California

• Amador County
  • Shenandoah Valley
• Carmel Valley
• Carneros
• Central Coast
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  • Paso Robles
• Contra Costa County
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• Lake County
• Lodi
• Mendocino
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• Napa Valley
  • Atlas Peak
  • Best of Napa
  • Calistoga
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  • Diamond Mountain
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  • Oakville
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• North Coast
• Santa Barbara
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  • 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

Once again proving that these Chardonnay's age very nicely.  Golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose has lemon creme, vanilla, and spice.  Full bodied.  Crisp acidity.  Great balance.  On the palate, this is deep and complex and delicious.  Flavors of lemon creme, vanilla and minerality.  Long finish.  Delicious on its own and worked well with vegetarian Mideastern food.  This may be at peak but if so, just, as there wasn't any old age showing.  Still at age 16, its good to check in on it.  

This is an inexpensive Sonoma Chardonnay that offers up a pretty classic version of an oaked Chardonnay.  Gold/green in color, clear and bright.  The nose has vanilla, lemon creme, slight pineapple, and toast.  Full bodied.  Good acidity.  On the palate, lemon-lime notes, vanilla and some fresh cut lumber.  Slightly bitter on the finish.  The is nice on its own and would work well with grilled Salmon or Tuna.  drink over the next few years.  

This is 97% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc from one of the great vineyards of Napa.  Purple in color with some ruby hues, opaque and bright.  The nose is brilliant with chocolate covered cherries (including the liqeuer), spice and char.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  Great energy and balance.  On the palate, this is incredibly smooth.  Also deep and complex.  Flavors of black cherries, cherries, tobacco, chocolate and earthiness.  Long finish.  Delicious.  This was wonderful on its own, but would be nice with roasted duck or chicken.  Drink over the next ten to fifteen years.  

Stod up for a few weeks.  Decanted right before serving for sediment.  Yowza!  One of the best showing for this bottle which sadly was my last.  Purple in color with ruby swirls, opaque and bright.  The nose is so nice with cassis, graphite leather, spice and slight char.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  Great energy and balance.  On the palate, this is complex, deep and delicious.  Layers of cassis, spice, earthiness and char.  Long finish.  Certainly at peak.  it went great with  Pasta in a red cream sauce.  Drink them if you have any as while they may last, it won't get better.

Opened by a friend for my 66th.  Purple in color with a ruby rim, opaque and bright.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with cassis, spice, slight bell pepper and leather.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  great balance.  Plenty of depth and complexity.  On the palate, this is mature and drinking great.  Cassis, leather, slight black cherry and char.  Long finish.  This drinks great on its own and worked well with a flat bread with onions and arugula.  It should still have another ten to fifteen years left in it.  

Light golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with citrus (tangerine and slight lemon), a hint of buttery oak and spice.  Full bodied.  Crisp.  On the palate, slight lemon, slight vanilla and a bit of peach on the finish.  This is refreshing but also qquite tasty.  It went well with an argual flat bread.  Drink over the next five years.