Expert articles and wine tasting videos profiling wines from California, California wine regions, Napa Valley, Sonoma County, & more.
This is a blend of 48% Syrah, 21% Mourvedre, 20% Grenache, 10% Petite Sirah, and 1% Roussane from California's Central Coast. Inky purple in color, opaque and bright. The nose is great with black raspberries, grilled meats, plums, roasted herbs, and char. Full bodied. High energy.
This wine has aged brilliantly. Golden in color, slightly deeper, clear and bright. The nose is great with vanilla, lemon crème, and a slight butterscotch note. Full bodied. Deep and complex. Good balance. On the palate, the vanilla and lemon are joined with some grapefruits. Long finish. Delicious. Drink over the next five to eight years.
An interesting Pinot Noir from Potter Valley in northern California. Ruby in color, clear and bright. The nose has cherries and some rhubarb. Slight bubble gum note. Medium bodied. On the palate, nice cherry fruit. Drinks easy. Nice finish. Drink over the next eight to ten years.
Another outstanding wine from Carlisle. This one is a bit more playful than some, but just as enjoyable. At least as good, if not better on Day 2. Deep garnet in color with purple swirls. Opaque and bright. The nose is nice with black raspberries, slight black olive, spice and roasted herbs. Full bodied. Lots of energy. On the palate, nice black raspberry fruit with underlying spice and char. Nice complexity. Light but present tannins. Nice finish. A really enjoyable bottle. Drank great on its own and worked with with a mushroom and potato dish. Drink over the next seven to te
Always one of the best chardonnay's made anywhere! This vintage is no exception. Light golden in color with slight green hues. The nose is classic Rhys: Vanilla, lemon cream, and slight bakers spices. Full bodied. This was drinking well from the beginning. The palate has lemon cream and vanilla with a touch of spice/oak. Good acidity. Long finish. Delicious. This drinks great on its own and perfect with a Caprese salad. In my experience, these drink well for a few years and then shut down a bit before re-emerging at age eight or so. They drink well for another ten after that.
Purple/Ruby in color, mostly opaque and bright. The nose is dusty with some cassis. Light nose overall. Medium bodied. On the palate, this starts out sweet then shows some cassis and slight graphite notes. Firm tannins. Good acidity. An interesting charred Rosemary on the finish. Overall, an inexpensive California Cab that will please those looking for a wine to drink on the back patio or to serve at parties. It probably drinks better on its own, but if serving with food, BBQ Ribs would be hearty enough to match well.
A delicious, easy drinking value in California Merlot. This is a blend of 76% Merlot, 12% Petit Verdot, 10% Malbec, 2% Petite Sirah. Deep garnet in color, mostly opaque and bright. The nose has cherries, menthol, and baking spices. With air, some black cherries emerge. Full bodied with a velvety texture. Medium to firm tannins. On the palate, black cherry fruit with a bit of milk chocolate. Long, tannic finish. This should drink well for the next five to seven years. It drinks well on its own, and would work great with a (veggie) burger.
This is a very nice, inexpensive California Rosé. Bright pink in color with some copper hues, clear and bright. The nose is fragrant with peaches and cherries. Somewhat viscous texture which is nice. On the palate, this has the perception of sweetness but drinks dry. Cherries with slight acidity. Nice finish. This drinks easy on its own but will also work well with lighter foods. It would be a nice match with chicken salad. Fun packaging.
This is a serious Rose made from Pinot Noir grapes in California. Very pale orange/pink in color, clear and bright. The nose has light strawberries and some watermelon. A nice, slightly oily texture. The palate has nice strawberries. Very clean. Refreshing. Nice finish. This drinks well on its own and would work well with foods. Grilled salmon would be a nice choice.
This is a great value in an easy to drink white that has some personality. Very pale in color, light gold, clear and bright. The nose is clean with a bit of mango, slight grassy note and slight citrus. A lovely almost velvety texture. Light tannins. Dry. Semi crisp on the palate. Tropical fruit notes with a slight herbal note on the back end. This improved over two days.
