Souverain Merlot 2014
Fruit-lovers rejoice. The 2014 Souverain Merlot is an overturned basket of berries—blueberries, blackberries, black cherries tinged with spice and vanilla. It’s equally expressive on the palate without being heavy, the fruit here is more or less hugged by nimble and fine tannins that express something along the lines of black tea at the close. A […]
Ellipsis Red Hills Lake County Petite Sirah 2013
A deep plunge, Ellipsis’ 2013 Red Hills Lake County Petite Sirah is subdued on the nose. What it lacks in aromatic intensity, it makes up for on the palate. The effect is enveloping—a surge of black fruit, powerful and baritone in tempo, shot through with swirling embers, dried herbs, cedar, spice and a well-structured acidic […]
Matthiasson Napa Valley Ribolla Gialla 2013
I was fortunate to have spent time with Steve Matthaisson and his wife, Jill Klein last Wednesday. The 2013 Napa Valley Ribolla Gialla had only been bottled that morning, and needs to rest for three to six months before it will be released. I did taste through several of their wines on this visit, including […]
Layer Cake Sauvignon Blanc 2014
Daffodil yellow with notes of lemon budino pudding, yellow apple, and lime zest set against a backdrop of fresh tropical fruit. Layer Cake is lighter in body and lower in acidity than its New Zealand and Loire counterparts, even so, it displays satisfying acidic cut and enough grapefruit-pith tartness to make it a good food […]
J Vineyards Estate Grown Pinot Noir 2014
Flat out pretty, J Estate Vineyards Grown Pinot Noir 2014 is sourced from the River Valley and is a shade more nimble than expected. Robed in translucent garnet, and delivering a pent-up array of woodland berries and raspberries still on the vine, underbrush and rose petal and a dusting of warm spice. It’s a poised […]
Talbott Pinot Noir Sleepy Hollow Vineyard 2014
The brawny side of Pinot Noir, Talbott’s Sleepy Hollow Vineyard is located in the Santa Lucia Highlands. There, Pommard and Dijon clones burrow deep into Chualar gravelly loam soil and sand, resulting in a wine with an equal measure of weight and acidity along with steeped raspberry, cherry, rose hip, underbrush, and spice notes. Bordering […]
Grgich Hills Cabernet Sauvignon 2013
An fine pairing with this evening’s steak fajitas. Grgich Hills wines have impressed me as more restrained stylistically speaking, the 2012 Cabernet is brooding, though neither glossy nor opulent as so many Napa Cabs can be. After an hour, it’s finally relinquishing black currants and plums, incense and Christmas cake. On the palate, fine, silky […]
J Vineyards Pinot Noir Monterey, Sonoma, & Santa Barbara Counties 2015
J Vineyards & Winery Pinot Noir is a blend of Pinot Noir from three AVAs: Monterey County, Santa Barbara County and Sonoma County. It’s a big, voluptuous wine, not quite opaque and neatly inlaid with black cherry, roasted strawberry, warm brown spices, and decaying rose petal. Silky on entry, with well-integrated tannins—the acidity hits at […]
L’Aventure Estate Rosé 2016
L’Aventure is a winery I’ve long been curious about—I was delighted to learn that it was one of our stops on a recent media trip to Paso Robles. And now, I understand all the fanfare. These wines all have a shimmering mineral thread running through them, like a silken cord, even in their heavier reds. […]
Square Peg Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 2014
Lovely purity of fruit in Square Peg’s 2014 Estate Block 8 Dry Farmed Pinot Noir from Green Valley. Grown at an 800′ elevation a mere eight miles from the Pacific Ocean—winemaker William Knuttel has coaxed red berries from this cool climate Pinot along with nuanced aromas of underbrush, rose petal, dried orange peel, and baking […]