Sonoma, California, United States
Arnot-Roberts
Que Syrah Vineyard Syrah 2020
E2 Family Winery
Star Trek Special Reserve United Federation Of Planets Old Vine Zinfandel
Surprisingly good. — 4 years ago
Merry Edwards
Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2012
Really delicious. Less delicate - more fruit than a lot of Sonoma coast wines. Merry’s Sonoma Coast is always a little more fruity. We opened this the night that Forrest won the Western States 100 lottery! — 6 years ago
Bryant Family Vineyard
Pritchard Hill Proprietor Grown Cabernet Sauvignon 1992
Presented to me double-blind at Tasting Group. The wine is a deep garnet color a near opaque core and some significant rim variation; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and some signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous and showing some signs of maturity. There are fascinating notes of tart, ripe and dessicated black and red fruits: blackberries, black currants, tart red cherry, accompanied by some tobacco, cigar box, green bell pepper, some leather and beautiful baking spices. It smells like money (expensive, lavish oak treatment). On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannins (well integrated) and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose with some coffee and cocoa also showing up to the party. The finish seems to go on forever. This is a very balanced wine in a very fun spot.
Initial conclusion: this could be a Cabernet Sauvignon or Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend, a Tempranillo or Sangiovese-based blend from the United States, France, Spain or Italy with 25+ years of age. However, the fruit was kinda the star of the show so, final conclusion: this is a Cabernet Sauvignon-based wine from the United States, from California, from Napa; vintage 1990. Ha!! 1992 Bryant Family!? Suhhhhweet! This is in the zone. Drink now through 2032. — 7 months ago
Clendenen Family Vineyards
The Pip Santa Maria Valley Nebbiolo 2014
#Nebbiolo is a surprisingly rare grape. Even in its native Piedmont, it accounts for only 8% of vineyard land. There are fewer than 100 hectares planted in the United States. 🕵️♂️🍇
Over 80% of prewar Italian immigrants came from Sicily and Southern Italy. Piedmont was the wealthiest and most politically dominant region. But if fortunes were reversed, could Nebbiolo have taken Primitivo/Zinfandel’s place as a grape relatively uncommon on the boot but dominant in California? 🤔🇮🇹🇺🇸
Probably not. The Nebbiolo vine is *not* for beginners. It flowers early and ripens late, making it susceptible to both spring and autumn frosts. It loves the occasional fog bath (some say the name is derived from ‘nebbia’, Italian for fog ☁️☁️☁️) but is prone to the mildew that may result from such humid conditions. Its fussiness would make Pinot Noir blush: it demands southwesterly exposure, a proper gradient, constant sun above, and fog licking at its toes. #diva
Sound anything like California’s Central Coast? 🌅
In the Santa Maria Valley, where the East-West Transverse Range bends back into the North-South Coastal Range, it’s possible. Vineyard selection still requires extreme discretion - an eye like @JimClendenen’s, perhaps.
Jim began the Nebbiolo program at the legendary #BienNacido vineyard in 1994. Production is small, but if you track down his “The Pip” Nebbiolo, it will only run you about $30. You’ll believe anything is possible when you have real California Nebbiolo of this quality come wafting out of the glass at you! 🙌🙌
🏞.“The Pip” is named after Jim’s old cellar dog Pip, a border collie. So it only seemed right to include one of our own pips! 🐈 — 5 years ago
Venge Vineyards
Silencieux Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
The Venge (ven-ghee) family has farmed grapes in Napa Valley for nearly a half-century, beginning when Knud Venge migrated from Denmark to the United States in the early 1900’s. Aged in French oak, 65% new, for 18 mos. A big wine, decant for an hour! Deep ruby with aromas of fresh blue and black fruits. On the palate blackberry and blueberry flavors, well balanced, good structure, full body, firm tannins, medium+ length ending. Will age well. — 6 years ago
Bedrock Wine Co.
Teldeschi Ranch Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel
14.5% ABV Dark concentrated color.
Celebrating Mr. Scheffler’s 2024 Masters victory with a wine rooted in the east bench of Dry Creek. This Zin blend is explosive, possesses tons of energy, and like Antonio Galloni states is “stunning”.
In addition to Scottie’s east roots in New Jersey, his game is explosive and stunning. A Dry Creek wine because Mr. Scheffler avoided the water at Amen Corner during the final round, unlike several of his competitors in close pursuit.
A stunning wine, and a stunning victory.
Congratulations M-T-P and Mr. Scheffler! — 8 months ago
Flora Springs
Trilogy Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2015
Needed this tonight. Going to drink the whole thing solo. A beautiful purple color, a seamless round bouquet of blue/berries, vanilla and cedar, and a hint of trailing cherry. I get a bit of cinnamon on the palate, with follow through from the black fruit. A slight hint of white pepper provides a wake up call.
Medium plus bodied. Medium minus acidity. No residual sugar. Pleasant, medium plus tannins.
Maybe I just really missed the United States of America, but to me this is fairly near the top of my scale at 94+ points. 2nd half of the bottle will be paired with my ribeye.
94+ points — 5 years ago
Jay Kline
Presented double-blind at Tasting Group. The wine presents a deep ruby/purple color with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with significant staining of the tears and no signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of blue, black and red fruits: blueberries, blackberries and Marionberries, olives, roasted meat, black pepper, purple flowers and rocky earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+ and the texture seems a touch thin. Initial conclusions: this could be Syrah, Malbec, Gamay or Cabernet Franc from France or the United States. Because I felt the non-fruits leaned a bit more heavily, my final conclusion was Syrah from France, Northern Rhône, Côte Rôtie with a little age in a cooler vintage like 2014. Wow! This is really tasty stuff and so varietally correct. I shouldn’t be surprised. It seems like every time I taste Arnot Roberts, the quality is high. Already quite the charmer in its youth, the 2020 “Que Syrah” should drink well through 2035. — 3 months ago