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

2014 Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon Estate, USA, California, Napa, St. Helena, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2014
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A

Do not open this bottle now without a long 8+ hours of decanting.  This is tight as a drum.  86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot.  Bright purple in color.  The nose has cedar and cassis.  With air, blueberries, chocolate and spice emerge.  On the palate, this has an almost seamless texture.  Shut down completely at first though and showing no fruit.  With air the cassis emerges along with a wall of tannins.  It seems like all the pieces parts are there, but in a four hour tasting, it never really opened.  Based on prior history with this winery and how it did sho

2012 Jarvis Winery Merlot, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2012
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-

Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has sweet plums, black cherries and sandal wood.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, black cherry pie.  Delicious if ripe.  Some heat.  This is more of a cocktail wine to be drunk on its own.  It will prove to be a difficult food match.  Perhaps is settles down with some cellaring.  Drink in the next five to be safe but who knows, it might last twenty.  

2015 Shafer Chardonnay Red Shoulder Ranch, USA, California, Carneros, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A

Green/gold in color.  There is plenty of oak on the nose along with an enticing lemon creme.  On the palate, this is very rich.  There is a lot of oak, but it seems to start integrating in the glass and no doubt, will continue to do so if well cellared for the next few years.  Plenty of lemon and vanilla too.  An almost seamless texture which is very nice.  Depending on your tastes, this is drinking well now or needs five years.  Retail is $60.  It will work with richer but lighter foods.  

2014 Domaine de la Côte Pinot Noir Bloom's Field, USA, California, Santa Rita Hills, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2014
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A

Very pale ruby in color.  Some Rose's are deeper in color.  Of course, with Pinot Noir, that is not really an indication of much about the wine.  The nose is dusty with cherries.  Some underlying earthiness.  Deep.  On the palate, this is already showing a nice complexity.  Soft texture.  Layers of cherries, bitter cherries and earth.  Balanced but not strong acidity.  Good finish.  This is very food friendly and should go with a wide variety of foods.  It seems of its place, that is to say, California with sunshine and fruit but it is made in a more earthy style.  It will be interesting to

1990 Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Jimsomare, USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

Vintage: 
1990
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A

What a treat.  At age 28, this wine is excellent.  Fully mature of course, but it would be hard to call this past prime, although in fact it is.  More like it just depends on what you like.  It has that older Bordeaux quality but also some sunshine that many older Cal Cabs can get.  Ruby purple in color, a bit flat.  The nose has cassis, dust, slight dried fruit, damp earth and cigar box notes.  On the palate, this has a layered complexity.  Cassis and dried fruits layered with earth and tobacco.  Slightly dusty.  Nice balance and finish.  This would go with a wide variety of medium and hea

2013 Schrader Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon RBS Beckstoffer To-Kalon Vineyard, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2008
Score: 
98
Grade: 
A+

Inky purple in color.  The nose is gorgeous.  Cassis, violets, cedar and graphite.  Very concentrated.  On the palate, this starts out tight but opens in the glass.  Juicy fruit. Black raspberries and blueberries.  Firm tannins.  Very concentrated, this will benefit from at least five years of cellaring.  It has two decades left.  Long finish.  This needs big food right now, and give it plenty of air.  That said, it is drinking just great from a deliciousness point of view!

2008 Scarecrow Cabernet Sauvignon, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2008
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A

Purple in color.  What a lovely nose of cassis, slight cedar, and graphite.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Young but past its childhood.  Ripe but not over ripe.  Cassis layered with cedar and slight mineral note.  Light tannins at this point.  Showing slight tertiary development.  Delicious.  Nice finish.  This will work with bigger foods.  It was nice to drink a Scarecrow with a bit of age on it.  This has a decade and more left on it.  

2016 Bonterra Elysian Collection Merlot, USA, California, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-

Purple/ruby in color.  The nose is nice with dusty cherries, raspberries and carob.  On the palate, this has a nice acidity.  Soft texture.  Some complexity.  Raspberry fruit with underlying dry earthiness.  Good finish.  Served to a group, this was quite a crowd pleaser among wine lover (not wine geeks).  This should be pretty versatile with most foods.  This retails for $25 which is a very nice value in California Merlot.  

NV Right Now Red Number 8, USA, California, Wine Review

Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+

From a Can.  Ruby in color with purple swirls.  The nose has black cherries and some raspberries.  On the palate, slight tannins.  Black cherries.  This drinks easy but tasty.  Not a lot of depth but this is a very good California red wine.  At $6, this will be great for parties.    

NV Right Now Rose Dry Wine, USA, California, Wine Review

Score: 
85
Grade: 
B

This is a canned wine.  Pretty color, sort of an electric salmon orange.  Clear and bright.  The nose has strawberries, kiwi and slight watermelons.  On the palate, this is tart with rhubarb and cranberries.  Refreshing.  Easy drinking.  For around $7 a can, this is a nice, fun wine.  

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