Ratings Explained
84 & Below – Not Posted ‘cause we won’t drink it
85 + A good wine. Buy if the price is right
90 + A very good wine, in our humble opinion
95 + An awe inspiring wine – Possibly life altering
All wine reviews are based solely on the personal tastes of the authors.
Disclosure: Samples are designated by an “S” beside the wine reviewed.
We’re still objective. Robert Parker doesn’t buy his wines either
Blanchard Family Wines Chardonnay from Russian River fruit opens with flavors of ripe apple, pear, vanilla and creme. Balanced fruit and acidity with those subtle buttery notes we enjoy. A rich texture and round mouth-feel with a soft finish of butterscotch and caramel. Check out this small artisan Sonoma producer.
A super-value Cabernet Sauvignon. Medium to full-bodied sporting flavors of dark cherry, blackberry, plum and spice with whiffs of chocolate and vanilla. Big fruit with big yet well-integrated tannins make for a nice wine at the price.
This medium-bodied Cabernet by Peju Province opens with nose of dark cherry with a hint of cocoa. Flavors include dark cherry, blackberry, plum, smokey oak, cassis and spice with a round tannin backbone. A very long finish. This wine need decanting to fully open.
Let’s start with mouth-wateringly delicious. Anderson Valley fruit, this offering from MacPhail Family Wines is slightly lighter-bodied than some others but still rich with flavors of cherry, plum, rhubarb, and cola. A touch of spice and acidity added to the supple tannin structure combine to produce an excellent food pairing Pinot Noir. Read: Interview with James MacPhail
An excellent value red wine blend from Clif Family. A rich blend of Zinfandel, Cabernet Franc, Petite Sirah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot boasting flavors blackberries, cherries, tobacco box, vanilla and dark spice. Present and well-integrated tannins add to the structure. A bit lower in alcohol that most reds at 13.9%
