Goyette Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

The winemaker from Stephen Vincent, Robert Goyette and formerly of La Crema. This nearly opaque red. Nice blackberry and cassis or currant. Not as powerful in the palate as it is to the nose. Perdominant flavors are: cherry, plum jam and cigar box at the end. Slightly juicy and has a lingering mouthwatering finish.

Clockspring 2006 Zinfandel Amador County

Organic. Nice, ripe berry aromas with a hint of vanilla and cassis. Bright and acidic on the finish but has a fairly rich body with flavors of cherry, raisin, and a hint of mint. Very nice for such a reasonable price!

Stephen Vincent Pinot Noir 2008

70% Clarksburg, 30% Central Coast California. Translucent garnet color with violet undertones. Fully berried in the scent: blueberry. Nice acidity and medium bodied with red cherry and a spiced finish.

Backhouse Cabernet Sauvigon 2008

Deep plum colored with blackberry jam scent and full flavor with vanilla and raspbery finish. Decent.

Backhouse Chardonnay 2007

Light colored with a straw hue. Unoaked. Tart with decent acidity. Nutty with white peach and light body; a fine chardonnay for only $9

Clos Pegase 2005 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Very dark and opaque in the glass with garnet edges. Big pipe tobacco, ripe black cherry with a top note of cherry and spice. Silky but not rich in the mouth with flavors of black licorice, black cherry and bark. A hint of coffee and dark chocolate on the finish round out the wine and keeps it from feeling too dense. Very nice.

Tamas Estates 2007 Double Decker Red

Owned by Wente, from Monterey. A blend of cabernet sauvignon, petite sirah and barbera. Black-cherry flesh color with lighter edges. Smells warm like red raspberry pie with a floral note like narcissus. A soft, medium bodied wine with a good deal of sweetness. It feels overripe to me- without enough body or tannins to hold it all together. Nah.

Strong Arms Shiraz 2007

Deep black cherry color. Medium bodied, with mint, black cherry, tobacco and pepper. A good ‘table wine’ that is very affordable.

Flowers Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2007

Pale, clear ruby color. Cassis, acorn and cherry on the nose a hint of cola and slight mint. A light-handed California pinot that is reminiscent of French wine without the terroir.

Flowers Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2007

Northernmost part of Sonoma, hillside vineyards. Traditional Burgundian style with fine silky texture and forward fruit that smells of cantelope, honeydew and ash. Very good.

William Fevre Champs Royaux Chablis 2007

100% Chardonnay 100% stainless steel. Pale golden color. Nose is pineapple, pear and lemon peel. Acidic and crisp with a clean mineral style. Good, but I prefer the Defaix Petit Chablis for the price.

Caparone Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon French Camp Vineyard 2004

Single vineyard- "French Camp" in Paso Robles. The wines are picked very ripe, fairly late into the season. Unfined or unfiltered. Black and green olive profile- Smells wild, brambly with a slight hint of barnyard (like an aged Rioja). Very exciting style! Black cherry front with a very light touch silky flavors of anise-seed, red licorice, cedar, vanilla on the finish- yet the wine remains very light and finishes cleanly at the end like a pinot noir. A pretty wine that anyone who likes to experiment with wine will appreciate!

Domaine Haut Perron Sauvignon Blanc 2008

Sustainably grown from Touraine, Val de Loire. Really great nose with tropical fruit- very unusual for French SB's. Very nice easy drinking witht the right amount of acidity and fruit, very nice creamy finish! SO delicious; my new house wine!

Biodynamic.

Weekend Wine Tasting- Charles River Wines

Outstanding Italian Wines, A Wine Event

Last month, we hosted a fabulous wine and food pairing event in our humble tasting room. Our special guests Francois Dufort and Guido Serio shared their wine, experience and much more. A special thanks goes to Elena Lucero, of Oz Wine Company, who helped coordinate the event.