This blend of 45% Tempranillo, 45% Garnacha Tinta with 10% Cabernet Sauvignon blended in, this wine, made with organic grapes, is truly a stellar piece of winemaking considering it’s $13 price tag. Not only is it seamlessly blended but the acidity supports the impeccable fruit of blackberry, black cherry, plum, cassis, and light blueberry. There’s a solid core of acidity that runs through this supporting the structure of the wine. A scant four months of aging in small French oak accentuates the fruit.

Probably my favorite Napa Syrah.  It is made at the top of Mt.

This is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot from Napa.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with black cherries, chocolate, tobacco, spice and earth.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  Great energy.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Flavors of black cherries, cherries, forest floor and char.  Long finish.  This is deep and complex.  The layers unwind in the glass.  Still drinking youthfully, this should drink well for another fifteen to twenty years.  Great on its own, this is very food friendly.  It would work very well with Beef Stroganoff. 

This is "advertised" as the first Kabinett styled Riesling made in California.  Technically, that designation has more to do with the alcohol in the grape must and not the finished wine, but what I think they are saying is that they stopped the fermentation at a place that resulted in the finished wine being sweet but just perceptibly sweet.  Light golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose is more about fruit with lemon and orange citrus, some apples, and a hint of pineapple.  Light bodied.  Good balance.  On the palate, this is slightly sweet with orange peel and granny smith apples.  G

Another great Chardonnay from Rivers Marie.  Golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose is great with lemon, vanilla, oak spice, and slight minerality.  Full bodied.  Light tannins.  Great balance and acidity.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Vanilla, lemon cream, slight grapefruit, spice and slight char.  Long finish.  Delicious.  This is very young and will improve its score by a couple points with ageing but it is still very enjoyable right now.  Great on its own, it would work well with Salmon grilled on a Cedar Plank.  Drink over the next ten to fifteen years.

This is made by Eric Jensen of Booker Vineyards to honor his parents.  It is a blend of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Syrah, 10% Petite Sirah, 10% Cabernet Franc, 10% Petit Verdot, and 10% Malbec.  Purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is great with cassis, black cherries, cherries, blueberries, baking spice, slight tobacco and char.  A lot going on.  Medium to full bodied.  Medium tannins.  Good balance.  On the palate, there is also some varietal complexity.  Black cherries, cherries, cassis, spice and char.  Good finish.  This drinks easily and should continue for another fi

Medium golden in color, clear and bright.  Nice nose with lemon cream, slight pineapple, vanilla and some minerality.  Full bodied.  Bigger texture.  Good balance.  On the palate, this has a bit of oak showing but is quite tasty.  Flavors of lemons, pineapple, vanilla, spice and char.  Long finish.  Another year or two should help this come together.  Drink over the next ten to twelve years.  Very nice on its own, this would work well with many foods.  A nice choice for Lobster but also a stir fried Tofu and vegetables dish.  

This is 100% Vermentino from Tuscany.  Pale yellow/hay in color, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with lots of minerality, some peach and some "sea air".  Light bodied.  Good acidity.  Clean.  On the palate, this is very refreshing.  Mostly mineral drive with a touch of peach on the finish.  Perfect on the patio on a hot afternoon/early evening.  This is nice on its own and will work with sea food or lighter foods.  It would work well with a variety of appetizers and cheeses.  Drink over the next year or two.  Good value.

I don't see many Pinot Gris from California and certainly not many as as good as this one.  It is made with Estate grown fruit from Carneros.  Light golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose is strong with peaches, white flowers, slight fig and a bit of tropical fruit.  Medium bodied.  Slightly viscous.  Moderate acidity.  On the palate, this is tasty with apples, peaches, slight lime and just a bit of almond.  Nice finish.  This is a refreshing wine that drinks easily but also has some depth.  Drink over the next five years.  It will also work with lighter foods.  A nice choice for Chic

This is from Etude's estate grown Grace Benoist Ranch Vineyard.  It is a larger in style Pinot Noir but not over the top by any means.  Deep garnet in color, mostly opaque and bright.   The nose has cherries, slight strawberries, slight forest floor, and spice.  Great, semi-plush texture.  Nicely balanced.  Light tannins.  On the palate, flavors of cherries, strawberries with some baking spices.  Nice finish.  This is drinking quite well now and should continue for another ten years.  It is lovely on its own and will work well with many foods.  Grilled Salmon with a cream sauce would be cla