Reviews

TOR Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Same as my specific flavor notes from May. Ideally, this shouldn't be opened for another year or two (shoot for 2018). We didn't intend on cracking the cork on this, but circumstances dictated…

Domaine Carneros Brut Rosé

A perfect summer sipper. Balanced, silky, and a nice interplay of creamy and crisp. Light strawberry, peach, citrus, and just a touch of cream.

Stephen & Walker Trust Winery Limited Chardonnay Late Harvest

Paired with a variety of desserts.

Saxum Booker Vineyard

Paired with a grilled lamb chop (covered in redwood needles). This piece of meat was cooked beautifully, with the fat rendered perfectly. The flavors were not as interesting as the previous squab…

Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Rochioli Riverblock Vineyard

Paired fantastically with a wonderful squab and huckleberry dish. The wine itself was ready to drink right out of the gate, with some nice black cherry, ripe currant, and earth notes. Mature and…

Fisher Vineyards Chardonnay Mountain Estate

Paired with a sweet corn grits with prosciutto; also paired with homemade bread with salted butter. The corn dish was one of my favorites of the evening. The wine was well crafted, but unfortunately…

Realm Cellars Sauvignon Blanc ibid.farella Farella Vineyard

Paired with an abalone and legume dish, and then a summer squash and mussel "cold soup" that were both extraordinary with this wine. This was one of my favorite pairings we did. The wine was one of…

J Vineyards & Winery Brut Rosé

This was initially poured with a caviar panna cotta, which was very nice. But the actual pairing we planned was with the following dish of beef tartare, heirloom tomatoes, and crispy nori. An…

J Vineyards & Winery Vintage Brut Late Disgorged Russian River Valley

Paired with three starters: an egg foam and Sriracha shot; goat cheese and beet-marinated fig tartlet; and a geoduck and cucumber bite.

Trujillo Wines Cabernet Sauvignon

Tasted at a friend's before dinner. Paired with white ghost pepper salami and rich/salty hard Parmesan. This wine was MUCH better with food; as a stand alone drinker, it felt a little lost at this…

Bevan Cellars Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard

Started off linear and tight, with red, blue, and purple berry fruit notes and a bit of alcohol. After two hours in the decanter, it began to open up more, with additional blueberry and raspberry…

Hall Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain

Rich, extracted, and incredibly deep. Black fruit driven wine; notes of ripe blackberry, dark chocolate, asphalt, tar, scorched earth, smooth oak, vanilla bean, and a little clove. Reminded me a bit…

Forman Cabernet Sauvignon

Same as my specific tasting notes in March.

Realm Cellars The Tempest

Same as my notes from 1/13/2016. Beautiful bottle of wine! Drink now and over the next few years.

Bevan Cellars Pinot Noir Petaluma Gap

Same as my notes from April, except that this was extremely accessible this time around. PnP was fairly ready right out of the gate. A few hours in the decanter was nice, but really not entirely…

Keplinger Diamond Bar

Tight and totally balled-up through the entire 4+ hours of tasting (decanted in a wide-bottomed decanter for most of that time at 54 degrees - warming it up in the glass to more room temperature…

Del Dotto Cabernet Sauvignon 9 Oaks 36 Month French Select Block 2 St. Helena Mountain

Surprisingly accessible and overall a well done, top shelf expression of Napa Cabernet. As good or better as the 2014 equivalent barrel sample tried at the winery's Barrels & Beasts a few months…

L'Aventure Optimus

Same as all my previous notes. Good enough. Not amazing. The Estate Cuvee is far superior. Decent QPR on the mailing list, but I'm becoming a little bored with the Optimus.

Blankiet Estate Proprietary Red Wine Paradise Hills Vineyard

It's been almost a year since I last had this wine. Previous notes apply except that this is ready to drink now. Showed really great for the first hour (96+ points for a brief minute), but after a…

Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Gap's Crown Vineyard

Same tasting notes from 12/23/2015 still apply. I'll wait 6 months for the next bottle.

Acacia Pinot Noir Carneros

Simple, straightforward, and instantly forgettable. Some red berry fruit, cranberry, raspberry, alcohol, and a hint of earth/spice. Better than the sourpuss 2014 Melville vodka-cranberry Pinot served…

Melville Pinot Noir Estate

Simple, high-toned red berry fruit, strawberry, cranberry, and alcohol. Distractingly high on the red fruit register; sour and monolithic. Standby for the headache. Reminded me more of a vodka…

Cliff Lede Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley

Bright and lively, with nice yellow citrus acidity and grassy notes. Some minerality, pear, pith, and just a hint of alkaline.

Eric Kent Wine Cellars Pinot Noir Sascha Marie

Previous notes apply. Hold until mid-2017/2018.

Salinia Chardonnay Heintz Ranch

All of my other previous tasing notes on this wine apply. BEERZEBUB's recent note is spot on.