Russian River Valley

Served from Magnum.  This was stunning.  Light gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose has smoke, vanilla, lemons and marzipan.  A bit tight but opens with air.  On the palate, vanilla and lemons with a slight melon note and a charred base.  A beautiful backbone of acidity that makes this very food friendly.  Long finish.  This wine should continue to mature and develop for a few more years and should easily be good for fifteen years, depending on how you like your Chardonnay.  It is also fantastic right now.  Very food friendly with all but the meatiest of dishes.  

One of the better Zinfandel's that I have tasted.  Purple in color.  The nose has black cherries, spice, slight mint and char.  On the palate, this has a gorgeous texture.  Plush, juicy and full bodied.  Black cherries and raspberry fruit with some charred wood and spice.  Delicious.  Deep.  Young and vibrant, it would be a shame not to enjoy at least one this way although it seems to have the stuffing to age for a decade.  It will work well with grilled foods or Asian foods and is great on its own.  

What a beauty.  This wine is drinking great and while it may age gracefully, it won't get more enjoyable for my tastes.  Purple in color with ruby swirls.  The nose has red licorice, black cherries, cherries and spice.  On the palate, this has a wonderful texture.  Juicy acidity.  Lots of cherry fruit over a bit of char.  Long finish.  This is delicious on its own.  Gulpable.  It will work with roasted or grilled meats, veggies or fowl but needs bigger foods.  It should be at this level for another five years and then start morphing into more of a claret style.  

Ramey makes some of the best California Cabs that are mass distributed.  That is not to say they are inexpensive but they are made in sufficient qualtities to be generally available.  This one has a light golden color.  The nose is pretty with peaches, cream and slight lemon curd.  Not as much oak as many Ramey wines.  On the palate, this is full bodied with a creamy texture.  The peaches and lemon come thru along with a bit of yeastiness.  Good finish.  This is a robust Chardonnay but has plenty of energy to work with or without food.  It will match up well with salads and heartier seafood

This is a bigger styled RRV Pinot Noir but the fruit seems a bit less ripe.  It makes for an interesting wine.  Deep ruby in color.  The nose shows rhubarb, slight cherries, a hint of cola and plenty of oak/spice.  On the palate, this is full bodied.  It feels high in alcohol without having any heat.  It is smooth and easy drinking with a ton of rhubarb and some cherry flavors.  Slight tannins.  This probably makes a better drink on the deck than at the dinner table.  Probably best drunk over the next couple of years.  

Sadly Ulises Valdez has passed away too young.  This bottle was opened for a time when tasted (I believe for 24 hours), so take that into account.  It is drinking very well though.  Golden in color with a bit of straw.  On the nose, this is nice with slight green apples, some hay and some butterscotch.  On the palate, this is full bodied.  There is some depth here.  Drinking very well with some lemon/citrus and a nice minerality.  Good finish.  Worked well with some appetizers as we stood around talking.  

This was quite good.  It is still young but drinking great.  It should continue to evolve and mature and should be good for another decade and probably more.  Inky purple in color, ruby at the rim.  On the nose, this has nice bramble, black cherry fruit, raspberries, pepper and spice.  A very nice lush texture.  Black cherries on the palate with underlying char and dry earth.  Long finish.  This is delicious and continued to open though it didn't take long to finish the bottle.  Would work well with spicy foods and grilled foods.  

My favorite Carlisle wine, and that is really saying something.  There is something about this vineyard that just does it.  It has a lot to do with texture although the other aspects are great too.  And every vintage, Mike Officer seems to do better and better though 2016 might be hard to beat.  Purple in color.  The nose has black raspberries, black cherries, tobacco and spice.  On the palate, this is lush and enveloping while being precise and concentrated.  Notes of black raspberries and blueberries over a dry tobacco and earth along with a nice peppery quality.  Great balance and a long

Finally.  I have been drinking this wine since release and it is finally approaching ready to drink.  There was always potential but it has now been realized.  Hopefully, everyone still has some left.  Purple in color.  The nose has black raspberries, black pepper and slight roasted meat and roasted herbs.  On the palate, this is not big but it is concentrated.  Lots of black raspberry fruit but not over ripe.  A nice under layer or char and slight salinity.  Very nice balance and texture.  Long finish.  This begs for roasted meats or veggies though Indian food would work well too.  It shou

This is drinking great at pop and pour though it seems like it will do five more years easily and probably ten.  Light gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose has some grapefruit with a very slight vanilla.  Very clean.  On the palate this has ripe grapefruit, minerals, slightly chalky, with slight green apples.