Came here to co-sign everything @Chris_W had to say about Lot 42. While I did get just a faint note of meaty olive upon open, it quickly sunk into a ripe fruit and vanilla bomb. Far from anything that resembles Cote Rotie or CdP. This strikes me as a very presentable party wine that will tickle the tongue of the Daou/Caymus crowd. For the price, it’s better than what you can find on most grocery store shelves, but there’s no reason to hold these for long.
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Lot 42? / ~ 2024 Carneros Napa Syrah-Grenache (66% Syrah / 34% Grenache)
Well at least that one adds up to 100%
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Yes, that’s the one. Definitely a ripe and fruit forward Napa style but missing almost everything that resembles a Rhone-style GSM blend.
Did you see Cams note on that Lot 2 weeks ago?
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Cam. I’ve drunk a ton of Pinot Noir over the years and this tasted nothing like one. My opinion seems to be shared by the other Cellar Tracker reviewers (albeit there are only a few reviews).
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Wife and I may have had 2 of these (Lot 6 Rose of Pinot Noir 2024) last night kicking off front porch season 
You can dial in how much watermelon and fruit you want via serving temp. I preferred it above fridge temp for more fruit. 90pts.
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Tried a second bottle of Lot 34 last night, which I had previously given a very bad review to. This bottle was way better! No weird off flavors. Nice black fruits, good oak treatment, good acid, long finish. The first must have been bottle shock or a bad bottle. I’m relieved!
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YES. From Camxcellar:
Still a baby, but already thrilling. Cam plans to keep it in barrel through the end of 2025 and bottle in January 2026.
It’s one of the most elegant, finessed Petite Sirahs Cam has ever bottled—certain to go down as a legendary CAM X lot .
WINE FUTURE
PROJECTED BOTTLING JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2026
This 2024 PS, is very young.
I believe, “The future is so bright, you gotta wear shades…..”
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Simon,
So do you believe bottle shock is actually true now? If so, hold off sampling some of these young wines. They will be good- in time.
Cheers, Tim
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I believe in bottle shock, as a person and as a former winemaker.
However, I do not believe in the Easter Bunny 
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Here’s one past bottle shock, and on deck (literally) for tonight:
Lot 04 Chardonnay Sonoma Coast (Freestone-Occidental) 2023, nearly a year in the bottle.
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Four YEARS after bottling is my minimum for PS. Not that they aren’t drinkable, but I think they get a special magic with several years of patience. About the same with Syrah for me
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I find 3 years bottled is a good place to start for most Hearty Reds. 4 years is probably even better!
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Lot 60 Sauvignon Blanc pobega’d tonight. Hamel family wines Sauvignon Blanc was the guess for producer on this wine and I’ve never tried theirs before. Tasting notes led me to think this would be more in the style of a Maayan koschitzky style SB with a citrus forward taste but on the nose and palette this leans a lot more toward a Merry Edwards SB. If you like Merry Edwards you’ll like this wine. Thankfully I do enjoy a Merry Edwards as well so this SB will be a great pool wine and porch pounder throughout the summer.
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- 2025 Cam X Pinot Noir Lot 43 Rosé Secret Hill - USA, California, Sonoma County, Petaluma Gap (4/15/2026)
A pretty, light pink color with good brilliance. Strawberry and cantaloupe in the bouquet. The flavors are generous, just slightly sweet and a definite crowd-pleaser. But not to be taken lightly is the good bite of acidity and a touch of underlying mineral slipperiness. Persistent finish (for a rose’)
5+10+18+8= 91 (91 points)
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Lot 04 Chardonnay Sonoma Coast (Freestone-Occidental) 2023
~11 months bottled, 4/6(split a case), Corkage at the table.
This is a very nice food wine! Fresh, bright and clean. The acidity is just perfect for buttery seafood, etc.. Probably will age quiet a few years, these will be gone before then. Luckily, Lot 65 is due to arrive here in an hour or two.
Lot 65 Per Cam: This wine is every bit as good as, if not better than, Lot 4 2023 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay (personally, I think it’s better and I know it’s less expensive). If you missed Lot 4, then you won’t want to miss this Lot 65.
Nice evening overlooking Morro Rock with Sand Dabs Piccata over spinach
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Once it settles into the bottle you’ll see it is less like Merry Edwards and a bit crisper…I still remember my first bottle of ME SB and I used to love that wine for its combo of nicely integrated dash of new oak, creaminess and zest but, alas, I stopped buying as it feels formulaic now since Merry sold the enterprise and volumes have increased. Having said that, please note Lot 60 has no new oak on it (ME SB signature)…there is certainly enhanced mouthfeel from neutral barrel and tank lees stirring but, at this point, I suspect its just a phase of bottle shock as the wine swings from lean and bitter to fat and fruity…
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Hey Cam, more write-ups like this please. This is helpful stuff and educates both on the style of the SB, how it will potential change as it ages, and how your palate sees it (for understanding preferences and alignment).
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