Expert articles and wine tasting videos profiling wines from California, California wine regions, Napa Valley, Sonoma County, & more.

2010 Martin Estate Gold, USA, California, Rutherford, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2010
Score: 
89
Grade: 
B+

From a half bottle.  This is a blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc.  It is a late harvest dessert wine.  Light gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose has honey along with a touch of peach.  Medium bodied.  Slightly viscous.  On the palate, this has some sweetness but that has probably faded since release.  Some honeyed notes.  Moderate finish.  These need to be drunk up at this point.  It works better with some food.  Cheese or less sweet pastries would work.

2013 Empreinte Cabernet Sauvignon Sleeping Lady Vineyard, USA, California, Napa, Yountville, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2013
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$175.00USD

The label states they make single vineyard, single varietal wines.  First time trying one.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with cassis, slight cedar, spice and a slight earthiness.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this is concentrated and deep.  Lots of cassis flavors with some earthiness and  char.  Long finish.  Very good.  More concentrated and piercing than complex but that works for this wine.  Drink over the next ten to fifteen years.  It will work well with roasted or grilled meats and fowl.  

2019 Lail Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon J. Daniel Cuvée 25th Anniversary, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
100
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$320.00USD

Wow.  It had been some years since tasting this Cuvee and I don't remember it being this good.  Purple in color, opaque and  shimmering bright.  The nose is powerful with cassis, cedar, dark chocolate, and spice.  Full bodied.  Great balance and energy.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, this is young but delicious.  Almost, but quite, jammy.  Flavors of cassis, chocolate with underlying char and spice.  Deep.  Long finish.  This is drinking well but will develop.  Drink over the next twenty to twenty five years.  It was great with a Portobello Napoleon dish and will work well with most meats,

2018 Pilcrow Cabernet Sauvignon Ghost Block, USA, California, Napa, Yountville, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$110.00USD

This was a new wine for me.  Ghost Block has a great story.  About 8 million years ago, it was on a mountain top above Stags Leap in the Vaca Mountains.  The Mountain collapsed and fell over on its side so although the vineyard sits on the valley floor it is geologically the same as those on the tops of the  mountain.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has a bit of volatile acidity on it.  For my tastes it is just enough to raise the aromatics.

2016 Dominus Estate, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
100
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$350.00USD

Wow.  Great showing.  This is a blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petite Verdot, and 8% Cabernet Franc.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose is great.  Cassis, cedar, spice, tobacco and slight char.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  Great texture.  On the palate, this is deep.  Flavors of cassis, tobacco, slight earthiness and char.  Long finish.  This is delicious and open.  It will evolve more over the next twenty to thirty years but not sure it gets better.  This would be classic with Lamb but was great with some cheeses as well.  

2018 Boich Family Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Perennius, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
99
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$350.00USD

This is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the four best barrels in the cellar.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is deep and interesting.  Aromas of cassis, black olives, spice and slight earthiness.  Full bodied.  Wonderful concentrated plush texture.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, cassis, ash and char.  Good acidity.  Long finish.  Still young, this is drinking quite well with a bit of air.

2022 Kinsman Eades Chenin Blanc Aberro, USA, California, Napa, Diamond Mountain, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2022
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$229.00USD

My understanding is this is a one off bottling.  The winery had issues from the Glass Mountain fire and they really needed to source grapes for some cash flow until they could get on their feet again.  Hopefully, they will make it again as Chenin is such an under rated grape.  Medium golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose is great with apples, slight honey note and a bit of orange peel.  Full bodied.  Enough acidity but  not pronounced.  On the palate, this is dry.  Big and deep.  Apples, green apples but also some citrus and wax.  Long finish.  This was an excellent pairing with a sa

2019 Sine Qua Non Distenta White I, USA, California, Wine Revieew

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
97
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$230.00USD

Although SQN is better known for their reds, their whites can be stunning.  This is a blend of 41% Roussanne, 26% Chardonnay, 14% Petit Manseng, 12% Viognier, and 7% Gelber Muskateller.  Medium golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose is great with limes, slight peach, wax, alfalfa/hay and almonds.  Clean.  Full bodied with a slightly oily texture.  Good balance.  Great energy.  On the palate, limes come thru along with a bit of almonds and char.  With air, the wine seems to put on weight yet remains lively and light on its feet.  Long finish.  This is drinking well now, but seems like

2020 Carlisle Zinfandel Papera Ranch, USA, California, Sonoma, Russian River Valley, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$49.00USD

This continues to be my favorite Zinfandel in the Carlisle lineup.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose has black cherries, raspberries, slight black pepper and bramble.  Medium bodied.  Great, soft, but accessible texture.  Balanced.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Black raspberries, black cherries, slight black pepper and slight char.  Good acidity.  Long finish.  This is delicious on its own and will work nicely with foods off the grill.  Drink over the next five to seven years.  

2020 Sandlands Chenin Blanc Lodi, USA, California, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$33.00USD

Sandlands is a winery that I encourage my friends to get on their mailing list.  Chenin Blanc is a huge favorite of mine and Sandlands makes a few all are great and great values.  Light golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose is great with red apples, orange peel and minerality.  Medium bodied.  Good acidity.  On the palate, this is deep but also drinks well.  The red apples come thru with underlying minerality.  Good finish.  I tend to drink these young, but I would bet they could go for another ten years or more.  Great on its own, but better with food.  This is a nice choice with sp

Pages