California

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  • Alexander Valley
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  • Sonoma Valley
  • Knights Valley

I love Carlisle Zinfandels.  Mike Officer makes a bunch of them, but this is my favorite one.  Purple in color.  The nose has some bramble, dark cherries and a bit of pepper.  What i find I like consistently from vintage to vintage, however, is the texture.  It is round, lush, and delicious without being over the top.  Black cherries, raspberries, and black licorice.  No heat.  Each sip makes we want to take another.  It is food friendly, but these seem to go down too quickly.  Its hard to not gulp.  This should age easily for another five years and probably ten or more.  

Opened and allowed to breathe for 12 hours before serving.  It could have used double that.  That said, this is a spectacular Syrah from one of the best, if young track record, producers.  Inky purple in color.  The nose is great with black raspberries, roasted meats and slight roasted herbs, violets and yet still black olives.  On the palate, a wonderful texture.  Great purity of fruit; black raspberries with some black pepper, char and slight meatiness.  Deep, it unwinds in the glass.  Pin point balance.  Worked great with food.  Spectacular wine.  

This was fun as it is by far the oldest KB wine I have had.  It is still quite a big wine especially for a Sonoma Syrah.  Purple in color.  The nose has black raspberries, black olives, slight roasted herbs and black pepper.  very nice.  On the palate, black raspberries, black pepper, some char, some earth.  Good acidity.  Light tannins.  Slight heat.  It is drinking just fine at this point and probably at peak.  Some depth, but a lot but plenty of delicious fruit left.  Worked fine with food.  Seems to easily have five to ten more years.  

Russell Bevan makes one of the best California Sauvignon Blancs but this may be the best vintage yet.  Pop and pour and this was off and running.  Light golden in color, slight green.  Gorgeous nose of tangerine, floral notes, slight vanilla and caramel.  With air, a bit of clean pine as well.  Great texture.  Slightly oily, full bodied and lush.  Deep and powerful.  Flavors of tangerine, pine, vanilla and slight papaya.  Persistent and fresh.  Worked great with food.  Got better with air.  At around $35, this is well priced.  

I believe this is a $5 wine from Trader Joe's (at least it used to be).  Ruby in color.  The nose has cherries.  On the palate, this is light with cherry jam flavors.  Some heat on the finish.  I suppose for $5 there is good value here.  Nice choice for people on a budget.  Seems to be holding up ok, not sure how much life it has left.  

Ruby in color, clear and bright.  The nose has red currants and spice.  On the palate, this is easy drinking.  Some Red currant fruit.  Plenty of spice and lumber.  No tannins.  Light.  Probably should have been drunk earlier as the oak seems to have outlasted the fruit though there is some fruit left.  

Ruby/purple in color.  The nose has cassis, cherries, cedar and spice.  Medium to full bodied.  On the palate, this has nice fruit in a more restrained mode.  Cherries and cassis with cedar.  Medium tannins.  Decent balance. Slightly clipped finish.  This is a more restrained style of Cab but drinks well right now.  Not sure if it will make older bones so I would drink in the next five years.  

Ruby/purple in color.  The nose is very nice with black raspberries, black pepper some grilled meats and just a bit of bacon.  On the palate, this is fully mature but not past.  Black raspberry fruit layered with charred earth.  Nice complexity.  Good acidity.  Still fresh.  Nice finish.  This wine is drinking great and much younger than I might have expected it to.  Bottles vary though and I wouldn't wait too long on this one.  

This is a very good, middle of the road, straight forward Zin (in a good way).  Purple in color with some ruby swirls.  The nose has dark cherries, raspberries, bramble and black pepper.  Full bodied with a nice texture.  Juicy black cherries and raspberries.  Some depth.  Drinking great but should age a bit and last a decade.  Works with bigger foods or on its own. Delicious.  

Another winner from this winery making lower alcohol, cooler climate wines from California.  Purple in color.  The nose has black raspberries, char, black olives and roasted herbs.  On the palate, this is medium to full bodied.  Black raspberries with an underlying char.  Also some earthiness.  Good acidity.  Nice finish.  Very food friendly with some potential upside over the next few years.