Sonoma Valley

Bedrock makes a very nice Sauvignon Blanc that is an excellent value.  Golden in color with green hues.  The nose is great with a slight grassy note along with some melons and a hint of grapefruits.  Medium bodied.  Lovely slightly oily texture.  Good acidity.  On the palate, this is delicious.  It drinks very easily with a persistent finish.  Great on its own, this would be very popular for a summer party.  It also works well with lighter foods.  It went great with vegetarian (Tofu) Tacos.  Drink over the next three to five years.  

This is a very nice white from the Bedrock stable of wines.  The vineyard was planted in 1954 as a field blend of Gewurztraminer, Trousseau Gris, Riesling, Roter Veltliner, and Chenin Blanc.  Light gold in color with some green hues, clear and bright.  The nose has minerality, peaches, and some grapefruit.  Light bodied.  On the palate, there is a nice complexity here.  Make sure it is not served too cold or that won't be as evident.  Notes of grapefruit, lemon and minerality swirl on the palate.  Good acidity.  Nice finish.  Drink over the next few years.  This will work well with lighter

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.  

There are not a lot of Tempranillo's grown outside Spain and few in California, so it's always a pleasure to get to try one.  I suspect they have a small plot for this to experiment with and bottle it as a winery only release (just a guess).  It is 90% Tempranillo, 6% Malbec, and 1% Petit Verdot.  Ruby in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose has cherries and baking spices with a bit of tea leaves and slight smoke.  On the palate, this is full bodied.  Bold cherry fruit with light tannins and underlying roasted herbs.  There is little acidity or depth making me wonder how this might age

A very pretty, classically styled Sonoma Cabernet.  This is a blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot, 3% Malbec, and 2% Merlot.  Purple in color with some purple swirls.  The nose has cassis, black cherries, tobacco, slight bell pepper and spice.  On the palate, this is full bodied with medium tannins.  Cassis with a nice underlying earthiness/forest floor.  Good balance.  Ripe but not over blown by any means.  This should drink well for the next fifteen years as it develops and matures.  Drinking great on its own, this will work well with roasts or casseroles.  

An excellent wine.  I have been a big fan of Macario Montoya's wines for a while, but I believe this was the first time trying this wine.  I am not sure if there is anything else in this blend other than Grenache.  Purple in color.  The nose has black raspberries, chocolate, spice and slight oak notes.  On the palate, this is full bodied with a wonderful texture.  Medium tannins.  Black raspberries, black cherries, slight blueberries and a bit of chocolate over a mineral base.  Long finish.  This wine grabs your attention but it is not overblown.  It should last another decade at least.  It

This is a reasonably priced Zin.  It is slightly sweet and on the lighter style of Zin so factor that into your buying decision.  I quite enjoyed it.  Drunk over two nights, it was better on Night 2.  Deep ruby in color.  The nose has cherries, spice and dust.  On the palate, the cherries come thru.  No tannins to speak of.  Easy drinking.  Slightly sweet/ripe.  Nice finish.  

Mike Officer makes some really nice wines at fair prices.  His whites might even be better values than his reds.  This is a field blend of Gewürztraminer, Trousseau Gris, Riesling and other white grapes.  Pale silvery gold in color.  The nose is great with lychees, peaches and floral tones.  On the palate, this is slightly viscous.  Dry and refreshing.  Peaches and slight pears with good minerality.  Nice finish.  This is drinking quite well now and it probably should be consumed over the next couple of years.  It will go well with salads, sushi or even Thai food.  

This is part of a three part release that was an homage to the Guigal La La wines of the Northern Rhone.  This was my first time trying any of them and they still need a bit more time.  Purple in color.  The nose has a lot of oak still to work thru.  Of course, there is plenty of black raspberry fruit so it should be able to.  There is some roasted meat and black pepper as well.  On the palate, the oak is also pronounced.  Firm tannins.  Gobs of black raspberry fruit.  Deep but impenetrable.  All of that said, it is delicious now, slightly sweet and highly enjoyable on its own.  It is more

Another great basic release from Bedrock.  This time its their Sauvignon Blanc.  Light golden with some green swirls in color.  The nose has some candied grapefruit and a bit herbal tones.  Very pretty.  On the palate, this has a nice acidity.  Grapefruit with some lemon.  There is some depth here though I wouldn't age it more than a few years.  Lots of energy right now.  It will work well with lighter foods and salads.  It is also great in the glass on its own.  Very tasty.