2015 Palazzo Red Cuvee, USA, California, Napa - Wine Review

This is blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and 25% Cabernet Franc from fruit that was "declassified" from the top barrels. It is meant to be more of a value offering. Purple/ruby in color. The nose has sandalwood, cedar, clay and cherries. Also a bit of tarragon. Medium bodied. Firm tannins turning drying at the end. On the palate, sour cherries. Some depth. Good finish. There is some upside and this is young and should improve a bit.

Grade:

A-

Score:

Napa Valley California

Napa Valley’s Top Ten "Best Kept Secret" Wineries

BEST OFF-THE-BEATEN-PATH NAPA TASTING ROOMS After having visited numerous renowned wineries, many of us are looking for the hidden gems within the Napa Valley. Good wines are certainly valued, but the entire experience a winery provides leaves guests wanting to return and telling their friends and family to visit. Each winery listed in this article has some special draw, whether it’s art, architecture, ambiance, gardens or compelling history.

Read full article

50 California Central Coast Wines You Should Be Drinking Right Now

The California Central Coast, identified as Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo (and its main wine region Paso Robles) and Monterey is California the way it used to be, or at the very least, California the way people want it to be: small towns, charming architecture, varied history of Missions and Indians, and coastlines for miles; a slow pace, clean air and a belief that no one real really works very hard. But the area has been home to grape growing since the Spanish brought vine cuttings from Spain via Mexico in the late 1700s and winemakers and vineyard managers have been working hard ever since. To celebrate this beautiful region IntoWine.com offers these 50 wines that represent the diversity of the California Central Coast.

Read full article

Top 75 California Wines to Try Before You Quit Drinking (a non-dump bucket list if you will!)

In my last article, I listed the Top 75 French Wines to Try Before You Quit Drinking . In this article I look at the “non-dump bucket” list for wines from California. This proved to be a different task. First, very few wineries have a long track record of making great wine. Secondly, while California is diverse, it does not have the diversity of climates and terroir and grape varietals of France. Still, it does produce some of the best wines in the world and any wine lover should make it a point to try as many of them as they can. Here is my list: 1. Shafer Hillside Select Cabernet Sauvignon – It’s hard to pick the first wine. This one is a great wine in every vintage and has been for a long time. Expensive but still possible to afford and made in large enough quantities to be found in grocery stores. Every lover of Cabernet should try this once.

Read full article

Green Wineries: Three Eclectic Examples

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA WINERIES GO ORGANIC, SUSTAINABLE AND BIODYNAMIC From large to small, northern California wineries are starting to color their operations green, whether by organically growing their grapes, practicing sustainable activities or creating biodynamic environments.

Read full article

Cabernet Franc: Talking with John Skupny of Lang & Reed

These days, whenever I mention that I picked up a bottle of Cabernet Franc during one of my tasting trips, I always get a knowing nod of approval from my fellow wine enthusiasts. Cabernet Franc is definitely gaining attention among American consumers, and it has slowly begun to emerge as more than just a mere blending grape for Cabernet Sauvignon. I’ve pondered Cabernet Franc’s recent rise in popularity, and have developed a theory regarding the varietal’s growing niche within the American market: Over the past 30 years, U.S. consumers have come to accept Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot as two of the standards among fine red wine.

Read full article

2015 Palazzo Red Cuvee, USA, California, Napa - Wine Review

Food and Wine Pairing Tool

Related Articles

Napa Valley’s Top Ten "Best Kept Secret" Wineries

50 California Central Coast Wines You Should Be Drinking Right Now

Top 75 California Wines to Try Before You Quit Drinking (a non-dump bucket list if you will!)

Green Wineries: Three Eclectic Examples

Cabernet Franc: Talking with John Skupny of Lang & Reed