C.L. Butaud started making wine in 2014 in Texas, another wine to join the impressive ranks of Texas wines being produced in the fourth largest wine producing state in the U.S. A truly Texas Tempranillo, this offers black cherry notes, tobacco leaf, plum and pomegranate, dried tomato leaf, a slight rhubarb quality and a light earthiness. The tannins and smooth but noticeable and the light acidity helps create a wine that, on the first sip, makes you want food with it. The oak influence is just a wee bit heavy, however the fruit still shines and the balance created in impressive. 250 cases.

One sip and you realize this is a different kind of Pinot Noir than the norm. If you know Sonoma Coast Pinot’s, they all have a rustic quality to them; a brambly component that sets them apart from the overt fruity Pinot, and this is a good thing. This certainly offers red raspberry and wild cherry, touches of huckleberry and gooseberry, but it is that resin/bramble/wild berry note that makes this a unique and fun wine. Certainly this wine is not for everyone, the acidity is higher than most Pinot’s, but it immediately begs for food.

A plush wine, this is a rather decadent Pinot Noir, offering Rainer cherry, plum, raspberry, rhubarb, a slight earthiness as well as light vanilla, campfire smoke and pomegranate. The acidity keeps the bright fruit balanced and the light touches of oak influence (14 months in French oak of which just over half was new) creates a velvety easy drinking smooth wine. Some wines are built for deconstructing and some wines and made for the pure enjoyment of drinking them, and the latter is the case here. ORIGIN: Sonoma, Russian River Valley. ALCOHOL: 14.5%

The Alma de Cattleya wines represent quality wines without sticker shock. To prove that point the 2022 Sonoma County Pinot offers soft elements of strawberry, pomegranate, guava, rose water, red raspberry, and light citrus. This is a delicate wine, but with enough acidity and tannic structure. Aged just 11 months in French oak allows for the fruit to be more expressive and the quality in the bottle exceeds the price. ORIGIN: Sonoma County. ALCOHOL: 14%

It should be no surprise that this wine is a stunner. Chappellet has long delivered quality wines that exceed the status quo; nearly 60 years in fact. The fruit for this wine comes from Pritchard Hill, a well-know parcel that produces exceptional grapes. A classic old-school Cabernet, this offers blackberry, blueberry, huckleberry, boysenberry and black cherry notes with back notes of vanilla, sage, tight tannins, good acidity and the one thing that makes a wine sing – balance. Comprised of mainly Cabernet Sauvignon, there are small amounts of Petite Verdot, Malbec and Merlot added in.

The Small Lot expressions of Cuvaison (wine typically under 200 cases and a focused identity) have become some of the most exciting and anticipated wines coming out of California. This latest Chardonnay expresses both traditional and non-traditional Chardonnay notes. Typical would be citrus, lemon lime, white peach and guava. Untypical shows kumquat, amber resin, a slight sour green apple and an even slighter butter rum hard candy.