by Ray Johnson | Aug 29, 2009 | California, Riesling
Kendall-Jackson, California, Vintner’s Reserve, Riesling 2007 Stone fruits come to mind when you raise this glass, a sense of peaches and apricots. In the mouth the apricot flavor is delightful, augmented by the residual sugar and balanced by the acidity....
by Ray Johnson | Aug 29, 2009 | California, Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast, Sonoma County
La Crema, Sonoma Coast, Chardonnay 2007 In the nose there’s a sense of biscuits, croissants and other freshly baked doughy things with hints of oak and vanilla. In the mouth this wine is rich with oak yet the apples and pears come through, showing a sensible...
by Ray Johnson | Aug 29, 2009 | California, Mourvedre, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel
Bogle Vineyards, California, Phantom 2006 Dark fruits and a bit of berry jam mark the nose with a hint of toffee. In the mouth, the fruits are surrounded by tannins that are ripe, with just a little grip to let you know they are there. The grapes behind this wine are...
by Ray Johnson | Aug 29, 2009 | California, Carneros, Chardonnay, Napa Valley
Rombauer Vineyards, Carneros, Chardonnay 2006 You can’t miss the oak on the nose of this wine as if you just split a stack in the backyard. In the mouth there is citrus and tropical fruits with layers and layers and layers of butter. This wine has for years been...
by Ray Johnson | Aug 28, 2009 | California, Lodi, Zinfandel
Michael & David, Lodi, 7 Deadly Zins, Old Vine Zinfandel 2007 This wine has been a consistent oak bomb on the soft and plush side. The current vintage is particularly on the mark, soft, light-bodied and very oaky – a sure crowd pleaser! The vines that...
by Ray Johnson | Aug 28, 2009 | Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Napa Valley
Sequoia Grove, Napa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 The nose combines earth, forest floor, black fruits a bit of bay leaf. In the mouth this wine is structured, yet in a way that shows off the black fruit rather than dominting it. Thus the tannins are ripe, the...
