Olette Pinot Noir “King Jay” Sonoma Coast 2019
The Olette Pinot Noir “King Jay” Sonoma Coast 2019 is an ode to owner/winemaker Jenny Lyn Heim’s father. He loved good, strong Pinot Noir. “King Jay” is sourced from a 6-acre vineyard, surrounded by coastal redwoods in the Sonoma Coast AVA, 5 miles from the Pacific and 1200 feet elevation. It’s a special spot for […]
601 CELLARS “Super Tuscan” Napa Valley 2018
The 601 Cellars “Super Tuscan” is a blend is 75% Sangiovese, 17% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Merlot. The Sangiovese gives the wine its sappy wild cherry fruitiness, white pepper and snap of acidity. The Cabernet gives it structure and firm yet fine tannins. The Merlot gives it a subtle yet definite earthy depth. Lovely wine […]
David Clinton Zinfandel “Teldeschi Vineyard – Ancient Vine” Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County 2018
Napa vintners David Huang and Clinton Holdsworth love Dry Creek Valley Zinfandels. It’s all they make: three of them. The David Clinton Zinfandel Teldeschi is their oldest vine Zin coming from 130+ year old vines. Why David Clinton Zinfanel Teldeschi Ancient Vine is special I point out to tasters at the wine bar how translucent […]
SIX CLOVES Chardonnay “Linda Vista Vineyard” Napa Valley 2020
About Sonoe Hirabayashi Sonoe Hirabayashi came to Northern California Wine Country from Nagano, Japan with stops at UC Davis viticulture/enology, New Zealand and Chile in between. Her teachers include Littorai’s Ted Lemon, Andre Ostertag of Alsace and Steve Matthiasson. She truly “walks the walk” of making wines that express the grape and the place, aiming […]
LOBO “Howl” Custom Red Blend “Wulff Vineyards” Napa Valley 2018
Lobo “Howl” is “modern red blend” of 67% Syrah, 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot. All the fruit’s from the Wulff’s Estate, Oak Knoll District vineyard. Big, rich Napa Valley red. Syrah gives the wine smoky spice, blueberry liqueur and lavender/rosemary. Cabernet Sauvignon gives the wine structure and even more fruit and power. Merlot softens the […]
COHO Petit Verdot “Chinn Vineyard” Coombsville, Napa Valley
The Coho Petit Verdot Chinn Vineyard consists of 2016 and 2018 vintage Petit Verdot (mostly 2016). It has 9% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Merlot – both 2017 vintage. My Coho Petit Verdot Chinn Vineyard review Typical of Petit Verdot, pours out blackish-ruby-purple. The berry fruit flavors are super-strong and intense. Ripe, lip-staining blackberries, pipe tobacco, […]
Revival Vineyards “Field Guide” Red Wine, Napa Valley 2018
An absolute “no brainer,” the Revival Field Guide Napa Valley is a blend of 1/3rd Cabernet Sauvignon (from a vineyard in southeast Napa Valley, near Silverado Resort) and 1/3rd each Malbec & Petit Verdot, both from Rutherford/St Helena Bench vineyards. (All the grapes are estate owned.) The term “no brainer” gets bandied about a lot […]
Cufflinks White Wine Napa Valley
Cufflinks White is a blend of 72% Sauvignon Blanc, 20% Semillon, 6% Ribolla Gialla and 2% Chardonnay (mostly 2018 vintage). A high-end negociant wine (buy unbottled, blend it, bottle it), this unique white blend has a little bit of just about everything. While lemony citrus holds the throne, honeysuckle, mango, mandarin oranges, Honeycrisp apples, crushed […]
Domaine des FRERES Chinon “Les Moulins de Beau Puy” 2021
Domaine des Freres is owned/run by two brothers who grew up in Chinon, got jobs outside of wine, got into the wine biz later on and bought their estate in 2019. 25-60 year old Cabernet Franc vines, clusters destemmed, slow ferment, aged in concrete tanks. Sweet ripe mid palate, dried violets, so pretty, deep rich […]
PLANET OREGON Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2021
The search for an exceptional “value priced” Pinot Noir is over (for now anyway). Planet Oregon is the second label for Oregon’s Soter Vineyards. It is consistently one of North America’s best value Pinot Noirs, and this 2021 Oregon Pinot Noir is particularly tasty and consumer-friendly. This juicy, ripe and pretty Pinot maintains its Willamette […]