Theopolis Vineyards
Rosé of Petite Sirah 2014
An ample dose of (very ripe + very evocative) Anderson Valley fruit & flora: cherry, raspberry, pennyroyal tea, dank forest floor, still vibrant and youthful. This wine is just a bit too hot and heavy (nearly 15% alc) for my tastes. Really exquisite fruit here, but while I like this power and boisterousness in her Petite Sirah, I prefer the volume just a tad lower on my Pinots. Pardon any typos; I am a lightweight and no longer accustomed to these abvs on a Tuesday night!
— 2 months ago
Madson
Pet Nat Sangiovese Zinfandel Rosé
It’s Pet Nat season and it seems like everyone in California is making one these days. This Zin & Sangio refresher from Madson (Santa Cruz Mountains) has quickly become a favorite of mine. Smells like geraniums. Mouthwatering acidity, ripe peach, watermelon rind, guava. The fruit and florals are just so pretty, vibrant and distinctive. Pairs perfectly with Fearless (Taylor’s Version) and light curry. — 10 days ago
Vision Cellars
Pinot Noir 2018
Hey, Delectable— this is the Visions 2018 North Coast Pinot, but the ID wasn’t available.
Unabashedly ripe and warm, but with a distinctive umami flavor (hoisin sauce?) that I’m really digging. Black cherry, black plum and even blue fruit on the nose and palette. Lovely satiny texture. Medium + finish.
Hedonistic in the way you’d expect from a winemaker mentored by the Wagners, but the suppleness and umami notes make this wine stand out in a sea of north coast Pinot Noir, and the absence of new oak lets the fruit do the taking. Perfect with chicken lettuce wraps and haricot verts smothered in Madeira mushroom cream sauce.
Owner/founder, Mac Macdonald, has been making his own California Pinot Noir for more than 25 vintages now and it shows. Side note: he’s also one of the better story tellers in the biz.
Initially sampled as part of a tasting with the #AAAV (Association of African American Vintners) and took the bottle home.
— 2 months ago
Ena
Mariah Vineyard Pinot Noir 2019
Not even close, Delectable. This is the first vintage from Eglatine Chaffour from the Mariah Vineyard in the Mendocino Ridge AVA and here’s to hoping she makes many more. An ethereal texture rarely found outside of Burgundy. Perfectly ripe red and black fruit, black and roobois tea notes. — 2 months ago
Zuani
Vigne Collio DOC White Blend 2017
Melange of citrus (grapefruit, lime, lemon in that order) and ripe melon. Limestoneyness. A refreshing and versatile Friulan white blend from Patrizia Felluga (of that famous winemaking dynasty). All stainless. With warming vintages, I’ve noticed some Friulan wines approaching hot and flabby; this one remains zesty, bright & tight. — 21 days ago
Tessier Winery
Alegria Vineyard Cabernet Franc 2018
Kristie has an uncanny ability to deliver the pure pleasure of California sun-ripened fruit (vibrant cherry, smooth and ripe tannins) without compromising the nuance and rusticity of the variety: green pepper, graphite, damp leaves on cement. There is an alluring floral quality to this wine as well (violets?) and a lingering spice on the finish. — 2 months ago
Bedrock Wine Co.
Evangelho Vineyard Heritage Zinfandel Blend
Of the 19’s, this one was showing the best. All Zin on the nose, but light, silky and elegant in the palette. I’m told this is the result of Evangelho’s beach sandy soils. As this is Bedrock, the vines are old with some roots reaching 40 ft deep. An unlikely wine from an unlikely place: just a BART ride away located between a power plant and abandoned Burger King. — 2 months ago
Adriana Fabbro
One of my favorite wines under $20 right now. Lime zest dominates, with notes of green apple, underripe pear, quince, honeydew, underripe pineapple core, and a chalky salinity. Some leesy goodness (hint of Greek yogurt on the nose), which also lends this wine vivacity and texture. — 4 hours ago