Ellen Clifford

9.3

Sauvignon Blanc in Napa is having a moment (or had it been and I’ve been neglecting it?). I’ve tasted some fun, elegant, evocative bottlings recently and this Gamble Vineyards example is another lil’ example of how malleable and exciting SB can be. I’ve “dated” about four SBs in recent months and like, I can’t give just one of them the rose they are all special.
This particular specimen has the tropical fruit vibes of passion fruit and ripe citrus laced with good-ol’ honeysuckle florals. The palate is like “surprise I saw oak!” And I was like “I didn’t know we were seeing other people but cool cool” especially as it is well integrated and subtle oak, rounding out the corners and ballasting the further citrus on the palate. I’m not saying forget CAB Sauvignon from Napa but give the Sauvignon BLANC a swirl. — 13 days ago

Ellen Clifford

8.9

Delicious, balancing 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Cabernet Franc, 14% Merlot and 7% Petit Verdot against 22 months in French oak, 45% new; it is straight-up YUMMY (pardon my French). Lively cassis, blue plum and violet play with silky tannins and lightly peppered vanilla bean. It was well-composed but surprisingly refreshing; I’d believe it was twice its 25-dollar price tag—utterly crave-worthy. — a month ago

Ellen Clifford

8.8

Made with organic grapes—love to hear it. This keeps all the things I like about Pinot Grigio (fresh citrus fruit and a faint yeastiness) without veering into what turns me off about less-good PGs which veer either in the direction of having next-to-no taste or reeking of beer. This one is nicely balanced and crisp, full of sunshiny lemon and grapefruit pith, along with some saltine cracker and white bread notes I rather enjoy. Call it the Fresca of Pinot Grigio—and there is NOTHING wrong with that. — a month ago

Ellen Clifford

9.1

So talkative in the dried fruit realm—prunes, figs, dried cranberry and figs. The palate has a super texture, slightly grabby tannins but in the way you want to be grabbed, like at the end of a hug on a really good first date. GRAB ME tannins! These do, but politely, and you want them to because they are fine-grained if assertive. The dried fruit plays nicely with cocoa powder and freeze-dried espresso granules (smell them, you’ll see). REALLY good. It grows more herbal with time, too. — a month ago

Ellen Clifford

9.3

I opened this on my birthday (it seemed apropos). Like its big brother (sister/horse-er?), it is a St-Émilion Grand Cru…and I tried the 2021, which, omg, I feel bad I have committed so much wine infanticide in my life…this is good now but shows SO much promise for age-ousity (new wine adjective, adverb?) Made of 60% Merlot, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Cabernet Franc. Blackberries, tobacco, slight violet notes and toasty cedar on the nose initially, heavy twirling teases out hints of red plum. The palate starts earthy, broadening across the mid-palate to reveal juicy, juicy cassis (red and black) and a touch of dried vines that reads as enriching, not drying—inching further towards perfume on the finish. The tannins are the melt-in-your-mouth type—they make themselves known and then relax. I loved this wine. Give it air if you open it now, lots of air and twirl it like it’s the belle of the ball, but ideally, give it a little more time. I’m not sure when it will peak, but it should continue to evolve favorably over the years. — 17 days ago

Ellen Clifford

8.9

Splendid—crisp, more fruit-forward, and the gooseberry and petrichor hint at the Savvy B of it all. It gives citrus, pineapple, and apple on the nose and palate, bleeding into handsome honeysuckle. REALLY good. Nuanced. It brings texture and evolves with time—more floral and gooseberry notes arrive. — a month ago

Ellen Clifford

9.4

I opened the 2019 vintage, a mere baby. I know. Pauillac is home to most of the first growths: Latour, Mouton-Rothschild and Lafite-Rothschild. This is a very well-made wine. It feels a smidge more new-world styled, fruit leading, but is so ballasted by the earth, the pencil lead, the shining wet-rock mineral notes. The nose is blackcurrant and blue plums even, with slight pepper and roses. The palate is so smooth—sanded down tannins. Granted, this had barely entered open-worthy territory, but it is showing a lot already and with air even more—the florals start to enter the picture. The already well-integrated tannins get silkier. This is an EXCELLENT wine. Interestingly, the Overture was a Napa touching on Bordeaux sensibilities, while the Pauillac was a Bordeaux wine touching on Napa vibes! — a month ago

Ellen Clifford

9.1

The look is similar, slightly simpler (than Far Ninety). The taste is still high quality. I honestly felt like this tasted as expected in this price range, but I can also remember wines I’ve tasted that were more expensive that I liked less, and vice versa. So, overall, I think this is a good bet if you want that luxe feel for (slightly) less lira. I tried the 2023 Carneros Chardonnay, which is more rich and big. The nose gives lemon balm, vanilla bean, tangerine, quince and chalk, buffered by baking spice. The palate is luscious but bright and shimmery, the acidity taking turns with vanilla and cream to show off, garnished by caramel. Rather scrumptious, definitely a food Chard, but not so much that you couldn’t enjoy it on its own, especially heading into autumn. — 20 days ago

Ellen Clifford

9.0

OH SO good. And for a very reasonable price in the 20’s. A spicy rendition, showing clove, white pepper and black tea on the nose (on top of to-be-expected-but-not-unwanted) of ripe red cherry. The palate brings in more green notes, contrasting the ripe fruit and fruitcake spices, but the acid is vibrant, and the tannins are scarcely there—this is a smooth, smooth glass of goodness. — 23 days ago

Ellen Clifford

9.1

So bright and perky for a 14 year old wine made from dried grapes! So bright and perky period, actually. Red-fruit forward but with plum fruit leather and dried apricot but like soaked in a brine of incense—there’s spice and leather hiding in there but the fruit leads the way. Heady. At least in alcohol department it’s a stunner in a leather jacket on a bike but once it escorts you to your picnic sport it’s all fancy, brie, baguette and grapes it may even peel for you (except not that because it’s tannins are so appealingly ripe).
It finishes like a likely spiced cordial who also knows how to spar, light on its surprisingly sturdy toes. — a month ago