Bell Wine Cellars Clone 6 Unfiltered Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
From the prestigious Beckstoffer Georges III vineyard in Rutherford, the Bell Clone 6 Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 is as the name suggests, 100% Clone 6 Cabernet. True to form, it exhibits lush, saturating notes of boysenberry, black cherries, sandalwood, tar and meadow flowers. In the mouth it’s opulent and silkily textured, with juicy black fruit, cassis, […]
Corison Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2012
I tasted through several Corison Napa Valley Cabs with legendary winemaker, Cathy Corison and fellow wine writers Elaine Brown and Meg Houston Maker. 2012 was the youngest vintage we sampled, as expected it’s quite youthful and fresh. Saturating aromas of black cherries, steeped blackberries, violets, and incense. In the mouth the fruit is plump, as […]
Robert Biale Napa Valley Royal Punishers Petite Sirah 2012
Mixing it up a bit with this bottle of Royal Punishers Petit Syrah at Brix restaurant in Napa. Thus far, the 2011 is a bold, spicy romp with steeped blackberries, plums and vanilla on the nose, followed by juicy black fruit on the palate. Signature Petit Syrah peppery spice rounds out the finish of this […]
Hanzell Sonoma Valley Chardonnay 2012
Hanzell Vineyards 2012 Chardonnay is poised, 26% of the wine goes through malolactic fermentation in new barrels, with the balance matured in stainless steel. The resulting blend strikes a harmonious balance between freshness and oak, with pretty notes of ripe pear, lemon curd, marzipan, and meadow flowers. These notes are echoed on the palate, along […]
Hanzell Sebella Sonoma Valley Chardonnay 2013
I’ll be writing at length on my website about Hanzell, the place itself is magical for many reasons and the wines are meticulously crafted. Sebella is their entry-level label, it sees less oak than the Sonoma Chardonnay, but this allows the purity of fruit to really shine through. Pretty, nuanced aromas of dried honey, acacia, […]
Matthiasson Napa Valley Cabernet Franc 2012
2012 was a lush, fruit-forward year in Napa Valley. Matthaisson wines, even the reds exhibit lower alcohol than is typical in the region, in this case 12.5% and are more delicate. The 2012 Cabernet Franc was 50% whole cluster fermented and has feminine aromatics of rose petals, red berries, incense and Saigon cinnamon. Medium-bodied yet […]
Kenzo Estate Asatsuyu Sauvignon Blanc 2013
A fascinating and little-known brand owned by Kenzo Tsujimoto, who purchased 3,800 acres along the slopes of Mt. George in the late 1980s. Kenzo Estate wines are the result of a collaboration between winemaker Heidi Barrett of Screaming Eagle and legendary viticulturalist David Abreu, the wines are almost exclusively exported to Japan, and they sport […]
Matthiasson Napa Valley Rosé 2014
The 2014 Matthaisson Napa Valley Rosé is a blend of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, and Counoise from the Windmill Vineyard. I love this wine because what it communicates is restraint and tensile minerality as one would find in a good Provence rosé. Delicate floral aromas, slightly underripe white peaches, and white hand soap lend dimension to […]
Matthiasson Ribolla Gialla Matthiasson Vineyard 2012
The 2012 Matthiasson Ribolla Gialla is deep gold, the sort of intense, primary Cadmium yellow that is a common thread in Henri Mattisse paintings. It’s slightly hazy too, from prolonged fermentation on the skins and stems, with concentrated notes of Bosc pear, preserved lemon and a touch of bitter almond. In the mouth, there is […]
Matthiasson Napa Valley White 2013
Tasted with the winemaker, the 2013 Matthiasson Napa Valley White is a stunning and racy blend of 55% Sauvignon blanc, 25% Ribolla gialla, 15% Semillon, and 5% Tocai friulano. Aromas of lemon verbena, lemon thyme and mint cavort with green apple skins and lime zest. Semillon anchors this wine, and gives roundness and fleshiness, and […]