us

bright cherry and blueberry notes combine with hints of leather, earth, crushed pepper and grapeseed on the nose of this bottling. it's relatively light in body, showing peppery verve on the palate plus blueberry-elderberry fruit and bay-leaf herbals.

cl

spicy, rubbery, subtle berry aromas come with a hard, smoky element. this is firm, tannic and grabby in feel, with heady flavors of baked berry, herbal notes and overt oak. the finish is smoky, sweet, woody and lightly green.

us

dark fruits characterize this young, vigorous wine. black cherries, blackberries, even dark chocolate flood the palate, delicious and spicy. yet there's a tannic, acidic tightness that makes the mouthfeel tough and gritty. one of the better lake county pinots out there, but work needs to be done.

pt

harvested according to the moon cycle, this wine is dense, complex and concentrated. with the dark color typical of the red grape alicante bouschet, the wine also has rich, smoky tannins and firm black fruits. it is going to need some more aging, so drink from 2018.

us

this exceedingly light wine was given very subtle amounts of oak. it offers a sophisticated take on sassafras and bing cherry within an earthy, structured shell that imparts a medium-bodied mouthfeel and plenty of acidity. from a site in sebastopol, it needs time to open in the glass.

us

from a vineyard in the atlas peak foothills, this wine offers plummy black cherry fruit accented with clove, pepper and leather. soft and well integrated on the palate, it shows a boldness of flavor that's powerful and earthy.

de

dried orange zest and lanolin lend a spicy earthen tone to lush pink-grapefruit flavor in this powerfully structured dry riesling. it's unabashedly bold on the palate, with a delicious sleek minerality that's cut with intense lemon-lime acidity.

us

this 100% varietal wine seems to still be in its shell, with light notes of coffee, plum and licorice along with other barrel spices. the fruit flavors are supple with some heft to the tannins and a tart lick of acidity that spruces things up. a lot of good things are going on here but they don't quite all come together.

us

the vintage was a good one for sequum, which is assembling an impressive track record. the wine is dry and tannic, yet wonderfully forward in blackberries and black currants, and the oak application is perfect. give it until 2020 or so in the cellar.

us

this estate-grown 100% syrah is sour and inelegant on its own but would have worked nicely in a blend where it could have provided meaty structure.

ar

dense mossy aromas of blackberry are slightly murky. forget about delicacy on the palate, this is full-bodied and clattering. blackberry, cassis, black cherry and chocolate flavors finish spicy. this is at maximum ripeness. drink through 2022.

us

scoury and sweet in the mouth, this blend of pinot noir and chardonnay has forward flavors of peaches, limes, oranges, honey and vanilla. with brisk acidity, it's a nice bubbly to drink now.

us

this blend of 50% syrah and 50% cabernet franc is a bit over the hill, so drink up now. prune, raisin, leather, roasted meat and pepper show on the nose, while the palate offers dried cherries and dust.

es

like certain rieslings, this smells a lot like gasoline. in the mouth, this chardonnay-xarello blend is narrow and scouring. bitter, nutty flavors of generic white fruits finish waxy.

fr

this wine manages to combine firm structure with the finely perfumed fruit associated with chambolle-musigny. it's rich, fruity, lifted by acidity and held together by solid tannins. impressive and full bodied, it's a wine to age. drink from 2024.

de

riper notes of pink grapefruit and tangerine distinguish this dry riesling from georg albrecht schneider's other 2014 wines. the palate is cutting and crisp, showcasing tart limes and gooseberries against a blossomy finish. drink now.

us

leather, bark and tar meet cola and black licorice scents in this full-bodied, ripe red. its palate is layered and showy in meaty, sanguine personality.

us

a blend of roussanne, marsanne and viognier, this was made in the passito style—grapes were dried to concentrate sugars, then pressed and fermented. the result is a terrific and unusual dessert wine, with candied fruits mixing papaya, guava, banana, meyer lemon and more. the center is simply lush and fruity; the finish tails off gently with a honeyed kiss.

pt

this wine is rich and packed with black fruits. the soft texture and ripe fruitiness mean the tannins will soon fully integrate. drink from 2018.

us

a vertical red stripe reads “twentieth anniversary” along the left side of the front label. one suspects that such a milestone receives special care, and this certainly shows it. aromatic with scents of cherries and blossoms, this is supported on a firm, almost steely frame of acid and tannin, and dotted with hints of herb and seed and grain. it's not a big wine, but given its chance, should age gracefully for up to a decade.