Laetitia Estate Pinot Noir Arroyo Grande Valley 2013
Bright, semi-deep ruby red color. The nose is quite pleasing and complex with fruit in the lead offering scents of red cherry, cranberry, and wild strawberries with supporting notes of mineral, dried herbs, allspice, nutmeg, and wood. The palate echoes the nose delivering a fruit core that's more tart than sweet with layers of red fruits with earth, and brown baking spices and cloncluding with oak. Medium to full-bodied with ideal balance with a vibrant dose of acidity and trailing spice accents. $25 – 4 Stars – 90 points
Tolosa Winery Estate Pinot Noir Edna Valley 2013
Bright, ruby red color. The nose is quite dry with tart, dried red berries in the lead with generous doses of earth, cigar box, and saddle leather with hints of oak and spice. The palate is in full agreement with the nose delivering a rich tart fruit core with flanking notes of brown spice, and earth with accents of sour cherry and trailing black pepper. This is a full-bodied and sturdy Pinot with a firm but approachable structure and ideal balance with a vibrant dose of acidity. $32 – 4 Stars – 90 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
Helfrich Grand Cru Steinklotz Riesling Alsace 2011
See the Full BevX Featured ReviewBeautiful pale golden color with dozens of legs streaming down the glass. The aromatics leap from the glass offering a complex melange ranging from wild flowers to citrus, tropical, and stone fruits with a brilliant mineral edge. Delivers waves of ripe and semi-tart tropical and orchard fruits with candied ginger, mint, and exotic Asian spice notes. Like all great Alsace Grand Cru wines this one offers seductive, rich flavors while never losing its vibrancy. $25 – 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
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
