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.

Pena do Lobo Riberia Sacra

100% Mencia. D. Ventura is the producer with 3 vineyard sites along the Sil River. Galicia is in the southeast corner of Spain. Very steep terraces. Plum jam on the nose with a hint of black pepper and is non-certified organic. It's 'quenching' and bright, but still has a full finish with plum, pomegranate syrup. Good.

Anciano Tempranillo Reserva 2003

Old world style label and wine from Valdepenas. Very rustic colored, comes in a little golden cage! The scent is of cassis, earth, a cask aroma. With a toasty, light-cedary flavor with cherry and vanilla on the finish. A classic.

Mojo Mojo Temperanillo 2008

Unoaked tempranillo from La Mancha. South of Madrid. Bright, plums and cherries with a hint of spice. Very smooth and light to medium bodied. Really table-winey! Would do well in a wine bar with food, but, I think is good. Only $8.

Luna Benegas Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

From the oldest winemaking family in Argentina. Wine maker Federico Benegas Lynch makes an earthy style cab- aged in French Oak. Smells of fresh thyme and cinnamon with plum and has a very tannic finish. A little drying.

Waterstone Napa Valley Merlot 2006

Owned by Anders vineyard. Garnet colored merlot, sourced from Napa's finest vineyards. Good fruit without the name brand price. Oak-scented has a toasty character above the plum jam. Black currant raisin and prune with a dry finish. Good.