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Grabbed this on a lark to pair with burgers. Awfully good, bordering on great…and I’m typically not a Merlot drinker. I might have to rethink that.
- 2015 HLR Cellars Merlot - USA, California, Sonoma County, Fountaingrove District (2/17/2024)
Opaque purple color with no signs of age. Classy fruit that expresses itself as red currants, ripe raspberry, plum and black cherry. There are also lovely green notes -- eucalyptus and sage - with some earth and spice. Medium+ body with good acidity. Tannins are polished and unobtrusive. Well-balanced and wonderfully complex. A rare bargain coming out of Napa Valley ($39). Very good now with some room to improve. Should drink well through 2032+. (92 points)
Year 2 that I missed Jean Edwards! 
2015 Franny Beck Blue Label… Very good right out of the gate. Even better when chilled down to about 58 degrees. Darker cherry, light baking spice (sage? nutmeg?), a faint huskiness on the nose. Light on the palate, yet fully coating it at the same time. Longish, soft finish.
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2022 Matthiasson Rosé
Saline and citrus medley on the palate. Similar citrus notes on the nose.
Matthiasson was one of the first wineries I knew by name, and I’m glad to have finally drank one of their wines.
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Deaver Mission Port. Wanted to try some new stickies so I took a flyer on this. Not good. No acid and so it comes off like alcoholic prune juice. Tried again after a few days and no change. Not something to re-purchase.
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Tonight, a 2012 Virage (I think this bottle was one purchased back in 2020, but another mixed BD15 case arrived today! 
).
Liquid gold. 
I hope you have some 2011 in that mixed case Terry
I do!! I did four each of the 2010, 2011 and 2012. Had both the 2010 and 2011 with a Dunn Napa 1994 a year ago this past November. Wonderful stuff.
I went with 6 2011s and 6 2012 Burros
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@Erik_Muir I’m glad you wrote about this wine from Matthiasson. His wines have been on my mind to try - heard about him for years (of course). Would you say, that this was a rose for people who like reds? Or for people who gravitate to whites? If it fits into either category?
I would say more towards rose for those preferring lighter-bodied whites.
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Good to know, Erik. Thanks for your info on this one!
2010-12 Virage vertical, with boeuf bourguignon. Decanted for 4 hours; initial serving temp around 58 degrees.
2010 - Clean and precise. Drink now through 2030.
2011 - Missing a bit of bottom end. Would pair better with chicken. Would probably show better with a shorter decant or PnP. Drink now through 2027.
2012 - Dark and full and very, very good. Interestingly, this was the only bottle with noticeable sediment. Would make a great birth year wine. Drink now through 2034.
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I have a case and a half of 2011, 2012, 2012 Burro and 2013 CF landing in a couple of days
Yay!
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And I just found a half case of 2011 and 2012 Burro that I never unpacked from BD 14
Entiat 2020 Rocky Reach Syrah.
This was surprisingly good — fresh dark berry and plum, cedar, and a menthol/eucalyptus/rubber sort of thing on the nose. The dregs had a dose of milk chocolate too. Tannins were still pretty spry. I don’t think this would suffer from aging, and a few years might mellow some aspects of the attack. At the same time, this is not going to rival, say, a great Hermitage. It was a fun “gyro night” wine and worked well in that capacity. On the whole, this made me regret missing Entiat on BD XV day. On the other hand, some forced denial of purchasing is needed when your cellar is as full as mine.
Same! I had this a few weeks ago as a “let’s open one more bottle” wine. It stood up to the other two domestic California Syrahs we had earlier that evening. And it was around $22-ish? Sign me up.
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Let me know if any of you guys try the 2013 CF!