A deep and youthful ruby with a hint of purple, the 2021 Zinfandel Russian River Valley is ripe and juicy with boysenberry, mocha, and pine. Full-bodied, it lends a nice balance of ripe and tart fruit on the palate, with a classic feel to its fine tannins underneath a sheen of silkiness. It is ripe and rounded, with notable freshness and a good finish. Drink it over the next few years.

Ripe and flinty, the 2021 Chardonnay Russian River Valley pours a golden hue and reveals aromas of ripe peach, wet stone, and candied ginger. This full-bodied white is ripe with honeyed citrus, ripe melon, and a bit of vanilla spice and has a good, clean finish. A good value for this classic, ripe style, it’s approachable and ready to drink over the next few years

Generous and open, this wine’s pineapple flavors have a broad leesy frame which reins in the ripe fruit and crates a creamy impression. It’s simple, but thoroughly irresistible for a grilled bird. -P.J.C (389 cases)

The first of the two wines produced under this label, the 2019 Prequel takes on some
umami richness, with BBQ spices, baked plum, and fresh earth. Full-bodied, it has a
plush, velvety structure, with notes of ripe mixed berries and mocha, sweet tannins, and a floral finish. Juicy and approachable, I would prefer this for fresher youthful drinking.

Pretty, with high-pitched damson plum and cherry notes infused with rose petal and iris hints. The fresh finish is lined with red tea and sanguine hints. Drink now through 2027. 6,836 cases made.

Brisk and steely, with refreshing lemon and quince flavors laced with green apple and hints of saline. Drink now. 150 cases made.

Mouthwatering up front, showing lemon, lime zest and tangerine flavors that are fresh and energetic, with a savory thread of minerality. Offers hints of lanolin and honeycomb that add an appealing note on the long finish.

This light-bodied, graceful wine leads with a singed sandalwood note, followed by light red tea, damson plum and mulled cherry accents. Reveals a subtle sous-bois gloss on the finish.

This profoundly ripe, densely concentrated Chardonnay is a bolder expression of the Santa Rita Hills AVA. Weighty and voluminous but still squarely anchored in acidity, this powerful wine pulsates with ripe Asian pear and yellow cherry flavours speckled with hints of dill, candied ginger and toasted brioche.

Broad aromas of white pear, poached apple and citrus peel draw the nose into this widely popular bottling. There’s a yuzu and grapefruit zestiness to the palate, giving an edge to the fleshy pear core

A pretty shade of bright pink in the glass, this bottling offers potent aromas of strawberry, cherry and orange peel on the nose. There’s a bit of power to the palate, with juicy cherry flavors that would pair well with roasted chicken, grilled salmon and summer salads

A lighter hue in the glass, this clonal study offers tart red-currant aromas on the nose as well as a prominent game note of seared and dried beef. That savory meat spice adds complexity to the brisk cranberry core of the palate.

Cleanly presented aromas of smashed boysenberry and black plum are lifted by cinnamon and mace on the nose of this bottling. Those spice elements hold firm through the sip, where Red Hot candy enlivens the rich redfruit core.

Clipped thyme and light pepper aromas spice up the intense blackberry elements on the nose of this bottling. There’s a tight texture to the palate, where tart cranberry, fresh currant, citrus rind and earthy flavors of sagebrush and thyme carry through the finish.

This pinot shows fragrant aromas of lavender, crushed hazelnuts, strawberries and hints of caramel. Polished with a medium body, mellow tannins and tangy acidity kicking in. Drink now.

Fresh and fruit-forward Sauvignon Blanc from the esteemed Napa estate. Classic aromatics of smoky flint, cut Granny Smith apple and lemon zest. The palate is lively, balancing fresh citrus flavours with flinty aromatics of wet stone.

A delicate Anderson Valley pinot, this is light in color, focused on a crisp line of red fruit that lasts. It’s not about complexity, but the wine’s freshness holds well as it continues to open with air. Easy to enjoy with a range of foods.

Offers a friendly mix of loganberry and damson plum allied to a bright, racy frame, with a nice piercing savory thread running through the finish. Drink now through 2028

Under DIAM5. I found this in the cellar, but I had not added it to my inventory. I guess that is a bonus of sorts? I was out of town and my wife picked this up somewhere (Costco?) and apparently put it in the cellar without noting it anywhere. Yeah, that tracks. Pale straw in the glass with lemon curd and vanilla. Yum. The palate is similar, with plenty of fruit and that vanilla aspect, but there is also a boatload of acidity, which serves to hold it all together. Yes, Copain is now part of a corporate conglomerate, but the wines continue to perform at a very high level. Very nice.

This fabled vineyard from the Chalone appellation gave a wine with a lovely scent of sun-warmed berries, strawberries and juice. There’s a back note of black tea and chaparral herbs carried on a mulled-wine texture. A mid-weight red for ribs

There’s a sweet molasses note up front, then the fruit settles into its acid structure, integrated with the tannins. Skycrest Vineyard tops out at 2,000 feet above sea level, a steep hillside providing the fruit for this pinot.

This deep, rich expression of Zinfandel, delivers notes of overripe blueberry and blackberry, black plum jam, Mission figs, black-cherry compote, chocolate, vanilla, black pepper and a hint toasted wood. The voluptuousness of the fruit is well-met by the coarse, mouth coating tannins and elevated alcohol and balanced by a solid acid structure. Best Buy.

You may not know it, but La Crema has been producing wine for over 40 years. This 2022 Sauvignon Blanc is part of that proud heritage. This offers light lemon-lime, quince, honeysuckle, resin, apricot and guava notes. It’s a lighter style wine that makes it inherently better with a diversity of food. The acidity is in check due mainly to the use, predominately, of stainless steel, and just 27% went into neutral oak allowing for a flinty, tactile expression.

Both very well balanced and flavorful, this medium-bodied wine suggests red and black cherries backed by medium tannins for a good, appetizing grip in the texture. It’s a versatile wine for food pairings, and best through 2028.

Seductive and smooth, La Crema’s Sonoma Coast Pinot shows ripe raspberry, plum, sweet spices and a hint of cedar on the nose. The palate highlights La Crema’s softly textured style with layers of refreshing raspberry, dark cherry , and vanilla persisting on the finish. Enjoy this versatile Pinot with bacon-wrapped California Medjool dates, BBQ’d pork tenderloin with a cherry compote, beet salad with goat cheese, or lamb chops. All great pairings with this smooth and inviting Sonoma Coast Pinot. Tasted February 2023