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I love Rhys Chardonnays, however, this is not at their top level.  That said, it is half the price of those and this is very much in the style of those making this also a wine I love.  Golden/green in color.  The nose has vanilla and lemon curd with a nice minerality.  On the palate, this has a creamy texture.  Minerals with lemon curd.  Good acidity.  Long finish.  There is some oak showing here but not much.  It needs a bit of heft for a food pairing but will go nicely with heavier fish and fowl dishes.  Great on its own too.  

Randy Dunn's wines are notorious for taking a long time to open and develop.  A recent 1997 Napa was in great shape and just entering a drinking window.  So it was with some trepidation that I tried this wine.  It was actually drinking nicely, if tannic, tight and in need of a long sleep.  For those who like big tannins, perhaps they might open one now, but the price on this and its potential really do speak to showing some patience.  Deep ruby in color.  The nose has cassis, some char and spice.  On the palate, this has firm tannins but persistent cassis fruit.  Deep but hard to see the bo

Looking for an inexpensive Cabernet?  This might fit the bill for you?  It is a big, warm wine.  Inky purple in color.  The nose is dusty with black raspberries and some alcohol.  Medium tannins.  Lot of jammy black raspberries on the palate.  Some warmth on the finish.  This is a wine to be poured at parties and summer BBQ's.  It is not complex or made to age.  It is for short term, fun drinking.  At under $20, that is a good deal.  

This is a blend of grapes from Napa (Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Malbec and Petite Sirah) combined with Syrah from Sonoma.  It is a pretty big and jammy style of red wine.  The nose has black raspberries, black cherries, graphite, baking spices and a bit of chocolate.  Rich texture.  A nice varietal complexity.  Light tannins.  This is ready to drink now.  Lots of purple and dark red fruits.  Tasty.  Probably better served as a glass on the deck but it will work with bolder foods.  Probably best if drunk in the next year or two as the exuberance and energy are what this wine is all about

Saxum is one of my favorite wineries so no surprise, but this is outstanding.  It has really opened up since last tried reinforcing my belief that despite what some say, these big reds are best after ten years in a good cellar.  This is made from 79% Syrah, 7% Petite Sirah and the rest Grenache, Mourvedre and Roussanne grapes.  Inky purple in color.  The nose has black raspberries, white pepper, roasted meats and slight violets.  On the palate, the texture is wonderful.  Velvety with excellent acidity.  Complex and layered, this unwinds in the glass.  And, it is delicious with black raspber

Dunn Cabernet's have a reputation of taking forever to get to maturity but lasting a long time.  While that is more true for the Howell Mountain, it is also true for the Napa.  This one was purchased on release to celebrate occasions as my daughter, born in the same vintage grew up.  So, when she graduated college, this one was on the list.  It is drinking wonderfully right now and does not seem like it is 22 years from vintage.  It will easily go another decade and may be two before heading south.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose is nice with cassis, some cigar box and spice. 

I absolutely loved this wine.  And for $32, this is a great value.  What I like about Petite Syrah is that it is not as boisterous as Syrah but in a similar vein.  The two grapes are not (at least closely) related.  Many times it seems Petite producers try to "correct" for this and get too much ripeness.  It is a fine line, but this wine really does a wonderful job of expressing the true qualities of Petite.  It does need some air and time to open, so keep that in mind if drinking now.  Or better yet, cellar a few bottles and open them in ten years!  Inky purple in color.  The nose has blac

This one seems like it has seen better days.  There is still a fair amount of oak on it, yet the fruit is almost all faded.  I tasted this in its youth and it was a very nice wine.  It had a fair amount of oak but also a nice crispness to it.  If you own any, I would drink up.  

This was a difficult vintage in most of California, but Saxum seemed to handle it just fine.  The wines, do, however, seem to be drinking a little earlier than most vintages.  The 2011 Saxum's are ready to drink but no hurry on any of them.  This one has at least another decade but it probably won't get better.  That is fine because it is outstanding.  Purple in color.  The nose has black raspberries, smoke, black cherries, red currants and slight bacon fat.  On the palate, there is nice black raspberry fruit with some black cherries over some pepper and charred earth.  A nice backbone of a

Rivers Marie is more known for their Pinot's and Cab's but they make a tremendous Chardonnay as well.  It does have some oak showing but its use is deft and all but the most oakaphobes among us should LOVE this wine.  The 2016 is still a bit young but is drinking very well.  These wines seem to age pretty well, but the truth is, i rarely am disciplined enough to let mine age.  Yellow gold in color.  The nose has lemons, vanilla and slight sawdust.  On the palate, this is like a slightly sweet/sour lemon candy with a touch of vanilla.  Great acidity.  Long finish.  This particular bottle was