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Black Hills Estate Winery 2024 Nota Bene Hiatus Collection

Review of Black Hills 2024 Note Bene Hiatus Collection

The estate was started in 1996 when the property was bought in a joint venture between Peter and Susan McCarrell and Bob and Senka Tennant. They sold half the grapes to various British Columbia wineries and used the other half to create the first vintage of their flagship blend Nota Bene 1999 (which was released in 2001). In 2007, Glenn Fawcett formed a group of 350 investors, the Vinequest Wine Partners GP Ltd., to purchase the winery for $11.3 million. In 2011, Black Hills acquired the 15-acre Double Black Vineyard, which is one kilometre south of the original Sharp Rock Vineyard. In 2017, Black Hills Estate Winery, Gray Monk Estate Winery, and Tinhorn Creek Vineyards were acquired by Andrew Peller Ltd for a combined total of $95 million. The current head winemaker is Ryan McKibbon. The 2024 Nota Bene Hiatus Collection is made using grapes sourced from the Walla Walla Valley in Oregon is a blend of 43% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon and 23% Cabernet Franc. It was necessary to u

Mostly Italian Wine Night featuring Masseto 2010

Emideo Pepe 2007 Montelpulciano D’Abruzzo

Emidio Pepe 2007 Montelpulciano D'Abruzzo Wine Review

Description written by Chat GPT The 2007 Emidio Pepe Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is the kind of wine that quietly dismantles expectations about what Montepulciano can be. Far from the easy, everyday reds the region is known for, this is a deeply traditional, age-worthy expression—both rustic and refined. In the glass, it shows a deep ruby core, still vibrant but just beginning to hint at maturity along the rim. On the nose, it opens slowly and deliberately: black cherry and dried currant lead, followed by layers of baking spice, tar, tobacco, and dried herbs. There’s an earthy, almost feral edge—loam, leather, and a faint resinous note—that gives it unmistakable character. The palate is where it really earns its reputation. Full-bodied yet structured, it balances ripe dark fruit (black cherry, fig, blueberry) with savory complexity—tobacco, spice, and mineral undertones. A bright streak of acidity keeps everything lifted, while fine-grained tannins provide grip without heaviness. Text

May 28, 2026

Portfolio Tasting of Blue Grouse Estate Winery Wines, Cowichan Valley

Portfolio Tasting of Blue Grouse Estate Winery Wines

Blue Grouse Estate Winery is located in the Cowichan Valley of Vancouver Island, BC, Canada. The winery was established by the Duncan Project where the BC Land Commission agreed to fund the testing of over 100 grape varietals on Vancouver Island. The land was purchased by Dr. Hans Klitz in 1989. In addition to reducing the number of grape varietals to be grown at the winery, he also imported vines from France and Germany and started selling wine in 1992 (2nd license issued on Vancouver Island). In 2012, the winery was purchased by Brunner family who added land to the winery and then the winery was purchased in late 2021 by the Jackson Family Estates (2nd and 3rd generation Jackson family members who also own Kendall Jackson)\ The winery has 8.5 acres producing grapes plus another 6.5 acres which was planted in 2017 as well as an additional 20 acres planted in 2020 and 2021. There are plans for an additional 35 acres to be planted in 2023 and 2024. My interest in this winery st

Masi 2013 Amarone Della Valpolicella Mazzano

Masi 2013 Amarone Della Valpolicella Mazzano

Description written with assistance of Chat GPT The 2013 Masi Mazzano Amarone della Valpolicella Classico is a powerful, meticulously crafted expression of one of Veneto’s most revered terroirs. Sourced from high-altitude vineyards in the Valpolicella Classica zone northwest of Verona, this wine reflects both the cooling influences of Lake Garda and the complex soils of limestone, clay, and volcanic origin—factors that preserve acidity and slow ripening, building depth and finesse. In the glass, it shows a deep garnet core with subtle brick reflections, hinting at its development. The nose is intense and layered: dried cherry, fig, and plum lead the way, followed by notes of cocoa, sweet baking spice, tobacco, and a faint balsamic lift. There’s a refined concentration here, a hallmark of the appassimento method, where grapes—primarily Corvina (75%), supported by Rondinella (20%) and Molinara (5%)—are partially dried for several months to intensify sugars, structure, and aromatic comp

More Thoughts on Bordeaux 2025 Futures: Palmer, Angelus, La Lagune, Lafleur

Jermann 2022 Where Dreams Have No End Chardonnay

Bordeaux 2025 Futures: Chateau Lafite

Jermann 2022 Where Dreams Have No End Chardonnay Wine Review

Jermann’s (pronounced "Yer mann") winemaking history goes back to 1881 when Anton Jermann left his home in Burgenland, Austria and Slovenia and moved to Villanova in Friuli. Since the early 1970s the person in charge at Jermann is Silvio Jermann. The winery was sold in 2021 to the Antinori Group but Silvio still runs the winery. The winery consist of 200 hectares of which 170 hectares is vineyards. The winery is located in the Friuli-Venezie-Giulia region in Northeast Italy. The winery uses no fertilizers, chemical residues or pesticides. W. Dreams or Where Dreams Have No End is made with 97% Chardonnay grapes and 3% of undisclosed other varietals. It is name after the U2 song "Where the Streets Have No Name." It was first produced in 1988. For the first nine-years, the wine was called "Where the Dreams Have No End...". Each year, there was a unique capsule color change, following the seven colors of the rainbow, plus black and white. The four phases of the moon are also depict

Bordeaux 2025 Futures Recommendation: Gruaud Larose

My Drinking Experience on Celebrity Beyond

I was on board Celebrity Beyond and was actually thinking of drinking too much. But the sommelier Lino was so nice that I could not help myself. So I choose value bottles that I don't see in B.C. Wines reviewed/featured in this video are: Cattier Icone NV Casa Lapastolle 2022 Grand Selection Cabernet Sauvignon Joseph Cattin 2023 Gewurztraminer Hatschbourg Catena 2023 Malbec

Spring 2026 Trophy Wine Hunt

I normally go to my long term storage facilities twice a year. This spring, I was just busy and supposedly drinking less so I decided to just buy some wines locally. I have the pleasure of attending some wine dinners and as part of the dinner, they usually offer some back vintage wines for purchase.

Look Out For Deals with 2025 Bordeaux Futures

Wine I Drank in April 2026. How Many Have You Tried or Recognize?

May 2026 Update and Wine Recommendations at B.C. Liquor Stores

Thank you all for continuing to view my channel. 2 Exciting Developments This Month: 1. My Youtube videos are now streaming in a show format on Wine Watches & Whiskey, which streams on Roku, Apple Fire TV and free on StirrTV. Here is the link to the channel: https://stirr.com/watch/7269/wine-watches-and-whiskey 2. I will be visiting Summerland, B.C. for a deep dive into their wines June 11-14, 2026. If anyone is up there at that time and would like to drink with me, please contact me at trophywinehunter@gmail.com As my viewers and subscribers may know, I am trying to go for quality over quantity this year. So I am limiting myself to 250 glasses of wine this year. As of April 30, I am now up to 88 glasses so I to cut back a bit to meet my goal. Here is a list of wines I drank in April: Louis Latour 1995 Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru Chateau Pape Clement 2016 Blanc Chateau Latour 2006 Chateau Palmer 2005 Chateau L'Evangile 1994 Chateau Figeac 2015 Cattier Icone NV Casa Lapast

Barone Ricasoli Portfolio Tasting Lineup

Barone Ricasoli Portfolio Tasting Lineup

Barone Ricasoli Portfolio Tasting

Written by Chat GPT The portfolio tasting of the wines of Barone Ricasoli offered a compelling journey through one of Chianti Classico’s most historically significant estates. As the oldest winery in Italy, Ricasoli carries both legacy and responsibility, and this lineup demonstrated how thoughtfully it continues to evolve without losing its identity. Their mid-tier selections have depth and dimension. Here, oak was used more assertively but never overwhelmed the fruit. Notes of dried violet, to

You Know You Are Drinking Too Much When This Is Just An Ordinary Night