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

Yellow/gold in color.  The nose has sulfur/smoke and lumber.  Someone mentioned marshmallow, and yes, that was on there too.  On the palate, this has a nice texture.  Very plush and creamy.  Lots of oak and charred oak.  A bit of lemon on the finish but also a bit of heat.  This is a stylistic thing and some will love it and for others, it is just not the type of Chardonnay the want.  If you are in the former, add a few points to the score.  If you are in the later, lay it down for 3 to 5 years and let the oak integrate a bit and hope the fruit can emerge.  

This is in a great spot right now.  It is still youthful and rambunctious but has calmed a bit since release.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has raspberries, slight strawberries with underlying coffee grounds.  On the palate, this is juicy with a great texture.  Delicious.  Raspberries with underlying char.  Clean.  Will work with spicy or heavier foods.  This should evolve over the next decade, but this style will fade in a year or so to be a kinder gentler wine.  Its good right now.  

One of the better single vineyard Bedrock Zinfandels.  While this could age well for a decade or more, there is something about the energy and fruit of consuming them young.  It just depends on what you like.  Purple in color.  The nose is great with black raspberries, black cherries, spice and bramble.  On the palate, there is some black raspberry but a bit of strawberry in the back ground.  Underlying some smoke/fireworks.  Great texture.  Delicious wine that makes it hard not to gulp.  This will work with BBQ, meat dishes or pizza and roasted vegetables.  Think fun.  But if this is not y

Sadly, this bottle did not hold up.  At 34 years from vintage, it would have been nice, but the odds were against it.  The bottle was oxidized.  Likely culprit, was cork failure.  

So, I was visiting my sister in the Los Angeles area for Thanskgiving.  I went to a local wine store in Chatsworth and there on the shelf was this wine.  I doubt it had been stored pristinely, but, It ook a chance and was rewarded with my favorite Carlisle Zinfandel with some age on it, something I don't seem to have the patience or discipline for.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose was nice with black cherries and bramble and slight pepper and cedar.  On the palate, it has that wonderful texture that I love about this wine.  A good amount of black cherry fruit and also some raspb

Purple/ruby in color.  The nose has some volatile acidity which blows off to a slight degree.  It is also dusty with cherries.  On the palate, tart black cherries.  Good acidity.  Long finish.  This seems past prime and moving slowly downward.  It needs to be consumed soon.  That said, it still provides plenty of pleasure at age 19.  Food would certainly help.  

Deep Ruby/Purple in color.  The nose has sour cherries and spice.  On the palate, this has big fruit; mostly sour cherries, some cherries.  Good balance.  Long finish.  This is a big, fruit forward style of Pinot that will work very well on its own.  It is delicious.  It will work with some bigger foods as well.  Promises to be a crowd pleaser.  

Light green/gold in color.  The nose has a fair amount of oak still showing but the fruit is a bit faded.  The palate is consistent with the nose.  It seems like this was probably a bit better a few years ago and probably needs to be drunk sooner than later.  For those who like oak drive California Chardonnay, this retails for $30.

This wine has finally opened up and is drinking well.  Purple in color.  The nose has black raspberries, some black olives, black pepper and slight gamey meats.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Plenty of depth with layers that unwind in the glass.  Still a bit young, it could use some air before drinking.  Lots of black raspberry fruit with a bit of earthiness.  Good finish.  Will work with medium and heavier foods.  No hurry, has a decade or more left.  

Really drinking in a nice place right now.  Very elegant and refined IMO, at least compared to other vintages.  Ruby in color, clear and bright.  The nose is very nice with macerated cherries, spice and slight fresh cherries.  On the palate, this is not a big wine.  Cherries and cherry juice with layers of damp forest floor.  Good balance.  Delicious too.  Nice finish.  Very food friendly for a wide range of foods.  Very nice today.  It might not get better but no hurry.