Kynsi Winery Precious Stone Pinot Noir Edna Valley 2012
Bright ruby red color. The nose is simply beautiful offering waves of ripe and semi-tart red berries with supporting notes of purple flowers, jasmine, raspberry compote, cranberry, and mineral with hints of vanilla soaked oak. The palate is in full accord with the nose delivering a very sophisticated fruit core with an abundance of spice, oak, and floral notes with long trailing tart cherry notes and sexy oak tones. Medium to full-bodied with perfect balance due to a fresh vein of bright acidity that greets you on the first sip and carries through to the finish. $62 – 5 Stars – 97 points
Cornerstone Cellars Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2012
Deepest, darkest ruby red veering toward purple. After aerating (you must decant this wine) the true aromatics emerge offering scents of red and black cherry, plum, and blueberry with waves of heather, wild herbs, allspice, anise, and hints of vanilla bean. The palate absolutely confirms the fruit signature of the nose with subtle forest floor and smoked bacon notes joining the chorus. The spice signature builds on the finish with black pepper lingering for minutes. This is a rich and chewy wine with perfect balance so it never feels heavy or brooding. Subtle, soft tannins rise on the back-palate to offer structure and length. $65 – 4 Stars – 91 points
Barlow Cabernet Sauvignon Calistoga, Napa Valley 2012
Deep, dark garnet red with hints of purple. This Cab is very aromatic boasting scents of ripe blackberry, cassis, violets, plum, and black cherry with accents of allspice, anise, vanilla, and forest floor. The palate is in full agreement with the nose delivering a dense and brawny core of fruit that is somewhat restrained but blossoms with aeration. The spice, earth, and fruit marriage is seamless with lingering notes of oak and cigar box. Deep and dense with loads of flavors that both emerge with ease and those that are locked deep inside not revealing themselves for years to come while generous layers of tannins offer structure and length. $55 – 4.5 Stars – 94 points
Barlow Merlot Calistoga, Napa Valley 2012
Deep, dense purple color. The nose is absolutely beautiful offering up scents of ripe raspberry and red cherry with generous accents of vanilla, wild strawberries, currants, and sweet oak. The palate echoes the nose giving waves of flavors of ripe fruit with semi-tart berry nuance, allspice, vanilla bean, cocoa nibs, and oak. This beautiful Merlot is medium to full-bodied and perfectly proportioned with silky layers of fruit and soft, chewy tannins. $35 – 4.5 Stars – 94 points
Barlow Barrouge Cabernet Sauvignon Calistoga, Napa Valley 2012
Deep, garnet red with a good dose of purple as well. The nose is ever so charming with waves of cassis, blackberry, and plum with generous accents of leather, cigar box, allspice, clove, oak, and forest floor. The palate is in full agreement with the nose delivering a silky, complex entry with a dense fruit-driven core that lingers on and on with vibrant notes of sweet oak and elegant brown baking spices on the finish. Full-bodied and ideally balanced with great length and depth that best reveals itself with an hour of aeration. $50 – 5 Stars – 97 points
Carol Shelton "Wild Thing" Old Vine Zinfandel Mendocino 2013
Deep, ruby red color. The nose is forward and generous with scents of ripe red cherry, blueberry, and blackberry with accents of cinnamon, vanilla, cocoa, and boysenberry jam with hints of mineral. The palate echoes the nose delivering a lush and creamy texture filled with ripe berry fruit with a touch of spice and subtle oak notes. Medium-bodied with a great fruit focus, ideal balance, and a very subtle interplay of oak that allows the fruit to shine. $19 – 4 Stars – 91 points
Carol Shelton Pizazz Zin/Old Vine Zinfandel Lodi 2013
Deep, ruby red color. The nose is quite subtle with soft, ripe red fruits mingling with chocolate, vanilla, and raspberry jam. The palate is in full agreement with the nose delivering an ultra soft and silky fruit-driven core with sweet jam and vanilla accents. Medium-bodied and super, super lush with virtually no tannins at all keeping its structure with a bright dose of acidity. $19 – 4 Stars – 91 points
Carol Shelton Rocky Reserve Zinfandel Sonoma County 2013
Deep, darkest garnet red color. The aromatics are dense and with red and black berries supported by dried berries, mineral, vanilla bean, cassis, loads of brown baking spices (especially cinnamon), black pepper, and dried blueberry. The palate is in full accord with the nose delivering layers of concentrated berry fruits with generous spice and oak notes giving this wine dimension and depth. Medium to full-bodied with sexy spice and oak notes delivered with perfect balance and length. $35 – 4.5 Stars – 94 points
Carol Shelton Karma Zin Zinfandel Sonoma County 2012
Deep, darkest garnet to ruby red color. The aromatics reveal a dense and rich Zin with layers of ripe and dried red and black berries with accents of allspice, earth, oak, nutmeg, cinnamon, and dark chocolate. The palate fulfills the promise of the nose showing even more concentration of fruit with generous spice and oak notes adding interest and structure. Full-bodied with great balance as well thanks to a bright dose of acidity and soft, chewy tannins. $30 – 4.5 Stars – 94 points
Gundlach Bundschu Estate Gewürztraminer Sonoma Coast 2014
Beautiful pale straw color. The nose reveals a classic Gewürztraminer showcasing lovely orchard fruits with accents of jasmine, rose water, honeysuckle, lemon curd, and ginger. The palate echoes the nose delivering a complex fruit melange with white peach, apple, and pear in the lead supporting by generous spice, rose water, ginger, and jasmine with mineral and subtle citrus accents. Medium-bodied and incredibly delicate while filling the palate with waves of fruit and spice. Made with 100% Gewürztraminer. $22 – 5 Stars – 97 points
