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 took about 30 minutes to blow off bottle stink and open after removing the cork.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries, smoke and a nice earthiness.  Full bodied.  On the palate, black cherries and black raspberries with a bit of smoke and underlying minerality.  The tannins are all resolved and this is ready to drink.  Good balance.  Long finish.  Drink over the next five years.  It drinks great on its own and will work well with foods off the grill (although not sea food).  

Golden, maybe a bit deeper in color, clear and bright.  The nose has lemons, lemon drop candies, spice and slight vanilla note.  Full bodied with a slightly oily texture.  Nice acidity.  On the palate, lemons, lemon curd, with vanilla.  Long finish.  This has more depth and complexity than the 2012 consumed at alongside.  It will continue to mature for the next seven to ten years and drink well for another seven to ten after that if well stored.  Great on its own, this will work well with pork chops or roasted chicken.  

Nice to revisit this with some age on it. Yellow-gold in color with slight green hues, clear and bright.  The nose is the same; vanilla, lemon crème, and minerals.  Medium to full bodied.  Good acidity.  On the palate, lemons, lemon curd and slight vanilla.  Long finish.  This tastes mature but very similar to how it tasted on release.  More depth, less energy.  Not sure where it goes from here but another five years and probably ten.  Great on its own, this will work well with salmon or tuna steaks.   

Nice to re-visit this wine.  This is a nice value in Napa Cabs although still not a cheap bottle by any means.  Made by the people who make Fait-Main wines.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with cassis, black cherries, chocolate, and some spice.  Full bodied.  On the palate, lots of cassis and black cherries and also some chocolate.  Good finish.  Served blind, I thought Merlot but it seems this is 100% Cab from various Napa vineyards.  It drinks great on its own and will continue to do so for another decade.  It will work well with roasted meat or fowl.  

This is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with some Merlot, Syrah, Malbec, Petite Sirah, and Charbono.  It is a big wine in the style of the Prisoner but perhaps a bit more "serious" if that makes sense.  Inky purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, black cherries, cedar, dark chocolate, baking spices and slight coffee notes.  Full bodied.

Hard to believe this wine has been made for twenty years now.  It is a proprietary blend of red grapes that has thrilled its audience consistently and the 2019 is no exception.  Inky purple in color, garnet at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries, black cherries, figs, baking spices and slight bramble notes.  Full bodied.  Juicy acidity. Medium tannins.

This is a Pinot Noir from the Sonoma Coast.  It fits nicely into The Prisoner Wine Company's portfolio.  Deep ruby in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is big with bold cherry and black cherry fruit.  There is also some spice and a touch of cola notes.  Full bodied with a lovely texture.  On the palate, the ripe cherry fruit comes thru with underlying vanilla and spice. Very tasty.  Long finish.  This drinks great on its own and will work with bolder foods from Salmon to pork.  Drink over the next five to seven years.  

This is Chardonnay with some Roussanne, and Gewürztraminer added from California.  Imagine if the Prisoner Wine Company made a Chard, this is just what you would expect.  And they did and it is.  Light yellow gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose has vanilla, spice, baked apples and slight caramel.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this has plenty of apples with some vanilla and spice.  This is a big and bold (as opposed to crisp and clean) style of Chardonnay and should be very popular among those who like that style (and there are many).  Expect to see this popping up a lot at parties th

Sometimes, one grabs the wrong bottle by accident from the cellar.  Such was the fate of this bottle.

Every time I drink Epoch wines I wonder why I don't buy more.  They are expensive but given the quality, they are appropriately priced to the competition.  They are also outstanding!  This one is a blend of 36% Petite Sirah, 30% Syrah, 22% Mourvèdre, and 12% Grenache.  It is very young and would be well served by further cellaring.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with black raspberries, black cherries, char, black pepper, spice and roasted herbs and meats.  Full bodied with firm tannins.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Chunky black raspberries and black cherr