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, 30% Grenache, and 22% Mourvedre from the west side of Paso Robles. Inky purple in color, opaque and bright. The nose is deep with black raspberries, roasted meats, roasted herbs, black pepper and earthiness. Full bodied. Medium tannins. Juicy acidity. On the palate, this is delicious. Deep. flavors of black raspberries, slight blueberries, char, slight dark chocolate and earthiness. Long finish. This is delicious on its own and will work with bigger foods. It will work well with Koren BBQ. Drink over the next ten to twenty years.
This is a blend of 95% Syrah and 5% Viognier from the Hudson Vineyard in Carneros. Inky purple in color, opaque and bright. The nose is great with black raspberries, bacon fat, roasted meats, milk chocolate and spice. Full bodied. Medium tannins. Good acidity and balance. On the palate, this is delicious (and serious) with black raspberry fruit, chocolate, black pepper and char. Long finish. This drinks well on its own and will work with bigger, heavier foods. It would go very well Carne Asada. drink over the next five to ten years.
This white wine from California checks in at 15.5% abv. It is a blend of 33% Chardonnay, 27% Viognier, 24% Gelber Muskateller, 12% Roussanne, and the rest Petit Manseng. Light golden in color with some green hues, clear and bright. The nose has peaches, wax, almonds, honey and a bit of alcohol. Full bodied. Good energy. On the palate, this is a big white wine. Big flavors of peach, apricots, almonds, and honey. Long finish. It drinks great on its own and if pairing with food, it will need big flavors. It would go well with pork chops. Drink over the next ten years.
A very nice Syrah from Santa Maria in southern California. Purple in color, opaque and bright. The nose has black raspberries, black pepper, slight roasted meats, and slight violets. Full bodied. Medium tannins. On the palate, this has bold fruit. Flavors of black raspberries with some black pepper and char. Great texture. Long finish. This is drinking well now if still youthful. Drink over the next ten to fifteen years. It's great on its own and will work nicely with Roasted vegetable.
This is a blend of 85% Zinfandel and 15% Alicante Bouschet. Purple in color, opaque and bright. The nose is nice with black raspberries, slight plums, black pepper and a bit of char. Full bodied. Medium tannins. Great balance and energy. On the palate, this is tasty. Flavors of black raspberries, some raspberries and a bit of bramble. Long finish. This is drinking well now on its own and will work with spicy foods. BBQ Ribs would be a nice match. Drink over the next five to ten years.
One of my favorite Napa Cabs, it was nice to try a Materium with some age on it from a very good if not great vintage. Inky purple in color with a thin ruby rim, opaque and bright. The nose is great with cassis, cedar, graphite and char. Great texture. Medium to firm tannins. On the palate, this is not quite at peak but getting there. Layers of cassis with some minerality and char. Long finish. Delicious. This is great on its own and will work well with heavy meaty dishes such as Prime Rib. Drink over the next ten to fifteen years.
