by Ray Johnson | Nov 7, 2008 | California, Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara County, Sta. Rita Hills
Lincourt, Santa Barbara County, Pinot Noir 2006 There’s cooked fruit, cherries and plums that you might warm through for topping your ice cream. The palate shows the follow-on in the mouth in a supple format. This wine is a compilation of fruit from the Santa...
by Ray Johnson | Oct 30, 2008 | California, Santa Barbara County, Santa Ynez Valley, Syrah
Foxen, Santa Ynez Valley, Toasted Rope, Syrah 2006 There are raisins and freshly stewed fruits in the nose, like the smells you get when making a warm compote in the winter. The mouth is extremely supple and sweet appearing, with cocoa and brown spices. 85% Syrah and...
by Ray Johnson | Oct 29, 2008 | California, Santa Barbara County, Santa Ynez Valley, Viognier
Zaca Mesa, Santa Ynez Valley, Estate Grown and Bottled, Viognier 2007 This wine is peaches on steroids all the way through with a rich, very viscous mouthfeel that emphasizes fruit rather than oak or butter, as is seen in some of the heavier-handed approaches to this...
by Ray Johnson | Sep 22, 2008 | California, Central Coast, Monterey County, Riesling, Santa Barbara County
Firestone, Central Coast, Vineyard Select, Riesling 2006 The smell of stone fruits and citrus greets you in the glass. In the mouth the wine is fresh, moderately acidic and graced by obvious residual sugar. The acid levels will seem faint to those who live on the...
by Ray Johnson | Aug 21, 2008 | California, Carneros, Napa Valley, Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara County, Sta. Rita Hills
Artesa, Carneros, Estate Reserve, Pinot Noir 2006 Artesa has been making some great wines and has shown greater success with their still wine program. This is a light-bodied, red fruit expression of Pinot with the warmth of alcohol. Winemaker David Dobson. P&B in...
by Ray Johnson | Aug 6, 2008 | California, Clarksburg, Petite Sirah, Santa Barbara County, Sylvaner
Rancho Sisquoc, Santa Barbara County, Sylvaner 2007 There’s a bit of flintiness in the nose. Sylvaner isn’t typically an aromatic daredevil so that’s OK. In the mouth there’s a very grapy flavor, almost like a native labrusca, very hard to...
