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

Purple in color.  The nose is nice and showing a bit of "claret" style.  Black raspberries, black cherries, spice, and a bit of black pepper.  On the palate, this is fresh and still youthful.  A bit jammy but no real alcohol showing despite 16.5%.  It does show on the texture and slight warmth on the finish, but not much at all.  Drinking well now and a crowd pleaser.  Worked with some spicy pizza.  

Purple in color with ruby swirls.  The nose has cherry candy, some char and spice.  On the palate, this has a nice texture.  The cherry candy fruit carries thru.  Not a lot of acidity but some.  Needs some bigger food to work with.  This is a Zinfandel blend that retails for around $30.  Drink up in the next couple of years as this probably won't make old bones.  

Purple in color.  The nose is very nice with cassis, a bit of barnyard, slight tobacco and dust.  On the palate, this seems to be at peak.  Plenty of fresh cassis fruit but some tertiary development is showing as layers of damp earth, and slight decayed vegetation (in a good way).  Tannins are just about resolved.  It did seem to improve slightly in a decanter as it opened up and blew off a bit of bottle stink.  Nice finish.  Worked well with a nice plate of pasta.  It won't get better from here, and these should probably be drunk in the next five to ten years depending on how you like you

This is a "Right Bank" styled wine.  There were some concerns over opening at age 26.  The cork looked in great shape.  The wine was decanted for sediment.  There was a lot on the side of the bottle and in the wine.  Ruby in color.  The nose is older but nice.  Cigar box, cherries, dried cherries, slight old leather and slight black cherries.  On the palate, this took a bit to open up and then it drank beautifully.  Complex and layered.  Cherries, dried tobacco, dry earth.  No tannins.  Good and in balance acidity.  Nice finish.  Not an OMG wine, but a very good wine that would compare favo

Screw capped.  This retails for around $35.  It is really very good.  Purple in color.  The nose has black raspberries, slight black olives and a bit of black pepper.  On the palate, this has a nice sinewy texture.  Light tannins.  It is drinking quite well right now but no hurry.  Black raspberry fruit.  Good acidity.  Slight complexity.  Nice finish.  This will work with a wide variety of foods.  Drink now thru 2023.  

Screw capped.  Pale silvery/green/gold in color.  The nose is a mythical combination of New Zealand and old school California.  That is to say, lots of tropical fruits (guava and pineapple) and also a grassiness to it.  Very pleasant and easy.  On the palate, this is medium bodied.  The tropical fruit carries thru.  Nice acidity to counter.  Dry.  Slightly oily texture (a good thing).  Long finish.  This is an easy drinking wine, but has some depth.  Works with lighter and medium bodied foods.  It probably won't get better but should drink well for a few years.  Available at Nakedwines.com.

Deep ruby in color.  The nose has cherries, slight bramble, and a bit of pepper.  On the palate, this is lighter in style.  Cherry fruit.  Some warmth.  It doesn't seem like this will improve but it makes for enjoyable drinking.  Works better especially well with spicy Indian food.  Probably should be drink in the next few years.  

This was surprisingly open and drinking well if still youthful.  Purple in color.  The nose has boysenberries, char, and black pepper.  On the palate, this has a nice texture.  Boysenberry fruit with some pepper.  Nice complexity.  Good finish.  This should improve for the next five years.  Needs big food.  

76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 3% Petite Verdot, 2% Malbec.  Purple in color, slight ruby at the rim.  The nose is dusty and warm with cassis and spice.  Soft texture.  Good acidity.  Nice cassis fruit with an underlying earthiness.  Some plums on the finish.  Nicely layered, it unwinds in the glass.  It seems open but then keeps on opening more.  Still some upside here.  

Carlisle conitnues to pump out some of the best Zinfandels.  Period.  That they cost under $50 is even better.  Purple in color.  The nose is great with black raspberries, slight bramble, char and black cherries.  On the palate, the texture is wonderful; lush yet precise.  Lots of black rasberry and boysenberry fruit.  Depth.  Needs spicy or big foods.  Long finish.  Just a delicious wine.