Category Archives: Monterey County

Ca’ del Solo Albarino 2008

Posted on April 21, 2010 by Ray

Ca’ del Solo, Monterey County, Estate Vineyard, Albarino 2008 This wine features a strong signature of citrus and refreshing acidity with a little sense of alcohol as well.  The intrusion of the alcohol is disappointing given the beauty of the … Continue reading →

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J. Lohr Monterey Riesling 2008

Posted on April 10, 2010 by Ray

J. Lohr Estates, Monterey County, Bay Mist, White Riesling 2008 Over the years this wine has been spot-on with light RS and balancing acidity. The ’08 offers up tropical fruits like fresh melon graced with kiwi. In the mouth it … Continue reading →

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Chalone Chenin Blanc 2006

Posted on December 5, 2009 by Ray

Chalone Vineyard, Chalone, Estate Grown, Chenin Blanc 2006 I’m a huge fan of Chenin so I come at this review in a bit of a quandary. We visited the winery last week and had an opportunity to see the vines … Continue reading →

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Scheid Sauvignon 2007

Posted on October 19, 2009 by Ray

Scheid Vineyards, Monterey, Estate Grown, Sauvignon Blanc 2007 This wine features a nice burst of grapefruit, moderate concentration and a little warmth. 90% of the wine was produced in stainless while the remaining 10% was aged in three year-old French … Continue reading →

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J. Lohr Riesling 2007

Posted on September 23, 2009 by Ray

J. Lohr Estates, Monterey County, Bay Mist, White Riesling 2007 The nose features minerality and a little petrol. Over the years this wine has been spot-on with light RS and balancing acidity. 100% Riesling with some botrytis, all stainless, and … Continue reading →

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Claiborne & Churchill 2007

Posted on August 12, 2009 by Ray

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 … Continue reading →

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Graff Viognier

Posted on August 4, 2009 by Ray

Graff Family Vineyards, Chalone, Viognier 2007 Smelling the glass is like getting close to a bottle of perfume – very pretty and enticing. There’s loads of peaches in this wine with a sense of acidity in the background making this … Continue reading →

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Siduri Pisoni Pinot 2007

Posted on May 13, 2009 by Ray

Siduri, Santa Lucia Highlands, Pisoni Vineyard, Pinot Noir 2007 The smell combines berries and the forest floor. In the mouth, the fruit is almost a bit liqueur-like, very ripe and a little warm. P&B in Santa Rosa 14.1% $47.99 at … Continue reading →

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Santa Lucia Pinot 2006

Posted on February 12, 2009 by Ray

Belle Glos, Monterey County, Santa Lucia Highlands, Las Alturas Vineyard, Pinot Noir 2006 There’s smoke, liquer-like fruit and dusty cedar in the nose while the mouth follows through with warmth and earthiness on a supple blanket. Winemaker Joseph Wagner of … Continue reading →

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Ventana Riesling 2007

Posted on February 12, 2009 by Ray

Ventana Vineyards, Monterey, Arroyo Seco, Riesling 2007 I only had a fleeting chance to taste this wine during the segment with Henry on KRON when we blasted through the sweeps winners of this year’s Chronicle Wine Competition. Tonight I get … Continue reading →

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Kendall-Jackson Grand Reserve Pinot Noir 2005

Posted on November 14, 2008 by Ray

Kendall-Jackson, Santa Barbara 63% and Monterey County 37%, Grand Reserve, Pinot Noir 2005 There’s sweet, candied fruit smells and a supple, fruity palate graced by the sweetness of oak. The grapes are all Pinot Noir. The wine was aged in … Continue reading →

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Savannah-Chanelle Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir 2000

Posted on November 14, 2008 by Ray

Savannah-Chanelle Vineyards, Santa Lucia Highlands, Pinot Noir 2000 This winery just won sweepstakes red at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition for one of its 2005 single vineyard bottlings from the Sonoma Coast. This regional bottling takes us back in … Continue reading →

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It’s not the tires

Posted on September 22, 2008 by Ray

Firestone, Central Coast, Vineyard Select, Riesling 2006 The smell of stone fruits and citrus greets you in the glass. In the mouth the wine is fresh, moderately acidic and graced by obvious residual sugar. The acid levels will seem faint … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Central Coast, Monterey County, Riesling, Santa Barbara County | 1 Comment

Foghorn’s favourite Chardonnay

Posted on September 11, 2008 by Ray

Hahn, Monterey, Chardonnay 2006 The smell of fresh oak is alive in the glass with some tropical fruit in the background. There’s oak to chew on in your mouth along with the flavors of butterscotch and caramel and a viscous … Continue reading →

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Halloween Chardonnay

Posted on September 9, 2008 by Ray

Ghost Pines, Sonoma Napa and Monterey Counties, Winemaker’s Blend, Chardonnay 2006 Tropical fruits and toasty oak make up the nose. The oak follows through in the mouth without being overbearing and the little bit of butteriness enhances the mouth rather … Continue reading →

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South of Steinbeck

Posted on September 8, 2008 by Ray

Line Shack, San Antonio Valley California, Roussanne 2006 There are faint smells of stone fruit and some perfume. This is a light-bodied wine, a bit thin but not offensive with lowish acidity. C&B in Santa Maria 13.5% $18 at the … Continue reading →

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Mature Fogarty

Posted on August 21, 2008 by Ray

Thomas Fogarty, Monterey, Gewurztraminer 2003 Kudos to Fogarty for continuing to produce this wine. Earlier this summer we tasted the ’06 which was showing these youthful characteriestics: spicy floral notes, a hint of RS and the taste of fresh lychee … Continue reading →

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Pinot please

Posted on July 11, 2008 by Ray

Papapietro Perry Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2006 intensely concentrated berry, liquer-like fruit and a little warmth. P&B in Healdsburg 14.25% $38.49 at Bottle Barn Papapietro Perry Sonnet Santa Lucia Highlands Tondre’s Grapefield Pinot Noir 2004 Smokey oak and cherry … Continue reading →

Posted in Anderson Valley, Burgundy, California, France, Mendocino County, Monterey County, Nuits-Saint-Georges, Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands | Leave a comment

Further differentiation between Riesling and Gewurz

Posted on July 8, 2008 by Ray

Domaine Weinbach Alsace Grand Cru Schlossberg Riesling 2006 This wine is the middle offering of the domaine’s Rieslings designed for savoury food. There’s a beautiful perfume , lots of flowers and Riesling’s characteristic racy acidity. This dry wine is very … Continue reading →

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Beyond Cannery Row

Posted on July 7, 2008 by Ray

Joelle Santa Lucia Highlands Sleepy Hollow Vineyard Pinot Noir 2006 Stony and warm with vanilla overtones. P&B in San Francisco 14.8% $44 at the winery Joelle Truckee River Winery Santa Lucia Highlands Garys’ Vineyard 2005 Black fruits, cola, green herbs … Continue reading →

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Albarino in vogue

Posted on June 27, 2008 by Ray

Albarino, a.k.a., Alvarinho, is hot. This refresher from Iberia is becoming more visible in America, with more imports from abroad and more plantings on the homefront. Condes de Albarei, Rias Baixas DO, Albarino 2007 Fully aromatic and lip smacking with … Continue reading →

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3 White Wines, 3 Different Styles

Posted on March 21, 2008 by Ray

Tasting through this flight of 3 can give you a sense of your favorite style of white wine. Perhaps you love the full on acidity of the Hanna, prefer the richness of the Benziger or find the light sweetness of … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Carneros, Chardonnay, Monterey County, Riesling, Russian River Valley, Sauvignon Blanc | Leave a comment

Sweet Chardonnay

Posted on November 15, 2007 by Ray

Kendall-Jackson Arroyo Seco Late Harvest Chardonnay 2005 We’re featuring the wines of France tonight. As we don’t have a bottle of the Thevenet’s Late Harvest wine from the Macon, I thought we would taste one of the few late harvest … Continue reading →

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Racy Riesling

Posted on October 13, 2007 by Ray

This flight features 4 Rieslings from trocken to Spat and Germany to Monterey Carl Loewen Mosel-Saar-Ruwer Varidor Riesling Trocken 2005 Grapes sourced entirely from the Varidor Vineyard, wild yeast ferment and aging in neutral oak fuder. Terry Theise Selection, Qualitatswein … Continue reading →

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