California

• Amador County
  • Shenandoah Valley
• Carmel Valley
• Carneros
• Central Coast
  • Edna Valley
  • Mt. Harlan
  • Paso Robles
• Contra Costa County
• El Dorado County
• Lake County
• Lodi
• Mendocino
  • Anderson Valley
  • Yorkville Highlands
• Monterey
• Napa Valley
  • Atlas Peak
  • Best of Napa
  • Calistoga
  • Conn Valley
  • Diamond Mountain
  • Howell Mountain
  • Mt. Veeder
  • Oak Knoll
  • Oakville
  • Pope Valley
  • Rutherford
  • Spring Mountain
  • St. Helena
  • Stags Leap
  • Yountville
• North Coast
• Santa Barbara
  • Santa Lucia Highlands
  • Santa Rita Hills
  • Santa Ynez Valley
• Santa Cruz
• Santa Maria Valley
• Sierra Foothills
• Sonoma County
  • Alexander Valley
  • Bennett Valley
  • Best of Sonoma
  • Dry Creek Valley
  • Fort Ross/Seaview
  • Moon Mountain
  • Pine Mountain - Cloverdale Peak
  • Russian River Valley
  • Sonoma Coast
  • Sonoma Mountain
  • Sonoma Valley
  • Knights Valley

This took some time to open and showed a better on day 2.  Light golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with smoke, minerals butterscotch, and a touch of grapefruits.  Medium to full bodied.  On the palate, the minerality comes thru along with some citrus.  Very clean finish.  This drinks nicely on its own but much better with some food to bring out the subtleties.  Salmon or heavier seafood dishes would work well.  Drink over the next three to five years.  There is an upside to cellaring.  

A very nice value in California Chardonnay.  This does see just a touch of oak and partially went thru Malolactic fermentation giving the wine a bit more roundness and accessibility.  Light golden in color.  The nose has yellow grapefruits, and a touch of green apples.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, the yellow grapefruit comes thru along with a bit of tropical fruit.  Nice acidity.  Drinks easy.  This drinks well on its own and would be a nice summer sipper on the deck.  It will work well with salmon or lighter salads.  Drink over the next few years.  

This is an outstanding value in off dry wines.  Golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose is a bit candied with lychees, honeysuckle and slight peach notes.  Slightly viscous texture.  On the palate, this drinks very easy with lychees and peaches.  Slight tannins.  It improved with about 30 minutes of air.  Long finish.  This drinks great on its own for those who enjoy a bit of sweetness.  It will work great with Thai or other spicy Asian foods.  Drink over the next few years.  

One of the great values in Zinfandel.  Purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is great with black cherries, spice and bramble.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, this has lots of energy.  Black cherries, some blueberries, spice and smoke.  Great acidity.  Delicious.  Nice finish.  This will probably drink well for ten to twelve years, but I always seem to drink these young.  No regrets about that.  Great on its own, this will be great with roasted veggies or a garden (or meat) burger.  

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

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

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.  

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.  

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

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.