California

Country: US / Estate Variety: Cabernet Franc California Winery: Casa Nuestra / Napa Valley Intensely herbaceous with a woody characteristic and touch of green olive, this estate-grown wine offers tight-grained tannins and a lift of acidity around deeper notes of cassis and chocolate. From a vineyard in St. Helena, it shows the relative coolness of […]

Country: US / Estate Variety: Mourvèdre California Winery: Fenestra / Livermore Valley Another delicious Mourvèdre from Fenestra’s estate that’s invitingly earthy, spilling over with dark plum and sweet blackberry aromas and a taste of spicy cardamom. Very bright and light in taste, the wine’s body has enough heft to pair with big-boned meals and a […]

Country: US / Stainless Unoaked Variety: Chardonnay California Winery: Chamisal Vineyards / Central Coast The lime, kiwi, orange and lemon fruit flavors are so delicious, you won’t miss the oak accents at all. Its bright, vital acidity makes it shine like polished silver. This is a very good food win at a reasonable price. With […]

Country: US / Temper Tantrum Variety: Tempranillo California Winery: Steiner Family Vineyards / Fair Play This provides a very good example of the varietal in a velvety-smooth style. It tastes dry but generous, nicely balanced and just tannic enough to be appetizing. Flavors are a warm combination of berries, light spices and a touch of […]

Country: US / Coast View Vineyard Variety: Riesling California Winery: MaidenStoen / Monterey County A straightforward, modern dry Riesling, this wine shows a slight hint of gasoline, citrus blossoms, wet river stones and apple skin on the nose. The mouthfeel is more full than Mike Callahan’s other bottlings, with waxy citrus skins, lime pith, sour […]

Country: US / Julia Variety: Rosé California Winery: Hearst Ranch / Paso Robles Deep pink and nearing mauve in color, this juicy blush shows watermelon Jolly Rancher candy, warm strawberry, and lemon butter on the nose. The mouthfeel is soft and voluptuous, with lime-laced pomegranate fruit, a touch of brown spice and a consistent acidic […]

Country: US / Reserve Alder Springs Vineyard Variety: Syrah California Winery: City Winery of New York / Mendocino A stalwart, sturdy rendering, this smells like ripe plums and dark spices. It tastes full of fruit but is shaded nicely by slightly smoky, peppery notes. The body is full and the texture firm with tannins and […]

Country: US / Variety: Pinot Noir California Winery: Freeman / Russian River Valley Layered aromas and rich but vibrant flavors help this medium-bodied wine stand out. It has a medium color with a brickish rim, while aromas suggest black tea and black cherry. A dry, tangy, but ripe fruit expression on the tongue lingers on […]

Country: US / Sangiacomo Green Acres Hill Variety: Chardonnay California Winery: Eric Kent / Sonoma Coast Entirely sourced from this Sangiacomo family-farmed vineyard, which is planted entirely to the Old Wente clone, this wine offers fleshy and tropical juiciness and texture. Aged in French oak, the vast majority of it neutral, the wine lets the […]

Country: US / Variety: Chardonnay California Winery: Corner 103 / Sonoma Coast Luxuriously honeyed, this wine sings in rich hazelnut but also remains crisp on the palate, relatively light-bodied in fresh pear and lemon. Staying lithe as it goes down, it has subtle power and integrated oak, finishing creamy and bold.

Country: US / The Diva Variety: Pinot Noir California Winery: Chateau Lettau / Santa Lucia Highlands Damp sagebrush, dark cranberry, buttered black cherries, fresh plucked marjoram and wet stone show on the nose of this bottling. The tip of the sip shows great thyme, bay leaf and anise character, then settles into rich cranberry fruit, […]

Country: US / Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon California Winery: Camp / Sonoma County This screaming deal is majority varietal, with small amounts of Merlot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc. It works deliciously, thick and concentrated in cherry, cranberry and a tease of orange peel, staying crisply intriguing and amazingly light bodied on the palate. This is well […]