Light gold/copper in color.  The nose has a metallic tin note to it (not unpleasant) and some limes.  Interesting for a Riesling, it made me wonder if there is some Gruner blended in.  On the palate, this is crisp.  There is a perception of sweetness but really a dry(ish) wine.  Minerals with some lemon.  Good acidity.  Nice finish.  Food friendly.  

Purple/ruby in color.  The nose has cassis and dust with a bit of spice.  Warm.  On the palate, this has cassis, tart cherries, a bit of baking spice and slight herbal notes.  It drinks like pretty classic Napa Cab.  Not super ripe but not under ripe either.  I can see this being a bit divisive for those who want a fruit bomb.  This is not that.  Showing a tight layering, it unwinds in the glass.  Has a nice complexity but there is some upside to come.  It was popular at the dinner table with our friends.  

Light golden in color.  The nose has spice and lemons.  On the palate, this has a loose/fat texture but at the same time a crisp acidity.  While a bit more precision is nice, the overall package is very pleasing.  Nice lemons notes on the palate.  Good finish.  Clean and very drinkable Chardonnay.  Worked well with food.  

Everyone who tried this had the same reaction - this is interesting.  After that some loved it and some hated it.  More of the later I think.  Certainly not for everyone but I enjoyed it.  Deep golden in color.  High toned and a bit oxidized.  Fascinating nose that had a fleshy note, oranges, cumin and acetone.  On the palate, this is very drying.  Orange peel and lots of minerals.  Depth and lots of things going on.  I guess food neutral would be how I would describe it.  Some acidity but it plays in its own world.  

One of my favorite white Rhones from California. Served a bit too cold, this needed to warm up a bit. Then it was great. Green/gold in color. The nose is lemony with a slight waxy note once warmer. Also a nice mineral streak. On the palate, this is crisp and bright. Lots of energy. Lemons with that mineral streak. Long finish. Worked well with food. Its hard to guess on the ageing trajectory of these wines, but it seems very young now and enjoyable. I will hold at least one to age a bit and see.

Ruby in color.  This was pop and pour.  The nose is nice with raspberries and milk chocolate.  Slight alcohol.  On the palate, this is very good if not great.  Milk chocolate covered dried raspberries.  Some heat.  Not the depth or complexity of other vintages for this house.  Heat on the finish. 

Alesia is produced by Rhys with their non-estate fruit.  Alder Springs is one of the idiosyncratic vineyards in California.  North of Sonoma and right on the coast, the vineyard can be drastically different from year to year and they grow a host of different varietals.  Truthfully, I wondered if this fruit got ripe enough in 2011, but now worries.  Not a fruity wine, but enough for sure.

Wow.  Yes, this is expensive but this is truly an amazing wine.  Purple in color.  The nose is just amazing.  Cassis, blueberries, slight spice and sandalwood, some cedar.  Deep and complex.  On the palate, open for business.  Bevan wines drink better younger than any luxury wines I know of.  Cassis, blueberries, slight earth/minerals.  Deep and complex.  Great mouthfeel.  Damn delicious.  One of those wines where each sip leaving you wanting another one.  Then the bottle is drained.  Hard to say if this will get better, maybe so with some maturity.  

A classic Napa Chardonnay.  Light golden in color.  This has seen a lot of the oak integrate over the last year or two which is good.  There is still some vanilla on the nose but also some nice lemon cream.  On the palate, this has good acidity.  Lemon with spice and vanilla.  Decent finish.  This is not their top of the line and is priced accordingly.  As such, it presents some value in the Napa Chard world.  Not a stunner but certainly a wine most people at least enjoy.  There is still some possible room for this to improve with a couple more years of cellaring.  

Purple in color.  This is a GSM blend.  The nose has jammy black cherries and cherries.  Spice and slight roasted notes.  On the palate, this is jammy fruit.  Dark cherries and cherries with a peppery note.  Some depth.  A very good wine that seems like it will be better drunk in the next five years.