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

Goldeneye has been making wine in the Anderson Valley for 30 years. This current release is comprised of 63% Pinot Noir and 37% Chardonnay. There is a lovely softness to the carbonation and viscosity of the wine itself. Pleasant notes of fresh, baked bread, golden delicious apple, apricot jam, blood orange and a slight honeydew melon fill the palate. Unlike many sparklers, this doesn’t lean towards sour apple, nor sweet, it straddles a middle ground of pleasant, soft notes, making this a delightful sipping wine with enough acidity for food.

This is a nice solid Napa Cabernet that often shows up on restaurant lists.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, coffee, slight chocolate and a slight herbal note.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, lots of cassis, some chocolate and just a hint of spice.  Nice finish.  This drinks nicely on its own and will work great with a steak or burger.  Drink over the next five to eight years.  

Good Pinot Noir is hard to find. A good Pinot at a good price is even harder. But Decoy’s latest hits the right notes. Black cherry, boysenberry, wild strawberry, black berry and a hint of green tea leaf, this offers mild tannins and acidity and is a pretty comprehensive Pinot for just $25. The grapes were harvested from six different counties in California, and it was aged one year in new French oak barrels, 35% of which were new. The result is a well crafted Pinot Noir that won’t break the bank, but will give you a quality wine that is food-friendly and enjoyable.

This is a "kitchen sink" blend of lots of red varietals grown in California.  Garnet in color, purple at the core, bright.  The nose is nice with cherries, black cherries, black raspberries, spices and chocolate.  Full bodied.  Light tannins.  Moderate acidity.  On the palate, this is big wine.  Tasty but the kind of wine that doesn't demand introspection.  Loads of black cherries and cherries with a bit of chocolate.  Long finish with slight warmth.  It drinks well on its own and will need big food such as BBQ Ribs off the grill.  Drink over the next five to eight years.  

This is a blend of 92% Syrah, 6% Mourvedre, and 2% Viognier.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with black raspberries, blueberries, black pepper, chocolate and roasted meat.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  Nice acidity.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Lots of black raspberries with some blueberries over a bit of roasted meat (more char).  Long finish.  Drinking nicely if not fully mature.  Drink over the next ten to fifteen years.  Great on its own, this needs bigger food.  It would work well with Prime Rib.

This wine is a blend of the best individual vineyard barrels of Syrah (50% Thompson, 33% Larner and 17% Verna's Vineyard).  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with black raspberries, black pepper, slight bacon fat and roasted meat.  With air a slight "purple" flower note.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  Lovely texture.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Not a fruit monster but not shy either.  Lots of depth.  Still drinking youthfully.  Lot of  black raspberry fruit with some underlying char and minerality.  Nice finish.  Great on its own, this works well with food.  It

Light golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with grapefruits, slight lemon, and a hint of vanilla.  Medium bodied.  Nice acidity.  On the palate, this is lean but piercing (in a good way).  Grapefruit notes with just a bit of spice.  Long finish.  Tasty.  This drinks well on its own and would work well with lighter foods but also Salmon or Tuna steaks.  Drink over the next five years.  

This comes from the son of the owner of Sine Qua Non Wines, but Nikolas Krankl is making excellent wines that stand on their own.  This is a blend of 93% Syrah, 2% Grenache, 2% Mourvedre, and 3% Roussane.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with black raspberries, roasted meats and herbs, and black pepper.  Lovely, slightly viscous texture.  This is a big, ripe wine but it is not heavy or plodding.  Delicious black raspberry fruit with black pepper and a gamey note on the palate.  Lots of energy and acidity.  Long finish.  This is still very young but for those who

A nice, solid Napa Cabernet.  At 15.6%, this is not shy although the alcohol is not noticeable.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with cassis, cedar and spice.  Medium tannins.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this drinks smooth and easy.  Cassis notes with a touch of cedar.  Nice finish.  Drinking well now and should continue for the next five to eight years.  A nice wine with a steak or burger.  

This is a relatively inexpensive Cabernet that is a nice choice for a party or a reception.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has black cherries, some cassis, slight cedar and slight spice.  Medium bodied.  Light tannins.  On the palate, black cherry fruit.  Nice finish.  This is tasty and easy to drink on its own.  It will work with grilled meats but also worked well with chocolate.  Drink over the next couple of years.