Reductive nose, although it does impart a bit of smoke to a stalky, slightly green-noted spiced, black cherry nose. Good acid and tartness on the palate, swinging into charred cherries and candied black raspberry. It seems to be wanting to try, but is held back by reduction and a simplicity in profile. 81 pts.

Update: Tried this again during a tasting get-together today and suspect I may have been a bit harsh at the outset. When the sulfur elements blew off, the smoky notes remained and melded well with a eucalyptus-like green note while still echoing the aforementioned stalky elements. The fact that the wine is named based on a historical wildfire makes the incorporation of the smoky characteristics rather character-full. Revisited: 85+ pts.

(Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz) If Penfolds’ Bin 389 is “Baby Grange”, then the Bin 8 must be the grandchild. It grabs with classic Aussie herbaceous spice, leafy/woodsy notes, and charcoaled dark fruit on the nose. It follows up with ripe, smoked blackberry and black raspberry on the palate with an nice, uplifting brush of menthol leaf. Rock-solid. 90+ pts.

Opens up marvelously and this comes from a next-day tasting. There’s a massive amount going on here, beginning with a nose that breathes deep forest compost, dark wildflower beds, musky blackberries & blueberries, hints of prunes & dates, and pressed dark strawberries all condensed into a vivid picture of a post-rainfall grove teeming with morning dew. The palate is a rich, raisinated, woodsy font of blackberries and black raspberries, fruit stems, and dried strawberries. The mid-palate bursts with an ashen smoke note that lingers and melds with the fruit till the finish without overtaking the other elements. This is a magnificent effort that evokes camping in deep, secluded virgin woods with dark and red fruits being smoked over a raw fire and served atop rustic cookware. Sensational structure and the continual refined, ashen element gives this wine an almost enigmatic, feral quality. Spellbinding. 94+ pts.

A lot of flair here, along with the lushness to stand a bit of age but perhaps not the acidity or tannin for extended, substantial cellaring. The bombastic, fruit-incense, lathered juiciness certainly has its place, though, and it sure as heck seems Caymus went all Dookerstyle for their anniversary. Spiced & charred plums, heavy dollops of cassis, velvety ripeness, and a hint of sweet tobacco. Palate is heady and smoky, but washed over with a subsequent wave of ripe black fruits, port-soaked black cherries, and lots of sweet dark cedar. The alcohol is somewhat well-cushioned in the voluptuousness of the wine, but is unmistakable. From a salesmanship perspective, this probably merits a 95 rating (considering the popularity of the style), but the underlying complexity and stuffing are just a bit lacking here for me. Still…likely to be a popular effort. 91 pts.

(Roditis, Moschofilero blend). We’re taking a trip off the beaten path into Greece to find a lively, friendly wine that deserves attention. No need to worry about getting the pronunciation of the indigenous grapes of this wine down; just enjoy a bottle that trumps most Pinot Grigios that you’re likely even paying 50% more for. Pears, citrus, white flowers, and soft pebbles comprise the aromas leading into a snappy flavor profile that mixes those same elements with touches of kiwi and starfruit. It’s a simple, pretty, easy-going bright white that is a steal for the price while broadening your wine horizons. 88 pts.

I really enjoy the classic components present here that offer punch without over-extraction. Aromas of charcoal briquette, black plum, and peppercorn-dusted prunes mix with touches of smoky beef jerky and bitter chocolate. Much of this is echoed into the palate, with a bit of a black raspberry lift kicking in; and there’s a pretty finish that mimics a nice chocolate stout. Great style that emphasizes peppery and meaty notes rather than alcohol and jamminess. 90 pts.

This exudes an old-style, bakery-made cherry/redcurrant pie note that transitions into an extracted, glazed black raspberry doughnut profile in the mouth. Bits of mahogany, maple, spice, and sandalwood trickle in to bring this “grandma’s kitchen” feel into full focus. Despite all this, though, it’s not overtly or recklessly candied (if wine could be a stereotypical “comfort food”, this would be a good example). Rich and pretty. 92 pts.

This wine was a lot of fun, upon tasting, playing peek-a-boo back and forth between ripe Oregon and Burgundian styles. The nose offers a vivid burst of wild flowers, orchids and roses (amidst other garden florals I probably am not fully familiar with), followed by dry dusted pecan-covered strawberries and a hint of spearmint leaf. The palate is expansive, beginning with juicy dessert strawberries powdered lightly with toasted confection sugar. It then see-saws into notes of autumnal leaves and wisps of mushroom cap. Bitter nuts maintain a nice finish, and the wine breathes with elegance, playfulness, and zest. It’s a wonderful offering and what it lacks in outright intensity, it makes up for in nuance. Likely to be appealing across a wide spectrum of palates. 91 pts.

The 2010 Ca’ Momi Napa Valley Zinfandel was one of the first zins that I had a mild infatuation with during my initial foray into wine. There was this unique caramel macchiato note mixed with the fruit that seemed incredibly nifty to me. As an homage to ‘National Zinfandel Day’, I thought I’d revisit an old friend and see how it was doing in its current vintage.

The 2013 has a pretty explosive nose of inner child holiday party going on. Raspberry mocha, blueberry jam, bitter dark chocolate, cedar chest, and a medley of clove, maple, and bilberry nuances tingle throughout. The palate shows perfumed, plummy raspberries, pancake blueberries, and brown sugar pastry up front. The finish is actually impressively long with touches of mulled wine spice and bitter nuttiness lingering quite nicely. Normally I want zins to be a water balloon splash, yet this is a bit more demure while still exuding umph…despite the fact that the palate is undoubtedly (again) your inner kid at heart. It’s unashamedly ‘New World’ fruity, but the integration of fun oak-based flavors really gives it character. The mouthfeel is a tad thin and it’s not overtly complex, but this wine is honest, fun, appealing, and a little bit nostalgic (at least for me). 89 pts.

Incredibly well-balanced Rhone blend, with fresh-squeezed red fruit and mossy, dewy earth on the nose, echoed into the palate with pretty, fine tannins mixed with a vibrant acidity. Touches of black red fruit in the medium-plus mouthfeel mirror the Syrah/Mourvedre aided color. A very nice touch of dusted walnuts zips into the mid-palate, before the smooth tannins and zippy acidity tango towards a great finish. A fantastic, underrated surprise. 91 pts.