Run Riot Chardonnay Central Coast 2015
Brilliant, golden straw color. The nose reveals a big and buttery Chardonnay with a generous note of lees harmonizing with ripe peach, lychee, and tropical fruits. The palate fully concurs with the nose delivering a rich and chewy fruit and brown butter core with flanking notes of tropical fruits, lemon curd, and brioche. This is a big Chardonnay with fat butter and fruit notes foiled by a bright dose of citrus and firm lees accent. Made with 100% Chardonnay. $16.99 – 3.5 Stars – 87 points
Run Riot Pinot Noir Central Coast 2014
See the Full BevX Featured Review & Beverage of the WeekDeep, ruby red color. The nose presents a dense marriage of black cherries and blackberry with a healthy dose of brown baking spices, dark chocolate, and hints of smoky bacon and cassis. The palate echoes the nose delivering a lush and jammy black fruit-driven core with waves of baking spices and subtle earth tones finishing with soft, chewy tannins. This is bigger and more jammy than your typical Pinot Noir but it is quite vibrant with bright acidity and framing tannins that provide ideal balance. $19.99 – 4 Stars – 90 points
Troon Black Label G*S*M Reserve Southern Oregon 2014
See the Full BevX Featured Review & Beverage of the WeekBrilliant, ruby red color. This wine is wonderfully aromatic offering scents of red and black fruits with tart fruits rivaling the sweet ripe fruits and accents of brown baking spices, damp earth, and subtle oak notes. The palate echoes the nose delivering a rich but amazingly sprite fruit-driven core with ripe red cherries and bright cranberries taking center stage with waves of blackberry. Full-bodied while being very nimble with a lovely velvety texture matched by a bright dose of acidity that keeps it fresh and lively. $50 – 4.5 Stars – 94 points
Chateau Lassègue Les Cadrans de Lassègue Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2012
Deep, dark ruby red color. The nose offers bright scents of black fruits with a generous dose of baking spices, dried herbs, earth, and mineral with accents of oak. The palate fully concurs with the nose offering a dry, black fruit, and earth core with flanking accents of spice, black pepper, and subtle oak notes. Medium to full-bodied with dry spice and mineral-soaked fruit that is framed by big but supple tannins. $35 – 3.5 Stars – 89 points
Chateau Lassègue, Lassègue Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2010
See the Full BevX Featured ReviewDeep, dark ruby red color. The aromatics are quite expressive offering waves of black fruits both ripe and dried with generous accents of cassis, black plum, evergreen shrubs, brown baking spices, forest floor, and toasted oak. The palate brilliantly echoes the nose delivering a dense black fruit core with flanking notes of earth, clove, black pepper, nutmeg, and oak with a silky minerality rising on the finish. This young Bordeaux is wonderfully intense with lush fruit and spice showing incredible depth offering flashes of maturity while the bright youthful fruit still dominates. $90 – 5 Stars – 98 points
Gundlach Bundschu Mountain Cuvée Sonoma County 2013
Deep, ruby red color. The nose is filled with the scents of blackberry, raspberry, and plum with accents of cherry, black tea, vanilla bean, and soft oak notes. The palate echoes the nose delivering a rich fruit-driven core with waves of brown baking spices, sweet oak, cocoa nibs, and vanilla with silky tannins. Medium-bodied with a lush fruit core and bright acidity that gives it shape. $20 – 4 Stars – 90 points
Tongue Dancer Wines Putnam Vineyard Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 2014
See the Full BevX Featured Review & Beverage of the WeekBrilliant, deep ruby red with hints of purple. The nose is filled with the scents of ripe red and black berries with supporting notes of earth, mineral, dried herbs, forest floor, nutmeg, and hints of leather that emerge after extended aeration. The palate echoes the nose delivering a lush but very vibrant fruit-driven core with generous accents of earth, spice, and oak finish that lingers on for minutes. Medium to full-bodied with ideal proportions and balance thanks to a bright dose of fresh acidity. The wine's texture is equal to the pleasing flavors as it feels weighty without ever being heavy. Made with 100% Pinot Noir. $65 – 4.5 Stars – 95 points
Frank Family Vineyards Chardonnay Carneros 2014
Brilliant pale, golden straw color. The nose is filled with the scents of spring flowers, white peach, and ripe tropical fruits with bold accents of vanilla and lychee with hints of blanched almonds and soft washed rind cheese. The palate echoes the nose with a stone fruit core flanked by vanilla soaked oak with citrus notes rising on the finish. Medium to full-bodied with a rich, semi-chewy core and bright acidity at the edges. $35 – 4 Stars – 90 points
Scott Dijon Clone Chardonnay Arroyo Seco/Monterey 2014
Brilliant pale straw color. The nose is filled with scents of orchard fruits with a soft lees note and a delicate waves of hazelnut, and toasted oak. The palate echoes the nose delivering a lush fruit core with accents of lemon curd and roasted nuts. Medium-bodied with silky fruit and barrel notes. $18 – 4 Stars – 90 points
The Federalist Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley 2014
Bright ruby red color. The nose is wonderfully complex with waves of ripe wild berry fruit, with oak, fresh and dried herbs, bramble and brush with tart cherry notes on the finish. The palate echoes the nose delivering a lush berry-driven Zin with generous herbal and spice flanks that linger on to a dry finish. Full-bodied with dense fruit and bright acidity to keep it fresh and balanced. $22 – 3.5 Stars – 86 points
