California

• Amador County
  • Shenandoah Valley
• Carmel Valley
• Carneros
• Central Coast
  • Edna Valley
  • Mt. Harlan
  • Paso Robles
• Contra Costa County
• El Dorado County
• Lake County
• Lodi
• Mendocino
  • Anderson Valley
  • Yorkville Highlands
• Monterey
• Napa Valley
  • Atlas Peak
  • Best of Napa
  • Calistoga
  • Conn Valley
  • Diamond Mountain
  • Howell Mountain
  • Mt. Veeder
  • Oak Knoll
  • Oakville
  • Pope Valley
  • Rutherford
  • Spring Mountain
  • St. Helena
  • Stags Leap
  • Yountville
• North Coast
• Santa Barbara
  • Santa Lucia Highlands
  • Santa Rita Hills
  • Santa Ynez Valley
• Santa Cruz
• Santa Maria Valley
• Sierra Foothills
• 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 was tasted from a 1.5 liter box.  While boxed wines tend not to be the most expensive wines, the box is actually a wonderful method for enjoying wines.  It keeps the oxygen out and the wines in excellent condition.  Silvery green/gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose has peaches, limes and minerals.  On the palate, this is crisp and clean.  Limes and melon with a slight minty note and underlying minerals.  Sort finish.  This is drinking well on opening.  In the box format, one could leave this in the fridge and have a glass or two a day for a couple three weeks with no degradation

This is a blend of 59% Syrah, 20% Grenache, 19% Terret Noir, and 2% Roussanne.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose is very nice with black raspberries, black cherries, black pepper, and black olives.  Medium to full bodied.  On the palate, this drinks with a cooler climate Syrah profile, that is with black raspberry fruit, black pepper and slight black cherries over a mineral base.  Light tannins.  Very fresh.  Nice finish.  This drinks youthfully but shows some signs of maturity.  It will continue to mature for the next five to seven years and be good for anothe

Always a great wine, this vintage is certainly one of the best.  Green gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose is great with lemons, slight grapefruits, minerals and slight herbal notes.  Slightly oily texture.  On the palate, this is crisp with lovely citrus fruit over a base on minerality.  Nice acidity.  Long finish.  It is delicious.  Drinks well on its own and will work well with lighter salads or even fish or fowl.  drink over the next three to five years.  

For those who like full throttle, hedonistic wines, Torrin should be at the top of your list.  This one is made from 100% Grenache.  Inky purple in color.  The nose is big with black cherries, cherry pie, char, spice and slight dark chocolate.  Full bodied.  Lush and jammy.  On the palate, juicy black cherry pie filling with some underlying gravel.  Long finish.  Delicious.  This probably  drinks better on its own right now, but with some maturity it will settle down.  This should make great drinking for the next ten to twelve years.  

This is a few steps up from the regular bottling (which is also a great value).  Pricing can vary greatly on these so it pays to shop around.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is gorgeous with cassis, leather, earthiness, smoke and dark chocolate.  Medium to full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, cassis, black cherries, with intertwines earthiness and char.  Nice finish.  This is still young of course, but drinking beautifully.  Lush with depth and some complexity.  This is drinking great now, but should continue to drink well for another ten to fifteen years.  Wonderful

This is an exceptional California Merlot.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has cherries, slight plums, chocolate, cedar and spice.  Full bodied.  On the palate, cherries, milk chocolate, smoke and spice.  Medium tannins.  Still very primary, this should continue to mature for the next five to ten years and be good for another ten after that.  Drinks great on its own, it would work well with a burger or roast.  

One of the more humorous labels in the wine world (check it out).  It is a bland of 52% Grenache, 35% Cinsault, and 13% Syrah.  This is much less robust than prior vintages of this wine.  Deep ruby in color.  The nose has cherries, bitter cherries, baking spices and black pepper.  On the palate, this is medium bodied.  Plenty of cherry fruit with underlying char and spice.  Nice finish.  This is drinking well now and should continue for seven to ten years.  It worked well with a curry dish and will work better with food.  

This is another big, bold red from the Prisoner Wine Company.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  It is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Syrah, and Merlot.  The nose has cassis, black cherries, chocolate, baking spices and slight cedar notes.  Full bodied.  On the palate, there is some varietal complexity but mostly just up front fruit.  Delicious.  Black cherries and black raspberries with medium tannins.  This probably should be consumed over the next three to five years.  

This is a very light and elegant Pinot Noir.  For those liking that style, this will be a hit.  For those who like a full throttle wine, this might be found lacking.  Light ruby in color.  The nose has cherries with some depth.  On the palate, great acidity. Bright cherry fruit.  Complex and delicious.  Elegant.  Nice finish.  This should continue to develop for the next ten years or so and drink well for another ten after that.  It will work better with food.  Crab cakes would be a nice match.  

In a recent blind tasting of 10 Santa Barbara Pinots, this was the groups favorite and my #2.  A very impressive showing.  Medium ruby in color.  The nose has black cherries and sour cherries.  On the palate, this is big a fruity but with some depth.  Cherries and sour cherries come thru with a touch of mint.  Lovely texture.  Long finish.  This drinks easy on it own but will also work well with salmon or fowl.  Drink over the next ten to twelve years.