Weekend Wine Picks K-J owns all fruit that goes into its 2 million-plus case brand. Winemaker Randy Ullom describes the blend as Monterey County citrus and lime flavours, with the mango and pineapple flavours of Santa Barbara County, green apple notes of Mendocino County, and Sonoma County’s ripe pears. The wine is fermented and aged in French and American oak barrels and aged sur lie. Soft, round and fresh, it is fully ready to drink. Try it with a chicken salad or a favourite creamy pasta dish. 89 points.

California Pinot Noir Bright ruby color. Aromas of chilled strawberries and raspberries, bright but juicy, with elements of cola and rhubarb pie. Full-bodied, medium acidity, fleshy tannins, a seriously fun wine but it is also balanced nicely. Red and black cherries, pomegranate, raspberry jam, along with cola, rose, rhubarb. Notes of coconut and coffee woven in well. Delicious but shows some good depth, too. Aged 13 months in ¼ new French oak. 88 points.

Light yellow. Ripe orchard and pit fruit aromas and flavors, along with a subtle herbal nuance. Smooth, warm and seamless in texture; a candied ginger note adds spicy bite. Closes with good length, repeating florality and a hint of bitter peach pit.

This pale straw colored Pinot Gris from Oregon opens with a fragrant honeysuckle and lemon verbena bouquet with a hint of pineapple. On the palate, this wine is light to medium bodied, pleasantly acidic and fresh. The flavor profile is a mineral infused tart green apple with hints of grapefruit and nectarine. The finish is dry and its acidity and flavors are nicely prolonged. This Pinot Gris would pair well swordfish skewers. 88 points. Very good.

This pale yellow colored Chardonnay opens with a mild lemon and almond bouquet. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, slightly acidic, yet round in the mouth. The flavor profile is a lemon and yellow grapefruit blend with notes stone fruit, almond and a dash of white pepper. The finish is dry and its flavors and gentle acidity fade away nicely. This Chard is a fresh option to consider on a hot summer day. Pair with a grilled mahi-mahi sandwich. 88 points. Very good.

Weekend Wine Picks Murphy-Goode is a round, juicy, easy-drinking Pinot with a cherry, compost, spicy nose. The attack is Pinot sweet and round with earthy, cherry, beet root flavours and a twist of oak. Simple, soft and fun to drink with no complication. Perfect for pizza and chicken dishes. 87 points.

There’s a touch of fizz to the glass in this twist-top bottling, which shows light peach, yellow melon, sliced apple and orange-cake aromas. The flavors are subtle but the texture is decent with acidity and grip, allowing ripe pear and a touch of lime bitterness to arise slowly.

Those looking for “killer” Zinfandel should look elsewhere, which probably explains why I like this wine. It’s a balance of black fruit flavors, spice and a touch of herbal notes wrapped in soft plush tannins. Not flamboyant, it’s a good choice for burgers, barbeque or a pepperoni pizza. 87 points.

California Pinot Noir Deep ruby color. Aromas of strawberries and red apples, red cherries, cola, roses. Medium-bodied with soft tannins and bright acidity, along with red cherries and strawberry jam. Flavors of roses, cola, coffee, chestnut. Fun, simple, fresh. 86 points.

A blend of 64% Cabernet Franc, 27% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Malbec, the very deep garnet-purple colored 2015 Le Désir is a little reticent at this very youthful stage, offering glimpses at dusty soil, iron ore, black truffles and salami notes over a core of red currant jelly, black raspberries, blackberries and star anise plus a waft of roses. Medium-bodied, very firm and very elegant yet incredibly intense in the mouth, it delivers loads of red fruit and earthy layers, finishing with great length and depth.

I’m not quite sure about the 2017 Roussanne, again, so I’ll leave that to either MB or CM, just in case I was having a bad hair day. Meanwhile I have no hesitation about this new cellar door only wine, which is fermented in old French oak and raised in a ceramic egg. Much like Monkey, it’s irrepressible!
Gentle honeyed thing, with a what you might call ‘a lovely winey but neutral flavour’, seashell and seaside perfume, a fine chalky texture, soft but balanced acidity, perhaps a subtle peachiness to it, and a delightful dry and flinty finish. It’s a pleasure to drink. Love it. I’d drink it while it’s young and fresh.

From a 0.4ha patch of vines on the southeastern section of the estate. It's fermented in old oak before going into a 675l ceramic egg for 4 months. It has flavour and texture but more importantly it's retained its acidity well; it feels straight and strict even as it blooms with honeysuckle, mineral and nectarine-like flavour. It's a most attractive wine.

Dark cherry, plum, bittersweet chocolate, menthol and cloves infuse the 2015 Lassègue. This supple, voluptuous Saint-Émilion will drink well right out of the gate. As good as the 2015 is, it would be nice to see a wine with more complexity and pedigree. Lassègue is 55% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, done in 70% new oak.

Wine Wednesday with Crushed Fine Wine

Wine Wednesday with Crushed Fine Wine

Wine Wednesday with Crushed Fine Wine

Pinot noir could be on the verge of a revolution This Arroyo Seco producer benefits from the cooling fogs and fierce winds that protect the grapes from ripening too fast. As a result, the North Coast single-vineyard pinot noir is restrained and balanced with bright cherry and strawberry notes. It is very full-bodied. We also liked the South Crest single-vineyard pinot noir ($55) from the same AVA.

Pinot noir could be on the verge of a revolution This Arroyo Seco producer benefits from the cooling fogs and fierce winds that protect the grapes from ripening too fast. As a result, the North Coast single-vineyard pinot noir is restrained and balanced with bright cherry and strawberry notes. It is very full-bodied. We also liked the South Crest single-vineyard pinot noir ($55) from the same AVA.

Cobalt dinner shines spotlight on chef's dishes, Monterey wine pairings To dine on splendid cuisine created by Cobalt Restaurant's executive chef Daniel Traimas while taking in the elegant restaurant’s ocean views is a treat. But to indulge in and learn about a Monterey winery’s varietals and blends at the same time is a unique experience to savor. About 30 lucky people attended the recent Carmel Road Wine Dinner featuring winemaker Kris Kato’s wines and a collaborative blend Kato created with actress Drew Barrymore. During the initial meet and greet, we were warmly welcomed by restaurant and hotel management’s Robert Graney and Awet Sium and learned about Kato and his partnership with Barrymore Wines... With the second and third courses, we had Carmel Road’s Drew’s Blend Pinot Noir 2013 and Panorama Vineyard Pinot Noir 2014, in addition to the Chardonnay. Both Pinots were fruit-forward red wines, not too dry but not sweet. Drew’s Blend was lighter bodied than the medium bodied Panorama Vineyard. We enjoyed them both but some folks at our table had a slight preference for Drew’s.

Pinot noir could be on the verge of a revolution One of the more reasonably priced pinot noirs, this estate wine out-delivers. More lush than the small-lot pinot noirs reviewed previously, the wine has assertive black cherry and floral aromas with blackberry and spice flavors.

Cobalt dinner shines spotlight on chef's dishes, Monterey wine pairings To dine on splendid cuisine created by Cobalt Restaurant's executive chef Daniel Traimas while taking in the elegant restaurant’s ocean views is a treat. But to indulge in and learn about a Monterey winery’s varietals and blends at the same time is a unique experience to savor. About 30 lucky people attended the recent Carmel Road Wine Dinner featuring winemaker Kris Kato’s wines and a collaborative blend Kato created with actress Drew Barrymore. During the initial meet and greet, we were warmly welcomed by restaurant and hotel management’s Robert Graney and Awet Sium and learned about Kato and his partnership with Barrymore Wines... With the second and third courses, we had Carmel Road’s Drew’s Blend Pinot Noir 2013 and Panorama Vineyard Pinot Noir 2014, in addition to the Chardonnay. Both Pinots were fruit-forward red wines, not too dry but not sweet. Drew’s Blend was lighter bodied than the medium bodied Panorama Vineyard. We enjoyed them both but some folks at our table had a slight preference for Drew’s.

Cobalt dinner shines spotlight on chef's dishes, Monterey wine pairings To dine on splendid cuisine created by Cobalt Restaurant's executive chef Daniel Traimas while taking in the elegant restaurant’s ocean views is a treat. But to indulge in and learn about a Monterey winery’s varietals and blends at the same time is a unique experience to savor. About 30 lucky people attended the recent Carmel Road Wine Dinner featuring winemaker Kris Kato’s wines and a collaborative blend Kato created with actress Drew Barrymore. During the initial meet and greet, we were warmly welcomed by restaurant and hotel management’s Robert Graney and Awet Sium and learned about Kato and his partnership with Barrymore Wines... The amazing dessert, banana cream pie jar, was nicely accompanied by the Carmel Road Riesling 2015.

Cobalt dinner shines spotlight on chef's dishes, Monterey wine pairings To dine on splendid cuisine created by Cobalt Restaurant's executive chef Daniel Traimas while taking in the elegant restaurant’s ocean views is a treat. But to indulge in and learn about a Monterey winery’s varietals and blends at the same time is a unique experience to savor. About 30 lucky people attended the recent Carmel Road Wine Dinner featuring winemaker Kris Kato’s wines and a collaborative blend Kato created with actress Drew Barrymore. During the initial meet and greet, we were warmly welcomed by restaurant and hotel management’s Robert Graney and Awet Sium and learned about Kato and his partnership with Barrymore Wines. The comfortable informal conversations were enhanced by chilled glasses of Unoaked Chardonnay 2016. Barrels give wine texture and complexity but an unoaked wine is lighter-bodied with more fresh fruit flavors. We agreed the tropical, juicy pineapple notes made this wine very special. Our first course was lobster spring rolls with rice noodles, cucumber, and pickled veggies with peanut sauce. They were so delicious. The seared foie gras was creamy and smooth and was enjoyed with red onion jam on toasted challah. Both paired beautifully with the Chardonnay.

A very nice example of what cool climate and unoaked chardonnay is all about. Beautiful, pure pear and apple fruit with some citrus notes, and a whiff of minerality.

Sauvignon Blanc Masters 2017: Gold