The best Quality-Price-Ratio (QPR) California Pinot Noir we’ve tasted in years! It’s from one of the Central Coast’s very first Pinot Noir vineyards, Mission Ranch in the Salinas Valley planted in 1961. Fifty-five... Read More
New Zealand native Angela Osborne moved to California in 2006 with a simple dream: to make Grenache. Over the years, she's established herself as one of the few masters of crafting Grenache that's bursting with fruit but... Read More
Made by Rob Mondavi,Jr (grandson of the Napa legend), this does an outstanding job of balancing Napa's richness with a fine minerality and structure. Plenty of blackcurrant and blackberry fruit, a touch of dried herb, a dash... Read More
Lower ABV Absurdly delicious cool-climate, California, Syrah that delivers layers of savory complexity, whole cluster (50%) grip, and still has enough fruit to just drink sexy. Double 95 point reviews for the 2019 will be repreated... 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
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
A terrific value Cabernet from Alexander Valley, north of Napa. Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with splashes of Malbec and Petit Verdot, this pairs rich blackberry and currant fruit with Alexander Valley’s signature... Read More
From the tenderloin of Alexander Valley, this has plenty of size but also a bit of grace. Lots of blackberry, raspberry and currant fruit with accents of cedar and baking spice. The French oak shows on the trace of vanilla on... 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
Stags Leap is the smallest AVA in Napa but has loomed large in wine-lovers’ minds ever since Warren Winiarski’s Stag’s Leap Cabernet Sauvignon Cask 23 1973 shocked the wine world by beating out the best of Bordeaux... Read More
Grown just north and east of Napa, most Lake County Cabernet Sauvignon ends up as part of the allowable 20% of non-AVA fruit in “Napa” Cabernet. Here it shines mostly solo as the main component in this delicious, ripe,... Read More
Organic/Bio From the sister winery of Radio-Couteau, County Line wines look to deliver that level of style and quality in a more immediately drinkable (and less expensive) format. Fermented in steel and aged in neutral (meaning... Read More
While brother Tim has gone the artisanal route with his Continuum project, Michael Mondavi has focused more on making plenty of good-drinking, well-made, Napa-typical selections. Like this which showcases plenty of deep Napa Cab... Read More
Look, we’ve yet to find a Zin that was both satisfyingly ripe (i.e., not toughly tannic and herbal) and under 14.5% alcohol. The grape needs hang time and that means alcohol. But it turns out you can make 15% abv Zin that... Read More
These guys make just one wine, a Lodi blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Sirah and Merlot brought in rich and ripe at 13.5% alcohol and given plenty of French oak spice and toast. It’s richer and more ripe than the modest... Read More
Powerful enough to benefit from a decant today, this is Napa steak wine par excellence. Deep red currant and raspberry fruit with hints of violets, mocha and smoke, it unfurls in the glass nicely and has the firm grip to match... Read More
It takes a certain amount of artistry to craft what used to be called a “Meritage” blend, and Girard has been showcasing their craft with this wine for years now. Fully flavored, classy and pure, with plenty of power... Read More
From Napa’s famed Inglenook vineyards in Rutherford and a truly great Napa Cabernet vintage, this is drinking beautifully now and still has plenty of potential to develop in cellar. It's 95% Cabernet Sauvignon plus Cabernet... Read More
The Model M tractor was the first tractor purchased by the Dusi family in the early 1900s, and now that they've moved from selling fruit to folks like Turley to making their own wine, this red blend is now the backbone of... Read More
A review of a previous vintage started off, “This is a boomer of a wine,” and that gets right to the heart of Petit Sirah in general. This is a wine that “booms” with intense blackberry, boysenberry and... Read More
100% Cabernet Sauvignon from sites across Paso Robles with 10 months in French oak delivers a wine of excellent plushness and flesh. Dark cherry and blackcurrant fruit get a nice pop from the juicy texture and dollops of dark... Read More
Jayson Pahlmeyer has created a suite of wines that deliver just what Napa fans want to drink - wines of amplitude, intensity, ripeness and - most of all - terrifically velvety mouthfeel. The 2019 Jayson Cab delivers the house... Read More
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