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: Lake County
Langtry Genevieve Vineyard Chardonnay 2008
Langtry Estate, Guenoc Valley, Genevieve Vineyard, Chardonnay 2008 This is a rich Chardonnay that provides a multiplex experience, to borrow from the film industry. The nose features tropical fruit and toasty, nuttiness. In the mouth the tropical fruit is fully … Continue reading
Wildhurst Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2009
Wildhurst, Lake County, Reserve, Sauvignon Blanc 2009 The nose features plenty of freshly mown grass and grapefruit – quite classic. In the mouth the citrus flavors shine in the most zippy way possible – nice and refreshing. I had a … Continue reading
Ceago Vinegarden Sauvignon Blanc 2009
Ceago Vinegarden, Clear Lake, Kathleen’s Vineyard, Estate Grown, Sauvignon Blanc 2009 In the nose the fruit shows the character of peaches with notes of tropical fruit as well – absolutely vibrant. In the mouth, the fruit is also on full … Continue reading
Posted in California, Clear Lake, Lake County, Sauvignon Blanc
Tagged Ceago Vinegarden
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Bonterra Riesling 2009
Bonterra, 88% Lake County, 12% Mendocino County, Riesling 2009 There’s a medley of fruits in the nose, including lime, pears and peaches, accented by lots of freshly picked sweet and spicy flowers. In the mouth the citrus and stone fruits … Continue reading
Robledo Sauvignon Blanc 2007
Robledo, Lake County, Sauvignon Blanc 2007 This is a delightful Sauvignon. The nose sports citrus and floral notes. In the mouth the wine is clean and vibrantly citrussy with a pleasant acidic zip. Produced and bottled in Kelseyville 14.3% $20 … Continue reading
Posted in California, Lake County, Sauvignon Blanc
Tagged Robledo Family Vineyards, Robledo family winery
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Brassfield High Serenity Ranch Sauvignon Blanc 2007
Brassfield Estate, High Valley, High Serenity Ranch, Estate Bottled, Sauvignon Blanc 2007 Give this a little air to allow the fruity aromatics to come to the fore. Then you’ll find pineapple and lemon laced with crushed green herbs. The mouth … Continue reading
Six Sigma Sauvignon Blancs 2008
This flight provides a nice contrast of Sauvignon styles. You have the same winery, same county, same grape, same vintage, 2 vineyards and 2 takes on how to handle this grape in the winery. Both are great but as you’ll … Continue reading
Josh Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
Josh Cellars, Lake County, Red Hills District, Amber Knolls Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 This is an ebulliently fruity Cabernet, featuring blueberries, blackberries and Cassis in the nose. In the mouth it is light-bodied and quite soft, very accessible right now, … Continue reading
Posted in Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Lake County, Red Hills District
Tagged Joseph Carr, Josh Cellars
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Six Sigma Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
Six Sigma, Lake County, Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 There’s a freshness to this Cabernet that focuses on blueberries and cherries, with the intensity of black currants fashioned into Cassis. The fruit is so available that you might suspect that this wine … Continue reading
Bell Sauvignon 2007
Bell, Lake County, Sauvignon Blanc 2007 This wine speaks of grapefruit, crisp and refreshing. The grapes are all Sauvignon Blanc grown in the Rosenthal Vineyard in southern Lake. The wine was made exclusively in stainless. Cellared and bottled in Yountville … Continue reading
Posted in California, Lake County, Sauvignon Blanc
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Ceago Vinegarden
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 … Continue reading
Posted in California, Chardonnay, Clear Lake, Lake County, Mendocino County, Merlot
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Tejada Wines 2005
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 … Continue reading
Posted in California, Grenache, Lake County, Tempranillo
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Guenoc Serpentine Meadow Petite 2000
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 – … Continue reading
Posted in California, Guenoc Valley, Lake County, Petite Sirah
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Ceago Sauvignon Blanc 2007
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 … Continue reading
Posted in California, Clear Lake, Lake County, Sauvignon Blanc
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Lake County Wine Studio
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 … Continue reading
Posted in California, Lake County, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel
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Jacuzzi Primitivo 2006
Jacuzzi Family Vineyards, Lake County, Morine Ranch, Primitivo 2006 In the nose the fruit is stewed and evolving . In the mouth this wine is light-bodied and warm with a touch of sweet pruniness. The wine was aged for 9 … Continue reading
Posted in California, Lake County, Primitivo
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Six Sigma Sauvignon 2006
Six Sigma, Lake County, Rooster Vineyard, Sauvignon Blanc 2006 This wine is amazingly fresh for an ’06 California Sauvignon. There’s plenty of citrus in the nose as well as some freshly mown grass. In the mouth, the acidity is dazzling … Continue reading
Posted in California, Lake County, Sauvignon Blanc
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Tejada Tempranillo Grenache 2004
Tejada Vineyards, Lake County, Tempranillo 50% Grenache 50% 2004 The spiritous character is starting to get ahead of the fruit in the nose. In the mouth the alcohol peeks out again, yet it works. There’s a great balance of fruit … Continue reading
Posted in California, Grenache, Lake County, Tempranillo
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Bonterra Muscat 2007
Bonterra, Lake County, Bartolucci Vineyard, Muscat 2007 The muscat perfume is there though not as vibrant and fresh as in previous incarnations. The mouth is moderately sweet and medium bodied, tasting of sweet ginger ale. This wine brings back memories … Continue reading
Posted in California, Lake County, Muscat
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Rhone Rangers Seminar 11/08
The Rhone Rangers hosted a seminar yesterday featuring wines that pay homage to the grapes made famous in France’s Rhone Valley. The seminar was not bound by geography; there were wines from both sides of the Atlantic. The seminar was … Continue reading
Different desserts
Bonterra, Lake County, Bartolucci Vineyard, Muscat 2004 This wine has been well-made since the good old days when the you could taste it at the beautiful Valley Oaks facility. There are the compelling floral notes associated with Muscat plus some … Continue reading
Posted in California, Cucamonga Valley, Lake County, Muscat, Sherry, White Dessert
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From SF head east
Rombauer, California, Zinfandel 2006 This has always been on the very rich end of Zin styles with perceptible residual sugar – nonetheless a crowd-pleaser. This vintage follows the same path. The fruit is 59% Amador, 24% Napa, 11% lake and … Continue reading
5 Bordeaux grapes and 3 continents
Clarendon Hills Clarendon Brookman Merlot 2005 Roman Bratasiuk pulls no punches with his opulent wines. This Merlot features ripe fruit and the cigar box characters we often associate with Bordeaux. The texture is oh so plush. P&B in Blewitt Springs … Continue reading
Darling grape
Bonterra 73% Mendocino 27% Lake Counties Viognier 2006 This has been a consistently fresh, aromatic wine across the vintages. The flowers and peaches are in full bloom followed by a lowish-acid fresh mouthfeel. All certified organically grown grapes from a … Continue reading
Posted in California, Lake County, Mendocino County, Organic grapes, Viognier
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California Tour
This flight features 4 wines to showcase the breadth of flavors found in California wine. Guenoc Lake County Sauvignon Blanc 2006 Clean, light-bodied and straightforward value in Sauvignon from the home front. P&B in Middletown, up above Calistoga in the … Continue reading
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