Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/551222
august 2015 / the tasting panel / 79 Gainey 2013 Pinot Noir, Sta. Rita Hills, Santa Barbara County ($30) Gainey winemaker John Falcone brings us a seamless, velvety, layered Pinot with ripe berries that pleasurably pour over the palate. Mocha-raspberry swooshes in at the finish—a complete charmer. 93 Michael David Winery 2013 Inkblot Cabernet Franc, Lodi ($35) This black, opaque wine paints the palate with tar and cherries, and comes up with aromas of blackberry jam. A polka dotted backdrop of white pepper embellishes the black plums while the spiced cinnamon lacquers the tongue for a zingy finish. 91 Rusack 2013 Ballard Canyon Estate Zinfandel, Santa Barbara County ($45) The blend of 91% Zinfandel and 9% Petite Sirah is aged in 58% French oak, 42% American oak, for 16 months. From its lushly developed mouthfeel that drives to a destination of dusty tannins, to its full speed ahead of spiced, sweet plums, this wine is in overdrive. It's big but in check: measured black fruit and textural soundness, with a distant flash of cranberry that tightens up its acidity. 94 Paratus 2012 Mt. Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley ($75) Big, spiced black fruit is a celebration. Paratus is Latin for "prepared," and this one is: aged 22 months in French oak. A saltiness lingers on the tongue while a juicy, black-fruited component refreshes. Structurally sound and elegant—a concentrated, stand-up wine. 92 Valley Floor Vineyard 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon, Calistoga, Napa Valley ($80) Estate grown in volcanic soils show off peppered currants which set the tone for this robust tobacco and cedar-laden red. Olive, lavender, basil and black fruit chime in towards an edgy, spicy finish. 91 SPIRITS Wahaka Mezcal Joven Tobalá, D.O. Envasado en Oaxaca, Mexico ($96) Smoke and coconut are dichotomous on the nose, but undeniably a striking pair. The tropical sweetness of the coconut softens the wafting smokiness. From first taste, the herbal notes meld with a stony, earthy quality that is distinctive and rustic, yet embraces the soul. This mezcal is 100% organic and a 100% agave spirit, grown on yellow soil on steep, rocky terrain in the Highlands of Oaxaca. 92 WAHAKA MEZCAL Pyrat Rum XO Reserve ($25) This 80 proof blend of selected Caribbean rums is silky and round, with heady notes of sandalwood and cedar. On the palate, brown-sugared orange peel melts to a delectable sensation of salinity and baked tropical fruit. 93 PATRÓN SPIRITS Tippy Cow Vanilla Soft Serve Liqueur, USA ($18) Twist my arm to sidle up to this Caribbean-based rum liqueur with real dairy cream . . . and from Wisconsin! Eyes shut tight, I nose the exquisitely authentic soft serve vanilla ice cream—and taste a rush of smooth and a whisper of brown-sugared rum. The 28-proof liqueur can be dressed up or down, cocktails, on fresh fruit and definitely on the rocks. 89 MIDWEST CUSTOM BOTTLING Twist my arm to sidle up to this