2022 Desire Lines Riesling Cole Ranch, USA, California, Mendocino, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2022
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$22.00USD

Cole Ranch AVA is the smallest AVA in the United States.  It is west of Ukiah in Mendocino County.  The vineyard was planted in 1973.  It is a very interesting take on Riesling and certainly one of the better ones tasted from California (yes, that is a bit of a back handed compliment).  Light golden in color, clear and bright.  The nose has peach, some ginger and plenty of minerality.  Medium bodied.  Good acidity.  On the palate, this is dry.  Minerality dominates but also some ginger and slight peach.  Good finish.  It is nice on its own, but really, better with good.  It was perfect with

2022 Saracina Rosé of Grenache

Vintage: 
2022
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$19.99USD

From Mendocino County, Saracina’s Rosé of Grenache is grown on sustainably farmed vineyards that are home to 140-year-old olive trees, vegetable gardens, beehives, and local birds and wildlife. This offers black cherry, strawberry, blood orange and rhubarb notes, with both red and green apple in the mix. Interestingly there is a light sweetness that is counterbalanced by a light tartness. The bright acidity allows this to work well with a variety of different foods. ORIGIN: Mendocino County. ALCOHOL: 12.5%

2019 Ettore Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Signature, USA, California, Mendocino, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$52.00USD

This is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon made with organic grapes in Mendocino, California.  Purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is classic with cassis, dust and graphite.  Firm tannins.  Full bodied.  Good acidity.  If you are looking for a big fruit bomb California Cab, this is not it.  It is ripe with no green notes, but it is more of a classic, food friendly style.  Cassis with slight graphite notes with an underlying earthiness.  Nice finish.  This drinks well on its own but is better with food.  Of course a steak, but this would work really nicely with Roasted Root vegetables.

2019 Ettore Merlot Zero, USA, California, Mendocino, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$35.00USD

This is a first and foremost, a very nice Merlot.  But before talking about that it is worth noting that this wine is made without added sulfites.  They accomplish this by using the Purovino® method.  From the company's web site:  "The purovino® method is based on controlled hyperoxygenation on wine grapes and a CIP process of all the equipment with ozone-enriched water.  After the harvest, grapes are fumigated with a specific concentration of activated oxygen that induces  a controlled oxidative stress.

2019 Dough Wines North Coast Cabernet Sauvignon

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$22.00USD

Offering a lighter style of Cabernet, this 2019 Dough is definitely a solid value. Black cherry, blueberry, blackberry, light plum, pomegranate, rhubarb, green tea leaf and black cherry, announce themselves and it offers moderate acidity and decent tannins. The wine was aged 16 months in both American and French oak barrels.

2019 Husch Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, USA, California, Mendocino, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
84
Grade: 
B
Current Price: 
$21.00USD

Purple in color, ruby at the rim, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose has black cherries, bel peppers, spice and some pepper.  Medium bodied.  Light tannins.  On the palate, this has some black cherry fruit with green bell peppers.  One dimensional.  Clipped finish.  This would be a fine wine with meatloaf or a burger.  Drink over the next few years.  

Goldeneye 2020 Pinot Noir Gowen Creek

Vintage: 
2020
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$90.00USD

I have reviewed, favorably, the Pinot Noir from Gowen Creek for years. When you find a wine that offers such consistency, you stick with it. What Gowen offers is a sublime melding of fruit like black cherry, red raspberry, boysenberry, blackberry acidity, minerality and judicious use of oak. This wine has those in spades. Though the word “balance” is tossed around a lot in the wine industry, when you taste one, you know. Not only is this wine balanced, it is simply enjoyable to drink.

Goldeneye 2019 Brut Rosé

Vintage: 
2019
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$70.00USD

Goldeneye has been making wine in the Anderson Valley for 30 years. This current release is comprised of 63% Pinot Noir and 37% Chardonnay. There is a lovely softness to the carbonation and viscosity of the wine itself. Pleasant notes of fresh, baked bread, golden delicious apple, apricot jam, blood orange and a slight honeydew melon fill the palate. Unlike many sparklers, this doesn’t lean towards sour apple, nor sweet, it straddles a middle ground of pleasant, soft notes, making this a delightful sipping wine with enough acidity for food.

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