Wine Regions & Grapes
Sampling of Wineries
Acorn Andrea Oberto Atlas Peak Benziger Beringer Blandy's Bodega Navarro Correas Burgans Cantina Terlano Chimney Rock Chronicle Domaine Carneros Domaine de la Mordoree Dow's Dr. Loosen Emilio Lustau Fonseca Foxen Gaston Riviere Glen Ellen Hess Collection Innocent Bystander Kendall-Jackson Korbel La Caudrina Luna Vineyards Madeira Wine Company Martin Codax Masi Merryvale Mulderbosch Navarro Vineyards Pahlmeyer Roederer Estate Ruggeri Sawyer Cellars Sbragia Six Sigma Winery St. James Steltzner Vineyards Trinchero Winery Trione V. Sattui Winery William Fevre Wilson Winery
Category Archives: Carneros
Domaine Carneros Le Reve 2004
Domaine Carneros, Carneros, Brut, Blanc de Blancs, Le Reve 2004 As in the past, the nose exhibits the sweetest of fruits and flowers. In the mouth the theme continues with ripe stone fruits, a creamy texture and a dosage that … Continue reading
Saintsbury Chardonnay 2008
Saintsbury, Carneros, Chardonnay 2008 The nose features hazelnuts and tropical fruit in ample supply. In the mouth viscosity is matched by acidity, creating a balanced wine that showcases stone fruits like peaches and apricots and tropical fruits like pineapple and … Continue reading
Prestige cuvee sparkling
Perrier-Jouet, Champagne, Cuvee Belle Epoque, Fleur de Champagne, Brut 2000 The cork was quite compacted and the bottle opened with hardly a whisper. The color is taking on a light golden hue. Yet in the nose it delivers the fresh … Continue reading
Posted in California, Carneros, Champagne, Chardonnay, France, Pinot Noir, Sparkling Dry
Tagged Domaine Carneros, Perrier-Jouet
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Benziger Chardonnay 2008
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 … Continue reading
Domaine Carneros Le Reve 2002
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 … Continue reading
Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Noirs up to date
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 … Continue reading
Posted in California, Carneros, Pinot Noir, Sparkling Dry, Sparkling Lightly Sweet
Tagged Gloria Ferrer
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Family wineries in California
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 … Continue reading
Posted in Anderson Valley, California, Carneros, Chardonnay, Clarksburg, Gewurztraminer, Mendocino County
Tagged Benziger, Bogle, Navarro Vineyards
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V. Sattui Los Carneros Chardonnay 2007
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 … Continue reading
Posted in California, Carneros, Chardonnay, Napa Valley
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Etude Pinot 2007
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 … Continue reading
Posted in California, Carneros, Pinot Noir
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Paul Hobbs Hyde Pinot 2007
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 … Continue reading
Posted in California, Carneros, Napa Valley, Pinot Noir
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Fotinos Pinot 2005
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 … Continue reading
Posted in California, Carneros, Napa Valley, Pinot Noir
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Saintsbury Garnet 2008
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 … Continue reading
Posted in California, Carneros, Pinot Noir
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Robledo Chardonnay 2007
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 … Continue reading
Posted in California, Carneros, Chardonnay
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Napa Valley Wines
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, … Continue reading
Posted in Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Carneros, Chardonnay, Diamond Mountain District, Howell Mountain, Mount Veeder, Napa Valley, Oak Knoll District, Pinot Noir, Rutherford, Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvignon Gris, Spring Mountain District, Stags Leap District
Tagged Atlas Peak, Bell, Black Coyote, Chimney Rock, Grgich Hills, Hess Collection, Mahoney Vineyards, Moondance Cellars, Sawyer Cellars, Sbragia, Steltzner Vineyards, Stonegate, Terremoto Cellars, V. Sattui Winery
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Cline White Rhone 2007
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 … Continue reading
Posted in California, Carneros, Marsanne, Roussanne, Sonoma County
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Rombauer, Carneros, Chardonnay 2006
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 … Continue reading
Posted in California, Carneros, Chardonnay, Napa Valley
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Gloria Ferrer Royal Cuvee 2002
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. Tasted … Continue reading
Posted in California, Carneros, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Sparkling Dry
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Sinskey Carneros Pinot 2007
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
Posted in California, Carneros, Napa Valley, Pinot Noir
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Sequoia Grove Chardonnay 2007
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 … Continue reading
Posted in California, Carneros, Chardonnay, Napa Valley
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Ancien Carneros Pinot 2006
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. … Continue reading
Posted in California, Carneros, Pinot Noir
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Benziger Chardonnay 2007
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 … Continue reading
Posted in California, Carneros, Chardonnay
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Cline Carneros Viognier 2007
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 … Continue reading
Posted in California, Carneros, Sonoma County, Viognier
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Fleury Pinot 2007
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 … Continue reading
Posted in California, Carneros, Napa Valley, Pinot Noir
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Kent Rasmussen Pinot 2006
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 … Continue reading
Posted in California, Carneros, Pinot Noir
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ZD Pinot 2007
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 … Continue reading
Posted in California, Carneros, Pinot Noir
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Bouchaine Estate Chardonnay 2006
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 … Continue reading
Posted in California, Carneros, Chardonnay, Napa Valley
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ZD Pinot Noir 2004
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 … Continue reading
Posted in Carneros, Pinot Noir
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Buena Vista Pinot Noir 2005
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 … Continue reading
Posted in California, Carneros, Pinot Noir
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