California Wine

The 2019 Pinot Noir La Rinconada Vineyard is a heady dazzling wine. The 100% whole clusters lend striking aromatic top notes that soar out of the glass. Sweet red cherry sage rose petal blood orange and lavender give this beguiling... Read More

The 2019 Pinot Noir Sanford & Benedict is a powerful brooding wine. The high percentage of stems (75%) undoubtedly adds savory intensity but it also masks some site character. The 2019 is a gorgeous wine but it is also austere... Read More

This zesty version offers effusive crushed red fruit and spice flavors that show white pepper hints followed by crisp minerality on the lively open-textured finish. Drink now through 2023.

The 2019 Pinot Noir Special Reserve marries the breadth and substance of Anderson Valley with the light touch Noah Dorrance favors here. Succulent red cherry fruit spice menthol licorice and dried herbs build nicely as this mid-weight... Read More

The 2021 Chardonnay Bearwallow Vineyard is floral and lifted but also pretty tightly wound at this stage. Apricot tangerine peel almond and light tropical notes all grace this very pretty understated Anderson Valley Chardonnay.... Read More

The 2021 Chardonnay (Sonoma Coast) is a joyous wine. Apricot tangerine peel white flowers chamomile and exotic notes are nicely dialed up in this creamy beautifully resonant Chardonnay from Rivers-Marie. Vineyard sites are Riddle... Read More

From organically grown estate fruit including 17% Sémillon this is a tremendously impressive balanced and bright white with substance and style. Light layers of melon peach and mineral combine around a force field of fresh acidity... Read More

The 2011 Pinot Noir Sanford & Benedict is the most open and radiant of the 2011 Sandhi Pinots mostly because high amounts of shatter lowered yields dramatically. Floral and savory notes come to life as the wine sits in the glass... Read More

"The 2014 Screaming Eagle is an 880-case blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon 16% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Franc. The telltale sign of this iconic wine is its extraordinary purity of crème de cassis fruit which is displayed abundantly... Read More

Medium to deep garnet-purple colored the 2018 The Flight drifts sensuously out of the glass with the most gorgeous perfume of red roses kirsch black raspberries and fresh blackcurrants followed by hints of iron ore tilled soil... Read More

The 2021 Francis Road Vineyard is an unusual blend of 50% Grenache and 50% Mission from an organically farmed vineyard in the Cucamonga Valley that includes about 20% white grapes. Pale garnet it's bursting with aromas of... Read More

The 2021 Palomino Lopez Vineyard is an unusual oxidatively styled wine made in the style of Sherry though without fortification. One-third of the Palomino received two weeks of skin contact and the final blend was matured in Manzanilla... Read More

The 2007 Grenache Dangerous Birds from the Eleven Confessions Vineyard is a big huge wine loaded with dark cherries plums licorice and smoke all of which come together in a sensual captivating wine of the highest level. This shows... Read More

More up-front and open-knit the 2004 In the Dark (Grenache) checks in as a blend of 84% Grenache 8% Mourvedre 7% Syrah and 1% Viognier that comes mostly from Manfred’s 11 Confessions Vineyard yet includes small portions from... Read More

In addition to these new releases I was also able to taste through a number of older vintages including the 2001 Albino 2006 Hoodoo Man 2003 The Inaugural 2004 Ode to E 1998 E Raised 2001 On Your Toes 2005 Nail in My Cranium and... Read More

An explosion of floral and spice notes lifts from the 2017 Nuestra Señora del Tercer Gemelo. Crushed red berries flowers mint and cinnamon give the 2017 striking aromatic intensity to match its mid-weight personality. Silky tannins... Read More

The 2018 Nuestra Señora del Tercer Gemelo is based on Petite Sirah this year. Rich and ample and explosive the 2018 is wonderfully exotic dense and full-throttle. Blackberry jam chocolate spice menthol and licorice are some of... Read More

(Sloan Estate Sloan Proprietary Red Rutherford) The 2011 Sloan Estate has turned out beautifully. Readers will find more of an Old World flavor profile and sense of structure in the 2011 yet all the elements are very nicely balanced.... Read More

A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot the 2019 Proprietary Red is a monster of a wine that's unquestionably up with the crème de la crème of the vintage. Blackberries truffle earth chocolate... Read More

The 2018 Cabernet Franc is an absolutely gorgeous wine in this range. This is a beautifully layered vertical wine with tons of nuance and complexity. Although the 2018 is naturally very young it has tons of potential. Hints of... Read More

Creamy and plush with lithe apple and peach pastry flavors that are well-knit. Vibrant and airy spiciness on the open-textured finish. Drink now through 2023.