David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

One of the few CA Chardonnay I enjoy. You can spend more on one, but for under $40, this works really well.

Arnot-Robert’s rides the fence of CA Chardonnay & White Burgundy nicely. Has a bit of Ca Chardonnay backbone with the creamy body of White Burgundy.

Nose does not show much at first. Green apple, pear, lemon, lime. White peach, caramel notes, cardamom, paraffin, cream, yellow & spring flowers.

The body is creamy with nice viscosity. Green apple, pear, lemon, lime. White peach, caramel notes, cardamom, paraffin, cream, very light honey notes, sea spray, light chalkiness, yellow & spring flowers. Excellent round acidity, beautiful, soft structure, well balanced and a pleasant finish.

A couple more years in bottle add a point or two & more complexity. .

A little history from their website. Watson Ranch Vineyard is perched on a steep hillside overlooking the San Pablo Bay at the southernmost end of the Napa Valley. The ranch was named after early Napa attorney, Augustus Watson, who owned the property in the early 1900s. The adjacent property is an abandoned limestone quarry which historically employed over 300 people, mining material to make portland cement used to rebuild San Francisco after the 1906 earthquake. — 2 months ago

JM Latour

9.2

Nice. Day 1 had this with BBQ by the lake. Refreshing but a bit fizzy. My friends enjoyed it. I preferred day 2, less fizzy and just delicious, had it with an Asian inspired rice dish & salad. — 2 years ago

Jay Kline

9.0

Popped and poured; consumed over three days. Day 1 was super duper primary and “okay” but not all that interesting. Day 2 was better. Day 3? Now it had my attention. Dark cherry, Fig Newton™️, and conditioned leather. Dry. Medium tannins. Medium-plus acid. Versatile. I was on the fence with this...but I’ve come around. I dig it, but it needs time (or significant air). — 3 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

I’ve been reading & hearing about this rising Burgundy star for awhile. It was time.

The first thing I would say about this bottling is it is still very young. A few years will improve it greatly.

While young, it rides the French Burgundy & Sonoma Chardonnay fence with great balance between the two. The wood use isn’t big, just more than I like at this point for burgundy. I think that will soften in time. They use about 20% new for their Bourgogne Chardonnay & 30% for their higher end whites.

The nose is cream soda with a touch of ginger. Green apple, pineapple, lime candy, elegant minerality, soft chalkiness, sea spray, sweet butter, vanillin, sweet volcanics, yellow lilies, spring flowers with a touch of cut greens.

The body is round with good viscosity. Really beautiful. Drinks like a nice Meursault. Cream soda with a touch of ginger. Green apple, pineapple, lime candy, white peach, hints of grapefruit with a touch of sugar, honeysuckle notes, elegant minerality, soft chalkiness, sea spray, sweet butter, vanillin, herbal characteristic, sweet volcanics, yellow lilies, spring flowers, fruit blossoms with a touch of cut greens. The acidity shows the strength of the vintage. The finish is; perfect balance fruit & earth, elegant with excellent polish that persists several minutes.

Get it while you can. They produce several wines and only make a total production of 3,000-4,000 cases depending on what the growing season brings.

Photos of; long shot of their Domaine, father and son winemaking team of Bernard and Pierre Boisson, a near perfect cluster of Chardonnay grapes and the family (Pierre, Bernard & Anne) tasting in their cellar. — 4 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

This small Calistoga producer falls largely under the radar. I am thankful. The 12 vintage brings such fruit. However, this 12 Sisters rides the fence of 12 & 13. Shows dark currents, concreted mouthfeel in addition to its ripe, rich opulence.

The nose ascends with rich dark, purple, blue fruits, dark spice, violets framed in lavender for days.

The palate is ripe, ruby, lush, concentrated fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, boysenberries, very dark cherries, creamy raspberries, in & out strawberries & blueberries. Big, heated, dark spice-box, round, meaty, sweet tannins cigar ash, led pencil, tarriness, anise, moist, fresh tobacco, black licorice & cola, dark, nutmeg, cinnamon stick, vanilla, rich soil w/ dry leaves, dry, crush rocks/limestone, dry herbs-bay leaves, sage, parsley, notes of eucalyptus bark shavings, tree bark w/ hints of sap, touch of black sandalwood to barrel shavings, pepper, moist, volcanic clay, fresh & withering; dark, purple, red, blue floral bouquet framed in violets & lavender, excellent acidity with a lush, rich, big, round & meaty structure, still shows great tension, well balanced with endless polish & finish. 10 years of life ahead…properly stored. Wine post 4,600.

Such a deal at the Benchmark Bin Sale. @Paul T- Huntington Beach if you find any of this, just tell me about em, don’t buy em. 😂🤥 — 6 months ago

Ron from VA

9.2

Well, the 2016 has turned the page / it seems to be paradigm shift from the previous vintages (tighter, restrained, minimal oak). The ‘16 is quite voluminous with warm caramel brioche and baked lemon liquor. While golden and opulent, this is not a gentle and elegant food wine. Thus I am on the fence whether I want another bottle… I probably will get one because it’s still available and look for a better food pair. Day two, allowed for some beautiful sipping, though ;) edit: I will get another bottle…very nice sipper on day 2…mouthfeel is glorious! — 3 years ago

Dawn E.

9.4

This is one of those wines that I said I was going to wait 10 yrs before opening...🤔 No real regrets! This wine has big bold dark berries, licorice Snaps, anise, vanilla, bay leaf, eucalyptus caramel, and maple syrup! Not picking up any acidity, tannins are very nicely integrated and presents with a very long finish. I am really on the fence between a 9.1 or a 9.2 rating! — 3 years ago

Jessica Knickerbocker

9.2

I really like this! My hubby is on the fence about it. Since this is my account, I give it a 9.2 (hubby says 8.9). Strong, dark, and… delicious. — a year ago

PS Michaels

9.3

Smokin’. — a year ago

Scott Cowan

9.0

Total Rhône Ranger: 56% Syrah, 16% Mourvèdre, 13% Petite Syrah, 11% Grenache, with 2%, each, smoothing things all together, of Viognier(!) and … Alicante Bouschet. I bet the Alicante was added for color more than for flavor, though also to smooth the tiny ping of pepper notes I assume follow the teensy bit of Viognier. All in all a delightful crowd pleaser. Inoffensive to sensitive palates and yet bold+complexly layered just enough to please those who want some drama in the bowl (present 🤚 ).

Pairs well with… just about everything: mild chicken to game and lamb… also all cheeses from mildest to most piquant — it’s that kind of utility player wine!
For this reason, I give it the full 9.0 instead of the 8.9 I’d planned on mid-dinner last night. I had been straddling that fence between best of a strong platoon player who’d see 80 games a season, some starting and some pinch hitting/fielding, vs an everyday starter who could cover the infield as passably as the outfield and bat just about anywhere in the lineup, 1-8, save the super power 3 and 4 spots — though a few sips hit the spot sweet just right to serve as barely clearing the fence home runs during a brief period that this wine lingered at just-right aeration time.

Darker red pour with flecks of bear black and hues of orange highlight… Bing cherry skin color center to lighter Rainer cherry reds near glass sides. No tears to speak of from alcohol and this wine does not feel as if it’s high in alcohol at all, but the label reads 15.2%. I wonder if someone transposed those last two numbers which straddle the decimal.

Zero cherry flavors — just those colors. The mix of velvety raspberry, very mild dried laurel leaves, under-roasted coffee, and mild chocolate all muddle together more than layer over one another, as I prefer, but they do so in a way that forms a comfy soft blanket of flavors and those tiny peeps of black pepper do make that blanket more interesting. Medium finish says good-bye with a soft wave to the smell of cardboard-surrounding a delicious dark chocolate bar…if that smell could be distilled into a thick liquid that coats the top of the throat before evaporating away slowly.

This 2018 seems to be nearing peak of flavors and has the potential to drink pretty well until 2023; probably not much pizazz will be left to extend its contract after that. I’d be glad to drink this again anytime. A good wine for Justin S. and/or David M.
— 3 years ago