Wine Doctrine
Every tasting note

Reviews

3,968 notes

2015

Purlieu Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Napa Valley · Oakville

This arrived on-stage with a dull, fruity "pffffud" on the palate, with strawberry water, red currant, and red beet juice. Some earth on the back end, with crippled fruit flavors muddling their ways…

Reviewed 29 November 2018
2016

B Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Napa Valley · Oakville

Intense and concentrated without a doubt, but with a sophistication and focus that really showed extraordinarily well this time around. Even more elevated and complex in its showing since my previous…

Reviewed 29 November 2018
2010

Aratas Petite Sirah

California · Napa Valley

Previous notes apply. Resolved and likely as integrated as it will get before it starts to move into the later stages of its evolution. Black and purple fruits dominate. PnP was good service. Drink…

Reviewed 28 November 2018
2015

Morlet Family Vineyards Pinot Noir Joli Coeur

Sonoma County · Sonoma Coast

Ripe black cherry, black and red raspberry, smoke, earth, incense, forest floor, and lichen. A fairly dark and rich attack on the front end, with the lush black cherry core leading the way. Some…

Reviewed 27 November 2018
2013

DuMOL Chardonnay Clare

Napa / Sonoma · Carneros

Lemon, quince, grilled pineapple, olive oil, mixed nuts, and some wet limestone. Slightly reductive, with the mineral notes creeping up on the back end, adding to the complexity of the core fruit.…

Reviewed 24 November 2018
2015

Black Kite Chardonnay Soberanes Vineyard

Central Coast · Santa Lucia Highlands

A rich and plush effort, with ripe yellow citrus, lemon curd/custard, vanilla bean, creme fraiche, pear, and grilled pineapple. A full-bodied domestic Chardonnay in every way imaginable. If you like…

Reviewed 24 November 2018
2016

Pott Wine Viognier 20m3

Napa Valley · Mt. Veeder

Previous notes from last month still apply. Some air helped to round-out the texture and provide additional depth of flavor. By hour two it was delivering an especially gorgeous mix of creamy, ripe…

Reviewed 24 November 2018
2015

Skipstone Oliver's Blend

Sonoma County · Alexander Valley

Currant, plum, black cherry, black soil, forest floor, mulch, and some pencil shavings. A darker, earthier profile, with medium speed across the palate; finishes a little bitter and gritty. A…

Reviewed 24 November 2018
2015

Occidental Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

Sonoma County · Sonoma Coast

Red and black cherry, red raspberry, earth, and some spice. Medium all the way around, with notable mid-palate and a nice, fruit/earth driven finish. The earthy red fruit notes repeat themselves on…

Reviewed 24 November 2018
2016

Three Sticks Chardonnay Durell Vineyard

Sonoma County · Sonoma Coast

Much like the 2014 version, this 2016 is fairly lush and creamy, with lemon curd, almond paste, ripe pear, hazelnut, and some faint earth. An agreeable wine to be sure, with enough acid and grip to…

Reviewed 24 November 2018
2015

Grieve Family Winery Sauvignon Blanc

California · Napa Valley

Lime zest, fresh lime and lemon juice, guava, limestone, fresh cut dry grass, and alkaline. Nicely balanced energy on the front end, with a mid-palate texture that is both lively and silky. The lime…

Reviewed 24 November 2018
2014

Black Kite Pinot Noir Gap's Crown Vineyard

Sonoma County · Sonoma Coast

A medium bodied-delivery of black cherry, earth, and some subtle spice. Medium-to-light on the back end. Soft a gentle on the finish, with black cherry and alcohol repeating at the tail end. A little…

Reviewed 24 November 2018
2014

DuMOL Pinot Noir Ryan Widdoes Vineyard

Sonoma County · Russian River Valley

Earthy black cherry, wild strawberry, mulch, evergreen, tree bark, stems, forest floor, and some wet rock. Clearly an earth-driven type of Pinot, with a nice dose of fruit flavor to hold interest and…

Reviewed 24 November 2018
2013

Grieve Family Winery Double Eagle

California · Napa Valley

Flavors of black and red currrant, cedar, tree bark, dust, and grandma's couch. Bony dry and bitter on the back end.

Reviewed 24 November 2018
2015

Black Kite Chardonnay Gap's Crown Vineyard

Sonoma County · Sonoma Coast

A solid expression of the Gap's site, reminding me a bit of the Kosta Browne 4-Barrel program (though not as rich or oak infused), this Black Kite decidedly pushes out focused and determined flavors…

Reviewed 24 November 2018
2016

DuMOL Chardonnay Wester Reach

Sonoma County · Russian River Valley

Big on the vanilla, creme fraiche, and lemon curd flavors, with a notably rich attack on the front end. Tropical fruit and glycol round out the profile here. The flavors are wonderfully decadent, but…

Reviewed 24 November 2018
2013

Fisher Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Lamb Vineyard

California · Napa Valley

Black currant, plum, and some black raspberry core fruit. Earth, wet cedar, and Nesquik chocolate powder. notes also emerge. Medium bodied, with a back end that finishes on a slightly bitter,…

Reviewed 24 November 2018
2016

Chalk Hill Chardonnay Sonoma Coast

Sonoma County · Sonoma Coast

Yellow citrus, cream, vanilla, and some melon. Medium all the way around. Drink now.

Reviewed 24 November 2018
2014

Black Kite Pinot Noir River Turn

North Coast · Anderson Valley

Earthy and little more cool climate in its profile than the Gap's Crown served beside it. Anderson Valley vs. Sonoma Coast. The River Turn showed off restrained but focused notes of black cherry,…

Reviewed 24 November 2018
2013

Accendo Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon

California · Napa Valley

Black and red currant, blackberry jam, black and red cherry, sandalwood, chocolate chunk, and some spice. A slight floral note appeared on the tail end briefly, but got washed over with a tiny tannic…

Reviewed 24 November 2018
2015

Joseph Phelps Insignia

California · Napa Valley

Black cherry, currant, unripe plum, and some faint leather on the back end. Notes of vanilla, incense, and cedar struggled to make a showing as well, but were somewhat overpowered by an alcoholic…

Reviewed 24 November 2018