Sunday evening grape juice. A monster of dark fruits, pepper, big structure, & a long finish. Mostly Syrah, with a bit of Grenache, Mourvèdre, Petite Sirah, & some whites. From a mix of @manKrankl vineyards. A huge ballsy red; I love it. 2020 SQN Distenta II Syrah. JD99. Cheers!

1st time to break a cork on one of these. It deserves my better Riedel glasses. At age 12 it’s still packed with citrus, brioche, & nuts, with wonderful balance, minerality, & oak. Deep golden color. Sensational! 2013 Marcassin Chardonnay Sonoma Coast. Just a few left. 😢 Cheers!

A superb wine from this varietal. Bright cherries, subtle spices, mushrooms & forest, all well integrated with soft tannins & a smooth finish in this very nice Steve Kistler Pinot Noir. 2019 Occidental Running Fence Vineyard Cuvée Catherine. Cheers!

Sunday dinner wine. Huge depth of fruit, medium tannins, deep garnet color, great balance, & a lingering finish. It’s all perfectly integrated. This is sensational, a real treat. 2014 Hundred Acre Cabernet Sauvignon Wraith. Cheers!

To any Rustic Tuscany 25 tour members, safe travels & have a wonderful time! You’ll be amazed at the experience of wine, food, beautiful countryside, & the shared camaraderie. It was terrific! Tell John & Lars to keep your glasses full. I’ll be watching for posts. Enjoy. Cheers!

Friday wine, my reward for a damn busy week in surgery. 41% Grenache, 27% Petite Sirah, 25% Syrah, bits of Mourvèdre & Petit Manseng. Huge nose, deep ripe dark fruits, & surprisingly soft tannins. This is so nice. 2020 Next Of Kyn No 14 Cumulus Vineyard. @jebdunnuck 100! Cheers!

What are you doing today?

Looking through Buckeye Grove to Ohio Stadium. My favorite place to be on Saturdays this time of the year. Go Bucks!

IYKYK

A blend of 4 wine barrel aged Saisons from 2016, refermented on passion fruit, blended & bottled in 2019, released in 2020. Despite the age it’s fresh, with light tartness, funk, & bright citrus. Side Project Brewing Coeur de Cuvée Blend #1. Grilling brats tonight! Cheers!

Peach galette for dessert. Anyone in?

Sunday night wines. Cheers!!

With the 2025 college football season set to begin, I’ll take pause to reflect on the final game of last season! 😃

If my wife is out with friends, & I’m not on call, what else should I do? A smash burger at @SideProjectBrew & this terrific “For TWCP” stout. It’s a bourbon barrel aged imperial stout with slivered almonds, Ghanaian cocoa nibs, & Ugandan vanilla beans. 15%. So good! Cheers!!

First time to try. A unique bottle. Inside, a bright nose, lots of lemon, stone fruits, vanilla, good minerality. The oak isn’t too heavy. A long finish. It’s nice. From a pure limestone vineyard. 2021 Fairchild Estate Chardonnay Stones Russian River Perrarus Block A3. Cheers!

A nice Friday end of work week food truck dinner. Fish and chips and an ice cold juicy hoppy hazy @narrowgaugebeer IPA. Cheers!

Going up in the hills this evening. These wines are always solid, amazing given the breadth of Larry’s portfolio. A delicious big and jammy Zin. Drinking 2019 Turley Rattlesnake Ridge Howell Mountain Zinfandel. Cheers!

My wife is out again with the ladies so it’s a solo dinner for me. A Katie's Pizza & Pasta Osteria Funghi pizza. Roasted garlic, chanterelles, Pecorino, Taleggio, shallots, & aged Balsamic. A bunch of flavors in this pie! And a 2018 Kistler Dutton Ranch to rinse it down. Cheers!

I’m up for a stout anytime. Six stout recipes from rum, bourbon, & rye barrels of varied ages, blended, finished on STL’s Sump coffee, Ugandan & Mexican vanilla beans, & unsweetened coconut flakes. Complex. Big fudge & rum. Not too sweet. 15%. Side Project Derivation 18. Cheers!

Channeling my inner @JohnMFodera this Friday evening after a long week of work, with a pan of this Bucatini Carbonara and a lovely @campochiarenti 2020 Chianti Colli Senesi "Sant'Ambrogio". Any 2025 Rustic Tuscany tour members out there are in for a huge treat! Cheers!!