It is home to Beaulieu Vineyard and inglenook, arguably Napa Valley’s most historically influential wineries. Dont deny yourself one of lifes little pleasures.Rutherford AVA is just north of the Oakville AVA in the heart of Napa Valley, and it is equally distinguished. More difficult to describe is the finesse - the perfect proportion and intensity from the nose through the finish. But William Hill Chardonnays emphasize subtlety and balance, incorporating citrus, pear and peach elements, with complex mineral notes, and restrained, well-integrated oak. My East Coast friends chaffe at California Chardonnays, which they see as fat, over oaked and clumsy. "Nicely balanced and complex, this dry Chardonnay reverberates with apple and pineapple fruit, a jolt of vanilla and light spices through the pleasantly bitter finish. Our consumer tasting panel was split - some praised the wines complexity others thought it was 'dirty.' If you know Pinot Noir, you know what were talking about. "Plums, bittersweet chocolate, soft tannins, roasted coffee and potting soil combine for a rich, complex wine that will continue to evolve in the bottle. A fabulous wine for current drinking, its a good match for grilled steak or smoked salmon." Medium-bodied, round and elegant, it has a nose with notes of black cherry, blackberry, cherry Coke, roasted nuts and subtle oak texturing. "A blend of 88% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon from 10 different vineyards in Napa, the Blackstone Merlot is a beautifully scupted wine. A good match for sautéed chicken or fish, or pasta Alfredo." Its reminiscent of Northern Rhone Viogniers, with delicate rose petal and dry citrus character, tart acidity and some mineral notes. One sniff lets you know this is serious stuff: Medium-bodied, with light tannin, bright plummy fruit, subtle oak, fine balance and excellent length, this is a wine that you can enjoy now (try it with veal or salmon), or lay it away for another 3 to 5 years. Not an easy wine to taste at the moment, it's tight and displaying more oak than I'd like at this stage, it still shows promise for further aging. It shows deep blackberry fruit and toasty oak, along with lightly bitter tannins. Vine Cliff wines are meant to be aged, so if you're going to drink this in its youth, aerate it. My best estimate is that it needs 7 to 10 years additional aging, so start drinking in 2013. It's hard to know if the frujit will still be there when the bitter tannins resolve. Its flavor profile includes licorice, tight blackberry, dark chocolate and toast. Like it's Oakville sibling, the Napa Valley bottling is a bit closed in its youth. The flavors are awkward, if abundant, and the balance problematic. I've been a fan of Pine Ridge wines for years, but this 14.6% alcohol rendition is just too ripe. Made for the long-term, it should only get better over the next decade. Much the same on the palate, with the addition of some dark chocolate notes, the tannin gives the finish a bitter edge.
It serves up black currant aromas (with its tobacco leaf overtones), black pepper and roasted meat.
From first sniff you know this is a serious wine with aspirations to age. Onyx is a Bordeaux-style blend where the lesser-known Malbec takes center stage, with support from Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. While it has some complexity, the flavor profile is far too reliant on oak. It tastes of blackberry, toast, molasses, fennel and vanilla.
Pine Ridge?s second Bordeaux-style offering (after Onyx) is Charmstone, a Merlot dominant blend, with support from Malbec, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Easy drinking now, it will reward further ageing for the next 7 to 10 years. Neutral fruit and Bell pepper, very long, crisp finish.īlackberry-cherry jam with scents of mint that carry through to the palate with subtle soil-mineral notes, silky texture, soft tannin, good acidity. To Kalon Vineyard Napa Valley Fume' Blanc ReserveĪustere, yet intense in its minerality. The finish is extraordinarily long, though a bit warmer than I'd like. The only knock is the high alcohol, which gives it a warm, blocky finish.Ĭomplex barrel fermentation notes mingling with lemon chiffon fruit. Napa Valley Wine Tasting Notes 2003 Robert Mondavi Wineryįabulously aromatic nose of violets, black cherry, cardamom and nutmeg follow through to the palate with modest tannin.