($100): Plush and sexy, Silver Oak’s dazzling 2020 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon delivers succulent dark fruit offset by black olive-like nuances. Polished and suave tannins provide support without being intrusive or distracting, allowing for immediate enjoyment with a steak. Good acidity keeps it bright and you coming back for another sip.… Read more
Category Archives: USA – California
Crosby Roamann, Napa Valley (California) Sauvignon Blanc 2022
($85): I would like to know more about Crosby Roamann, a Napa Valley winery I am unfamiliar with, because this wine is stunning. Sadly, I could not penetrate their website because a pop-up announcing their newsletter required an email address, which I was not inclined to leave, before proceeding. … Read more
Tongue Dancer, Russian River Valley (Sonoma County, California) Chardonnay 2021
($55): Tongue Dancer makes a range of Chardonnays (and Pinot Noirs) highlighting the uniqueness of the vineyards from which they source the grapes. This one, in contrast, is a blend of several vineyards from throughout the Russian River Valley. It is an opulent Chardonnay with all the richness you would expect from grapes grown in the Russian River Valley. … Read more
Tongue Dancer, Russian River Valley (Sonoma County, California) Chardonnay Bacigalupi Vineyard 2021
($50): Choosing between Tongue Dancer’s Bacigalupi and the Pratt Vineyard bottlings is like choosing between your children. To be sure, the wines are different despite similar winemaking philosophy, which shows that terroir influence (i.e., where the grapes grow has an impact) is alive and well in California. … Read more
Tongue Dancer, Russian River Valley (Sonoma County, California) Chardonnay Pratt Vineyard, Irwin Lane 2021
($59): Wow! Here in the 2021 Pratt Vineyard Chardonnay the winemaking team at Tongue Dancer has combined opulence with finesse. Freshness in the finish serves to amplify the wine’s considerable charm. A delectable hint of bitterness in the finish reinforces its stature and complexity. … Read more
La Crema Winery, Monterey (California) Chardonnay 2022
($20): La Crema makes wines from multiple appellations, so check the label carefully. This well-priced versatile Monterey Chardonnay is a crowd-pleaser because it combines a touch of creamy buttery flavors with green apple ones. It is soft enough to savor a glass before a meal and has enough verve to accompany a roast chicken. … Read more
Wine of the Week: Duckhorn Vineyards
Duckhorn Vineyards 1978 Merlot Three Palms Vineyard Napa Valley California 97
Duckhorn Vineyards, founded in 1976 by Dan and Margaret Duckhorn, released its first wines two years later, from the 1978 vintage: 6,000 bottles each of a Cabernet Sauvignon and this Merlot.… Read more
Remembering Mike Grgich: The Man Who Put California Wines on the Map
The wine world lost a giant last month. Miljenko “Mike” Grgich, the man who thrust California wine onto the world’s stage, died at age 100 at his home in Calistoga in the Napa Valley.
Grgich, more than anyone, is responsible for California’s reputation as a place that could make great wine when his 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay took first place at a wine competition that pitted France’s best white Burgundies against upstarts from California. … Read more
Three Sticks, Sonoma Coast (Sonoma County, California) Pinot Noir Gap’s Crown Vineyard 2021
($75): The Sonoma Coast (especially the part of the Sonoma Coast AVA that is west and elevated) is known for cooler temperatures that produce restrained, tensile Pinot Noirs, like this one. Bright and brimming with red cherry-like flavors, this fruit-driven, pristine Pinot Noir has good depth without being heavy. … Read more
Eleven Eleven Wines, Russian River Valley (Sonoma County, California) Chardonnay Dutton Ranch 2021
($60): With a 14.1 percent stated alcohol, the lavish Eleven Eleven Russian River Valley Chardonnay is opulent, but not flamboyant. Balancing acidity keeps it all together. People who embrace the rich style of California Chardonnay will love this well-made, clean, and powerful wine. … Read more
Mount Veeder Winery, Napa Valley (California) Chardonnay 2021
($50): Mount Veeder Winery, justifiably known for their Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet blends, has released their first Chardonnay — and it’s a resounding success. Opulent but not overdone, it displays a buttery richness supported by uplifting acidity and energy. It even displays a welcome hint of bitterness in the finish, reinforcing the sensory impression that it’s not a fruit bomb. … Read more
Papapietro Perry, Sonoma Coast (Sonoma County, California) Pinot Noir 2020
($61): Papapietro Perry’s vibrant Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir shows bright red cherry-like flavors as opposed to the darker fruit character of the one from Nunes Vineyard. Still, it’s mostly a fruit-driven Pinot Noir without substantial savory notes common to that variety. … Read more
Papapietro Perry, Russian River Valley (Sonoma County, California) Pinot Noir “Pommard Clones” 2020
($82): The lush Papapietro Perry Pommard Clones bottling is the boldest of Papapietro’s trio of Pinot Noir releases, displaying ripe black fruit notes. Like their two other bottlings, this Pinot Noir displays a velvety texture. Reflective of its 14.4 percent stated alcohol, a touch of heat comes through in its slightly sweet finish. … Read more
Papapietro Perry, Russian River Valley (Sonoma County, California) Pinot Noir Nunes Vineyard 2020
($66): Papapietro Perry makes a trio of Pinot Noirs that all show a focus on ripe fruitiness while keeping the distinctiveness of site. Nunes Vineyard, a former pig farm with rich soil and a warm site, unsurprisingly, produced this robust Pinot Noir. … Read more
Dry Creek Vineyard, Russian River Valley (Sonoma County, California) Chardonnay DCV Block 10 2021
($45): David Stare founded Dry Creek Vineyard over five decades ago, in 1972. Over those five decades, they have an enviable track record of consistency. Though I am reluctant to describe a style by what they are not, it is important to emphasize that Dry Creek Vineyard’s wines are never flamboyant. … Read more
Cline Family Cellars, Carneros (Sonoma County, California) Chardonnay “Hat Strap” 2021
($30): The Carneros region of Sonoma, and Napa for that matter, is cooler because it abuts San Pablo Bay, which funnels cool Pacific Ocean air into the vineyards. Despite the cooling maritime influences, Cline has managed to create a Chardonnay with substance, reflected by its 14.5 percent stated alcohol, but without going overboard. … Read more
Tongue Dancer, Russian River Valley (Sonoma County, California) Chardonnay 2020
($55): If your idea of California Chardonnay is heavy and buttery, this graceful one with surprise you. Restrained, weighing in at a modest, 13.5 percent-stated alcohol, it nonetheless makes a prominent presence. Despite its apparent lack of power, there’s plenty going on here. … Read more
Tongue Dancer, Russian River Valley (Sonoma County, California) Chardonnay Bacigalupi Vineyard 2020
($50): Tongue Dancer has skillfully managed to produce single-vineyard Chardonnay that are different, unique, and demonstrate a stylistic spectrum of the Russian River Valley. This beautifully balanced one displays lavish tropical fruit notes supported by zesty acidity and a welcoming hint of bitterness in the finish. … Read more
Tongue Dancer, Russian River Valley (Sonoma County, California) Chardonnay Pratt Vineyard, Irwin Lane 2020
($42): Tongue Dancer’s Pratt Vineyard Irwin Lane bottling seems like a marriage of their Pratt Vine Hill and their Bacigalupi, with a touch more density and fruitiness compared to the Pratt Vine Hill, but fewer tropical aspects seen in the Bacigalupi. … Read more
Tongue Dancer, Russian River Valley (Sonoma County, California) Chardonnay Pratt Vineyard, Vine Hill Road 2020
($65): This sleek and racy Chardonnay is the bookend to Tongue Dancer’s tropically infused Bacigalupi Vineyard bottling. With a modest 13.1 percent stated alcohol, the taut Pratt Vine Hill Chardonnay delights the plate with flinty and mineral nuances. It unfolds gloriously as it sits in the glass so don’t be put off by its initial reticence. … Read more
Paul Hobbs, West Sonoma Coast (Sonoma County, California) Pinot Noir 2021
($80): The Sonoma Coast AVA is enormous, even encompassing the Russian River Valley, a warmer locate. Growers whose vineyards were closer to the Pacific would claim their wines came from “the real Sonoma Coast.” Finally, in 2022 The West Sonoma Coast, a strip closest to the Pacific Ocean, was rightly carved out of the greater Sonoma Coast AVA and given its own AVA. … Read more
Tongue Dancer, Sonoma Coast (Sonoma County, California) Pinot Noir 2020
($63): One of the impressive things about Tongue Dancer’s wines is that they reflect their AVAs. This one from the cooler Sonoma Coast, still fruit-focused, manages to combine the appealing cherry-like aromatics and flavors with clear savory influences. Complexity emerges as it sits in the glass. … Read more
Tongue Dancer, Russian River Valley (Sonoma County, California) Pinot Noir “Pinot de Ville” 2020
($63): The talented team of James and Kerry MacPhail oversee Liquid Vineyl, the producer of Tongue Dancer wines. Since everyone just refers to them as Tongue Dancer, I am using that moniker as the producer. The MacPhails seem to favor a ripe, full-bodied style of Pinot Noir that emphasizes fruit over the grape’s potential savory side, though subtle herbal nuances do peak through in their Pinot de Ville. … Read more
Modus Operandi Cellars, Sonoma Coast (Sonoma County, California) Pinot Noir “Vicarious” 2020
($35): Focusing on the fruity, rather than savory, side of Pinot Noir, this ready-to-drink wine delivers ripe dark plum-like notes. This broad-shouldered wine is suavely textured with adequate acidity to balance its ripe black fruit profile. It finishes with the barest hint of sweetness. … Read more
Modus Operandi Cellars, Petaluma Gap (Sonoma County, California) Pinot Noir Gap’s Crown Vineyard 2021
($85): Judging from the two Pinot Noir and one Cabernet Sauvignon that I tasted, Modus Operandi favors a bold style of wine. Savory nuances add balance to this ripe,15 percent stated-alcohol, black-fruited beauty. Despite the savory notes, it comes across as slightly riper and bolder than their Vicarious bottling. … Read more
Modus Operandi Cellars, Napa Valley (California) Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
($115): Olive-like and herbal nuances balance the dense black cassis-like fruit in this rich and concentrated Cabernet Sauvignon. This muscle-bound wine carries its 15.5% stated alcohol easily. An alluring hint of tarriness enhances the long and enveloping finish. With a luxuriously suave texture, this archetypal Napa Cabernet would be an excellent choice with a char-broiled steak tonight.… Read more
Waypoint Wine Company, Russian River Valley (Sonoma County, California) Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard 2020
($60): The character of the wine announces itself with an unnecessarily heavy bottle and a wax-covered cork, which makes opening it difficult. A glossy, intense, cream-laden Chardonnay flows from this impressive packaging. Bright acidity amplifies its seductive texture. This well-made wine won’t be for everyone, but those who embrace lush ripe Chardonnay with oomph with love its buttery richness.… Read more
Jordan Vineyard & Winery, Alexander Valley (Sonoma County, California) Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
($60): Jordan deserves high praise for never wavering from their course of making full-flavored yet elegant Cabernet Sauvignon. Rob Davis, Jordan’s first and longtime, 1976 to 2019, winemaker, told me he wanted “wines with balance” with low alcohol, not “tannic monsters.” … Read more
Hamel Family Wines, Sonoma Valley (Sonoma County, California) “Isthmus” 2018
($90): This is a stylish and refined Bordeaux blend of roughly two-thirds Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot filling out the rest. Leading with great aromatics, the emphasis is on elegance rather than power, though there’s plenty of that as well. … Read more
Bonterra, Mendocino County (California) Cabernet Sauvignon McNab Ranch Vineyard “The McNab” 2020
($60): Whenever the name of a wine starts with “The,” you know the producer wants to make a statement. An overweight bottle adds to that message. Made with biodynamically grown grapes, this is a big, bold style of Cabernet. Powerful and concentrated, it’s not overdone, just intense with a commanding presence. … Read more
Charles Krug, Napa Valley (California) Sauvignon Blanc 2021
($17): This middle-of-the-road style of Sauvignon Blanc strikes the right balance. A mid-weight wine, it has enough bite and varietal character so you know what you’re drinking, but it doesn’t shake you by the lapels as many Sauvignon Blancs might. A pleasing roundness makes it a great choice as a stand-alone aperitif wine, but it has enough acidity to keep it interesting throughout a meal.… Read more
Jordan Vineyard & Winery, Alexander Valley (Sonoma County, California) Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
($60): Jordan deserves high praise for never wavering from their course of making full-flavored yet elegant Cabernet Sauvignon. Rob Davis, Jordan’s first and longtime, 1976 to 2019, winemaker, told me he wanted “wines with balance” with low alcohol, not “tannic monsters.” … Read more
Quivira Vineyards, Sonoma County (California) Sauvignon Blanc 2021
($19): Quivira makes at least four Sauvignon Blancs in various styles. This one shows a straightforward, electricity-filled style that will awaken any palate. There is no hiding the vibrancy and piercing nature behind a patina or oak, or an attempt at mellowing it with Semillon. … Read more
Quivira Vineyards, Dry Creek Valley (Sonoma County, California) Sauvignon Blanc Fig Tree Vineyard 2021
($30): Quivira’s Sauvignon Blanc from their Fig Tree Vineyard shows that site and blend combines to make a far more complex wine. The vineyard sits at the confluence of the Wine Creek — I wonder who gave it that name — and Dry Creek, which, according to their website, imparts freshness because of the rocky alluvial soil. … Read more
Simi Winery , Sonoma County (California) Chardonnay 2020
($20): Simi, founded in 1876, is one of California’s oldest wineries. Still located in Sonoma, where Giuseppe and Pietro Simi first made their wines, Simi makes a range of Chardonnay. This one, a blend from various sites within Sonoma County, delivers great value for the price. … Read more
Landmark Vineyards, Sonoma County (California) Chardonnay “Overlook” 2020
($21): Landmark Vineyards, founded in 1974, is another “old timer” in Sonoma County winemaking. Focusing on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, they make consistently good examples of both. Take this Chardonnay for example. Not overblown, it still has plenty of richness. Good acidity gives it life and balances the moderate oaky richness. … Read more
Dry Creek Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley (Sonoma County, California) Sauvignon Blanc 2021
($20): Dry Creek Vineyard, founded by David Stare in 1972, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Not a “cult” producer, Dry Creek has turned out incredibly consistently good and well-priced wines over those five decades. Their 2021 Sauvignon Blanc is just another example. … Read more
Landmark Vineyards, California (United States) Pinot Noir “Overlook” 2019
($27): Landmark Vineyards bottles a variety of Pinot Noir wines. This one, a blend of grapes from Monterey, Santa Barbara and Sonoma Counties, is clearly fruit-focused and a bit plummy, though not one-dimensional. Spice adds balance to this round and nicely textured Pinot Noir that finishes with a subtle sweetness.… Read more
Lucia, Santa Lucia Highlands (Monterey County, California) Chardonnay 2020
($48): The Pisoni family, who owns Lucia, is one the leading producers in the Santa Lucia Highlands, a ridge that runs southeast to northwest and allows cooling air and fog from Monterey Bay and the Pacific Ocean to cool the vineyards. … Read more
Lucia, Santa Lucia Highlands (Monterey County, California) Chardonnay Soberanes Vineyard 2020
($65): This single vineyard Chardonnay from the Pisoni family’s Soberances Vineyard delivers more muscle and power compared to their blended Chardonnay. Despite more power and concentration, it remains a balanced wine, not an overdone heavy weight. An elegance and energy complement its seductive butter-like richness. … Read more
Masút Vineyard and Winery, Eagle Peak (Mendocino County, California) Chardonnay Estate Vineyard 2020
($42): Ben and Jake Fetzer, grandsons of Barney Fetzer who founded the very popular and successful Fetzer Vineyards in Mendocino County in 1968, have followed the family tradition. Working together, they are responsible for both the viticulture and winemaking at Masút, a 1,200-acre property their parents founded in 1994. … Read more
Hess Select, California (United States) Pinot Gris 2021
($14): With is pear-like nuances and good weight, this wine is labeled appropriately as Pinot Gris rather than Pinot Grigio, since it tastes more of Alsace than of Italy. It has sufficient acidity to accompany food, but not so much as to invalidate it as an aperitif type wine. … Read more
Rural Wine Company, Eagle Peak (Mendocino County, California) Pinot Noir 2019
($17): The focus of this mid-weight and well-priced Pinot Noir is clearly on the fruity, cherry-juice aspect of that grape. Suave tannins allow for immediate enjoyment. It carries the 14 percent stated alcohol without difficulty. A touch of sweetness in the finish allows consumers to enjoy it as a stand-alone aperitivo-type of wine or with spicy Latin America fare.… Read more
Masút Vineyard and Winery, Eagle Peak (Mendocino County, California) Pinot Noir “Big Barrel” 2019
($65): Ben and Jake Fetzer, grandsons of Barney Fetzer who founded the very popular and successful Fetzer Vineyards in Mendocino County in 1968, have followed the family tradition. Working together, they are in charge of both the viticulture and winemaking at Masút, a 1,200-acre property their parents founded in 1994. … Read more
Masút Vineyard and Winery, Eagle Peak (Mendocino County, California) Pinot Noir Estate Vineyard 2019
($45): Masút’s 2019 Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir is simply stunning at this stage. It shows the enormous complexity for which Pinot Noir is known, combining savory earthy notes with delicate fruity ones. There’s spice and excellent energy in this wine that leaves you wanting another sip. … Read more
Pisoni Family Vineyards, Monterey County (California) “Lucy Pico Blanco” 2021
($22): Filled with lots of tropical fruit-like flavors, this charming blend of Pinot Gris (70%) and Pinot Blanc displays good weight— that’s its 13.9 percent stated alcohol speaking — buttressed by sufficient balancing acidity. The tropical fruit profile conveys the barest hint of sweetness, but the energy imparted by the acidity holds it together nicely. … Read more
Bonny Doon Vineyard, Central Coast (California) Picpoul 2021
($16): Picpoul, literally translated as “lip stinger,” is widely planted in southern France where it’s prized for its impressive acidity. Growers also love it for its propensity towards high yields. Though I’ve had plenty of experience with Picpoul de Pinet, a southern French wine made from the same grape, this is the first one I’ve tasted from California, even though Randall Grahm tells me he’s been making this wine for six or seven years. … Read more
Davis Bynum, Russian River Valley (Sonoma County, California) Sauvignon Blanc Virginia’s Block, Jane’s Vineyard 2020
($25): This mid-weight Sauvignon Blanc delivers plenty of concentration along with balancing energy. Its 14.5 percent stated alcohol announces itself with a touch of heat in the finish, but the overall effect is not one of heaviness, just intensity. It is a Sauvignon Blanc with power, which makes it a fine choice with tomato-based seafood dishes.… Read more
Dry Creek Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley (Sonoma County, California) Sauvignon Blanc “Fumé Blanc” 2020
($20): Dry Creek Vineyard has always excelled with Sauvignon Blanc. And the 2020 is no exception. A trio of Sauvignon species, Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Musqué, and Sauvignon Gris, comprise the blend of this winsome wine. Dry Creek names it Fume Blanc to remind the consumer it’s a Loire style of Sauvignon Blanc — zippy and mineraly — in contrast to those coming from Bordeaux. … Read more
Dry Creek Vineyard, Clarksburg (California) Dry Chenin Blanc 2020
($16): If there is a California Chenin Blanc that’s more enjoyable than Dry Creek Vineyard’s, I would like someone to tell me. Crisp and clean, it conveys a delicate fruitiness. Light and airy — only 12 percent stated alcohol — its verve and floral fruitiness are in perfect harmony. … Read more