Grown in Carneros and blended with about 10% Sangiovese, started with aromas of pepper, a mélange of oak and dill with briary, jammy fruit. Lighter in the mouth, the flavors were dominated by oak. The wine finished with light red-read more-
Dark cherries, cola, a touch of cranberries, and some mushrooms are on the palate, all with a background of spice, wood, and a teriyaki-like umami. Tannins are fine and sweet. It does not offer delicacy or flow with multiple layers-read more-
The winery closed now, this bottle shows the promise lost in today’s economy. At this price point, most Napa Merlots are drink-now fruit bomb oaksidents. Primary fruits are black, but dark, blackberry ad unripe plums over secondary red fruits, raspberry-read more-
This wine exhibits a ripe melon & pineapple core with butterscotch, butter & heavy cream, baking spice & vanilla extract. Full body, medium acid, medium length in this pleasant, but typical, upscale California Chardonnay. Guests at the Palate Press Grand-read more-
You may not recognize this wine as Chardonnay if you’ve only been exposed to the heavy oak and butter first popularized by some California wineries. Made without oak aging or malolactic fermentation, it is more like a new white varietal,-read more-
Relatively dark in color, not quite opaque. Flavors are overwhelmingly tart red fruit, barely ripe cherries, wild strawberries, and lots of rhubarb. Sweet wood is there, but barely perceptible behind the tartness. Finish is mid-length, tannins slightly drying. A rich-read more-
Give this wine some time to open. It starts one-dimensional, but as it opens it offers more Pommard than Russian River, deeply bruised plum and black cherries, earthy mushrooms still dirty with rich loam, all balanced by a hint of-read more-
The many storied wine regions of Northern California experienced a harvest this year that was in one way, ideal and in another quite anxiety-inducing. Fruit growth was delayed this year by a cooler spring and summer, but the overall temperatures-read more-