Reviews

Steinmetz und Hermann Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Alte Reben

Quite the nice balance between dry and sweet, with just the slightest kiss of RS to give it body and depth and not come across too arid or saliva-sucking. Bruised lemon, honeyed lemon oil, pineapple,…

J.A. Ferret Pouilly-Fuissé

Lightly buttered yellow citrus, poached pear, pumice, and some green apple flesh. Some olive oil and vanilla also make an appearance. With some swirling in the glass, this opened up nicely and…

Cavicchioli Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro Col Sassoso

Arterial red-purple in the glass, with a thick, frothy appearance that looks like a Guinness and a pack of rabid Twizzlers had some sort of commune baby. On the palate it is extremely dry and hollow,…

Benton-Lane Pinot Gris

Pear, grass, and green apple dominate the core flavors in this nicely endowed Pinot Gris from Willamette Valley. Medium-bodied, with a decent drive on the finish. The pear note repeats on the back…

Perrier-Jouët Champagne Blason Rosé

Strawberry, rhubarb, cantaloupe, watermelon rind, bitter black raspberry, and some citrus. Fairly dry across the board, with a medium mid-palate and slightly pithy and short finish, making it come…

Outpost Cabernet Sauvignon

Black and blue core fruit, with asphalt, black currant, tar, and black gravelly soil. Excellent mid-palate weight and a notable push of flavors. Coats the mouth with a mineral-driven viscosity,…

Mark Herold Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Stagecoach Vineyard

2013 Herold Coombsville and 2013 Herold Stagecoach Cabernets side-by-side.

Mark Herold Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Brown Label

2013 Herold Coombsville and 2013 Herold Stagecoach Cabernets side-by-side.

Becklyn Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon

Ripe black cherry, cassis, plum, blueberry, and dark black raspberry rule the roost here. Some cocoa powder, forest floor, and even a light floral note show up to assist in elevating the core fruit.…

Clos Solène Hommage À Nos Pairs Reserve

Black cherry, blackberry, deep/dark kirsch, rich cassis, and ripe purple plum round out the core fruit here. Additional notes of hoisin and clay make an appearance midway through the attack. There is…

Bevan Cellars Ontogeny

Dark black cherry, bitter dark chocolate, red and black raspberry, blackberry, black currant, pencil lead, and some clove. Mid-palate weight and complexity was elevated, with a really balanced push…

Bevan Cellars Merlot Alexis' Cuvée Showket Vineyards

PnP with just some swirling in the glass. Performed as described in my previous notes. Despite a touch of booze on the initial pull, the flavors of plum, black cherry, currant, and some faint…

Duckhorn Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley

High-toned lemon citrus, grapefruit, grass, and alkaline. Acidic, bitter, and astringent hits on the tail-end, as well as some alcohol; a bit of a hollow mid-palate that skips some depth and…

Whitehall Lane Tre Leoni Napa Valley

Red and black cherry and some spice. Medium mid-palate with a round, light finish.

Argot Pinot Noir Estate

As with my previous notes, I mention this wine's lushness and ripeness first and above any of its other elements; it's profile is modern and rich, with plump red and black raspberry flavors gushing…

Vice Versa Chardonnay Platt Vineyard

An opportunity to administer the "at home" test on this wine to follow it in a more controlled environment and without other wines to fatigue-out or pull away focus on the palate. All eyes on…

Purlieu Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

So after an uber-goofy restaurant experience with a previous bottle of this wine, I had to conduct the at-home test to see if I just blew a cool grand on a pile of wine that was going to amount to…

Arkenstone Sauvignon Blanc

Still loving this wine. All previous notes apply. Good drive and weight on this SB. Lime zest, creamy yellow citrus oil, and dry grass elements really playing well off of each other. Drink now.

B Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard

Well slap me silly with a stack of 80's skin flicks on videocassette... This wine didn't suck in any way, shape, or form, with B Cellars proving again that LPV can be both unctuously sexy as well as…

L'Aventure Cuvée "Les Demoiselles"

Blackberry seed, purple plum, red licorice, black tea, underbrush, pencil shavings, and some blue river rock. An interesting array of flavors, if not stunted a bit by a more linear delivery and…

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon La Verdad Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard

Six month checkup on this wine. Performs as awesomely as expected, especially with a little bit of air in the glass. Traces of booze on the back end with a few higher-toned red fruit and cassis notes…

Morlet Family Vineyards Chardonnay Coup de Coeur

The 2016 Morlet Coup de Coeur is the domestic Chardonnay of the vintage. Pure sophistication and ethereal purity in a glass, with a perfectly balanced equilibrium of fresh and focused yellow citrus…

Alpha Omega Cabernet Sauvignon Stagecoach Vineyard

Indicative of the terroir, the Stagecoach shows a dark baritone core of chocolatey and earthy black fruit. A touch heavy mid-palate at first with the chocolate and spice pushing out before the fruit…

Alpha Omega Era

Leading the charge with black soil and earthy black and dark red/purple fruit, the Era delivers a healthy amount of flavor on the initial attack. More concentration and depth than the Crane in its…

Alpha Omega Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard

Black currant, earthy blackberry, black soil, dark mulch, cedar, and anise. Less overtly flamboyant in its current state, with a restrained but highly focused delivery of flavor. Not surprisingly,…