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

For those who doubt some of today's high alcohol wines won't last, this one is 15.6% abv and drinking just fine at age 15.  If, however, you didn't like it young, you still won't.  I loved it.  A blend of 80% Syrah, 14% Grenache and 6% Roussanne.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with black raspberries, black cherries, blueberries, black pepper, and roasted vegetables.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  Lively acidity.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Lush texture.  Plenty of black raspberries, some blueberries and hints of black cherries with black pepper and cha

This is the inaugural vintage of this wine from Russel and Heidi Bevan.  It is, of course, quite young, but delicious right now.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with cassis, blueberries, dark chocolate, baking spice and char.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, this is deep.  It really needs about ten years or more to really develop but it is juicy and delicious today.  Cassis and blueberries with some char and bit of leather.  Long finish.  No doubt its score get close to or at perfect eventually.  It is great on its own but will take big food right no

Light golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose is pretty with peaches and honeydew along with a touch of spice.  Lovely full bodied rich texture.  Good balance.  On the palate, this is a big wine but with pin point precision if that makes sense.  The peaches and honey dew come thru.  Nice finish.  Drinking youthfully but ready to go.  Drink over the next ten years.  This is great on its own and will work well with heavier foods such as Roast Duck.  It might even go nicely with a steak if that's what you like.  

This is a big wine!  100% Grenache.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.

One of my favorite Rhone varietal producers in California.  It is a blend of 61% Syrah, 24% Mourvedre, 13% Grenache and 2% Viognier.  This wine gets extended barrel ageing.  In my experience, the extended barrel ageing requires more patience and cellaring and this wine is very young.  That said, for those who like big, ripe in your face wines, there is plenty to like now.  For others, a bit of patience will be amply rewarded.  Inky purple in color, opaque and shimmering bright.  The nose has black raspberries, char, black pepper, violets and slight roasted meats.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins

This is one of the  better "values" in Napa high end wines.  It is a proprietary blend of 70% Cab with the rest Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, blueberries, slight black cherries, spices, and leather.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, juicy cassis and black cherries with underlying char and spice.  Some leather notes.  Long finish.  Delicious.  This is young but drinking well. Drink over the next ten to twenty years.  Great on its own, it would be perfect with a roast or steak.

This is a blend of 65% Cabernet Franc and 35% Merlot from one of the premier vineyards in Napa, the State Lane Vineyard.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with black cherries, blueberries, slight cigar box and spice.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  Juicy acidity.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Black cherries, some black raspberries and blue berries with a bit of leather and earthiness.  Long finish.  This is drinking well and may still improve.  It should drink well for another twenty years.  Great on its own, this would work well with roasted duck or even roast r

This is a blend of 66% Grenache Blanc, 28% Roussanne, and 6% Chenin Blanc.  Medium golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose is great.  explosive.  Apricot jam, slight gun powder, lemon, orange peel and almonds.  Full bodied.  Just enough acidity to be lively.  On the palate, this is delicious.  A big wine but enough going on that it is vibrant and not stodgy.  Flavors of lemon, slight orange and slighter apricots with underlying minerality.  Long finish.  Delicious.  Still young but open and drinking great.  Drink over the next seven to ten years.  Lovely on its own, this will work well

The Paraduxx portfolio has been solely focused on blended wines, something they do admirably. The 2019 is comprised mainly of Cabernet Sauvignon with lighter amounts of five other grape including Zinfandel and Petite Sirah. The medley offers dusty black, cherry, blueberry, blackberry, red raspberry light cedar, and sandalwood notes with a very light green tea element and vanilla. The tannins are fairly taught, even after four years, supporting the structure of the wine, and the acidity comes into play making this an ideal companion for food.

This is made from various sites around California.  It is my favorite of the 1000 Stories BBA wines.  Garnet in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has smoke, black cherries, and slight bramble.  Medium to full bodied.  Light to medium tannins.  Good acidity.  On the palate, black cherries, some root beer notes and plenty of char.  Good finish with black cherries and slight, slight black licorice.  This is nice on its own and would work well with grilled foods such as a Pork Chop.  Drink over the next year or two.