California

• Amador County
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• Sonoma County
  • Alexander Valley
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  • Pine Mountain - Cloverdale Peak
  • Russian River Valley
  • Sonoma Coast
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  • Knights Valley

This is a different Syrah from Andremily.  It is a one off release from the G2 Vineyard in Paso Robles.  The wine is a blend of 88% Syrah with 12% Mourvedre.  Inky purple in color, opaque and shimmering bright.  The nose has black raspberries, white pepper, roasted meat, char and slight floral notes.  Full bodied.  Medium to firm tannins.  On the palate, this has a great plush texture.  Juicy black raspberry fruit with black pepper and char.  Slight black olive note on the finish.  Delicious if still very young.  Give it another five to eight years and drink for twenty after that.  great on

There are very few great California Grenache's, but this is one.  This is a blend of 79% Grenache, 11% Mourvedre, 6% Syrah and 4% Graciano.  Purple in color, garnet at the rim, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has black cherries, Black raspberries, plums, char, roasted herbs and meats.  Full bodied.  Light to medium tannins.  On the palate, this has juicy acidity.  Flavors of black raspberries, black cherries, spice and char.  Long finish.  This is very young, of course, and will improve, but its quite good today.  It would be a nice match for Cajun Roasted Chicken.  

One of the great values in California wine.  This is their base Zinfandel.  Deep garnet in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is great with black cherries, black raspberries, char and bramble.  Medium to full bodied.  Nice texture.  On the palate, this is open and delicious.  Good acidity.  Flavors of black cherries and black raspberries.  Long finish.  This is great on its own and would work well with most (non seafood) dishes.  A nice choice with foods off the grill.  Drink over the next five to seven years.  

Nice to try one of these on the younger side but it really will improve with more age.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has deep and strong with plums, slight black raspberries, smoked meat and spice. Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Plums and black raspberries with underlying smoked meats.  Long finish.  This could use another few years in the cellar and then drink for twenty after that.  Great on its own, this will work nicely with a roasted brisket.  

This is a blend of 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot.  One of the great Bordeaux varietal wines.  This is till young, but really drank beautifully.  Purple in color with a ruby rim, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, tobacco, licorice, spice, thyme and char.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  Great, juicy texture.  On the palate, this has some tight complexity.  Flavors of cassis, leather, tobacco, spice and char.  Long finish.  It really needs another five to ten years of cellaring and should drink well for twenty to thirty after that.  Of course, it was fantastic right now.  Great on

This is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc and 9% Petit Verdot.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is open and awesome.  Cassis, black cherries, interesting black olive note, fresh tobacco, plums, spice and char.  Probably more.  Wow.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  Great energy.  On the palate, this is getting close to mature but still five or more years from really being there.  Cassis, black cherries, tobacco and spice.  Deep and complex.  Long finish.  This will drink well for another twenty to twenty five years.  It would of course be great with

Surprisingly open, Maya used to be a wine that needed serious time before opening but this vintage/bottle was drinking well.  It is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Cabernet Franc.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with cassis, blueberries, black cherries, cigar tobacco, spice, slight cocoa and char.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Black cherries, cassis, spice, tobacco and char.  Lovely texture.  Long finish.  No doubt this gets a perfect score as it matures but its close now.  Drink over the next twenty to thirty years. 

Always a pleasure to drink Schrader which is of course, made by one of the top winemakers anywhere, Thomas Rivers Brown.  This wine has been compared to Haut Brion (possibly my favorite wine from Bordeaux) and the comparison is apt.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, blueberries, "gravel", ash, spice and char.  Full bodied.  Slick but plush texture.  Medium to firm tannins.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Cassis, blueberries and underlying gravel/char.  Long finish.  This will get better but no harm opening now.  Drink over the next fifteen to twenty years.  Grea

Great to revisit this.  First tasted in December, 2002 (notes are on this site) and it has improved a bit but it can still get better.  This wine is made by Andy Erikson and from vineyards on Atlas Peak and Soda Canyon.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is powerful and open with cassis, cedar, blueberries, chocolate, char.  Lush texture.  Firm tannins (the wine  had not been open long).  Great balance.  On the palate, cassis, cedar, charred earth and spice.  Long finish but already performing great.

It was great to try this bottle at age 10.  The grapes are grown in the heart of the historic To Kalon vineyard although for legal reasons, they can't put that on the label.  Just gorgeous!  The bottle was opened and allowed to breather for 13 hours prior to serving but not decanted.  Purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is deep and complex with cassis, cigar box, dust, spice and warm earth.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  Great energy and balance.  On the palate, this is young but open (the advantage of old vines on the valley floor).  Complex and layered.  Cassis, spice, ear