This is 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah.  It comes in an attractive more squat bottle.  Ruby in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is warm with a dusty attic quality.  Lots of cherries with garrique.  Also some old wood notes.  Very comforting.  On the palate, this is ripe/sweet on the attack.  Black cherries and slight cherry pie filling.  Some acidity.  This took about an hour or air to settle out.  Served to a small socially distanced group, this was quite popular.  It drinks well on its own and would be a great match for barbecues ribs or chicken this summer.  It should probably be co

Another in a fine line of Napa Merlot's from Flora Springs.  Merlot ripens earlier than Cabernet allowing the vineyard manager to let fruit hang if needed to get ripe.  No issues here despite a less than stellar growing season.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has black cherries, milk chocolate and spice.  A nice silky texture.  Lots of black cherry fruit.  Light tannins.  This is still young but drinks quite easy.  It will mature a bit, but is drinking great now.  It should drink well over the next seven to ten years.  Great on its own or a nice match for burgers or ribs.  

It really is amazing how Rosé's have really stepped up their game over the last ten to twenty years.  And, the buying public has noticed all over the world.  This is a blend of 75% Grenache, 15% Cinsault and 10% Syrah.  Pale silvery/salmon pink in color.  Clear and bright.  The nose has cherries, slight strawberries and slight tarragon.  On the palate, this is light bodied but has some backbone.  Crisp and refreshing.  It drinks easy with some complexity.  The strawberries carry thru with some underlying minerality.  Drink now.  Great on its own and will drink well with many foods including

This proved quite popular at a recent tasting.  The name 11 minutes refers to the amount of time the juice is in contact with the skins.  It comes in an attractive squat bottle with a glass stopper.  A blend of Corvina 50%, Trebbiano 25%, Syrah 15%, and Carménère 10%.  Pale, silvery salmon in color.  Clear and bright.  The nose is pretty with maraschino cherries and slight strawberry notes.  On the palate, this is light bodied but not wimpy.  Notes of cherry licorice.  Very refreshing with some depth.  Orange peel/pith comes out towards the moderately lengthy finish.  This drinks quite well

Soliloquy is the name for Flora Springs’ proprietary Sauvignon Blanc clone.  The bottle is labelled as white wine but it is a blend of predominantly Sauvignon Blanc, with Chardonnay, and Malvasia.  It is the top of the line white from this winery.  It is silvery/gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose is pretty with floral notes and some cara cara oranges.  On the palate, this has a lovely creamy texture.  Very lush.  Flavors of bitters, limes and slight cream soda.  Dry.  A hint of almond on the finish.  This is a very polished white wine and needs another year or so but should be good

Flora Springs make a variety of wines.  This is 100% Sauvignon Blanc from the Crossroads Vineyard in Oakville in Napa.  It is silvery/green/gold in color.  The nose is very nice with lemon-lime, sweetgrass and minerals.  It has a very nice, slightly oily texture.  Just a hint of residual sugar offset by tart limes.There is a slight chalky quality as well.  Overall, this is very clean and refreshing.  It has a long finish with some warmth.  It would actually work well with grilled asparagus, always a tough food pairing, and lots ot lighter foods or on its own.  Drink this over the next year.

This comes in an attractive bottle showing "Romeo & Juliet's Wall" where "5,000 love messages" are left daily.  The wine it self is light green/gold in color.  The nose has a nice minerality with lemons.  A nice mousse of medium sized bubbles.  On the palate, there is a moderate fizz.  Slight lemony notes with good minerality.  Nice acidity.  The wine comes off as dry with no noticeable residual sugar.  It has a long finish.  Very fresh.  This is a tasty wine that will work for most foods or on its own.  It has some depth to it and is more than just a simple quaff.  It probably should b

I am a big fan of the Helen Keplinger wines.  This one is 84% Petite Sirah, 13% Syrah, and 3% Viognier.  It does need some cellaring or lots of air if serving now, but it is delicious.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries, blueberries, smoke, slight charred earth and black pepper.  On the palate, this is a big wine, but has great delineation.  Layers, tightly packed of blueberries, black raspberries and charred wood.  Great energy.  This probably needs about five to eight more years until peak and should drink beautifully for ten to twelve after that.  I

The wines from Lagier Meredith are some of the best Syrahs from anywhere.  The fruit is grown on their vineyard way up on Mt.

Crozes is an excellent source for great values in Syrah.  This is another example.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries, slight bacon fat and roasted meats and black olives.  Full bodied.  On the palate, the black raspberries are upfront with underlying minerality and char.  This is drinking deliciously now, but it seems to have the stuffing to improve a bit.  it certainly has ten years left, or more, of great drinking.  A nice match for charcuterie or roasted meats and veggies.