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
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  • 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

Calera has farmed their separate but distinctive vineyards since 1973. Limestone rich soil, high elevation, native yeast and whole cluster pressed are just some of the attributes of Calera’s program. These work together year after year to produce stellar wines. The Reed Vineyard fruit has more of an earthy quality to it. There are darker notes of black cherry, blackberry, huckleberry, raspberry and faint herbs The acidity is mild as are the tannins, yet it drinks very well, and cries out for food to help show off the fruit.

More mature than past vintages, this has nice tight tannins and acidity to make the fruit work well for aging long-term. The dusty fruit of blackberry, black cherry, blueberry and huckleberry gives way to light vanilla from the oak influence and slight cocoa notes. The oak certainly plays a major influence here, but it does not detract from the beautiful fruit that has been harvested for this wine. Though this wine has a lot of production, the quality is still amazing for the number of cases it produces That takes control, and focus by the winemaking team at Duckhorn.

This is an excellent value in Napa Chardonnay and in our recent tasting, this was the groups top wine.  Green/gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose has lemon cream, some red apples and a bit of vanilla.  Full bodied.  Nice slightly oily texture.  On the palate, lemon cream with some peach and a bit of oak showing.  Good balance.  Nice finish.  This is nice on its own and will work well with seafood or poultry.  Drink over the next three to six years.  

Green/gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose is very tight and took some time to open.  With air it shows butterscotch along with peach.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this has a hint of sweetness along with peach and slight lemons.  Long finish.  This needs a bit of air at the moment so maybe hold for a year and drink for five to eight years after that.  Nice on its own, this would work well with Tuna steaks.  

This is one of the best selling Chardonnays out there but does seems to be a love it or hate it wine.  Count me as a fan.  Green/gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose has peach, apple and spices.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this has a bit of sweetness with tart grapefruits to balance it.  Also some oak spices come thru.  Pretty much a poster child for Napa Chard these days, but it did not seem overblown.  Better on its own, though it should work well with fried foods.  Drink over the next few years.  

Green/gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose is a bit "fleshy" or sweaty socks with some grapefruit and buttered popcorn.  Medium to full bodied.  Slightly oily texture.  On the palate, this is perceptibly sweet with grapefruit notes.  Good finish.  This drinks well on its own but might be a difficult food match.  A nice choice for a summer evening on the patio.  Drink over the next few years.  

Yellow/green in color, clear and bright.  The nose is nice.  Very clean without oak.  Aromas of granny smith apples, slight peaches and chalk.  Medium bodied. On the palate, this is crisp but seems to also have some sweetness to it.  A nice combination.  Apples and slight lemon candy especially on the long finish.  This is nice on its own but a bit better with some soft cheeses.  Drink over the next seven to ten years. 

Yellow/green in color, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with Meyer Lemons, slight peach and just a hint of oak.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, crisp acidity with lemon candy notes.  It drinks easy but has some stuffing too.  A bit different from the "typical" Napa Chardonnay.  This is nice on its own and should be very food friendly with lighter foods but even poultry and seafoods.  Drink over the next five years.  

At a recent blind tasting of Napa Chardonnay's, it turned out that there were two identical bottles submitted and served blind.  Always an interesting experiment as such factors as storage and even the tasting order can affect the results.  As it turned out, bottle #1 was the first served while bottle #2 was the last one served.  

Hay/gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose has lots of gun powder/sulfur with some pineapple and baking spice.  Medium bodied.  Nice texture.  On the palate, peach and lemon cream with nice acidity.  Nice finish.  This is a bigger, rounder Sauvignon Blanc which has a lot of oak showing at this young stage.  It drinks well on its own and will work with some foods.  Pasta Primavera might be one.  The fruit will likely fade before the oak integrates, so drink up in the next few years.