Havens Logo 23 White Small

Mayacamas Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

Mayacamas Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

From the acclaimed Mount Veeder appellation, Mayacamas 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon spends 13 months on new French Oak and sees and additional 5 years aging in bottle prior to release. Complex, heady aromas of black currants and black cherries, roasted game, black olive tapenade, and a lovely wafting tertiary note of violets. High altitude and cooler […]

Grgich Hills Estate Chardonnay 2012

Grgich Hills Estate Chardonnay 2012

First impression of the 2012 Grgich Hills Chardonnay—it’s old-school and intense. Classic orchard fruit aromas are couched in flint and matchstick that hover like an electric storm over rather more tender notes of toasted walnut, brioche, and acacia honey. In the mouth, there’s not an ounce of fat, it’s lean with considerable energy and verve. […]

Mayacamas Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

Mayacamas Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

From the acclaimed Mount Veeder appellation, Mayacamas 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon spends 13 months on new French Oak and sees and additional 5 years aging in bottle prior to release. Complex, heady aromas of black currants and black cherries, roasted game, black olive tapenade, and a lovely wafting tertiary note of violets. High altitude and cooler […]

Gallo Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel Signature Series 2013

Gallo Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel Signature Series 2013

Yet another winner from Gallo’s Signature Series, the 2012 Dry Creek Zinfandel has a smokey countenance, followed by musky earth, steeped blackberries and Italian plums. Tons of intensity on the palate, a bit of char, and unbridled, racy acidity. This isn’t a sweet, heavy Zinfandel, rather it’s endowed with lots of power and punch. The […]

Napa Valley Distillery Old Hollywood Ginn

Napa Valley Distillery Old Hollywood Ginn

Intensely aromatic, Napa Valley Distillery’s Old Hollywood Ginn is perhaps my favorite out of the four craft spirit samples I’ve received. The distillery website refers to it as a “speakeasy style,” a playful nod to the founder, Arthur Hartunian’s penchant and passion for using old, pre-Prohibition recipes. The website also notes that Old Hollywood Ginn […]

Napa Valley Distillery East India Cocktail

Napa Valley Distillery East India Cocktail

From Napa Valley’s first bonded distillery since prohibition, this incomparable East India Cocktail. Owners Arthur and Lusine Hartunian craft all of their spirits using old pre-Prohibition recipes and their website notes that the East India Cocktail is from recipe an 1830’s recipe, and it’s very hard not to imagine old maps, steamer trunks and wicker […]

Gallo Signature Series Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

Gallo Signature Series Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

Another wine from Gallo’s Signature series, I’ll be the first to confess that I’m pleasantly surprised at how nice these wines are, given the extraordinary prices of most Napa Cabs. It’s a blend of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Petit Verdot, the bulk of which is from Gallo’s William Hill Vineyard, with a dash of […]

Ghost Pines Winemaker’s Blend Zinfandel 2013

Ghost Pines Winemaker's Blend Zinfandel 2013

Soft and pliant, the 2013 Ghost Pines Winemaker’s Blend is comprised of 100% Zinfandel of which 53% is sourced from San Joaquin County and the remaining 47% is from Sonoma County. While not overly complex, it does offer inviting aromas of blackberry liqueur, juicy black cherries, vanilla and spice. On the palate, it’s smooth and easy-drinking […]

Grgich Hills Estate Merlot 2012

Grgich Hills Estate Merlot 2012

I had the pleasure of interviewing Ivo Jeramaz on my last visit to Napa Valley. He’s the nephew of winemaking legend, Mike Grgich and has taken the lead in much of the wineries day-to-day operations along with Mike’s daughter, Violet. Ivo is a quiet and thoughtful in his speech—and his wines seem to reflect this. […]

Cornerstone Cellars Stepping Stone Cabernet Franc 2012

Cornerstone Cellars Stepping Stone Cabernet Franc 2012

I don’t see a lot of varietally labeled Cab Franc coming out of the Napa Valley. And it’s a different animal altogether from the CFs from the Loire Valley or even from Washington State. Expect a wine that is richer, more robust and concentrated, with a very nearly opaque garnet robe and enveloping notes of […]

CHRISTINE HAVENS
McMinnville, OR

christine@christine-havens.com