Santa Rita Hills

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 bigger wine.  Deep ruby/purple in color.  The nose has fresh black cherries.  On the palate, cherries and black cherries.  Lots of depth.  Turns slightly bitter on the finish.  Still drinking youthfully.  This should continue to drink well for the next decade.  It drinks well on its own, and will work with heartier fowl or meat dishes.  

The Samsara wines in our tasting did not perform well.  I am told that since about 2017, they have new owners and new winemakers, so I look forward to revisiting their wines.  Medium ruby in color.  The nose has cherries with some cinnamon.  On the palate, this has a soft texture.  Cherry candy and red licorice notes.  Not a lot of depth but a glass is tasty.  Shorter finish.  This is drinkable and solid, but no more.  Drink up.  Probably better on its own than with food.  

Very impressive showing in a recent tasting.  The kind of Pinot that pleased everyone.  Deep ruby in color.  The nose has black cherries, macerated cherries, slight brine.  On the palate, the cherries and black cherries come out.  This is big and bold.  A bit of sour cherries on the finish.  This is drinking well now and should continue for the next five to seven years.  It works well on its own and will work well with roasted fowl.  

Golden in color, clear.  The nose has lemons and slight apple cider.  Full bodied.  On the palate, the apple cider notes are stronger.  Nice texture.  Some acid.  Mature if a bit past.  These should be consumed sooner than later.  It will work better with some lighter but rich foods.  Crab or lobster would work.

Walt is the name that Hall, a Napa producer, releases a line of Pinot Noir.  This was my first time trying one that I recall.  It is a big fruit forward styled Pinot.  Deep ruby in color.  The nose has black cherries, sour cherries and spice.  Also a slight bit of dark chocolate.  On the palate, there is a lot of fruit.  Noticeable alcohol but not hot.  Sweet black cherries.  Deep if still tight.  It seems to need about five to seven more years of cellaring an then should have 8 to 12 years after that.  There is certainly some upside potential in the score.  This will work well with Roasted

This is a winery that I have found to be hit or miss for my personal tastes.  Sometimes the oak can be a bit much and other times the wines are wonderful.  This one was quite good although it pushed my tolerance for oak.  Medium golden in color.  The nose has vanilla, lumber, peaches and floral notes (white?).  On the palate, this has a nice creamy texture.  Lots of peach fruit.  Spice and oak are present but not over bearing.  This is a rich and voluptuous style but not a caricature.  At the end, I found it quite good.  It will go well with rich see food and similar salads.  This should la

Very pale ruby in color.  Some Rose's are deeper in color.  Of course, with Pinot Noir, that is not really an indication of much about the wine.  The nose is dusty with cherries.  Some underlying earthiness.  Deep.  On the palate, this is already showing a nice complexity.  Soft texture.  Layers of cherries, bitter cherries and earth.  Balanced but not strong acidity.  Good finish.  This is very food friendly and should go with a wide variety of foods.  It seems of its place, that is to say, California with sunshine and fruit but it is made in a more earthy style.  It will be interesting to