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Wine Happens, Vero Beach, FL (2026)

09/08/2025

** W**e Happens: Review - Old vine Zinfandel and Bill’s wish list.

“No poems can please for long or live that are written by water drinkers.” - Quintus Horatius Flaccus better known as Horace was a Roman poet (65-8BC).

As circumstance will have it I will be abstaining from w**e for the next several months. I guess I will be taking Horace to task to see if this affects my writing as a water drinker. I am happy to report that this situation is not permanent so since I am currently not enjoying w**e the next best thing to do is to plan to enjoy w**e. To that end I will be reviewing w**e regions and w**es I have yet to experience while building a wish list of w**es I will pursue in the future. This growing list will appear at the end of each review and I invite my readers to offer their suggestions.

Note: As part of this adventure we tried an alcohol free w**e. It is supposedly w**e with the alcohol removed. I am sad to report that it was awful. It tasted like someone mixed grape juice with stale lemon juice. If you enjoy w**e but need to abstain from it for a while alcohol free w**e is not something I would recommend.

My new wish list kicks off with the 2022 Steacy Ranch Zinfandel from Turley W**e Cellars. This is an old vine Zinfandel which means the vines are at least 50 years old. This Zinfandel was planted in 1907 which I find amazing. I love Zinfandels so I am very excited to add this intriguing w**e to the list.

W**e Maker Notes:
“Planted in 1907 in the sandy loam soils on the east side of Lodi, these ancient Zinfandel vines are interspersed with Grenache, Carignane, and Mission as well. Savory and earthy on the nose, with elements of dark fruits, sandalwood, red apple skin, and braised rhubarb. With smooth, super fine-grained tannins and a long, blue-fruited finish, this would be an excellent pairing with duck.”

This is what Turkey W**e Cellars has to say about old vine Zinfandels:
“There is no technical (read: legal) definition of an “old vine” in the United States, so the common claims on w**e labels vary widely. Not content with arbitrary labels—after all, very little is done arbitrarily in emergency medicine—Turley employs fifty years as the minimum vine age to be considered for “Old Vines.”
https://www.turleyw**ecellars.com/old-vines-story-significance

Bill’s wish list.
1. 2022 Steacy Ranch Zinfandel

Have a groovy day, week, month, or whatever seems best!

However you look at it at the end of the day remember my golden rule of w**e or wh**ky, “Drink what you like with whatever you like”.

08/31/2025

** W**e Happens: Review - Chateau De La Chapelle Blaye Cotes De Bordeaux

“Le vin est de l’eau emplie de soleil.” - Old French saying which translates to “W**e is water filled with sunshine”.

A few weeks ago I reviewed a nice Chianti we enjoyed with homemade lasagna. We had some friends over for this and they brought a wonderful Bordeaux, the Chateau De La Chapelle Blaye Cotes De Bordeaux. Okay, that was a mouthful! It was a great paring with the food and the company. I love w**es from the Bordeaux region of France and I was happy to add this one to my list of favorites. Visiting this historic w**e region is something we have yet to do but maybe we can fix that one of these days.

This is what Total W**e has to say about this wonderful Bordeaux:
Decanter-Blaye Cotes de Bordeaux- Decanter World W**e Awards - "Spicy nose displaying sweet aromas of dark plums, chocolate and attractive hints of floral notes. Warm and deep on the palate, showing a firm tannic structure."
https://www.totalw**e.com/w**e/red-w**e/bordeaux-blend/chateau-de-la-chapelle-blaye-cotes-de-bordeaux/p/242303750?

This is what you expect of a good Bordeaux. It had great expressions of dark fruit with a nice smooth finish. This was a 2020 vintage which I decanted because I think a Bordeaux is at its best when you let it breathe for a bit. If you like a classic red Bordeaux this w**e should be on your list. You can usually find this w**e for around $20.

Have a groovy day, week, month, or whatever seems best!

However you look at it at the end of the day remember my golden rule of w**e or wh**ky, “Drink what you like with whatever you like”.

08/17/2025

** W**e Happens: Review - The Castellani 2017 Chianti Reserva

“Amici e vini sono meglio vecchi: Old w**e and friends improve with age.” Italian proverb

We had some good friends over last weekend to enjoy a nice home made lasagna and what better way to do that than with a bottle of Chianti. Our friends also brought with them a very good Bordeaux which made for a fantastic evening of sipping on good w**es. I will review the Bordeaux in the coming weeks but for now let’s focus on the Castellani 2017 Chianti Reserva.

I am not sure if this was necessary but we decanted this w**e. I like decanting w**e for the simple reason that you get a good look at the color of the w**e as it slides along the inside of the decanter. We found this w**e to be medium bodied with a very smooth finish. It paired nicely with the lasagna as one would expect. Some people, myself included, say that Chardonnay is a very versatile white w**e and along those lines I think Chianti is a very versatile red w**e. This means that it will pair well with a variety of dishes. I wouldn’t hesitate to enjoy this Chianti with fish or poultry. As the holidays loom on the far horizon I am thinking that this Chianti would make a great Thanksgiving w**e.

W**emaker Notes from w**e.com:
“This Chianti Riserva is produced from specially selected Sangiovese grapes grown following the traditional methods in the vineyards of the Chianti production area. The w**e is aged in Slavonian oak casks owned by the Castellani Family historic cellars where it performs malolactic fermentation and ages for a minimum period of 24 months. It completes its refinement in bottle.”

Professional Review: “A bright and fresh red with orange-peel and blackberry character. Medium-to full-bodied, driven and fruity. Tangy.” - James Suckling
https://www.w**e.com/product/castellani-chianti-classico-riserva-2017/998916

The Castellani 2017 Chianti Reserva is readily available and you should find it for under $20. I must admit that I am starting to see the price of w**e in my area inch up faster than I have seen in the past. I don’t know how long this trend will continue but if you find a bottle of w**e you really like at a reasonable price I would consider getting two.

Have a groovy day, week, month, or whatever seems best!

However you look at it at the end of the day remember my golden rule of w**e or wh**ky, “Drink what you like with whatever you like”.

08/03/2025

** W**e Happens: Review - The 2022 Cutrer Chardonnay

“Everyone can commit to 20 minutes, especially if there's a glass of Chardonnay afterwards.” - Kate Winslet, American Actress

I have been a bit slacking on my w**e reviews of late and I have no excuse beyond the simple fact that life can sometimes get complicated. I do have incredible respect for journalists and columnists who need to produce intelligent comprehensible articles several times a week if not once a day. You rock! I hope that writers everywhere put an exclamation point on their latest work by enjoying a nice glass of w**e.

So let’s talk about a nice glass of w**e. Let’s talk about the 2022 Cutrer Chardonnay from Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards. This is a wonderful Chardonnay we enjoyed on a very warm Florida evening sitting out on our lanai. I like to say when sipping on a white w**e outdoors that the warmer it is outside the cooler the w**e in your glass should be. While this is a nice sentiment it has been so smoking hot in Florida these days that to follow this rule we would almost have to make w**e popsicles. That of course did not happen.

Tasting Notes from W**e.com:
“This Sonoma Coast Chardonnay is a rich, medium straw color. You are greeted with stone fruit aromas of white peach and nectarine, oak spice with hints of clove, toasted nuts, a touch of caramel, and light honeydew. The creamy richness of this medium-bodied w**e boasts ripe pear and Golden Delicious apple. This w**e is a classic, elegantly structured Chardonnay with lots of finesse and focused balance from start to finish. You will find Sonoma-Cutrer's signature bright acidity with nice length and a soft mid-palate that rounds out to a pleasant, long finish of lingering barrel spice.”
https://www.w**e.com/product/sonoma-cutrer-sonoma-coast-chardonnay-2022/1433627

This is a great description. I would emphasize “creamy richness” while admitting I have not idea what “lingering barrel spice” means. Enjoy this w**e all by itself or with a nice cheese and fruit platter. You can usually find this nice Chardonnay for around $20.

Have a groovy day, week, month, or whatever seems best!

However you look at it at the end of the day remember my golden rule of w**e or wh**ky, “Drink what you like with whatever you like”.

07/11/2025

** W**e Happens: Review - Diora 2022 “Le Petite Grace” Monterey Pinot Noir

“It is well to remember that there are five reasons for drinking: the arrival of a friend; one's present or future thirst; the excellence of the w**e; or any other reason.” - Latin saying

One of the things I love about Pinot Noir is its versatility when it comes to pairing with food. If you are at a restaurant where your friends are ordering a variety of dishes and you would rather order a bottle of w**e instead of ordering by the glass a Pino Noir is often a good choice. It is against this backdrop that we discovered a wonderful Pinot Noir, the Diora W**es 2022 Pinot Noir from Monterey California.

This w**e region is on the coast just south of San Francisco. Some exceptional Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs hail from Monterey. This is what the w**e maker has to say about their wonderful Pinot Noir.

W**e Maker Notes:
“Dark ruby in the glass, aromas of dark cherries and raspberry mingle with nuances of licorice. Soft and velvety, robust with a voluptuous and full-bodied mouthfeel, the palate unfolds with decadent layers of intense chocolate-covered dark red cherries, and a delicate hint of wild sage. A long, lingering finish instills a lasting impression of rich, concentrated flavors.”
https://dioraw**es.com/w**es/

Though a bit over the top this is a great description of the w**e. We enjoyed it with a cheese burger and shrimp and grits. The w**e went well with both dishes. You can find it for around $20, maybe less, and it is well worth it.

Have a groovy day, week, month, or whatever seems best!

However you look at it at the end of the day remember my golden rule of w**e or wh**ky, “Drink what you like with whatever you like”.

07/01/2025

** W**e Happens: Review - Decoy 2023 Chardonnay

“Whatever doesn't kill you, makes you watch a lot of Cartoon Network and drink mid-price Chardonnay at 11 in the morning.” - Conan O’Brien, American comedian and television host.

Now that we are back from eastern Europe I thought it would be fun to review a w**e you might actually be able to find in your local store. I do have one more w**ery from Croatia to review but that will be for a later date. To that end let’s take a look at a very nice California w**e from the Alexander Valley in Sonoma County, the 2023 Decoy Chardonnay. Decoy W**es make a variety of quality w**es with my favorites being their Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. This is what they have to say about their 2023 Chardonnay.

W**emaker notes:
“This Chardonnay is a refreshing retreat, evoking a summer stroll through orchards in bloom with aromas of sweet mandarin and white peach. Each sip brings juicy and vibrant tropical fruit flavors with just a hint of oak from its time spent in barrel.”
https://www.decoyw**es.com/product/2023-decoy-california-chardonnay

This pretty well sums it up except that I didn’t taste a hint of oak. This would be important to those Chardonnay fans out there who prefer “un-oaked” Chardonnays. You might find this w**e to be a bit more robust and fruity without any overbearing hints of oak. We also noted floral hints. This w**e should pair well with a variety of fish and light poultry meals. I say “should” because we enjoyed it all by itself sitting in our covered lanai while a delightful thunderstorm rolled over head.

As is usual for just about everything these days the price of this w**e seems to be all over the place. You should be able to find it for $20 or less. If you can find it for under $15 buy two!

Have a groovy day, week, month, or whatever seems best!

However you look at it at the end of the day remember my golden rule of w**e or wh**ky, “Drink what you like with whatever you like”.

06/17/2025

W**e Happens on the Road: Etyek, Hungary

This is my second w**e review on the road and from my phone. We are in Etyek, a small town outside of Budapest in Hungary’s w**e region. This is a fantastic place where we not only visited a w**ery but we saw how local cheeses and hams are processed.

For me w**e has always been an expression of earth and sky. The earth provides the nutrients and the sky provides rain and sun. This is why the same grape variety expresses itself differently in different regions. We were blessed with the opportunity to taste the local Hungarian w**es from the Rokusfalvy w**ery in Etyek.

We started with a very nice sparkling w**e made in the French style from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. We then moved on to a Sauvignon Blanc and finished with a Pinot Noir. All of these w**es were fantastic and a wonderful expression of the local region. I highly recommend that any trip to Eastern Europe include a visit to some local w**eries.

06/08/2025

W**e Happens On The Road - Czech Republic

We are on the road touring Eastern Europe so I thought I would see I could do my w**e reviews just from my phone. This review comes from Prague in the Czech Republic.

This country is known primarily for its b**r with recipes that have not changed for hundreds of years. They also produce great w**es from the Morava district. We sampled two, a Sauvignon Blanc and a Pinot Noir. Both were excellent.

The Sauvignon Blanc had a wonderful light and refreshing taste of citrus. The Pinot Noir was dry and fruity. The Czech people love their bear but are also proud of their w**es and for good reason. I’m not sure if Czech w**es are generally available in the US but I intend to find out.

Note: I did try a local dark b**r and it was very nice. I found it to be smoother and more mellow than dark b**rs I have tried before.

06/03/2025

** W**e Happens: Review - Blackjack “Billy Goat Hill” 2013 Merlot

“With years a richer life begins, the spirit mellows: ripe age gives tones to violins, w**e and good fellows.” – John Townsend Trowbridge, American author 1827-1916

I try not to review the same kind of w**e twice in a row but this Blackjack Ranch W**ery “Billy Goat Hill” 2013 Merlot was so exceptional I couldn’t wait. I am always nervous when opening a 12 year old bottle of w**e because I worry that I have kept it too long and that it has, as they say, gone round the bend. That was not the case with this Merlot.

To give it the best chance possible I took it out of my w**e cooler and set it upright for about an hour so it could warm to room temperature and any sediment would settle to the bottom. Collecting sediment is why w**e bottles have those funny shaped bottoms. On popping the cork I was happy to see the cork was in good shape and the aroma was intoxicating. I carefully poured it into the decanter to get as much w**e possible without any sediment but there was surprisingly little sediment. The color was excellent and the viscosity was perfect. A w**e that has gone round the bend can have an orange tint and a watery texture. This w**e was perfect. I let it breathe for about an hour before pouring.

This is what the Blackjack Ranch W**ery has to say about it:
“Showing a shade more fruit than the 2011 version, This Billy Goat Hill Merlot is herbaceous and dignified (go ahead and pour it for your “cabernet snob” friends!). Cedar, bay leaf, exuberant black plum, substantial weight for a merlot grown in a district not known for merlot. A wonderful companion for pork tenderloin, tri-tip, veal chop, or a gathering of loyal friends. An “east bank” classic!”
https://blackjackranch.com/w**e/merlot/billy-goat-hill-merlot-2013/

We also detected hints of black tea, black liquorish, black pepper, sharp berry, and blackberry. The subtle but imposing taste of this w**e along with its smooth finish made for quite the experience. We enjoyed it with a simple filet mignon and potato dinner. I don’t think this w**e is readily available in w**e shops but you can buy it directly from Blackjack for $40. If you can’t find this one ask at your local w**e shop for interesting older Merlots.

Have a groovy day, week, month, or whatever seems best!

However you look at it at the end of the day remember my golden rule of w**e or wh**ky, “Drink what you like with whatever you like”.

05/25/2025

** W**e Happens: Review - Stags’ Leap 2022 Merlot

“Age and glasses of w**e should never be counted” - Italian proverb

Merlot is a wonderful grape and makes a quality w**e. It is a grape most often represented in red blends but it is fantastic all on its own and the Stags’ Leap 2022 Merlot is an excellent example of this. Ever since 1977 when a Stag’s Leap Cabernet won a blind tasting in France the Stags Leap region became famous. More known for their Cabernets the region produces fantastic Merlots as well.

You will note that I used Stags Leap, Stags’ Leap and Stag’s Leap in my introduction. This is not a typo. They are actually two w**eries established in the early 1970s in the Stags Leap district in Napa Valley California. In one the apostrophe is after the “s” and in the other it is between the “g” and the “s”. Details details. As I understand it there was some legal issues surrounding the similarity of the two names but for whatever reason nothing changed. Both are excellent w**eries. There a several great w**eries in the Stags Leap district which you can read about here:
https://www.stagsleapdistrict.com/story

This is what the experts have to say about the Stags' Leap W**ery Merlot. From w**e-searcher.com:
Critic tasting note: (2022 vintage) "Plush and generous aromas of Damson plums, citrus peel, iodine and tea leaves. This is full-bodied with soft tannins and balanced acidity, giving flavors of mocha, blackberry compote, purple flowers and dried herbs. Soft yet serious." - James Suckling

This is a great description with the possible exception of the generous aroma of iodine. Iodine? Who even knows what that smells like. We brought this w**e to a friend’s house for dinner and I told everyone about the iodine in the expert description. I am happy to report that everyone loved the w**e and that no one got the sense of iodine. We had this w**e with a very nice grilled chicken and potatoes dinner. Not what you would normally have with a red w**e but this pairing worked out great.

The price on the w**e can really vary but you should find it for between $35 and $40. If you are a fan of Merlot you will want to try this.

Have a groovy day, week, month, or whatever seems best!

However you look at it at the end of the day remember my golden rule of w**e or wh**ky, “Drink what you like with whatever you like”.

Wine Happens

09/08/2025

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08/17/2025

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