ Pork that I made 2 days ago, and WOW! So glad I did!

It is very rich and luscious, with the expected black currant, but also blackberry, olives, and earth. Seamless.  Teriffic fruit notes. I would expect this to cost about $40-$70, not $20! So sad this is my only bottle (got it while I was a member of the wine club).


So I looked up the pro reviews on this one, and they agree. I love the line: "Just buy it and pretend you paid three times the price!"

Jeb Dunnuck 93
"The largest production cuvée, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon was vinified in tank before being pressed to barrel where it went through malo. Aged 13 months in barrels, its vibrant purple color is followed by a terrific bouquet of blueberries, cassis, scorched earth, and spice. Deep, rich, full-bodied, and beautifully balanced, this is the real deal, ladies and gentlemen, and it's a no-brainer purchase. Just pretend you paid three times the price."

Wine Advocate 90
"Amazingly, there are 125,000 cases of the value-priced 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine offers up classic aromas of crushed cassis, loamy soil and pencil lead. On the palate, it's medium-bodied, layered and flavorful, with chewy but ripe tannins and succulent balancing acids, concluding with good length. Considering the scale of this cuvée and the pittance it commands, it's a remarkable achievement."

James Suckling 92
"The is a firm and linear red with currants, blackberries and hints of chocolate. Medium to full body, firm and velvety, chewy tannins and a juicy finish. Real cabernet at a real price. Drink or enjoy."

Wine Spectator 90
"Dark and spirited, with appealing blackberry, black olive and smoked anise flavors that build toward big but polished tannins. Drink now through 2024."

Wine Enthusiast 90
"The aromas are compelling, with notes of fresh herb, black currant, black raspberry and black cherry, showing a pleasing sense of purity. The flavors are soft and pure, with sleek black-fruit notes lingering on the finish. Firm tannins back it up. It’s a fruitful expression of the variety and a superb value. "

Charles Smith sold his winery for an amount so huge you wouldn't believe it. What a wine! He deserves everything he achieved.

We are really screwing up our climate

Read the story here: Budbreak of grapes in France is occurring earlier and earlier, putting the grapes at greater risk of a killing late frost. So grapegrowers are having to implement expensive approaches to fighting frosts. And ironically, they often use smudge pots to make the heat amongst the vines, which contributes to more climate change!

The answer is to globally reduce our hydrocarbon burning, starting with the dirtiest sets of emissions: The burning of coal and oil. It can be done, but we have to do it.

Wine consumption is up. WAY up, due to so many of us staying at home

This is from an SFC article:

The Bay Area is drinking 42% more alcohol than usual while sheltering in place

You aren't the only one who's been drinking more, according to data from BACtrack, a San Francisco company that produces smartphone-connected breathalyzer devices. The idea for the study came from people's anecdotal impressions that drinking was up, said BACtrack CEO Keith Nothacker. "We said, let's go check the data. Sure enough, drinking had exploded post-shelter-in-place." Link: sfchronicle *** It makes me wonder why we drink more while at home than if we're out and about. ?? Maybe it's cheaper to drink at home than to drink out (and not just a bit cheaper--sometimes up to 4x cheaper!). And maybe we are stressed over the Pandemic, and turn to wine for comfort and relaxation (I know I do). Don't overdo, but let wine help you, in moderation, if you love to drink it!