It’s nice to welcome our old friend back after a one year hiatus. Panek has reemerged after a difficult 2022 that saw all blocks declassified to our Napa bottling. It turns out to be a great year for a comeback. Panek always fares best in more structured years, adding a layer of complexity to the wine that the soil and climate in northern St Helena rarely contributes. The general leaning for this site has always been a mix of red and black fruits, brown sugar, espresso roast and blackcurrants but here there’s a textured mid-palate that comes up through the tannin of the vintage adding dimension and more herbal character. This may also be a vine age thing now that these blocks are nearing their 20 year mark. Scorched earth, charcoal, white flowers and burnt sage fill up the aromatics before the generosity of the area kicks in giving the wine a decadent turn. The 2023 vintage stamp comes on strong at the end curtailing the youthful exuberance of the wine and adding a weightier note to the finish. It’s good to see this wine back in the fold and we have no doubt it will take its place among the greatest Panek bottlings to date.