Expert articles and wine tasting videos profiling wines from California, California wine regions, Napa Valley, Sonoma County, & more.
Purple in color. The nose has cherries, cassis, slight chocolate and spice. Those flavors continue to the palate. Light tannins. This is a tasty, easy drinking wine. A bit of acidity. Will work well on its own but also with medium or heavier foods. Good finish.
Purple in color. The nose has plenty of cassis, some cedar, and slight cigar tobacco. On the palate, this is big ripe cassis fruit. A bit of mint on the palate as well. Some spice. Firm tannins. This needs a few years and should be good for another ten or more. This needs big food and will work well on its own. If drinking in the next few years, give it a few hour decant. Definitely some upside potential.
Deep Ruby/Purple in color. The nose has sour cherries and spice. On the palate, this has big fruit; mostly sour cherries, some cherries. Good balance. Long finish. This is a big, fruit forward style of Pinot that will work very well on its own. It is delicious. It will work with some bigger foods as well. Promises to be a crowd pleaser.
Not to be confused with the wine of the same name from the Valley floor in Oak Knoll, this is from Atlas Peak and is mountain fruit. This is a step up in quality and price. Inky purple in color. Very concentrated. The nose has cassis, dark chocolate graphite and char. On the palate, this is tannic. Concentrated cassis flavors. Fine tannins. It opens in the glass but could use some time/decanting. Nice balance. Good finish. A polished wine that should improve for the next five years. Will work on the dinner table or on its own. $85 retail.
From the Valley floor in Oak Knoll. Purple in color. The nose is nice with cassis, cherries and baking spices. The palate has medium tannins. Ripe cassis fruit and a bit of pepperyness. Drinks great on its own but would work with heavier foods. Drinks easy but there is some depth and should improve with some short term ageing. Retails for $65.
Light green/gold in color. The nose has a fair amount of oak still showing but the fruit is a bit faded. The palate is consistent with the nose. It seems like this was probably a bit better a few years ago and probably needs to be drunk sooner than later. For those who like oak drive California Chardonnay, this retails for $30.
This is made from a Biodynamic vineyard from Rhone styles grapes. It is a blend of Syrah, Mourvedre, Grenache and Zinfandel. It retails for around $45. This was tasted over two days and significantly more open and better on Day 2. It is young and in need of a good decant or more cellaring. That said, it is very nice now. Purple in color. On the nose, there is boysenberry, black cherries, some black pepper and coffee grounds. On the palate, this is concentrated but not a big wine. Boysenberry and black cherry fruit. Underlying peppery-ness and smoke. Some medium tannins. Good aci
This is the basic Cabernet from Myriad, superstar winemaker Mike Smith's own winery. This is in a great place and drinking great right now but has a long life ahead. Big and full of fruit and power, but not over the top. Purple in color. The nose has cassis, slight char, baking spice and slight black cherries. On the palate, lots of cassis and black cherries. Also underlying minerality and char. Medium tannins. Great balance. Long finish. This needs heartier food and also drinks well on its own. Delicious. $60 retail is actually a good value for this level of Napa Cab. Perhaps
This wine has finally opened up and is drinking well. Purple in color. The nose has black raspberries, some black olives, black pepper and slight gamey meats. On the palate, this is delicious. Plenty of depth with layers that unwind in the glass. Still a bit young, it could use some air before drinking. Lots of black raspberry fruit with a bit of earthiness. Good finish. Will work with medium and heavier foods. No hurry, has a decade or more left.
This is an excellent wine. A blend of 50% Sangiovese, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 30% Merlot with grapes from Atlas Peak and Howell Mountain in Napa Valley. Consumed over two days, this was better on Day 2. Purple in color. On day one, the nose shows black cherries, slight cedar and a clove/bitters quality to it that is very interesting. On the palate, this is not a big, bold wine. Rather, there are plenty of concentrated fruits, mostly cherries and black cherries with a slight bitterness (again in a good way) to it. On Day 2 (re-corked and left on the counter), this wine really open
