Coquerel Tempranillo 2011
A tad rustic on opening, the The 2011 Coquerel Tempranillo arrives on the scene with a bouquet of freshly turned soil and a hint of barnyard. However, after more than an hour of being open, layers of fruit rise to the surface, roasted strawberry and red cherry, along with a beguiling floral top note of […]
Trinchero Haystack Vineyard Malbec 2012
From Haystack Rock Vineyard, perched 2,200 feet above sea level, within the heart of the Atlas Peak AVA, a sub-appellation of Napa Valley. High altitude combined with poor, shallow soils creates vine stress, and in the case of this complex and alluring 2012 Malbec, yields firm tannins, high acidity and pronounced minerality on the finish. […]
Brooks Winery | David Burke Group ‘Unvarnished’ Pinot Noir 2014
This silken, perfumed Willamette Valley Pinot Noir—created especially for the David Burke restaurant group, a collaboration between Brooks Winery and corporate wine buyer, Natalie Dulaney—is lush, expressing ripe black cherry, rose petals and orange pomander ball, with a lovely top note of dust from an antique bureau. In the mouth, it’s ripe and round and […]
Louis M. Martini Moscato Amabile NV
Served in a tumbler, rather than a stem, this convivial Moscato from Louis Martini sees a long, cool fermentation that is arrested before the wine ferments to dryness—and closely resembles it’s northern Italian cousin, Moscato d’Asti. Slightly sweet and lightly effervescent, with notes of honey and pear, Moscato makes for a great pairing with a […]
Ravines Wine Cellars Dry Riesling 2013
The 2013 Ravines Dry Riesling boasts a sweet nose of acacia honey, lemon budino pudding, and golden delicious apples—a bit deceptive given the palate, which is lean and nervy, a shock of electric acidity. Lightening-like step leaders dance across the tongue, branching and splitting into lemongrass, petrol and briny oyster shell, all of which neatly […]
Trinchero Cloud’s Nest Vineyard Malbec Mt. Veeder 2012
Cloud’s Nest Vineyard, as the name implies, lies in the Mt. Veeder sub-appellation of Napa Valley and boasts incredibly steep, gravelly, well-drained soils and cool, easterly exposure. Tasted alongside Trinchero’s Haystack Malbec—it is the perfect illustration of terroir. Here, the wine shows lushness, with abundant structure. Dark notes of ripe plum and blackberry sauce ripple […]
NxNW Riesling The Benches Vineyard 2012
89 Points for this half-bottle offering from NxNW because it’s a good value. Made in an ice wine style, this late harvest Riesling was sur lie aged in stainless steel for three months prior to bottling, and it’s a wine of pure varietal expression. Tons of dried apricot throughout, with a dollop of bananas foster […]
Edna Valley Vineyard Central Coast Chardonnay 2014
My non-wine friends love this Chardonnay. Given its modest price, it offers up simple notes of yellow peach and ripe pineapple capped off with a whiff of vanilla. Fleshy on the palate and ultra smooth, it’s endowed with sweet tropical fruit and stone fruit in equal measure along with and a kiss of oak. An […]
St. Innocent Zenith Vineyard Pinot Noir 2012
The 2012 St. Innocent Zenith Vineyard has the sort of paradoxical ying-yang balance that some Pinot seems to tread. It flirts on the edge of masculine character, sporting deep violet glints and near opacity in the glass. Woodsy earthy tones give way to blackberry and black cherry, black tea and tobacco and a modest touch […]
Louis M. Martini Gnarly Vine Zinfandel Monte Rosso Vineyard 2012
The Zinfandel vines grown at Monte Rosso Vineyard are a sight to behold, massive and tightly gnarled, they are still productive despite an advanced age of 125 years or more. The wine produced from these grapes is substantial without being heavy, yielding heady notes of damson plum, blackberries, clayey soil and a whiff of allspice. […]