That Girl Wine Co.
Rock Wall Wine Co.
The Palindrome California Tannat 2016
Aged Yolo County Tannat. With a whimsical name. Dark color with a rusty edge. Smells a bit funky. Spike of berry liquor. Hint of wood chips. Flavors are very heavy on the black currant with a hint of plummy-ness. Might be a bit past perfection. Not as much as much tannin and funk as some Tannat, but has plenty of style. Drinks a bit like a French wine. Wonder who is using these grapes now that Rockwall is out of business? — 9 months ago
Clos du Val Wine Co.
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1978
An “intermezzo” as we prepared for the reds flights. This was served blind. The 1978 shows really young for its age. Most at the table, including myself, were convinced that this was classified growth Bordeaux with maybe 20-30 years of age. However at least one of us thought it was Napa…and whoa. The color was dark and handsome though there was some sediment (to expected). The fruit was bright but I felt it was secondary to the dried leaf tobacco, earth and leather notes. There was good acid too. Tannins have integrated. Lots of wows when this was revealed while the Napa holdouts gave a smile. Bravo. This could easily live well for another 10 or so years. — 2 years ago
Bedrock Wine Co.
Old Vine Zinfandel 2023
Very fresh, lively, primarily redfruited aromas and flavors, some spicy notes as well, super nicely balanced, great acid, shows admirable restraint, should age nicely midterm (5-10 years?), very good “entry level” Zinfandel, long finish!! I’d read that the 2023 Zins, grown in a relatively cooler year, had a very long growing season, with excellent acidity, and I’d say this shows all of those characteristics. Morgan nailed this, it was great to finally meet his “adult” version, my wife and I first met him about 35 years ago at a ZAP event at Ravenswood hosted by his father Joel. — 4 months ago
Palmer & Co
Brut Reserve Champagne Blend
Palmer turned my head in general at a recent tasting—if you can get your hands on the 1996 vintage my gosh…but for exceptional Champagne at (if not everyday) more frequently do-able prices lean in. Toasty white bread with these citrus notes that…can I be honest? It reminds me when as a teen vegetarian in St Louis I’d do late night runs to Steak and Shake where my friends got burgers but I’d order toast and butter with a lime freeze. Those toasty but piquant and refreshing notes. Expect like that on a platter with even more nuance. Obvi it doesnt taste like that precisely but its toast and citrus vibes don’t let go and cream and apple butter are backup singers. Do drink Palmer. — a year ago
La Jota Vineyard Co.
Howell Mountain Merlot 2018
Chalky grape and balsa, blackberry, and plum nose with soft smoke and jasmine with a sweet petrol gloss. Soft mouthfeel turns bing cherry and underripe blueberries bordering green. Chewy. Big fruit tannins. A spicy pepper that always turns piquant-fruit. Young in every way, would love to see this chrysalis emerge.
#lajotavineyardco #laJotahowellmountainestate #lajota #howellmountain #merlot #napa #napavalley — 2 years ago
Badet Clément & Co.
Pontificis Grenache Blend 2022
This medium-dark wine offers a nose of black plums, blueberries and blackberries along with aromas of earth, tobacco, cedar, clove and nutmeg. I understand that the three segments - Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre- were vinified in both barrels and tanks, with no more than six months of aging. Given that, it is understandable that oak does not take a more prominent position.
The palate is loaded with dark fruit and savory notes, and it has a firm tannic grip with lively acidity. I had it with some sautéed meatballs and Petit Basque cheese. It paired excellently. — 9 months ago
Bedrock Wine Co.
The Bedrock Heritage Sonoma Valley Red Blend 2021
The 2021 Bedrock Heritage Wine is a great expression of this site. Black cherry, chocolate, spice, leather and tobacco are front and center. This dark, virile Zinfandel-based field blend packs a serious punch. There's plenty of detail and nuance behind all of that intensity. The 2021 is a big wine, but also less monolithic than some previous editions. There's a bit more whole cluster in the 2021 than in the past, so perhaps that explains the wine's nuance. The 2021 is one of the best wines I have ever tasted from the Bedrock vineyard, and I say that as someone who is not yet fully convinced of the potential here. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, January 2023) — 2 years ago
Bruce Dunbar
I heard Bill Murray on a podcast recently raving about the bramble-berry pie he had the night before, describing the many berries that went into making it so delicious. It’s a fitting description for the current release of Bedrock’s Dolinsek Heritage red too, which is loaded with a rainbow of berry flavors and all their sweetness and bright acidity captured in a bottle instead of a crust. There’s an added bonus of a long, peppery finish thanks to the 70+% Zin in the field blend and some firm, drying tannins that signal a great future ahead. — 20 days ago