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 is an exceptional California Merlot.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has cherries, slight plums, chocolate, cedar and spice.  Full bodied.  On the palate, cherries, milk chocolate, smoke and spice.  Medium tannins.  Still very primary, this should continue to mature for the next five to ten years and be good for another ten after that.  Drinks great on its own, it would work well with a burger or roast.  

One of the more humorous labels in the wine world (check it out).  It is a bland of 52% Grenache, 35% Cinsault, and 13% Syrah.  This is much less robust than prior vintages of this wine.  Deep ruby in color.  The nose has cherries, bitter cherries, baking spices and black pepper.  On the palate, this is medium bodied.  Plenty of cherry fruit with underlying char and spice.  Nice finish.  This is drinking well now and should continue for seven to ten years.  It worked well with a curry dish and will work better with food.  

This is another big, bold red from the Prisoner Wine Company.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  It is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Syrah, and Merlot.  The nose has cassis, black cherries, chocolate, baking spices and slight cedar notes.  Full bodied.  On the palate, there is some varietal complexity but mostly just up front fruit.  Delicious.  Black cherries and black raspberries with medium tannins.  This probably should be consumed over the next three to five years.  

This is a very light and elegant Pinot Noir.  For those liking that style, this will be a hit.  For those who like a full throttle wine, this might be found lacking.  Light ruby in color.  The nose has cherries with some depth.  On the palate, great acidity. Bright cherry fruit.  Complex and delicious.  Elegant.  Nice finish.  This should continue to develop for the next ten years or so and drink well for another ten after that.  It will work better with food.  Crab cakes would be a nice match.  

In a recent blind tasting of 10 Santa Barbara Pinots, this was the groups favorite and my #2.  A very impressive showing.  Medium ruby in color.  The nose has black cherries and sour cherries.  On the palate, this is big a fruity but with some depth.  Cherries and sour cherries come thru with a touch of mint.  Lovely texture.  Long finish.  This drinks easy on it own but will also work well with salmon or fowl.  Drink over the next ten to twelve years.  

Medium to dark ruby in color.  The nose has black cherries, very clean.  On the palate, this is sweet and jammy cherries.  Easy drinking.  Very big.  A hedonistic style of Pinot Noir.  If one likes that style, this should be right up your alley.  Drink over the next ten years.  This will work well with roasted fowl.  

Deep ruby in color, clear and bright.  The nose has black cherries and slight menthol.  Medium to full bodied.  Very smooth drinking.  The black cherries come thru to the palate.  Very tasty.  Nice finish.  This is on the lusher style of Pinots.  It should be consumed in the next five to ten years.  A nice match for roasted duck.  

This is an affordable Pinot Noir from Santa Barbara.  Light ruby in color.  The nose is clean with cherries.  On the palate, this is light bodied.  Cherry fruit.  Mild.  Easy drinking.  Drink this in the next years or two.  Nice on its own or with lighter salads.  

Another disappointing wine from this winery that has since changed ownership and winemakers.  Medium ruby in color.  The nose has cherries and a whiff of bay leaf.  On the palate, this is thin and simple.  Not much body or depth.  Certainly drinkable but for this kind of money (about $50 on release), one expects more.  Drink now.  It probably should be served with lighter salads and with a chill.  

This is a very nice value wine from the Etude Winery.  It retails for about $20 (less in some places) and it very good.  Light to medium ruby in color.  The nose has black cherries with slight saline notes.  On the palate, this has juicy cherry fruit.  A slight salinity carries thru.  Nice finish.  It can be easy to dismiss a wine at this price range, but consumed blind among 10 Santa Barbara Pinots, this finished in the middle of the pack.  It probably should be consumed over the next three to five years.  Nice on its own, it would be a nice match with grilled salmon.