Like Rosenblum Cellars on the San Francisco Bay, you can literally arrive by boat when you visit Ceago Vinegarden. The estate takes its name from a Pomo Indian word and is pronounced in the same way as Diego. It is situated in a gem of a spot on the northeastern shore of Clear Lake, in [...]

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With the 2005 vintage, Byron Kosuge is fully in charge of the winemaking at Tejada. In June we sampled the 05s with Ibo Tejada and his family at their estate in Lake County. The estate is noted for its focus on the grapes of Spain, cultivated organically.
Tejada, Lake County, Tempranillo 58% Garnacha 42% 2005 This [...]

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Prager, Napa Valley, Imogene’s Vineyard, Tomas, Port 2004 This wine is full of dried fruits, prunes and dark chocolate, with sweetness and warmth. The grapes were sourced from the family’s property in Calistoga. GP&B in St. Helena 19.5% $45.99 at Bottle Barn Prager

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Foxen, Santa Ynez Valley, Williamson-Dore Vineyard, Syrah 2006 This vintage exudes sweetness, like berry jam and raspberry liqueur. In the mouth it is supple and warm oaky and smoky – a very rich and ripe style of red wine. The previous vintage was also a crowd pleaser at an event we had in San Francisco [...]

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Dujac Fils & Pere, Chambolle-Musigny 2006 Give the wine some air to blow off a musty character and the fruit begins to emerge with notes of smoke and brambles. Give the wine another 40 minutes and the sweetness of the fruit emerges. In the mouth there is great concentration, lots of cherry fruit and strawberries [...]

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Zilliken, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Saarburger, Rausch, Riesling, Spatlese 2006 The nose if beautifully floral with hints of petrol while the mouth features peaches galore, significant acidity and the richness of residual sugar. Owner/Winemaker Hanno and daughter Dorothee. Gutsabfullung Weingut Forstmeister Geltz in Saarburg QmP A.P. Nr 3 551 083-3-07, 7.5% $27.99 at Bottle Barn Zilliken

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Sequoia Grove, Carneros, Napa Valley, Chardonnay 2007 There’s lots of tropical fruit in the nose, pineapples, bananas and coconuts. In the mouth the pineapple flavors come through with a hint of oak and a significant blast of green apples in all of their refreshing glory. This is the California Chardonnay for people to try who [...]

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Domaine Huet, Vouvray, Le Haut-Lieu, 1ere Trie, Moelleux 1990 This wine has developed a beautiful tawny color over almost 2 decades. The nose smells of toffee, caramel and raisins. The mouth is an absolute explosions of fresh oranges covered in caramel – really. I know that sounds hyperbolic, but the freshness of the fruit has [...]

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Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte, Pessac-Leognan 2005 The nose smells of leather, earth, smokiness, horse blanket and a host of descriptors that get at a sense of brettanomycees as complexity rather than a flaw. That said, I know that this level of brett would be too much for those seeking a more purely fruity expression of [...]

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Chateau Giscours, Margaux 2005 The berry fruit is ripe and expressive in the nose, with a sense of cedar and a light touch of earthiness. The fruit comes through on the palate, with some chewy though ripe tannin and a touch of creaminess. 80.5 hectares of vines are planted on gravel and sand. The mix [...]

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Chateau Rolland-Maillet, Saint-Emilion, Grand Cru 2005 Upon first opening this bottle was uncharacteristically rustic for a Rolland wine; patience is rewarded with 10 minutes or so of air. In the mouth however, the fruit is immediately apparent and the texture is supple – very approachable and ready to drink.
A second bottle opened in November ‘09 [...]

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Domaine Le Peu de la Moriette (Domaine Pichot), Vouvray 2008 In the nose there is a sense of herbaceousness, candied green fruit and floral notes. In the mouth there is that familiar balance of the sweet and the tart, as this wine has consistently shown. There’s plenty of concentration again making this wine a great [...]

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Weingut Brundlmayer, Kamptaler, Terrassen, Gruner Veltliner 2008 Give this new wine a bit of air to blow of the reductive character. Then with 5 minutes the citrus and minerality emerge, with a healthy dose of white pepper and floral notes. In the mouth this wine is bracing, with a bit citrus pith and a [...]

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Quady, California, Orange Muscat, Electra 2008 Spot on again in ‘08!
Notes on the previous vintage tasted at the winery in the spring of ‘09: This wine features an abundance of citrus in a very fresh way, as if you were cutting open an organge. There’s plenty of sweetness to pair this with a fresh [...]

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Guenoc, Guenoc Valley, Serpentine Meadow, Reserve, Petite Sirah 2000 In the nose there is black fruit and toffee, prunes and chocolate. In the mouth the tannins have simmered down while the acidity has remained taut, framing a cranberry-like fruit  – very nice 9 years on. The last bottle that I opened a month ago was [...]

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Edmeades, Redwood Valley, Piffero Vineyard, Zinfandel 2005 The fruit has taken on a sweet character, seemingly combining fresh and dried cherries. The wine fills out the entire palate with flavor in a supple way – delicious. P&B in Geyserville 15.5% $25.79 at Bottle Barn Edmeades

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Sobon Estate, Amador County, Rezerve, Primitivo 2007 The black pepper is not shy in the nose of this wine. In the mouth the blackberries come to the fore along with ripe tannins. All the grapes were grown organically. Grown, produced and bottled in Plymouth 15% $17.99 at Bottle Barn Sobon Estate

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Carol Shelton, Cucamonga Valley, Lopez Vineyard, Monga Zin, Old Vine, Zinfandel 2006 In the nose there is jammy fruit and earthy notes. In the mouth you’ll find a chewy Zin, with a touch of creaminess and the acidity to carry the flavor a long way. Carol travels down south and kicks off the production at [...]

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Goldeneye, Anderson Valley, Migration Pinot Noir 2007 This vintage features zesty berry fruit and brambles in the nose. In the mouth  it is full of fruit with a light touch of oak to complement. The acidity keeps this light-bodied Pinot fresh. P&B in Philo 14.5% $33.99 at Bottle Barn Goldeneye

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Tutti I Giorni, Amador County, Nutz! In the nose there is vibrant red fruit and a meaty character. In the mouth there is tons of acidity, red fruit and a little grip in a light-bodied package. P&B in Plymouth by Suzy and Jim Gullett at Vino Noceto 14.2% $8.99 at Bottle Barn Noceto

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Sobon Estate, Amador County, Viognier 2008 The tropical notes are such that this wine reminds me of the banana popsicles that I enjoyed as a boy. There’s also a layer of richness as well, making this wine slippery smooth. Besides the Viognier there’s a bit of Grenache Blanc, just 4%. The wine was aged sur [...]

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Ceago Vinegarden, Clear Lake, Kathleen’s Vineyard, Estate Grown, Sauvignon Blanc 2007 The nose assertively expresses gooseberries and herbaceousness when first opened and continues with stone fruits. In the mouth it is crisp and clean and reminiscent of fresh grapefruit with a little spritz that gives it a lively freshness – very nice.
The grapes at Ceago [...]

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M. Chapoutier, Banyuls 2007 There’s lots of pruny complexity in the nose. In the mouth it is spot on, nuttiness and raisins tossed in molasses – yum. There was a touch of TCA in the first bottle tasted, described here but it wasn’t terribly noticeable.
A second bottle tasted in October ‘09 was quite delicious after [...]

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Tablas Creek Vineyard, Paso Robles, Cotes de Tablas 2006 California sunshine comes through in this New World wine, with ripe liqueur-like fruit and polished edges. There’s a sense of tart cherries and cranberries as well, acidity balancing the ripe character. This red Rhone-style blend is composed of 72% Grenache, 11% Syrah 9% Mourvedre and 8% [...]

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Perrin & Fils, Vacqueyras, Les Christins 2006 Black pepper and red fruits combine with a sense of the garrigue when you smell this wine. In the mouth it is structured and ready to accompany a pepper steak; the acidity carries the flavor a long way for the price. The blend of grapes is 80% Grenache [...]

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Jade Mountain, California, La Provencale 2002
Raisined fruit and pruniness combines with caramel to paint a complex picture in the nose. In the mouth it’s starting to dry out and show a bit of spiritousness as it has crested the hill and is coming down the other side. This is a Rhone-style blend is composed of [...]

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Provisor, Dry Creek Valley, Syrah 2002 This wine, almost 7 years on is showing quite nicely, with dried fruits and a supple texture. The wine was aged in new and older French oak for 16 months. This was the first vintage of Syrah from proprietors Susan and Doug Provisor. P&B in Geyserville 14.9% $31 [...]

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Mas de Gourgonnier, Les Baux de Provence, Rose 2008 The fruit is evolving away from freshness as this wine seems to be aging prematurely. The mouth is quite gripping – a disappointment. Bottled with a synthetic cork; perhaps the seal was less than adequate?  This estate is noteworthy for farming organically before many jumped on [...]

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Lake County Wine Studio features the wines of the region on Main Street in the town of Upper Lake, just a stone’s throw from the end of Highway 29. We all know the congested bit of this highway where the cars crawl through St. Helena. Where it ends near Upper Lake is anything but. [...]

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MacMurray Ranch, Sonoma Coast, Pinot Gris 2008 In the nose there is a strong sense of candied fruit with a light dusting of green herbs. In the mouth the stone fruit comes alive with a little warmth in a medium weight wine – lighter than many from Alsace and broader and a little heavier than [...]

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