Notre Vue Estate Balverne Forever Wild Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2021, California

Light ruby in color with medium intensity.

Fruity nose and dry on the palate with medium acidity.

Showing red cherries, red currants, light wood, spices, chocolates, tobacco, herbs and earth.

Tangy finish with soft tannins and raspberries.

This is a very tasty Pinot Noir from Russian River Valley. Easy drinking, and good as a sipping wine. Fruit forward and entertaining.

Showing nice balance with elegance, and a soft mouthfeel.

Still young and fresh tasting. Will continue to age nicely in the next 5 years.

100% Pinot Noir grapes were aged in (25% new) French Oak barrels for 9 months. A small production of less than 5,000 bottles.

14% alcohol by volume.

90 points.

$45.

Advertisement

Dearden Wines One Iron Sonoma County Meritage 2016, California

It is time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday. Let’s bring Merlot back!

Dark ruby in color with a short reddish rim.

Dry on the palate with medium acidity.

Medium plus in body with nice complexity.

Showing red and black fruits with tobacco, cedar, chocolates, earth, vanilla, licorice, cola and peppercorn.

Tangy finish with medium tannins and raspberries.

This is a very interesting Merlot blend from Sonoma county. Fruity and rich. Smooth and elegant. Feels like a Napa Merlot based Bordeaux blend.

This 7 year old is peaking now, and will continue to drink nicely in the next few years. Better after an hour in the bottle.

Wine Enthusiasts 90 points.

Thanks Max for sharing this with me.

A blend of 56% Merlot and 44% Malbec.

14.4% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$50.

Notre Vue Estate Balverne Forever Wild Reserve Chardonnay 2021, Russian River Valley, California

Light yellow in color with a golden hue.

Oaky nose with citrus, peaches, vanilla, cedar, yellow apples, pears, light tropical fruits and spices.

Full bodied, creamy and smooth, with medium plus acidity.

Dry on the palate with oak, vanilla, spices, citrus, pears, light grapefruits, apples and black pepper.

Spicy finish with black pepper and limes.

This is an enjoyable Chardonnay from Russian River Valley. Oaky and buttery with a nice mouthfeel.

Showing mild complexity at this point, and nicely balanced. Fruit forward and rich.

After 30 minutes of airtime, it really calms down. Worth the wait.

I’ve had the 2019 not too long ago, and liked it so much better. Would be nice to revisit it in a couple of years.

Pleasant, tangy and easy drinking. Good for parties, or just to sip on by the pool.

100% Chardonnay grapes from Russian River Valley were aged in French Oak barrels for 5 months (20% new Oak). A small production of only 3,000 bottles.

14.2% alcohol by volume.

89 points.

$35.

Nalle Winery Dry Creek Valley Ranch Red 2020, Sonoma County, California

Dark purple in color with a wide purplish/ reddish rim.

Sweet nose of blueberries, cherry pie, oak, spices, tobacco, brown sugar, licorice and light herbs.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with blueberries, currants, plums, cherries, wood, spices, dark chocolates, light earth, tobacco leaf, herbs and peppercorn.

Fine grained tannins on the finish with tangy raspberries.

This is a very enjoyable Zinfandel based blend from Dry Creek Valley. Showing mild complexity at this point, with a nice, smooth mouthfeel.

This 3-year-old is starting to drink nicely, and will get better in the next few years. Easy drinking and good by itself.

An elegant style of Zinfandel. Not in your face kind of wine.

Good right out of the bottle and good for parties.

A blend of 60% Zinfandel and 40% Cabernet sauvignon. Aged for 11 months in (20% new) French Oak barrels. Only 373 cases made.

13.9% alcohol by volume.

90 points.

$45.

Nalle Winery Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel 2017, Sonoma County, California

Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity and long legs.

Very dry on the palate with nice complexity.

Showing red plums, cherries, strawberry jam, light oak, tobacco, leaf, vegetables, earth, herbs, dark chocolates and black pepper.

Soft and short finish and soft tannins.

This 5 year old Zinfandel from Dry Creek Valley is drinking nicely now.

I had it 3 years ago, and it was much fruiter, but showed less complexity. Lost a lot of its fruits by now, and it is showing lots of earth notes, but showing nice complexity. Definitely improved in the bottle these few years.

This is not your typical California Zinfandel. Elegant and complex. A good quality wine.

Would be nice to revisit it in a few years.

Better after an hour of airtime and will pair nicely with BBQ Meats.

A blend of 91% Zinfandel, 5% Petite Sirah and 4% Carignan. Aged for 11 months in (25% New) French oak barrels. A small production of less than 4,000 bottles.

13.9% alcohol by volume.

90 points.

$45.

Macrostie Winery Brut Sparkling 2019 Sonoma County, California

Pale lemon in color with a light golden hue.

Beautiful nose of citrus, green apples, light tropical fruits, earth pineapples, yeast, light brioche, light herbs, minerals and white pepper.

Light to medium in body with tiny bubbles and high acidity.

Very dry on the palate with limes, grapefruits, citrus, green apples, bitter herbs, yeast, white pepper and light earth.

Tart finish with light almonds.

This 3-year-old, Vintage sparkling wine, from Sonoma County is still very young. Crisp and refreshing.
Sharp and puckery.

Needed an hour of airtime to open up properly. Well worth the wait.

Showing great potential. Would be interesting to try it again in 3 years.

Loved the nose, the palate is not all the way there yet.

A good food wine, that paired nicely with the double cream Brie cheese. Will pair nicely fresh oysters.

A blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes. Made in the Traditional method.

13.5% alcohol by volume.

90 points.

$48.

Crux Winery Russian River Valley Petite Sirah 2014, Sonoma County, California

Crux Winery Russian River Valley Petite Sirah 2014, Sonoma County, California


This is a delicious Petite Sirah from Russian River Valley.

Showing a really gorgeous nose.

Full-bodied with medium acidity.

Dry and extremely fruity on the palate with a nice mouthfeel.

Showing blackberries, black currants, plums, raisins, earth, cooked cherries, oak, vanilla, licorice, herbs, spices, tobacco leaf, dark coffee, dark chocolates and peppercorn.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This 8-year-old is drinking very nicely now, and will continue to age nicely in the next 5 years. Showing nice complexity at this point. Rich and extracted.

Good right out of the bottle, and better after an hour of airtime.

Spicy and entertaining. Fruit forward and engaging. Good by itself or with food.

A blend of 90% Petite Sirah with Zinfandel and Syrah. A small production of only 6 barrels.

14.6% alcohol by volume .

92 points.

$46.

Emeritus Vineyards Hallberg Ranch Pinot Noir 2019, Russian River Valley, California

Pretty ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.

Strong nose of black cherries, sweet raspberries, strawberries, light wood, spices, earth, vegetables, light barnyard and herbs.

Medium plus in body with medium plus acidity.

Dry on the palate with red cherries, strawberries, raspberries, spices, light oak, dark chocolates, earth, tobacco leaf, herbs and peppercorn.

Tangy finish with soft tannins and cranberries.

This is a tasty Pinot Noir from Russian River Valley. Showing light elegance, with a soft mouth feel.

Still young and will benefit from a few years in the bottle.

Good right out of the bottle, and shows more complexity after 30 minutes of airtime.

This 3 year old Single Vineyard is fruit forward and tangy. Spicy and entertaining.

Aged in French oak barrels (35% new) for 10 months. Unfiltered and unfined.

I paired it with cheeses and dried meats.

13.7% alcohol by volume.

89 points.

$48.

Raeburn Winery Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2021, Sonoma County, California

Reddish in color with light intensity.

Fruity nose with cherries, strawberries, raspberries, light earth, herbs, light vegetables and spices.

Medium bodied with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with raspberries, strawberries, cherries, spices, light oak, light coffee and herbs.

Tangy finish with soft tannins and tangy cranberries.

This is a nice Pinot Noir from Russian River Valley. Nicely balanced and fruit forward, with a nice touch of earth notes.

A good everyday wine. Easy drinking and good by itself.

Good right out of the bottle, and better after 20 minutes of airtime, when tannins show up and bring in more structure to the wine. Gets much earthier after 2 hours.

Fresh and engaging with mild complexity. A good quality wine.

I paired with cheeses, crackers and light appetizers.

14% alcohol by volume.

89 points.

$20.

Calculated Risk Winery Chalk Hill Proprietary Red Wine 2019, Sonoma County, California

Dark ruby in color with a short reddish rim.

Fruity on the nose.

Medium plus in body and elegant.

Dry and fruity on the palate with medium acidity and long legs.

Showing blackberries, black plums, cooked cherries, oak, vanilla, herbs, licorice, spices, tobacco, chocolates, dark coffee and peppercorn.

Long finish with round tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a very tasty red blend from Sonoma county. Nicely balanced with nice complexity.

Easy drinking and good by itself or with food. A good sipping wine to share with friends.

Still young and will be better in a couple of years.

14.6% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$65.