Somm David T 
Morlet Family Vineyards
Ma Princesse Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2022
Leave it a to a Frenchman transplant to make beautifully styled Chardonnay from Sonoma that is tastefully treated with the right amount of restrained new oak. — 5 days ago
Morlet Family Vineyards
Coteaux Nobles Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2021
Luc makes beautiful Pinot Noirs. This showed beauty and elegance with some excellent deep tones. I would wait five more yrs before opening. — 5 days ago
Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin
La Grande Dame Brut Champagne Blend 1990
I am seldom dumbfounded when it comes to wine. So, I appreciate it when that happens.
This 1990 La Grande Dame was amazing and so fresh. Full disclosure, I am not normally impressed by this producer and this cuvée. Unusual for a champagne of 35 yrs to be so fresh in my experience from inception. So much so, if poured blind many would call it N/V or a fairly recent vintage. The color was even palish straw. Mags were brought from their Champagne House.
Excellent with the dessert of the evening, “Lemon Meringue Pie Cookie.”
Enjoyed at the 2026 “From Cellar Event” Pebble Beach Food and Wine.
Creator is Sumaiya Bangee.
NEW YORK, NY
All in Hospitality and Thulathan
@_sumaiya_bangee_ — 6 days ago
Michel Bouzereau et Fils
Bourgogne Côte d'Or Chardonnay 2023
With this producer & the amended meaning of Cote D’or says something to the buyer. Putting it in its simplest terms, it says this is more somewhere between Bourgogne & Village level. Leaning a bit towards Village. I was told that the fruit that went into this bottling is all from Meursaut, both Puligny & Chassagne Montrachet and one other area I cannot recall that Alex the Burgundy Buyer at K&L shared.
If you know this producer, you understand they are fairly well respected for good not necessarily great quality. Keeping in mind, 2023 was an excellent white burgundy vintage.
The nose shows; lemon-lime, green apple, underripe pineapple, green melon, not quite ripe kiwi, white peach, honey, cream, soft vanillin, sea spray, some sea fossils, beautiful, soft chalkiness, gentle white spice, caramel tones, understated white spice, fresh to dry herbaceous notes, yellow & white flowers with greens.
The palate is round, lush and somewhat viscous. Tart lemon-lime, green apple, underripe pineapple, green melon, not quite ripe kiwi, white peach, honey, cream, soft vanillin, cream, sea spray, some sea fossils, beautiful, soft chalky powder, white spice w/ medium palate heat, caramel tones, understated white spice, crisp volcanic minerals, dry limestone, dry twig, oak powder, mint, fresh herbaceous notes, yellow & white flowers with greens. Rainfall acidity, great; balance, structure, length with smartly polished elegance that lasts minutes and long sets on spice & volcanics.
Coravin decanted in glass for 30-40 minutes.
$59. My other bottle will slumber 2-3 yrs. Think it picks up a point then.
You can spends hundreds on Grand Cru & Premiere Cru whites, but I am all for buying Village & Bourgogne level whites in grand vintages like the recent 22’s & 23’s given Burgundy prices these days. That’s the smarter play. — 3 days ago
Morlet Family Vineyards
Coeur de Vallée Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
Elegant Cabernet with great character & depth. Would like to try it again in 5-8 yr.
Nice pairing of elegance with the Wagyu Short Ribs. — 5 days ago
Morlet Family Vineyards
Force Tranquille Cabernet Franc 2021
Definitely a well made CF. It is still young but shows excellent promise. Certainly one of his best.
Always good talking with Luc.
At the end of the event I went back for a dollop of this one. One to revisit and closeout the event. — 5 days ago
Pierre Gimonnet & Fils
Special Club Chouilly Grand Cru Champagne 2015
The nose shows; pineapple flesh to canned juice, green & golden apples, Bosc pear, white citrus blend-lemon-lime-grapefruit w/ pith, kiwi, vanillin, nougat, cream, ginger-ale, soft white spice, volcanic minerals, brioche, light caramel notes, yellow lilies and white spring flowers.
The palate reveals, ripe, juicy; green and some golden apple, lime candy with zest, lemon, grapefruit w/a bit of pith, Bosc pear, green melon, mango & kiwi. Graham cracker crust, vanillin, cream, note of caramel, brioche, volcanic minerals wrapped in limestone marl, beautifully toned chalkiness, sea spray, sea fossils-oyster lead, white spice w/ mid palate heat, some yeasty bread dough, touch of dry herbs, yellow lilies-flowers, white spring flowers, lively, crisp acidity with an elegant finish that is; balanced, nicely toned with excellent structure & length that lasts two-minutes.
94 with additional cellaring.
Vineyards planted between 1951 and 1991. 100% Chardonnay. Manual harvested at optimal maturity on 9/10-11. No chaptalization. Aging on fine lees in tanks 6 months. Bottled on April 25, 2016. Disgorged 6/22. Dosage-4g/l. Just over 3900 bottles made. — 3 days ago
Caffè Pacori
Pacori Select
@Delectable This is the Pacori Select.
Over the yrs, I have done a deep dive into coffee in a quest to make the perfect espresso. It has been a close 2nd obsession to my wine journey.
Pacori has come very close, closest. They make many different roasts but their “Select” is the best I’ve had and I have tried many different beans to get here.
Pacori guarantees you will have their beans within 5 days of roasting. Many beans don’t put a roast date on their beans. Starbucks, Peet’s etc. might be 30-60 days from roast date or more before you buy them. Grocery stores, longer. Fresh beans make a difference.
Pacori offers many roasts but I like that they will do sampler 4 packs…a 1/4 pound of each you select from. Their select is a perfect balance of bold and smooth. Bold darkish espresso tones w/ notes of nuts, mocha powder, milk chocolate and caramel.
I have narrowed my selections to Select and Sumatra. But they are all good. Finding your wheelhouse is a pleasurable journey.
Like grapes, same as coffee, you can’t make a good bottle-cup w/o good fruit/beans.
Ranking the most important elements of making good espresso:
-Beans
-Grinder
-Machine/Barista skills
-Adding a 49mm step down baskets to your standard 58mm portafilter. There is real science now that 49mm basket makes superior shots.
After waking up, this is just the best part of my morning. — 3 days ago
Spring Mountain Vineyard
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1979
Oldest wine served at “From the Cellar.” Paired with the dish of event.
I met Tim who was pouring initially. He is the main person behind the VC group that bought the property and three others out of BK in 1999. We all know what happened the next yr with the Glass Fires. Very unfortunate coupled w/ bad timing.
The hope to have all the restoration worked completed by 2030. They have already started replanting the vineyards that were consumed in the fire. Priority number one as it is roughly 7 yrs before you get usable fruit for quality wines.
He brought a 3L of the 79. Mags of 90, 96, 97, 05 & 06 to the event.
The “Grilled Sofrito Lamb Ribs” were off the chain. I had three. — 6 days ago
Somm David T
Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator
My wife Sofia brought this on a birthday weekend in Napa for me. We hoped it would be something close to their 03 Premiere Napa Valley bottling I bought 8-10 bottles. @Paul T, Missing My Beautiful Wife 24/7 bought the rest and I sold one to @Shay A. They were amazing.
This needs more time in the cellar to be more like the 03 PNV, but it is a ripe, ruby, lush Napa Cabernet. Right now, this is very classic Napa Cabernet. Better things are ahead in another 7-10 yrs.
The nose shows; brambly dark cassis, blackberries, black raspberries, black plum to pudding, black cherries, poached to baked strawberries & a frame of raspberries, mid berry cola, black licorice, dark spices, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon powder to stick, vanillin, moist, grey volcanic clay, dark, rich forest floor w/ dry leaves, dry twig, dark chocolate bar, herbaceous notes, some graphite, soft leather/fresh tobacco, dry crushed rocks, fresh to slightly candied; dark, red flowers w/ violets.
The palate is a bit of Cabernet candy. It is, ruby, rich & lush. brambly, dark core of cassis, blackberries, black raspberries, both plums, black cherries, poached to baked strawberries & a frame of raspberries, mid berry cola, black licorice, sweet tarriness, dark spices w/ heat, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon powder to stick, vanillin, moist, grey volcanic clay, dark, rich forest floor w/ dry leaves, dry twig, graphite, charcoal, dark chocolate to pudding, herbaceous notes, some graphite, soft leather/fresh tobacco, dry top soils/crushed rocks, fresh to slightly candied; dark, red flowers framed in liquid violets/lavender, grand, rainfall acidity, balance for days, well knitted-structured-woven, elegant finish that goes on for minutes and long sets on clays, spice and dry twigs.
Add a point or two in 5-8 yrs. — 3 days ago