Heitz Cellar, Napa Valley, Grignolino Port 2004 It’s like cranberries marinated in brandy when you lift the glass. In the mouth it is light-bodied for a Port-style wine with a little acidic zing, sweetness and an alcoholic kick. This has been a consistent good value in California’s take on Port. P&B in St. Helena, 18.5% [...]

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Williams Selyem, Sonoma Coast, Pinot Noir 2006 There’s a sweet medley of cherry, berry and vanilla notes in the nose. In the mouth the wine is pure elegance. I consistently see this thread in Bob Cabral’s wines, what the French often look for in expressing Pinot character without amping it up over the top – [...]

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DuNah, Russian River Valley, DuNah Estate Vineyard, Pinot Noir 2006 Toastiness and toffee leap out of the glass with a sense of earthiness and crushed leaves. The mouth is deeply concentrated with cherry fruit and toffee with a very supple feel and richness. P&B in Sebastopol 14.2% $54 at Traverso’s DuNah
DuMol, Green Valley Sonoma County, [...]

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Balletto, Russian River Valley, Estate Bottled, Pinot Noir 2007 There is candied cherry fruit in the nose and a creaminess to the mouthfeel. The fruit really comes through in the palate as well. 20% of the wine was fermented in neutral French oak and there’s a tad of RS at 5.5 g/l. P&B by [...]

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Foxen, Santa Ynez Valley, Toasted Rope, Syrah 2006 There are raisins and freshly stewed fruits in the nose, like the smells you get when making a warm compote in the winter. The mouth is extremely supple and sweet appearing, with cocoa and brown spices. 85% Syrah and 15% Viognier. P&B in Santa Maria 15.8% $33.49 [...]

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Tablas Creek Vineyard, Paso Robles, Esprit de Beaucastel 2005 The brett is dominating the nose and while it works for this style of wine, it will put off some looking for a cleaner approach in the New World. The gaminess carries through in the mouth. The tannins are ripe and there to frame this very [...]

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Zaca Mesa, Santa Ynez Valley, Estate Grown and Bottled, Viognier 2007 This wine is peaches on steroids all the way through with a rich, very viscous mouthfeel that emphasizes fruit rather than oak or butter, as is seen in some of the heavier-handed approaches to this variety. And there is no hint of the whopping [...]

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Andre Brunel, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Les Cailloux 2005 The nose sports smoke and a healthy but appropriate dose of brett for this wine, accentuating a meatiness. The earthiness repeats in the mouth with an explosion of red fruits. The structure provides the frame around these flavors and a chance to improve over the next decade. I just [...]

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Give this wine some time to blow off the stink. Then you can see the cherries, cola and earthy forest floor notes in the nose. There are gamey flavors in the mouth, with the acidity you’d expect and a rather light-body and light to moderate concentration. This is an old vine selection of Pinot Noir, [...]

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Verget, Macon Villages, “Grand Elevage” 2006 There’s a mix of minerality and doughy notes in the nose while the mouth is steely with a bit of slipperiness coating the tongue, adding richness to the austerity. From Jean-Marie Guffen, whose Chardonnays have been a consistent spot-on value in notes back to the 2003 vintage. Vinifie et [...]

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Stone Hill, Missouri, Port 2004 The prunes and sweet Linzer torte stand out in the nose. In the mouth there is the alcohol and tannic edge of vintage Port from the Duoro as well as chocolate and vanilla. This was a big hit with chocolate covered raisins. The grape that makes this wine is Norton. [...]

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Lazy Creek, Anderson Valley, Rose of Pinot Noir 2007 This wine has the zippy acidity and vibrance of the rose from County Line with a depth of flavor, a density that fills out the wine on the palate – great in October ‘08. But in January ‘09 the alcohol and some volatility are starting to [...]

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Kanzler, Sonoma Coast, Pinot Noir 2007 This is a barrel sample from the family’s vineyard out in what is called the Sebastopol Hills, about 3 miles west of town. While dense, the wine is very polished with a slather of new oak that will integrate with time down the road. ‘07 is the 4th release [...]

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Small Vines, Sonoma Coast, Pinot Noir 2006 Like the Russian River bottling, this Pinot is packed with flavor. There’s a backbone of acidity to keep this wine going a long time in your mouth and a long time in your cellar – excellent.The source of the fruit is the MK Vineyard above Occidental. The wine [...]

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James David, Paso Robles, Penman Springs Vineyard, Muscat Blanc 2007 There’s a great variety of floral notes, from the sweet ones like honesuckle to roses and spicey numbers. The mouth is light-bodied and citrusy with a real sense of eating those flowers – a nice dry aperitif. 14.4% $18 at the winery

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Clos LaChance, Central Coast, Estate, Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 Sourced exclusively from the winery’s vineyard in San Martin. You knew them first from the days in Saratoga 14.5% $30 at the winery LaChance

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Bink, Yorkville Highlands, Weir Vineyard, Pinot Noir 2005 The nose is a bit closed right now but the mouth is vibrantly fruitly in a very supple framework. Winemaker Debbie Schatzlein 14.5% $40 at the winery, just 300 cases Bink

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Ridge, California, Pagani Ranch, Sonoma Valley, Zinfandel, 2006 There’s a wealth of liquer-like fruit in the nose – very pretty with floral tones as well. The fruit carries through in the mouth with moderate structure like last year.
Notes on the ‘05:  This wine shines with ripe berry fruit. It tastes like eating raspberry candy with [...]

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Botromagno, Puglia IGT, Primitivo 2006 The nose shows drying and oxidized fruit while the mouth is extremely tannic. The astringency dominates; it was a mistake to take a chance on this wine. Bottled in Gravina 13.5% $14.99 at Traverso’s

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Benessere, Napa Valley, Estate, Sangiovese 2005 You can smell sweet, candied cherries and vanilla in the glass while the mouth is a supple showcase of the same with Sangiovese’s textbook acidity.

The house style is one of polished wines. 12 different clones of Sangiovese went into the making of this one. The wine was aged in [...]

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Casa Alle Vacche, Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG, I Macchioni, 2007 There is a New World ripe expression of fruit in the nose, along with perfume, green herbs and some minerality. In the mouth there is ample acidity with some thick, fleshy fruit as well to fill it out. There is a little phenolic grip, [...]

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I had the opportunity to meet with two respected growers from Champagne at the WineWise and Terry Theise tasting today in San Francisco. Both are producers as well, crafting dynamite sparklers, each with their own house style. If forced to make a choice, I would take the Pierre Gimonnet wines to my desert island, as [...]

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Vietti, Langhe DOC, Nebbiolo, Perbacco 2005 Spot on with black licorice and a wallop of tannin. Estate Bottled in Castiglione Falletto 13.5% $26.99 at Traverso’s Vietti
Badia a Coltibuono, Chianti Classico DOCG 2005 There is a pleasant combo of earth, cherries and a hint of varnish which adds to the complexity. The acidity is matched by [...]

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Paradise Ridge Winery, Russian River Valley, Ode to Joy, Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc 2007
Lots of complexity in this wine, with honey galore – very reminiscent of Sauternes. This dessert wine was crafted to honor the memory of Marijke Byck-Hoenselaars. 44 degrees brix at harvest. Winemaker Dan Barwick. P&B in Santa Rosa. 13.2% $28.99 for a [...]

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Alexander Valley Vineyards, Dry Creek Valley, Redemption Zin, Zinfandel 2006 A moderate amount of jammy fruit and black pepper drive the nose while the palate is gripping, light-bodied and a little warm. P&B in Healdsburg 14.5% $18.99 at Bottle Barn AVWine
Robert Rue, Russian River Valley, Wood Road, Reserve, Zinfandel 2006 The fruit is lovingly sweet [...]

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Adobe Road, Knights Valley, Cabernet Franc 2005 This is perfectly ripe Cab Franc – no veg to smell at all, just lots of berries. The structure of Cab Franc is in the mouth combining with the fruit and filled out by the oak. This is very long and has time to age. Proprietors Kevin & [...]

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Buena Vista, Carneros, Pinot Noir 2006 The nose is sweet vanilla while the mouth features red fruits, a light-body and vanilla sweetness. The fruit is sourced from the winery’s Ramal Vineyard. Produced in Sonoma and Bottled in Napa 13.5% $17.99 at Bottle Barn Buena Vista
Calstar Cellars, Sonoma Coast, Pinot Noir 2006 This is a concentrated [...]

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Ramazzotti, Sonoma County, Raffinto, Red Wine 2005
This smells like a walk in the oak forest where some of the trees have been freshly felled – an intertwining of oak and earth.  The mouth is vivaciously fruity with the oak to match and a smooth texture. This is the winery’s Super Tuscan offering, blending 60% [...]

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Taft Street, Sonoma Coast, Rose of Pinot Noir 2007 Mild but muted strawberries and an astringent profile. Unfortunately this wine has a sub-threshold level of TCA that’s blocking the fruit. The grapes come from the Pasta King, Art Ibletto. P&B in Sebastopol 12.5% $11.99 at Bottle Barn Taft Street
Ramazzotti, Dry Creek Valley, Zin-Giovese, Rose 2007 [...]

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Clarbec, Sonoma County, Pinot Gris 2007 There’s fresh tropical fruit and subtle oak in the nose. The fruit comes through in the mouth with a caress of acidity and a little bit of richness – very nice. The grapes were sourced from the Lila Lane and Clarbec Vineyards. 33% of the wine was fermented in [...]

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