Rounded aromas of roasted red cherry and peppery herbs invite the nose into this bottling. The palate is tense and complex, combining cracked pepper, toasted herb and pomegranate flavors.
Very ripe, dried fruit and
smoked beef aromas lead to rich blackberry jam flavors in this full-bodied, big and rounded wine. Its
powerful mouthfeel and broad tannins give a heavy, warm presence to the palate. —J.G.
Rich but dry, this robust take on Zinfandel wraps good tannins around ample blackberry and raspberry flavors, while light smoke and black-pepper accents dance around the edges. Pair with a grilled ribeye or roasted bone-in pork chop. —J.G.
This extroverted, soft-textured wine glows with sunny apple and mango aromas, followed by tempting buttery, oakspice elements in the generous fruit flavors. —J.G.
Tempting cinnamon, rhubarb and pastry aromas waft from the glass before mulled cherries, sweet plums and cloves saturate the generous texture of this full-bodied, low-tannin wine. Its acidity is relaxed for easy sipping. —J.G.
The 2021 Pinot Noir Rosella's Vineyard is laced with crushed flowers, sweet red-toned fruit, cedar, pipe tobacco, mint and rose petals. This is a pretty nervy, taut expression of Rosella's, but it works.
The nose is briar, resin and hard Christmas candy. The palate entry is firmly structured plum with vibrant mineral and herb in the core. It finishes with a substantial texture that coats the mouth. Drink 2024-2030.
The nose is vivid licorice and sticky cherry with lingering cool conifer. The palate entry is supple red berries leading to a lively core of well-integrated herb and spice finishing with graphite and plum. Very solid wine. Drink 2023-2028.
The nose is sharply-defined cherry and spice box along with notes of green garden herbs. The palate entry is focused on toast and spice with underlying tobacco and a tight core of red berries and cherry leading to a dry stony finish. Drink 2023 – 2028.
The nose is gravel and dried herb with notes of toffee. The palate entry is lean and dry red berries with a core of focused, polished plum and spice leading to a finish of firm, mouth-coating acidity. Drink 2023 – 2027.
The nose is concentrated dried plum and blueberry with whiffs of blossom. The palate entry is polished licorice and black fruit leading to a core with gobs of sweet, herb-laced plum that coate the mouth through the finish. Drink 2023 – 2027.
The nose is brilliant candied red fruit with a well-integrated cool forest floor. The palate entry is supple brown spice leading to a core of hand plum finishing with line acidity. Drink 2023 - 2028.
The nose is fresh and lean lemon, pineapple with chalk and grass. The palate entry offers candied pineapple and baked yellow citrus with a lingering jasmine spice in the core finishing with juicy peach. Drink 2023 – 2026.
The nose is bright yellow citrus, chalk and honey-flecked verbena. The palate entry is gravel, grains, with a focused core of citrus and crushed nuts. It finishes with silky light toast and nectarine acidity. Drink 2023-2026.
Undeniably drinkable and fresh, the North Coast Zinfandel from Kendall-Jackson may serve as a bellwether of the style of wine the grape can produce with a depth of dark fruits that is lifted by undeniable freshness. Aromas of mountain scrub, wild violet, pine bough and stone give way to ripe...
Fairly light in color with a somewhat dirty nose (stem inclusion?) of light cherry and maybe even some funk. Light on the palate as well, but pretty well balanced and a lengthy finish. Not as boisterous as others but very nice.. Excellent. 91 Points.
This is a textbook highquality Pinot Noir. Though a bit shy on the nose, the vivacious wine comes to life on the palate, driven by generous acidity and encompassed by well-integrated, chalky-textured tannins. Find layered flavors of red currant, cranberry, pomegranate, cacao, basil, tarragon, nutmeg, vanilla, licorice and toasted wood. It’s complex, yet maintains a casual attitude. Pair it with you favorite weekday or datenight meal. —S.B.
Give this guy a bit of time to open up—he’s shy. About 20 minutes to read the room should suffice, and then he’ll be talking all about the fresh red cherry, red currant, tarragon and basil mashed onto the redwood forest floor. He’ll stand tall on integrated tannins, refreshed by modest acidity. A balanced, medium level of alcohol means he’ll be great sipping all night long. —S.B.
A gentle texture and soft, ripe flavors of pear and peach nectar give this full-bodied wine an approachable, smooth style. The hints of lemon zest and crisp apple balance it out well. —J.G.
Expressive vanilla and butter aromas lead to butter, fig, coconut and honeydew melon flavors in this soft-textured, lush wine from the estate property of La Crema. —J.G
This beautifully fresh expression of Pinot Noir is just what you’d expect from Mendocino’s Anderson Valley. Find vivacious notes of tart red cherry, wild strawberry, just-ripe pomegranate, basil and toasted wood. Everything is knit together by firm tannins, driven by a solid dose of acidity and incorporates a balanced alcohol to give weight and lift to the midpalate. —S.B.
The 2019 Chardonnay Silene has a slightly richer bouquet and is a little more intense than 2020, with hints of walnut, hazelnut, fennel and light tropical fruit. The palate is well-balanced, slightly more generous and textural than the '20. There's fine depth, quite bright with citrus peel and orange rind towards the finish, just a nice saline tincture lingering on the aftertaste. Very fine.
A bigger Pinot Noir, the Rosella's shows savoury herbs and crushes stone minerality backed by a baked cherry component. Blue and black fruits predominate on the palate, as well as ripe and rich fig, chocolate, and blackberry compote. Finishing with desert sage and white pepper accents.
A ripe, jammy and broad-shouldered Pinot Noir from what is a cool, windy site in the Sta Rita Hills. Ripe, dried fruits mark the aromatic profile accented by mountain scrub. The palate shows strawberry fruit leather, tobacco, and black plums and finishes with black pepper spiciness.
A nose of ripe red fruits and dark chocolate, this blend of four vineyards in the Sta Rita Hills has produced a compelling and ripe wine. The palate flashes silky blackberries and figs braced by cinnamon and Christmas spice. Red cherries, chewy tannins and a spicy pepper finish carry this wine home.