Petaluma, Piccadilly Valley, Chardonnay 2004 The nose offers toastiness, freshly split oak and vanilla with a sense of ripe, tropical fruit. In the mouth the viscosity is matched by steely acidity, combining the best of Burgundian austerity and...
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...
St. James Winery, Ozark Mountain, Vintner's Select, Semi-Dry, Vignoles 2006 This wine is like peaches in a glass, infused with simple syrup to add richness. The viscosity is balanced by acidity making for delightful wine to pair with the spicy...
Luna, Napa Valley, Sangiovese 2007 This is a light-bodied and fruit forward Sangiovese to tickle the heart of died in the wool New World wine drinkers. I'm a huge fan of Sangiovese but often when I introduce a classic model from Tuscany, a number...
Saint Clair, Marlborough, Vicar's Choice, Sauvignon Blanc 2008 In the nose you'll find apricot and green pepper spiced up with floral notes. In the mouth the acidity is vibrant and the body light with a bit of petillance - a nice refresher....
Innocent Bystander, Victoria, Shiraz-Viognier 2006 It's very neat how you get the ripeness of Shiraz, the black fruits that we love, with the cooler climate marker of black pepper, all in one bottle. This is a great walk down the middle of...
On Tuesday night at 6:00 p.m. pacific time I'll be on the air with Cellars of Sonoma. Listen in or join me live at their tasting room in Santa Rosa. Cheers!
King Estate, Oregon, Signature Collection, Pinot Gris 2007 In the nose I found tropical fruit, I swear it smelled like lychee. Also there was a spicy floral note, like geranium leaves with some grass and a bit of mint. In the mouth I tasted mango,...
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...
I hope you don't think that I'm on the payroll at Trione 'cause here is another review of a super wine. At the Chronicle judges' dinner last week we were each given a gift-wrapped bottle of a wine to take home after dinner. That meant that between...