California

• Amador County
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Very nice vintage for this perennial favorite.  Purple in color with some Ruby swirls.  Mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with black cherries, cassis, spice and slight chocolate.  Full bodied.  On the palate, there is plenty of depth.  Lots of cassis and some black cherry fruit.  Good finish.  This is a delicious wine.  Light tannins.  It drinks great on its own and will work well with food.  Raosted turkey would be a nice match.  Drink over the next ten years.  

A nice Cab from California from this old school producer.  Purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is classic with cassis, slight saddle leather, baking spices and slight cedar.  Medium to full bodied,  On the palate, cassis, some spice with underlying char and a slight herbal note.  Some depth and complexity.  Medium tannins.  Nice finish.  This will continue to age and mature for another seven to ten years.  Great on its own and will work well with a burger or a steak.  

This is a blend of 34% Mourvedre, 33% Zinfandel, 13% Petite Sirah, 12% Syrah, and 8% Tempranillo.  Purple with a few garnet swirls. The nose is great with plums, black cherries, gravel, leather, black pepper, char and cedar.  Some alcohol showing on the nose.  Full bodied. Some tannins.  Deep.  On the palate, plums, black cherries, black pepper, spice and char.  No alcohol showing on the palate but it does have 15.9% abv.  Long finish.  This is delicious.  It drinks great on its own after about twenty minutes.

This is a solid Pinot and very reasonably priced.  Unfortunately, there does seem to be some smokiness to it. Is this related to the fires that ravaged California in 2020? Unknown.  It is a light ruby in color, clear and bright.  The nose has smoke and some nice strawberries with a touch of cranberries.  light bodied.  The palate seems cleaner wit cherries and strawberries.  Moderate finish.  This drinks well on its own and would work well with salmon.  Drink over the next couple of years. 

My first time trying this and what a delightful wine.  11.7% abv.  Light yellow/silvery gold in color, clear and bright.  The nose is clean with minerality and slight citrus.  light bodied.  Good acidity.  On the palate, this is about minerality.  A Californian version of Muscadet.  Good finish.  This drinks well on its own and would be great with oysters or other shellfish.  Drink over the next few years.

Honestly, I love Viognier from the Rhone Valley, but less so the full throttle Viogniers from California (usually with high alcohol).  Despite that disclaimer, I really enjoyed this.  Unique and different as it is.  Golden in color with green swirls.  The nose has green apples, slight floral notes and just a hint of peach.  Nice acidity.  Oily texture.  Light to medium tannins.  On the palate, the apples are present with a light minerality.  Long finish.  This drinks easy on its own and will work with some lighter foods.  Drink over the next five to seven years.  

This is a "second" wine from Mount Eden, one of California's premier wine producers.  Golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose has apples, apple juice, and a slight lemony note.  Medium to full bodied.  Slightly oily texture.  On the palate, there is a sweet tart note with a slight oxidized lemony note.  Moderate acidity.  This is very mature,  not likely to be a pristine bottle, this showed much older than six years.  

This is a rich California Cabernet but given that, more middle of the road in styling.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, cedar, baking spice and slight graphite.  Full bodied.  Lush texture. Firm tannins.  On the palate, this is delicious.  Lots of cassis, some black cherry with underlying char and spice.  Nice finish.  This needs about ten more years until peak, but no harm drinking now.  Drink over the next twenty years.  Great on its own, this needs but food if opening now.  Brisket would work well.  

This is a blend of 53% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Petit Verdot.  It is a delicious wine that is another label different from their Cabernet Sauvignon.  Purple in color with some ruby swirls, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has black cherries, dark chocolate, cassis, plums, cedar and baking spices.  Full bodied.  On the palate, lots of black cherry fruit with some purple fruit over char and spice.  Firm tannins.  Good energy.  Nice finish.  This is drinking well and will probably improve a bit, but either way should drink well for ten to twelve more years.  It drinks well on

After just recently trying the 2018, it was nice to try something with at least a few more years on it.  Just as delicious.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, cedar, char and baking spice.  With air a slight graphite note.  Full bodied.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, lots of cassis, some black cherries and underlying char.  This is drinking well but will continue to develop ad mature over the next eight to ten years.  It should drink well for another ten to fifteen after that.  Great on its own, it needs big food to tame the tannins right now.  It went great wit