Wine Regions & Grapes
Sampling of Wineries
- Acorn
- Allegrini
- Andrea Oberto
- Atlas Peak
- Balletto
- Blandy's
- Blue Wing Cafe
- Bodega Navarro Correas
- Bollinger
- Bonterra
- Brassfield
- Burgans
- Cantina Terlano
- d'Arenberg
- Domaine Carneros
- Domaine de la Mordoree
- Dow's
- Dr. Loosen
- Famega
- Fonseca
- Foppiano
- Foxen
- Glen Ellen
- Innocent Bystander
- J. Keverson
- Korbel
- Madeira Wine Company
- Martin Codax
- Masi
- Merryvale
- Mulderbosch
- Navarro Vineyards
- Noceto
- Pahlmeyer
- Plantagenet
- Redwood Creek
- Reynoso
- Roederer Estate
- Sbragia
- Shed Horn
- Sonoma State Wine Business Institute
- St. James
- Vietti
- Wildhurst
- William Fevre
Category Archives: Bordeaux Style Blends
Napa Valley reds from the 2000 vintage
Conn Creek Winery, Napa Valley, Limited Release, Cabernet Sauvignon 2000 The fruit is flagging in the nose where the sense of spirit has taken over. But the fruit still puts in an appearance when you put the wine in your … Continue reading
Posted in Bordeaux Style Blends, Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Meritage, Napa Valley
Tagged Conn Creek, Cosentino
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Napa Valley Rutherford Reds
Trinchero Winery, Napa Valley, Rutherford, Chicken Ranch Vineyard, Merlot 2005 Give the wine a bit of air for 10 minutes or so to blow off a bit of funk. Then the plummy fruit combines with the wet forest floor and … Continue reading
The wines of Newton Vineyard
Winemaker Chris Millard had an opportunity to visit with our Napa Valley class to describe the wines that he is crafting at Newton. On top of the mountain overlooking St. Helena, he has an extraordinary amount of fruit to select … Continue reading
Posted in Bordeaux Style Blends, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Chardonnay, Merlot, Napa Valley
Tagged Newton Vineyard
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Kendall-Jackson Stature 2001
Kendall-Jackson, Napa Valley, Stature 2001 There’s a nice ripe structure to this wine, giving it chewiness and the acidity to frame the still quite youthful fruit – nice. The grapes behind this Bordeaux blend are about 2/3 Cabernet Sauvignon and … Continue reading
Posted in Bordeaux Style Blends, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Napa Valley
Tagged Kendall-Jackson
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Merryvale Profile 2006
Merryvale, Napa Valley, Profile 2006 The nose features sweet new oak, bay leaves, fresh cherries and cherry pie. In the mouth the wine is dense and tightly wound – just packed with flavor. There’s lots of cherry fruit accented by … Continue reading
Posted in Bordeaux Style Blends, Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Napa Valley
Tagged Merryvale
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Napa Valley superstar wines
Shelter, Napa Valley, The Butcher, Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 The nose features vibrant black currants with notes of tobacco and the cigar box. In the mouth there is nice density, the acidity shines and the tannins are very ripe. This is … Continue reading
Sonoma County Harvest Fair 2009 Bordeaux stars
Spragia Family Vineyards, Dry Creek Valley, Home Ranch, Merlot 2006 The nose features a strong blast of fresh oak. In the mouth that note carries through, with plummy fruit, a little warmth and a supple texture. V&B in St. Helena … Continue reading
2004 Napa Bordeaux Blends
Franciscan, Napa Valley, Magnificat 2004 This wine exudes sweet ripe fruit in the nose. This profile follows through in the mouth with chalky tannins and lingering acidity. Produced and bottled in Rutherford 14.5% $50 at the winery for the latest … Continue reading
Raymond White 2008
Raymond Vineyards, Napa Valley, Small Lot, White Wine 2008 This wine is crisp and ripe with the flavor of limes and oranges. The grapes behind this wine are 90% Sauvignon Blanc and 10% Semillon. The Sauvignon was fermented and aged … Continue reading
Peter Michael L’Esprit des Pavots 2005
Peter Michael Winery, Knights Valley, L’Esprit des Pavots 2005 There’s chocolate, oak, leather and Cassis in the nose. In the mouth this wine is quite structured, with great depth of flavor, a sense of glycerine adding to the viscosity while … Continue reading