2012 Carlisle Syrah James Berry Vineyard, USA, California, Paso Robles, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2012
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-

This was very good but maybe just a bit below other bottles previously consumed.  It seemed a bit closed down which is unusual for a Syrah like this, but does happen.  That said, it was still very good.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose seems a bit roasted with black raspberries, black olives and slight brown sugar.  medium to full bodied.  On the palate, roasted black raspberry fruit with some char and black pepper.  Good finish.  This drinks nicely on its own and would be a nice match for a beef stew or chili.  The roasted fruit makes me question how pristine the storage

2013 Saxum Syrah Booker Vineyard, USA, California, Paso Robles, Willow Creek, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2013
Score: 
96
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$247.00USD

This is a blend of 67% Syrah and 33% Mourvedre from Paso Robles.  Of course, Booker makes its own wines but they also sell some fruit to Saxum.  Inky purple in color, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice but there is some volatile acidity.  Whether it is too much is a matter of personal taste.  Very earthy with black raspberries, roasted meats and char.  Full bodied.  Great, rich texture.  On the palate, black raspberries, black pepper, some earthiness and char.  Long finish.  This is drinking well right now.  Well stored bottles should have another decade or so.  It drinks great on its own

2018 Halcon Vineyards Syrah Alturas, USA, California, Mendocino, Yorkville Highlands, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2018
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A

This winery is no longer in business and the vineyard has been sold (Pax Wines).  Purple in color with ruby swirls, opaque and bright.  The nose has black raspberries, black olives, char and spice.  Full bodied.  Good acidity.  On the palate, this is a big wine.  It is cooler climate Syrah in style.  Flavors of black raspberries, black pepper and char.  Long finish.  This is still on the younger side but drinking well.  It should go another ten to fifteen years. Great on its own, this would be nice with roasted root veggies.  

2015 Carlisle Syrah James Berry Vineyard, USA, California, Paso Robles, Willow Creek District, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2015
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A-

Nice showing for this bottle.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim, opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with black raspberries, black olives, and just a hint to bacon fat.  Medium to full bodied.  Good balance.  On the palate, black raspberry fruit with slight char.  Nice finish.  Good energy.  This drinks well now but should go another seven to ten years.  Nice on its own, this will work well with grilled meats or fowl and also roasted vegetables.  

2021 Tablas Creek Esprit Blanc de Tablas, USA, California, Paso Robles, Adelaida District, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2021
Score: 
93
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$50.00USD

White Rhone wines can be so hard to know where they are as they age.  This wine is very good, but much bigger, riper and blowsier at the moment (or at least this bottle was) than expected.   It is a blend of 70% Roussanne, 17% Picpoul Blanc, 10% Grenache Blanc, 2% Bourboulenc and 1% Clairette Blanche.  Medium golden with a few green swirls, clear and bright.  The nose is nice with lemon, vanilla, baked apples and spice.  Medium to full bodied.  Moderate acidity.  Nice texture.  On the palate, lemons, vanilla and spices.  Good finish.  This is nice on its own but would be better with the rig

La Petite Perriere 2022 Pinot Noir

Vintage: 
2022
Score: 
92
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$15.99USD

Not many family-run business can claim over 300 years in business, but the Saget family starting working with wine back in 1790. And leave it to the French to produce a very enjoyable Pinot Noir for under $20. Created in a lighter style this Pinot, at this price point, is a very good value and provides good quality fruit, tannic structure, and acidity. It offers red raspberry, light strawberry, delicate cherry, cranberry, worn leather, resin, a mild earthiness and a suggestion of cola. The wine is seamlessly blended and therefore drinks well.

Pinot Noir, Loire Valley, France

Artigiano Peach Bellini

Vintage: 
2024
Score: 
91
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$12.99USD

A peach Bellini is a simple drink, originally made in Venice, Italy with white peaches and Prosecco. These days there are any number of iterations such as ready-to-drink, or in recipes that have their own riff on the ingredients. But what you want is a Bellini that approximates the original. The Artigiano - perhaps ironically made in Germany, not Italy – is a very balanced blend of white wine and fruit purée. This is not a complicated drink, however, it is a very refreshing and very enjoyable drink.

Kosta Browne 2021 Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, El Diablo

Vintage: 
2021
Score: 
95
Grade: 
A+
Current Price: 
$175.00USD

Known for Pinot Noir, Kosta Browne has embarked on a Chardonnay program for a number of years but only recently has given the single vineyards wines turbo-charged attention.” “Elevating our Chardonnay to the same level as our Pinot Noirs is something our team takes great pride in,” says winemaker Julien Howsepian. This stellar example of Chardonnay allows for light malolactic fermentation, bright acidity, crisp fruit and minerality. This offers seductive notes of crème brûlée, lemon chiffon, lime kefir, sweet resin, apricot, white peach and delicate herbal wildflowers.

Chappellet 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon, Hideaway Vineyard

Vintage: 
2021
Score: 
94
Grade: 
A
Current Price: 
$175.00USD

Chappellet excels at most anything they do. So this Hideaway Vineyard Cabernet, a 100% Cabernet, should be no surprise that it’s a deftly made wine. From the outset this is a rich, structured wine. It begins with moderate to heavy tannins, which support black cherry, blackberry, light campfire smoke, rhubarb, black tea leaf, soft cedar, wild flower and herbs, and light clove. Aged in mainly new French oak to subdue the tannins, this high elevation Cabernet fruit from Pritchard Hill is classic Napa Cabernet – ripe but restrained.

Cabernet Sauvignon

2017 Elqui Wines Syrah, Chile, Elqui Valley, Wine Review

Vintage: 
2017
Score: 
90
Grade: 
A-
Current Price: 
$28.00USD

Purple in color, mostly opaque and bright.  The nose is nice with tons of black olives.  Also some black raspberries and spice.  Medium bodied.  On the palate, black raspberries, some black olives and a bit of black pepper.  Good finish.  Blind, I would have guessed this was a Crozes Hermitage in large part from all the black olive notes.  Drink over the next five years.  A nice wine with food off the grill (except for seafood).  

Pages

Pages