First and foremost, I look for great wine. My background is in white-tablecloth restaurants, so label is secondary to quality. In the case of this wine, the first time I saw this label in 2016 I distinctly remember thinking "please be good, please be good." Luckily, it was more than good. It makes me regret shooting at all those squirrels in the backyard when I was growing up. The "secret" here is that this is a side project of award-winning Corliss Winery and shepherded by Atelier Melka, led by Philippe Melka of Tusk, Perfect Season and Hundred Acre fame. Those are $$$$ wines, y'all, and this baby is $$ at $30. Powerful and supple fruit are framed by aromatic grace and a long finish. It's the dream of a great (or at least fun) label on a great wine. - Peter Plaehn, Wine Buyer