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

2017 Robert Mondavi Winery Cabernet Sauvignon The Reserve To-Kalon Vineyard, USA, California, Napa, Oakville, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$120.00USD

This is a classic wine from a good if not great vintage.  The nice thing about that is the pricing may be better and the wine is drinking well earlier.  Purple in color with garnet swirls.  The nose is pretty with cassis, graphite, spices and slight roasted herbs.  Full bodied.  Lovely texture.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Deep with lots of cassis and spice.  Long finish.  This is drinking great now, but perhaps will still improve a bit.  It has a Bordeaux-ish personality but with California fruit (and sunshine).  Drink over the next fifteen to twenty years.  It will

2019 Austin Hope Cabernet Sauvignon, USA, California, Paso Robles, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$50.00USD

Friends brought this over.  This winery is one a few that are generating lots of buzz for Cabernet Sauvignon in Paso Robles.  This is fruit forward in style but by no means a simple wine.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with cassis, tobacco, black cherry and spices.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, lush cassis and black cherry fruit.  Depth.  Long finish.  This drinks well now but probably should improve with a few more years of cellaring. Drink over the next ten to twelve years.  This would go great with a roast or a steak.  

2009 Rhys Pinot Noir Horseshoe Vineyard, USA, California, Santa Cruz, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2009
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$110.00USD

This is in a great place.  Garnet in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has cherries, slight sour cherries and spice.  Medium bodied with light spice.  On the palate, this is starting to show a nice complexity.  On the young size, this is getting close to maturity but has plenty of time left.  Cherries, char, sour cherries, and spice.  Nice finish.  This should drink well over the next ten to fifteen years.  A nice match to roasted chicken.

2015 Spring Mountain Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A

Classic Napa Cabernet.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with cassis, spice and char.  Full bodied.  Nice complexity.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this is still young, but drinking well.  Plenty of cassis with underlying char and spice.  Nice finish.  This is more old world in style but has a nice Napa ripeness.  Drink over the next ten to twelve years.  A classic steakhouse wine.

2018 Andremily Syrah No. 7, USA, California, Wine review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
99
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$149.00USD

This is fast becoming one of my favorite Syrah's.  86% Syrah, 12% Mourvèdre and 2% Viognier.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is awesome with black raspberries, slight iodine, roasted meats and roasted herbs.  Full bodied with firm tannins.  On the palate, lush black raspberry fruit with underlying char and spice.  Long finish.  Delicious.  This is very young and has another 6 to 9 years until peak and should drink well for ten to fifteen more after that.  Still, it is so delicious today, if you have a few, open one.  Great on its own, this will work well with heavier dis

2013 Vie Winery L'Intruse, USA, California, Santa Barbara, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2013
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-

This is 87% Mourvedre, 12% Syrah and 1% Grenache.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has plums, black raspberries, slight spice and some roasted herbs.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this has some depth.  Medium tannins.  Seems to be at peak.  Plenty of plums with a bit of black raspberries and slight peppery note.  Long finish.  Drink over the next five years.  A nice match with a stew on a cooler evening.  

2001 Carver-Sutro Petite Sirah Palisades Vineyard, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2001
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-

Due to a heavy amount of Brettanomyces, this is a love it or hate it wine.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has a ton of barnyard along with boysenberries and char.  Full bodied.  Mature.  On the palate, a few people that tasted this called it "chunky".  Not sure what that means but it is very earthy with some black raspberry fruit.  Good balance.  Having had three bottles now, the cleaner the bottle the better the wine, but I enjoyed them all.  Complex.  Deep.  Drink over the next five to ten years maybe longer for well stored bottles.  It does work well with heavier dishes s

2007 Terry Hoage Vineyards Syrah The Hedge, USA, California, Paso Robles, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2007
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A

Nice to revisit this wine from an excellent vintage.  Still drinking well for those, like me, that enjoy a full throttle Syrah once in a while.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries, black pepper, slight bacon fat, and roasted herbs.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this has juicy black raspberry fruit with lots of depth.  Good lively acidity.  Long finish.  This is full mature but should continue to drink well for another five to ten years.  It works better on its own but will work with big foods.  Spicy Indian foods are a good match.  

2020 Jaffurs Syrah, USA, California, Santa Barbara, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$30.00USD

I tend to buy a case of these every year and drink them all young.  They would last longer, but at least it helps me keep my hands off of the single vineyard wines.  There has been a change in the ownership of the winery but the wines seem to be consistent.  Purple in color opaque and bright.  The nose is great with black raspberries, cedar, black pepper, slight black olive and char.  Full bodied.  Good balance.  This is a riper style of Syrah but not over the top.  On the palate, lots of black raspberry fruit with some char and black pepper.  Nice finish.  Drinks great on its own and would

2017 Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$129.00USD

Beautiful wine!  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is expressive with cassis, slight coffee, plums, spice and a slight floral note.  Full bodied.  Silky but firm tannins.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Drinking great.  Loads of plums and cassis with underlying spice and some chocolate.  Long finish.  This is great on its own and will work well with roasted vegetables or meats.  Drink over the next ten to twelve years.  

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