Seeing 20/20 – Sonoma & Anderson Valley New ReleasesThe 2016 La Muse is a brooding, somber wine, just as it was en primeur. Black cherry, gravel, savory herbs, smoke, game, licorice and incense add a real feeling of gravitas that comes through in the wine's tannic heft. La Muse is often more showy when it is young, but the 2016 is going to require quite a bit of patience.
Seeing 20/20 – Sonoma & Anderson Valley New ReleasesThe 2017 Pinot Noir Pratt Vineyard-Sexton Road is one of the more exuberant and expressive wines in this range. Creamy, ample and inviting, the 2017 has so much going on. Sweet floral and spice notes add layers of complexity, but more than anything else, the 2017 is a wine of textural richness and breadth. The 2017 is just superb.
Seeing 20/20 – Sonoma & Anderson Valley New ReleasesThe 2018 Pinot Noir (Petaluma Gap) shows the savoriness and energy that are typical of this cool micro-climate. Lifted and precise, the 2018 is such a gorgeous and expressive wine. Sage, mint, tobacco, blood orange, rose petal and incense add myriad shades of nuance to this sculpted, beautifully taut Pinot.
Seeing 20/20 – Sonoma & Anderson Valley New ReleasesThe 2018 Chardonnay Seco Highlands is marked by soaring aromatic intensity and a weightless feel that is rather beguiling. Exotic white flowers, mint, lemon confit and white pepper are all beautifully lifted here. New oak is around 67%, but the wood is not at all noticeable. As always, this is one of the most distinctive wines in the range.
Seeing 20/20 – Sonoma & Anderson Valley New ReleasesThe 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Knights Crown is a bold, powerful wine. Ample and broad, with tremendous depth, the 2016 is complex, nuanced and potent. Black cherry, menthol, licorice, chocolate and dark spice infuse the 2016 with tons of character. Dark and brooding, the 2016 will be even better in another few years' time.
Seeing 20/20 – Sonoma & Anderson Valley New ReleasesThe 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Smothers-Remick Ridge is such a classy, polished wine. Silky, exquisitely perfumed and just striking in its balance, the 2016 is a remarkably elegant wine. Succulent dark cherry, menthol, licorice, spice, tobacco and black olive all add energy and character.
Seeing 20/20 – Sonoma & Anderson Valley New ReleasesThe 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Monte Rosso Vineyard is another very pretty, elegant wine in this range. Crushed flowers, mint, sweet red berry, pine and mocha give the 2016 striking aromatic dimension. I would cellar the 2016 for at least a few years, as it needs time to come together.
Seeing 20/20 – Sonoma & Anderson Valley New ReleasesThe 2018 Pinot Noir Edmeades is a deep, expressive wine. Spice, dried cherry, earthy notes, cedar and tobacco are some of the notes that flesh out in this supple, beautifully open-knit Anderson Valley Pinot. This is such a gorgeous and inviting wine. Drink it over the next handful of years.
Seeing 20/20 – Sonoma & Anderson Valley New ReleasesThe 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Trace Ridge, from the Kellogg Ranch in Knights Valley, melds together intense fruit richness with the more savory and mineral-driven undertones that are so typical of this part of Sonoma. Graphite, tar, black cherry, menthol and licorice infuse the 2017 with tons of depth and sheer concentration.
Seeing 20/20 – Sonoma & Anderson Valley New ReleasesThe 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Hawkeye Mountain is distinguished by its bright aromatics and floral, red-toned personality. A Cabernet of energy and focus, the 2017 Hawkeye has so much to offer. It is one of the more finessed wines in this range, and yet there is plenty of structure as well.
Seeing 20/20 – Sonoma & Anderson Valley New ReleasesThe 2018 Pinot Noir Seco Highlands is bright, floral and very, very beautiful. Crushed red berries, mint, spice and rose petal all grace this exquisite, beautifully lifted Pinot from Kendall-Jackson. This is a "wow" wine.
Seeing 20/20 – Sonoma & Anderson Valley New ReleasesThe 2017 Red Blend is a Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blend, mostly from mountain sites in Napa Valley and about 11% from Knights Valley in Sonoma. Bold and punchy, the 2017 offers an intriguing combination of inky dark fruit and structure. More than that, though, the 2017 offers tons of pure drinking pleasure at a mid-tier price.
Seeing 20/20 – Sonoma & Anderson Valley New ReleasesThe 2017 Pinot Noir Barbieri Vineyard is laced with sweet dark cherry, mint, sage, licorice and incense, all of which give a good bit of aromatic nuance. Like all of these wines, the Barbieri is focused and nicely delineated, if not quite as defined as it can be.
Seeing 20/20 – Sonoma & Anderson Valley New ReleasesThe 2017 Pinot Noir Perry Ranch Vineyard is bright, floral and energetic. Crushed flowers, sweet red berry, citrus and star anise give the 2017 a very pretty upper register of perfume. The 2017 is a bit nervous and edgy, but it has terrific balance and plenty of vibrancy.
Seeing 20/20 – Sonoma & Anderson Valley New ReleasesThe 2017 Pinot Noir Ewald Vineyard is bright, punchy and full of character. Sweet red berry citrus, rose petal and white pepper give the 2017 terrific lift and energy. Weightless and nervy in feel, the Ewald is so expressive. The choice to pick this on August 30th appears to have been right on.
Seeing 20/20 – Sonoma & Anderson Valley New ReleasesThe 2018 Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley) is a very pretty, floral wine with terrific freshness. Crushed red berries, mint, flowers and citrus give the 2018 a terrific sense of energy and verve. Gracious, lifted and finely cut, the 2018 is positively stellar. I loved it.
Seeing 20/20 – Sonoma & Anderson Valley New ReleasesA bold, powerful wine, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley possesses tremendous density and tons of pure power. Black cherry, menthol, licorice, chocolate, cloves and French oak (40% new) add to an impression of gravitas and brooding power. This is an especially rich, muscular style.
Seeing 20/20 – Sonoma & Anderson Valley New ReleasesThe 2018 Chardonnay Camelot Highlands melds together the tropical notes that are typical of these wines with more of an airy, weightless feel. White flowers, lemon confit, mint and white pepper add striking brightness to this very pretty, nuanced Chardonnay.
Seeing 20/20 – Sonoma & Anderson Valley New ReleasesThe 2018 Chardonnay Cloud Landing Petaluma Gap is marked by super-intriguing exotic floral and tropical notes that give it a distinctive personality. Lightly honeyed notes, orange peel, apricot and butter develop later, adding further layers of complexity.
Seeing 20/20 – Sonoma & Anderson Valley New ReleasesThe 2018 Chardonnay Grand Reserve is made exclusively from Santa Barbara fruit. Creamy, polished and wonderfully inviting, the 2018 has so much to offer. Bright floral accents from a touch of Musqué Clone Chardonnay add lift to this weightless, supremely expressive cool-climate Chardonnay.
Seeing 20/20 – Sonoma & Anderson Valley New ReleasesThe 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon is dense, rich and closed in on itself. Dark cherry, plum, espresso and licorice add to a feeling of weight and gravitas. The 2017 is going to be an absolutely fascinating wine to follow as the vines get older. The wine today is maybe just a bit unfocused, but these are young vines.
Seeing 20/20 – Sonoma & Anderson Valley New ReleasesThe 2017 Red Wine Innovant is gorgeous and sleek. Sweet red cherry, spice, mint and mocha give the 2017 striking aromatic presence to match its mid-weight personality. Readers will find a stylish 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon-based wine with terrific freshness and plenty of verve.
Seeing 20/20 – Sonoma & Anderson Valley New ReleasesThe 2017 Red Blend Prequel is a gorgeous Petite Sirah/Syrah-based blend. Inky dark fruit, spice, wild flowers, mint and lavender give this boisterous, rich wine tons of depth and sheer character. Bold and luscious, the 2017 is absolutely delicious. Drink it over the next handful of years. This is a very elegant wine considering the varieties it comprises.
Seeing 20/20 – Sonoma & Anderson Valley New ReleasesThe 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Reserve is so promising. Rich and vibrant, with terrific nuance, the 2017 is shaping up beautifully; I tasted it from tank just prior to bottling. Sweet red cherry, mint, pine, spice and white pepper add a very pretty aromatic upper register. The 2017 is impressive.
Seeing 20/20 – Sonoma & Anderson Valley New ReleasesThe 2018 Chardonnay Fulton Ranch has a lot of character. It is one of the more structured Chardonnays in this range. Today, there is not a whole lot of Russian River juiciness; instead the 2018 comes across as quite closed and severe.