Clos du Val Napa Cabernet Sauvignon 2004

Dark red cabernet classic.  Brown fruit, medium tannins, no too much oak, very approachable.  Blended with Merlot (giving it a rounded character), Cabernet Franc (which is why it has a perfumed nose), and Petit Verdot (adding a spicy note).  Image from Clos Du Val. 
Took around 30 minutes to really open up.  Slightly tight or [...]

Lava reaches ocean

From USGS HVO: .Click on thumbnails to get bigger images.  Click on more to see what’s below the fold
 
Left.Lava entered the ocean yesterday for the first time since June 2007. A small delta, extending for about 100 m along the face of the sea cliff, had been constructed by this morning. Right.A more distant [...]