Patterned after white Bordeaux, with its own unique composition, this estate-grown blend of 63% Sauvignon Gris and 37% Sauvignon Blanc is barrel fermented in two-thirds French oak and one-third stainless steel barrels. Accented by an unctuousness, the liquid bathes the palate in mango, banana, thyme, and apricot tart. Tangerine cream and jasmine is embellished mid-point, with a decisive richness on the finish.
Super ripe, with bramble bundled in plum, licorice, and dried black cherry. Alert notes of cinnamon hots and a dab of soy sauce add to its zesty finish.
Red wines in a notably ripe, soft, faintly sweet style have indeed cultivated something akin to a cult following in recent years, making this seem aptly named. That’s good news for this release in commercial terms, but for buyers, the bonus is that it shows true Cabernet character with blackberry and black cherry fruit, and that the finish is marked more by these varietal characteristics than ripe sweetness.
From the Napa-green certified Tai Estate Vineyard, named for the winery’s founder, Alexander Tai Schmidheiny, comes this captivating, barrel-and stainless-steel aged small lot white. Fleshy and sturdy with pronounced flavors of brown butter, nectarine, and lemon bar. Jasmine and wet stone chime in, adding depth to an outstanding vintage.
Already established as a great vintage in Carneros, this ’22 is made from heirloom clones and is the winery’s first estate-grown Pinot Noir of each year. Both savory and high-pitched tonally, with earth and spice, this wine shows extraction in its generous fruit. Autumn leaves, Pekoe tea, raspberry, and white cherry ready the palate with brush strokes both silky and graceful.
Pale, youthful color, bright, fresh, with strawberry and cherry fruit notes. Moderate intensity, good purity, refreshing, with lifted acidity. pleasant, light, bright, soundly made. 60% Grenache, 30% Syrah and 10% Caladoc.
East Russian River Valley meets westside, spanning four prestigious vineyards and utilizing five clones, for a Pinot Noir that captured our attention. Aromas of cherry bark and sandalwood lead to layers of unique flavors.
Hibiscus, prickly pear, cherry tomato, and cranberry are remarkably fresh. Underscores of coffee and toasted oak, with a generous stream of silky cocoa glide along the palate. A well-balanced red with keen acidity and an inherent ripeness.
Summer turns to autumn on the nose of this Meunier-dominant Champagne (with 30% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Noir, and upwards of 35% reserve wine) as lovely, ripe orchard fruits sprinkled with cinnamon and vanilla spice rise up to meet peach and lime curd. Flavors follow suit on the glossy-textured palate, which is concentrated, pure, and delightfully tangy toward the finish.