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

2017 Lagier Meredith Syrah, USA, California, Napa, Mt. Veeder, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-

These usually take time but given the vintage, this is drinking well already.  Purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with black raspberry fruit, black pepper, and a touch of black olive.  Medium to full bodied.  On the palate, this has a great texture.  The wine is tight but opens with a couple of hours of air.  Black raspberry fruit over a char/dry earthy base.  Great acidity and energy.  Long finish.  This should continue to get better for the next five to seven years and drink well for seven to ten more after that.  It will work well with meats, a lamb stew would b

2014 Palazzo Right Bank Proprietary Red Reserve, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2014
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$80.00USD

This is a Napa wine made in the style of a right bank Bordeaux blend.  Mostly Merlot with some Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.  Purple/ruby in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is nice with cherries, black cherries, slight chocolate, cigar box and slight earthy funk.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this has light tannins.  Flavors of black cherries, some spice with underlying earthiness.  Good balance.  Delicious.  Nice finish.  This is drinking well now but may still get better as it matures.  Drink over the next ten to twelve years.  This drinks well on its own and will work

2013 Denner Stratus, USA, California, Paso Robles, Willow Creek, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2013
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A

This is 100% Mourvedre according to the back label.  Gorgeous wine but I am very partial to Mourvedre wines.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with black raspberries, slight plums, spice, black pepper and char.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this needs some air to open fully.  Lots of black raspberry fruit over and earthy and smoky base.  Great liveliness.  Good acidity.  Light tannins.  Long finish.  This may still improve a bit but no harm drinking now and over the next twelve to fifteen years.  Great on its own, this would work well with Indian foods or most stews.  

2013 Turnbull Cabernet Sauvignon Black Label, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2013
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A

An excellent wine.  Deep purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is classic with cassis, baking spice, cedar and slight roasted herbs.  Full bodied.  On the palate, the cassis comes thru with cedar underneath.  Tannic but mellows with air.  Long finish.  This is drinking quite well and should continue to do so for another 12 to fifteen years.  It drinks great on its own and would also work with roasted brisket.  

2013 Rivers-Marie Cabernet Sauvignon Lore Vineyard, USA, California, Napa, Oakville, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2013
Score: 
98
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$200.00USD

This is a single vineyard Cabernet from a Thomas Rivers Brown home winery.  Just gorgeous if a bit young.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has blueberries, cassis, baking spice, slight asphalt and cedar.  Full bodied.  Medium tannins.  On the palate, the blueberries and cassis come thru though quite concentrated.  Underlying char and slight earthiness.  Great energy and balance.  Long finish.  Still quite young and this should get even better.  Hold (if you can) for a few more years and drink over the next 20 to 25 years.  Great on its own (with some air) or drink with so

2013 Apsara Cellars Syrah Las Madres Vineyard, USA, California, Carneros, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2021
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-

This is a lovely cooler climate Syrah made in a more elegant, lower alcohol style.  Purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has boysenberries, white pepper and slight char.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, there is nice black raspberry fruit with mild tannins.  Some underlying earthiness and char.  Good acidity.  Nice finish.  This seemed to be about at peak but shoudl drink well for another five to seven years.  It works better with food.  This will work well with pastrami or other "deli" meats.  

2009 Bedrock Wine Co. Syrah T Block Hudson Vineyard, USA, California, Carneros, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2009
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A

This took a while to come around, but it is finally showing the promise it showed on release.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries, black pepper, a touch of black olives and sandalwood.  Full bodied.  Lovely acidity.  On the palate, great black raspberry fruit with underlying earthiness.  Concentrated fruit that unwinds in the glass.  Nice finish.  This appears to be at or close to prime and should continue to  drink well for 8 to ten more years.  A nice wine on its own and will work well with roasted meats, fowl or veggies.  

2019 Rivers-Marie Chardonnay Sonoma Coast, USA, California, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$40.00USD

I am a big fan of the RM Chardonnays.  This is the "generic" non-single vineyard offering.  It might be a hair less than those others but it is also less expensive and an outstanding wine on its own.  Light gold with some green swirls, shimmering bright.  The nose is classic with lemons, vanilla, slight chalk and a hint of mint.  Full bodied but with cut.  Lots of energy.  On the palate, this is delicious right from the go.  Lemons, vanilla, slight spice with a long finish.  Great texture.  Young, of course, but this should easily do another ten years as it matures.  Might even get better. 

2015 Unti Vineyards Cuvée Foudre, USA, California, Sonoma, Dry Creek Valley, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-

This is a blend of 38% Grenache, 33% Mourvedre, and 29% Syrah.  Purple in color with ruby at the rim, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has cherries, black raspberries, slight char and a bit of anise.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this is nice.  Not over done.  Notes of black cherries, black raspberries and plums with a slight underlying char.  Good energy.  Nice finish.  Drinking well now, it should continue to do so for the next seven to ten years.  A nice wine to have on its own or with a burger or ribs off the grill.  

2018 Mount Veeder Winery Cabernet Sauvignon, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$48.00USD

Beautiful showing for this stalwart of Napa.  What a great vintage.  Consumed over two nights, it was even better on night 2.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is classic with cassis, black cherries, cedar, leather and spice.  Full bodied.  On the palate, lots of cassis and black cherry fruit with an underlying dry earthiness.  Still a fair amount of oak and tannins - it is young.  This should get better over the next five years and drink well for ten to twelve after that.  That said, it is delicious today.  Given the price of Napa Cabs, at MSRP of $48, this is priced attractiv

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