by Ray Johnson | Nov 15, 2009 | Chardonnay, France, Vin de Pays de Mediterranee
Blue Coast Vineyards, Vin de Pays de Mediterranee, Chardonnay nv This new wine in a box is clean and tangy with a little hint of buttery richness in the background. The grapes are all Chardonnay. Shipped by the Union des Vignerons des Cotes du Rhone in Tulette 13.5%...
by Ray Johnson | Nov 14, 2009 | Bordeaux Style Blends, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Chardonnay, Merlot, Napa Valley
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 from, giving him the luxury of selling...
by Ray Johnson | Nov 8, 2009 | California, Chardonnay
Sutter Home, California, Chardonnay 2006 The nose features oak, butter and tropical fruit. In the mouth the concentration is low yet the wine is clean. There’s a little residual sugar to amplify the fruit and a buttery quality that is quite popular. I realize...
by Ray Johnson | Nov 5, 2009 | California, Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast, Sonoma County
Ernest & Julio Gallo, Sonoma Coast, Estate, Chardonnay 2005 The nose features toasty oak and freshly baked biscuits. In the mouth the richness of the notes described in the nose is accentuated by a thickness and viscosity yet there is nerve, acidity as if from...
by Ray Johnson | Nov 1, 2009 | Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Chardonnay, Napa Valley, Sangiovese, Sauvignon Blanc, St. Helena, Zinfandel
Appellation St. Helena hosted a tasting on Tuesday to show off the wines of the AVA. We discussed the recent vintages and tasted 48 wines, with a strong emphasis on Cabernet Sauvignon. Below is a baker’s dozen, the stars of the tasting – great Cabernet but...
by Ray Johnson | Oct 30, 2009 | California, Carneros, Chardonnay, Napa Valley
V. Sattui Winery, Napa Valley, Los Carneros, Chardonnay 2007 The oak is quite prominent in the nose, freshly split, with notes of tropical fruit, bananas and coconut. In the mouth the oak continues, with a healthy dash of butter on top of the tropically-themed fruits....
