Stephen Redenbaugh

9.3

90 degrees Lake Michigan….Whitefish Picatta and asparagus risotto. God, I love Massican wines when summer settles in. Full throttle with more presence/weight than expected. Savory notes of green herbs and distinct acid/tannin presence. Notes of lime/lemon/grapefruit…gains gravitas as it warms. Sublime summer sipper… with/ without food. Long, sexy finish. — 4 days ago

Stephen Redenbaugh

9.3

OG red-table-cloth Italian but amped up. This wine soared… dark, rich purple… blackberry, earth, loam, touch of saddle-leather and tobacco. Explosive aromas that delivered a big, friendly hug. Remarkably understated weight on the palette… complex, NOT jammy and long finish with round, expressive tannins. This zin reinforced my contention that good Cali zin deserves consideration anytime pasta, red-sauce, and veal are on the table. Happy Easter, Vinous! — 2 months ago

Stephen Redenbaugh

9.0

Ripe… dark… viscous. Seeking and not finding structural balance. Nice berry fruit but no earth, no “green”, no acid. What a shame! First glass was drinkable… second over the top and boring…okay… time to get real… this wine sucks…far too sweet…like Meiomi for euro-trash wine geek wanna-be’s. There… I feel lots better! — 3 months ago

Stephen Redenbaugh

9.1

A bit riper and rounder than expected… but dripping in pineapple, papaya, and juicy Bartlet Pear nuances. Leaning a bit to the fruit vs acidity… still delicious and vital. — 24 days ago

Stephen Redenbaugh

9.5

Happy Easter from Calistoga. Brilliantly gold in the glass. Very warm vintage so chard dominant. Lemon curd, zest, rind… lovely movement on the palate… not much of usual brioche or yeast; but long citrus tart apple finish. Wonder how long-lived this wine will be… but it cut through all that rich creaminess of a boatload of Mt. Tam. — 2 months ago

Stephen Redenbaugh

9.2

Explosion of sweet, black, Franken-berry notes….ripe, round, nearly viscous but pulled-up just in time to avoid “jammy”. I love the serious interplay between Syrah and Cabernet. Long Smokey finish. Bravo Stephan. — 3 months ago

Stephen Redenbaugh

9.1

An old friend revisited. Bright lemon yellow…medium weight, lemon, melon, tart pear. Smooth, perhaps a bit of unresolved sweetness. Nice tropical accompaniment to curried shrimps and rich lobster bisque al fresco with smooth tropical trade winds. Could use a touch more acidity — 3 months ago

Stephen Redenbaugh

9.2

Classic Geyserville…. Ripe, rich, field blend with dark, chewy, berry/plum notes. A long, weighty palate presence and bright, focused finish with plenty of depth. Maybe desiring a bit more tannin or acidity to offset the sweetness of the fruit. — 2 months ago

Stephen Redenbaugh

9.1

Easter in Napa? Hell yeah! Simple aromas of ripe dark berry fruit, touch of earth, and a hint of tobacco. Nice medium palate weight and balance between fruit and acid. Perfect foil for fresh cod with capers, tomato, and olives and Bolognese. Haven’t tasted this in years but I have to lift a glass in Mike Grgich’s honor. Cheers to a vinous hero! — 2 months ago

Stephen Redenbaugh

9.1

Bright, barely discernible as a red… touch of smoke, tart cherry, chewy green stem-thing but it works. Rustic, lifted, leaving just a hint of heat as it caresses on the way out. Not jammy, not lush, but great food accompaniment. — 3 months ago