California Wine between $10 and $25

California’s Santa Cruz Mountains are the best Chardonnay region now one really knows – mainly because the flagship winery here, Mount Eden, commands pretty astounding prices. Alfaro is taking advantage of those great... Read More

What a delicious value in ripe, moderately oaked, super-drinkable, California Chardonnay. From coastal vineyards, it's bursting with fruit and just-right oaky spice. As Wine Enthusiast said in the 91 point review, Meyer lemon,... Read More

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

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

Lake County Cabernet has been slow to establish it's own identity with consumers, if only because so much of it's fruit ends up in wines labeled Napa and selling for big bucks. Brassfield is breaking out of that with some... 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

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

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

Sebastian here is the winemaker who has an infinite number of possibilities in blending Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot and Petit Verdot from Doug Rafanelli’s Cabernet blocks in the western hills of Dry Creek Valley and... Read More

Lower ABV “What’s up, d’Oc?” is the kind of thing Randall Grahm might say, an organically grown carrot, dangling from his lower lip, pressed into service in lieu of a Gauloise, as he begins a conversation... 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

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

Wine Arrives Wednesday, February 4. I’m not going to even attempt to give you the winery supplied backstory here, beyond saying a couple of friends from Texas launched this brand to make good California wine from purchased... Read More

A big snoot- and mouth-ful of crushed berries and cherries with some cocoa dust, a touch of acidic/tannic bite, and a “I dare you to stop drinking me” finish that keeps you coming back for more. Like an Italian Chianti... Read More

Another great vintage, and last year's 90 point Vinous review very much applies: Soft, supple and absolutely delicious. Light tropical notes, lemon confit, white flowers and bright acids give striking nuance as well as character.... Read More