Well have a big party and you will get the range of wines. This year not nearly as good as last years lineup and way more top 10 worst wines of the year candidates. Sweeping first and second place were two wines I brought.
- 2022 DeLille Cellars Chaleur Estate Blanc – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley (10/25/2025)
Another stellar bottle with gooseberries, white flowers, orange peel, spice, lemon and tropical fruit. Nice acidity and medium finish. One of the best American white blends for the money. (93 pts.) - 2016 K Vintners Syrah Skull – USA, Washington (10/25/2025)
Was suppose to be my 10,000 tasting note but didn’t like the initial pour so decanted another six hours and so much better. 10,001 tasting notes. Funk, roasted meats, minerals, spice, earth, tar, black pepper and floral notes. This is really really good but not as good as the 2018 Barolo that was my 10,000 note. Should be wine of the night at the event tonight. (95 pts.)
The rest of the wines.
- 2022 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon California – USA, California (10/25/2025)
I always love these wines at parties because I take almost as much pride in my top 10 worst wines of the year as my top 10 best wines of the year. In the top 3 right now based on the price point. Sweet fruits, globs of sugar and mild spice. Short uninspiring finish. Very artificial tasting wine. So the people that enjoy this clearly are not applying the tasting process to detect all the flaws which there are a ton in this wine. (65 pts.)
- 2008 R. López de Heredia Rioja Reserva Viña Bosconia – Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja (10/25/2025)
Tasted twice throughout the evening. First pour no. After some air was better with dill, spice, raspberries, floral and earth. While still not a fan and really find these wines overrated. Not sure why the following when you can drink La Rioja Alta for around the same price or less and get way more. (87 pts.) - 2021 Mark Ryan Numbskull Rhône Style Red – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley (10/25/2025)
Ok for the Halloween Theme this delivered and from Mark Ryan so you know it is going to be good. A hit among the guests. Cherry, plum, spice, floral, tar and pepper. Super tasty and complex but when it says Mark Ryan top 3 producer of wines in Washington you know it is good. (92 pts.)
- 2021 Château de Mercuès Cahors – France, Southwest France, Cahors (10/25/2025)
Not a bad Malbec wine with good fruit, spice, earth, pepper and minerals. Medium finish. (88 pts.) - 2018 Canvasback Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Passage – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain (10/25/2025)
Well this underwhelmed for sure. A simple wine with sweet fruits, spice, dust and earth. Nothing much on the finish. Not nearly as good as the 2021 Canvasback regular Cab (84 pts.) - 2022 Meli Melo Cabernet Sauvignon – USA, California, Napa Valley (10/25/2025)
What an odd wine. Watered down and thin. Some earth, light fruit and mild spice. Not much going on here. (76 pts.) - 2016 Bodegas Hermanos Peciña Rioja Señorío de P. Peciña Reserva – Spain, La Rioja, Rioja (10/25/2025)
Ok one of the better wines at this tasting which is not saying much as the wines were terrible. I would drink this anytime however. Classic Rioja with oak, dills, spice, funk, cherry and floral notes. Medium finish. Solid. (91 pts.) - 2022 Victor Berard Châteauneuf-du-Pape – France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (10/25/2025)
Man did this disappoint. Simple stuff with red currants, floral and some spice. Short finish. Very boring wine. So someone brought a wine on the cheap to the tasting which happens all the time at these over $35/$40 events. (85 pts.) - 2023 Ropiteau Bourgogne – France, Burgundy, Bourgogne (10/25/2025)
What a crap wine. Again Burgundy is the most overrated wine region on the planet. Not many in Oregon would produce a crap wine like this. Soft and not much going on. Some red currants and earth. Super shot finish. Of course Total Wine came up on Wine Searcher. (70 pts.) - 2019 Bodegas Zinio Rioja Terroir de Zinio 200 – Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja (10/25/2025)
What a terrible wine with water, floral and some spice. What did I just taste from Rioja as this is one of the worst in years. Last Bottle Crap. Worst place to buy wine. (70 pts.) - 2022 Les Equilibristes Hirsute – France, Southwest France, Dordogne, Bergerac (10/25/2025)
Not very good with perfume, sweet fruits, earth and simple finish. Short finish. (82 pts.) - 2019 Gabriel Meffre Vacqueyras Saint-Barthélémy – France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Vacqueyras (10/25/2025)
Normally would like a Vacqueyras but this not doing it tonight. Spice, floral, earth and some fruit. Simple wine. (85 pts.) - 2018 Giacosa Fratelli Barbaresco Basarin Vigna Gianmaté – Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco (10/25/2025)
Tied with Brooks on wine of the night. I am not including my 2016 Skull on this. Old school with funk, floral, earth, spice, raspberries and tar. Medium plus finish. Really liked it. (92 pts.) - 2021 L’Ecole No. 41 Syrah Estate Seven Hills Vineyard – USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley (10/25/2025)
Day 2 as Tom opened prior. Good with plum, tar, spice, black pepper and cherry. Good wine overall. (90 pts.) - 2023 Pio Cesare Langhe Chardonnay L’Altro – Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC (10/25/2025)
Good wine overall with minerals, lemon, spice, mild wood and floral notes. Like it. (90 pts.) - 2021 Castello della Paneretta Chianti Classico – Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti Classico DOCG (10/25/2025)
What a poor showing. Earth, floral and light fruits. Not much going on here. (80 pts.) - 2019 Château Lascombes Le Haut Médoc de Lascombes – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc (10/25/2025)
Good overall with earth, minerals, floral, cherry and some wood. Medium finish. (89 pts.) - 2020 Domaine de la Choupette Santenay 1er Cru Clos Rousseau – France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Santenay 1er Cru (10/25/2025)
Another really crappy Burgundy wine. Charcoal, spice floral and earth. Short and boring finish. Cellar Tracker had this at $55 which is joke. One of the biggest issues with Tracker these fake prices. (75 pts.) - 2023 RouteStock Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon – USA, California, Napa Valley (10/25/2025)
What the hell is this? Terrible Napa Cab probably from the Valley floor. Not much going on with this earth, spice and some light fruit. Short finish. PASS. (80 pts.) - 2024 Weingut Pfeffingen Scheurebe Dry – Germany, Pfalz (10/25/2025)
Ok better than most at this Halloween party but not saying much. Floral, lemon, spice, apricots and lime. Medium finish and nice acidity. (90 pts.) - 2020 Chronic Cellars Purple Paradise – USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles (10/25/2025)
Not bad with sweeter fruits, floral, spices and dust. Medium finish with a touch of pepper. (85 pts.) - 2023 Daou Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles – USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles (10/25/2025)
Dear god a billion dollar sale. This stuff is crap. Sweet fruit, spice and some floral notes. Such a awful finish taste. Not sure what the hell wine drinkers see here but reach out to me for some wine education as I can help. Had to cancel a favorite user on this one. (65 pts.) - N.V. Lanson Champagne Brut – France, Champagne (10/25/2025)
Good overall with lemon, spice, floral, chalk and dust. Medium finish. (92 pts.) - 2013 Alexana Chardonnay Signature – USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley (10/25/2025)
Not showing well tonight with lemon, spice, lime and floral notes. Past peak. (85 pts.) - 2018 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape Télégramme – France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (10/25/2025)
One of the better wines tonight. Raspberries, floral, earth, minerals and dust. Medium finish. Very popular wine. (91 pts.) - 2019 Delas Frères Châteauneuf-du-Pape Haute Pierre – France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (10/25/2025)
Good overall with raspberries, spice, earth floral and stone. Good wine overall. (90 pts.) - 2019 Château Tronquoy – France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe (10/25/2025)
Multiple tastings of this. Good again with cherry, floral, mild oak and spices. Medium finish. (90 pts.) - 2020 Louis Latour Pouilly-Fuissé – France, Burgundy, Mâconnais, Pouilly-Fuissé (10/25/2025)
Good overall with lemon, spice, floral and minerals. Drink now. (87 pts.) - 2021 Carmen Cabernet Sauvignon Nativa Single Vineyard Gran Reserva – Chile, Maipo Valley (10/25/2025)
Stuff is drinkable but not great. Too much floral offerings with cherry, spice and dust. (85 pts.) - 2016 Baron de Ley Rioja Gran Reserva – Spain, La Rioja, Rioja (10/25/2025)
Tied for the best wines I didn’t bring tonight. Classic Rioja with funk, raspberries, floral, earth, spice and minerals. Medium plus finish. Really liked it. (93 pts.) - 2022 Leviathan Red Wine – USA, California (10/25/2025)
Another poor showing. Not very good with sweet fruits, spice and some floral notes. Simple wine. (80 pts.) - 2020 Château de la Chapelle Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux – France, Bordeaux, Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux (10/25/2025)
Ok wine with cherry, earth, spice and floral notes. Short to medium finish. Decanter 95 what a joke. (85 pts.) - 2017 Santa Giulia Brunello di Montalcino – Italy, Tuscany, Montalcino, Brunello di Montalcino (10/25/2025)
Not nearly as good as last time with thin on the fruit, along with earth and spices. Nothing like the last time tasted. (85 pts.) - 2023 Pike Road Wines Pinot Noir – USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley (10/25/2025)
Crap wine with light fruits, dried flowers and some spice. Short finish and the Pinot Noir wines in Oregon would be out of business if this is the crap they made. (70 pts.) - 2020 Altovinum Evodia – Spain, Aragón, Calatayud (10/25/2025)
Even worse than the last time with muted fruit, earth and spice. Who brought this to a tasting that said $30 or more. Cheap person that is who. (78 pts.)