California

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This is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Syrah from Sonoma County.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with black cherries, black raspberries, slight vanilla, spice, leather and char.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this took about 30 minutes to open and then drank quite well.  Nice black cherry fruit with some black raspberries along with a bit if spice and slight cedar note.  There is some depth as it opens in the glass.  Nice finish.  This drinks well on its own and will work well with meats and chicken.  It went well with a Veggie Burger.  Drin

Small lot Chardonnay. Not many people take the time to create small batches of wine, but Cuvaison does and it opens the door into wines that are specially cared for and you can taste that. This Chardonnay is a shy, subtle Chardonnay, and even though winemaker Steve Rogstag says it’s an “iconic California style,” it’s really more a respectful nod to Burgundy. Yes, this is 100% Chardonnay, aged in both French and American oak for 18 months, with full malolactic fermentation, but the acidity and light flavors veer away from California to France.

The devil is in the details and with Cuviason’s Diablo Syrah, the details are key to an exceptional wine. Syrah often is mis-treated and most Syrahs on the market are fairly benign. But winemaker Steve Rogstad coaxes much out of these 21-year-old vines grown is less than optimal soils. A smooth viscosity leads to plum, huckleberry, black cherry, red currant, and light pomegranate notes, with back notes of young tobacco leaf and new leather. This is not a timid wine, but a sensuous one that is definitely meant to work with food, as it’s a little heavier on the alcohol.

Though Cuvaison is best known for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, they have an impressive overall portfolio of wine that often doesn’t get the attention it deserves. Case in point, their 2019 Merlot is nothing short of outstanding. This is a medium bodied wine that drinks like a full-bodied wine with lots of swagger. Black cherry notes dominate along with plum, blackberry, light blueberry, cocoa powder and fresh sawed cedar wood. This is 100% Merlot and shows that with excellent fruit, you can make a Merlot that doesn’t need the addition of other grapes to make it better.

I’ve long reviewed wines based upon a simple principle: Is the wine I’m tasting commensurate with its price? Many expensive wines are not worth the price, and similarly, many inexpensive wines are not worth their price tag. So to find this Merlot, for 11 bucks, well, it’s worth every penny, and more. Line 39 did an exceptional job of making this wine and crafting a solid, dependable and tasty wine. Though not overly complex, it offers what every wine should: definable fruit, integrated oak, good acidity and tannic structure.

From a 375ML.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, sandalwood, and spice.  Medium to full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, nice cassis flavors.  Not too ripe but nothing green.  Depth.  Nice finish.  This is drinking well now and should drink well for another seven to ten years.  It drinks well on its own and would be a nice wine with a burger.  

This is the basic Pinot Noir from the home winery of winemaker Thomas Rivers-Brown.  An excellent value in Pinot Noir.  Deep garnet in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has cherries and sour cherries with some char and spice.  Medium to full bodied.  On the palate, this is young but delicious.  Some depth.  Lots of cherry and sour cherry notes.  Long finish.  This will improve with a few years in the cellar though it drinks nicely now.  Drink over the next ten years.  Nice on its own, this would work well with Roasted Chicken.  

Having run several wine departments, a question I’m always asked is, Is there an inexpensive Pinot Noir that’s any good? Answer: Yes. Pinot is not an easy grape to work with and it becomes more expensive given its inconsistent growing qualities. However Laetitia has a proved  track record with Pinot Noir and has made a solid, comprehensive and affordable Pinot from California’s Central Coast. The 2021 provides notes of strawberry, black cherry, blackberry, red raspberry, along with mild tannins, good acidity and a hint of vanilla spice.

This is my personal favorite of the Zinfandels in the Carlisle lineup.  It seems a bit softer yet plenty of fruit and depth.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with black cherries, black raspberries, char and spice.  Medium bodied.  Light tannins.  On the palate, black cherries and spice.  Great texture.  Good balance.  Long finish.  Drink over the next eight to ten years.  Great on its own, this is a nice match with a (Veggie) Burger.  

This is a blend of 60% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot.  Purple in color with a ruby rim, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with black cherries, chocolate, slight blueberries and spice.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this is deep, complex and layered as it unwinds in the glass.  Great texture.  Flavors of black cherries and chocolate with a bit of char and spice.  Long finish.  Delicious.  This is young but drinking well.  Drink over the next fifteen to twenty years.  Great on its own, this will work with foods.  Roasted chicken would be a nice matc