Sonoma County

• Alexander Valley
• Bennett Valley
• Best of Sonoma
• Dry Creek Valley
• Fort Ross/Seaview
• Moon Mountain
• Pine Mountain - Cloverdale Peak
• Russian River Valley
• Sonoma Coast
• Sonoma Mountain
• Sonoma Valley
• Knights Valley

This is an accessible Pinot Noir that has some seriousness to it as well.  More "old world" than a ripe fruit bomb.  Garnet in color with some purple swirls.  On the nose, it has a classic rhubarb, cranberries and cherries.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, rhubarb with some cherries.  Good acidity.  Long finish.  This drinks well now on its own but is even better with food.  Lighter foods such as chicken salad are a nice match but this will work well with ribs r a burger off the grill.  Drink over the next five to seven years.  

At a recent Intowine.com tasting, this proved to be quite popular especially among those who drank a lot of Rosé.  This is made from 100% Pinot Noir.  Pink/orange/amber in color, clear and bright.  The nose has watermelon, cherries and slight chervil notes.  Slightly viscous.  Dry with good acidity.  On the palate, cherries, boysenberries and slight citrus notes.  Clean and long finish.  More understated but delicious.  This drinks great on its own and will work well with all but the heaviest foods, especially on a hot day.  Drink over the next year or two.  

This sees 20% new oak.  Light green/gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose has limes, lemons, and intriguing bit of wintergreen.  Clean.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, this is slightly chalky with lemon cream.  Light tannins.  The wintergreen returns on the finish along with a very slight bitter (lemon peel) note.  Tried again on day 2, it held up great.  This should drink well for five to seven years.  A nice match with seafood or salads but drinks well on its own, too.  

This is 100% Syrah with a 15.3% ABV.  That said, the alcohol isn't noticeable.  Purple in color with ruby swirls.  Mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has black cherries with some spice and black pepper.  Full bodied.  On the palate, black raspberry fruit with underlying char and ash.  Light tannins.  Good finish.  At age 7 this may yet improve a bit but it just about at its prime drinking window.  It should drink well for another ten to twelve years.  This will go well  with roasted meats, fowl or veggies.  

Purple in color with some Ruby swirls.  There is a ton of volatile acidity on the nose (nail polish).  Some mulberries.  On the palate, this is tart and tannic.  More sour cherries on the palate.  It is better on the palate than the nose.  Past its optimal drinking window.  Drink up.  Probably better without food as it might over power most foods.  

This is a blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot, 2% Malbec, and 1% Petite Sirah.  It is a nice value in California Cabernet.  Purple in color with ruby swirls.  Mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is dusty with cassis and a bit of coffee.  Medium to full bodied.  On the palate, black cherries, some cherry pie filling, but also some tart cherries.  With air, some dark chocolate and spices.  There is oak on this but that will integrate with time.  Nice finish.  This drinks great on its own and will work with bolder foods.  As it ages, it will be more

This took some time to open and showed a better on day 2.  Light golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with smoke, minerals butterscotch, and a touch of grapefruits.  Medium to full bodied.  On the palate, the minerality comes thru along with some citrus.  Very clean finish.  This drinks nicely on its own but much better with some food to bring out the subtleties.  Salmon or heavier seafood dishes would work well.  Drink over the next three to five years.  There is an upside to cellaring.  

One of the great values in Zinfandel.  Purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is great with black cherries, spice and bramble.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, this has lots of energy.  Black cherries, some blueberries, spice and smoke.  Great acidity.  Delicious.  Nice finish.  This will probably drink well for ten to twelve years, but I always seem to drink these young.  No regrets about that.  Great on its own, this will be great with roasted veggies or a garden (or meat) burger.  

I am a big fan of the RM Chardonnays.  This is the "generic" non-single vineyard offering.  It might be a hair less than those others but it is also less expensive and an outstanding wine on its own.  Light gold with some green swirls, shimmering bright.  The nose is classic with lemons, vanilla, slight chalk and a hint of mint.  Full bodied but with cut.  Lots of energy.  On the palate, this is delicious right from the go.  Lemons, vanilla, slight spice with a long finish.  Great texture.  Young, of course, but this should easily do another ten years as it matures.  Might even get better. 

This is a blend of 38% Grenache, 33% Mourvedre, and 29% Syrah.  Purple in color with ruby at the rim, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has cherries, black raspberries, slight char and a bit of anise.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this is nice.  Not over done.  Notes of black cherries, black raspberries and plums with a slight underlying char.  Good energy.  Nice finish.  Drinking well now, it should continue to do so for the next seven to ten years.  A nice wine to have on its own or with a burger or ribs off the grill.