The nose shows red fruits, strawberry and cherry, and pencil lead. Tarter red fruits show on the palate, cranberry and redcurrant, along with sage and pencil lead. Flavors don't change, but deepen on the mid-palate, while the pencil lead lingers on the finish. Tannins sneak up on the mid-palate and
The wine is very dark, almost black. Even with a light behind it it is opaque in the center, royal purple around the edges. The nose shows fresh blackberry with coconut and vanilla lingering in the background. On the palate, blackberries and elderberries lead, with smoke and cayenne pepper in
For this year’s second annual Barbera Festival, held in California’s Amador County, winemakers brought samples of some 85 expressions of this highly drinkable varietal. They came up from Lodi, Paso Robles, Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz and over from Mendocino, Napa and Sonoma to merge with a majority of Sierra
The nose is very shy, but with effort shows mangos and peaches with a background of citrus flowers. The palate offers the same combination of tropical and stone fruits found on the palate, with the addition of sweet lemon. Hazelnuts and a very light background taste of vanilla show on
Even after more than forty years as a winegrower, Stuart (Stu) Smith still finds his happiness in the vineyards. “There is just something to playing with a product in the dirt, and then having it at dinner,” he gushes. Smith, founder and managing partner of Smith-Madrone in Napa Valley’s Spring
Rich tobacco leaf and dust pair with blue fruit on the nose. Blue fruits, elderberry and blueberry, lead the attack as well, joined by tobacco on the mid-palate. This has terrific structure, with firm tannins and acids to match. This has great cellar potential, but if you can't wait, pair
Black cherry and mocha show on the nose. On the palate, big black cherry with cedar and spice box lead, followed by vanilla and loads of dark chocolate on the mid-palate, moving toward the finish. Tannins have some raw power, which should integrate with a few years in the cellar.
The cabernet grapes for this wine come from a unique block in Trione’s vineyard, with two vines per stake to increase density. The vines grow in opposite directions and have two canes each. The nose shows black currant and cedar. On the palate, sweet black currant and black cherry pair