As our Elliptical Society members have come to anticipate with relish, Pentimento is a proprietary blend of older reserve vintages with elements in this valued mix ranging all the way back to wine made in 1998. In this case, 37% of the blend is based on older Pentimento elements that continued to age across time in small neutral oak barrels. Interestingly, and despite the essence gained from long barrel aging of this well experienced vino cabrón, the 2022 bottling shows the deep blood cast of almandine garnet wrapped in such a lovely bright robe as to suggest a youthful dance of brilliant sparkles rather than a wine of reverential age. Smooth on the nose, bright on the tongue, the 2022 blend is redolent of sweet-sour Amarena cherries, smoked leather, compote of sun-ripe berries and the distinctive nuttiness of dried Calimyrna figs, a fine touch of black strap tobacco, grilled Chamorro peppers, and the peel and pith of a mature blood orange ground into a chalice bursting with sun-ripened mulberry. When you come right down to it, this bottling of the Pentimento is nothing less than a baked cobbler in your glass.

notes by john munch, quondam wineherd