Stringer Cellars John Sebastiano Vineyard Chardonnay 2017, Santa Rita Hills California

Pale yellow in color.

Fruity nose with apples, citrus, oak, spices, pears and white pepper.

Full bodied, smooth and bold, with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with limes, lemon juice, citrus, yellow apples, light vegetables, spices, wood, vanilla and black pepper.

Medium finish with spices.

This is a very enjoyable Chardonnay from Santa Rita Hills in California.

Showing nice balance. Not too Oaky, not too buttery and not too bitter, just the right amount. A good sipping wine.

Good by itself or with food. This Single Vineyard Chardonnay is a good quality wine.

I had it all by itself in my new favorite white wine glass from Le Deux Glasses.

13.9% alcohol by volume.

88 points.

13.9% alcohol by volume.

$35.

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Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc Grand Vin de Graves 2014 Pessac-Léognan, France

This is a delicious Sauvignon Blanc from Pessac-Léognan. Crisp and refreshing with nice weight and complexity.

Nose is gentle and elegant. The palate is crisp, dry and rich.

Showing citrus, lemons, spices, light wood, green apples, grapefruits and minerals.

Nice length on the finish with limes and minerals.

A Good quality wine. Definitely my favorite white Bordeaux so far.

This 5 year old is drinking very nicely now, and will continue to evolve in the next 5 years.

Needs 30 minutes to open up properly and show more complexity.

Robert Parker 93 points. 94 points Wine Spectator.

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

A blend of 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Sémillon and 5% Sauvignon Gris.

13.5% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$95.

Roots Run Deep Winery Educated Guess Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2014, California

It’s time for my #FridayCabernetfix.
Here is a nice one from Napa Valley.

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

Fruity nose of blueberries, cherries, currants, oak, vanilla, licorice, spices, dark chocolates, tobacco, coffee, earth, light vegetables and light black pepper.

Full bodied and smooth with medium acidity and long pretty legs.

Dry and fruity on the palate with blackberries, black currants, plums, cooked cherries, oak, vanilla, licorice, chocolates, tobacco, herbs, spices, alcohol, light vegetables, coke, earth, leather and peppercorn.

Long finish with round tannins and tangy raspberries.

This Napa Cabernet is very enjoyable now. Nicely balanced with a great mouthfeel.

Shows nice complexity and a tangy ending.

Good right out of the bottle and better as it opens up (30 minutes), when the tannins are rounded and soft.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$20.

WTN Cellars Mottington California Merlot, California 2016

It is Thursday, and it is time for #MerlotThursday.

Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.

Stinky on the nose with plums, cherries, barnyard, wood, bell pepper, cloves, spices, pencil lead, smoke, black pepper and bitter vegetables

Medium plus in body with medium acidity and nice legs.

Dry on the palate with black plums, black currants, coffee, oak, cloves, earth, vegetables, graphite, spices, bitter herbs and black pepper.

Medium minus on the finish with fine tannins and tangy strawberries.

This is a simple Merlot from California. A good everyday wine.

A little stinky, even after 90 minutes of airtime, but nicer on the palate.

A nice food wine with a tangy finish. I expected more at this price point, though. Would work well as a happy hour wine.

I paired it with Brie cheese and crackers.

14% alcohol by volume.

87 Points.

$19.

Robert Hall Winery Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon 2015, California

Dark ruby in color with a short purplish rim.

Strong nose of blueberries, blackberries, licorice, cedar, cloves, vanilla, spices, coffee, earth, eucalyptus, peppercorn and graphite.

Full-bodied, elegant and smooth, with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry and fruity on the palate with blackberries, black plums, black cherries, oak, vanilla, licorice, spices, tobacco, chocolates, light herbs and peppercorn.

Medium finish with fine tannins and spicy chili powder.

This is a very nice Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso Robles. Very typical and consistent. Showing mild complexity with a nice mouthfeel.

Good by itself or with food. A nice sipping wine by the porch. The tangy ending makes it interesting.

Wine Enthusiast 87 points.

Good right out of the bottle and gets some more structure after an hour of airtime. Really enjoyable.

Aged for 18 months in oak barrels.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

90 points.

$20.

Tank Garage Winery Skin Flick 2018, Sierra Foothills, California

Pale copper in color with an orange hue.

Pretty nose of wildflowers, ripen citrus fruits, lemons, honeysuckle, roses, light spices and red grapefruits. Very interesting and very aromatic.

Medium bodied with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with lemons, citrus, yellow apples, honey and spices.

Medium plus on the finish with spices and almonds.

This is a very aromatic and fun drinking wine from the Sierra Foothills in California.

This is the first Orange wine that I enjoyed. What a nice surprise. An interesting wine to sip on and talk about. If you are into orange wine, you should definitely try this one.

Good by itself or with food. I paired it with cheeses and fresh berries.

A blend of 62% Vermentino, 23% Roussanne, 12% Verdelho, 2% Pinot Gris, 1% Trousseau Gris. Grapes are skin fermented.

12.8% alcohol by volume.

87 points.

$36.

Carmel Winery Kayoumi Vineyard Riesling 2017 Upper Galilee, Israel

A pretty and light golden in color.

Fruity nose with citrus, grapefruits, yellow apples, diesel, minerals and spices.

Medium bodied with medium plus acidity, crisp and refreshing.

Dry on the palate with lemons, green apples, pears, vegetables, spices, sea salt, green herbs, white pepper and minerals.

Medium finish with tangy limes and bitter vegetables.

This is a very nice dry Riesling from Israel. Showing mild complexity with a nice crisp mouthfeel.

This Single Vineyard is good by itself or with food. Fruity on the nose and earthier on the palate. Nice and interesting. A good quality wine. Crisp and refreshing.

This is one to put in the cellar for a while. Has the potential to age nicely in the next 5 years and get more complex.

This is my first dry Riesling from this region. I’ve had off-dry and semi-sweet ones before, and this is a nice surprise.

I drank it in a beautiful Le Deux glass, light and airy, tall and skinny.

Grapes are grown at 2500 feet elevation in the Upper Galilee. Matured in stainless steel vats. Kosher. Not Mevushal.

12% alcohol by volume.

88 points.

$25.