Wine Reviews
J Wilkes Chardonnay Santa Maria ValleyThis exemplifies the ever-evolving style of Central Coast Chardonnay. A deft balance of vibrant white fruit with decadent hazelnut creaminess. Apricot, cardamom, sea breeze, and pineapple.Wine …
Wine Reviews
Wine Reviews
Hope Estate 2015 “The Ripper” ShirazHailing from Western Australia will give you the drunken power of seven wombats. Eh. Actually, this is a white-pepper-driven beauty with clear notes of cedar and …
Wine Reviews
Bodegas Gormaz Ribera del Duero CrianzaWith Rioja, the region of Ribero Del Duero produces some of the world’s best tempranillo-based wines. This is a spectacular value for this quality. Full-bodied with dense …
Wine Reviews
Cuatro Rayas “Nocturna” RuedaClassic verdejo from northwest Spain. Aromas of tulip and guava are enticing, but it’s the crunchy acid and orange-fennel flavors that make this a winner. If you’re thinking …
Wine Reviews
Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon Napa ValleyA classic style of Napa Cabernet. I really love the cardamom, black olive, and eucalyptus notes here. Medium-bodied and restrained, this works very well with grilled beef …
Wine Reviews
Ulysses Cabernet Sauvignon Napa ValleyThis may seem like a lot of cash for a bottle of wine (and it is) but consider that it’s from the guy behind both …
Wine Reviews
Columbia Crest “Walter Clore Private Reserve” Red Columbia ValleyThis is a monster Merlot with a margin of Cabernet Sauvignon in the mix. Smoked chocolate and Dwayne Johnson-level muscularity. The last …
Columbia Valley Wine Reviews
Seven Hills Red, Walla Walla ValleyA Bordeaux-style blend of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon and aged for two years in mostly older oak barriques. Cedar and wildflowers frame a classy move into old-world …
Wine Reviews
Cloudlift Cellars “Halcyon” Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia ValleyThe gritty backbone of tannins with a whiff of burnt sage and cedar. Plump red fruit flavors take a backseat to eucalyptus. There is great …
Stonehedge 2016 “Grand Reserve” Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
Another Mystery WineI took a deep dive while trying to figure out who made this wine. I hadn’t heard of Stonehedge before tasting this monolithic Cabernet Sauvignon. The label seems to …
Terroir Daronton 2017 Roaix, Côtes du Rhône Villages
Le Terroir Daronton is a cooperative winery that includes about 200 winegrowers in the Southern Rhone. They don’t make a generic “Cotes du Rhone”; instead, they focus on village-designated wines. These …
Bodegas Berceo 2013 Rioja Reserva
HaroThe town of Haro has a long winemaking history, and Bodegas Berceo is its figurative heart. Berceo’s wine cellars were dug under the city streets, repurposing tunnels that dated back to …
Brittan Vineyards 2014 “Basalt Block” Pinot Noir, McMinnville
Robert BrittanRobert Brittan is best known as the winemaker responsible for Stags’ Leap Winery’s Petite Sirahs. Those inky monsters redefined the grape as a luxury Napa Valley wine. Throughout the nineties, …
Infinito 2014 “Winemaker’s Selection” Malbec, Mendoza
A Mystery Bottle Out of nowhere, a 90-plus rated wine shows up on the wine shelves at the local wine & spirits store. As a wine critic, I like to know …
Rimapere 2017 Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough
A single vineyard bottle of Sauvignon Blanc from the Rimapere vineyard in Marlborough’s highly regarded Rapaura district. This joint venture between Bordeaux’s Baron Benjamin de Rothschild (owner of Château Clarke and …
Vinos de Arganza 2015 “Seculo” Mencia, Bierzo
A small winery that has a laser-like focus on the Mencia grape. This is one of several they produce, much of whom have earned critical praise. These include the brands Flavium, …