February 20, 2026 • 40 mins
GSM sounds like a cool stage name
@Bodegacorazondelsol @gamble_estates @whitehalllane @donmelchorwine #wine #napavalleywine #podcast #radioshow #host
Co hosts : Good ol Boy Harmeet, Good ol Boy Justin, Made Man Maury, Made Man Bob
SIPS – Join us for a delightful exploration of some remarkable wines from Napa Valley and Mendoza, Argentina. In this episode, we’ll be tasting and rating an impressive lineup. Our hosts dive into the unique characteristics of each wine, sharing their tasting notes, food pairings, and a healthy dose of humor along the way. Whether you’re a seasoned wine enthusiast or just starting your journey, this episode promises to be both informative and entertaining. Get ready for ratings from 1-5 with our signature SIPS sounds!
4:46 Gamble Estates Yountville Sauvignon Blanc 2024 4 SIPS
11:11 Corazon del Sol Luminoso GSM Blend 2022 Mendoza Argentina 3 SIPS
17:17 Whitehall Lane Napa Valley Merlot 2021 3 SIPS
23:52 Revana Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2021 4 SIPS
29:56 Revana Estate Cabernet Sauvignon St Helena 2021 4 SIPS
33:19 Don Melchor Puente Alto Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 5 SIPS
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Wine Tasting, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Gsm Blend, Napa Valley Wines, Mendoza Wines, Wine Ratings, Merlot, Wine Reviews, Wine And Food Pairing, Wine Education, Wine Enthusiasts, Don Melchor, Wine Production, Vineyard History, Tasting Notes, Wine Cellar, Wine Appreciation, Fine Wines, Wine Podcast
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Episode Transcript
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>> Harm (00:00):
On the next episode of Sips, Suds, and Smokes.
>> Brent (00:03):
Here are the wines we're going to be discussing
today. We have the Gamble Estates Yountville
Cabernet Sauvignon or Cabernet Sauvignon Blanc
2024 Corazon del Solo Minoso GSM Blend 2022
Mendoz, Argentina. Whitehall Lane, Napa Valley
Merlot 2021 Ravana Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
(00:26):
2021 Ravana Estate Cabernet Sauvignon St. Helena
2021. And don, um, Melcar Puente Alto Vineyard
Cabernet Sauvignon 2021.
>> Maury (00:38):
Not a bad lineup. Yeah, I wish I had a nice big
ribeye right now, Bob. That would have been made.
It's always tasting. It is Bob's fault.
>> Harm (00:46):
Sorry.
>> Brent (00:46):
I produced the show, write the script, source the
whiskey, and get your lunch and everything else.
But I didn't get you a steak.
>> Harm (00:53):
We'll be right back after this break. Brought to
(01:18):
you almost live from the dude in the basement
studios.
>> Maury (01:21):
Why? Because that's where the good stuff is. It
sips, suds and smokes with your.
>> Harm (01:27):
Smokin host, the good old boys. And now it's
(01:51):
sippin time, foreign.
>> Brent (01:59):
Time again. Welcome to this Sips episode where
everything good in life is worth discussing. As
always, we are the best thing on at 2am M. Or 4 or
whenever you hear us.
>> Harm (02:09):
You know what? I. I don't know that we're the best
thing on it 2am M. Anymore. Because you know what?
I was looking at my Netflix queue. It's been a lot
of things I haven't watched in a while.
>> Brent (02:18):
Well, you're the one that's up that weight, so
that.
>> Harm (02:20):
That's the problem. Till after midnight last
night.
>> Brent (02:23):
That's messed up.
>> Harm (02:24):
Then insomnia hits. You got to put on the Netflix.
Did I put on the podcast? I did not put on the
podcast.
>> Brent (02:30):
What, this one?
>> Harm (02:31):
Yeah. Come on. I. I've listened to it already. I
was here. I lived it.
>> Brent (02:35):
People listened.
>> Harm (02:36):
I could. You know what? Beer shows are pretty good
now, though. We don't do enough cigar sugars.
Well, Justin, you're part of the cigar crew,
right?
>> Brent (02:44):
Yes.
>> Harm (02:45):
How are you not doing more cigar shows?
>> Brent (02:47):
Wow.
>> Bob (02:48):
Uh, that's a long story.
>> Brent (02:49):
All right, whatever. Well, this made man Bob
joining me today are good. Ah, old boy Justin.
>> Bob (02:54):
It's a pleasure to be here and looking forward to
drinking all this wine.
>> Brent (03:00):
And good old Mori.
>> Maury (03:02):
Good morning. Pleasure to be here today with some.
>> Brent (03:05):
Beautiful wines and good old boy Harm.
>> Harm (03:08):
I was going to Say it's a pleasure to be here with
such beautiful company. But it's not. It's not a
pleasure. The wine is better.
>> Brent (03:14):
Oh, Then what's in this table?
>> Maury (03:15):
You took the words right out of my mouth. I won't
disagree with you on that one.
>> Brent (03:19):
Yeah, that. I think just about anything better
than what's sitting at this table. Good Lord.
Well, our sip segments are all about wine.
Distilled spirits, tea, coffee, anything else you
can sip. And here are the wines we're going to be
discussing today. We have the Gamble Estates
Yountville Cabernet Sauvignon or, uh, Cabernet
Sauvignon Blanc 2024 Corazon del Soluminoso GSM
(03:41):
Blend. 2022 Mendoz Argentina. Whitehall Lane, Napa
Valley Merlot 2021 Ravana Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa
Valley 2021 Ravana Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, St.
Helena 2021. And don, um, Melchor Puente Alto
Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon 2021.
>> Maury (04:03):
Not a bad lineup.
>> Brent (04:04):
Yeah. Yeah. It doesn't.
>> Harm (04:06):
Helena or Helena. Or Helena.
>> Brent (04:08):
However you want to. However you want to say it.
Helena, however you want to say it. Doesn't
matter.
>> Harm (04:13):
Go to Helena.
>> Brent (04:14):
Doesn't matter. Well, we're going to be tasting,
uh, these wines and rating with our one to five
sips rating. Justin, pick one out of five and give
us a. Give us a one. Come on.
>> Harm (04:26):
Oh, my.
>> Bob (04:28):
I was unaware anything could be this good.
>> Harm (04:31):
Oh, my God.
>> Brent (04:32):
That was creepy. That was creepy.
>> Bob (04:36):
And that was five sips.
>> Brent (04:38):
Yeah, that was. Yeah, that was disturbing.
>> Harm (04:40):
It sounded like five lashes, my friend. Yeah.
>> Brent (04:43):
Well, let's have Harm tell us about our first
wine.
>> Harm (04:45):
Thanks, Bob. Our first wine of the evening is Tom
and Colette Gamble family's, uh, uh, wine this
Gamble Estates, the Yountville Sauvignon Blanc.
Tom and Collette Gamble started, uh, in Napa
Valley Agricultural, uh, you know, seen since
1916. The gambles tended the land transition from
Campbell, uh, cattle. Cattle ranching to grape
(05:07):
growing, with Tom purchasing his first vineyard in
1981. The Collette family has deep roots in Napa
Valley, contributing to the region's family
farming heritage since the 19th century. Tom's
mother, Marianne McGuire, involved in establishing
the 1968 Napa Valley Agricultural Preserve and
safeguarding Napa Valley vineyards and wineries.
(05:27):
The Campbells began bottling their first wine
under the family name in 2005 and now cultivate
175 acres in Oakville, Mount Veeder, Rutherford
and Yountville the first wine, the Gamble Estates.
Um, Yountville Cabernet. I'm sorry, I keep saying
Cabernet because you stood it. Yeah. Sauvignon M
(05:48):
Blanc. The 20, 24. 13.8% ABV, 100% SA Blanc. The
appellation is, of course, Yountville Napa Valley.
100% barrel aged, and it's on the leaves for six
months with 15% new oak. The fruit is from the 22
acre Riverbound Vineyard in Yountville. Nestled
against a large hill, this low lying vineyard
holds cold, cool morning summer mist between the
(06:10):
rivers, uh, longer than everywhere else in Napa
Valley. The color is a gorgeous straw. And this is
a huge grapefruit bomb. At first, when it was
really cold. Now it's warmed up, it's become much
more nuanced. Uh, I'm getting flowers, I'm getting
lemon cake. I'm getting, uh, almonds. I'm getting
again, the grapefruit's still there on the nose.
(06:33):
And it's. You know, I generally do not like Napa
Valley Sauvignon because too much barrel aging.
But because there's only 15% new oak, and most of
this must be neutral, they did a really good
balance here. I'm not getting that, uh, over
tannic thing. I'm not getting, like, all that
vanilla and all the lignin and tannin from those
oak. I'm really just getting. They're letting the
(06:55):
grapes shine here. It's got gorgeous fruit
flavors. Let me have a sip real quick.
>> Maury (07:01):
I think while you're sipping. I would say that
aging it on the leaves for an extra six months
also help balance and round it out.
>> Harm (07:07):
Exactly. Maury. It's. It's the. The six months on
leaves, it gives it a wonderful mouth feel, uh,
without giving it the. The tannin of the oak just
overpowering it. You get beautiful citrus notes.
Um, there's some minerality from the soil here.
I'm getting, um. It's. It's not just a one note
thing. You're getting. You're getting minerality.
(07:29):
You're getting great citrus. You're getting a
beautiful acid. And that, um, almond mouthfeel
must be coming from the leaves. It's rich. It's
got a good medium finish. I mean, it's longer now
that it's not cold. Yeah, I enjoy it. Yeah.
>> Bob (07:45):
Justin, what'd you think I got on, um, the nose?
Salty, buttery grits, tangerines.
>> Harm (07:51):
I don't get the grits, but the tangerines will
give you on the palate.
>> Bob (07:54):
Green apple Kind, um, of a seltzer texture.
>> Brent (07:59):
Uh.
>> Harm (08:02):
That went away as it warmed up. But I saw what
you're saying. It was cold.
>> Bob (08:05):
Yeah, it tasted like Fancy candle. And the finish
was short broken.
>> Harm (08:10):
Your soul is defective when what tastes like Fancy
candle? Were you a marine? You eat the green
crayons.
>> Bob (08:16):
Didn't have the pleasure to serve Maury.
>> Harm (08:20):
Please fix him.
>> Brent (08:21):
I.
>> Harm (08:22):
He.
>> Maury (08:22):
He's beyond repair, I'm sorry to say. I am not a
magician.
>> Harm (08:26):
Don't eat the fancy candles, kids. They're
expensive. But I, you know, I only got.
>> Bob (08:32):
To do that one time.
>> Maury (08:34):
What you said, Harm, is actually spot on. Uh, I
thought when it came out, it was a citrus
grapefruit bomb. And it was very tart, A little
bit of green apple. But with air and time in the
glass, it's really blossomed into, uh, a
delicious, balanced, um, sauv blanc. It's. The
minerality is nice. The acid balance is nice. Um,
(08:57):
the flavors kind of dance on your tongue. I didn't
get that spritzy seltzer texture that Justin, uh,
got when it was cold.
>> Harm (09:04):
I understand what you're saying, but not now.
>> Maury (09:05):
But, um, it's extremely pale. My glass, it's
nearly colorless. It's a very, very pale color.
But don't judge the col. A lot going on in the
glass. Uh, I think it's a beautiful rendition of a
California, uh, uh, soft blanc. Bob.
>> Brent (09:20):
Um, I thought it was delicious, uh, when it was
cold. And just so the audience knows, we. When the
wines, we always start out with them a little bit
colder than they probably should be, because a lot
of people do drink their wines way too damn cold.
Um, and then they sit here and warm up as we make
notes. And it was a little bit tight when it was
(09:42):
cold. Um, but once it warmed up, the flavors just
started spilling out of this thing. Like you said,
the grapefruit's still there, but the citrus is
there. The orange blossom is there. White, uh,
flowers. The mineral, uh, note on it is delicious.
Dry stone. It's. I mean, this is. This is a really
well done somewhat.
>> Harm (10:04):
Yeah.
>> Maury (10:05):
Yeah.
>> Harm (10:05):
Harm and I are both pouring extra.
>> Maury (10:07):
I think Harm prefers the, uh, New Zealand, but I.
I really, when it's well done, a Napa Valley soft
blonde.
>> Harm (10:13):
Not that I prefer New Zealand. I generally think,
for years, California screwed it up by boozing too
much oak. I really prefer.
>> Maury (10:20):
This doesn't fall into that category.
>> Harm (10:23):
No.
>> Brent (10:23):
This one's. This one's delicious. So we're going
to give the Gambla Estates, uh, Yantville
Sauvignon Blanc 2024, a well deserved. Four SIPs.
>> Maury (10:32):
That's classified.
>> Brent (10:35):
I. I'm with you. I mean they, they tend to over
oak them in California, but this one.
>> Harm (10:41):
This one, I carry good California Sa Blanc at the
store, but they're very rare. Far and few between.
>> Maury (10:46):
Yeah, there's nothing wrong with a little bit of
oak, but you're right, this wine does not need to
be over oaked.
>> Harm (10:50):
Yeah, I still prefer the French Maury. Well, uh,
the French baby.
>> Brent (10:54):
We'll. Hey. And we're back. We just finished
talking about the lovely Sauvignon Blanc from
Gambla states, the Hunt, Vol. 2024. So let's move
on to our next wine. We're going to have Maury
tell us a little bit about that one.
>> Maury (11:11):
Thank you, Bobby. Uh, founded by Madia Ravana, the
man behind Napa Valley's Ravana estate and Alexana
estate in Oregon's Willamette Valley. After making
his first visit to Mendoza, Argentina, Dr. Ravana
quickly formed a vision to plant a vineyard that
could challenge the world's greatest examples of
Grenache, Morvedra and Syrah. From Chateauneuf du
(11:32):
Pape to Hermitage, the first vines of Grenache,
Morvedra and Syrah were planted to Dr. Ravana's
vineyard in 2008. And three years later, the first
clusters were hand harvested and put into a
fermenter to co ferment together. An interesting
technique.
>> Harm (11:49):
Do they co ferment and shut enough to properly
separate?
>> Maury (11:52):
Everything is separate. They even separate the
block sometimes in the rows and then blend them.
Um, so this is really a novel technique. The, uh,
first wine is the Corazon del Sol Luminoso GSM
Blend, 2022 Mendoza, Argentina. Clocking in at 14
ABV. It is 55 Grenache, 38 Syrah, 7% Morvedra. It
(12:16):
is 100% Corazon del Sol Estate Block 13 Lo Kay as
a state at 38 foot elevation, UCO Valley,
Argentina. Organically farmed, double hand sorted,
whole cluster pressed, seven day fermentation with
native yeast.
>> Harm (12:35):
This one double hand sorted mean it.
>> Brent (12:37):
Means they sort of double secret probation.
>> Harm (12:39):
Use left and right hands.
>> Brent (12:40):
Yes.
>> Maury (12:40):
Correct age, 12 months in second use and neutral
French barrels and rested at least six months in
the bottle. So with that it's got a beautiful deep
garnet color on the nose. There's definitely an
overpowering cherry aroma, A uh, hint of red meat
and spice. The palette is.
>> Harm (13:04):
Who needs more?
>> Maury (13:04):
A bit voluptuous. Um, it's mouth coating. It's got
some spice. It's Got some smooth, rounded tannins.
The finish is medium. It's a really lovely wine. I
think it's a beautiful example of a nice GSM
blend. It's interesting to see it coming from
Mendoza. I think they've done a beautiful job with
this wine. It really has no flaws. I think it's,
(13:25):
uh, beautifully made, and I think it's, uh, It's.
It's enjoyable, especially with some food. I wish
I had a nice big rib eye right now, Bob. That
would have been made. It's always tasting. It is
Bob's fault.
>> Brent (13:36):
Produce the show, write the scripts, source the
whiskey, and get your lunch and everything else.
But I didn't get you a steak.
>> Maury (13:42):
Well, this isn't exactly a whiskey, but.
>> Harm (13:44):
It is paying the big bucks, Bob. Anyway, uh,
what'd you think?
>> Brent (13:49):
Waiting on those.
>> Harm (13:50):
Yeah, you hit the main notes, Maury. I mean, when
I think gsm, I think shat enough to pop. I think
Southern France, and I think Australia. I never
think South America, but I like California.
>> Maury (14:01):
There's some California GSMs that are pretty nice.
>> Harm (14:03):
Yeah, you've got the Rhone Rangers and all those
guys doing stuff like that.
>> Maury (14:06):
But I agree with you. It's. You don't think
Argentina.
>> Harm (14:09):
You don't think Argentina. And I was pleasantly
surprised.
>> Brent (14:12):
Maybe now you will.
>> Harm (14:13):
Yeah, doctor, uh, Ravana did a good job here.
Just, um, strawberry, dark fruit.
>> Maury (14:21):
Sorry.
>> Harm (14:22):
It's all right.
>> Maury (14:23):
I thought he was done pontificating.
>> Harm (14:25):
No, no, uh, I haven't begun to pontificate. I
haven't got my big hat on yet.
>> Bob (14:30):
I definitely got my Elmer's third grade glue after
it aired before.
>> Harm (14:36):
Then I got eating the glue.
>> Maury (14:38):
Well, he rode the short bus. Of course he eats
glue.
>> Harm (14:41):
Once.
>> Bob (14:42):
Once I was 10, I stopped sniffing and eating the
glue.
>> Harm (14:45):
Uh, that's why he became a lawyer.
>> Maury (14:47):
But he does have a vivid recollection of the glue
eating.
>> Bob (14:50):
I do.
>> Harm (14:50):
Yeah.
>> Bob (14:51):
The good old.
>> Maury (14:51):
We call that pica.
>> Harm (14:53):
I look, I think this has got such a.
>> Maury (14:55):
You're a piker.
>> Harm (14:57):
Maury said cherries. I'm, um, seeing red cherries,
but there's black fruit here, too. There's
strawberry here, too. There's such a good bounce
of acidity and tannin. And where do you see the
acidity and tannin coming from the glue?
>> Maury (15:12):
I was using cherry on the nose, by the way.
>> Bob (15:14):
That is what it is now.
>> Brent (15:16):
My time. Outwitting morons.
>> Bob (15:18):
It was fruitier, and now it's more glue.
>> Harm (15:22):
What the hell?
>> Bob (15:23):
On the palate, I got, like, smoked pork and subtle
fruits.
>> Harm (15:28):
There's a lot of umami here. And I will give you
smoked pork. I don't want to do it, but you're
right. Yeah.
>> Bob (15:34):
And that's what I got.
>> Maury (15:36):
It's really fruity on the nose, more so than the
umami, but the umami does come through later on.
>> Harm (15:41):
Underneath.
>> Maury (15:42):
Way underneath.
>> Harm (15:42):
Bob, tell them while they're broken.
>> Brent (15:45):
Here's Justin giving the review of the wine that,
you know, that we did before.
>> Harm (15:49):
I like the unusual flavor of Thunderbird wine.
It's an exceptionally good drink.
>> Bob (15:54):
Yeah.
>> Harm (15:55):
Okay.
>> Maury (15:55):
Yeah.
>> Brent (15:55):
Good Lord.
>> Maury (15:56):
Well, thank you.
>> Brent (15:57):
Go back to sleep. This, um, is lovely. I mean,
again, this is a first for me, a GSM from
Argentina. But I think they did a really good job
with this.
>> Maury (16:07):
And it's with air and time in the glass. I think
you'll be pleasantly rewarded with temperature
improvement as well as aeration.
>> Harm (16:14):
Give it four more years in the bottle to have
some. We're drinking it young. We're killing
babies here. We. We. We drink the wines they send
us from the PR companies to, you know, taste their
wine.
>> Maury (16:26):
Well, they don't send us library releases, I'm
sorry to say.
>> Harm (16:28):
Yeah, sometimes they do. We've. We've gotten.
>> Brent (16:30):
Oh, no. Once in a. We get.
>> Maury (16:32):
Yeah, but generally speaking, we're getting.
>> Brent (16:34):
Usually, uh, what you're getting is what's going
out into the stores. That's right.
>> Maury (16:37):
And in the stores, people are going to buy. They
need to know that they need to give this a little
time. Both in the bottle or in the glass.
>> Harm (16:43):
Or both. Americans don't do that. I tell people
all the time, look, don't buy this by a case.
Drink this one this year. Drink this one two years
from now, the next one three years from now, then
keep going. All right, Bob, give us a rating on
this one.
>> Brent (16:57):
Let's move on. So we've got for the Corazon, El
Soluminoso GSM Blend, 2022. Um, three sips.
>> Maury (17:05):
Interesting.
>> Brent (17:06):
Nice little wine. Really well done.
>> Harm (17:08):
I think it's closer to four because. But I got
overrated.
>> Maury (17:11):
Yes, it improved with time.
>> Bob (17:13):
Definitely overrated, huh?
>> Brent (17:14):
Overruled. All right, Justin, tell us about
Whitehall Lane.
>> Bob (17:18):
White hall lane. Back in 1993, when Tom Leonardi
Senior purchased a small winery in St. Helena.
Originally hailing from Genoa, Italy, their family
history in San Francisco Bay Area dates back to
the late 1880s.
>> Harm (17:34):
I love how they say we're originally from Genoa,
but our family history from 1880s in.
>> Maury (17:39):
I know. Come on.
>> Harm (17:40):
Come on, man.
>> Bob (17:40):
When Tom's parents settled on a farm.
>> Harm (17:42):
Those are. People say gabagool instead Of
Capicola.
>> Brent (17:45):
Sorry.
>> Bob (17:46):
Since purchasing the original property.
>> Brent (17:48):
Cracks himself up.
>> Harm (17:49):
Yeah, I do.
>> Bob (17:50):
The family now has eight vineyards in Napa and
Sonoma. They currently have three generations of
the family involved in the business. Their
winemaker is Jason Moultone, who earned his
postgraduate diploma in viticulture and enology
from Lincoln University, New Zealand. Before
Whitehall Lane, he worked at vineyards in New
(18:12):
Zealand, Bordeaux, and South Africa, and has been
at Whitehall Lane since 2016. Now we're going to
talk about Whitehall Lane. Napa Valley Merlot 2021
clocks in at 14.9 alcohol by volume.
>> Brent (18:28):
Mhm.
>> Harm (18:29):
Mhm.
>> Bob (18:29):
From Napa Valley, it's 82% Merlot, 8% Cabernet
Sauvignon, 7% Malbec, 2% Petite Verdot, and 1%
Cobb Franc. Hand harvested and sent to the tank
for whole berry fermentation. The grapes were cold
soaked in a tank at 45 degrees for four to seven
(18:53):
days and increased color, aroma, and flavor.
Extraction fermented at 82 degrees, which allowed
for hot extraction on the skins with twice daily
pumpovers aged in 35% new French oak for 20
months. On the nose, I got blueberries, plums, and
(19:14):
biscuits on the palette. The blueberries came
through, and then I got heavy cream, and the
finish was creamy as well. What did you think,
Bori?
>> Maury (19:25):
Well, I think you give a nice description of this
wine. Um, I do like the nose of the strawberry,
and I get a little hint of rhubarb. And along with
the plum, I think it's got a nice mouth feel. It's
a little bit, uh, astringent for my liking. But
we'll be back and talk about it further.
>> Harm (19:44):
A commercial break again.
>> Brent (19:49):
Hey, and we're back, and, uh, Maury was giving us
his thoughts on the white hallway. Napa Valley
Merlot.
>> Harm (19:54):
I believe he was waxing rhapsodic.
>> Maury (19:56):
Yes.
>> Brent (19:56):
No, it's a really lovely wax on, wax off.
>> Bob (19:59):
Sorry, Brazilian wax.
>> Maury (20:02):
Yeah, it's a lovely merlot. Uh, the tannins need a
little bit more time to mellow and integrate. Uh,
but that aside, I think it's drinking nicely. It
checks many of the boxes. Is. It's a. It's a nice
merlot, especially for those who like bigger
grapes, like cabs. It's got a lot of body to it.
It's got a beautiful mouth feel. It's got a medium
finish. I liked it. I thought it was nice.
>> Harm (20:24):
Justin, how's the wine?
>> Bob (20:26):
So.
>> Harm (20:29):
He talked about it.
>> Bob (20:30):
I did talk about it.
>> Harm (20:32):
He was the first guy on the show.
>> Bob (20:33):
Blueberries Heavy cream.
>> Harm (20:34):
Yeah, yeah. Bob's been drinking. Ignore him. I'm
just gonna say something.
>> Brent (20:39):
Okay, look, um, waiting for somebody on the nose.
>> Harm (20:42):
It was all cherry and vanilla for me with milk
chocolate. And then I'd met. I. I re. Re
approached and I said, what? Where's this menthol
coming from? I picked up the wrong glass. There's
no menthol. That's the next wine. That's.
>> Bob (20:55):
You picked up your pack of cools.
>> Harm (20:56):
Ah, no, it's the Cabernet that's evolved. But
anyway, so this merlot on the nose is, um, milk
chocolate covered cherries. And vanilla on the
palate is where I get those strawberries they.
They were talking about. So strawberry nice, good
(21:17):
acidity, very integrated tannin. But the finish is
a bit short. And that's literally all that takes
this wine from a four to a three for me.
>> Bob (21:28):
Remember that drink Quick, when you were a kid?
>> Harm (21:30):
Yeah.
>> Bob (21:31):
Nestle kind of reminds me of Quick.
>> Harm (21:34):
It's not chocolate, but it's chocolate as a kid.
>> Bob (21:36):
Yeah.
>> Harm (21:37):
Yeah.
>> Bob (21:38):
Well, you know, I go back to. I blanked out 20
years, so everything is like, you know, 10 years
in younger, free for tasting.
>> Harm (21:45):
Bob, what do you think? Quick.
>> Maury (21:47):
Oh, my God. Where'd you find him?
>> Harm (21:51):
It's not strawberry Quick.
>> Bob (21:52):
It's, uh, Nestle Quick chocolate, right?
>> Harm (21:55):
No, they had strawberry too, so.
>> Bob (21:57):
Yeah, it's true.
>> Harm (21:58):
I, uh, look so like four parts chocolate to one
part strawberry Quick. You get this Merlot.
>> Bob (22:03):
Yeah, you're right.
>> Harm (22:05):
I. I can. I can eat glue too. Justin.
>> Maury (22:08):
You guys.
>> Harm (22:08):
Glue too.
>> Maury (22:09):
You guys need to go back to the rubber room. Uh,
Romper room.
>> Bob (22:14):
I. I never left. I resent that implication that I
ever left.
>> Brent (22:19):
Maury.
>> Harm (22:23):
Bob, why are we. Why are we. Why are our souls
defective? Tell us.
>> Bob (22:28):
That's a long discussion.
>> Brent (22:30):
Yeah, there are doctors at Cal State trying to
figure that out right now. I think this is a
lovely. This is a really well done, well put
together, good example of a nice Napa Valley
Merlot. The strawberry is definitely there. The
red fruit, the chocolate is definitely there.
>> Maury (22:53):
Um, on the palate.
>> Brent (22:59):
On the palate again. Juicy, got a nice mouth feel
to it. Acidity is mostly front palate for me. The
fruit is there. The raspberries, the strawberries.
The chocolate is still there on the back.
>> Harm (23:13):
Nobody said raspberry. Said you.
>> Brent (23:15):
Yeah, I got it broken. No. And just, I mean,
really? Yeah. Well done. Well done. A very nice
little wine. So we're going to be giving the
Whitehall Lane Napa Valley Merlot 2021 a well
deserved three sips well, what about you?
>> Maury (23:33):
Interesting.
>> Harm (23:34):
It's. It's a. I think it's deserves a little bit
better, but it's really great for entry level
merlot from these guys.
>> Brent (23:41):
Yeah, yeah. I mean, considering how much of it
they make and you know, I mean, for the money, a
damn good bottle of wine.
>> Harm (23:48):
So you tell us about the next wine. Do it. It's
your turn, baby. All right.
>> Brent (23:51):
So Ravana States was founded by. How are we saying
it?
>> Harm (23:56):
My dear Madia.
>> Brent (23:58):
My dear Ravana.
>> Harm (24:00):
I guess I'm from north India. He's not from North
India. Whatever. Madia.
>> Brent (24:05):
Yeah, he's, he's a doctor.
>> Harm (24:06):
And you know, we're going to split out now.
>> Maury (24:09):
We're going to split hairs between north and South
India.
>> Harm (24:12):
Look at this guy over here. Here's a urology story
is have the net worth of Dr. Ravana.
>> Brent (24:16):
I don't think any of us got.
>> Harm (24:19):
A cardiologist who makes wine. Yeah, go ahead.
>> Brent (24:21):
Well, starting on a family farm in rural India,
through hard work and perseverance, he made it to
university, then to medical school, then was
accepted for a three year residency in internal
medicine in New York. Uh, he made it from New York
to Philadelphia and then finished his cardiology
training in Dallas. After going into private
practice and through friends with mutual interest
is wine interest began to grow. In 1997, after a
(24:46):
medical conference in San Francisco, he met a
realtor who showed him a property in Napa Valley
and introduced him to Jim Barber, now Ravenna
Estates vineyard manager. They planted the
vineyard in 1998 and their inaugural lease was
their 2001 cabernet. So we are going to be
drinking the Ravana Cabernet sauvignon Napa Valley
2021.
>> Maury (25:06):
That would make it their 20th anniversary release,
sir.
>> Brent (25:10):
It's uh, 14.7% ABV. Appalachian is Napa Valley
Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc Merlot and
Petit Verdot. Uh, fruit harvested from the Ravana
estate vineyard and St. Helena AVA. A quarter
vineyard in Atlas Peak and Shiflet Ranch in Oak
Knoll and panic vineyard in St. Helena. The fruit
(25:31):
is hand picked, hand sorted and then whole berry
fermented in micro fermentation batches. Barrel
age for 20 months and 16 or, uh, 60% new French
oak and 40% once filled French oak. The color on
this just a, um, Beautiful, beautiful. Dark, dark,
dark, dark, inky, inky, lovely. Not a lot of light
(25:56):
going through that. That's what I like to see on
the. No blackberries, dark fruit, black cherry.
There's A mineral note to this, a graphite. Almost
a, uh, almost a slaty nose to it. And on the
(26:21):
palette, let's see. M hm. Black currants, dark
black fruit. It's got a little bit of a
herbaceousness to it. On the mid palate.
>> Harm (26:37):
I'm getting that herbal note right on the nose
right away. Dude. This, the one I was talking
about, had a menthol note after that.
>> Brent (26:43):
Breathe. Yeah, but it's got, I mean, but it's
subtle.
>> Maury (26:48):
It's like very well structured, but very subtle.
>> Brent (26:51):
The tannins on it are nice. They're, um, not
overpowering, um, but well structured. It's got a
nice, very well defined. This is a lovely wine.
Really, really nice.
>> Maury (27:03):
I thought it was quite delicious. It really drinks
well.
>> Brent (27:06):
What do you think, Justin?
>> Bob (27:07):
So I kind of got a late, uh, 90s Pier 1 imports
nose on this thing.
>> Harm (27:13):
You know what, you laughed, Mari, but he's right.
There's this incense note.
>> Maury (27:18):
Mhm.
>> Harm (27:19):
I'm smelling. Smelling the rattan furniture.
>> Brent (27:23):
Right.
>> Harm (27:23):
Incense. Right. And I'm smelling, uh, 90s girls.
>> Bob (27:28):
Yeah.
>> Harm (27:29):
Wearing a little bit too much patchouli.
>> Bob (27:31):
Yeah.
>> Maury (27:31):
I definitely get the rattan smell, I'll give you
that.
>> Bob (27:34):
And then on the palate, Describe it. I got, um,
Jamba Juice with much less sugar.
>> Harm (27:42):
Now you're just being a.
>> Bob (27:44):
No, that's just rage. I'm in a late 90s strip mall
with this. It just takes me back to 1999.
>> Harm (27:53):
Oh, late 90s, man. I was, I was in my prime.
>> Brent (27:57):
Yeah, good luck with that one.
>> Harm (27:58):
Plowing through the.
>> Brent (28:00):
Yeah, your prime. Okay, whatever. Yeah, prime.
>> Harm (28:05):
Ah, the girls were hot.
>> Maury (28:07):
Mhm.
>> Harm (28:07):
Yeah.
>> Brent (28:08):
And they didn't talk to you then and they don't
talk to you now, so. Yeah.
>> Harm (28:13):
Yeah, well, you know, that's just like, uh, your
opinion, man.
>> Brent (28:19):
All right, so tell us, tell us about the wine.
Come on.
>> Harm (28:25):
All right, the nose. This was kind of jangly at
first. This did take a long time.
>> Brent (28:30):
He likes that word, doesn't, uh, he. He's been
saying it all day.
>> Bob (28:32):
He's. He's got some jangly stuff going on there.
>> Harm (28:35):
The wine was not well integrated when we first
poured it. I got the BlackBerry and there was like
a weird hint of toasted vanilla. The graphite's
there, but it's way in the back. As it sat in the
glass, it became more integrated. The citrus
notes, the ins. The incense notes, that rattan,
that herbal thing going on. When I came to it, um,
(28:58):
after the, uh, the second wine, I picked up the
wrong one. I got menthol from further away. This
wine's got a lot of stuff stuffed into it. It's
quite well made. I think it's great. It hasn't
quite settled down. It needs more time in the
bottle. It's only five years old. It's way too
young to drink this wine. This wine is built for a
(29:20):
longer aging period. I think we need to drink this
five years from now. It'll even be better because
this guy's making good wine. Um, Maria hired a
really great winemaker. So, uh, we're going to
commercial and we'll be back.
>> Brent (29:41):
Hey. And we're back. And we were just finishing up
the discussion on the Ravana Cabernet sauvignon
Napa Valley 2021. We are going to be giving that
one a well deserved four sips. Harm, tell us about
our next cab from.
>> Harm (29:54):
My turn already. Okay, so, uh, the Ravani estate
cabernet sauvignon St. Helena 2021 is 14 point.
14.7 ABV. That's crazy. The Appalachian is St.
Helena AVA or St. Helena Napa Valley. 100%
cabernet sauvignon. Fruit harvested from the
Nirvana State Vineyard in St. Helena. The fruit is
hand picked, hand sorted, and then whole berry
(30:16):
fermented in micro fermentation batches. Barrel
aged for 20 months. 80% new French oak, 20% once
filled. French oak. And that's what makes the
difference here. The color is the exact same as
the previous one. Gorgeous, uh, opaque ruby. That
with the, um, clear edges. It's still young. The
(30:36):
nose is all about cassis and black currants. It's
all those black fruits that you expect from a cab.
A little more tobacco, A little more, um.
>> Maury (30:47):
Stop holding the bottle. Send the bottle down,
would you?
>> Harm (30:49):
Oh, here. Sorry.
>> Brent (30:50):
That's okay.
>> Harm (30:51):
I'm just. Pour some more. So good. This, uh, wine
is also, you know, it's as good as the last one.
Or if not better. But it's different. Yeah, it's
very different. St. Helena is, uh, just a little.
A little more integrated than the first one. Is
drinking better young than that first one did. And
(31:11):
it's just gorgeous. Full bodied. Fine.
>> Maury (31:15):
This one's ready to go now. And it will age and
it's got the body and structure to live on for
another decade or more. But, uh, it is the better
wine today. It is beautifully integrated, very
balanced, very.
>> Harm (31:29):
It's better, but it's not luscious.
>> Brent (31:31):
It's.
>> Harm (31:31):
It's. They're still great together. Justin, what
weird things did you taste?
>> Bob (31:38):
So this is like drinking a fine red Wine in a
cigar store with going full blast. The tobacco
notes are on the nose. They follow through on the
palate and the finish, but I think it's really
good.
>> Harm (31:50):
How is it you didn't screw up this one? What's
going. I agree with him.
>> Brent (31:54):
Wait, shut up, shut up. Leave it alone. Don't go
back to him. Just leave it how it is.
>> Harm (31:58):
Bo, what do you think?
>> Maury (31:59):
Even a blind squirrel gets a nut now and then.
>> Brent (32:02):
Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut. Okay, we actually
got something insightful at him for once.
>> Bob (32:07):
Okay.
>> Brent (32:09):
Delicious. Lovely. Black currants, dark fruit,
dark earth for a little bit of forest Flor.
>> Harm (32:17):
Scorched earth.
>> Brent (32:18):
Yummy. Just so well done, so well balanced. Like
Mory said, this one's drinking well now. The other
one needs a little more time to really just link.
But this one is going now. But both are going to
go. These both are going to go for years.
>> Maury (32:33):
This one's my jam for today.
>> Brent (32:34):
Yeah, um, this one is definitely my jam for today.
Well, like I said when I tried that one because we
do them in order, I went, wow, I really like that
first Ravana and then I had the second one, I go,
wow, I really like this one even more so.
>> Harm (32:47):
But they're very different.
>> Brent (32:49):
They're very different.
>> Harm (32:49):
They're both great. They're both great different
ways.
>> Brent (32:52):
So we're going to give the Ravana estate cabernet
sauvignon St. Helena 2021 a well deserved four
sips plus four.
>> Harm (33:00):
Plus it's a. It's a hot blonde and a hot brunette,
man. Which one are you going to chase? Choose
both.
>> Maury (33:06):
Well, uh, this one's. This one plus five years.
>> Brent (33:09):
I'm going to take both of the bottles. So yeah.
>> Maury (33:12):
Oh, no, he's gonna have to fight us for one of
them.
>> Brent (33:14):
All right, tell us about this one and read quick.
We're running out of time.
>> Bob (33:18):
Don Melchor is a legacy wine from Chile. First
created in 1987 by the Giulia Stasi family of
Concha Itoro and named for their forefather in
Chilean wine, Don Melchor was created to be the
singular expression of Puente Alto vineyard in the
upper Maipo Valley. Overseen by winemaker ENRIQUE
TIRARO Since 1995, the seven parcels of Don
(33:41):
Melcore, uh, are harvested independently to
support over 150 micro vinifications in the
cellar, then tasted and selected for the final
composition. The second vintage of Don Melchor in
1988 was the first Chilean wine to be named wine
spectators, top 100 wines of the World. Now we're
(34:02):
going to talk about Don Melcore Puente Alto
vineyard. Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 punches in at
14.8% alcohol. By volume, it's 93% Cabernet
Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc, 3% Merlot. Hand
harvested and fermented in stainless steel with
three times daily pumpovers. Once the fermentation
(34:23):
was complete, the tank was hermetically sealed and
the wine spent around a week less time than usual
macerating at temperatures between 23 and 25
degrees Celsius, which I have no idea what that
is.
>> Harm (34:35):
70 degrees, 72 degrees. Thank you very much.
>> Bob (34:38):
To extract a smoother tannins. Once the maceration
was complete, the wine from each tank was racked,
tasted and selected by Don Melchor winemaking team
and put into French oak barrels to undergo
malolactic fermentation and aging. Age for 15
months and 68 new and 32% second use French oak.
(35:00):
Don Melcore 2021 is the 35th vintage.
>> Harm (35:04):
Of Don Melchor and also number one rated wine from
Wine Spectators top 100.
>> Brent (35:09):
And I think this is the fourth vintage we've had
the good fortune to taste. So what do you. What
does it taste like, Justin?
>> Harm (35:14):
It's a.
>> Bob (35:15):
Well, the color is a dark, beautiful ruby. The
nose is intense and fruity. The palate is just
rich. And, you know, licorice jumps out in the
beginning, although with, uh, air that kind of
faded. And the finish was long and pleasant. Makes
you want to go for another sip. What did you
(35:35):
think, Bob?
>> Brent (35:36):
I thought it was fantastic. Every year they just
do it every year. I mean, every year I think,
well, this will be, you know, not as good as last
year. No. Every year it seems like they never have
an off year with Don Melchor. Um, the nose is
absolutely yummy. Dark red fruit. There's a little
(35:58):
bit of black tea in there and on the palate. M. So
well put together, so perfectly integrated. Um,
black cherries, violets, licorice, a little bit of
black pepper on the back palate. Just so well
done. Just so well done. Like, like everyone from
(36:20):
them. What do you think, Harm?
>> Harm (36:22):
Um, my mother opened our liquor store in 1988.
That's when these guys started. We've carried Don
Melcore for almost every vintage. Not since 1988.
I don't think it came to America back then. From
$40 to $200. There's a reason it's phenomenal
wine. It's never been bad. No, I've not had a bad
Vintage.
>> Brent (36:43):
It's never been. Not great.
>> Harm (36:45):
Yeah. Um, forget bad. This wine needs to be in
your collection. Buy some. Just. It's fantastic,
Maury.
>> Maury (36:51):
Yeah, no, I agree. We've had this a number of
times on the show. It's a delicious wine. It's
beautifully made. It's really. Attention,
meticulous attention, detail. It's delicious. The
beautiful part about it is you can really open it,
let it aerate, and enjoy it. Today, it will age
for another decade or more.
>> Harm (37:09):
It'll age for 20 to 30 years. Dude, this is
phenomenal.
>> Maury (37:12):
But I'm telling you that this. I like them young.
And this is one you can never seller. You don't
have to sell it.
>> Harm (37:18):
Don't say those things anymore to enjoy it.
>> Maury (37:20):
You can enjoy it right today, out of the bottle.
Just give it some time, some air, and some
patience. It's definitely opened up with time and
air in the bottle, in the glass. Excuse me. Uh, I
think it's fantastic. It's the best thing we've
had today. So thank you for, uh, bringing it to
the show, Bob.
>> Harm (37:35):
It's one of the best wines I've had since. In
2025.
>> Brent (37:38):
A couple years ago, Maury and I had the good
fortune to go to a dinner with Don Melcore down in
Miami and. And got to meet the winemaker, and they
had seven or eight different vintages.
>> Maury (37:49):
Yeah, it was pretty amazing.
>> Harm (37:50):
Uh, Library night.
>> Brent (37:51):
Yeah, they had one going back about, I want to
say, 15, 16 years and.
>> Maury (37:56):
And get better. Oh, my God.
>> Brent (37:58):
They're just. Every one of them. Just like, how.
How do you do this every year? So delicious. But
we're going to give. Give. They. It's like we're
giving it. They are.
>> Harm (38:08):
They've earned more than we.
>> Brent (38:09):
We're going to give. Don Melcore, Puente Alto
vineyard, cabernet sauvignon 20, 215 plus. God.
>> Harm (38:19):
So good.
>> Brent (38:19):
Every year.
>> Harm (38:20):
Leather, flowers. It's all there.
>> Brent (38:23):
Yeah. Uh, it's everything you want. Everything you
want in a bottle. Well, this is all the time we
have for today. I want to thank everybody for
joining. Thank you, Justin.
>> Bob (38:32):
Thank you. Wow.
>> Brent (38:33):
Yeah. Thank you, Maury.
>> Maury (38:34):
Thank you, Bob. Another great day in the basement.
>> Brent (38:37):
And thank you, Harm.
>> Harm (38:38):
You know I never mean it when I say thank you.
Except today.
>> Brent (38:42):
Now. You still don't mean it.
>> Harm (38:43):
I still don't mean it, but whatever. The wine was
good.
>> Brent (38:46):
Yeah, the wine was good.
>> Harm (38:47):
The wine was great.
>> Brent (38:48):
Well, first sip. Suds and smokes. This is made,
man. Bob, thanks for joining us. Remember, life is
too short to drink bad wine.
>> Announcer (38:55):
We hope you enjoyed this episode. If you're
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tap. Just tap it in the subscribe button.
>> Harm (39:04):
Give it a little tappy tap, tap taparoo.
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(39:30):
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Come back, join us for another episode and keep on
(39:53):
sipping.
>> Harm (40:04):
This has been a 110 hand production of SIP, Suds
and Stories Smokes, a program devoted to the
appreciation of some of the finer slices of life
from the dude in the Basement Studios.
>> Maury (40:16):
Your host, the Good Old Boys will.
>> Harm (40:18):
See you all next time.
On the next episode of Sips, Suds, and Smokes.
>> Brent (00:03):
Here are the wines we're going to be discussing
today. We have the Gamble Estates Yountville
Cabernet Sauvignon or Cabernet Sauvignon Blanc
2024 Corazon del Solo Minoso GSM Blend 2022
Mendoz, Argentina. Whitehall Lane, Napa Valley
Merlot 2021 Ravana Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
(00:26):
2021 Ravana Estate Cabernet Sauvignon St. Helena
2021. And don, um, Melcar Puente Alto Vineyard
Cabernet Sauvignon 2021.
>> Maury (00:38):
Not a bad lineup. Yeah, I wish I had a nice big
ribeye right now, Bob. That would have been made.
It's always tasting. It is Bob's fault.
>> Harm (00:46):
Sorry.
>> Brent (00:46):
I produced the show, write the script, source the
whiskey, and get your lunch and everything else.
But I didn't get you a steak.
>> Harm (00:53):
We'll be right back after this break. Brought to
(01:18):
you almost live from the dude in the basement
studios.
>> Maury (01:21):
Why? Because that's where the good stuff is. It
sips, suds and smokes with your.
>> Harm (01:27):
Smokin host, the good old boys. And now it's
(01:51):
sippin time, foreign.
>> Brent (01:59):
Time again. Welcome to this Sips episode where
everything good in life is worth discussing. As
always, we are the best thing on at 2am M. Or 4 or
whenever you hear us.
>> Harm (02:09):
You know what? I. I don't know that we're the best
thing on it 2am M. Anymore. Because you know what?
I was looking at my Netflix queue. It's been a lot
of things I haven't watched in a while.
>> Brent (02:18):
Well, you're the one that's up that weight, so
that.
>> Harm (02:20):
That's the problem. Till after midnight last
night.
>> Brent (02:23):
That's messed up.
>> Harm (02:24):
Then insomnia hits. You got to put on the Netflix.
Did I put on the podcast? I did not put on the
podcast.
>> Brent (02:30):
What, this one?
>> Harm (02:31):
Yeah. Come on. I. I've listened to it already. I
was here. I lived it.
>> Brent (02:35):
People listened.
>> Harm (02:36):
I could. You know what? Beer shows are pretty good
now, though. We don't do enough cigar sugars.
Well, Justin, you're part of the cigar crew,
right?
>> Brent (02:44):
Yes.
>> Harm (02:45):
How are you not doing more cigar shows?
>> Brent (02:47):
Wow.
>> Bob (02:48):
Uh, that's a long story.
>> Brent (02:49):
All right, whatever. Well, this made man Bob
joining me today are good. Ah, old boy Justin.
>> Bob (02:54):
It's a pleasure to be here and looking forward to
drinking all this wine.
>> Brent (03:00):
And good old Mori.
>> Maury (03:02):
Good morning. Pleasure to be here today with some.
>> Brent (03:05):
Beautiful wines and good old boy Harm.
>> Harm (03:08):
I was going to Say it's a pleasure to be here with
such beautiful company. But it's not. It's not a
pleasure. The wine is better.
>> Brent (03:14):
Oh, Then what's in this table?
>> Maury (03:15):
You took the words right out of my mouth. I won't
disagree with you on that one.
>> Brent (03:19):
Yeah, that. I think just about anything better
than what's sitting at this table. Good Lord.
Well, our sip segments are all about wine.
Distilled spirits, tea, coffee, anything else you
can sip. And here are the wines we're going to be
discussing today. We have the Gamble Estates
Yountville Cabernet Sauvignon or, uh, Cabernet
Sauvignon Blanc 2024 Corazon del Soluminoso GSM
(03:41):
Blend. 2022 Mendoz Argentina. Whitehall Lane, Napa
Valley Merlot 2021 Ravana Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa
Valley 2021 Ravana Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, St.
Helena 2021. And don, um, Melchor Puente Alto
Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon 2021.
>> Maury (04:03):
Not a bad lineup.
>> Brent (04:04):
Yeah. Yeah. It doesn't.
>> Harm (04:06):
Helena or Helena. Or Helena.
>> Brent (04:08):
However you want to. However you want to say it.
Helena, however you want to say it. Doesn't
matter.
>> Harm (04:13):
Go to Helena.
>> Brent (04:14):
Doesn't matter. Well, we're going to be tasting,
uh, these wines and rating with our one to five
sips rating. Justin, pick one out of five and give
us a. Give us a one. Come on.
>> Harm (04:26):
Oh, my.
>> Bob (04:28):
I was unaware anything could be this good.
>> Harm (04:31):
Oh, my God.
>> Brent (04:32):
That was creepy. That was creepy.
>> Bob (04:36):
And that was five sips.
>> Brent (04:38):
Yeah, that was. Yeah, that was disturbing.
>> Harm (04:40):
It sounded like five lashes, my friend. Yeah.
>> Brent (04:43):
Well, let's have Harm tell us about our first
wine.
>> Harm (04:45):
Thanks, Bob. Our first wine of the evening is Tom
and Colette Gamble family's, uh, uh, wine this
Gamble Estates, the Yountville Sauvignon Blanc.
Tom and Collette Gamble started, uh, in Napa
Valley Agricultural, uh, you know, seen since
1916. The gambles tended the land transition from
Campbell, uh, cattle. Cattle ranching to grape
(05:07):
growing, with Tom purchasing his first vineyard in
1981. The Collette family has deep roots in Napa
Valley, contributing to the region's family
farming heritage since the 19th century. Tom's
mother, Marianne McGuire, involved in establishing
the 1968 Napa Valley Agricultural Preserve and
safeguarding Napa Valley vineyards and wineries.
(05:27):
The Campbells began bottling their first wine
under the family name in 2005 and now cultivate
175 acres in Oakville, Mount Veeder, Rutherford
and Yountville the first wine, the Gamble Estates.
Um, Yountville Cabernet. I'm sorry, I keep saying
Cabernet because you stood it. Yeah. Sauvignon M
(05:48):
Blanc. The 20, 24. 13.8% ABV, 100% SA Blanc. The
appellation is, of course, Yountville Napa Valley.
100% barrel aged, and it's on the leaves for six
months with 15% new oak. The fruit is from the 22
acre Riverbound Vineyard in Yountville. Nestled
against a large hill, this low lying vineyard
holds cold, cool morning summer mist between the
(06:10):
rivers, uh, longer than everywhere else in Napa
Valley. The color is a gorgeous straw. And this is
a huge grapefruit bomb. At first, when it was
really cold. Now it's warmed up, it's become much
more nuanced. Uh, I'm getting flowers, I'm getting
lemon cake. I'm getting, uh, almonds. I'm getting
again, the grapefruit's still there on the nose.
(06:33):
And it's. You know, I generally do not like Napa
Valley Sauvignon because too much barrel aging.
But because there's only 15% new oak, and most of
this must be neutral, they did a really good
balance here. I'm not getting that, uh, over
tannic thing. I'm not getting, like, all that
vanilla and all the lignin and tannin from those
oak. I'm really just getting. They're letting the
(06:55):
grapes shine here. It's got gorgeous fruit
flavors. Let me have a sip real quick.
>> Maury (07:01):
I think while you're sipping. I would say that
aging it on the leaves for an extra six months
also help balance and round it out.
>> Harm (07:07):
Exactly. Maury. It's. It's the. The six months on
leaves, it gives it a wonderful mouth feel, uh,
without giving it the. The tannin of the oak just
overpowering it. You get beautiful citrus notes.
Um, there's some minerality from the soil here.
I'm getting, um. It's. It's not just a one note
thing. You're getting. You're getting minerality.
(07:29):
You're getting great citrus. You're getting a
beautiful acid. And that, um, almond mouthfeel
must be coming from the leaves. It's rich. It's
got a good medium finish. I mean, it's longer now
that it's not cold. Yeah, I enjoy it. Yeah.
>> Bob (07:45):
Justin, what'd you think I got on, um, the nose?
Salty, buttery grits, tangerines.
>> Harm (07:51):
I don't get the grits, but the tangerines will
give you on the palate.
>> Bob (07:54):
Green apple Kind, um, of a seltzer texture.
>> Brent (07:59):
Uh.
>> Harm (08:02):
That went away as it warmed up. But I saw what
you're saying. It was cold.
>> Bob (08:05):
Yeah, it tasted like Fancy candle. And the finish
was short broken.
>> Harm (08:10):
Your soul is defective when what tastes like Fancy
candle? Were you a marine? You eat the green
crayons.
>> Bob (08:16):
Didn't have the pleasure to serve Maury.
>> Harm (08:20):
Please fix him.
>> Brent (08:21):
I.
>> Harm (08:22):
He.
>> Maury (08:22):
He's beyond repair, I'm sorry to say. I am not a
magician.
>> Harm (08:26):
Don't eat the fancy candles, kids. They're
expensive. But I, you know, I only got.
>> Bob (08:32):
To do that one time.
>> Maury (08:34):
What you said, Harm, is actually spot on. Uh, I
thought when it came out, it was a citrus
grapefruit bomb. And it was very tart, A little
bit of green apple. But with air and time in the
glass, it's really blossomed into, uh, a
delicious, balanced, um, sauv blanc. It's. The
minerality is nice. The acid balance is nice. Um,
(08:57):
the flavors kind of dance on your tongue. I didn't
get that spritzy seltzer texture that Justin, uh,
got when it was cold.
>> Harm (09:04):
I understand what you're saying, but not now.
>> Maury (09:05):
But, um, it's extremely pale. My glass, it's
nearly colorless. It's a very, very pale color.
But don't judge the col. A lot going on in the
glass. Uh, I think it's a beautiful rendition of a
California, uh, uh, soft blanc. Bob.
>> Brent (09:20):
Um, I thought it was delicious, uh, when it was
cold. And just so the audience knows, we. When the
wines, we always start out with them a little bit
colder than they probably should be, because a lot
of people do drink their wines way too damn cold.
Um, and then they sit here and warm up as we make
notes. And it was a little bit tight when it was
(09:42):
cold. Um, but once it warmed up, the flavors just
started spilling out of this thing. Like you said,
the grapefruit's still there, but the citrus is
there. The orange blossom is there. White, uh,
flowers. The mineral, uh, note on it is delicious.
Dry stone. It's. I mean, this is. This is a really
well done somewhat.
>> Harm (10:04):
Yeah.
>> Maury (10:05):
Yeah.
>> Harm (10:05):
Harm and I are both pouring extra.
>> Maury (10:07):
I think Harm prefers the, uh, New Zealand, but I.
I really, when it's well done, a Napa Valley soft
blonde.
>> Harm (10:13):
Not that I prefer New Zealand. I generally think,
for years, California screwed it up by boozing too
much oak. I really prefer.
>> Maury (10:20):
This doesn't fall into that category.
>> Harm (10:23):
No.
>> Brent (10:23):
This one's. This one's delicious. So we're going
to give the Gambla Estates, uh, Yantville
Sauvignon Blanc 2024, a well deserved. Four SIPs.
>> Maury (10:32):
That's classified.
>> Brent (10:35):
I. I'm with you. I mean they, they tend to over
oak them in California, but this one.
>> Harm (10:41):
This one, I carry good California Sa Blanc at the
store, but they're very rare. Far and few between.
>> Maury (10:46):
Yeah, there's nothing wrong with a little bit of
oak, but you're right, this wine does not need to
be over oaked.
>> Harm (10:50):
Yeah, I still prefer the French Maury. Well, uh,
the French baby.
>> Brent (10:54):
We'll. Hey. And we're back. We just finished
talking about the lovely Sauvignon Blanc from
Gambla states, the Hunt, Vol. 2024. So let's move
on to our next wine. We're going to have Maury
tell us a little bit about that one.
>> Maury (11:11):
Thank you, Bobby. Uh, founded by Madia Ravana, the
man behind Napa Valley's Ravana estate and Alexana
estate in Oregon's Willamette Valley. After making
his first visit to Mendoza, Argentina, Dr. Ravana
quickly formed a vision to plant a vineyard that
could challenge the world's greatest examples of
Grenache, Morvedra and Syrah. From Chateauneuf du
(11:32):
Pape to Hermitage, the first vines of Grenache,
Morvedra and Syrah were planted to Dr. Ravana's
vineyard in 2008. And three years later, the first
clusters were hand harvested and put into a
fermenter to co ferment together. An interesting
technique.
>> Harm (11:49):
Do they co ferment and shut enough to properly
separate?
>> Maury (11:52):
Everything is separate. They even separate the
block sometimes in the rows and then blend them.
Um, so this is really a novel technique. The, uh,
first wine is the Corazon del Sol Luminoso GSM
Blend, 2022 Mendoza, Argentina. Clocking in at 14
ABV. It is 55 Grenache, 38 Syrah, 7% Morvedra. It
(12:16):
is 100% Corazon del Sol Estate Block 13 Lo Kay as
a state at 38 foot elevation, UCO Valley,
Argentina. Organically farmed, double hand sorted,
whole cluster pressed, seven day fermentation with
native yeast.
>> Harm (12:35):
This one double hand sorted mean it.
>> Brent (12:37):
Means they sort of double secret probation.
>> Harm (12:39):
Use left and right hands.
>> Brent (12:40):
Yes.
>> Maury (12:40):
Correct age, 12 months in second use and neutral
French barrels and rested at least six months in
the bottle. So with that it's got a beautiful deep
garnet color on the nose. There's definitely an
overpowering cherry aroma, A uh, hint of red meat
and spice. The palette is.
>> Harm (13:04):
Who needs more?
>> Maury (13:04):
A bit voluptuous. Um, it's mouth coating. It's got
some spice. It's Got some smooth, rounded tannins.
The finish is medium. It's a really lovely wine. I
think it's a beautiful example of a nice GSM
blend. It's interesting to see it coming from
Mendoza. I think they've done a beautiful job with
this wine. It really has no flaws. I think it's,
(13:25):
uh, beautifully made, and I think it's, uh, It's.
It's enjoyable, especially with some food. I wish
I had a nice big rib eye right now, Bob. That
would have been made. It's always tasting. It is
Bob's fault.
>> Brent (13:36):
Produce the show, write the scripts, source the
whiskey, and get your lunch and everything else.
But I didn't get you a steak.
>> Maury (13:42):
Well, this isn't exactly a whiskey, but.
>> Harm (13:44):
It is paying the big bucks, Bob. Anyway, uh,
what'd you think?
>> Brent (13:49):
Waiting on those.
>> Harm (13:50):
Yeah, you hit the main notes, Maury. I mean, when
I think gsm, I think shat enough to pop. I think
Southern France, and I think Australia. I never
think South America, but I like California.
>> Maury (14:01):
There's some California GSMs that are pretty nice.
>> Harm (14:03):
Yeah, you've got the Rhone Rangers and all those
guys doing stuff like that.
>> Maury (14:06):
But I agree with you. It's. You don't think
Argentina.
>> Harm (14:09):
You don't think Argentina. And I was pleasantly
surprised.
>> Brent (14:12):
Maybe now you will.
>> Harm (14:13):
Yeah, doctor, uh, Ravana did a good job here.
Just, um, strawberry, dark fruit.
>> Maury (14:21):
Sorry.
>> Harm (14:22):
It's all right.
>> Maury (14:23):
I thought he was done pontificating.
>> Harm (14:25):
No, no, uh, I haven't begun to pontificate. I
haven't got my big hat on yet.
>> Bob (14:30):
I definitely got my Elmer's third grade glue after
it aired before.
>> Harm (14:36):
Then I got eating the glue.
>> Maury (14:38):
Well, he rode the short bus. Of course he eats
glue.
>> Harm (14:41):
Once.
>> Bob (14:42):
Once I was 10, I stopped sniffing and eating the
glue.
>> Harm (14:45):
Uh, that's why he became a lawyer.
>> Maury (14:47):
But he does have a vivid recollection of the glue
eating.
>> Bob (14:50):
I do.
>> Harm (14:50):
Yeah.
>> Bob (14:51):
The good old.
>> Maury (14:51):
We call that pica.
>> Harm (14:53):
I look, I think this has got such a.
>> Maury (14:55):
You're a piker.
>> Harm (14:57):
Maury said cherries. I'm, um, seeing red cherries,
but there's black fruit here, too. There's
strawberry here, too. There's such a good bounce
of acidity and tannin. And where do you see the
acidity and tannin coming from the glue?
>> Maury (15:12):
I was using cherry on the nose, by the way.
>> Bob (15:14):
That is what it is now.
>> Brent (15:16):
My time. Outwitting morons.
>> Bob (15:18):
It was fruitier, and now it's more glue.
>> Harm (15:22):
What the hell?
>> Bob (15:23):
On the palate, I got, like, smoked pork and subtle
fruits.
>> Harm (15:28):
There's a lot of umami here. And I will give you
smoked pork. I don't want to do it, but you're
right. Yeah.
>> Bob (15:34):
And that's what I got.
>> Maury (15:36):
It's really fruity on the nose, more so than the
umami, but the umami does come through later on.
>> Harm (15:41):
Underneath.
>> Maury (15:42):
Way underneath.
>> Harm (15:42):
Bob, tell them while they're broken.
>> Brent (15:45):
Here's Justin giving the review of the wine that,
you know, that we did before.
>> Harm (15:49):
I like the unusual flavor of Thunderbird wine.
It's an exceptionally good drink.
>> Bob (15:54):
Yeah.
>> Harm (15:55):
Okay.
>> Maury (15:55):
Yeah.
>> Brent (15:55):
Good Lord.
>> Maury (15:56):
Well, thank you.
>> Brent (15:57):
Go back to sleep. This, um, is lovely. I mean,
again, this is a first for me, a GSM from
Argentina. But I think they did a really good job
with this.
>> Maury (16:07):
And it's with air and time in the glass. I think
you'll be pleasantly rewarded with temperature
improvement as well as aeration.
>> Harm (16:14):
Give it four more years in the bottle to have
some. We're drinking it young. We're killing
babies here. We. We. We drink the wines they send
us from the PR companies to, you know, taste their
wine.
>> Maury (16:26):
Well, they don't send us library releases, I'm
sorry to say.
>> Harm (16:28):
Yeah, sometimes they do. We've. We've gotten.
>> Brent (16:30):
Oh, no. Once in a. We get.
>> Maury (16:32):
Yeah, but generally speaking, we're getting.
>> Brent (16:34):
Usually, uh, what you're getting is what's going
out into the stores. That's right.
>> Maury (16:37):
And in the stores, people are going to buy. They
need to know that they need to give this a little
time. Both in the bottle or in the glass.
>> Harm (16:43):
Or both. Americans don't do that. I tell people
all the time, look, don't buy this by a case.
Drink this one this year. Drink this one two years
from now, the next one three years from now, then
keep going. All right, Bob, give us a rating on
this one.
>> Brent (16:57):
Let's move on. So we've got for the Corazon, El
Soluminoso GSM Blend, 2022. Um, three sips.
>> Maury (17:05):
Interesting.
>> Brent (17:06):
Nice little wine. Really well done.
>> Harm (17:08):
I think it's closer to four because. But I got
overrated.
>> Maury (17:11):
Yes, it improved with time.
>> Bob (17:13):
Definitely overrated, huh?
>> Brent (17:14):
Overruled. All right, Justin, tell us about
Whitehall Lane.
>> Bob (17:18):
White hall lane. Back in 1993, when Tom Leonardi
Senior purchased a small winery in St. Helena.
Originally hailing from Genoa, Italy, their family
history in San Francisco Bay Area dates back to
the late 1880s.
>> Harm (17:34):
I love how they say we're originally from Genoa,
but our family history from 1880s in.
>> Maury (17:39):
I know. Come on.
>> Harm (17:40):
Come on, man.
>> Bob (17:40):
When Tom's parents settled on a farm.
>> Harm (17:42):
Those are. People say gabagool instead Of
Capicola.
>> Brent (17:45):
Sorry.
>> Bob (17:46):
Since purchasing the original property.
>> Brent (17:48):
Cracks himself up.
>> Harm (17:49):
Yeah, I do.
>> Bob (17:50):
The family now has eight vineyards in Napa and
Sonoma. They currently have three generations of
the family involved in the business. Their
winemaker is Jason Moultone, who earned his
postgraduate diploma in viticulture and enology
from Lincoln University, New Zealand. Before
Whitehall Lane, he worked at vineyards in New
(18:12):
Zealand, Bordeaux, and South Africa, and has been
at Whitehall Lane since 2016. Now we're going to
talk about Whitehall Lane. Napa Valley Merlot 2021
clocks in at 14.9 alcohol by volume.
>> Brent (18:28):
Mhm.
>> Harm (18:29):
Mhm.
>> Bob (18:29):
From Napa Valley, it's 82% Merlot, 8% Cabernet
Sauvignon, 7% Malbec, 2% Petite Verdot, and 1%
Cobb Franc. Hand harvested and sent to the tank
for whole berry fermentation. The grapes were cold
soaked in a tank at 45 degrees for four to seven
(18:53):
days and increased color, aroma, and flavor.
Extraction fermented at 82 degrees, which allowed
for hot extraction on the skins with twice daily
pumpovers aged in 35% new French oak for 20
months. On the nose, I got blueberries, plums, and
(19:14):
biscuits on the palette. The blueberries came
through, and then I got heavy cream, and the
finish was creamy as well. What did you think,
Bori?
>> Maury (19:25):
Well, I think you give a nice description of this
wine. Um, I do like the nose of the strawberry,
and I get a little hint of rhubarb. And along with
the plum, I think it's got a nice mouth feel. It's
a little bit, uh, astringent for my liking. But
we'll be back and talk about it further.
>> Harm (19:44):
A commercial break again.
>> Brent (19:49):
Hey, and we're back, and, uh, Maury was giving us
his thoughts on the white hallway. Napa Valley
Merlot.
>> Harm (19:54):
I believe he was waxing rhapsodic.
>> Maury (19:56):
Yes.
>> Brent (19:56):
No, it's a really lovely wax on, wax off.
>> Bob (19:59):
Sorry, Brazilian wax.
>> Maury (20:02):
Yeah, it's a lovely merlot. Uh, the tannins need a
little bit more time to mellow and integrate. Uh,
but that aside, I think it's drinking nicely. It
checks many of the boxes. Is. It's a. It's a nice
merlot, especially for those who like bigger
grapes, like cabs. It's got a lot of body to it.
It's got a beautiful mouth feel. It's got a medium
finish. I liked it. I thought it was nice.
>> Harm (20:24):
Justin, how's the wine?
>> Bob (20:26):
So.
>> Harm (20:29):
He talked about it.
>> Bob (20:30):
I did talk about it.
>> Harm (20:32):
He was the first guy on the show.
>> Bob (20:33):
Blueberries Heavy cream.
>> Harm (20:34):
Yeah, yeah. Bob's been drinking. Ignore him. I'm
just gonna say something.
>> Brent (20:39):
Okay, look, um, waiting for somebody on the nose.
>> Harm (20:42):
It was all cherry and vanilla for me with milk
chocolate. And then I'd met. I. I re. Re
approached and I said, what? Where's this menthol
coming from? I picked up the wrong glass. There's
no menthol. That's the next wine. That's.
>> Bob (20:55):
You picked up your pack of cools.
>> Harm (20:56):
Ah, no, it's the Cabernet that's evolved. But
anyway, so this merlot on the nose is, um, milk
chocolate covered cherries. And vanilla on the
palate is where I get those strawberries they.
They were talking about. So strawberry nice, good
(21:17):
acidity, very integrated tannin. But the finish is
a bit short. And that's literally all that takes
this wine from a four to a three for me.
>> Bob (21:28):
Remember that drink Quick, when you were a kid?
>> Harm (21:30):
Yeah.
>> Bob (21:31):
Nestle kind of reminds me of Quick.
>> Harm (21:34):
It's not chocolate, but it's chocolate as a kid.
>> Bob (21:36):
Yeah.
>> Harm (21:37):
Yeah.
>> Bob (21:38):
Well, you know, I go back to. I blanked out 20
years, so everything is like, you know, 10 years
in younger, free for tasting.
>> Harm (21:45):
Bob, what do you think? Quick.
>> Maury (21:47):
Oh, my God. Where'd you find him?
>> Harm (21:51):
It's not strawberry Quick.
>> Bob (21:52):
It's, uh, Nestle Quick chocolate, right?
>> Harm (21:55):
No, they had strawberry too, so.
>> Bob (21:57):
Yeah, it's true.
>> Harm (21:58):
I, uh, look so like four parts chocolate to one
part strawberry Quick. You get this Merlot.
>> Bob (22:03):
Yeah, you're right.
>> Harm (22:05):
I. I can. I can eat glue too. Justin.
>> Maury (22:08):
You guys.
>> Harm (22:08):
Glue too.
>> Maury (22:09):
You guys need to go back to the rubber room. Uh,
Romper room.
>> Bob (22:14):
I. I never left. I resent that implication that I
ever left.
>> Brent (22:19):
Maury.
>> Harm (22:23):
Bob, why are we. Why are we. Why are our souls
defective? Tell us.
>> Bob (22:28):
That's a long discussion.
>> Brent (22:30):
Yeah, there are doctors at Cal State trying to
figure that out right now. I think this is a
lovely. This is a really well done, well put
together, good example of a nice Napa Valley
Merlot. The strawberry is definitely there. The
red fruit, the chocolate is definitely there.
>> Maury (22:53):
Um, on the palate.
>> Brent (22:59):
On the palate again. Juicy, got a nice mouth feel
to it. Acidity is mostly front palate for me. The
fruit is there. The raspberries, the strawberries.
The chocolate is still there on the back.
>> Harm (23:13):
Nobody said raspberry. Said you.
>> Brent (23:15):
Yeah, I got it broken. No. And just, I mean,
really? Yeah. Well done. Well done. A very nice
little wine. So we're going to be giving the
Whitehall Lane Napa Valley Merlot 2021 a well
deserved three sips well, what about you?
>> Maury (23:33):
Interesting.
>> Harm (23:34):
It's. It's a. I think it's deserves a little bit
better, but it's really great for entry level
merlot from these guys.
>> Brent (23:41):
Yeah, yeah. I mean, considering how much of it
they make and you know, I mean, for the money, a
damn good bottle of wine.
>> Harm (23:48):
So you tell us about the next wine. Do it. It's
your turn, baby. All right.
>> Brent (23:51):
So Ravana States was founded by. How are we saying
it?
>> Harm (23:56):
My dear Madia.
>> Brent (23:58):
My dear Ravana.
>> Harm (24:00):
I guess I'm from north India. He's not from North
India. Whatever. Madia.
>> Brent (24:05):
Yeah, he's, he's a doctor.
>> Harm (24:06):
And you know, we're going to split out now.
>> Maury (24:09):
We're going to split hairs between north and South
India.
>> Harm (24:12):
Look at this guy over here. Here's a urology story
is have the net worth of Dr. Ravana.
>> Brent (24:16):
I don't think any of us got.
>> Harm (24:19):
A cardiologist who makes wine. Yeah, go ahead.
>> Brent (24:21):
Well, starting on a family farm in rural India,
through hard work and perseverance, he made it to
university, then to medical school, then was
accepted for a three year residency in internal
medicine in New York. Uh, he made it from New York
to Philadelphia and then finished his cardiology
training in Dallas. After going into private
practice and through friends with mutual interest
is wine interest began to grow. In 1997, after a
(24:46):
medical conference in San Francisco, he met a
realtor who showed him a property in Napa Valley
and introduced him to Jim Barber, now Ravenna
Estates vineyard manager. They planted the
vineyard in 1998 and their inaugural lease was
their 2001 cabernet. So we are going to be
drinking the Ravana Cabernet sauvignon Napa Valley
2021.
>> Maury (25:06):
That would make it their 20th anniversary release,
sir.
>> Brent (25:10):
It's uh, 14.7% ABV. Appalachian is Napa Valley
Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc Merlot and
Petit Verdot. Uh, fruit harvested from the Ravana
estate vineyard and St. Helena AVA. A quarter
vineyard in Atlas Peak and Shiflet Ranch in Oak
Knoll and panic vineyard in St. Helena. The fruit
(25:31):
is hand picked, hand sorted and then whole berry
fermented in micro fermentation batches. Barrel
age for 20 months and 16 or, uh, 60% new French
oak and 40% once filled French oak. The color on
this just a, um, Beautiful, beautiful. Dark, dark,
dark, dark, inky, inky, lovely. Not a lot of light
(25:56):
going through that. That's what I like to see on
the. No blackberries, dark fruit, black cherry.
There's A mineral note to this, a graphite. Almost
a, uh, almost a slaty nose to it. And on the
(26:21):
palette, let's see. M hm. Black currants, dark
black fruit. It's got a little bit of a
herbaceousness to it. On the mid palate.
>> Harm (26:37):
I'm getting that herbal note right on the nose
right away. Dude. This, the one I was talking
about, had a menthol note after that.
>> Brent (26:43):
Breathe. Yeah, but it's got, I mean, but it's
subtle.
>> Maury (26:48):
It's like very well structured, but very subtle.
>> Brent (26:51):
The tannins on it are nice. They're, um, not
overpowering, um, but well structured. It's got a
nice, very well defined. This is a lovely wine.
Really, really nice.
>> Maury (27:03):
I thought it was quite delicious. It really drinks
well.
>> Brent (27:06):
What do you think, Justin?
>> Bob (27:07):
So I kind of got a late, uh, 90s Pier 1 imports
nose on this thing.
>> Harm (27:13):
You know what, you laughed, Mari, but he's right.
There's this incense note.
>> Maury (27:18):
Mhm.
>> Harm (27:19):
I'm smelling. Smelling the rattan furniture.
>> Brent (27:23):
Right.
>> Harm (27:23):
Incense. Right. And I'm smelling, uh, 90s girls.
>> Bob (27:28):
Yeah.
>> Harm (27:29):
Wearing a little bit too much patchouli.
>> Bob (27:31):
Yeah.
>> Maury (27:31):
I definitely get the rattan smell, I'll give you
that.
>> Bob (27:34):
And then on the palate, Describe it. I got, um,
Jamba Juice with much less sugar.
>> Harm (27:42):
Now you're just being a.
>> Bob (27:44):
No, that's just rage. I'm in a late 90s strip mall
with this. It just takes me back to 1999.
>> Harm (27:53):
Oh, late 90s, man. I was, I was in my prime.
>> Brent (27:57):
Yeah, good luck with that one.
>> Harm (27:58):
Plowing through the.
>> Brent (28:00):
Yeah, your prime. Okay, whatever. Yeah, prime.
>> Harm (28:05):
Ah, the girls were hot.
>> Maury (28:07):
Mhm.
>> Harm (28:07):
Yeah.
>> Brent (28:08):
And they didn't talk to you then and they don't
talk to you now, so. Yeah.
>> Harm (28:13):
Yeah, well, you know, that's just like, uh, your
opinion, man.
>> Brent (28:19):
All right, so tell us, tell us about the wine.
Come on.
>> Harm (28:25):
All right, the nose. This was kind of jangly at
first. This did take a long time.
>> Brent (28:30):
He likes that word, doesn't, uh, he. He's been
saying it all day.
>> Bob (28:32):
He's. He's got some jangly stuff going on there.
>> Harm (28:35):
The wine was not well integrated when we first
poured it. I got the BlackBerry and there was like
a weird hint of toasted vanilla. The graphite's
there, but it's way in the back. As it sat in the
glass, it became more integrated. The citrus
notes, the ins. The incense notes, that rattan,
that herbal thing going on. When I came to it, um,
(28:58):
after the, uh, the second wine, I picked up the
wrong one. I got menthol from further away. This
wine's got a lot of stuff stuffed into it. It's
quite well made. I think it's great. It hasn't
quite settled down. It needs more time in the
bottle. It's only five years old. It's way too
young to drink this wine. This wine is built for a
(29:20):
longer aging period. I think we need to drink this
five years from now. It'll even be better because
this guy's making good wine. Um, Maria hired a
really great winemaker. So, uh, we're going to
commercial and we'll be back.
>> Brent (29:41):
Hey. And we're back. And we were just finishing up
the discussion on the Ravana Cabernet sauvignon
Napa Valley 2021. We are going to be giving that
one a well deserved four sips. Harm, tell us about
our next cab from.
>> Harm (29:54):
My turn already. Okay, so, uh, the Ravani estate
cabernet sauvignon St. Helena 2021 is 14 point.
14.7 ABV. That's crazy. The Appalachian is St.
Helena AVA or St. Helena Napa Valley. 100%
cabernet sauvignon. Fruit harvested from the
Nirvana State Vineyard in St. Helena. The fruit is
hand picked, hand sorted, and then whole berry
(30:16):
fermented in micro fermentation batches. Barrel
aged for 20 months. 80% new French oak, 20% once
filled. French oak. And that's what makes the
difference here. The color is the exact same as
the previous one. Gorgeous, uh, opaque ruby. That
with the, um, clear edges. It's still young. The
(30:36):
nose is all about cassis and black currants. It's
all those black fruits that you expect from a cab.
A little more tobacco, A little more, um.
>> Maury (30:47):
Stop holding the bottle. Send the bottle down,
would you?
>> Harm (30:49):
Oh, here. Sorry.
>> Brent (30:50):
That's okay.
>> Harm (30:51):
I'm just. Pour some more. So good. This, uh, wine
is also, you know, it's as good as the last one.
Or if not better. But it's different. Yeah, it's
very different. St. Helena is, uh, just a little.
A little more integrated than the first one. Is
drinking better young than that first one did. And
(31:11):
it's just gorgeous. Full bodied. Fine.
>> Maury (31:15):
This one's ready to go now. And it will age and
it's got the body and structure to live on for
another decade or more. But, uh, it is the better
wine today. It is beautifully integrated, very
balanced, very.
>> Harm (31:29):
It's better, but it's not luscious.
>> Brent (31:31):
It's.
>> Harm (31:31):
It's. They're still great together. Justin, what
weird things did you taste?
>> Bob (31:38):
So this is like drinking a fine red Wine in a
cigar store with going full blast. The tobacco
notes are on the nose. They follow through on the
palate and the finish, but I think it's really
good.
>> Harm (31:50):
How is it you didn't screw up this one? What's
going. I agree with him.
>> Brent (31:54):
Wait, shut up, shut up. Leave it alone. Don't go
back to him. Just leave it how it is.
>> Harm (31:58):
Bo, what do you think?
>> Maury (31:59):
Even a blind squirrel gets a nut now and then.
>> Brent (32:02):
Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut. Okay, we actually
got something insightful at him for once.
>> Bob (32:07):
Okay.
>> Brent (32:09):
Delicious. Lovely. Black currants, dark fruit,
dark earth for a little bit of forest Flor.
>> Harm (32:17):
Scorched earth.
>> Brent (32:18):
Yummy. Just so well done, so well balanced. Like
Mory said, this one's drinking well now. The other
one needs a little more time to really just link.
But this one is going now. But both are going to
go. These both are going to go for years.
>> Maury (32:33):
This one's my jam for today.
>> Brent (32:34):
Yeah, um, this one is definitely my jam for today.
Well, like I said when I tried that one because we
do them in order, I went, wow, I really like that
first Ravana and then I had the second one, I go,
wow, I really like this one even more so.
>> Harm (32:47):
But they're very different.
>> Brent (32:49):
They're very different.
>> Harm (32:49):
They're both great. They're both great different
ways.
>> Brent (32:52):
So we're going to give the Ravana estate cabernet
sauvignon St. Helena 2021 a well deserved four
sips plus four.
>> Harm (33:00):
Plus it's a. It's a hot blonde and a hot brunette,
man. Which one are you going to chase? Choose
both.
>> Maury (33:06):
Well, uh, this one's. This one plus five years.
>> Brent (33:09):
I'm going to take both of the bottles. So yeah.
>> Maury (33:12):
Oh, no, he's gonna have to fight us for one of
them.
>> Brent (33:14):
All right, tell us about this one and read quick.
We're running out of time.
>> Bob (33:18):
Don Melchor is a legacy wine from Chile. First
created in 1987 by the Giulia Stasi family of
Concha Itoro and named for their forefather in
Chilean wine, Don Melchor was created to be the
singular expression of Puente Alto vineyard in the
upper Maipo Valley. Overseen by winemaker ENRIQUE
TIRARO Since 1995, the seven parcels of Don
(33:41):
Melcore, uh, are harvested independently to
support over 150 micro vinifications in the
cellar, then tasted and selected for the final
composition. The second vintage of Don Melchor in
1988 was the first Chilean wine to be named wine
spectators, top 100 wines of the World. Now we're
(34:02):
going to talk about Don Melcore Puente Alto
vineyard. Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 punches in at
14.8% alcohol. By volume, it's 93% Cabernet
Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc, 3% Merlot. Hand
harvested and fermented in stainless steel with
three times daily pumpovers. Once the fermentation
(34:23):
was complete, the tank was hermetically sealed and
the wine spent around a week less time than usual
macerating at temperatures between 23 and 25
degrees Celsius, which I have no idea what that
is.
>> Harm (34:35):
70 degrees, 72 degrees. Thank you very much.
>> Bob (34:38):
To extract a smoother tannins. Once the maceration
was complete, the wine from each tank was racked,
tasted and selected by Don Melchor winemaking team
and put into French oak barrels to undergo
malolactic fermentation and aging. Age for 15
months and 68 new and 32% second use French oak.
(35:00):
Don Melcore 2021 is the 35th vintage.
>> Harm (35:04):
Of Don Melchor and also number one rated wine from
Wine Spectators top 100.
>> Brent (35:09):
And I think this is the fourth vintage we've had
the good fortune to taste. So what do you. What
does it taste like, Justin?
>> Harm (35:14):
It's a.
>> Bob (35:15):
Well, the color is a dark, beautiful ruby. The
nose is intense and fruity. The palate is just
rich. And, you know, licorice jumps out in the
beginning, although with, uh, air that kind of
faded. And the finish was long and pleasant. Makes
you want to go for another sip. What did you
(35:35):
think, Bob?
>> Brent (35:36):
I thought it was fantastic. Every year they just
do it every year. I mean, every year I think,
well, this will be, you know, not as good as last
year. No. Every year it seems like they never have
an off year with Don Melchor. Um, the nose is
absolutely yummy. Dark red fruit. There's a little
(35:58):
bit of black tea in there and on the palate. M. So
well put together, so perfectly integrated. Um,
black cherries, violets, licorice, a little bit of
black pepper on the back palate. Just so well
done. Just so well done. Like, like everyone from
(36:20):
them. What do you think, Harm?
>> Harm (36:22):
Um, my mother opened our liquor store in 1988.
That's when these guys started. We've carried Don
Melcore for almost every vintage. Not since 1988.
I don't think it came to America back then. From
$40 to $200. There's a reason it's phenomenal
wine. It's never been bad. No, I've not had a bad
Vintage.
>> Brent (36:43):
It's never been. Not great.
>> Harm (36:45):
Yeah. Um, forget bad. This wine needs to be in
your collection. Buy some. Just. It's fantastic,
Maury.
>> Maury (36:51):
Yeah, no, I agree. We've had this a number of
times on the show. It's a delicious wine. It's
beautifully made. It's really. Attention,
meticulous attention, detail. It's delicious. The
beautiful part about it is you can really open it,
let it aerate, and enjoy it. Today, it will age
for another decade or more.
>> Harm (37:09):
It'll age for 20 to 30 years. Dude, this is
phenomenal.
>> Maury (37:12):
But I'm telling you that this. I like them young.
And this is one you can never seller. You don't
have to sell it.
>> Harm (37:18):
Don't say those things anymore to enjoy it.
>> Maury (37:20):
You can enjoy it right today, out of the bottle.
Just give it some time, some air, and some
patience. It's definitely opened up with time and
air in the bottle, in the glass. Excuse me. Uh, I
think it's fantastic. It's the best thing we've
had today. So thank you for, uh, bringing it to
the show, Bob.
>> Harm (37:35):
It's one of the best wines I've had since. In
2025.
>> Brent (37:38):
A couple years ago, Maury and I had the good
fortune to go to a dinner with Don Melcore down in
Miami and. And got to meet the winemaker, and they
had seven or eight different vintages.
>> Maury (37:49):
Yeah, it was pretty amazing.
>> Harm (37:50):
Uh, Library night.
>> Brent (37:51):
Yeah, they had one going back about, I want to
say, 15, 16 years and.
>> Maury (37:56):
And get better. Oh, my God.
>> Brent (37:58):
They're just. Every one of them. Just like, how.
How do you do this every year? So delicious. But
we're going to give. Give. They. It's like we're
giving it. They are.
>> Harm (38:08):
They've earned more than we.
>> Brent (38:09):
We're going to give. Don Melcore, Puente Alto
vineyard, cabernet sauvignon 20, 215 plus. God.
>> Harm (38:19):
So good.
>> Brent (38:19):
Every year.
>> Harm (38:20):
Leather, flowers. It's all there.
>> Brent (38:23):
Yeah. Uh, it's everything you want. Everything you
want in a bottle. Well, this is all the time we
have for today. I want to thank everybody for
joining. Thank you, Justin.
>> Bob (38:32):
Thank you. Wow.
>> Brent (38:33):
Yeah. Thank you, Maury.
>> Maury (38:34):
Thank you, Bob. Another great day in the basement.
>> Brent (38:37):
And thank you, Harm.
>> Harm (38:38):
You know I never mean it when I say thank you.
Except today.
>> Brent (38:42):
Now. You still don't mean it.
>> Harm (38:43):
I still don't mean it, but whatever. The wine was
good.
>> Brent (38:46):
Yeah, the wine was good.
>> Harm (38:47):
The wine was great.
>> Brent (38:48):
Well, first sip. Suds and smokes. This is made,
man. Bob, thanks for joining us. Remember, life is
too short to drink bad wine.
>> Announcer (38:55):
We hope you enjoyed this episode. If you're
listening to us online, do yourself a favor and
tap. Just tap it in the subscribe button.
>> Harm (39:04):
Give it a little tappy tap, tap taparoo.
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(39:30):
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Come back, join us for another episode and keep on
(39:53):
sipping.
>> Harm (40:04):
This has been a 110 hand production of SIP, Suds
and Stories Smokes, a program devoted to the
appreciation of some of the finer slices of life
from the dude in the Basement Studios.
>> Maury (40:16):
Your host, the Good Old Boys will.
>> Harm (40:18):
See you all next time.
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