Since it’s founding in 2004, Rutger de Vink’s RDV has certainly been Virginia’s most ambitious winery and, arguably at least, it’s best at Cabernet-dominant Bordeaux blends. Rendezvous is the main production... Read More
Trey Busch and Jerry Solomon of Slight of Hand Cellars created Renegade Wine Co. to make really good, really affordable, Washington state wines (and, it's rumored, to profitably use some excess juice from Slight of Hand).... Read More
From younger vines at Candlestick Ridge Vyd on the top of Howell Mountain, this blends 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 6% Malbec and 4% Petit Verdot to deliver plenty of mountainside power in a more lusch, immediately accessible,... Read More
Lower ABV I’m skeptical of super-high-altitude California Pinot with 45% whole clusters, 10 months in barrel, only 336 case production and just 12.7% alcohol. This one is convincing, though, in its ripeness, flavor intensity... Read More
The Corliss family owns two premier Washington State wineries. Corliss is located in the Red Mountain AVA and focuses on Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux varietals. Tranche is in the Blue Mountains and does mainly Rhone blends.... Read More
Seghesio is a red wine winery, specifically heritage Italian varietals and especially Zinfandel. Surprisingly, their Chardonnay doesn’t taste like an afterthought but, instead, like just the palate reviver you’d want... Read More
While the label is less colorful than in past years, the wine is even more seriously good. Pretty much the essence of Walla Walla Syrah here with deep fruit, loads of savory complexity, and a finish that won't quit. It's... Read More
If you find yourself thinking, Hmm - this tastes like Napa with a bit of French flair!, there's a reason for that. Diana Snowden grew up in a Napa winemaking family, destined to take the reins someday. But then she met and... Read More
A terrific value in Russian River Chardonnay picked fresh and ripe and aged 10 months in French oak (25% new). Welcoming aromas of golden apple, stone fruit and buttered popcorn pull you into a wine that has plenty of California... Read More
From vines in the heart of the valley, this delivers the distinctive combination of rich and ripe dark fruit and mouthwatering freshness that makes Russian River Valley Pinot so famous. Fresh raspberry and earth aromas give way... Read More
Full confession - Temperance Hill is my personal least favorite top-notch Willamette Valley Pinot vineyard. The cigar/pipe tobacco note that's the signature here is usually just too much for me. But Mark Vlossak is a wizard... Read More
Organic/Bio This wine is amazing, even better than the gushing reviews. Depth, richness, brightness, complexity, grip, finish: it's the whole package now - 2033+.... Read More
Organic/Bio Ch Beaucastel’s Paso Robles outpost crafts this Rhone-Ranger red from mainly Syrah plus other grapes purchased from neighboring vineyards planted to Beaucastel vines stock. It’s dark and smoky on the nose... Read More
If I could tell you (or persuade our good friend Chris Campbell who bought all TWO barrels made) where on Howell Mountain this 100% Cabernet Sauvignon came from…well, you’d be happy to have it at 3x the price. If... Read More
With only 800 cases produced and plenty of customer demand, we’re not sure why a wine that tastes so expensive is still available at such a great value price. But we’re certainly glad that’s the case! It’s... Read More
Lower ABV Just 13 miles inland from the Pacific, The Hilt’s Chardonnay vineyards benefit from hours of daily sun balanced by almost as many hours of cooling ocean breeze. In 2020, it’s brilliantly aromatic and detailed... Read More
The Vinous 92 point write up catures this perfectly, The 2021 Pinot Noir Estate is gorgeous. A wine of depth and substance, the Estate is also wonderfully complex right out of the gate. Dried cherry, rose petal, mint, cedar and... Read More
Yes, really. Classic, very high-quality, robust, Howell Mountain Cabernet at this price (vs. the $100+ usually). How? Neil Koch used his job as a Napa grape/wine broker to build great relationships with some of Napa’s top... Read More
The guys behind The Dude do it again, this time with a very well-crafted Cabernet from Stags Leap that sells for a LOT less than you'd expect once you taste it. As usual, we don’t know who grew the grapes, but it was... Read More
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
Tolosa makes world-class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from California's cool-climate Edna Valley. The Pinots normally sell for $70-$150, fairly priced for the hard work they take, the small production, and the huge amounts of... Read More
Pesenti is a wild site and makes one of the most unique wines in the Turley line-up. The mostly Zinfandel vines were planted here on the west side of Paso Robles in 1920 - pretty normal for Turley - but on a white limestone soil... 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
Kirk Vinge's second wine Cabernet comes from sites around Napa and ages 18 months in 65% new French oak. There's a sleekness and finesse here to match the generous size (of the wine and the slightly over-the-top-heavy... Read More
A fun project for superstar Helen Keplinger offering up superb richness and depth and a satisfyingly spicy finish. As Wine Spectator reported a few years ago, 'I started this label in 2010 because we had some declassified... Read More
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