Wine Reviews

93

Jessup 2019 Jeul Red Blend, Napa Valley ($115)

A blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 14% Cab Franc, with some Petite Sirah, Malbec, and Petit Verdot, aged 22 months in (22% new) French oak. Violets bloom from the glass, with ripe blueberry and round, yet structured, tannins. Spiced cedar is bathed in sweet tobacco, nutmeg, and plum-mocha. Elegantly styled.

94

Jessup 2021 Petite Sirah, Napa Valley ($85)

Dusky and dusty, with brown-sugared plum and well-defined, powdered tannins. An intense teeth gripper, this wine shows range, extending flavors of pomegranate, white pepper, red tea, and sweet oak. Impactful.

96

Jordan 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley, Sonoma County ($60)

With lower alcohol than most California Cabs, this elegant beauty revives an old-world acidity that levels out with freshness on the palate that relates to its excellent food-pairing abilities. Plum, anise, tilled soil, and Italian herbs integrate with a luxe mouthfeel.

93

Kith & Kin 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley ($50)

A blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot, and 5% Petit Sirah, aged for 14 months in 50% new French oak barrels. It deftly sidesteps the pitfalls of being too heavy, oaky, or tannic, and features beautifully ripened fruit notes akin to blackberries, black cherries, and ripe plums. Very skillfully made.

93

Kith & Kin 2023 Chardonnay, Russian River Valley ($30)

An early-released Chardonnay from the 2023 vintage, this is already seriously delicious in a fresh, straightforward style. It was aged for five months in French oak but only 12% of the barrels were new, so the wine shows just a whiff of toast and a bit of spice on the palate. Peach and Golden apple notes hold center stage, with supporting tropical flavors recalling pineapple and mango.

90

Laurenz V. 2022 Friendly Grüner Veltliner, Kamptal, Austria ($24)

Pale color, youthful, lifted, with bright aromas of green apple and nectarine. Good intensity with a nice range of expressiveness. Fine purity, along with well defined primary fruit notes, and telltale notes of white pepper. Refreshingly dry on the finish. Made in stainless steel at a cool temperature to preserve the vibrancy of the wine.

93

Le Garenne 2023 Pinot Noir, IGP Loire Valley ($16)

A confluence of parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme – the flavors are complex and seamless. Fresh strawberries and feral florals with a touch of cranberry compote are a prelude to a kiss of lingering bitterness. Expressive yet refined, this would easily complement a hearty meal or spirited conversation.

92

Le Garenne 2023 Sauvignon Blanc, IGP Loire Valley ($16)

Elegant and lithe, the flavors of apricot, fresh peach, and melon caper nimbly throughout the palate. White florals meet fresh Provençal herbs with a hint of grass on the nose. This wine is a paragon of delicate freshness with no shortage of personality.