Sunny Sophia

Cantina Giardino

Sophia Campania Greco

Had it at Mona Pasta in Los Angeles with my friends ooooo baby — a month ago

Raul Pérez

La Del Vivo Bierzo White Blend 2021

Stunning. Delicious. One of my fav wines of the last 1.5 years. Godello aged under flor that competes with white Burgundy/ Sonoma Coast chards that cost double. Sourced from two tiny plots of 80-100 yr old vines. 80% old foudre, 20% amphora under flor, no malo, no stirring. Sunny bouquet, honeycomb, Asian pear, gun flint, crushed stone, brisk, seamless, cool and classy. $55. — 2 years ago

Brian liked this

Raul Pérez

Ultreia Saint Jacques Mencía

Sunny and juicy. Almost sweet, but a little acid and - especially - mineral keep it in check. Generally round, a touch prickly, and closes drier. Doesn't keep up with a monster blue, but complements a milder Humboldt Fog well. — 7 years ago

Maison Saint Aix

Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence Rosé Blend 2017

Strawberry with a hint of lemon. Mouth-watering acidity. A great sipper on a warm sunny day. — 7 years ago

Francis Ford Coppola Winery

Diamond Collection Black Label Claret California Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

I was at the winery many years ago the day that Sophia Coppola was up for her Oscar for Lost in Translation. I always thought of this as just a brand before that, but watching the tasting room volunteers beam with pride that day reminds me that the wine truly comes from the people that produce it. I know that sounds cheesy. I saw this in the liquor store for a decade before I bought it years ago. And now that many, many years have passed since those early wine years for me, I look at this wine fondly. Which is really what wine is all about. — 8 years ago

Anita Beishuizen
with Anita

Matthiasson

Tendu California Vermentino Blend

Really tasty with a mix of pear, citrus, and tropical fruits. Mediterranean herb notes add spice add interest. Great spring/summer sunny day sipper! — 8 years ago

Clos De La Tech

Domaine Valeta Sunny Slope Pinot Noir 2019

2019 vintage. Contribution to the FLB (Friday Lunch Bunch) along with @Pinotman /// Andreas and an appreciative regular. Medium/medium-heavy body. Darker fruit and spices aplenty this effort. Not quite as ripe as other CDLT efforts (maybe a dozen at this point¿?) tasted in the last two years. Far from flashy, this Pinot, unlike you, does its best work in the dark. The quality, effort and experience slowly creeps up and, before you know it, you’re actively planning a getaway weekend with it. Stealth juice. 3.20.26. — 3 months ago

Tom, Doug and 15 others liked this
John Howard

John Howard Influencer Badge

@Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego oooh nice. Grown near us!
Doug Powers

Doug Powers

Great descriptor — “The quality, effort and experience slowly creeps up and, before you know it, you’re actively planning a getaway weekend with it.”!!

Summit Lake Vineyards

Sophia Lynn Howell Mountain Petite Sirah 2017

One of my absolute favorites. Ripe fruits with a hint of spice and a structured finish. On the liter side for a petite Syrah, almost refreshing. A great wine to share, as it is very easy to drink. Let it sit 30 min before drinking. — 5 years ago

Cantina Giardino

Sophia Campania Fiano 2016

Very nice long savory finish — 7 years ago

Casanuova delle Cerbaie

Brunello di Montalcino Sangiovese 2004

Somm David T
9.2

The nose reveals, black & bing sour cherries, blackberries, slightly baked strawberries, blueberries, some black raspberries, pomegranate extract and hint of plum, a fair amount of vanillin, soft limestone, whiffs of other baking spices, black tea, rich dark soils, faint crushed rocks, beautiful, fragrant, bright, blue, red and dark red florals.

The body is round & full. The tannins just starting to hit a good point of softening and rounding, yet have 10 plus years ahead. The structure, tension are hitting their stride. The length and balance are just getting to near perfect form. Two years ago, this wine was not ready and is now at the place I was hoping to get. I have two bottles left and I will have another in five years. Based on that performance, another in three to five plus years more. It’s the evolution that is so much fun to follow.

Black & bing sour cherries, blackberries show more on the palate and the pork pasta bring them out more deeply, slightly baked strawberries, blueberries, some black raspberries, pomegranate extract, cranberries and hint of plum, a fair amount of vanillin, soft limestone, nuances of volcanic minerals, soft baking spices, dark medium intensity of spice, black tea, rich dark soils, faint crushed rocks, beautiful, fragrant, bright, blue, red and dark red florals. The acidy is like a fresh water river. The long finish is unbelievably elegant, well balanced with a touch more fruit than earth, polished and persists seamlessly for several minutes.

I look forward to trying this wine again as it continues to evolve and improve over the next five to ten years...should be stunning! Well made Brunello’s simply take more than ten years in bottle to even begin to amaze.

Photos of, a wide hilltop shot of Casanuova, field hand harvesting their Sangiovese, large oak fermentation cask so there is less noticeable oak influence on the wine and their sloping vines on a sunny beautiful day.

@Oenotri Napa
— 7 years ago

Ryan, Shay and 24 others liked this
Somm David T

Somm David T Influencer Badge

@Ron R There always options to doing what is optimal for aging wines. The first is to decide whether you care or want to buy a certain varietals. If storage is an issue, the easiest route to go is to buy them aged from secondary markets. Another is to not to buy wines that require aging or to age them in not optimal conditions and drink them sooner than perfect storage would dictate. However, this will require some trial and error over time to know how those non ideal conditions impact timing of when to drink them. One could also purchase offsite ideal storage for wine. Or, simply keep drinking them young and develop your palate to enjoy them younger. However, for me as someone who has spent decades of his life studying wine, I will always suggest following what I have learned from the best wine producers, the Master Somm’s I studied with and books I’ve read from experts etc. in my writings giving my opinion. Chers! 🍷
Ron R

Ron R Influencer Badge Premium Badge

All good points, @David T, thanks. The good news is I have a good stash of late eighties BDX, along with nineties Bdx, Rhône, Italian and Spanish. Purchased many years ago when prices were reasonable. Alas, could not entertain those selections at current vintage prices. But I have more than enough to be content.
Somm David T

Somm David T Influencer Badge

Good to hear.

Broadley Vineyards

Sunny Mountain Vineyard Pinot Noir 2023

Excellent Pinot - fun for football and tailgating. — 7 months ago

Bobbi Jo BroxsonBrian Broxson
with Bobbi Jo and Brian
Bobbi Jo and Laura liked this

Bollinger

Special Cuvée Brut Champagne

J Choi
9.4

Sunny birthday champagne of choice (besides krug). Love the richness. — 2 years ago

Pascal Jolivet

Sancerre Sauvignon Blanc

Blend - 1/3 of each soil type. Beautiful balanced nose. Very sunny warm vintage. Sweet, round, but still with mineral. Lower acidity than normal. Balance baby! — 7 years ago

Racquel NRocket Rod
with Racquel and Rocket
Shaun liked this

MacRostie Winery & Vineyards

Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2015

One of my favorite chards. Light and refreshing but not overly dry. Reminds me of sunny days in Sonoma. — 7 years ago

Leo Nissola
with Leo
Leo liked this

Clos Ste. Magdeleine

Cassis Rosé Blend 2017

Rosé with panache, beachside on a sunny English summers evening — 8 years ago

Stephen liked this

Caves da Cerca

Fâmega Vinho Verde Arinto Blend 2016

Perfect summer sunny day wine — 8 years ago

Koehler-Ruprecht

Kallstadter Kabinett trocken Riesling 2012

Open field sunny picnic juice. Value. — 9 years ago

Ira liked this