Wine Reviews

93

Highflyer 2023 Centerline Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County ($25)

Impeccably balanced, with wispy top notes of baked apple, honeyed pears, gardenia, and vanilla bean. Lemon blossom and lime chiffon add creaminess to the middle. A hint of sandalwood comforts on the finish.

91

House of Brown 2022 Red Blend, Lodi ($20)

This blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Pinot Noir, and 25% Tempranillo offers an unctuous mouthfeel, slick and tart with red cherries in aspic, cinnamon rose petals, and peony. Red berries converge in a summer fruit bowl, dotted with white pepper, and scented with jasmine.

91

House of Brown 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon, Lodi ($20)

A floral beauty, packed with peony, violets, orange blossom, and red tea. Cherry pie notes deliver on mid palate. This is a bright and shining red.

91

Ironstone Vineyards 2023 Obsession Symphony, Lodi ($15)

A sublime white blend offering aromas of white flowers embraces the palate with a nectar of pineapple and peach. The sweet sensations dazzle through to the finish.

91

Ivy Ridge 2023 Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand ($14)

An animated white wine, with scintillating acidity and vibrant notes of gooseberry, seasoned with dill, saffron, and oregano. Light and breezy with a speckle of salinity on the refreshing finish.

95

J. Lohr 2022 Carol’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, St. Helena, Napa Valley ($60)

A dedicated Napa Valley wine for J. Lohr, this vintage demonstrates opulent tannins that relay a message of elegance, from its statuesque build to its juicy mouthfeel and depth of flavor. Notes of coffee bean, plum liqueur, sweet tobacco, violets and ripe black cherry are expressive. Aging in French oak for 18 months is defined by the creamy gloss on the finish.

90

J. Lohr 2024 Bay Mist White Riesling, Arroyo Seco, Monterey ($13)

White flower petals, Key lime, and sweet basil glide across the tongue. Baked apple and tangerine marmalade are vivid flavors from mid-point to finish.

92

Jaume Serra 2021 Brut Nature, Cava, Spain ($20)

Faintly earthy yet fine-tuned aromas of brioche, pear, confit lemon, salted almond, and wet stone set the tone for this brut nature, which, if not exactly rich, is neither austere, with a touch of cream to balance its zesty citrus flavors and thrill of acidity.