Early Mountain Petit Manseng, Virginia 2022—tasty, energetic product of Virginia’s signature white grape. Delivers tropical richness, electric acidity, silky mouthfeel. Savory depth, complexity, due to winery’s unique perpetual lees barrel technique. gusclemens.substack.com/p/early-moun...

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...

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...

LangeTwins Family Winery and Vineyards Thirty Eight Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Jahant AVA, Lodi 2020—concentrated fruit, fine tannins, fresh acidity, significant but not overdone oak. Made by German-American family that has farmed in Lodi since 1870s. open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

Famiglia Pasqua Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore DOC 2020—classic ripasso; smooth, faintly sweet, polished, balanced. Ripe, tasty fruit; easy drinker, especially after some air exposure. Palate friendly approach instead of brawny assertiveness. open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

Column: Widow solves riddle
Revolution/evolution in wine in 17th and 18th centuries set up sparkling we enjoy today. Merret’s experiments in fermentation. Pérignon’s improvements. English glass breakthroughs.
That's not whole story by a long shot. gusclemens.substack.com/p/a-widow-so...

Sparkling evolution-revolution 7-23-2025—Wine has been evolving for at least 8,000 years, and so it goes in the world of sparkling wine. Click link for the column.
open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

GCOW by the glass—mass production and quality—Can mass production wine be good wine? It depends on what you consider “good wine.”https://open.substack.com/pub/gusclemens/p/gcow-by-the-glassmass-production?

Cockburn’s No. 1 Special Reserve Porto NV—delicious, approachable dessert wine made by inventor of Special Reserve category. World’s most popular special reserve premium porto. Can work slightly chilled—you can even pour it on ice. Stars as dessert wine. open.substack.com/pub/guscleme...

Three Sticks Gap’s Crown Vineyard Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast 2022 is higher-end chardonnay from one of Three Sticks Heritage Vineyards. Refined, clean, vibrant, mouthwatering. Generous flavors. Superb integration of French oak. gusclemens.substack.com/p/three-stic...