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

This was a new wine for me.  Purple in color, magenta at the rim, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is cassis, char and dist.  Light tannins.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, cassis with slight herbs.  This is an easy drinking Cab that seems to be at peak.  It drinks well on its own and would work well with pulled pork.  Drink over the next five years.  

This is a newer wine from Rhys.  It has some similarities to the Rhys style, but it should take a few vintages for Kevin Harvey to zero in on what he is looking for.  Green/gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose has lemons and vanilla along with spices.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this is young, but drinking well.  Lemons and vanilla comes thru.  At this stage, it will be a difficult food match but as it ages it should go nice with salmon or other "steak" fish.  Drink over the next ten years.  

This was a couple of steps better than the 2017.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with black cherries, some raspberries, a bit of bramble and spice.  Medium to full bodied.  On the palate, this is drinking youthfully but delicious.  Light tannins.  Black cherries and some cherry fruit with a bit of baking spice and a bit of black pepper on the finish.  Great on it own, this would work well with grilled meats or fowl.  Drink over the next seven to ten years.  

This is another great value from Paso Robles.  A blend of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Petite Sirah, 2% Syrah and 2% Malbec, this is tasty and a nice value.  Sure to be a crowd pleaser.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is dusty, gravelly with black raspberries and slight black cherries.  Medium tannins.  Some complexity.  Lots of big fruit on the palate - black raspberries and black currants.  Good acidity.  Nice finish.  This should drink well for the next three to six years.  Nice on its own, it will work well with pizza, (veggie)burgers or ribs.  

The Daou brothers have really added to the wine reputation in Paso Robles.  The make mostly Bordeaux varietals at all price points.  This is there inexpensive Chardonnay and it is an excellent value.  Silvery/green/gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose has yellow grapefruits and smoke.  A nice oily texture.  On the palate, lemons, quince and smoke.  Nice acidity.  Long finish.  This drinks easy and is sure to be a crowd pleaser at parties.  Drink over the next couple years.  Nice on its own, it will work well with lighter foods or seafood.  

Ruby with  purple swirls.  The nose is peppery with black cherries, and char.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, black cherries and char.  Some warmth on the finish.  This is a very nice, easy drinking Zin that is middle of the road (between Claret and Fruit Bomb) in style.  Drink over the next seven to ten years.  This will work well with ribs or a burger.  

This is an interesting wine.  It is made by the two brothers who own Daou Vineyards from their very best vines in the mountains west of the 101 Freeway and retails for a very high price.  It is their intention with this wine to show that Paso Robles is also capable of producing world class Cabernet Sauvignon.  It is certainly the highest priced wine from Paso Robles that I have heard of.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is interesting and unique.  Cassis, coffee, iodine, sandalwood, and chicory.   Full bodied but not overblown.  As one would expect from mountain fruit, th

A blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, and 8% Cabernet Franc.  This was pop and pour and is, of course, young and really needs time or a decant.  That said, it is just an incredible wine!  Inky purple in color, shimmering bright and opaque.  The nose has cassis, cedar, blueberries, chocolate and slight spice.  Full bodied.  Lovely velvety yet sinewy texture.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, this is tight.  Cassis, black cherries, vanilla, and slight chocolate and char.  Deep.  Tight layers slowly unwind in the glass.  Long finish.  This needs another decade in a cellar and should dr

Shafer Hillside is a California First Growth.  They produce a lot, every year is amazing quality, and it has a long history.  I often say it is the Chateau Lafite Rothschild of Napa.  It is expensive but for the consistency and quality, it is fairly priced.  Inky purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The expressive nose has cassis, cedar, vanilla, blueberries, and graphite.  Full bodied.   Great texture.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, this is concentrated.  Great energy.  Complex and depth.  Flavors of cassis, blueberries and slight vanilla.  Long finish.  This is still youn

From Magnum.  This is a blend of 75% Grenache, 12.5% Syrah, 11.5% Mourvedre, and 1% Roussanne.  2011 was a difficult vintage, but a bit less so in southern California where these grapes were grown.  Manfred Krankl (the owner and winemaker) did a great job here.  Garnet in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose has black cherries, spice, black olives, white pepper and dried flowers (violets?).  Medium tannins.  This is a big wine on the palate.  Black cherries, licorice, with some char.  Long finish.  This is delicious.  It needs another five to eight years to get to peak and s