GUINIGI

Wine Reviews

90

Hayes Ranch 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon, CA ($10)

Sweet vanilla oak, tilled soil, ripe plum, and rhubarb gleam with a persistent perfume and flavor profile. Violets and dark chocolate get chummy from mid-palate to the lengthy, silky finish.

90

Hayes Ranch 2022 Merlot, CA ($10)

Sage and mint complement dark plum and milk chocolate, creating a juicy framework, resulting in a delicious and well-balanced red.

90

Hayes Ranch 2022 Pinot Noir, California ($10)

Terrific value here: bright cherry, with earthy undertones romance the palate. There’s a lot of personality here, with fine acid structure and a generous amount of vanilla-kissed red fruit.

91

Hayes Ranch 2024 Chardonnay, California ($10)

There’s plenty of joie de vivre here for the price. Spunky notes of caramel apple and pineapple mingle with vanilla meringue and orange oil on the nose and supple, balanced palate, while the finish adds a bit of lemon chiffon and toasty oak to the mix.

94

Herzog 2023 Special Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Hills, Lake County ($48)

Dusty tannins offer grip and tension, with ferrous notes coating just-ripened strawberries. Acidity shines brightly, offering freshness and purity. Finishes with mocha-glazed violets.

93

Herzog 2024 Chalk Hill Chardonnay, Sonoma County ($60)

Oak notes are subdued, thanks to a blissful array of vanilla custard, lemon cookies, and honeysuckle. Creamy and rich, with an underlying fortress of elegance.

93

Herzog 2024 Lineage Chardonnay, Clarksburg, CA ($20)

Energetic and bright, with crème brûlée, Meyer lemon, and toasted coconut. Full-bodied, it’s a textural pleasure with a line-up of papaya, gardenia, and white tea.

94

Herzog 2024 Special Reserve Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County ($42)

Burnished oak reveals itself on first sip, with a startling display of almond brittle, white pepper, and baked apple. Aged for 10 months in American oak, baking spices linger on the tip of the tongue.