by Ray Johnson | Feb 25, 2010 | Cabernet Sauvignon, Coteaux d'Aix en Provence, France, Provence, Syrah
I was fortunate to visit Chateau Vignelaure back in the 80s – was it ’84 or ’85? Some of my memories are fuzzy. The memory that isn’t fuzzy however, is that Vignelaure was a trend setter, planting Cabernet Sauvignon in Provence, despite the...
by Ray Johnson | Feb 1, 2010 | Bordeaux Style Blends, Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Merlot, Napa Valley
Jayson, Napa Valley, Red 2005 This Bordeaux-style blend is opulently fruity and imminently approachable – no need to let this dawdle in the cellar. Our good friend Richard Trost brought this to dinner last night and we enjoyed it with a roasted pork tenderloin,...
by Ray Johnson | Jan 22, 2010 | Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Sonoma County
We had a great visit today with Kryss Speegle at Kenwood Vineyards. She took the class through a tasting of wines through the years so that everyone could experience the evolution a wine goes through, form early days to long term bottle aging. The crowning jewel of...
by Ray Johnson | Jan 15, 2010 | Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Sonoma County, Spanish Blend, Zinfandel
Bodega Celdran, Sonoma County, Vinto Tinto, Reserva 2004 In the nose you’ll find read fruits and cedar with a bit of the sweet tobacco of Bordeaux. In the mouth the texture is supple, the fruit is ripe and an Old World sense of leather adds complexity –...
by Ray Johnson | Jan 1, 2010 | Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Napa Valley
Paul Hobbs, Napa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 This is a truly delicious wine, showing the polish that you expect from Hobbs. Though it can improve in the cellar it is spot-on drinkable right now. A good friend shared this with us at Christmas, when we paired it...
by Ray Johnson | Dec 27, 2009 | Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Napa Valley, Sauvignon Blanc, Yountville
This summer we had the opportunity to meet with winemaker Dave Galzignato. Our visit took us from Krug’s historical position in the Napa Valley to its modern incarnation, using a new sorting table to isolate the best of the best fruit, from vineyards that the...
