Expert articles and wine tasting videos profiling wines from California, California wine regions, Napa Valley, Sonoma County, & more.

2019 Ultramarine Blanc de Blancs Sonoma Coast, USA, California, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$70.00USD

This was disgorged on March 21, 2024.  Golden in color, clear and bright with a nice mousse of tiny bubbles.  The nose has lemon, lemon cream, slight minerality and a bit of grapefruit.  Full bodied.  Good acidity.  On the palate, this is tight but opens nicely in the glass.  The grapefruit is more prevalent on the palate along with some toast and slight lemon.  Long finish.  This is a very nice sparkling wine that should pair well with almost any food.  It is still young and should develop with some cellar time.  Drink over the next five to ten years.  

2019 Carlisle Syrah Papa's Block, USA, Sonoma, Russian River Valley, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A

Usually, I let these age more, but at age 7, this took about an hour to open and then was wonderful.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with black raspberries, charred meats, black pepper, wild herbs and slight violets.  Full  bodied.  Medium tannins.  Great balance.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Lush flavors of black raspberries, slight black cherries, spice and char.  Long finish.  This is great on its own and would be great with slow cooked full bodied foods such and beef stew or Roasted Squash.  Drink over the  next twenty years.  

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