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

Although SQN is better known for their reds, their whites can be stunning.  This is a blend of 41% Roussanne, 26% Chardonnay, 14% Petit Manseng, 12% Viognier, and 7% Gelber Muskateller.  Medium golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose is great with limes, slight peach, wax, alfalfa/hay and almonds.  Clean.  Full bodied with a slightly oily texture.  Good balance.  Great energy.  On the palate, limes come thru along with a bit of almonds and char.  With air, the wine seems to put on weight yet remains lively and light on its feet.  Long finish.  This is drinking well now, but seems like

This continues to be my favorite Zinfandel in the Carlisle lineup.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose has black cherries, raspberries, slight black pepper and bramble.  Medium bodied.  Great, soft, but accessible texture.  Balanced.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Black raspberries, black cherries, slight black pepper and slight char.  Good acidity.  Long finish.  This is delicious on its own and will work nicely with foods off the grill.  Drink over the next five to seven years.  

Sandlands is a winery that I encourage my friends to get on their mailing list.  Chenin Blanc is a huge favorite of mine and Sandlands makes a few all are great and great values.  Light golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose is great with red apples, orange peel and minerality.  Medium bodied.  Good acidity.  On the palate, this is deep but also drinks well.  The red apples come thru with underlying minerality.  Good finish.  I tend to drink these young, but I would bet they could go for another ten years or more.  Great on its own, but better with food.  This is a nice choice with sp

This is a field blend of over twenty varieties from the home ranch of Bedrock including Zinfandel, Carignan and Mataro.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is complex with black cherries, plums, black raspberries, spice, black pepper and char (and more).  Medium to full bodied.  Medium tannins.  Great balance.  This is young but this bottle anyway, was open and drinking well.  The palate is deep, concentrated and complex.  Black cherries, black raspberries, plums, spice and char with a slick but plush texture.  Long finish.  This drinks well on its own and will work well with foo

This is a different Syrah from Andremily.  It is a one off release from the G2 Vineyard in Paso Robles.  The wine is a blend of 88% Syrah with 12% Mourvedre.  Inky purple in color, opaque and shimmering bright.  The nose has black raspberries, white pepper, roasted meat, char and slight floral notes.  Full bodied.  Medium to firm tannins.  On the palate, this has a great plush texture.  Juicy black raspberry fruit with black pepper and char.  Slight black olive note on the finish.  Delicious if still very young.  Give it another five to eight years and drink for twenty after that.  great on

There are very few great California Grenache's, but this is one.  This is a blend of 79% Grenache, 11% Mourvedre, 6% Syrah and 4% Graciano.  Purple in color, garnet at the rim, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has black cherries, Black raspberries, plums, char, roasted herbs and meats.  Full bodied.  Light to medium tannins.  On the palate, this has juicy acidity.  Flavors of black raspberries, black cherries, spice and char.  Long finish.  This is very young, of course, and will improve, but its quite good today.  It would be a nice match for Cajun Roasted Chicken.  

One of the great values in California wine.  This is their base Zinfandel.  Deep garnet in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is great with black cherries, black raspberries, char and bramble.  Medium to full bodied.  Nice texture.  On the palate, this is open and delicious.  Good acidity.  Flavors of black cherries and black raspberries.  Long finish.  This is great on its own and would work well with most (non seafood) dishes.  A nice choice with foods off the grill.  Drink over the next five to seven years.  

Nice to try one of these on the younger side but it really will improve with more age.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has deep and strong with plums, slight black raspberries, smoked meat and spice. Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Plums and black raspberries with underlying smoked meats.  Long finish.  This could use another few years in the cellar and then drink for twenty after that.  Great on its own, this will work nicely with a roasted brisket.  

This is a blend of 98% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot.  One of the great Bordeaux varietal wines.  This is till young, but really drank beautifully.  Purple in color with a ruby rim, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, tobacco, licorice, spice, thyme and char.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  Great, juicy texture.  On the palate, this has some tight complexity.  Flavors of cassis, leather, tobacco, spice and char.  Long finish.  It really needs another five to ten years of cellaring and should drink well for twenty to thirty after that.  Of course, it was fantastic right now.  Great on

This is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc and 9% Petit Verdot.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is open and awesome.  Cassis, black cherries, interesting black olive note, fresh tobacco, plums, spice and char.  Probably more.  Wow.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  Great energy.  On the palate, this is getting close to mature but still five or more years from really being there.  Cassis, black cherries, tobacco and spice.  Deep and complex.  Long finish.  This will drink well for another twenty to twenty five years.  It would of course be great with