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

2016 Cornerstone Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-

This is a solid Napa Cab for "reasonable" Napa prices.  Purple in color, garnet at the rim, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with cassis, baking spices and a touch of graphite.  Medium to full bodied.  On the palate, nice cassis fruit.  Medium tannins.  This won't get better but should continue to mature for a few years.  Drink over the next ten to twelve.  This drinks well on its own and will work well with a burger or roast.  

2017 Turley Zinfandel Fredericks Vineyard, USA, California, Sonoma Valley, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$45.00USD

This is a big-ish Zin in style especially for Sonoma.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose is nice with black raspberries, black cherries and slight bramble.  A bit of pepper, too.  Full bodied.  Good acidity.  On the palate, there is nice black raspberry fruit with some cherries.  Underlying spices.  Pepper on the finish.  It worked well with Thai food but will drink well on its own too.  Drink over the next seven to ten years.  

2014 Torrin Syrah Shadow Canyon Vineyard, USA, California, York Mountain, Paso Robles, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2014
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$70.00USD

My first time trying this particular vineyard although Torrin is a favorite.  100% Syrah.  Purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with boysenberries and some black pepper.  On the palate, medium tannins.  Nice black raspberry fruit.  Some depth.  Good finish.  An outstanding wine, but not up to the rarefied air of other vineyards in the Torrin lineup.  It should still improve a bit as it continues to mature over the next five years and drink well for ten more after that.  This probably would be helped by some fatty fried foods or meats.

2011 Pride Mountain Vineyards Merlot, USA, California, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2011
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$50.00USD

This is from grapes that are grown 63% IN Napa and 37% in Sonoma.  It also contains 7% Cabernet Sauvignon.  This was a difficult vintage, yet this is a nice wine.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has black cherries and coffee.  Also a hint of clove.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, black cherries and cherries with some underlying spice.  A slight green note on the finish.  Nice acidity.  The fruit is not under ripe but just barely.  This drinks well but will work better with food.  Fried chicken might be nice.  Drink over the next few years. 

2017 Turley Zinfandel Juvenile, USA, California, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
89
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$40.00USD

This is a Zinfandel made from younger vines that have been replanted in 24 different vineyards.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose is dusty with black cherry fruit and spice.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, the black cherry fruit and spices come thru.  There is some heat on the mid-palate.  Very tasty.  Drink over the next five years.  This drinks well on its own and will work well with barbecue or foods off the grill.  

2017 Stags' Leap Petite Sirah, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$47.00USD

This bottle was singing with a little air.  Inky purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has boysenberries, a touch of char with an earthy note and a slight menthol note on the back end.  Full bodied with a great texture.  The palate has boysenberry fruit and black pepper with underlying char.  deep yet already accessible.  This is a big hearty wine but compared to prior vintages this seems to be maturing, or at least opening, a bit faster.  Nothing wrong with that especially for Petite.  Delicious.  This should continue to open and mature and drink well for the next ten to fif

2015 Realm Cellars The Falstaff, USA, California, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
97
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$210.00USD

Great showing for this wine.  Pop and pour, it took a couple of hours to really get going.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is great with cassis, cedar, slight black cherries and minerality.  Full bodied but not over blown.  Firm tannins.  On the palate, precise cassis with under lying minerality.  It grows in the glass.  Long finish.  Delicious.  This is still young and needs about seven to ten more years until peak.  It should be good for another fifteen to twenty after that.  It drinks well on its own and will work great with heartier fare such as pot roast.  

2018 Cline Cellars Zinfandel Ancient Vines, USA, California, Contra Costa County, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
88
Grade: 
B+
Current Price: 
$15.00USD

This is always a go to value wine.  Amazing?  No.  But solid, dependable and tasty.  Purple/Ruby in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is nice with cherries, some black cherries, slight cedar and vanilla.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, cherries with a peppery note.  Moderate finish.  This is easy drinking with no edges.  It works nicely on its own and would work well with burgers off the grill.  Drink over the next three to five years.  

2016 Calla Lily Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Ultimate Red, USA, Napa, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2016
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-

This continues to be one of my go to wines for reasonably priced Napa reds.  It is a blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon with the rest made up of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot.  Deep garnet in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has cassis, baking spices, slight oak, and a bit of leather.  Medium to full bodied. On the palate, there is nice cassis fruit with underlying earthiness.  Medium finish.  This should continue to drink well for the next eight to twelve years.  It drinks well on its own and would be a nice match with roasts.  

2019 Bedrock Wine Co. Zinfandel Schmiedt Road, USA, California, Lodi, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$40.00USD

Grabbed this one by accident (thinking it was the Sonoma County Zin).  Oh well.  A bit different and very good.  No harm done. A bit more spread out and wider, if that makes sense, than their Sonoma Zins.   Deep garnet/purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is upfront with black cherries, raspberries, bramble and baking spices.  Medium to full bodied.  On the palate, nice black cherries and raspberries.  Some underlying char.  Lively.  Good finish.  This should drink well for the next seven to ten years.  A nice match for pizza or a burger. 

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