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Bordeaux grapes in wines across the globe

by Ray Johnson | Mar 26, 2011 | Bordeaux, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Merlot, Mudgee, New South Wales

This tour starts in California, moves to Bordeaux and finishes down under, featuring Merlot and both Cabernets. Redwood Creek, California, Merlot 2009 This is an easy-drinking quaffer, quite light, fruity and hinting at a bit of structure. Winemaker Cal Dennison....

Reynoso Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

by Ray Johnson | Mar 10, 2011 | Alexander Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Sonoma County

Reynoso Family Vineyards, Alexander Valley, Estate Grown, Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 This is another immediately accessible Cabernet from the Reynoso family. They get texture right in the expression of suppleness that is at the same time balanced by the wine’s...

California Cabernet and Bordeaux Blends

by Ray Johnson | Dec 3, 2010 | Bordeaux Style Blends, Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Dry Creek Valley, Knights Valley, Merlot, Napa Valley, Oakville, Rutherford, Sonoma County

Paul Hobbs, Oakville Napa Valley, Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 The sense of Cassis is quite vibrant in the nose. The vividness of the fruit continues in the mouth with the structure of Cabernet. You know it’s Cabernet by its tannic...

The Great Wines of St. Helena

by Ray Johnson | Nov 3, 2010 | Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Napa Valley, Sauvignon Blanc, St. Helena, Zinfandel

While the Napa Valley’s St. Helena AVA speaks the language of Cabernet and its red wine Bordeaux brethren, there are other grapes making delightful wines as well. Thus this showcase of wines begins with a Bordeaux colleague in the white wine family and ends with...

Red Wines of Lake County

by Ray Johnson | Oct 27, 2010 | Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Lake County, Zinfandel

Six Sigma, Lake County, Cuvee Pique-Nique 2007 As the name implies, this wine is fruity and immediately accessible, light-bodied and quaffable, with underlying acidity to make it refreshing and some earthiness to give it complexity. Proprietors Else and Kaj Ahlmann....

Clos Du Val Stags Leap Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

by Ray Johnson | Aug 7, 2010 | Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District

Clos Du Val, Napa Valley, Stags Leap District, Estate Bottled, Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 The nose features a complex mix of black fruit, chocolate and earthiness. In the mouth it is quite dense and structured. At this point it is just a baby but a long sleep in the...
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Wine Regions & Grapes

Sampling of Wineries

Acorn Allegrini Atlas Peak Balletto Blandy's Blue Wing Cafe Bodega Navarro Correas Bollinger Bonterra Burgans Cantina Terlano d'Arenberg Domaine Carneros Domaine de la Mordoree Dow's Dr. Loosen Elena Walch Famega Fonseca Foppiano Foxen Glen Ellen Innocent Bystander J. Keverson Korbel Madeira Wine Company Martin Codax Masi Merryvale Mulderbosch Navarro Vineyards Noceto Plantagenet Redwood Creek Reynoso Roederer Estate Sbragia Shed Horn Shooting Star Sonoma State Wine Business Institute St. James Trione Vietti Wildhurst William Fevre