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

2010 Lokoya Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2010
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$348.00USD

Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is very tight, but with air it shows cassis, blueberries, spice and slight mocha notes.  full bodied.  Firm tannins.  Very concentrated.  On the palate, black cherries, cassis, blueberries and mocha.  A bit of menthol on the finish.  Long finish.  This needs time or a few hours in a decanter but it is quite good.  Maybe another three to five years of cellaring and drink for fifteen to twenty after that.  Great on its own, it will need big, fatty foods such as prime rib. 

2012 Screaming Eagle Second Flight, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2012
Score: 
97
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$825.00USD

This wine is now called simply The Flight to prevent any confusion from thinking this is a second wine.  It normally has a more significant percentage of Merlot, but in 2012, it is actually 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot, and 9% Cabernet Franc.  Beautiful wine.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose has black cherries, cassis, cherries, graphite and slight black olives.  Full bodied.  Silky but rich texture.  Great depth and balance.  On the palate, black cherries, mocha, slight char and spice.  Long finish.  Delicious.  Medium tannins.  This is drinking well no

2019 Aubert Pinot Noir UV Vineyard, USA, California, Sonoma Coast, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$140.00USD

Beautiful example of a non-full throttle California Pinot Noir.  Purple at its core, ruby toward the edge as it sits in the glass.  The nose takes some time to open up and then cherries, strawberries, black cherries with some herbal notes and slight spice.  Full bodied.  On the palate, black cherries, cherries, slight cedar, and a bit of tarragon on the finish.  Great texture.  Long finish.  Intense.  This could use time or a few hours in a decanter but is drinking well with some air.  It should drink well for the next twenty years.  It would work great with roasted fowl.  

2014 Calla Lily Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Ultimate Red, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2014
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-

Ruby in color with some purple swirls, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with cassis, spice and char.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, plenty of cassis fruit.  Not overblown.  Also, some underlying char and slight leather.  Solid finish.  This is drinking well now and should continue for another ten years.  A great choice with a burger off the grill.  

2021 Flora Springs Soliloquy White, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2021
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$60.00USD

This is a blend of 73% Sauvignon Blanc, 15% Malvasia and 12% Chardonnay from Napa.  Having tasted the last few vintages, this just keeps getting better and better.  One of my favorite white wines from Napa.  Green/silvery/gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose is great with tropical fruits, slight grassy note, and a bit of spice.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, peach guava, with slight chalk.  Good balance.  Long finish.  Drink over the next five to seven years.  This great on its own and would work well with trout or tuna off the grill.

2014 Notre Vin Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2014
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A

This is a wine made by the late Dennis Malbec who left way too young.  The wine is purple in color, slight ruby rim, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with cassis, spice, leather, char and slight black cherries.  full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, lots of cassis with underlying spice and char.  This is drinking well now but should continue to mature and drink well over the next twelve to fifteen years.  Great on its own, this will need some big fatty food such as a steak or roast.  

2020 Bedrock Wine Co. Syrah, USA, California, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$25.00USD

Another great value, this is Bedrock's basic Syrah.  Every year it is so good and ready to drink.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries, black pepper and roasted herbs.  Full bodied.  Good balance.  On the palate, this has juicy black raspberries with some spice and black pepper.  Light tannins.  Nice mouthfeel.  Good finish.  Drinking well now and will continue over the next ten years.  Great on its own, this is perfect with Indian cuisine.  

2013 Torrin Akasha, USA, California, Paso Robles, Willow Creek, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2013
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A

This is 95% Syrah and 5% Grenache and drinking beautifully.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries, black pepper, and roasted meats and herbs.  Full bodied.  Good acidity.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Deep but the layers unwind in the glass.  Probably not quite at peak but getting close.  Medium tannins.  Long finish.  This should continue to drink well for another twelve to fifteen years.  Great on its own, this would work great with roasted veggies off the grill.  

2017 Neal Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain Estate, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$100.00USD

Bottle #5041.  In contrast to the regular 2018, this one is drinking great.  Such is the nature of the vintage.  While perhaps not a top vintage, it was better than many people say and the wines are so much more accessible young while still being delicious and complex.  That seems to be even more true with mountain fruit that is typically more concentrated than valley floor fruit.  The label lists 14.5%abv.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, spice, clay and chocolate.  Firm tannins.  Good acidity.  On the palate, this is very drinkable.  Cassis, chocolate and some sp

2018 Neal Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$60.00USD

Consumed over three nights, I much preferred it on night 3.  On opening this showed a lot of oak and some heat.  By night three, the oak had integrated, the heat mellowed and it was a delicious Napa Cabernet.  This is made from a combination of Howell Mountain fruit and Rutherford Dust Vineyard Cabernet.  Purple in color with some ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose is initially cedar and spice, but by night 3 there is cassis, cocoa powder, some cedar and a slight saddle leather note.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  Moderate acidity.  On the palate, by night 3, the tannins had integ

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