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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 most recent additions to California North Coast: Eyes Wide Open . Enjoy his notes for this week's must-try 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. 2019 Arista Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard 2. 2019 Arista Chardonnay Russian River Valley 3. 2019 Ceritas Pinot Noir Elliott 4. 2018 Ceritas Cabernet Sauvignon Peter Martin Ray Vineyard 5. 2020 Desire Lines Riesling Cole Ranch 6. 2020 Drew Pinot Noir Mid Elevation 7. 2019 Ferren Chardonnay Sonoma Coast 8. 2019 Ferren Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 9. 2019 Gros Ventre Pinot Noir Campbell Ranch 10. 2019 Peter Michael Cabernet Sauvignon Les Pavots

Peter Michael Winery

Les Pavots Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2019

Delectable Wine
9.6

The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Les Pavots is a dense, powerful wine that is going to need at least a few years to shed some baby fat. A rush of blue/purplish fruit, lavender, sage, tobacco, grilled herbs and incense washes across the palate. There's terrific depth, but the 2019 is so young. The 2019 is one of the more refined young Les Pavots I can remember tasting. It will be exquisite in another few years' time. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, June 2022)
 — 3 years ago

Sharon liked this

Desire Lines Wine Co.

Cole Ranch Mendocino County Riesling 2020

Delectable Wine
9.3

Desire Lines' Riesling Cole Ranch is racy and rich in 2020. Lemon confit orchard fruit, jasmine and light tropical accents are front and center. I suppose the 2020 is perhaps a bit less varietal than it can be, but soft, creamy contours more than compensate. The 2020 is a delicious wine to enjoy over the coming years. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, June 2022)
 — 3 years ago

Sharon liked this

Arista Winery

Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2019

Delectable Wine
9.1

The 2019 Chardonnay (Russian River Valley) is a very pretty and complex appellation-level wine. Apricot, chamomile, dried flowers, mint, hazelnut and honey are nicely pushed forward. This deceptively mid-weight Chardonnay packs a pretty good punch. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, June 2022)
 — 3 years ago

Arista Winery

Ritchie Vineyard Chardonnay 2019

Delectable Wine
9.3

The 2019 Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard offers up an enticing mélange of white flowers, orchard fruit, mint and sage, along with light tropical inflections that add an exotic flair. Layered and exquisite in its beauty, the 2019 is the highlight in this flight of Chardonnays from Arista. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, June 2022)
 — 3 years ago

Gros Ventre Cellars

Campbell Ranch Vineyard Pinot Noir 2019

Delectable Wine
9.5

The 2019 Pinot Noir Campbell Ranch is fabulous. Complex and multi-dimensional, the 2019 is dynamic and super-expressive. Rose petal, lavender, spice, sage and mint play off a core of dark red/purplish berry fruit. This is a terrific Pinot from the northern part of the West Sonoma Coast. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, June 2022)
 — 3 years ago

Sharon liked this

Ferren Wines

Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2019

Delectable Wine
9.2

The 2019 Chardonnay (Sonoma Coast) is an absolute delight. Bright, fresh and beautifully lifted, the Sonoma Coast Chardonnay brings together so many of the elements that make the Ferren wines so appealing. Orange confit, spice, white flowers, mint and chamomile are all laced together, framed by bright saline notes that invite a second taste. Terrific. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, June 2022)
 — 3 years ago

Sharon liked this

Ceritas

Elliott Vineyard Pinot Noir 2019

Delectable Wine
9.4

The 2019 Pinot Noir Elliott is a deep, dense wine, but always within the context of the Ceritas Pinots. There’s real depth and gravitas here, tempered by a style that seeks finesse more than power. Small clusters and small berries on a site rich in blue schist and quartz yield a distinctive Pinot built on resonance and power. Clean mineral notes support the bracing finish. The 60% whole clusters are very nicely balanced. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, June 2022)
 — 3 years ago

Sharon liked this

Ferren Wines

Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2019

Delectable Wine
9.1

The 2019 Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast) is a heady, effusive wine. Succulent dark cherry, plum, licorice, mocha and a kiss of new French oak lend raciness to this gorgeous, extroverted Pinot Noir from Ferren. Soft and open-knit, with no hard edges, the 2019 is a terrific introduction to Matt Courtney's Ferren wines. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, June 2022)
 — 3 years ago

Sharon liked this

Drew Family Cellars

Mid-Elevation Mendocino Ridge Pinot Noir 2020

Delectable Wine
9.1

The 2020 Pinot Noir Mid Elevation is bright and punchy in the glass. Sweet red cherry fruit, mint, spice, licorice, anise and blood orange lend energy throughout. This mid-weight, rather nervy Pinot has quite a bit to recommend it. Medium in body, but with terrific persistence, the Mid-Elevation has plenty to say. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, June 2022)
 — 3 years ago

Sharon liked this

Ceritas

Peter Martin Ray Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

Delectable Wine
9.6

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Peter Martin Ray Vineyard is stellar. This super-classic, old-school Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet is pure magic. Black cherry, cloves, licorice, scorched earth, incense tobacco and saddle leather infuse the 2018 with fabulous depth. Potent and virile, the Cabernet is going to need at least a few years to settle down. It’s a stunning wine in every way. Ceritas fans will surely be delighted to learn that the Cabernet offerings here will soon expand to include a number of new bottlings. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, June 2022)
 — 3 years ago

Sharon liked this