Chalk Hill Estate Winery Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2020, California

Yellow in color with a golden hue.

Strong nose of citrus, oak, vanilla, spices, lemons, apples, light earth, peaches, white flowers and white pepper.

Full bodied with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with limes, lemons, oak, earth, vanilla, light grapefruits, spices and black pepper.

Spicy finish with limes and lemon peel.

This is a nice Oaky Chardonnay from Sonoma Coast. Fruit forward and spicy. Showing mild complexity with a nice mouthfeel.

Needed 15 minutes of airtime to bring in more complexity, and balance the oak notes.

A nice and easy drinking Chardonnay. Good by itself as a sipping wine and good for parties.

I paired it with a nice day by the pool.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

88 points.

$17.

Meadowcroft Wines Cornerstone Vineyard Pinot Noir 2019, Los Carneros, California

Ruby in color with medium intensity.

Strong nose of raspberries, cherries, oak, licorice, light vanilla, tobacco, lemon peal, spices, chocolates and black pepper.

Medium plus in body with medium plus acidity.

Dry on the palate with cherries, ripe raspberries, strawberries, sweet spice, earth, light herbs, light wood, dark coffee and peppercorn.

Medium finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a nice cool climate Pinot Noir from Los Carneros in Sonoma County. Showing mild complexity with a nice mouthfeel.

This Single Vineyard is easy drinking and a nice porch wine. Spicy and entertaining.

Good right out of the bottle, and better after 20 minutes of airtime.

I paired it with cheeses and light appetizers.

A small production of only 2,000 bottles.

13.8% alcohol by volume.

89 points.

$46.

Chalk Hill Estate Winery Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2019, California

Ruby in color with medium intensity and a wide reddish rim.

Fruity nose of cherries, raspberries, light wood, earth, black pepper and dark chocolates.

Medium bodied with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with cherries, raspberries, spices, light oak, chocolates, light vegetables and peppercorn.

Nice finish with soft tannins.

This is a nice Pinot Noir from Sonoma Coast. Tangy, fruit forward and spicy.

A good everyday wine, and good by itself or with food.

Good right out of the bottle and easy drinking. Get earthier and spicier after an hour of airtime.

A good quality wine. Would be nice to revisit it in a couple of years.

I gave it a light chill and had it by the lake. I paired it with cheeses and crackers.

14.2% alcohol by volume.

89 points.

$18.

Meadowcroft Wines Russian River Valley French Colombard 2021, California

Light yellow in color with a golden hue.

On the nose red apples, limes, pears, light grapefruits, spices, herbs and light earth.

Medium bodied and crisp with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with lemons, citrus, green apples, bitter herbs, light vegetables, earth, spices and black pepper.

Tangy finish with limes and spices.

This is a nice and easy drinking white wine from Russian River Valley.

Tangy and good with food. Will pair nicely with seafood. A good pool wine too.

100% French Colombard grapes from a Single Vineyard. A small production of only 182 cases.

13.1% alcohol by volume.

88 points.

$32.

Meadowcroft Wines Wyldvin Vineyard Roussanne 2021, Dry Creek Valley, California

Pale lemon in color with a golden hue.

Crisp nose of lemons, citrus, apples, earth, herbs and light spices. Very aromatic.

Medium bodied with medium acidity. Crisp and refreshing.

Dry on the palate with limes, lemons, green apples, light grapefruits, vegetables, earth, minerals and spices.

Nice tangy finish with limes and light almonds.

This is a tasty white wine from Dry Creek Valley. Nicely balanced, tangy and fruit forward.

This Single Vineyard is easy drinking and refreshing. Good by itself or with food.

A good sipping wine to drink by the porch, that paired very nicely with the truffle fries.

A blend of 96% Roussanne and 4% French Colombard. Fermented in French oak barrels. A tiny production of only 97 bottles.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

90 points.

$36.

Macrostie Winery and Vineyards Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2019, California

Ruby in color with medium intensity and a wide reddish rim.

Fruity nose of raspberries, strawberries, sweet cherries, light oak, chocolates and light spices.

Medium bodied with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with cherries, raspberries, light wood, earth, bitter herbs, light vegetables, spices, tobacco leaf, dark coffee and black pepper.

Nice spicy finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is an enjoyable Pinot Noir from Sonoma Coast.

Easy drinking and good for parties. Showing mild complexity with a nice smooth mouthfeel.

Spicy and entertaining. A good porch wine, too. Would be interesting to try it again in 3 years.

Shows light barnyard on the nose, that gets lighter after an hour of airtime. After 2 hours of airtime, it drinks more like a Beaujolais. Interesting stuff.

Good by itself or with food. Paired wonderfully with a fresh brick oven pizza with prosciutto, parmesan and arugula.

Aged in French oak barrels.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

89 points.

$36.

Handley Cellars Kazmet Vineyard Syrah 2017 Alexander Valley, California

It’s National Syrah Day today. Let’s celebrate with a wonderful one.

Inky in color with a short purple rim.

Nice nose of blackberries, black currants, light barnyard, vegetables, herbs, chocolates, tobacco and black pepper.

Full bodied with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate and fruit forward with black currants, plums, blackberries, oak, dark coffee, earth, bitter herbs, vegetables, black pepper and tobacco leaf.

Medium plus on the finish with medium tannins and cherries.

This is a very tasty Syrah from Alexander Valley. Fruit forward and elegant with a nice mouthfeel.

Showing nice complexity and mouthfeel. Good by itself or with food.

This 5 year old is drinking very nicely now. Needs 2 hours to open up properly, and bring structure to the wine.

This Single Vineyard Syrah is a good quality wine, and will continue to age nicely in the next 5 to 7 years.

Wine Enthusiasts 93 points.

A blend of 95% Syrah and 5% Viognier. Aged in French oak barrels (20% new) for 18 months. A small production of only 570 cases.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$28.

Kukeri Wines Rosé Nouveau 2021, Sonoma Coast, California

Deep salmon in color with an orange hue.

On the nose raspberries, strawberries, limes, earth, bitter herbs and green apples.

Medium bodied with medium plus acidity. Crisp and refreshing.

Dry on the palate with limes, cranberries, sour cherries, earth, bitter vegetables, green apples, black pepper and spices.

Tangy finish with bitter herbs.

This is a nice Rosé from Sonoma Coast in California. A good quality wine, earthy and good with food.

Showing nice complexity with a soft mouthfeel.

Feels like a Rosé from Southern France.

100% Pinot Noir grapes from a Single Vineyard were aged in French oak barrels for 2 months. A tiny production of only 3 barrels.

13.1% alcohol by volume.

89 points.

$28.

Kukeri Wines Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2021, California

Pale lemon in color.

Strong fruity nose of lemons, citrus, melons, tropical fruits, metals and light herbs.

Medium bodied with medium plus acidity. Crisp and refreshing.

Dry on the palate with grapefruits, limes, lemons, green and red apples, spices, earth and white pepper.

Tangy finish with bitter herbs and limes.

This is a very tasty Sauvignon Blanc from Russian River Valley.

A good quality wine, easy drinking and crisp with nice complexity.

This Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc is a nice sipping wine. Great by the porch or pool.

I paired it with a grilled red snapper. Would pair nicely with oysters too.

A tiny production of only 57 cases made.

13.5% alcohol by volume.

90 points.

$30.

Pax Mahle Wines Griffin’s Lair Syrah 2013, Sonoma Coast, California

Now this is a very interesting and unique Syrah from Sonoma.

Stinky nose with lots of tar, chocolates and wood.

Full bodied and bold with nice complexity and very fruity on the palate.

Showing black currants, plums, cooked cherries, cedar, vanilla, spices, espresso, cola, vegetables, dark chocolates, tar, earth, peppercorn, bitter herbs and barnyard.

Powerful and rich. Very extracted and fruit forward.

This is definitely one of those “in your face” kind of wines. Not for everyone, but I enjoyed it.

Feels very young for a 9 year old.

I paired it with a charcuterie board of meats and cheeses.

A small production of only 13 barrels. Unfiltered and unfined.

13.8% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

13.8% alcohol by volume.

$65.