Wine Reviews

With the reimagining of Markham Vineyards since 2018 when it celebrated its 40th Anniversary, Winemaker Kimberlee Nicholls has established a District Series, and named this wine for the blue cowboy boots she wears during harvest. She chose Calistoga for this blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon and 37% Merlot from the winery’s 72-acre Rockerbox Estate Vineyard. Aged 18 months in French oak with 28 days of skin contact, it imparts one of the most precious, satin-lined mouthfeels of sun-ripened black raspberry. A dot of white pepper zings on toasty oak, adding to the pureness of cherry jam and wet stone on the finish.

Aromas: Lemon chiffon, gardenia, and wet stone
Kimberlee Nicholls has been crafting wines at Markham since 1993, and this vintage of her 98% stainless steel fermented Sauv Blanc combines three Napa Valley AVAs: Oak Knoll, St. Helena, and other sites within Napa Valley. A pinch of salty wet stone excites notes of lemon meringue and honeyed grapefruit. Vivid, crisp, and steely.

Flavors of German chocolate cake is dressed in an explosion of dark, ripe cherries in a creamy base. White pepper plays into its elegant profile, unveiling notes of cinnamon toast and roasted coffee.

Grown during the winery’s 25th vintage when, in 1997, Merry Edwards launched her namesake label, this wine is a celebration of time, effort, and success. Grapes were sourced from selected lots from the region’s most acclaimed sites. The liquid makes a magnificent entry, amped by a perfume of salted meats, spiced plum, and root beer. Plush, juicy, and generous in its delivery of orange peel, red licorice, summer cherries, milk chocolate, and Rooibos tea.

In the Sebastopol area of Russian River Valley, Merry and her husband Ken purchased a home on a 23-acre property with a hillside facing the ocean, just seven miles to the west. Coastal morning fog and well-drained Goldridge soils result in notes of fresh earth, plum liqueur, and tart boysenberry. Cranberry and rhubarb are succulent: whipped, light, and airy on the palate. White pepper lights up with a fresh acidity and superb structure.

A true performer: balance, finesse, charisma, and grace. More rose petals and just-ripened cherries than earthy, and lighter on its feet than von der Mehden’s more dramatic selections. But this juicy – almost sweet – beauty is empowered with fine acidity and a long finish of cocoa, plum, and peony.

Aromas: Pineapple, guava, and gardenia
Lemon curd, pink grapefruit, and tangerine blossom form a delicate, creamy wave across the palate. Tropical flowers such as gardenia and plumeria play alongside honeyed pears, dotted with a salty, crisp seashell finish.

Dry-farmed fruit, just six miles from the Pacific, the Valenti Vineyard is a steep-sloped, cool climate site at elevations reaching 1600 feet. Aged in French oak for 11 months, it is uniquely high-toned, with a colling foundation of flint. Lifted notes of boysenberry, tree bark, soy sauce, and black pepper line the palate. Vivacious and elegant.