Courtney Benham

Malivoire

Courtney Beamsville Bench Gamay 2021

Medium ruby color.
Aromas of cherry, floral.
Dry. Flavors of cherry, cranberry, cherry candy, floral. Medium-soft, silky tannins.

Intensity: 4/5
Complexity: 2/5
Balance: 4/5
Finish: 4/5
— 2 months ago

Courtney Benham

Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2020

Crisp and packs a flavorful, citrusy punch. Would be great as a stand-alone glass or would pair well with light dishes such as fish and seafood — 2 years ago

Courtney Benham

Carneros Pinot Noir 2019

Well balanced smooth Pinot without the funk that turns me off in a lot of Pinots. I’d drink again. — 4 years ago

Courtney Benham

Oak Knoll District Chardonnay 2020

Dark fruit in the nose with blackberries, currants and plums in the palate. The flavors was enhanced with a beef stick, white cheddar cheese, but not cheese curls. — 3 months ago

Courtney Benham

Napa Valley 2020

14.4% Gift from Richard. — a year ago

Ferren Wines

Lancel Creek Vineyard Chardonnay 2018

Shay A
9.3

I’ve opened a few Ferren Frei Rd chards (normally in the 4-5yr range) and have enjoyed them, but this was my first Lancel Creek. With the release coming up in a few weeks, I wanted to check in and figure out the profile. I’m between a 93-94 here.

Made by Matt Courtney (formerly at Marcassin, also winemaker at Arista). Beautiful straw colored in the glass with maybe a tinge of green, the aromatics are honeysuckle, sweet lemon, and sea salted almonds. I found this to be very similar to the Frei Rd in regards to acidity. So nervy all the way through. Totally coastal, but with a soft touch of rich fruit. Also similar to the Frei Rd, this is lemon everything (fresh squeezed lemon, lemon cream, lemon scone) but the mineral profile is more enhanced here. There’s a stone/slate vibe toward the finish that keeps this light on its feet. Oak is soft and plays a contributing role, not a dominating one.

I enjoyed this at pop and pour, then revisited 2-3hrs later and found the acidity had calmed down a bit. Definitely give this a decant now if possible, or hold a few more years.
— 2 years ago

Jan, Ted and 32 others liked this
Deborah M

Deborah M

As always, great notes. I’m going to look for this one. How are his Pinots?
Shay A

Shay A Influencer Badge Premium Badge

@Deborah M : They fall a bit down the middle in regards to style. They aren’t bombastic in flavor, but they aren’t lean either. A little bit more richness compared to Rivers Marie.
Bryan Kesting

Bryan Kesting Premium Badge

@Shay A : I agree with your note as well as your comment regarding their Pinots.

Courtney Benham

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

$16 great value. Dry with a hint of cherry — 7 months ago

Courtney Benham

Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

Gift from Maryann. 2109 vintage. Lovely well rounded flavor. — a year ago

Courtney Benham

Melange du Baum Terroir Expression Series Stags Leap District Red Blend 2017

And I thought yesterday was a bad day at work ... so let’s go with another nice bottle :). This will take a few years to mature but great depth and enjoyable to drink — 4 years ago