Raymond, Napa Valley, Reserve, Chardonnay 2008 The nose features the smell of fresh oak, stone fruit and a bit of coconut and banana. In the mouth it is smooth and restrained, showing richness without thickness – an elegant Chardonnay. This wine was fermented in stainless, 40% of it was aged in new and one year [...]

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Rusack, Santa Barbara, Chardonnay 2008 This is a toasty Chardonnay,with the oak out in force. You smell it immediately as your nose approaches the glass. In the mouth the oak is joined by tropical fruit and a bit of butter, making for a rich style of Chardonnay.
Produced & bottled in Solvang 14.2% $22.99 at Brown [...]

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The final round of judging in the 2010 Pinot Noir Shootout was held today at Bistro Boudin on Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco. I was asked to join about 30 other judges to pick the best of the best from over 250 entries across the world.
It was an easy day of judging, tasting just 32 [...]

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JC Cellars, Santa Barbara County, Fess Parker’s Vineyard, Syrah 2006 This Syrah features boatloads of oak through and through. The mouthfeel is supple and the oak adds a sweet vanilla appearance, enriching the wine further. Winemaker Jeff Cohn. P&B in Oakland 15.0% $23.99 at Bottle Barn JC Cellars

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Firestone Vineyard, Santa Ynez Valley, Sauvignon Blanc 2008 This wine delivers full-on grassiness and gooseberries in the nose. In the mouth there is plenty of citrus and citrus peel and very vibrant acidity – refreshing. P&B in Los Olivos 13.5% $18 at the winery Firestone

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Curran Wines, Santa Ynez Valley, Santa Barbara County, Grenache Blanc 2007 The nose combines flowers and herbaceous notes while the mouth is reminiscent of biting into a plum that isn’t fully ripe, bursting with fruit yet ripping with tart acidity and a bit of phenolic grip – a very intense wine that grabs your mouth’s [...]

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Foxen, Santa Ynez Valley, Williamson-Dore Vineyard, Syrah 2006 This vintage exudes sweetness, like berry jam and raspberry liqueur. In the mouth it is supple and warm oaky and smoky – a very rich and ripe style of red wine. The previous vintage was also a crowd pleaser at an event we had in San Francisco [...]

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Rancho Sisquoc, Santa Barbara County, Riesling 2007 The fruit in the nose has a candied character and a bit of petrol has developed.  In the mouth is the perfect ratio of sweet to tart, residual sugar balancing acidity – very nice and a value. GP&B out on Foxen Canyon Road in Santa Maria 11.7% $9.99 [...]

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Zaca Mesa, Santa Ynez Valley, Estate Grown and Bottled, Viognier 2008 This wine is very peachy and sweet appearing, slippery and rich. Fermentation began in stainless and then the wine spent 3 mos in neutral fr oak; malolactic was avoided. Clay Brock Winemaker, GP&B in Los Olivos 14.5% $16.49 at Bottle Barn Zaca Mesa Winery

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Fess Parker, Santa Barbara County, The Big Easy, Syrah 2005 The nose features stewed black fruits, prunes and a heavy wack of oak. In the mouth, the wine is soft, oaky, lowish in acidity and warm. There’s a sense of eating a chocolate caramel bar with a touch of brandy to chase it. The grapes [...]

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Foley, Sta. Rita Hills, Rancho Santa Rosa, Pinot Noir 2007 There is ripe candied fruit in the nose while the mouth is supple and elegant with oak working in a supportive role in the backgound. P&B in Lompoc 14.3% $35.99 at the Wine Merchant Foley
Jayer-Gilles, Bourgogne Hautes-Cotes de Nuits 2005 The nose is quite reductive [...]

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Siduri, Sta. Rita Hills, Cargasacchi Vineyard, Pinot Noir 2007 The nose features lots of fresh, candied fruit. The mouth captures the same essence, fruit driven and ready to drink. P&B in Santa Rosa 14.1% $47.49 at Bottle Barn Siduri Wines
Laetitia, Arroyo Grande Valley, Estate, Pinot Noir 2006 Unfortunately corked. Winemaker Eric Hickey. Estate grown, produced [...]

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This flight provides an interesting contrast in California Viognier. Both are well-made but different animals entirely. The Preston is lighter, fresher, with aromatics that might remind one of a dry California Gewurztraminer. The Cold Heaven is rich, thick and buttery, with a palate that might remind one of a rich version of California Chardonnay.
Preston, Dry [...]

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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 100% French oak (36% new) for 9-10 months GP&B in Soledad 14.5% $25 at the [...]

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Lincourt, Santa Barbara County, Pinot Noir 2006 There’s cooked fruit, cherries and plums that you might warm through for topping your ice cream. The palate shows the follow-on in the mouth in a supple format. This wine is a compilation of fruit from the Santa Maria Valley and the Rancho Santa Rosa property that is [...]

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Foxen, Santa Ynez Valley, Toasted Rope, Syrah 2006 There are raisins and freshly stewed fruits in the nose, like the smells you get when making a warm compote in the winter. The mouth is extremely supple and sweet appearing, with cocoa and brown spices. 85% Syrah and 15% Viognier. P&B in Santa Maria 15.8% $33.49 [...]

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Zaca Mesa, Santa Ynez Valley, Estate Grown and Bottled, Viognier 2007 This wine is peaches on steroids all the way through with a rich, very viscous mouthfeel that emphasizes fruit rather than oak or butter, as is seen in some of the heavier-handed approaches to this variety. And there is no hint of the whopping [...]

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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 to those who live on the Rieslings from the Eden and Clare in South Australia. [...]

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Artesa, Carneros, Estate Reserve, Pinot Noir 2006 Artesa has been making some great wines and has shown greater success with their still wine program. This is a light-bodied, red fruit expression of Pinot with the warmth of alcohol. Winemaker David Dobson. P&B in Napa, 14.3% $50 at the winery Artesa
David Bruce, Santa Rita Hills, Pinot [...]

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Rancho Sisquoc, Santa Barbara County, Sylvaner 2007 There’s a bit of flintiness in the nose. Sylvaner isn’t typically an aromatic daredevil so that’s OK. In the mouth there’s a very grapy flavor, almost like a native labrusca, very hard to describe. With 1.7% RS there’s a richness to the palate. Kudos to Rancho Sisquoc for [...]

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Husch, Anderson Valley, Pinot Noir 2006 Cherries and earth in a light-bodied package – a little rustic and a touch bitter. Aged for 9 months in French oak. P&B in Philo 13.9% $22.99 at Traverso’s Husch
Navarro, Anderson Valley Mendocino, Methode a l’Ancienne, Pinot Noir 2006 There is sweet liquer-like fruit and that sense of cherry [...]

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Monticello, Napa Valley, Oak Knoll District, Estate Grown, Syrah 2005 Lush and graced by black fruits and a bit of black pepper. P&B in Napa 14.5% $ at the winery Monticello
Trinafour, Mendocino County, Niemi Vineyard, Carignane 2006 There’s ample acidity to give this wine some tang and the tannins are ripe and refined. Sourced from [...]

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Flying Goat, Santa Maria Valley, Solomon Hills Vineyard, Pinot Noir 2005 Concentrated cherries, sweet oak in July 08. In February ‘09, there’s some nice complexity as well, with the fruits stewing a bit – nice. Winemaker Norm Yost. P&B in Lompoc 14.3% $39.95 at Traverso’s Flying Goat
Byron, Santa Maria Valley, Nielson Vineyard, Pinot Noir [...]

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There’s a broad spectrum to what is considered dry white wine, as we see in these two examples from California.
Kunde Estate Sonoma Valley Magnolia Lane Sauvignon Blanc 2007
This is an exciting wine of floral and citrus notes, high acidity and light body. G, P & B in Kenwood 13.8% $9.49 at Bottle Barn Kunde
Cambria Santa [...]

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Like white wine, red wine comes in many shapes and sizes, from the silky, flowing ribbons to brawny, square-jawed brawlers. Here are 3 takes on red wine style.
Lincourt Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir 2004
Easy drinking cherries in a glass. This wine is a compilation of fruit from the Santa Maria Valley and the Rancho [...]

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Two star producers show their wares from the Santa Rita Hills (I still find it hard to spell this appellation in the new fashion).
Foley Sta. Rita Hills Rancho Santa Rosa Pommard Clone Pinot Noir 2006
Another hit that melds black and red fruits inside an envelope of appropriate oakiness – very supple as well. P&B in [...]

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The Ojai Vineyard Santa Barbara County Grenache 2005
This wine comes from the specialist known for their dense Syrah. This Grenache is no slouch either with layer upon layer of fruit in a very supple package. P&B in Oak View 14.5% $27.99 at Bottle Barn Ojai
Bridlewood Central Coast Winner’s Circle Selection “Six Gun” Syrah 2004
This wine [...]

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Williams Selyem Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2006
Winemaker Cabral can be modest as his Pinots do the talking, with a worldwide fan base. This wine is Pinot Perfection!, the essence of red fruits served on velvet. P&B in Healdsburg 14.3% 70 at Traverso’s though probably gone. Williams Selyem
LaFond Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir 2006
Pierre LaFond [...]

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J. Wilkes Santa Barbara County Bien Nacido Vyds Pinot Blanc 2005
Clean, lime and candy like a Riesling, quite dry with perhaps a bit of warmth which disappearred with chilling, long flavor of lime Bot. in Sant Maria 14.1% $20 at the Wine Emporium.
Ancien Carneros Sangiacomo Vineyard Pinot Gris 2006
Fresh fruit galore to smell, lusch fruit, [...]

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The red wines from the Southern Rhone follow a recipe that emphasizes Grenache. The wines of this flight highlight this underdog grape.
Unti Dry Creek Valley Grenache 2005
Pretty funky at first opening but after an hour, the smell improved to show the Grenache fruit. This wine is framed by a moderate level of tannin. [...]

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