Expert articles and wine tasting videos profiling wines from California, California wine regions, Napa Valley, Sonoma County, & more.

2021 Carlisle Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley, USA, California, Sonoma, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2021
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$40.00USD

This is 93% Zinfandel and 7% Syrah from Sonoma County.  Purple in color with some ruby hues, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has black cherries, slight plums, an interesting note of menthol, and spice.  Medium to full bodied.  Good acidity.  Light tannins.  On the palate, this is juicy and delicious.  Black cherries with spice and slight char.  Long finish.  This is young but drinking well.  It is nice on its own and will work well with grilled meats and veggies.  Drink over the next seven to ten years. 

2022 Desire Lines Sauvignon Blanc Kick Ranch, USA, California, Sonoma, Fountain Grove District, Wine review

Vintage: 
2022
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$30.00USD

First time trying this winery.  Tasted over two days, it was significantly more open (and better) on day 2.  Light golden in color, clear and bright.  Lemons, floral notes, citrus and herbs.  Medium bodied.  Some minerality.  Moderate acidity.  On the palate, lemons with slight orange and a slight minerals note.  Good finish.  As Sauvignon Blancs go, this is heavy and present.  Not a light, easy going aperitif.  Good on its own, this would be better with some food.  It would be nice with Tuna Steak with a Chimichurri Sauce.  Drink over the next five to seven years.  

2000 Lagier Meredith Syrah, USA, California, Napa, Mount Veeder, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2000
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$43.00USD

My last bottle of this and it sure seemed to be at or close to peak.  Purple in color with ruby hues, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is great with black raspberries, bacon fat, white pepper and slight dried floral note.  Full bodied.  On the palate, black raspberries, char and slight earthiness.  Complex.  Nice finish.  It threw a lot of sediment.  This will work better with food at this point although nice on its own.  A greart5 match for pizza night.  Drink up.  

2012 Torrin Tsundere, USA, California, Paso Robles, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2012
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$77.00USD

An unusual blend of 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Tannat, 13% Grenache and 3% Syrah from Paso Robles.  Inky purple in color, opaque and shimmering bright.  The nose has black raspberries, cassis, char, black cherries and spice.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, this is deep.  A bit chunky with cassis, black raspberries and black cherries with underlying  char.  Good acidity.  Long finish.  Drink over the next ten to fifteen years.  Delicious on its own, this would be a great wine with a steak.  It will need big food.  

2020 Tablas Creek Côtes de Tablas, USA, California, Paso Robles, Adelaida District, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$40.00USD

This is a mid level offering from the vast portfolio of Tablas Creek.  It is a blend of 43% Grenache, 33% Syrah, 19% Counoise, 5% Mourvedre and seems to be their counter-part to a high level Cotes du Rhone.  Deep ruby in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is great with black cherries, black raspberries, black pepper, char, plums and spice.  Full bodied.  Medium to firm tannins.  Lively acidity.  On the palate, black cherries and black raspberries with some char and spice.  Long finish.  This is drinking well now and should continue for another seven to ten years.  Nice on its own, i

2021 Mending Wall Petite Sirah Palisades Vineyard, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2021
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$60.00USD

Obviously way too young, but, this was open and delicious.  For about an hour or so, and then shut down tight.  We recorked and sampled over the next couple nights.  Day 2.  Still shut down.  Day 3.  Drinking well and the bottle was drained.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has boysenberries, gravel, char and spice.  Thick tannins.  Good acidity.  On the palate, loads of boysenberry fruit with underlying char.  Deep but like looking into a bottomless hole.  Long finish.  Not sorry to have tried it, but the remaining bottles will need a rest.  Ideally, hold for ten years a

2022 Bedrock Wine Co. Old Vine Zinfandel, USA, California, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2022
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$22.00USD

One of the few wines I buy b y the case.  Great wine, great value.  It is a blend of 76% Zinfandel, 11% Carignan, 5% Petite Sirah, 4% Grenache, 3% Cinsault, and 1% Assorted Mixed Varieties.  Purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The  nose has black cherries, some black raspberries, spices and some "bramble".  Medium to full bodied.  Lively acidity.  On the palate, this is delicious and easy drinking.  Some depth.  Black cherries, some black raspberries and some char.  Good finish.  This is great on its own and will work well with everything from meat loaf to pizza to Pork Chops.  Drin

2009 Next of Kyn No~3 Cumulus Vineyard, USA, California,

Vintage: 
2009
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A

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

2019 Adversity Cellars The Papas, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
97
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$250.00USD

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

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