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 the year the fires hit California.  It is important to be careful due to that but there were no notes of fire tain here.  It is a well priced blend that is 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petite Sirah, 7% Malbec, 5% Merlot, and 1% Syrah.  The wine is ruby at the rim of the glass with core of purple.  Mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has cherries, cassis, char, and slight camphor.  With air, slight cedar emerges.  On the palate, this is soft and accessible.  A hint of sweetness.  Slightly drying tannins.  A moderate finish.  This is a very nice wine for immediate drinking.  It works w

This is a value drive Pinot Noir from one of the longtime California wineries.  Ruby in color with slight purple swirls.  On the nose this has cherries, sour cherries, slight hay/earthiness to it.  On the palate, this is ripe, slightly sweet Pinot Noir.  Big cherry fruit.  A bit of underlying cola flavors.  A soft texture.  Light tannins.   Slight bitter note on the finish.

This is the inaugural vintage for this wine.  It is a bright pink/watermelon color, clear and bright.  Very unique.  On the nose, this has light cherries with slight watermelon notes.  It is lean but not really light bodied.  Slightly sweet.  Flavors of apples and cherries and a slight bubble gum note.  Light tannins.  It finishes with an ever so slightly bitter note.  Overall, this is refreshing.  It has lots of little parts going on and will probably come together a bit more just in time for warmer weather.  Right now, it worked better with food, but as it comes together, it should drink

This is a nice value for a very tasty California Pinot Gris.  Silvery gold in color with just a swish of green.  The nose is nice with almonds, minerals and pears.  On the palate,this is slightly viscous with an oily texture in a good way.  It starts crisp but rounds out.  Dry.  The palate has a nice minerality with almonds and slight pears.  It turns crisp/tart on the finish.  This drinks fine on its own, but really improves with food.  Lighter foods such as fruit salads, but also cheese and salty nuts worked great.  It's hard to find a wine of this quality for this price in California any

Ceritas makes a wonderful lineup of Chardonnay's and I encourage everyone to sign up for their mailing list.  This one is no exception.  Light golden in color.

Tablas Creek has some great levels of wine clubs which offer up wines not available outside the winery or in different formats.  This one is easily available although this particular bottle was from a 375ml bottle ($25).  It is a blend of 49% Mourvèdre, 25% Grenache, 21% Syrah, and 5% Counoise.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  A lovely nose of black raspberries, raspberries, spice and anise.  On the palate, this has firm tannins but the fruit is open and drinking well.  Juicy black raspberries, raspberries, over a clean dry earthiness with just a touch of char.  This is a big wine but no

This is a blend of 84% Petite Sirah, 13% Syrah and 3% Viognier from the home winery of star winemaker Helen Keplinger.  Inky purple in color.  The nose has boysenberries, graphite, asphalt and some cherries.  With air some roasted meats come out.  A wonderful lush texture.  Firm tannins.  This has lots of depth but is still young and tight.  It is delicious though.  Black raspberries, with underlying char on the palate.

Dominus is one of the greats.  The same owners as Petrus in Bordeaux, they make what is generally believed to be the most Bordeaux styled wine in Napa.  But it is also something of California with sunshine and ripeness.  This bottle had been decanted for a couple of hours.  Deep purple in color.  The nose has cassis, black cherries, cigar box and slight earthiness.  On the palate, this has light tannins.  Cassis is prominent with underlying earthiness.  Tight layers that unwind in the glass.  This needs another five years at least to peak but is enjoyable now.  It should last another twenty

Spottswoode has been producing some of the top Napa Cabs for quite a long time now.  Year in and year out, they make some of the best Cabs anywhere.  Drink them young and they are bold Napa Cabs, let them age for twenty plus years and its hard to tell them from the finest from Bordeaux.  This one is very young, but it is delicious.  It had been decanted for a short time prior to opening.  Purple in color.  The nose has cassis, cigar box and pencil lead.  Enticing.  On the palate, this is full bodied.  Lots of cassis with some pencil led and nice tobacco.  Thick tannins.  Great balance.  Lon

Wow.  What a spectacular wine.  I don't recall ever having this before.  As a general rule, I think the 2012's are drinking very well at age eight if still obviously young.  Inky purple in color, shimmering bright.  The nose is dusty with cassis, plums, pencil lead and blueberries.  Full bodied.  Lush texture.  Concentrated fruit on the palate.  Juicy intensity.  This is a huge wine with big fruit but so much energy and brightness.  Cassis, blueberries and baking spices.  Long finish.  This should get a perfect score in a few years and for some it will now.  It needs about five to seven mor