According to the winery, this spent only six months in neutral French oak, but there's an indisputable toastiness to this wine, which serves to accent hints of flower and spice on the nose. Despite they toasty nuttiness, there's plenty of fresh fruit in evidence as well, making it quite attractive.
Greenish yellow. Focused, spicy aromas of honeysuckle, lemongrass, green almond and sweet butter. Nicely balanced on the palate, offering a supple, silky texture and flavors of ripe orchard and citrus fruits. Becomes spicier with air and finishes with good breadth and clarity. I like the blend of richness and energy here.
Deep ruby. Cherry, blackberry and espresso aromas are complemented by cured tobacco and musky underbrush nuances. Ripe and powerful on the palate, with weighty dark berry and bitter cherry flavors complicated by an exotic hint of black cardamom. Finishes with supple tannins and good power and grip.
Vivid red. The most energetic of this set of regional pinots, displaying scents of red berries, cinnamon, white pepper and orange zest. Dry and precise in the mouth, offering taut red currant and raspberry flavors and a firm spine of acidity. The spicy element repeats on the clean, focused finish.
Ruby-red. High-toned aromas of red currant, cherry and white pepper, with a suave floral overtone. Very wild, spice-accented flavors of red berries, minerals and dried herbs. Offers attractive sweetness and pliancy but shows a slight dry edge on the back end. The gently tannic finish features good, spicy length.
Bright gold. Ripe nectarine and honeydew aromas are complemented by sweet butter and herbs. Quite fruit-driven but also surprisingly lively. Full-bodied melon and pit fruit flavors are subtly sweet and expansive, with a hint of anise coming up on the back end. Finishes smooth, with solid punch and lingering fruitiness.
Deep ruby-red. Aromas of plum and cedar. Sweet and pliant, with fine-grained flavors of red fruits, wild herbs and toasty oak. The firm tannins turned broader as the wine opened in the glass. This and the Sycamore Vineyard cuvee are slated for a May bottling.
Medium ruby-red. Medicinal aromas of black cherry and licorice lifted by a floral element. Juicy, spicy, moderately intense flavors of cassis and toasty oak; distinctly riper than the more pinched and green 2008 merlot bottling. Firmly built wine with polished tannins.
Smooth and bright with vanilla, lime and peach flavors; clean, snappy and nervy with a long, tangy finish; fresh and juicy.
A classy Chardonnay for sipping now. Dry and zesty in acidity, it has appealing tangerine, Meyer lemon, white flower, honey and mineral flavors.
Bright yellow. Aromas of fresh pineapple, candied ginger and white pepper, plus an exotic suggestion of papaya. Dense, sappy and focused, with juicy acidity enlivening the tropical fruit and spice flavors. Energetic, chewy chardonnay, with good depth and a slight hard edge. Manages to be both ripe and restrained, finishing with good lift and cut.
Vivid gold. Lemon zest and tangerine on the nose. Lively and nicely focused, with taut citrus, spice and honeysuckle flavors dominating. The citrus note recurs on the silky, subtle aftertaste.
Soft and honeyed, an unctuous Chardonnay with pleasant citrus fruit and buttered toast flavors. Finishes a bit quick, but earns kudos for dryness and a clean, spicy finish.
Brooding aromas of cassis and licorice, with a suggestion of cedar. Quite tight and backward in the mouth, in a distinctly drier style than the Bosche. Finishes with substantial tannins and a repeating note of cedar. Sycamore Vineyard is a cooler site featuring more clay, normally producing smaller berries rich in extract.
Bright red. Spicy, high-pitched red berry aromas, with a note of black pepper. Firm and bright but a bit edgy, showing refreshing bitter cherry and red currant flavors. Finishes with a gentle kick of baking spices and a slight tartness.
With a deep golden color, this late-harvest Riesling has rich flavors of apricots and pears
This warhorse that has courted palates for more than 30 years still has edge. The aromas singe your nostrils with lime, citrus, apple and pineapple. In the mouth, you pick up the butterscotch and spice off oak barrels. This vintage comes with a neck tag that displays a QR code that can be scanned into smart phones for viewing tasting notes.