GUINIGI

Wine Reviews

96

Adversity Cellars 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon, The Twin, Napa Valley, California ($225)

Adversity is a label from Russell Bevan and Heidi Bevan. Those familiar with Bevan’s style know to expect wines that are big, bold, powerful, and lush, and in 2022, The Twin delivers just that. It builds in the glass with inky dark berry fruit and rich, toasty oak spice, joined by a pop of cinnamon and hoisin. On the palate, the wine gains intensity, revealing a chocolaty tannin richness before finishing with notes of wet slate, graphite, and loamy earth. It’s a bit of a rollercoaster—peaks and dips of richness balanced by a freshness factor that sneaks in on the finish. Quite a feat in the context of the challenging 2022 heat-driven vintage. Best enjoyed now and over the next five years.

90

Among the Giants 2022 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Goose Gap, Columbia Valley, WA ($20)

Big, bold, dynamic notes of wet slate and dark chocolate cedar. Plum skin tannins offer a pathway to its sturdy dark berry character.

91

Among the Giants 2022 Estate Merlot, Goose Gap, Columbia Valley, WA ($20)

Cherries soaked in tobacco adhere to tooth-grabbing, dry tannins. Broad notes of graphite and cedar lend depth to ripe plum and espresso. The wine possesses notable backbone.

90

Among the Giants 2023 Estate Chardonnay, Goose Gap, Columbia Valley, WA ($20)

Lemon toffee and melon are lifted by a salty start. Acidity is present with a spiced sandalwood, baked apple finish.

93

Ancient Peaks 2023 Zinfandel, Santa Margarita Ranch, Paso Robles ($24)

Awash in blue, black and red fruits, this is chewy and dynamic with waves of generosity that spread throughout the tongue like a cresting surf line. Cherry cola and milk chocolate and raspberry fuse into a satisfaction that is sophisticated and refined. The tannins are strong without being overbearing – a joy.

93

Ancient Peaks 2024 Chardonnay, Santa Margarita Ranch, Paso Robles ($20)

There are the tell-tale notes of Chardonnay’s usual suspects of vanilla and baking spices including cardamom and clove alongside a pinch of white pepper. There is a rippling effect that unveils a lifted and lithe richness. This is a multi-dimensional, full-bodied and athletic wine that rewards time in the glass.

94

Ancient Peaks 2024 Sauvignon Blanc, Santa Margarita Ranch, Paso Robles ($20)

The endless summer beams through the glass. Fresh yuzu and melon are bedfellows with golden sultanas and crisp gala apple skins. This is the kind of wine that could fully satisfy from the bouquet alone. The palate does not disappoint with pulsing tropical fruit and lively acidity and a pronounced zippy quality.

94

Archery Summit 2024 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley ($50)

A floral beauty, this cuvée encompasses select vineyards planted on Willamette Valley’s red Jory soils. Enhanced by raspberry, hibiscus, red beets, and cherry vanilla, its silky tannins maintain a juicy flow. A study in earth, with a prickle of white pepper and a flash of cinnamon-strawberry.