Wine Recommendations

“Great wines reflect the relationship between a vineyard and the people who are its stewards,” says Peter Heitz, winemaker at Turnbull. “We have been farming our vineyards for decades, so, when we make our wines, we do so with integrity and respect.” That philosophy is clearly evidenced in this...

This is a definitive pinot noir from Ram’s Gate and the Russian River Valley. It offers lovely and soft strawberry, red raspberry and plum notes, hints of lavender, lingonberry, black cherry and rose water. There is a velvety tactile weight on the palate, balanced by the proper acidity and...

Take vines that are 30 years old, grow them in clay soils in one of the best growing regions in the world, add a dash of residual sugar and light carbonation. This La Serra moscato d’asti is the result - a joyful wine that’s simply fun to drink. With a timid frizzante, this well balanced wine...

The biggest complaint I hear is that Napa cabernets are too expensive. And yes, some are. But there are some that fly under the radar, like Martini. Though the winery dates back to 1933, they were making other wines for church use and home winemaking before and during Prohibition. Once Prohibition...

Tuscany is undoubtedly one of Italy’s most important wine regions. Super Tuscans and Brunello’s command high prices, however Tuscany also produces an array of wines from lesser-known regions like this excellent Lagone. Comprised of 60% merlot, 30% cabernet sauvignon, and 10% cabernet franc, this...

Duckhorn excels at merlot, that’s no surprise. They have been one of the very few wineries who understood its potential and stuck with this often maligned grape for decades. Good thing, too. The Rector Creek iteration starts with an impressive viscosity, as if it’s been in the cellar already for a...

Unashamedly, I am a fan of Dow’s. The first thing you notice with this 20YO Port is the brick red color of the wine. This is not a young fresh wine that screams ruby red color. The 20 years has been kind to this wine. The first whiff on the nose is sugared almond, raspberry compote, and black...

The great thing about many Italian wines is that they are actually created with food in mind. The 35-40 year-old vines from which this wine was made are in that sweet spot; mature and giving off tremendous fruit. Made with nebbiolo it offers light cherry, black cherry, plum and blackberry notes...

Acumen was born in 2012 with vineyards on Atlas Peak in the Napa Valley. They started two labels, Acumen, and PEAK, the latter focusing on small lot production of mountain grown wines. Which brings us to the 2016 Cabernet from their Edcora Vineyard. Acumen has created what aims for a classic Napa...

Napa Valley is filled with wineries. What’s it’s not filled with is small family-owned wineries that seem to fly under the radar. Such is Lawer Estates located in Calistoga. Started just over 25 years ago, the goal was always to produce small lot wines. Their 2017 Estate Cabernet exemplifies their...