California

As the winery writes, Andrew Murray has been singularly and nearly maniacally focused on crafting Syrah for 25 years. His Everyday (in French Syrah “Tous les Jours”) Syrah from Santa Ynez gives you a good idea of how... Read More

Morgan Twain-Peterson crafts this bold, gutsy, California red from a mixture of vines growing in some of the country's most famed old-vine sites. The base is Bedrock Vineyard (planted 1888), Nervo (1896), and Sodini (1905)... Read More

Vinous says this is “positively stellar” and we agree! From old vine sites like Bedrock, Lazy Dog, Monte Rosso and Montecillo, this pairs terrific concentration and fruit with outstanding energy and freshness. As Wine... Read More

There aren’t a lot of “great” California Pinot Noirs at this price point; this is one of them. From a vineyard at the foot of the Santa Cruz Mountains first planted in 1910 and then replanted with cuttings from... Read More

One of the longest-running high-quality “value” Pinots we know of. As Robert Parker said of the 2013 edition: An authentic tasting Pinot Noir that sells for a song. Aromas of sweet red and black cherry fruit intermixed... Read More

Natural winemaker Chris Brockway and importer Tim Elenteny created Brea to bring low-intervention winemaking to traditional Cabernet grapes, making something authentic (but not weird!). They crush it with this Cabernet from a... Read More

Brick & Mortar is really a California sparkling house, meaning they grow a lot of cool-climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. When Pinot gets a bit too ripe for fizz, it’s perfect for elegant, pure, juicy still wines like this... Read More

Unless you taste a lot of California Chardonnay, it can be hard to realize how big an accomplishment Bartholomew Broadbent has pulled off here. It's 100% Chardonnay, picked ripe and full of pear and stone fruit flavors perfectly... Read More

Winemaker Neil Koch has worked with superstar Philippe Melka at benchmark Napa Cab houses like Seavey Vineyards, Bryant Family and Vineyard 29 and helped make the bold whites and Chardonnays of Lewis Cellars as assistant winemaker... Read More

Even though it's just a Napa red, this gains structure and complexity from the boost of a little Pritchard Hill fruit. In 2023 it's more than half Cabernet Sauvignon plus Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc and a full 10% Petit... Read More

A big, bold, super-rich, Cab that's very fun to drink. As Wine Advocate says in the 92 point review, The Crane Assembly's 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Disciples is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from an unnamed vineyard in Saint Helena... Read More

A welcoming, generous and fully-fruited California Pinot Noir from this old-vine site just outside the town of Sonoma. Fully destemmed and aged in French oak (a little new), it’s bursting with dark black cherry and raspberry... Read More

If ever there was a perfect marriage between a winemaker’s desire and what a site has to give, it happens here between Costanzo and Caldwell Vyd. It’s a stunning site, perched on the rim of Coombsville looking north... Read More

From anywhere in Napa Valley between Napa and Calistoga, head west and up the Mayacamas mountains. Crest the peak and look down over the red-to-purple volcanic rocks and soil towards Sonoma. See those vines at 2,200 feet down... Read More

Napa Cabernet grown to full ripeness and flavor but slowly enough and in a cool enough site to retain vivacity, purity and style. Then turned into Cabernet by an Italian-American winemaker who combines our USA preference for generous... Read More

A terrific Chardonnay with just the right balance of creaminess of texture, fresh fruit and golden butter caramel spice. Fine with food, fine solo - really, just very fine! As Jeb Dunnuck says in the 92 point review, Dierberg... Read More

Randy Dunn makes timeless, nearly ageless, benchmark Howell Mountain Cabernet. Here he's showing off his skill and style in a more open, ready to love now, way. It's 77% Cabernet Sauvignon and 23% Cabernet Franc done in... Read More

Lower ABV We’re not even going to try to explain the premise behind Curt Schalchlin and Andrew Jones’s “Fable” approach to naming wines. But the wine in the bottle here is very good Chardonnay indeed, loaded... Read More

One of the more impressively delicious California Chardonnays we've had recently, showing how putting perfectly ripe, low-yield, fruit into barrel (28% new) can yield a wine that's creamy, deep, mineral and not really... Read More

A truly old-vine Russian River Zinfandel mainly from vines 100+ years old, this delivers both the intense fruit Zin-heads love and a refreshing freshness that makes it hard to stop drinking. Raspberry pie, kirsch, star anise and... Read More

Ten years in, Laura Brennan Bissell is making a name for herself for crafting wines of elegance, purity and honesty that remain full of California weight and fruit. This is her Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cab Franc blend from... Read More

Named in honor of the Swiss vintner who helped pioneer fine wine in Dry Creek Valley at Jean-Jacques Michel, this is juicy, soft and easy Pinot Noir at a fine bargain price. It’s 100% Pinot done in tank and oak, with the... Read More

A stunning blend of 51% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot from Ballard Canyon on California’s Central Coast. In 2019, you’ll be struck by how intense and even tight the wine is... Read More

As Vinous says in their 92 point review, Jonata's entry-level Todos remains the hidden jewel in this range, as it offers tons of character at a very accessible price. Blending 45% Syrah, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Petit Verdot,... Read More

Organic/Bio Lower ABV Not a rosé, not Beaujolais and not really Zinfandel as you’ve come to expect it. But definitely delicious, gulpable, joyful fun here in very old-vine Zin made into wine as if it were Beaujolais... Read More

Organic/Bio Lower ABV Some varietal grapefruit and lemon citrus notes peek out here, but it’s the crunchy Granny Smith, crisp Golden Delicious and Honeydew melon aromas and flavors that hold center stage here. Nicely light... Read More

Lower ABV From vines growing on marine sedimentary soils overlooking the Salinas River, this juicy, fresh, Albarino with a firm nod towards Rias Baixas. One-third of the wine spent two days on the skins, adding an extra layer... Read More

Robin Lail grew up in the vines at Inglenook where her dad, John Daniels, created benchmark Cabernet through the mid-1960s. This honors his contributions in a grand wine of excellent intensity and depth. As Wine Advocate says... Read More

Anywhere Cabernet Sauvignon thrives, its Bordeaux stablemate, Sauvignon Blanc, will probably shine as well. But Robin Lail is one of the first in Napa willing to let Sauvignon Blanc shine on a truly prime site. The result is one... Read More

From Mendocino fruit, this semi-carbonic Syrah gives the savory complexity of Northern Rhone examples with the cheerful dose of crunchy, ripe, fruit you get from Beaujolais. A juicy, spicy, lifted nose pulls you into a wine that... Read More

A collaboration between Master Sommelier Sara Floyd and the Pisoni Family, gives a nicely ripe and stylish Napa Cab that will shine at table. Plenty of concentration black cherry/berry fruit, and touches of clove, vanilla and... Read More

Another great release of this, our all-time best-selling premium California Chardonnay. As always, it blends fruit from across the Sonoma Coast AVA including Carneros, the southern Russian River and cooler sites to the west. As... Read More

Doug Margerum's flagship wine is a stunner in 2023! The 5 is for the Rhone grapes in the blend: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, and Counoise. The Vinous 94 point rave sums it up nicely: The 2023 Red Blend M5 is... Read More

Margerum's Uber Syrah - a co-ferment from all the best vineyards Doug works with acrosss the Central Coast. As each parcel of fruit arrives at the winery, approximately 10% of each pick and each clone is separated and added... Read More

Lower ABV Steve and Jill Klein Matthiasson make elegant, restrained, wines that still let you know they're from California. Like here in vibrant, generously ripe, Chardonnay from just outside Oak Knoll in Napa. Done in old... Read More

Although it comes to the US from Italy (via Austria and Ohio - it's a long story), Zinfandel is very much America's grape. And this robust wine starts with very good grapes indeed, all grown by the unofficial first farming... Read More

Organic/Bio Lower ABV This is seriously good California Chardonnay in a fun style from the very serious guys at Model Farm. The fruit is all from sites 1,000 feet or higher elevation, farmed organically, fermented with native... Read More

Organic/Bio Joanna Wells and Sean Castorani make mountain wine - wine only from California vineyards at 1,000 feet elevation and above. Here they're working on Wildcat Mountain in Carneros where fog and wind from the bay nearby... Read More

Luc Morlet still consults at Peter Michael while making his own wine that sits right up there with Peter Michael in terms of quality and depth. This is a stunner, perfectly balancing richness of texture with bold fruit and deep... Read More

The Gallo family resurrected this old Monte Rosso estate, first built in 1886 and then closed during Prohibition. The wines today take advantage of Monte Rosso’s elevation to escape the morning fog that can make Sonoma Cabernet... Read More

After leaving Ravenswood, Joel Peterson created this project to make old-school wines from some of the same old-vine sites he used at Ravenswood. Fermentations are in redwood, yeast is native, punchdowns by hand, and the grapes... Read More

As Vinous says, Pax Mahle's single-vineyard Syrah's are incredibly site-specific and distinctive. Done 100% whole cluster and aged in neutral oak, this is beautifully ripe at 13.0% and loaded with Syrah's distinctive... Read More

Philip Togni makes some of the most age-worthy and classic wines in all of Napa Valley from their estate vines at 2,000 feet on Spring Mountain. The Tanbark Hill bottling delivers Togni’s class and style in a more approachable... Read More

A delicious, perfectly balanced, Syrah from Sashi Moorman and Santa Barbara vineyards. As Wine Advocate says in the 92 point review, it's scented of black raspberries, candied blackberries, cracked pepper, smoked meats and... Read More

Super rare in every way, from the unique delivery of pure Viognier character with a jolt of minerality and freshness to the 61 case total production. Sashi Moorman puts most of his Northern Rhone passion into his Syrahs, but here... Read More

One of America's most popular premium Chardonnays is, as usual, a perfect blend of satisfying richness and food-friendly verve. It's a blend of fruit from cool Carneros and warmer St Helena fermented and aged in steel... Read More

Poppy Cabernet Paso Robles has been a customer favorite in the great value California Cab segment for years. And every time we pit it against a more expensive Cabernet in a blind tasting (one where tasters don’t know which... Read More

Lower ABV Presqu'ile's style runs to the more elegant and pure side of California Pinot although hardly lacking in texture and richness of fruit. Dark red raspberry and a touch of wild strawberry mingle nicely with earthy... Read More

This wine is stupid good. The blend of ripeness, finesse, purity and flavor intensity would be expected in a great $50 Pinot Noir. For less than half that, the value here is nuts. As Vinous says in their 90 point write-up, this... Read More

The McBride Cabernet style is to pick earlier than most to lock in freshness and vibrancy to go with Napa's characteristic big fruit. And in 2020, that meant this St Helena site's grapes were safely in the winery when... Read More