First to walk in on a quiet Monday afternoon was David E who was armed with a 2001 Tardieu-Laurent Vacqueyras that he discovered in his cellar as he was doing his inventory. The wine’s aromas were more youthful than I expected with plums, black cherries, Asian spice, and a touch of smoke. The palate was medium-bodied with a zingy acidity. It was dried out in the mid-palate and the finish was clipped. Promising nose, but it did not deliver. I think this wine’s better days are well in the past. Shaun M, one of our out-of-town members, walked in next. I already had a 2007 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon waiting for him in a decanter. The wine was a powerhouse yet elegant at the same time. The palate was still tightly wound showing a tannic structure encased in great fruit concentration. Layered flavors of blackcurrant, blackberries, earth, tobacco, licorice, and gravelly undertones started showing after more time in the glass. This is structured for the long haul – needs to be decanted for at least three hours or better yet, forgotten in the cellar for another 10 years. The 2006 Quilceda Creek Galatzine Vineyard was opened next. This was more forward, expressive, and silkier-textured than the previous wine. The aromas brimmed with blueberries, crème de cassis, blackcurrants, black cherries, and baking spices leading to a broad, fleshy palate. This was a pleasure to drink now, a few more years in the cellar should provide more complexity. We next tasted a pair of Richebourgs. The first one tasted was the 1997 Christian emoissenet Richebourg. This wine was thin and hollow while the finish fell through. There was stewed fruit and not much else. Way past its prime. The next one up was a 1997 Remoissenet Pere & Fils Richebourg and this one was superb with classic Remoissenet iron note along with black raspberries, plums, and underbrush. There was tremendous richness that coated the palate, a bright acidity, and a persistent finish on this wine. After all that red, David opened a bottle of 2004 Ceritas Chardonnay ‘Porter-Bass Vineyard’ from Russian River Valley whose vibrant acidity was a great refresher to the tannins from the reds. The wine was full-bodied, ripe, and tropical-fruited but it there was a minerality and a citrusy acidity that kept the wine in check. This is a California Chardonnay I can drink especially with poached lobster with butter sauce or mushroom risotto. Then we went back to California Cabernet with 2008 Jones Family Cabernet Sauvignon courtesy of Simon. This was expressive, rich, and opulent right out of the bottle. The palate was packed with black fruits, toasty vanilla, blueberry, and sweet spice. There are tannins here definitely, but they’re ripe, refined, and very well-integrated. You only get the glimpse of all the power and structure with the grippy tannins on the finish. This is drinking very well now.