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Vintage

Wine

Type

Color

Rating

$

2023

Producer

Name

This Syrah from Sonoma Mountain was aged for 22 months in 50% new French oak. The resulting wine bursts with aromas of violets, white pepper, blood orange, and cherry, framed by expressive pine forest notes. The palate is rich yet lifted, carrying those vibrant elements through a long, beautifully attractive finish. As it opens in the glass, the wine builds with additional layers of white pepper, cedarwood, and blackberry and black cherry fruit, accented by a hint of charcuterie. Powerful tannins and a dark slate–driven mineral character frame the wine, while blood orange notes, zesty acidity, and palpable tension keep everything fresh and focused. It feels super fresh and a bit coiled at this stage. Winemaker Justin Harmon notes, “Syrah should be farmed like Pinot—but it’s so vigorous you need a machete to the canopy, or the sun will never reach the fruit.” To ensure proper exposure, the vineyard is farmed down to one cluster per shoot, yielding around 2.5 tons per acre.

2022

Producer

Name

The Indigo Syrah from Sonoma Mountain was aged for 28 months in 100% new French oak, and in 2022 this wine feels like an anomaly for the vintage—though perhaps not. Winemaker Justin Harmon tells me the grapes were still going through veraison during the 2022 heatwave, after which conditions cooled significantly. That sequence shows clearly in the glass. There is an impressive sense of coolness to the wine, with blue- and black-fruited character, beautifully perfumed rose petal and violet notes, all building into a full-bodied richness on the palate. The structure is framed by supple, soft, round, silky tannins, finishing with unctuous dark berry fruit and cocoa powder–like tannins, followed by a saline, wet-slate mineral note on the long finish. This is a dangerously drinkable wine—make sure you do not have to drive anywhere after pulling the cork.

2023

Producer

Name

The Bastard Tongue Pinot Noir is a Sonoma County appellation blend, drawn from exceptional fruit sources. As winemaker Justin Harmon puts it, “Every single one of our Pinots has a shot at becoming this cuvée.” The final blend is often anchored by Swan selection, as it is in 2023, and incorporates fruit from seven sites. Fermented in stainless steel and aged for 22 months in 85% new French oak, the wine delivers on its promise year after year. This is a dark, brooding, and expansive Pinot Noir, packed with rich, night-dark fruit and a mineral intensity so pronounced it might have a Texas oilman sniffing for liquid gold in the glass. Full-bodied and deeply expressive, it shows off-the-charts rose petal floral intensity alongside dark brown baking spices and Asian spice notes, with crushed river stone minerality adding further complexity. There is real tannic intensity here—powerful yet nicely integrated—ensuring graceful ageing, all driven by a vibrant core of bracing acidity.

2023

Producer

Name

Le Rayon Vert is a barrel-select cuvée that undergoes extended élevage, spending 14 months in oak followed by six months in stainless steel, with additional time in stainless steel prior to bottling. The wine is then held for a further six months before release. Fruit is sourced from three sites in Bennett Valley: two hillside vineyards and one valley-floor site. The aromatics are super bright and expressive, led by citrus peel and flinty minerality, with subtle toasted cedarwood and spicy ginger notes. On the palate, there is a radiant core of electric acidity and saline mineral tension that brings terrific focus and energy. As with the previous vintage, the finish is long and layered, marked by bright, crunchy apple spice and a lingering wet-slate mineral note.

2023

Producer

Name

This is a Méthode Champenoise–style Grenache sparkling wine. It is fermented in large-format neutral oak casks and aged seven years en tirage, with late disgorgement and a 5 g/L dosage. The wine is delicious, showing crunchy, delicate mixed-berry fruit alongside toasted hazelnut nuances. Bright and precise, it features a persistent, finely textured mousse that builds richness across the palate, finishing with a zesty mid-palate lift and blood orange–driven acidity on the long, energetic finish.

2022

Producer

Name

Aged for 19 months in European and French oak (50% new) and sourced entirely from estate-grown fruit from Concannon’s Blocks 7, 17, 10, and 15. This is a generous, inviting red wine, offering spiced plum fruit and mulberry nuances layered with rich fig character and fig paste. Subtle notes of toasted marshmallow, mocha, and espresso bean add depth. It’s honestly reminiscent of biting into a Fig Newton—rich, comforting, and deeply satisfying—with a long, textured, lingering finish.

2023

Producer

Name

Aged for 20 months in French oak and sourced entirely from estate-grown fruit in Block 15 of the Concannon Vineyard and Lemmons Vineyard. The wine shows brighter fruit tones and warm baking spice, wrapped in elegant cedarwood notes that encompass the palate. Nuances of rose petal and rose stem emerge, along with a subtle hint of grilled red pepper—like a light pepper char—on the firm, satisfying finish. This is a structured Cabernet Franc with the depth and balance to cellar comfortably for a decade; keep enough on hand to enjoy its evolution over time.

2023

Producer

Name

The grapes are sourced entirely from Lemmons Vineyard, planted to French Clone 331, also known as Clone 5 at UC Davis. This clone is naturally dark-fruited and delivers classic Cabernet Franc character, with broad shoulders and excellent phenolic structure. Dark berry fruit lifts out of the glass, accented by juniper bush spice, wild bright sage, and smoked paprika. The tannins are supple yet firm and elliptical, carrying the dark berry profile through the palate and building toward a fresh, inviting finish marked by unsweetened cocoa powder richness.

2023

Producer

Name

Aged for 20 months in French and American oak, this wine is sourced entirely from estate fruit in Block 7, Clone 7, drawn from the Mother Vine blocks that include both iconic old vines and some younger plantings. The Mother Vine itself is now in its fifth decade. Originally brought to California from Château Margaux in 1893, it was re-propagated across the region in the 1970s and later became the foundational material used to replant much of Napa Valley in the latter half of the 1990s. The 2023 growing season in Livermore was notably cool, with no significant heat spikes, and the wine reflects the precision of the vintage. It’s bold and robust, beautifully constructed, with mixed berry fruit—raspberry, black cherry, spiced plum, and blackberry—wrapped in a velvety texture. Rich tannins frame a ripe, plush center, while dark-fruited depth mingles with espresso-bean spice, mocha richness, and graphite nuances on the finish. Profoundly layered in this vintage—one of the best examples I’ve tasted from Concannon.

2023

Producer

Name

Named in honor of James Concannon, a first-generation family member and former stampmaker, the 2023 Stampmaker was aged for 16 months in 26% French oak and sourced from Carter Vineyard, Blocks 3 and 17. The wine is wonderfully ripe and vibrant, offering white pepper spice and beautifully candied red berry fruit. A layered mix of mixed berry fruit, espresso bean, and clove unfolds across the palate, lifted by blood orange–tinged acidity. Rich, velvety tannins are caressing and seamless, carrying the wine to a long, generously fruited finish.

2023

Producer

Name

The old casks in the Concannon winery—large-format barrels from Demptos and Seguin Moreau dating back to the early 1970s—were originally intended for ageing Petite Sirah. This wine was aged for 16 months in French and Hungarian oak and comes entirely from Concannon’s estate: Block 11 and the head-trained vines of Block 1. It’s a power-packed wine with a real freshness factor. All that classic Petite Sirah character is here—earthy, rich, and plummy fruit layered with mocha and warm Indian spice. The tannins are big, rich, and hearty, with a granular, brambly quality that builds across the mineral-driven finish. Notes of violets, graphite, and pressed florals burst through, giving the wine lift and dimension.

2024

Producer

Name

Aged for seven months in neutral oak with a small portion in stainless steel, this wine is 100% estate grown from Triska Vineyard and Arroyo Mocho Creek Vineyard. The 2024 vintage brought a warmer end to the season, but for the white varieties it was a fairly average, steady growing year. The wine is wonderfully tropical, with white peach and pineapple notes, along with a touch of lemon curd. Fragrant French pastry tones and a hint of quince add lift and complexity. The finish is crisp and satisfying, laced with gentle warming baking spice.

2024

Producer

Name

The wine was aged for seven months in stainless steel and is made from 100% estate-grown fruit sourced from Lemmons Vineyard, a 15-acre site across from Darcie Kent Winery, and from Arroyo Mocho Creek Vineyard, just across the street from Concannon Vineyard. Concannon has been producing this wine since the 1980s. The Sémillon adds a softer textural component to the racy Sauvignon Blanc in this blend. It’s delicious, loaded with tropical fruit notes and a pop of lychee, with a lovely, lusciously sweet mid-palate—even though the wine finishes dry. Nuances of honeysuckle and white flowers bring bright, captivating detail.

2023

Producer

Name

Aged for 19 months in 50% new French oak and entirely estate grown from the Stone Patch block in the Crane Ridge area—an upland site that sits along a fault line and is known for the quartz-rich boulders that push up through the soil. Just 178 cases were produced. The wine is elegant, with red berry fruit, dusty mineral tones, sage, juniper, rose stem, and a touch of fennel. The tannins are precise and refined. Medium-bodied with excellent fruit concentration, yet carried by real energy and pristine clarity of fruit.

2023

Producer

Name

Aged for 20 months in French oak and sourced entirely from estate-grown fruit; just 210 cases produced. Crown Block is the original estate vineyard block on Crane Ridge, planted north–south, with drainage on all four sides and rocky clay bench soils. The wine opens with a ripe, lifted cassis and black currant nose, layered with spiced plum fruit and subtle cola nut notes, interwoven with violets. Soaring, ripe tannins frame the palate, carrying savory wild herb, spice, and tobacco nuances, all grounded by rich, loamy earth tones.

2023

Producer

Name

Aged for 20 months in French oak and made entirely from estate-grown fruit; 235 cases produced. Crown Block is the original estate vineyard on Crane Ridge, planted on rocky clay bench soils with north–south–oriented vines and natural drainage on all four sides. Hungarian-born winemaker Julian Halasz notes that this is Clone 5 Merlot, which he prefers because it’s “more tannic and has great color and has a kind of Cabernet structure.” The team performs extensive sorting to ensure stems are almost entirely excluded. On the nose, it shows a distinctly Cabernet-like profile—dark fruit, rich spice, and cedarwood. Yet the palate reveals beautifully velvety Merlot tannins supporting bold, generous fruit, all carried by a racy spine of acidity.

2022

Producer

Name

Aged for 20 months in French oak and sourced entirely from estate-grown fruit; just 229 cases produced. East Hill receives less sunlight and experiences cooler temperatures than its West Hill sibling, and years of significant erosion have challenged the vines since planting. For me, East Hill versus West Hill is like tasting midnight versus midday—one brooding and shadowed, the other warm and expressive. Here, West Hill benefits from afternoon sun, ensuring ample ripeness. The profile leans toward currant-driven fruit, with raspberry and cherry nuances, warm Asian and Indian spices, and a long, penetrating tannic finish that resolves beautifully with fig and dried red floral notes.

2022

Producer

Name

Aged for 20 months in French oak and made entirely from estate-grown fruit, with only 224 cases produced. East Hill receives less sunlight and experiences cooler temperatures compared to its West Hill sibling, and years of significant erosion have caused these vines to struggle since planting. For me, East Hill versus West Hill is like tasting midnight versus midday—one brooding and shadowed, the other warm and expressive. Here, East Hill delivers a deeply dark profile: black cherry, elegant cedarwood, black currants, and cigar box accents. The finish lifts with powerful, soaring tannins and deeper notes of mulberry and violets.

2025

Producer

Name

This is 100% Sauvignon Blanc (Musqué clone) from Triska Vineyard, aged for three months in stainless steel. Amanda Kent explained that they decided to plant this more coastal-leaning Musqué clone—rather than Clone 1—because the region is, in fact, cooling. The clone was first planted in 2018 at Triska and has since been added to Lemmons Vineyard as well. At Triska, the block faces north at a ten-degree angle, tilted away from the sun, and the team grows the canopies tall to create additional shade. I tasted the 2025 in December 2025—the first wine I tried from the vintage. It was fermented in tank with a portion in acacia wood, not for flavour but to add mid-palate appeal. Harvested in mid-September, it was aged on the lees for about six weeks and bottled a few months later. Super aromatic, with bright white pepper, green apple, honeycomb, jasmine, and even a touch of fresh-sliced jalapeño. Light, bright, and zesty on the mid-palate, with crunchy acidity and a bone-dry, wet-slate mineral finish. Super inviting and enticing.

2024

Producer

Name

The grapes are night-picked and fermented mostly in stainless steel, with a portion in neutral barrels. This is a bold, rich, and savory wine, showing a warming spice character through the mid-palate. Apricot jam notes are layered with orchard fruit, additional stone fruit, and white floral accents, all building toward a cantaloupe-tinged finish. A long, lingering orange oil sweetness carries through the finish, yet the wine remains bone dry. It’s a crowd favorite and a wine everyone should try, especially at the table—it stands up beautifully to acidity, fat, and spice, with excellent length and tension.

2022

Producer

Name

Sourced from two small lots on the property, with Tempranillo vines planted in between, both parcels were fermented together and aged in French oak for around 24 months. On the nose, the wine offers crunchy cranberry fruit, tobacco-leaf character, and perfumed rose-petal and cherry-blossom notes. Full-bodied, with ripe, fine-grained tannins and a clean wet-stone minerality, it finishes with tangy, citrusy acidity that is pleasantly refreshing.

2022

Producer

Name

Lifted and enticing notes of black-cherry fruit, white truffle, charcuterie and bacon fat, with hints of vanillin and violets. All come together on the palate, where the fruit is bright and richer in tone, with dark-cherry and spiced-plum notes, pomegranate-seed character and violet and lavender nuances throughout. Super perfumed, juicy and delicious. Grapes are aged in American oak for 24 months, mostly neutral.

2024

Producer

Name

The vineyard is in Pinole, and the grapes are whole-cluster pressed, fermented and aged in stainless steel, then bottled in January following the harvest. The wine is bright and crisp, with a rich umami baking-spice note reminiscent of Parmesan rind, encompassed by bright citrus and subtle tropical-fruit tones, finishing on a stony mineral edge. Jennifer Sahura says she named the wine after the Japanese word sakura, meaning ‘cherry blossoms’. The fleeting beauty of the sakura reminds us to embrace life and appreciate each moment, and she hopes the Sakura wines bring people together — family, friends and the moments that matter. Jennifer was raised in Davis, lived in Sunnyvale, and in 2020 moved with her family to Livermore.

2022

Producer

Name

The 2022 Petite Sirah is 100% Petite Sirah, aged for 21 months in 29% new Eastern European oak. The Dell Valle wines have been made at Garré by winemaker Aaron Luna since 2020. This is a fashionable, stylish wine with vibrant blue and black fruit flair, violets, crème de cassis, and sweet Asian spices. Burly, robust, and bold tannins frame the palate, building across the full-bodied finish. Opulent and crowd-pleasing.

2021

Producer

Name

The 2021 RJM is a blend of 50% Cabernet Franc, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petite Sirah, 5% Sangiovese, and 5% Primitivo, aged for 20 months in 20% new European oak. This commemorative bottling honors founder Robert Joseph Molinaro, who passed away in 2023. Ripe currant and cassis lead the aromatics, joined by violets, rose petals, fig jam, and a subtle meatiness that builds across the medium-bodied palate. The wine is framed by granular tannins and finishes with lengthy notes of black licorice and olive tapenade. The Dell Valle wines are made at Garré by winemaker Aaron Luna.

2024

Producer

Name

This 100% Grenache from the Fong Vineyard is fermented in stainless steel, with grapes picked at lower Brix—around 22. It opens with fresh mixed-berry aromatics, white peach, and apricot, along with a pop of dried herbs and baking spice. Long, crisp, and clean, it finishes with zesty acid tension. The Dell Valle wines are made at Garré by winemaker Aaron Luna.

2024

Producer

Name

100% Chardonnay from the Estate Vineyard, fermented at 53°F in stainless steel. Winemaker Aaron Luna, who joined the winery in 2016, crafts a bright, focused expression. The winery was established in the late 1990s and is owned today by Gina Carderra. Lemon-bright and refreshing, with white flowers and a hint of honeysuckle, lifted by tangerine oil and a crisp, crunchy acid grip. Clean, energetic, and easygoing.

2022

Producer

Name

Profound Secret is a blend of 36% Malbec, 36% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 9% Petite Sirah, sourced from the winery’s Estate Vineyard and aged for 20 months in 50% new French and Eastern European oak. Winemaker Aaron Luna, who joined the winery in 2016, crafts this bottling. The estate itself was founded in the late 1990s and is owned today by Gina Cardenas. The wine is opulent, delivering mulberry fruit layered with toffee, espresso-bean nuances, and cedarwood, with blue-fruit undertones and fig jam on the palate. A pop of soy and tobacco leaf adds depth to the fairly juicy, long finish.

2022

Producer

Name

This 100% Cabernet Franc comes from the winery’s Estate Vineyard and was aged for 18 months in 40% new French and Eastern European oak. Winemaker Aaron Luna, who joined the winery in 2016, crafts this bottling. The estate was established in the late 1990s and is owned today by Gina Cardenas. Lifted aromas of red currant and cassis mingle with fragrant baking spice, tobacco leaf, and a smoky minerality. The palate is laced with white pepper and a savory meatiness, framed by black tea tannins, hints of Earl Grey, and subtle vanilla. Red licorice accents carry through the resolute, juicy finish.

2022

Producer

Name

Named in honor of the late James Vincent, who founded the winery with his wife, Ginger, this Cabernet Sauvignon comes from the 12-acre McGrail Vineyard. It was fermented in stainless steel with a cold soak to amplify color and fruit intensity, then kept on the skins for up to 20 days post-fermentation before being pressed, settled, and racked to barrel. The wine was aged for 30 months in 100% new French oak. It’s a blend of two Cabernet clones: Clone 15, which tends to be fruitier, and Clone 8, which leans more savory. Together, they express dark berry fruit layered with sagebrush, tobacco, and a pop of juniper, followed by ripe, juicy mulberry on the full-bodied palate. The tannins are chewy, bold, and palate-arresting, with a gravelly mineral edge. Long, spicy, and resonant.

2022

Producer

Name

The 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Patriot comes from the Estate Vineyard and was aged for 30 months in 100% new American oak barrels. This is a bold, ripe, richly fruited wine, bursting with blueberry and blackberry, cola nut, sweet Asian spices, and luscious, supple tannins that carry a meaty quality. Fig paste and charcuterie notes mingle with loamy earth, leading into big, chewy tannins on the resounding finish. The moniker is a tribute to the winery’s support of the Fallen Heroes Fund and also honors founder James Vincent, a former Alameda County Sheriff. Tasted with Mark Clarin in December of 2025, this has the same power and intensity of the 2021, but much more fruit-driven.

2022

Producer

Name

The 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon A Jó Élet comes entirely from the Estate Vineyard. It’s bold and spicy, with a molasses-like richness, dark baking spice, clove, blue fruit, and violets all coming together on the palate, delivering a hard-to-beat “yummy factor.” The tannins are soaring and expressive—firm at first, then resolving into juicy, dark, brooding fruit. The wine was aged for 30 months in brand-new Hungarian oak barrels. Winemaker Mark Clarin cherry-picks his favorite barrels for this blend, producing about 400 cases.

2022

Producer

Name

Winemaker Mark Clarin says Cabernet Sauvignon should be “big, bold, and badass”—and this wine delivers. Sourced from the 12-acre McGrail Vineyard, the grapes were cold-soaked in stainless steel to amplify color and fruit intensity, followed by fermentation and up to 20 days of extended maceration on the skins. After pressing and settling, the wine was racked to barrel and aged for 30 months in approximately 65% new oak—a mix of French, Hungarian, and American. Like the previous vintage, this bottling bursts out of the glass with mixed berry fruit—raspberry, black cherry, mulberry—and warm baking spice notes. Sweet mulling spices join cocoa-powder tannins that bring real intensity, finishing with brighter blue-fruit aromas, loamy earth, and a pop of toffee spice.

2022

Producer

Name

This wine is made entirely from Cabernet Sauvignon Clone 30 (the Silverado “Disney” clone) sourced from the Lucky 8 Vineyard, a 12-acre site planted in 2016. Located just off Tesla Road, the vineyard sits on a gentle slope. The wine was aged for 30 months in French and American oak barrels (50% new). It’s driven by cassis and currant fruit, with accents of currant leaf and red tobacco. The tannins are rich, robust, and chocolaty, with dried violets and charcuterie notes that carry through the medium-bodied, spicy finish.

2023

Producer

Name

The Ghielmetti Vineyard is located in the eastern foothills of the Livermore Valley, planted to the ENTAV clone UCD-4. This wine is elegant and finesse-driven, with lovely white pepper and redcurrant and cranberry fruit, along with gorgeous sagebrush and juniper-bush garrigue. Supple, mineral-laced tannins frame the palate, carrying cocoa-powder freshness and rich brown spices on the lengthy, juicy and acid-driven finish.

2023

Producer

Name

The 2023 L’Autre Côte is a blend of 85% Cabernet Franc from the Ghielmetti Vineyard in the eastern foothills of the Livermore Valley, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Lux Block of Bates Ranch, and 5% Merlot from the Zayante Vineyard — the latter two situated in the Santa Cruz Mountains. This is a bright, vivid and expressive wine, bursting with blue and red fruit notes laced with lovely espresso-bean and clove nuances, a refined tobacco character and spiced-plum fruit. Cocoa-powder tannins build on the mineral-rich, wild-herb finish. Superbly classy, with a firm spine of acidity, it is one of the most balanced, complex and approachable wines from the area, and should age gracefully for at least two decades or more.

2025

Producer

Name

This is the 2025 Cabernet Franc from Gilmetti Vineyard, bottled in 12-ounce beer bottles — a playful decision by winemaker Steven Kent, who simply pulled it from tank and bottled it at 13.5% alcohol. It is super young, youthful, unfined and unfiltered, and it smells and tastes exactly as Cabernet Franc should, with crisp tannins, clean acidity and super-juicy dark-berry fruit. It is absolutely delicious, and if you find yourself at a beer-only party, you could bring this along, pretend, and get away with it.

2023

Producer

Name

A New World–style Cabernet Sauvignon, this 100% Cab is sourced from 53% White Cat Vineyard and 47% Casa de Vinas Clone 30 Vineyard, and aged in a mix of French and American oak. It’s a fabulous wine, opening in the glass with red and black cherry fruit layered with toasty cedarwood and subtle sweet spice. The medium-bodied palate is juicy and expressive, supported by fine tannins with a black tea quality. For all its boldness, the wine remains remarkably approachable and refreshing, with a firm spine of juicy acidity that keeps it lively and buoyant.

2023

Producer

Name

Fermented in open-top half-ton bins with daily punchdowns, this Merlot-based blend was aged for 19 months in 55% new French oak. The Merlot comes from Thatcher Bay, the Carménère from the cooler-climate Insel Vineyard in Pleasanton, and the Malbec and Cabernet Franc from White Cat. The wine rises out of the glass with plum fruit, fresh herbs, and tobacco notes, supported by hints of leather and a white-truffle, charcuterie-like intensity. A firm baseline of ripe, bold tannins anchors the palate. Juicy and a bit spicy on the lasting finish.

2023

Producer

Name

A blend of 93% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot, and 2% Petit Verdot, aged for 18 months in French oak (43% new). The Cabernet Franc is sourced from White Cat Vineyard in the Crane Ridge area on the eastern edge of Livermore Valley. Exceptionally bright and vivid, the wine shows crunchy red fruit alongside savory sage and tobacco notes, with Asian spices and white pepper shining on the palate. Medium-bodied with a creamy mid-palate, ripe currant fruit, and warming spice, it carries through to a savory, spiced, and floral finish. The frame is slightly lighter than the 2022, yet just as elegant and complex in flavor, with excellent length.

2023

Producer

Name

Fruit comes from the highly acclaimed Sachau Vineyard, a Wente property. Crafted in an Old World style with a light touch on oak, the wine was aged for 20 months in once-used French barrels; just 55 cases were produced. On the nose, it’s bright and lifted, with crunchy red fruit—cranberry and cherry—alongside sagebrush and smoky mineral notes. The palate is medium-bodied, with vibrant, lithe tannins that are polished and well-integrated, finishing with juicy blue fruit and elegant orange-peel aromatics. Just spectacular.

2024

Producer

Name

From vintner Weston Edison, best known for Silver Ghost, this Pinot Noir is sourced from the iconic Charles Heintz Vineyard near the town of Occidental, just eight miles from the Pacific Ocean. It’s a dark-fruited, powerful expression of Pinot Noir, layered with rich espresso bean and caramel spice. Medium-bodied yet concentrated, the palate is lifted by blood orange and pithy grapefruit notes that bring freshness and energy, finishing with excellent length and a deep forest, redwood-driven character.

2022

Producer

Name

Gorgeous aromatics of dark cherry, cherry wood smoke, and clove rise from the glass, unfolding into a tapestry of exotic Asian spices that lift and energize the palate. Crunchy apple-skin tannins frame a supple core of dark berry fruit, and the interplay of fruit, spice, and gentle grip creates a wonderfully textural, deeply flavored experience. Sourced from vineyards along the western edge of the Sonoma Coast AVA, this 100% Pinot Noir was aged 20 months in 33% new French oak barrels and is composed of Clones 667, 828, and Pommard. Founded in 2006 by proprietor John Sweazey, and guided by winemaker Katy Wilson since 2014, Anaba produces limited-production Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs, and Rhône-style wines, many from exclusive vineyard partnerships.

2022

Producer

Name

This wine opens with a nostalgic burst of Red Hots hard candy—spicy and cinnamon-driven—alongside hints of blue and black fruit and warm brown baking spices. The palate is vibrant and consistent, offering juicy, plump fruit and velvety tannins supported by crunchy pomegranate seed, ripe black raspberry, and a lively blood-orange acidity that brings tension and lift. A blast of cocoa powder richness builds toward the finish, accented by lingering notes of clove. Sourced from Rosella’s Vineyard, located at the northernmost edge of the Santa Lucia Highlands and planted to the Pisoni Clone of Pinot Noir, this late-ripening, cool site produces thick-skinned berries that yield a more muscular tannin structure. Aged 15 months in 50% new French oak.

2022

Producer

Name

Garys’ Vineyard—Dan Kosta and winemaker Shane Finley’s second source in the Santa Lucia Highlands—is also planted to the Pisoni Clone of Pinot Noir. The site typically ripens about 10 days earlier than Rosella’s, producing wines with less tannin, more finesse, and delicate blue floral character. Dan Kosta has sourced fruit from Garys’ Vineyard since 2005, when it was part of his former Kosta Browne label. The 2022 vintage is a dark-fruited, sumptuous, and savory expression, showing a bit more power and richness on the nose and a broader profile than Rosella’s. The wine opens with super savory aromatics of dried sage, rosemary, and thyme, joined by intriguing notes of yellow curry and red berry fruit that become more defined on the palate. A luxurious mocha richness envelops the senses, balanced by elegant conifer spice, while the long, refreshing finish shows crunchy red apple-skin acidity. It’s simply a delicious wine to drink.

2023

Producer

Name

From Rosella’s Vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands, this white offers gorgeous, lifted aromatics of brown spice and a hint of anise. The wonderfully rich mid-palate is framed by exquisite saline minerality and the grip of lemon zest and apple skin. Lean, focused, and nuanced, it’s a tension-filled expression of Rosella’s. Barrel-fermented and aged in 50% new French oak. The 2022 vintage marks the inaugural release of this wine under the DK Grail label—wines that founder Dan Kosta sources from highly reputable vineyards, aiming for consistency, structure, and age-worthiness.

2022

Producer

Name

The 2022 Woodenhead Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley is unfined and unfiltered, revealing a savory, spice-driven expression of Pinot Noir redolent of cherry fruit wrapped in eucalyptus leaves, with Earl Grey tea nuances framing the medium-bodied palate. Black tea–like tannins add structure, leading to a punctuated, lingering finish. Those savory elements are beautifully integrated and make this an ideal pairing for herb-dusted pork loin, spare ribs, or grilled branzino. Enjoy now through 2029.

N/A

Producer

Name

Wonderfully rich baking-spice notes evoke walnut–cardamom pastry, French buttered croissant, and wet river stones, all wrapped around cherry and apple fruit. The mousse is incredibly frothy, building with beautiful lightness and textural lift, while hints of white truffle and a streak of saline acidity add a savory freshness that’s undeniably delicious.

2023

Producer

Name

This is an opulent, fruit-forward, and generous Cabernet Sauvignon that bursts with blue-fruit fireworks, graphite, and cedarwood nuances. Full-bodied and pleasure-packed, it’s teeming with robust tannins and finishes with notes of dark chocolate and lingering graphite minerality. Composed entirely of Cabernet Sauvignon from the North Coast, with all fruit sourced from vineyards in Mendocino County, it was aged in a combination of medium and heavy toast French oak, 20% new. Hedonistic and expressive, it’s best enjoyed now and over the next three to five years. Sean Minor Wines was founded in 2005 by husband-and-wife team Sean and Nicole Minor, and is still family-owned and operated. In 2023, their daughter, Elle Minor, joined the team as winemaker. Wines are made from a combination of estate fruit and fruit purchased from sustainably farmed sources throughout California.

2022

Producer

Name

From the Garys’ Vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands comes this ripe-cherry-fruited, vanilla-laced, cedarwood-spiced Pinot Noir, bending around rich espresso-bean nuances and supple tannins. A plump, creamy mid-palate is lifted by zesty blood-orange acidity, leading to a lingering finish of warm Indian spice and vanilla-bean cream. Sumptuously refined.

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