Cakebread, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary, is yet another Napa Valley winery to look outside the appellation for...
Crab on My Mind and Plate
The debate will likely go on forever: Which U.S. region produces the finest-eating crab? Is it the Eastern Seaboard,...
And Now for Something Completely Different
Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon have long made the California wine production...
La Rochelle, Russian River Valley (Sonoma County, California) Pinot Meunier 2012
Steven Kent Mirassou is the owner of La Rochelle, and Tom Stutz is his winemaker. While their focus is on Pinot Noir and...
Trefethen Vineyards, Oak Knoll District (Napa Valley, California) Merlot 2010
Unfortunately, too many California Merlots don’t smell or taste like Merlot. Too much Cabernet Sauvignon blended...
Hugh Chapelle’s Quest for Excellence at Quivira
When I first became aware of Hugh Chappelle, he was the winemaker at Flowers Vineyard and Winery on the far-west Sonoma...
Paraduxx, Napa Valley (California) 2010
The “C” comes from Cabernet Sauvignon, which comprises 60% of the blend (with 40% Zinfandel). And indeed, Cab...
Dierberg, Sta. Rita Hills (Santa Barbara County, California) Pinot Noir 2010
Sports the signature Sta. Rita Hills Pinot character of firm tannic structure, dark-berry fruit and black tea, and adds to that...
Wine Cool in the Sta. Rita Hills
The Sta. Rita Hills AVA in southwestern Santa Barbara County is known for its cool-climate Pinot Noirs and the hip...
Dutton-Goldfield, Green Valley (Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, California) Pinot Noir 2011
This wine has intoxicating marionberry and blueberry aromas and flavors, and rooty sarsaparilla tones, yet it boasts a...
Patz & Hall, Sonoma Coast (California) Pinot Noir 2011
Winemaker James Hall produces several Pinot Noirs from each vintage, most of them vineyard-designated. Yet the Sonoma...
Thomas Fogarty, Santa Cruz Mountains (California) Pinot Noir 2011
This wine is so elegant and refined that it likely flies under the radar of many critics, particularly those who love richness...