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Gus Clemens @gusclemensonwine.bsky.social · 4d

Chehalem Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir, Laurelwood District, Chehalem Mountains, Willamette Valley, Oregon 2023—impressive; Oregon's 2023 vintage called “vintage of the decade.” Excellent Oregon pinot noir at reasonable price for this quality. open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

Acrobat Pinot Gris, Oregon 2022

Gus Clemens @gusclemensonwine.bsky.social · 5d

Acrobat Pinot Gris, Oregon 2022—tasty easy drinker. Excellent every day to complete lighter fare, seafood, solo sipping when you wind/wine down. Good for mixed group getting into wine. Let companionship, food carry load. Amazingly versatile, superb price open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

Amazingly versatile wine and superb price

Brassfield Estate Winery Pinot Noir, High Valley Appellation 2022

Gus Clemens @gusclemensonwine.bsky.social · 8d

Brassfield Estate Winery Pinot Noir, High Valley Appellation 2022—compelling high elevation, cool-climate, fruit-forward. Elegant, clean, lean structure. Stylish presentation of High Valley AVA fruit punches above its affordable price point. open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

Elegant, clean, lean structure

Gabriel Meffre “Saint-Nicolas” Côtes du Rhône 2023

Gus Clemens @gusclemensonwine.bsky.social · 11d

Gabriel Meffre “Saint-Nicolas” Côtes du Rhône 2023—Unoaked, full malolactic conversion generously presents darker fruit with amiable tannins and acidity. Honest, well-crafted. Easy on palate and pocketbook. open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

Elegant, tasty wine at a reasonable price

Goose Ridge Vineyards g3 Chardonnay, Columbia Valley 2023

Gus Clemens @gusclemensonwine.bsky.social · 12d

Goose Ridge Vineyards g3 Chardonnay, Columbia Valley 2023—Splits difference between unoaked chard and over-the-top fruit-butter-oak styles. Fans of both could find something to enjoy. open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

Splits difference between unoaked chard and over-the-top fruit-butter-oak styles

Funckenhausen Cabernet Sauvignon, Mendoza 2022

Gus Clemens @gusclemensonwine.bsky.social · 14d

Funckenhausen Cabernet Sauvignon, Mendoza 2022—simple, straightforward value buy—and nicely fills that niche. You get dark fruits and reserved tannins and acidity. Inoffensive effort, a notch above supermarket boxed cab and comes in one-liter bottle. open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

Definitely works as a second bottle or as party pour

Bernardus Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands, Monterey County 2023

Gus Clemens @gusclemensonwine.bsky.social · 16d

Bernardus Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands, Monterey County 2023—fruit-forward expression of pure cool-climate Santa Lucia Highlands PN. Clean, fresh, refined, harmonious marriage of structure, elegance with emphasis on fruit rather than oak or alcohol. open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

Fruit-forward expression of pure cool-climate Santa Lucia Highlands pinot noir

Gus Clemens @gusclemensonwine.bsky.social · 17d

Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2020—outstanding high-end Napa cab with black fruit deliciousness, depth, and ageability. Just entering its drinking window in 2025, decant or hold for next couple of years. open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

Chemistry Pinot Noir, Oregon 2023

Gus Clemens @gusclemensonwine.bsky.social · 18d

Chemistry Pinot Noir, Oregon 2023—Textbook expression of Oregon PN, punches well above it modest—for this quality—price point. Chemistry promises minimal intervention to showcase the region’s excellent fruit. This more than delivers on that promise. open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

Textbook expression of Oregon pinot noir, punches well above it modest—for this quality—price point.

La Crema Pinot Gris, Monterey 2021

Gus Clemens @gusclemensonwine.bsky.social · 19d

La Crema Pinot Gris, Monterey 2021—baked apple, Meyer lemon, tropical fruit framed by sleek, mouth-watering acidity. Candied ginger, sea spray minerality support finish. Ripe fruitiness, time on lees stirs in illusion of sweetness, admirable complexity. open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

Admirable complexity at this price point

McGrail Vineyards Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Livermore Valley 2020

Gus Clemens @gusclemensonwine.bsky.social · 21d

McGrail Vineyards Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Livermore Valley 2020—richness, black fruit, full body, polished, long supple finish, powerhouse from testy 2020 vintage. Good structure, complexity, dark fruit parade. Well priced for wine of this caliber. open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

Well priced for a wine of this caliber

Southern Right Sauvignon Blanc, Cape Coast, South Africa 2024

Gus Clemens @gusclemensonwine.bsky.social · 23d

Southern Right Sauvignon Blanc, Cape Coast, South Africa 2024—zesty, bright, balanced, smooth, touch of salinity, touch of honey and greengage plum in a sophisticated blend of Old World complexity and reserve and New World texture and body. open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

Sophisticated blend of Old World complexity and reserve and New World texture and body

Yatir Darom by Yatir Cabernet Sauvignon, Judea 2023

Gus Clemens @gusclemensonwine.bsky.social · 24d

Yatir Darom by Yatir Cabernet Sauvignon, Judea 2023—rich, polished, fruit-forward effort with concentrated flavors, rich mouthfeel, amiable tannins and acidity. Over-delivers for the price. Made in southern Israel near the Negev Desert. open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

Made in southern Israel near the Negev Desert

Tannins explained 10-8-2025

Gus Clemens @gusclemensonwine.bsky.social · 26d

Tannins explained 10-8-2025—Tannins are natural and essential to wine. They also are wine’s most misunderstood element. Even wine scientists admit they do not fully understand tannins. One expert called tannins a “chemical train wreck.” Let’s explore. open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

What are they, why are they, what do they do?

Corvée Metodo Classico Brut Trento DOC NV

Gus Clemens @gusclemensonwine.bsky.social · 28d

Corvée Metodo Classico Brut Trento DOC NV—combines versatility, elegance, showcases high quality, high elevation sparkling wine at a fraction of the price of Champagne. Rich, persistent flavors; impressive balance; creamy mouthfeel with bright acidity. open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

Combines versatility and elegance to showcase high quality, high elevation sparkling

Domaine Lumineux Pinot Noir Cuvée, Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon 2021

Gus Clemens @gusclemensonwine.bsky.social · Oct 5

Domaine Lumineux Pinot Noir Cuvée, Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon 2021—delicious, delightful, smooth, tasty Willamette Valley pinot noir showcases red fruit and accessibility. open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

Showcases red fruit and accessibility

Symington Quinta do Vesuvio Pombal do Vesuvio, Douro 2022

Gus Clemens @gusclemensonwine.bsky.social · Oct 1

Symington Quinta do Vesuvio Pombal do Vesuvio, Douro 2022—sleek, black-fruit-delicious effort from the dominant maker in the Douro Valley. Delivers complexity and depth at reasonable price point—a signature of Portuguese wine. open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

Complexity and depth at reasonable price point

Portlandia Pinot Noir Oregon 2022

Gus Clemens @gusclemensonwine.bsky.social · Sep 28

Portlandia Pinot Noir Oregon 2022—Admirable nuance, refinement for value pinot, another example of how well Oregon—and Portlandia—does PN. It is lighter, more delicate than the standard California pinot noir—certainly for CA efforts at this price point open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

Admirable nuance and refinement for a value pinot noir

Sealionne Wines Kilig Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge AVA 2022

Gus Clemens @gusclemensonwine.bsky.social · Sep 27

Sealionne Wines Kilig Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge AVA 2022—lovely, restrained, elegant, sophisticated effort from top vineyard in Ribbon Ridge AVA. Oregon pinot royalty. Excellent fruit, light-medium body, restrained alcohol all work to make this a delight. open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

Lovely, restrained, elegant, sophisticated effort

Ironstone Vineyards Obsession Symphony 2023

Gus Clemens @gusclemensonwine.bsky.social · Sep 26

Ironstone Vineyards Obsession Symphony 2023—off-dry celebration of the symphony grape developed by UC-Davis in 1948. Very aromatic with brisk acidity to balance is slight sweetness. Light and refreshing. Fun sipper. open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

Have you ever sipped wine made with symphony grape?

Umani Ronchi Casal di Serra Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore DOC 2022

Gus Clemens @gusclemensonwine.bsky.social · Sep 23

Umani Ronchi Casal di Serra Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore DOC 2022—big aromatics, vivid fruitiness, saline-minerality, excellent texture. Balanced, delicious, checks all white wine boxes. Sea-salty finish particularly entertaining. open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

Big aromatics, vivid fruitiness, saline-minerality, excellent texture

Rex Hill Vineyards Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2022

Gus Clemens @gusclemensonwine.bsky.social · Sep 22

Rex Hill Vineyards Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2022—delivers usual pinot noir flavors, raspberry and cherry, then pitches in cranberry and tartness that bodes well for food pairing and adds unexpected drama. open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

Interesting pinot with a twist

Stewart Cellars Tartan Napa Valley Red Wine 2021

Gus Clemens @gusclemensonwine.bsky.social · Sep 21

Stewart Cellars Tartan Napa Valley Red Wine 2021—depth, complexity from outstanding vintage. Dark fruits dominate rich, full initial attack through finish. Stewart aims to consistently offer wine that exceeds expectations, this effort succeeds. open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

Depth and complexity from an outstanding Napa vintage

Ernesto Catena Vineyards Ánimal Natural Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Mendoza 2023

Gus Clemens @gusclemensonwine.bsky.social · Sep 20

Ernesto Catena Vineyards Ánimal Natural Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Mendoza 2023—balances lean structure, rustic and gamey notes, palate weight, and concentrated dark fruits. Rich, delicious, good value from scion of Argentine wine’s over-achievers. open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

Wine as an artistic expression from the famed Catena wine family of Argentina