by Ray Johnson | May 8, 2009 | California, Late Harvest White, Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma County, White Dessert
Trecini, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, Late Harvest, Sauvignon Blanc 2007 This wine offers the pleasure of Sauternes at a good price – honey, complexity and zippy lemons. The grapes for this wine were harvested at 44 brix, 11 degrees higher than the...
by Ray Johnson | May 8, 2009 | Bordeaux Style Blends, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma County, Sonoma Mountain
Benziger, Sonoma Mountain, Tribute 2005 There’s a beautiful expression of fruit graced by oak in the nose. In the mouth the fruit is juicy, vibrant. The wine is structured for aging yet is accessible now along side a nice New York. The grapes are farmed...
by Ray Johnson | May 8, 2009 | Bordeaux Style Blends, Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Petite Sirah, Rockpile, Sonoma County
Rockpile Winery, Rockpile, Buck Pasture, Red Wine 2005 The nose is rather closed upon first opening this wine, with hints of Cassis and new oak. The mouth shows demonstrable acidity and lots of fresh oak to accent the black currants. I don’t have the varietal...
by Ray Johnson | May 8, 2009 | California, Rockpile, Sonoma County, Syrah
JC Cellars, Rockpile, Rockpile Vineyard, Haley’s Reserve, Syrah 2005 This is a sweet smelling Syrah, like candy with a little spike of spirit. The mouth is quite dense, with vanilla overlapping the fruit. The texture is plush and refined, displaying just a...
by Ray Johnson | May 8, 2009 | California, Chardonnay, Sonoma County, Sonoma Mountain
Kistler, Sonoma Mountain, Athearn Estate, McCrea Vineyard, Chardonnay 2006 The nose is full-on butter and bread dough with flinty notes, a sense of minerality. In the mouth the richness quadruples, with boatloads of butter and hints of lemon and green apple coming...
