Graham’s, Porto, “Six Grapes”, Reserve nv The nose combines blackberry liqueur, raisins and a spiritous note. In the mouth you taste something akin to blackberry candy poured over a Tootsie Roll – chocolate and black fruit with a healthy shot of spirit for warmth. The grapes behind this wine are Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesca, Tinta [...]

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Il Conte d’Alba, Moscato d’Asti DOCG nv This wine smells of ginger and flowers while in the mouth it is sweet and lightly fizzy. It’s almost perfect except for a bit of TCA which unfortunately is adding a bit of wet cardboard and astringency. Fortunately the second bottle was on target. Bottled in Santo Stefano [...]

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Martin & Weyrich, California, Moscato, Allegro 2007 The orange blossoms are alight in the glass when you pick it up. In the mouth it is light, airy, fruity, flowery, sweet and delightful. Fermentation was stopped early to lock in the sugar from the vine. We visited with the winemaker a few years ago and this [...]

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Kendall-Jackson, California, Vintner’s Reserve, Riesling 2007 Stone fruits come to mind when you raise this glass, a sense of peaches and apricots. In the mouth the apricot flavor is delightful, augmented by the residual sugar and balanced by the acidity. Besides the Riesling there is 9% Gewurztraminer and Muscat Canelli in the blend. The fruit [...]

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La Crema, Sonoma Coast, Chardonnay 2007 In the nose there’s a sense of biscuits, croissants and other freshly baked doughy things with hints of oak and vanilla. In the mouth this wine is rich with oak yet the apples and pears come through, showing a sensible balance of the grape and the art of the [...]

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Bogle Vineyards, California, Phantom 2006 Dark fruits and a bit of berry jam mark the nose with a hint of toffee. In the mouth, the fruits are surrounded by tannins that are ripe, with just a little grip to let you know they are there. The grapes behind this wine are 49% Petite Sirah, 49% [...]

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Dr. Loosen, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Bernkasteler, Lay, Riesling, Kabinett 2006 Minerality combines petrol giving a glimpse that Riesling is in the glass, even if you didn’t see the label. Limes and candy spark through in the mouth, with refreshing acidity tempering the residual sugar for flawless balance – very nice. I had opportunity to visit the estate [...]

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Rombauer Vineyards, Carneros, Chardonnay 2006 You can’t miss the oak on the nose of this wine as if you just split a stack in the backyard. In the mouth there is citrus and tropical fruits with layers and layers and layers of butter. This wine has for years been the standard for over-the-top richness in [...]

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Sauvignon Republic, Marlborough, Sauvignon Blanc 2008 The current vintage shows plenty gooseberry and freshly cut grass. In the mouth, it is racy as ever, with added depth of flavor and a sense of citrus peel – very nice. Notes on the ‘07: This wine pulls no punches with its intense honoring of Sauvignon’s grassy side [...]

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Wiederkehr, Arkansas Moutain, Tawny Port nv The nose sports lots of vanilla with nuts and a very overt sense of oaky richness. In the mouth the nuttiness continues with caramel sweetness. The alcohol is perfectly integrated so watch that it doesn’t sneak up on you after a few glasses – delicious. The wine was aged [...]

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St. John, Red Table Wine, Medium Sweet, de Vine Red nv This wine speaks floral notes from the glass with the foxiness I associate with the Concord that I ate as a boy. In the mouth is fruity and friendly, displaying a sweet and tart character like a Mosel Riesling – yum. Serve cold straight [...]

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Michael & David, Lodi, 7 Deadly Zins, Old Vine Zinfandel 2007 This wine has been a consistent oak bomb on the soft and plush side. The current vintage is particularly on the mark, soft, light-bodied and very oaky – a sure crowd pleaser! The vines that produced this wine range in age from 25 – [...]

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Sequoia Grove, Napa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 The nose combines earth, forest floor, black fruits a bit of bay leaf. In the mouth this wine is structured, yet in a way that shows off the black fruit rather than dominting it. Thus the tannins are ripe, the acidity accents the flavors which go on for [...]

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Post Familie, American, Merlot nv There’s a lively pluminess in the glass when you smell this wine. In the mouth there’s plenty of fruit as well, with a healthy dose of acidity making this a natural with food. You can sense the tannin in the background and the body is on the light side – [...]

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Chateau Aux Arc, American, Dragonfly Red nv The nose speaks of sweet oak while in the mouth this wine is smooth and light with a little warmth. Some of the fruit came from the estate’s Dragonfly Ranch, supplemented by imports from outside of Arkansas: 90% Merlot from Mendocino County and 10% Zinfandel from Altus, seemingly [...]

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La Spinetta, Moscato d’Asti DOCG, Bricco Quaglia 2008 Heaven in a glass, with plenty of flowers, lovely sweetness, light effervesence and freshness all day. This is a personal favorite from the legend. I was blessed to meet Rivetti before the skyrocket to fame. This wine remains an affordable way to taste some of this estate’s [...]

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Fleury Estate Winery, Napa Valley, Rose 2008 This is a rose with no shortage of colour. The nose is clean, showing red fruits and perfume. In the mouth the wine is broad, a rather big-bodied rose with the flavor of cherries and a complement of acidity. Proprietors Claudia & Brian Fleury. Winemaker David McIntire. P&B [...]

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Claiborne & Churchill, Central Coast, Dry Riesling 2007 Fortunately I had the opportunity to try this wine again after the corked bottled discussed previously. In the nose are stone fruits, flintiness and a bit of the petrol character we associate with Riesling. In the mouth the wine expresses its fruit in tandem with minerality and [...]

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Ballatore, California, Rosso Spumante nv The nose explodes with sweet red fruits. In the mouth it is quite fruity, tasting of cherries and strawberries in a light-bodied format with plenty of sweetness. The dosage is 76 grams per litre. The bottle tasted was released in December ‘08. P&B in Modesto 8.2% $7.99 suggested retail, the [...]

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Schramsberg, North Coast, Cremant, Demi-Sec 2004 There’s sweet tropical fruit in the nose, with flowers and perfume. In the mouth this wine is lightly sweet, with a fruity core and a little bitterness. The grapes are 84% Flora, 9% Chardonnay, 6% Pinot Noir and 1% Gewurztraminer sourced from Napa 89%, Mendocino 7% and Sonoma 4%.
Flora [...]

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Roederer Estate, Anderson Valley, L’Ermitage, Brut 2002 The nose opens with fresh biscuits, citrus and stone fruits, also calling to mind a freshly baked fruit tart. In the mouth this wine is very concentrated and full of the flavor of green apples in all of there glorious tartness. Yet that bracing aspect is enhanced by [...]

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Gloria Ferrer, Carneros, Vintage Reserve, Royal Cuvee, Brut 2002 Let this open up a bit and after 10 minutes the fruit will start to show. There are apples both red and green and refreshing acidity in this light-bodied sparkler. The grapes are a combination of approximately 2/3 Pinot Noir and 1/3 Chardonnay aged for more [...]

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Domaine Carneros, Carneros, Brut 2005 The nose is opulently fruity with floral notes as well. In the mouth it is soft and fruity, round and very approachable – nice.  The grapes are all Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and the wine was aged for 3 years en tirage. P&B in Napa 12% $19.99 purchased at Bottle [...]

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Schramsberg, North Coast, Mirabelle, Brut Rose nv There’s a red-fruited sweetness in the nose, reminiscent of the cherries jubilee that I used to whip up table side back in the day. In the mouth the fruity theme continues with moderate acidity and a touch of warmth. The grapes behind this bubbly are 66% Chardonnay and [...]

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Harney Lane, Lodi Albarino 2008 This is spectacularly ripe and fresh Albarino, showing full fruit development. In the nose, the tropical notes are alight while in the mouth there is fresh citrus to complement the tropicals. In the mouth there is textbook acidity yet in a less austere expression, enhancing the fruit rather than overwhelming [...]

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Chateau Lascombes, Margaux 2005 This wine is super toasty in the nose with hints of dark chocolate and cassis. The mouth is quite structured urging a good 10 years and more in the cellar, yet already the black fruit is popping out. Fire up the grill for a big steak if you have to dring [...]

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Franciscan, Napa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 This wine features lots of fruit overlayed with sweet vanilla. The oak adds richness. The tannins are ripe; there’s a nice long acidity as well as balance. This wine is quite approachable and ready to drink yet would gain complexity and soften with 3-5 years in the bottle. The [...]

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We had a great visit to Rubissow with our Wines of California & Europe class on the first day of August. I’ll post the notes on the estate next week but in the meantime here are two of their stars.

Rubissow, Napa Valley, Mount Veeder, Rubissow Vineyard, Merlot 2005 This wine puts together the best of [...]

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Raymond Vineyards, Napa Valley, Small Lot, White Wine 2008 This wine is crisp and ripe with the flavor of limes and oranges. The grapes behind this wine are 90% Sauvignon Blanc and 10% Semillon. The Sauvignon was fermented and aged sur lie for 3 months in French and Hungarian puncheons. P&B in St. Helena 14.5% [...]

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Rosa Regali, Brachetto d’Acqui DOCG 2008 This wine shows its red fruit, both visually and in the nose. Strawberries combine with green herbs and a sense of mint in the nose. In the mouth, it is evocative of raspberries and cranberries with a little bit of grip, a tart and slightly bitter note with plenty [...]

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