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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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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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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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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Le Clos du Caillou Cotes du Rhone Vielles Vignes Cuvee Unique 2005
This is a solid wine, balanced in medium weight with ripe fruits and structure. The ripeness is such that there are liquer-like black fruits. The alcohol is showing a bit in this chewy wine. Sourced from Chateauneuf-du-Pape, this wine is a blend of 90% [...]

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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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Verget du Sud Vin de Pays du Vaucluse Roussanne 2006 Jean-Marie Guffens’ impressive work with the grapes of Burgundy continues with grapes sourced further south, in this case from the Vaucluse, a department on the east side of the river Rhone which encompasses the great town of Avignon. In April ‘08 a bottle was off [...]

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