GUINIGI

Wine Reviews

94

Sean Minor 2024 Invited Series Sauvignon Blanc, Denmark St. Vineyard, Sonoma Valley ($44)

This is a Sauvignon Blanc that floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee. It is punchy and pretty throughout, with flutters of wasabi and diced pineapple. It has a bright, eager energy with soft edges that belie its youth and suggests an artful winemaker.

91

Siduri 2023 Chardonnay, Sonoma County ($30)

Aromas of peach and vanilla wafer lead to a cinnamon toast and lemon wedge profile. Crushed stone and Italian herbs keep the momentum going creating added layers.

91

Simi 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon, California ($25)

A cornucopia of aromas present themselves at first scent, including dark maraschino cherry, cigar box and the signature Cabernet note of cassis. Entrance on the palate is velvety and affable, with sumptuous tannins alongside hints of cocoa powder and cedar.

92

Simi 2023 Chardonnay, California ($20)

The first inhale is evocative of new dew on a forest floor. The perfume also highlights a hint of vanilla and a flurry of pomme fruit. This Chardonnay is lush and inviting – a true crowd pleaser. The corners are round and the wine is flavorful with notes of meringue, lemon zest, custard and the billowing smell of toasted brioche fresh out of the bakery’s oven.

91

Smashberry 2023 Red Wine, California ($15)

This frisky blend of Barbera, Zinfandel, and Valdiguie is tart and fruit-forward. A jazzy array of black cherry, purple plum, and sweet violets possess the palate. Hits high on the “yum” factor.

96

Somnium 2021 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Crystal Springs of Napa Valley ($185)

Dense and rich, with broad strokes of cedar-filled chocolate and black cherry liqueur. Coffee notes stretch way across the palate, with a grip that let’s go to reveal a sturdy structure.

95

Somnium 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley ($95)

Opaque hued, with a coating of licorice and cigar wrapping. Grainy mouthfeel, the tannins soon smooth out, becoming rounder, and usurping the palate with a decisive richness. Blackberry jam and graphite intensify on mid-point, and the finish becomes a long, enjoyable journey.

95

Spottswoode 2022 Lyndenhurst Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley ($110)

Fruit from organically farmed, family-owned vineyards across Napa Valley is the foundation for this elegant red. With a surge of iron minerality, notes of tart red cherry, Rooibos tea, and toasted cedar, Lyndenhurst comes off as an earth mother, generous in its breadth and depth of flavor. Its St. Estephe – style – besides being Cabernet Sauvignon based – uses the other four Bordeaux grapes, aged 20 months in mostly French oak. The tannins are present and demonstrate the wine’s youthful stance, but its structure and character is undeniable.