Reviews

Realm Cellars The Falstaff

Wild berry jubilee, cassis, cinnamon, and vanilla Schnapps dominate the profile here. In my previous note a couple of years ago, I characterized the initial experience of this wine as having "a…

Next of Kyn No~11 Cumulus Vineyard

A smooth operator with a cool blackberry, plum, and black cherry core that is flanked by flecks of raspberry and purple licorice notes (.no need to ask me what purple licorice tastes like. I have no…

Kinsman Eades Cabernet Sauvignon Anjea Sleeping Lady Vineyard

So here I am again, in direct violation of my own advice. Even in my last tasting note on this wine, I explicitly said, "Don't make the mistake of just opening this cuz some wine-geek friend of yours…

Kinsman Eades Cabernet Sauvignon Anjea Sleeping Lady Vineyard

Well now, here is a minx that starts out flirty and plush as soon as it sits down on the barstool. "Hey there sailor," with a cordial grin and a flip of the hair makes for fruity purple palate…

Sine Qua Non Syrah Distenta I

It'll come to no surprise that my recommendation to anyone holding bottles is to wait at least 6-7+ years before expecting the total zenith consumption time for this Syrah-dominant youngster (I'm…

Drew Family Cellars Pinot Noir Morning Dew Ranch Vineyard

Lean and a bit mean, with the stem inclusion piercing the cranberry and pomegranate-water core. A prickly showing, and one that is slightly more complex than the Fog Eater, but much more…

Drew Family Cellars Pinot Noir Fog Eater

Cranberry water, twigs, green peppercorns, and faint citrus rind. Fairly diluted and also a bit bitter. Lacks depth and complexity. Wait for a few years if you are holding bottles in hopes it fattens…

Drew Family Cellars Chardonnay Bahl Briney

Yellow and green apple notes are complimented with lemon water and faint unripe white peach notes. Medium intensity, with a straightforward band of flavoring. Misses in the depth and complexity…

Drew Family Cellars Syrah Valenti Ranch

Someone forgot to tell the Viognier that there was supposed to be Syrah in here, with the floral components masking the overly delicate "berry" fruit desperately struggling to show some Syrah…

Saxum White James Berry Vineyard

A blend of 46% Grenache Blanc, 31% Roussanne, 23% Chenin Blanc, the 2019 Saxum White displays quite a beautiful core of deeply pitched yellow melon and peach notes counterbalanced with judiciously…

Turtle Rock G2

If you've been on a quest for an awesomesauce inoculation of huckleberry Hubba Bubba mainlined into your flavor muzzle, the Turtle Rock G2 may very well be the Forever 27 yurple drank syzzurp that'll…

Carlisle Syrah Radiant Ridge

Primary and fairly straight forward right now, with a linear expression of the varietal. Unripe crunchy plum, pomegranate seed, Concord grape, and raspberry seed dominate the profile. Next-to-no…

Tusk Estates L'Orange

PnP, which was a mistake. A good amount of heat right out of the gate. This bottle was reluctant to let the fruit loose from its youthfully angular frame. A lot of power here that currently overrides…

Cliff Lede Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Serious business here, with a dark and gravelly profile that strikes both chiseled and black sappy chords. This could use another year or three to fully resolve and unwind, but with a decent decant,…

Perchance Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard

Had a chance to quick-like thieve a sample of this from tank the other day...

Turtle Rock Willow White

Yellow and green pear, lemon verbena, honeydew, cantaloupe rind, unripe mango, and white flowers all make for a refined attack that, especially with air, saunters across the palate with notable…

Bevan Cellars EE Cuvée

You might be utterly shocked to hear this, but the 2012 Bevan EE is a big, beefy, and slathering mouthful of black smoothie fruit that completely coats the palate and finishes with gushing viscosity…

L'Aventure Estate Cuvée

Composed of 50% Syrah, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 15% Petit Verdot, the 2019 L'Aventure Estate Cuvée is quite a purring black panther of a wine, even without the benefit of a decant or extended air.…

Fait-Main Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras

This was an especially ripe and ready showing. Deep and dark plum, black cherry, blackberry, smoke, wet tobacco, and slate notes are delivered in balanced but gushing and plush waves of chewy fruit…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Elysian Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

I wrote quite extensively on my experiences with the 2020 Myriad barrel samples back in March 2021, so I'll focus these most recent notes straight toward the issue everyone is likely concerned about.…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Peterson Family

I wrote quite extensively on my experiences with the 2020 Myriad barrel samples back in March 2021, so I'll focus these most recent notes straight toward the issue everyone is likely concerned about.…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

I wrote quite extensively on my experiences with the 2020 Myriad barrel samples back in March 2021, so I'll focus these most recent notes straight toward the issue everyone is likely concerned about.…

Quivet Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Kenefick Ranch

I wrote quite extensively on my experiences with the 2020 Myriad barrel samples back in March 2021, so I'll focus these most recent notes straight toward the issue everyone is likely concerned about.…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard

I wrote quite extensively on my experiences with the 2020 Myriad barrel samples back in March 2021, so I'll focus these most recent notes straight toward the issue everyone is likely concerned about.…

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Empyrean Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard

I wrote quite extensively on my experiences with the 2020 Myriad barrel samples back in March 2021, so I'll focus these most recent notes straight toward the issue everyone is likely concerned about.…