Big Sky Brewing Co. Missoula Montana at M & S Grill

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A wonderful meal last night at M and S Grill on the plaza thanks to Big Sky Brewing Co. who has introduced a new line of beer in our market last year, leading the way with Moose Drool, named after the original image for the brewery where a Moose is coming out of a pond with water on his beard looking like he was wanting a bottle of his own.


Trout Slayer Ale.. 4.6% alcohol, all about the citrus, and lemon curd ... almost perfumy, matched well with the mixed green salad and feta...

Big Sky IPA 6.2%v grapefruit from the hops...interesting pine resin.. not as bitter as was expecting with IPA... pan seared diver scallop... very nice

Buckin Monk Tripel Ale.. 10% alc... and malted milk, sweet and heavy, I was not alone in the group trying to figure out if I liked it or not... I kept going back to it... and drank it all but I dont think I really liked it.the last sip I had was reminder of a Banana Creme Pie... may never be made again...served with a blue crab and lobster bisque which really showed off the sweetness

Moose Drool Brown Ale 5.2% a dark lager...which did well with the Filet... and tarragon Bearnaise maybe the weakest pairing but both tasted very well

Ivan the Terrible Imperial Stout 10% alc. finished in old bourbon barrels from Buffalo Trace our host said, even though the website says Jim Beam...first impression is of molassis, mocha and bourbon, thick and unctious in texture you could see how this beer could easily stay and develop in the bottle for several months to come.. coffee and kahlua... I couldnt image drinking more than one of these, much like a port after dinner.... paired with Chocolate Pots du creme. exquisite

pahlmeyer/bommarito/ with Camille Cox

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As the woman said, they were the ones taken to the dance but there are several more pretty ones there... so they have to do something to make themselves more attractive.

Pahlmeyer has been around for many years as one of the premier wineries, in price and prestige. Obviously affected by the great recession they are adjusting prices and maintaining quality.

2005 Proprietary Red.. a blend of bordeaux varietals... lots of dark extracted fruit, with lots of fruit.. silky tannin, very enjoyable..

2006 Napa Valley Merlot ...dark purple no opaqueness... stinky feet, seems to be a little young.. or underripe.Not as impressed as I was hoping to be... has some caberent in it..


Pahlmeyer Chardonnay Napa 2007 from the napa nose to the full luscious mouthfeel there is no doubt that this is a huge chardonnay..

L'Adventure winery Dave DeBusk/Pinnacle

L'adventure Optimus.. 2008 surprisingly astringent and uninteresting.. expected more from this estate.

Estate Cuvee 2008... lush fruit.. cant find my notes

Cote d' Cote 2008 side by side... was a blend of grenache and syrah, now with Mourvedre also... cant find my notes but remembered it had a very tight nose but after a few seconds the finish was more of coffee and dark berry's.

wine monday

Erin Adams with Glazer'sMohua Sauvignon Blanc New Zealand 2009... grapefruit, gooseberry and bitter...

Perrin Cotes du Rhone Villages 2007 tight, linear and not at all what I expected from this vintage.

Cono Sur Cabernet/Carmenere Chile 2008 pretty nose, rubber, meat and roses... red berries on the palate.just a little rustic on the finish...


Carie with Appellations

Domaine des Aubuisieres Silex Vouvray 2008 mineral and light ...not much to it... the sparkling version is much better

Zacherle Syrah Spring Mountain Crowley Vineyard 2006 dark intense color and flavors to match... black berry and lush... soft tannin... another great example of spring mountain fruit.

Consilience Petite Sirah Central Coast? 2006 an almost duplicate of the Zacherle but with more lush fruit and not as interesting finish.

carie with appellations

Chateau da la Greffiere Macon 08 bright golden yellow, wet stone and lemon, lemon curd and lime on the palate... not flabby at all.

P and N Reverdy Sancerre 2008 light straw yellow color, lots going on with the lemon lime, almost like the first sip of a margarita...would work with cerviche for sure... good summer wine

Domaine la Bastide Les Genet Syrah 2007 .. dark purple in the glass, coffee and mocha coming through. great little wine from a great wine year.

Gassier Nostre Pais Costieres de Nimes 2007 dark purple, somewhat astringent on the palate... some of the coffee and mocha but a little more dense and dull... quick finish. strange label...a little too much iodine.

andy doyle with Kenwood/Heck Estates

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Valley of the Moon Pinot Blanc 2008 some minerality, some flesh, expecting a little more body.still interesting for a change of pace when looking for anything but chard

Kenwood Pinot Noir Russian River 2007 soft coffee and rose pinot, a touch of good fruit, some heat on the tongue but for the money its hard to beat. red berry fruits on the finish

Kenwood Jack London Merlot 2006 one note on the nose, good juice but a little weak on the finish was expecting more..

Kenwood Jack London Cabernet 2006 dark purple in the glass... sawdust...some nice texture to it but fruit seems to not show off a lot.

Kenwood Jack London Zinfandel 2006 dark fruits come out through the nose, good juice more about the fruit and not alcohol.

Valley of the Moon Zinfandel 2007 a little more briary on the nose and juicy on the finish which is a little quick...but the mocha comes through after a few seconds...surprised me

new decoy line extensions

sauv blanc napa 2009 only decoy without estate fruit..melon and figgy nose, a little grass, a touch of minerality, good finish... nice acidity.

pinot noir anderson valley 2008 light garnet red , made by the migration winemaker, cola, some red fruits on the palate.. nice finish. not a heavyweight pinot but nice example of california fruit.

Napa Red 2007, cab,merlot cab franc, petite verdot.. red berry fruits, maybe a little chunky on the tongue.. could use food.

Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 Napa lush fruit, a little more tobacco on the finish than I expected... juicy alright but not overrun with tannin or bitterness

Zinfandel Napa 2008 dark purple in the glass, a little briary good juice, lots of black berry fruit, nice mouthfeel...changes in the mouth in good ways...

Goldeneye Pinot Noir Anderson Valley 2006 big mouthfeel...lots of fruit, almost a fruit bomb...which is interesting.. coffee on the nose, lots of berry flavors,

Death's Door Spirits... Brian Ellison/Premier Cru

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The most dangerous section of Lake Michigan is known as Death's Door. and here is where the grain is grown.

Vodka wheat and barley... sweet on the palate..it says sweet cream flavors and I can see that... good acidity.

Gin only uses 3 botanicals... juniper, fennel and coriander, sweet and fennel on the palate.. i can see this going into some of the more new style old cocktails/

White Whiskey 80% wheat and 20 barley... distilled twice.. interesting nose of saki almost teqiula without the lime hints.. again sweet flavors a little banana on the end.. done in oak that comes through the very end... the oak is very minimal though... very.. 72 hours or so.

owen roe wines with tim rice/glazer

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O'Reilly's Pinot Gris 2008 mineral and lemon, touch creamy... 100% stainless steel.

One overriding feature of the red wines is how lush and ful flavored they are, yet they are in no way flabby... dark intensity...

Owen Roe Kilmore 2008 a Oregon Pinot Noir... soft nose, earthy and fleshy.. long finish.. looking forward to more of the 08 Oregon's to show up

Sinister Hand Gsm 2008 juicy but the nose is tight and not very giving,..again dark fruit..

Ex Umbris Syrah 2008 dark and full bodied... inky rich lovely fruit finish.. ordered three cases

Abbots Table red 2008 a blend of zin and sangiovese with other grapes, soft juicy nice wine but not overly exciting compared to the rest of the portfolio

ShareCroppers Cab 2008 Columbia Valley nice cab, juicy also... more mid palate action than back palate... some sawdust on the nose,

Rosa Mystica Cab Franc 2007 a little rusty color, lavender, and ripe ... interesting.. big fan here of cab franc

DuBrul Cabernet 2007 deep rich color and flavors... full bodied... with some nice sweet fruit, wonderful long finish... ordered a case

Woodhouse Family Cellars with James Parsons/glazer's

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A new property to kansas city.

Hudson Shah Chardonnay Columbia Valley 2007 some apple and banana on the nose, caramel and interesting flavors that I cant quite put my finger on... creamy finish but for the money a little off

Maghee Cellars Merlot Rattlesnack Hill 2004... port nose from ripe fruit, juicy finish. still a young pup can use time to settle down, pomerol in washington?

Dussek Family Cellars Cabernet Rattlesnake Hill 2004.. tomato sauce on the nose, soft tannin and juicy fruit, almost like chocolate cake... but the 04 scares me, even though this is their current release it will be priced against 06

Kennedy Shah La Vie en Rouge 2005 bright cherry fruit, bright purple in the glass. some cotton candy soft red fruit... coffee finish... i thought it was going to be a little old but again.. 05 is their currrent vintage

vintage wine estates with steve ross

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Girard Sauvignon Blanc 2008 stainless steel...less grass more gooseberry...soft but aware

Windsor Sonoma Chardonnay 2007 some ml... fruit is okay but a little hot

Girard Chardonnay Russian River 2007 more minerality than the first chard. not as hot...slight touch of oak is nice.


Windsor Sonoma Zinfandel 2006 Dry Creek..said to be made in the feminine style... but found it to be a little boring..

Girard Petite Sirah 2007.. intense, color and flavors... not a wimpy wine..

Windsor Sonoma Cabernet 2005 typical cali cab nose, cassis and dark berry fruit, but ultimately uninteresting.

Girard Artistry 2006 a bordeaux blend.. sawdusty nose, really like the textures of this wine... mouthfilling and flavors of dried fruits.. best of the bunch'

Sonoma Coast Vineyards 2007 Pinot Noir dark fruits and very rustic... i think I was hoping for more given the vintage.

and I got more with The Sonoma Coast Vineyards Ballisterri Vineyard Pinot Noir 2007... very nice dark intense color and flavors.. loved the texture of the wines... and the hint of oak on the finish...

Casey Squire with Banville & jones wine merchants/bommarito

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A tasting of 2005 Barolo. Most of these will be pre-orders if any of them sound worthy give me an email or call at the store.

Scavino is a third generation winery in the piedmont. the 2005 vintage of barolo is said to be classic... which basically means if you can't make good wine that year you should try something else for a living.
Scavino tries to be a blend of old and new style of barolo, instead of using the small oak bariques and giving a lot of maceration time to get more of the fruit and grapes together.. yet staying with some of the older practices they are trying to bridge a gap between the two styles.


Rosso Vino da Tavola 2008 a blend of nebbiolo, barbera and dolcetto with a touch of cabernet. dark fruit nose, dark in the glass.. good berry fruits and not overly tannic.. nice blended wine.

Scavino Barolo DOCG 2005... this is their basic barolo.. earthy nose with a little perfume to it.. roses and earth.. dark cherry fruit on the palate with a longish finish.. nice fruit through it.

Scavino Cannubi Barolo 2004 another perfume nose... bright color in the glass, enjoyable tannin play and long finish.. single vineyard

Scavino Carobic Barolo 2005...noticing a trend in pretty aromas on the nose, great texture.. this wine was in the top 100 of wine spectator for 2009.

Scavino Bric del Fiasc Barolo 2005 a blend of several best single vineyards.. bright fruit, lots of acidity...great wine.

Scavino Bricco Ambrogio Barolo 2005... a lighter style of wine, from newer vineyard sites.. not as full bodied but still tasty... more toward the new style of barolo

Scavino Rochhe dell'Annunziata 2003 done in more the traditional style of barolo with the bricky finish.. more tobacco and tar less fresh fruit.. lots of texture though and long finish.. definitely noticing the oak more.

Staglin Family Vineyards w glazer

Image of Staglin Family Vineyard via Snooth

It is always a pleasure when owners come into the market. last month it was Robin Lail , today Shari and Garen Staglin dropped in the store for a visit. Smart business people with a passion for great wine

Staglin Family Vineyards Salus Vineyard 2007 Salus is the Roman goddess of health, hence the word Salut for a toast to good health. Surprisingly rich and creamy for no ML treatment.

Staglin Estate Chardonnay 2007... beautiful amber yellow, good acidity, a little heat on the palate, very round on the finish.. even a little more creamy than the Salus..

Staglin Salus Cabernet Sauvignon 2006.. didnt like the first aromas, very green but interestingly enough the fruit was so much deeper in flavor than I would have ever thought. rich and full of textures. 100% cab made from younger vines, so I have hope that this wine will end up even better with some age to it.

Staglin Estate Cabernet 2006.. much more finessed almost racy in its texture and mouthfeel.. dark purple in the glass and dark fruits on the palate...a nuanced touch of oak... a great aging potential.

janet malone with Diageo

Chalone Chardonnay 07 toasty sweet fruit, oak treatment, round flavors.

Sterling Vintners Collection Meritage 2008, juicy but a little green from youth.. nice mouth feel. pleasant wine

Rosenblum Paso Robles Zinfandel 2007 briary, juicy, all the right bells and whistles

Sterling Napa Cab 2006... vanilla and fruit, a little heat but lots of red berry fruit. long finish

mike dorsey with golden barrel

Klipfel Gewurztraminer Alsace 2008.. honey and sweet pineapple, not a typical dry finish for alsace either...

Schlink Haus Kabinet Nahe 2008 pineapple, green apple, crisp and not a sweet finish

GruVe Gruner Veltliner Austria 2007 mineral and sweet nose but not too sweet on the finish.. fun artistic label

Nitthaus Eiswein Gruner Veltliner 2004... lush.. deep yellow, honey, typical nose for eiswein... viscous on the tongue and long pleasant finish.

carie with appellations

2006 Acier Chardonnay zesty, med bodied.. acier means steel..so no oak.. was hoping for some longer finish.

2005 Merlot Estate Napa good fruit at the core but finished a little weak and some over active cedar

2006 Rhapsody a blend of merlot and cab... french stink on the nose, some interesting mouth interaction but doesnt seem to be intergrated.. more cedar too

2007 Zinfandel Estate.. purple in glass.. juicy good fruit and balance.. longish finish.. not the hot over the top zin and from a great vintage.

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• 2010 Harvest Reports (pinotageclub.blogspot.com)

wine with craig from pinnacle

Baumard Cremant Cuvee de Tourquoise.. nv.. sparkling chenin blanc that has a nice creamy mousse and almost bone dry which is surprising for the sweeter chenin

Vinum Chenin/Viognier 2008 California takes the place of the Vinum Chard-no-way...light and not terribly interesting comparied to past vintages...

Wine by Joe Oregon Pinot Noir 2008... some really great aromas.. a bright fruit with a little green finish, that should go away with some age.. a little mocha on the finish.

Novy 4 mile blend 2008.. predominately shiraz and zin. and a little of the kitchen sink... bright purple in the glass.. dark fruit flavors especially on the mid palate... would like tohave a longer finish but still good for the money

Chateau La Rose Tour Blanche 2008.. red bordeaux for the money very good... nice fruity nose, good fruit... longish finish

terra firma bordeaux

CHATEAU LANETTE GRAVES 2005... just a little old... first bottled was slightly corked 2nd bottle much better , showing some acidity but a little flat on the finish.

Chateau Jourdan Bordeaux Superieur 2005.. dark brooding color in the glasss.. good intense fruit, long pleasant finish. predominately Cab Franc and Merlot

Chateau du Ragon Bordeaux 2007... cab and merlot.. garnet color, stinky on the nose, some red fruit but a quick finish

2007 Chateau Bel Air. merlot and cab. lots of french stink on the nose, acidity but not a lot of fruit.

king estate wines with erin.glazer

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2008 Acrobat Pinot Grigio light yellow in color, bright fruit, a little rhubarb green and quickish finish.

2008 King Estate Signature Pinot Gris, lighter color than the acrobat but a lot more flavor, soft fruit, good acidity.

King Estate Domaine Pinot Gris 2007...showing typical for the vintage... light and not memorable

King Estate Pinot Noir Signature 2008... fruit on the nose, a little earth and perfume, nice weight, not overly tannic... a bit young.

NxNW Cabernet Sauvignon COlumbia Valley 2007 a little green on the nose, but fruit came through.. med finish.. not too bad

King Estate Domaine Vin de Glace Pinot Gris 2006.. interesting nose of honey and stewed tomatoes... sweet but not cloyingly so.. honey notes in the middle.. not as heavy as most dessert wine can be...

Jordan Russian River Chardonnay 2007... backed a lot off the oak., some toasty notes on the nose but clean and fresh on the palate with just a little of the caramel from the oak on the finish...

coppola wines glazer

Directors Chardonnay 2008 Sonoma ... bright and clean fruit.. low if any oak...nice creaminess but not overly so.

Directors Pinot Noir North Coast 2008 pretty nose, roses and perfume, a touch meaty on the finish.. and that in a good way... good texture

Directors Merlot Sonoma.. Juicy a little more complexity on the palate but a quick finish. i thought it had a little syrah finish.. but 100% merlot

Directors cabernet 2007 Sonoma... some cassis and graphite on the nose but quick fruity finish not overly interesting..

david langford with negociants/garco

Nautilus Sauv Blanc 2009.. light straw color, a touch creamy, gooseberry... typical new zealand nose..

Yalumba Viognier 2008 bright yellow color, nice perfume on the nose, ends a touch sweet.. nice viscosity... from original rhone plantings.

Yalumba Shiraz/Viognier Barossa 2006 dark coffee color in the glass.. dark flavors. almost jammy but good acidity to follow through.

pinnacle wines todd mathis of martines wines

2007 Cornin Beaujolais Blanc... 100% chard.. from the beaujolais region... mostly known for gamay grape wines.. no wood.. not very interesting.. except for the uniqueness of the wine itself.. needs a little more body and fruit.

2007 Brocard Montee de Tonnerre premier cru chablis... 100% chard... not as crisp as I was expecting..

2007 Metaireau Grand Mouton Muscadet.. Loire Valley... a touch creamy, nice minerality and a touch of creaminess from the sur lee aging...

2007 Bruno Clavelier Combe d'Orveau Chambolle-Musigny quite the expensive bottle... and definitely showing more seductive character.. perfumy and loamy... long lasting finish..

2008 Gilles Robin Cuvee Papillon Croze Hermitage syrah... lots of white pepper on thenose and some nice blueberry on the palate but quick finish and for the money I was expecting a little more

2007 Niepoort Vertente Portugal.. made with indigenous port grapes... dark color in the glass but not showing a lot of flavors on the palate... just having been shipped in they may still suffer from bottle shock.

foster brands with jeff robbins

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Chateau st Jean Belle Terre Alexander Valley Chardonnay 06... lots of ml and butter on the nose, a little oaky on the finish but not as much as you would expect from the nose...

Beringer Private Reserve Chard 2007 rich and creamy, everything a napa chard is supposed to be.. and a good amount of acidity on the finish..
Penfolds Bin 2 2008 Shiraz/Mourvedre blend.. juicy fruit.. bright cherry dominates.. long finish

Stags Leap Cabernet Napa 2006 classic cali nose,good fruit.. good tannins and nice finish.. very consistent property.

Clear Creek Distillers from Oregon

Blackberry Liquor made from Black berry and Marionberries. very tart like gooseberry

Cherry Liquor made from bing cherries and tastes like cherry pie filling...

Eau de Vie of Douglas Fir, definitely the most interesting thing I have had in my mouth in ages.. light green color, they actually put fir needles in the brandy.. interesting pine cone nose with long lasting flavors. I can see this being more of a mixer than digestive...

vintegrity and woodward canyon

2008 Woodward Canyon Chardonnay Walla Walla 2008 beautiful chardonnay, lots of ml and long creamy finish.

2007 Nelms Road Washington State Merlot juicy, a little lighter body, hints of tobacco...

2007 Woodward Canyon Merlot, nice with its tobacco and right bank features... long finish...

2007 Artist Series... wine of the day!! big fruit, lots of texture, a little hot.

2007 Nelms Road Cabernet light, nice fruit but uneventful...

odisea winery with jk wines

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2007 Cochon Syrah Massa Ranch Napa Valley dark coffee on the nose, dark fruit on the palate but it ends pretty quick... a little hot on the palate

2008 The Temp Tempranillo Clements Hill cedar on the nose, pretty juicy fruit and good finish... shows the difference between cali and spain temp though...no earthiness here., the clones are from the Ribera del Douro which is my favorite spanish wine region.

2008 Unusual Suspects 55% field blend, back in the old days farmers would plant all varietals together and they are all harvested at the same time... alicante bouchet, carignan, etc. dark purple in the glass, a little hot also..

2008 Veritable Quandry red.. 36% grenache.. and a bunch of other stuff... one note sticks out... iodine, juicy and hot

2009 Dream Albarino Lodi taking a cool climate wine and putting it in a hot area like Lodi the grape changes a lot... what was soft with some nutty character becomes a wannabe New Zealand sauv bloanc... catpee and rhubarb on the nose, green veggie on the palate, does have some of the texture of it.. but overall strange little wine.

Michael David Winery with Tom Schmtz

A very good producer of juicy, fruit forward wines... almost to a fault

Incognito Viognier 2007 sweet and viscous. a bit hot...

Petite Petit Petite Sirah the wine doesnt need the cute label it is good...lots of deep flavors, even a little bacon fat... nice firm texture but may have finished a little hot

Earthquake Zinfandel Lodi named for the old vines that were planted in 1906, the year of the great San Francisco earthquake..jammy and juicy

Earthquake Cabernet Lodi again big fruit, not complex just fruit forward with a little vanilla caramel on the finish.

kreusch with garco

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Estate Riesling 2007 halbtrocken style... minerality with a little cotton candy finish.

Piesporter Michelsberg Kabinett Mosel 2008 100% Riesling.. nice minerality and acidity to balance the sweetness
Duxheimer Doktor Spatlese. a blend of riesling and muller-thurgau brightlemony yellow.. a honey mineral note on the nose, good viscosity

Twisted River Dornfelder 2006 garnet color, juicy not at all green like I thought it might be... showing fruit very well. a nice alternative to lambrusco

Riesling Sekt Extra Dry Sparkling NV a touch of diesel and mineral on the nose, bright apple on the palate but a touch dull on the finish..

erin adams with glazer

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Acrobat Pinot Gris Oregon 2008 lemony, good acidity and flavorful for oregon pinot gris

Librandi Ciro Bianco Calibria,2008 made from greco bianco, all about the mineral and texture with a nice touch of stone fruits... great alternative to ubiquitous ot grigio

Valle Reale Montepulciano d'Abruzzio Italy 2008 boring label but great product.. dark purple color and fruits are showing through... tannins and tartness...

The Sum California 2007 tuck beckstoffer of the napa beckstoffers.. cab, syrah and petite syrah, tight nose, petite syrah makes it fruity,, not overly complex though...

antonio sanguineti/small vineyards/major brands

Rosso di Montalcino..2006 Sangiovese Grosso.... baby brunello.. really enjoyable texture.. a little hot on the tongue... but a long earthy finish

Rosso di Montepulciano 2004 textbook italian nose, round on the palate though, not as thin as some Italians... bright cherry fruit on the finish.

VINTUS AND PINNACLE IMPORTS

2008 Errazuriz Wild Ferment Chardonnay Chile... some malo and 100% barrel makes an american style chard... good viscosity and fruit...

2006 Telmoo Rodgriguez Gago. Spain Toro.... made from Tinto di Toro or Tempranillo, the grape of Rioja, but as syrah reacts differently to australia versus Cornas, so tempranillo does between rioja and toro... dense rich and ripe not a bit of the typical saddleleather that Rioja exhibits.

2007 Decero Malbec Argentina the second vintage for this producer... definitely in the style that parker likes, big, bold and juicy... dark purple in color ... dark fruit on the palate...

2007 Finca Decero Amano Argentina.. best blocks of their grapes make this wine. malbec, cab and tannat... round flavors but the cab does show through... wine of the day...

2007 Errazuriz late harvest sauv blanc... late picked so higher in sugar... honey and apricot on the nose, but a little blunt, nice mouthfeel on the palate but a little medicinal on the finish... not a winner...