Benziger, Carneros, Chardonnay 2008 The nose features butter and vanilla and a bit of fresh oak. In the mouth the rich theme continues, with viscosity, butter and oakiness, with balancing acidity in the background. V&B in Graton 13.5% purchased for $10.99 at Bottle Barn Benziger

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Domaine Carneros, Carneros, Brut, Blanc de Blancs, Le Reve 2002 There is the typical sweetness to this wine with a smokiness and an uncharacteristic herbaceous note. The grapes are Chardonnay with the possibility of some Pinot Blanc and the wine was aged for 6 years, before release. Estate grown, produced and bottled in Napa 12% [...]

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Gloria Ferrer, Carneros, Methode Champenoise, Blanc de Noirs nv This is a newer bottling than that reviewed back in the fall of ‘07, with a change of appellation from Sonoma County to Carneros.
There’s a stinkiness that stuck with this wine. I didn’t want to believe it as it has always been such a consistent performer [...]

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The Wine Institute and the California Association of Winegrape Growers hosted a seminar and tasting yesterday to showcase the passing of the torch in California’s winegrowing families.
Featured speakers included Warren Bogle, whose family has been farming in Clarksburg for 6 generations. I’ve often featured their great value wines on this blog and in my classes. [...]

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V. Sattui Winery, Napa Valley, Los Carneros, Chardonnay 2007 The oak is quite prominent in the nose, freshly split, with notes of tropical fruit, bananas and coconut. In the mouth the oak continues, with a healthy dash of butter on top of the tropically-themed fruits. The wine was barrel fermented and aged on the lees [...]

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Etude, Carneros, Estate Grown, Pinot Noir 2007 This is sweet smelling Pinot with caramel and an almost jammy fruit character. The mouth is very concentrated with ripe tannins, punchy acidity and that sweet caramel on top of the black fruit – very nice. Produced and bottled in Napa 14.4% $31.99 purchased at Bottle [...]

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Paul Hobbs, Carneros, Napa Valley, Hyde Vineyard, Pinot Noir 2007
The nose features ripe black fruits, a bit of earthiness, cola and a toasty note. In the mouth you’ll find the characteristic mouthfeel that I find over and over again with Paul Hobbs’ wines – suppleness. There’s lingering acidity as well – very nice. P&B [...]

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Fotinos, Carneros, Napa Valley, Pinot Noir 2005 The nose features very sweet brown spice notes, with ashes of the campfire. In the mouth there’s a fair amount of grip. Produced and bottled in Sonoma 14% $35 at the winery, a gift to the class from the SFCWC Fotinos Vineyard

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Saintsbury, Carneros, Pinot Noir, Garnet 2008 This has always been a light and elegant Pinot and the ‘08 is on target. By light I don’t mean thin and the creaminess enhances the mouthfeel. There’s a screw cap top for added protection. Cellared and bottled in Sonoma 13.5%, purchased at Bottle Barn for $15.99 Saintsbury

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Robledo, Los Carneros, Rancho Maria, Chardonnay 2007 This is the rich expression of California Chardonnay yet with a sense of balancing acidity. All of the bells and whistles seems to have been brought to the game, producing buttery flavors and doughy, pastry-like notes. The citrus flavors and accompanying acidity keep it from going over the [...]

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Grgich Hills, Napa Valley, Estate Grown, Fume Blanc 2007 This wine is always ripping with acidity, tangy and bright and the same is certainly true today – yes! Sourced from biodynamically grown fruit grown in American Canyon and the Carneros, the wine is fermented and aged in mostly older French oak, with six months of [...]

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Cline, Carneros, 85% Marsanne 15% Roussanne 2007 The stone fruits come through in the nose with a dusting of minerality. In the mouth the acidity shines against the backdrop of stones, making this a leaner, almost Old World approach; there’s ample concentration and great length – very nice.
The Marsanne is sourced from the family’s 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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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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Robert Sinskey, Los Carneros, Napa Valley, Pinot Noir 2007 The nose sports fresh berry fruit and sweet vanilla. In the mouth it is pure elegance, light and fresh. All byodynamically grown grapes in this Pinot. GP&B in Napa 13.6% Sinskey

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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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Ancien, Carneros, Toyon Farm, Pinot Noir 2006 The nose features red fruits, smokiness and charred wood.  In the mouth, the cherries and strawberries sing and are accompanied by an oaky sweetness and creamy texture. Winemakers Ken and Teresa Bernards, Bot. in Napa 14.4% $32.99 at Traverso’s ancienwines.com

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Havens, Napa Valley, Carneros, Albarino 2008 This wine is a fully concentrated expression of lime, boasting great acidity and length – delicious. P&B in Napa 12.5% $18.99 at Bottle Barn Havens

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Benziger, Carneros, Chardonnay 2007
Vanilla and a light sense of butter grace the nose. In the mouth, the fruits are tropical and enhanced by the buttery richness with a sense of acidity providing balance  – a very consistent value. V&B in Graton 14% $10.99 at Bottle Barn Benziger

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Cline, Los Carneros, Viognier 2007 This is beautifully aromatic, very floral and clean. In the mouth there is a fatness to the feel, lowish in acidity with the taste of peaches and a bit of the bitterness that you might get from a bite of the stone inside. Estate grown & bottled in Sonoma 14.5% [...]

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Fleury Estate Winery, Napa Valley, Carneros, Pinot Noir 2007 The smell is sweet, as of cherries and cream. In the mouth,the taste is reminiscent of cherry pie, with some brown spices and the texture is silky perfection. We tasted this at the winery on Saturday and tonight it’s a delight to taste it again. Proprietors [...]

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Kent Rasmussen, Carneros, Pinot Noir 2006 There are very sweet, liquer-like aromas mixed with some barnyard notes for complexity. In the mouth this wine is supple and sweet-appearing, the fruit being quite concentrated. The finish goes on and on. P&B in St. Helena 13% $29.99 at the Wine Club
Kent Rasmussen Winery

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ZD, Carneros, Pinot Noir 2007

The nose features fresh and stewed fruits as well as leather. In the mouth the consistent acidity comes through making this a refreshing Pinot, lively and vibrant. This wine originates with Pinot grown in certified organic vineyards. The wine is then aged for 10 months in French oak. Winemaker Chris Pisani. [...]

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Bouchaine, Napa Valley – Carneros, Estate, Chardonnay 2006 The nose combines freshly split wood, vanilla, toast and stone fruits. The mouth is full-on with oak essence and butter layered over peaches and green apples. The wine received all of the bells and whistles from the winemaker, including battonage  as well as ML for 50% of [...]

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ZD, Carneros, Pinot Noir 2004 The black red fruits are jammy and sweet in the nose of this wine. This is developing nicely, with complexity coming with time in the bottle yet ample fruit at this youthful stage. This wine is very concentrated and has a polished texture – very nice. The wine was aged [...]

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Buena Vista, Carneros, Pinot Noir 2005 There is warm, sweet, stewed fruit with brown spices in the nose. The mouth is oaky, soft in texture with acidity to frame it yet it’s warm and the fruit is receding. The fruit is sourced from the winery’s Ramal Vineyard. The wine was aged in oak for 8 [...]

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Roche, Carneros, Pinot Noir 2006 In the nose there’s cherry liqueur, earth and a sense of oxidation. The palate is quite gripping. Estate Grown, Produced and Bottled in Sonoma 14.5% $27.95 at the winery Roche Winery

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Gloria Ferrer, Carneros, Late Disgorged, Carneros Cuvee, Brut 1998 There is lots of perfume in the nose and the mouth is soft and a bit sweeter than other bubblies labeled as brut, a sparkler with ginger ale and candy-like flavors. In August ‘09 the nose is going through an awkward patch, losing the freshness it [...]

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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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Angeline, Russian River Valley, Sauvignon Blanc 2007 In the nose there are the competing smells of citrus, candy, flowers and a bit of mown grass. You taste the citrus with a sense of the lemon zest as well. There’s a frame of acidity as well to make this wine refreshing. This 100% Sauvignon comes to [...]

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