The Bordeaux-style wines begin with the 2008 Flying Pig, a blend of 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Merlot, Dried herbs, spice box, mineral, cassis, and black cherry aromas inform the nose of a savory, succulent, layered, lengthy offering that will benefit from 2-3 years of cellaring and provide optimum drinking through 2023. Ho hum. Just another great set of wines from Christophe Baron. Over the past 6 years, because of my coverage of Spain for this journal, I have gotten to know Tempranillo very well. My principal observation is that it does not travel particularly well although there are outposts of very fine Tempranillo in the Uco Valley of Mendoza and in South Australia. There is one exception, Christophe Baron’s small parcel of estate-grown Tempranillo. The wine’s only competition, in my opinion, is Dominio Pingus, the great Tempranillo produced by Peter Sisseck in Ribera del Duero. I would like to try the wines side-by-side, the only problem being that Pingus is ten times as expensive as Impulsivo. As a postscript of sorts, Christophe Baron has created a new label called No Girls. The origin of the name is a great story but goes beyond this journal’s purview. The two wines have been specifically earmarked for those who have patiently been waiting on the Cayuse mailing list. No, these are not at quite at the same level as those wines bearing the Cayuse label but, as the scores attest, they’re not so bad. Tel. (509) 526-0686; www.cayusevineyards.com

A mass of flavors—mineral, umami, dry tannins, spicy fruit—all sublimated to the earthy mineral base. A drier, mineral component is more in evidence than the earthy, composty character of previous years. Good acidity, not too much, and precise mountain berry fruit. Fine-grained tannins carry the wine through the finish. ——P.G.(11/1/2011)—— 94