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 years ago
Bell pepper, chilli pepper, tamarind, red fruit… cherry, raspberry, cedar, vanilla, dill (but tech spec says aged in used French oak). On the palate, unripe blackberry and seeds. No noticeable cream on the palate (effect of melo gone?) — 7 months ago
A little dry and peppery, strong black fruits but not jammy. Very nice! — 3 years ago
Álcool 13,0%
Degustado na Vinícola — 6 months ago
2021 vintage. Terra Solis Vineyard, Napa Valley Coombsville AVA. I was lucky enough to meet owner Frank W. Bishop ,Jr. , who generously offered me this bottle. He sells most of his grapes ( to some very famous names) and produces a tiny quantity under the Terra Solis label. A 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Coombsville AVA, that is cooler than the Valley floor AVAs because of its proximity to San Pablo Bay, which allows a later harvest and longer hangtime for the grapes. Deep dark red. Intense perfume with black fruit, spices, and toasty oak. In the mouth is beautifully balanced with layers of black fruit, fresh acidity, and relatively moderate alcohol ( abv. 14,2%). Personally, I would have preferred oak with a lighter toast, but that is obviously a stylisic choice, and the wine is excellent indeed. — 2 years ago
Mark Osmers
Don’t brush off Merlot‘s. Especially if those Merlot’s are from Yountville, in Napa Valley. The climate in Yountville is particularly well-suited for grape growing. It sits in a sweet spot where it receives warm, sunny days perfect for ripening grapes, while cool evening breezes and fog from San Pablo Bay help too.
Let this wine open up and breathe for 2+ hours and you’ll be delighted with a similar complexity to a Cabernet, with Oakey notes and bright raspberry and plum flavors
An excellent choice from the same area as Stag Leap vineyards
Try it and tell me what you think — happy drinking! — 2 months ago