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
2010 Clos Marie L’Olivette Pic Saint Loup, Languedoc, France
Half Syrah and half Grenache, this value vino picks up a certain savoriness from the vineyard, which is not far from the ocean’s salty breeze. But whereas Clos Marie’s Manon white bottling shows more of a saline quality, this savoriness merely… 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
2010 Sbragia Zinfandel, La Promessa Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley
Translucent ruby color, turning to coral toward the rim. The sweet nose shows a note of bacon fat, followed by brown sugar, vanilla and a whiff of black pepper to go with plump red berry fruits. There is a creamy chocolate quality in the mouth. The… Read more
2010 Sbragia Merlot, Home Ranch, Dry Creek Valley
Translucent ruby-plum color. Aromatics of dill weed, menthol and char give way to bright red berry and currant fruit. This wine sweetens up in the mouth, picking up grainy dark chocolate, cinnamon and vanilla from mid-palate through to the finish…. 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
2010 d’Arenberg ‘The Feral Fox’ Pinot Noir, Adelaide Hills, Australia
Transparent light ruby in color, this wine has an initial floral eucalyptus/mint scent, leading to impressions of moderate red berry/cherry fruit, along with notes of tea and root beer. The wine is quite light in the mouth, catching some grip at the… Read more
2010 d’Arenberg ‘The Noble Wrinkled’ Riesling, McLaren Vale, Australia
The color is a beautiful glowing apricot/amber shade. The lush, ripe nose oozes honey, marmalade and dried apricot, pear and peach aromas, along with a subtle note of spice. Thick in the mouth, just short of cloying, the wine coats the palate with… Read more
2010 Maddalena Chardonnay, Monterey County
Crisp and fruity, this wine has lots of character, from citrus and apple to tropical fruit aromas and flavors. A small percentage of the juice sees oak barrels for aging — just enough to round out the sharper acid edges. Year in and year out, a… Read more
2010 La Fleur d’Amelie Rouge, Bordeaux
(By Chateau de Sours.) Translucent ruby/crimson color. As the vineyard is a stone’s throw from Pomerol, it is no surprise that this red blend is primarily (75%) Merlot. The other grapes are Cabernet Franc (20%) and Petit Verdot (5%). A flowery… Read more
