Donati Family Vineyard Sisters Forever, Unoaked Chardonnay Central Coast 2013
Pale straw color. The aromatics are unexcpected, focused more on tropical fruits rather than orchard fruits with rich, sweet scents of pineapple, mango, star fruit, and hints of lychee. The palate confirms the nose - soft Medium-boded with succulent fruit with fresh acidtiy and delicate mineral notes. $16 – 3 Stars – 86 points
Kennedy Shah Picnic White Columbia Valley 2013
Bright, pale straw color. The nose offers delicate floral notes with scents of hay, citrus, pomello, mineral, and green apple. The palate is in full agreement with the nose offering fresh and vibrant flavors. Soft and crisp this is a a beautiful, medium weight wine ready to drink. $14 – 3.5 Stars – 88 points
Hudson Shah Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2012
Deepest, darkest ruby red color. Lovely ripe red and black fruits (with red cherry and blackberry battling fore the lead) fill the nose with accents of mineral, spice, and soft earth notes. The palate confirms the nose delivering a juicy, ripe fruit core with tart berries, brown spices, and mineral in support offering complexity. Full bodies and generous with silky fruit and complex spice notes adding interest with little to no tannins in the mix. $14 – 4 Stars – 91 points
Dussek Family Cellars Syrah Columbia Valley 2012
Deep, dark ruby red with purple edges. The nose is wonderfully fragrant and floral with violets in the lead married with ripe cherry, plum, and cassis with hints of dark roast coffee, allspice, and vanilla. The palate fully confirms the nose delivering a rich and concentrated fruit centric core with loads of brown baking spices, cigar box, chocolate, and sweet earth tones in support. This is a generous Syrah with its greatest attribute being balance and complexity. It doesn't hurt that it's a pure pleasure to sip. Made with 100% Syrah. $20 – 4 Stars – 91 points
Kennedy Shah Tempranillo Columbia Valley 2011
Brilliant, bright ruby red color. The nose reveals a lush and juicy wine with loads of black and red fruits with violets, brown baking spices, and hints of vanilla. The palate echoes the nose delivering a big and juicy fruit forward wine with ripe, sweet cherry and blackberry supported by hints of tart berries, and spice. Lush and decadent this wine is made for drinking today with great balance and soft, subtle tannins. Made with 100% Tempranillo. $20 – 4 Stars – 91 points
Kennedy Shah Merlot Columbia Valley 2012
Deep garnet red color. Dense, concentrated red and black berries take the lead with mineral, earth, and brown spices in support. The palate is just as rich with black cherry taking the lead with accents of cassis, coffee bean, earth, and oak. This is a bold Merlot with moderate, firm tannins, and long lingering earth tones. $14 – 3 Stars – 85 points
Kennedy Shah La Vie en Rouge Columbia Valley 2012
Brilliant ruby color. Deep black plum notes take the lead with scents of raspberry and blueberry with hints of earth, spice, and black coffee. The palate confirms the nose with a ripe berry fruit focus supported by notes of tart cherry, brown spices, oak, and dried herbs. Round and full with great balance, complexity, low-tannins, and a very welcomed moderate dose alcohol. $14 – 4.5 Stars – 94 points
Chateau Lassègue Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2005
See the Full BevX Featured Review & Beverage of the WeekDeepest, darkest ruby red from center to the edges. Dense, ripe cherry, cassis, and plum with supporting notes of chocolate married with bright herbs featuring a bright, sweet rosemary note free of pine-like resin with hints of mineral and toasted oak infused with brown baking spices. The palate reflects and extends the complexity and richness of that which the aromatics promise. The fruit is layered with mineral, earth, oak, and spice. Intense with tight aromas and flavors that will not reveal themselves unless given time to breathe. The tannins are quite formidable at this stage but a few hours of aeration begins to soften the edges. $150 – 5 Stars – 97 points
Cornerstone Cellars Black Label Cabernet Franc Napa Valley 2012
See the Full BevX Featured Review & Beverage of the WeekBrilliant deep ruby color with scarlet highlights. After aerating (you should decant this wine) the true aromatics emerge offering scents of ripe raspberry, cherry, and red currants with cranberry, tart cherries, mineral, thyme, cranberry, toasted oak with subtle hints of vanilla, and nutmeg. The palate is in full agreement with the nose delivering a rich and broad palate that focuses on the interplay of ripe and tart berries with supporting earth, oak, and spice notes that add intrigue. Simply beautiful. The ideally balanced wine is rich while vibrant and multilayered with great length and soft, chewy tannins. $45 – 5 Stars – 97 points
Bogle Cabernet Sauvignon California 2012
Deep, bright, ruby red color. The nose is filled with the scents of black currant with ripe cherry, blueberry, toasted oak, vanilla, mineral, black pepper, and brown baking spices. The palate is equal to the aromatics delivering lush, ripe fruit with accents of oak, earth, and spice with a hints of cigar box. Nicely balanced with a lingering dry finish and moderate chewy tannins. Made with 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. $12 – 3.5 Stars – 88 points
