2011 Giant Steps Chardonnay, Sexton Vineyard, Yarra Valley, Australia
Clear straw color. Initial aromas of smoky oak and clove frame sweet white peach and citrus blossom. Medium in body, this white is crisp and vibrant in the mouth, leading to a creamy, juicy finish that invites the next sip. The citrus component… Read more
2010 Goldeneye Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley
This is Duckhorn Wine Company’s Pinot Noir flagship. In the glass, there is a deep dusty ruby color. The effusive nose pumps lots of jammy raspberry and cranberry fruit, accented by cinnamon and clove spice. Lithe on the palate, the wine shows… Read more
2011 Sonoma-Loeb ‘Envoy’ Chardonnay, Carneros
Clear medium straw color. Using select lots from the famed Sangiacomo Vineyard on the Sonoma side of Carneros, winemaker Phillip Corallo-Titus has fashioned a stunning Chardonnay. The nose is pure California in expression, offering up hedonistic… Read more
2010 Kenwood Cabernet Sauvignon, Jack London Vineyard, Sonoma Mountain
Nearly opaque dark ruby color. Bright mint-tinged dill and spiced tobacco aromas give way to show a solid core of black cherry and currant fruit. The wine is plush in the mouth, where the warm dark fruits take center stage. Nicely balanced and… Read more
2011 Sbragia Chardonnay, Home Ranch, Dry Creek Valley
Clear medium straw color. Lots of smoky oak, vanilla and sweet butter scents frame the ample peach, pear and pineapple in the nose. Lush and mouthfilling, the buttery fruit follows through to a lip-smacking, long afterflavor. This is very much a… Read more
2009 Nicolas Perrin Crozes-Hermitage, Rhone Valley, France
A whiff of alcohol blows off maybe a minute after opening, and this wine’s brawny Shiraz juice starts to strut its stuff. Still young and fruit-forward, there’s also a liveliness and acidity which brings balance to a wine that frequently can seem… Read more
2010 Patz & Hall Pinot Noir, Pisoni Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands
Translucent dark red ruby in hue, this wine’s initial green bean scent soon dissipates, revealing some smoke and light wood shavings. Additional swirling releases black raspberry and black cherry notes. A full ten hours after opening, the wine… Read more
2011 J. Lohr ‘October Night’ Chardonnay, Arroyo Seco, Monterey County
Clear light straw color. The perfumed nose exhibits exotic Asian flowers and fruits, sweet Meyer lemon, and oak shadings of vanilla and clove. The wine is medium-full in the mouth, with fine balance. From mid-palate on, it gains volume, pumping… Read more
2008 Duckhorn Merlot, Three Palms Vineyard, Napa Valley
Thirty vintages after serving as Wine Lines’ “epiphany wine,” the “Three Palms” Merlot is still going strong. The 2008 vintage is ruby red in hue and enticingly perfumed. The aroma and flavor spectrum includes soft red berry/cherry, mild… Read more
2009 Penley Estate ‘Chertsey,’ Coonawarra, Australia
This Bordeaux-style blend (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc) is translucent ruby in hue, lightening at the edges. When first uncorked, the wine is super tight, with eucalyptus, tar and earth notes dominating the aroma. Sampled again one… Read more
