Wine Reviews

93

Amulet Estate 2024 Hogwash Rose, California ($18)

Provençal pink, this blend of Grenache and Verdelho is perfumed with candied lime, brine and blooming jasmine. Each sip feels like a harbinger for spring, with notes of cherry blossom and fresh-picked strawberries. The finish is pillowy soft with a lingering hint of lychee – a delight.

93

Amulet Estate 2025 Hogwash Rose, California ($18)

Provençal pink, this blend of Grenache and Verdelho is perfumed with candied lime, brine and blooming jasmine. Each sip feels like a harbinger for spring, with notes of cherry blossom and fresh-picked strawberries. The finish is pillowy soft with a lingering hint of lychee – a delight.

92

Angels & Cowboys 2023 Pinot Noir, Sonoma County ($20)

The best vintage of this wine I can recall tasting, while also an outstanding value. It is appropriately light in color and physical weight for Pinot, with expressiveness in both aroma and flavor. Natural fruit sweetness enhances the attractiveness of the red and black cherry fruit flavors, with subtly spicy accents lending additional complexity.

91

Angels & Cowboys 2025 Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma Country ($20)

Nicely balanced near the midpoint along the citrus-to-melon flavor spectrum, this 2025 release will prove broadly appealing to consumers and very versatile with food. A whiff of dried herbs and cut grass leads to flavors recalling white melon and freshly sliced grapefruit that gain energy from fresh acidity that never turns too tart.

93

Annabella 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley ($30)

Sometimes the most attractive attribute of a $30 Cabernet from the Napa Valley is the name of the appellation on the label, but this is an entirely credible specimen of the breed. It shows very appealing dark fruit aromas and flavors with just enough oak to enhance the wine’s complexity without seeming overly assertive.

96

As One Cru 2021 Cabernet Franc, Howell Mountain, Napa Valley ($125)

Intense tannins flow with graphite, dried violets, licorice, mint, and espresso. Lingering flavors of charred oak keep the palate coated. A tribute to mountain fruit.

94

Auctioneer 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley ($49)

A tribute to former Christie’s auction house wine department founder and Master of Wine Michael Broadbent. Plush and confident, with a graceful charm, tethering cocoa, black cherry, cassis, and a thread of roasted coffee bean to the earth. Priced under $50, it offers an affordable luxury.

94

Auctioneer 2024 Chardonnay, Napa Valley ($39)

A tribute to wine industry legend Michael Broadbent. Succulent notes of jasmine, peach nectar, lemon meringue, and a hint of cinnamon. Silky and lithe.