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This Week's Must-Try Wines from Vinous

Welcome to this week's Must-Try Wines from Vinous! Each week we compile a list of wines from the Vinous database that you need to add to your wine wish list. With all the various regions, producers, and grapes, no week will be the same! All of the wines listed in this feature are available for purchase on Banquet . This week's must-try wines are from Antonio Galloni’s article, California North Coast: Eyes Wide Open . Enjoy an excerpt from his article and reviews below! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ “As is our custom, we present our reviews of new releases from Sonoma County and neighboring North Coast appellations in a series of installments over the coming weeks. This report focuses on the 2020s and the 2019s, which I first covered in last year’s article. There’s a lot to talk about, so grab a glass and settle in. This might take a while. The first of the 2020s are hitting the market. Before we get into the details, no, 2020 is not a total write-off, and yes, there are some outstanding wines for readers to consider. But – and it is a big but – 2020 is a wine-by-wine proposition with a very high degree of variability, even within specific producers’ portfolios. It is a vintage to approach with extreme caution.” --Antonio Galloni, California North Coast: Eyes Wide Open, January 2022 1. 2020 Arnot-Roberts Chardonnay Trout Gulch Vineyard 2. 2020 Bedrock Wine Co. Old Hill Heritage Wine 3. 2020 Bedrock Wine Co. Evangelho Heritage Wine 4. 2019 Carlisle Zinfandel Papera Ranch 5. 2016 Vinehouse Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain 6. 2019 Walter Hansel Winery Chardonnay The North Slope Vineyard 7. 2019 Walter Hansel Winery Pinot Noir The Estate Vineyards

Walter Hansel Winery

Hansel Family Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir 2019

Delectable Wine
9.1

The 2019 Pinot Noir The Estate Vineyards is elegant, gracious and lifted. Crushed red flowers, mint, cinnamon, blood orange and incense are all nicely layered in this very pretty, mid-weight Pinot Noir from Hansel. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, January 2022)
 — 2 years ago

Carlisle Winery & Vineyards

Papera Ranch Zinfandel 2019

Delectable Wine
9.4

The 2019 Zinfandel Papera Ranch shows a slightly more reserved side of the Russian River. Readers should plan on cellaring this for at least a year or two as the acids and tannins are pretty tightly wound. Blue/purplish fruit, lavender, sage, mint and licorice show a darker side of Zinfandel that is so beguiling. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, January 2022)
 — 2 years ago

Arnot-Roberts

Trout Gulch Vineyard Chardonnay 2020

Delectable Wine
9.4

The 2020 Chardonnay Trout Gulch Vineyard is laser focused and vibrant, as it is in its best years. Crushed rocks, mint, white pepper, lemon peel and white flowers all race out of the glass. Bright saline notes extend the finish effortlessly. The 2020 is very nicely done, and also a great example of this Santa Cruz Mountains site. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, January 2022)
 — 2 years ago

Walter Hansel Winery

The North Slope Vineyard Chardonnay 2019

Delectable Wine
9.4

The 2019 Chardonnay The North Slope Vineyard is creamy, open-knit and generous, as these wines tend to be. Apricot, mint, pineapple and passion fruit flesh out nicely, framed by soft, plush contours that add considerable appeal. The 2019 has softened quite a bit since I tasted it last year. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, January 2022)
 — 2 years ago

Greg liked this

Bedrock Wine Co.

Evangelho Vineyard Heritage Zinfandel Blend 2020

Delectable Wine
9.4

The 2020 Evangelho Heritage Wine is rich, boisterous and super-expressive. Succulent black cherry, plum, licorice, spice and mocha are front and center. There's real weight and density here, yet all the elements are so well balanced. The 2020 is dense and full of character. This year's blend is mostly Zinfandel and Mataro. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, January 2022)
 — 2 years ago

VineHouse

Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

Delectable Wine
9.4

The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is plush and super-expressive right out of the gate. Inky dark fruit, gravel, spice and juniper berries. There is a ton of character here. Black cherry, game, smoke, licorice, tobacco and incense all build in a potent, savory Cabernet that delivers the goods. This is one of the most distinctive Howell Mountain Cabernet wines I have tasted in some time. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, January 2022)
 — 2 years ago

Greg liked this

Bedrock Wine Co.

Old Hill Ranch Heritage Sonoma Valley Red Blend 2020

Delectable Wine
9.5

The 2020 Old Hill Heritage Wine shows why this site is considered one of the very best in all of Sonoma. The pedigree is evident. A wine of volume, textural depth and intensity, the 2020 is a showstopper. Black cherry, chocolate, licorice and dark spice lend tons of complexity to this statuesque Zinfandel-based field blend. All the elements come together so beautifully. It's hard to fully capture the Old Hill with words, as it really transcends descriptors. But when you taste it, you know. You know you are tasting a wine from a very special place. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, January 2022)
 — 2 years ago