Justin Paso Robles Isosceles 2005
Lots of toasty oak and sour cherries with a thickness that lasts a long time. 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc and 7% Merlot. GP&B in Paso Robles 14.6% $47.99 at Bottle Barn Justin
Chateau Leoville Las Cases Saint-Julien 2004
Earth and oak intertwine in a complex mix of smells. There [...]

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Paul Hobbs Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
Hobbs is truly the master at producing elegant, polished Cabernet. This wine has notes of the cigar box, a kiss of oak and ripe, supple tannins. P&B in Sebastopol 14.9% $74.99 at Bottle Barn Paul Hobbs
Altamura Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2003
We recently poured the 2005 for the National [...]

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Frank Family Vineyards Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2000
This Alexander Valley Cab was made by the Napa winery known for its deft hand with the local fruit. Tonight we taste a wine from grapes sourced a little farther north. This wine is working its way up the curve, with more innings yet to come. It is [...]

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Pride Mountain Vineyards Napa Sonoma Merlot 2001
Unfortunately this wines was corked, which is especially disconcerting at this price. Pride has always delighted with the lush feel of their red wines. This is sourced from their estate on the county line(s). Thus the grapes are 55% Napa and 45% Sonoma. Cellared & Bottled in St. Helena [...]

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Navarro Anderson Valley Chardonnay Verjus 2007

This is another non-alcoholic product from Navarro, but not for drinking but rather as an alternative in the kitchen. This is literally underripe grape juice, green juice, as it were that you might use in salad dressing, sauces and more. P&B in Philo $11 at the winery Navarro

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Perhaps the next best thing to wine; anyone who has made wine knows how delicious this is. Yes, I’m talking about freshly crushed grape juice. Navarro has longed shared this specialty with the rest of the world and tonight we sample both. Not a drop of alcohol is in either bottle. They are produced and [...]

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Dolce Napa Valley Late Harvest Wine 2003
This is the classic California Sauternes competitor, in flavor and in price. There’s a blend of pineapple and caramel with honey and minerality on a viscous palate where the flavor goes on and on. The grapes are sourced from the Dolce Vineyard in Coombsville at the base of the [...]

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Frank Family Napa Valley Zinfandel 2006
Known for awesome Cabernet, tonight we sample their Zin. This wine smells of vanilla and other essences of dessert. There’s lots of extract, very jammy in black fruit and a healthy heft of tannin. 8% Petite Sirah, 15 months in French oak, 35% new. Distributor sample V&B in Calistoag 15% [...]

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Les Restanques de Pibarnon Bandol 2003
This is a good value offering from Pibarnon, showing ripe fruit overlaid with ripe tannins. This wine gets better each time I taste it. The complexity is there and the edges are softening - last tasted August 27, 2008. Mis au chateau par Comte de Saint Victor, prop.-recolt. a La [...]

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Bridlewood Central Coast Winner’s Circle Selection “Blue Roan” Syrah 2004
Just a few evenings ago we tasted another of the Winner’s Circle Selection Syrah and it was true to the the house style showing lots of oak essence wound into a dense palate with ripe tannins; it was a class favorite. The Blue Roan tonight was [...]

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Domaine de Fontsainte Corbieres Gris de Gris 2007
This has been a stellar rose with traditional complexity and suppleness. The ‘07 is very fresh, just full of strawberries, crisp yet filled out and far from lean. The grapes are 60% Grenache Gris and Noir, 15% Syarh, 10% Mourvedre, 10% Carignane and 5% Cinsault; no malolactic. Winemaker [...]

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The second flight of Pinot tonight is drawn exclusively from the wine region of Central Otago.
Mt. Difficulty Central Otago Pinot Noir 2006
Firm, gripping and marked by earthy and berry notes. P&B in Bannockburn 14.5% $28.99 at Bottle Barn [...]

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2 flights of Pinot from New Zealand and here is number 1
Daniel Schuster Waipara Pinot Noir Selection 2006
Intense acidity marks this Pinot to drink with food today or lay down in the cellar. P&B in Waipara 14% $26.99 at Bottle Barn Daniel Schuster
Saint Clair Marlborough Pinot Noir 2006
The class favorite of this flight, the wine [...]

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Ridge California Lytton Springs 2005
This traditional field blend comes from the site on Lytton Springs Road running between the heart of Dry Creek and Highway 101 in Sonoma County. There is plenty of black pepper on top of the jammy fruit. The vines are intermixed in the old fashion, with 77% Zinfandel, 17% Petite Sirah [...]

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The Ojai Vineyard Santa Barbara County Grenache 2005
This wine comes from the specialist known for their dense Syrah. This Grenache is no slouch either with layer upon layer of fruit in a very supple package. P&B in Oak View 14.5% $27.99 at Bottle Barn Ojai
Bridlewood Central Coast Winner’s Circle Selection “Six Gun” Syrah 2004
This wine [...]

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Williams Selyem Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2006
Winemaker Cabral can be modest as his Pinots do the talking, with a worldwide fan base. This wine is Pinot Perfection!, the essence of red fruits served on velvet. P&B in Healdsburg 14.3% 70 at Traverso’s though probably gone. Williams Selyem
LaFond Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir 2006
Pierre LaFond [...]

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Think rapsberry tart with this Riesling and your cares will melt away.
Navarro Anderson Valley Late Harvest Cluster Select White Riesling 2006
Richness personified with acidity to balance. There is plenty of honey on top of the tropical fruit. There is an echo of Sauternes in the nose balanced by the acidity that Riesling so aptly brings [...]

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