Vinanmeldelser

With 20% Pinot Gris in the mix and a percentage of French oak-aging, this white is thirst-quenching and medium bodied, expressive in grassy pea shoots and apricot. On the palate, it offers texture an…

Temecula vintner Phil Baily is one of this warmer region's strongest proponents for upholding complexity over ripeness. This bottling offers red currant, cedar, leather and minty chocolate on the nos…

This wine is 76% Syrah, 15% Mourvèdre and 9% Grenache. Aromas of black fruit, bittersweet chocolate, coffee, raw meat and spice are followed by smooth black-coffee flavors. It lingers on the finish.

This is a one-of-a-kind wine in the state, with 50% of the wine fermented on skins for nine months and the rest aged in concrete and older oak. Pure red- and blue-fruit aromas are followed by bold fr…

This blends 84% Merlot, 11% Malbec and 5% Petit Verdot, the three varieties combining to full-bodied effect. Earthy in mushroom and cedar, its texture is leathery, with the palate dotted in tobacco a…

The blend of 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah mixes notes of black cherries with hints of red raspberries to create a delicious tension. Dried spices and mocha add nuance, while the tannins are firm at fir…

This is a robust, full-bodied Zinfandel. It's so ripe that the blackberries have a raisiny, Porty note. High in alcohol and spicy, this is a wine that defines a particular style of warm-climate Sonom…

This is the finest of the winery's three new rosés, and kudos to them for specializing in blush. The vineyard is in the Green Valley, and the wine shows long hangtime raspberry and cherry fruit, brig…

This Merlot is round, soft and mellow, with ripe, luscious flavors of cherry pie, mocha, honey and toasty oak, along with a hint of spice. Considering the large production of 36,000 cases and the pri…

A wine strong in personality and yet restrained in taste, rich in green olives, violets and herbs, surrounded by soft tannins and earthy black pepper. Structured, age this baby for 3–7 years and the…

The winery's 13th release of its flagship Tempranillo has notes of red fruit, savory spices and chocolaty oak accents (95% French, 20% new). The fruit flavors are soft with a velvety texture, surroun…

Quite tart when it hits the lips, this is nonetheless a dense, flavorful Pinot Gris, tasting of grapefruit, sour orange, apple and green banana. It shows lots of juice and powers through the mid-pala…

Rubber and wet cement are elements of this wine's smooth bouquet. In the mouth, lifted acidity cuts through a creamy, oaky texture, while flavors of plum, raspberry, red currant, vanilla and oak fini…

This cuvée is billed as the “little sister” to the winery's Evenstad Reserve, and the flavors fit the title. There is a pleasing roundness and an immediate accessibility, with flavors of red fruit an…

This Cabernet blend is one of Baja's best reds. Cured meat, dry spice and brandied berry aromas lead to an elegant (by Baja standards) palate with herbal hints, plenty of spice, solid cherry and berr…

A rich, opulent Cabernet, made in the modern style. It's firm in tannins and dense with blackberry, currant, olive, dark chocolate and new oak flavors, but is really too young to drink now. Give it a…

This wine is dry, rich and tannic, showing true Napa elegance. It's rich and savory, with black and red cherry, red currant, licorice and mocha flavors. Provides beautiful drinking now and over the n…

This is a fine, impressive Cabernet that shows the soft tannins and slight herbaceousness of Alexander Valley, yet is rich in cherry jam, cassis liqueur, chocolate and sweet oak flavors. Feels plush…

Impenetrably black in color and very tannic, this is a big, aloof Syrah. It's bone dry and hard to appreciate now, with elusive blackberry fruit that surfaces briefly, then disappears into a hard fin…

Pricey for a blush wine, but this is an excellent one, among the best rosés of the year. It's fairly dark in color and full-bodied, but very rich in strawberry and spice flavors, and the finish is sm…

The 2010 BlackJack is loaded with tart cranberry and pomegranate fruit flavors. There is a streak of iron and darker notes that come through in earthy, slighted roasted tannins. The complexity is int…

Grgich Hills is better known for Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, but this is really a great Sauvignon Blanc, although they call it Fumé Blanc. The wine is dry, yet enormously flavorful in citrus a…

A nicely made wine at an attractive price, this offers crowd-pleasing elements of juicy black cherry, cassis and cedar around smoky oak and a medium-bodied concentration that remains succulent on the…

Coming from two area standouts—Lewis and Phinny Hill vineyards—this wine shows appealing aromas and flavors of shaved coconut, Mounds Bar, cherry and baking spices. The barrel influence is prominent…