Sauvignon Blanc, O'Neel Ranch, Russian River Valley
2008 Vintage
89 Stephen Tanzer's INTERNATIONAL WINE CELLAR, May/June 2010
Pale gold. Lively lemon, green apple and minerals on the nose, with a hint of herbs. Dry, focused, bracing lemon and lime flavors give way to deeper orchard fruits with air and pick up notes of anise and white pepper. Restrained and refreshingly nervy, with good finishing grip and subtle herbacity. Seems more Old World than New. -Josh Raynolds
89 One Puff Connoisseur's Guide to California
Wine, August 2009
A racy nose of figs and fresh-melon fruit sets this one out on a fine start, and the wine's moderately rich, crisp-leaning flavors are similarly keyed on lively young fruit with scant hints of sweet spice peeking through here and there. Firm, but always in balance, the wine ends with a lengthy finish and will keep well for a few years.
2007 Vintage
89 Wine Spectator online
Vibrant
and tangy, with delicious Golden Apple, tart lemon meringue, passion
fruit and lime flavors. Intense and flavorful, persistent on the
finish. Drink now.
2006 Vintage
90 Wine & Spirits June 2008 YEAR'S BEST
Clean,
fresh flavors of nectarine and peach round out this ripe, fleshy
sauvignon. Serve with a sandwich of grilled pork loin, arugula and
fruit compote.
86 Wine Spectator online
Delicate
citrus flavors have spicy nuances, with peach, nectarine, pear and
apple blossom notes. The acidity is balanced and lively, and the
flavors echo on the finish. Drink now.
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Chardonnay, Sangiacomo Vineyards, Carneros
2007 Vintage
91 Two Puffs Connoisseur's Guide to California
Wine, November 2009
Ripeness, extracted fruit, ample oak and uncommonly fine structure are the hallmarks of this big but surprisingly well-balanced wine, and, while subtlety is not among its strengths, it is a very deep and full-flavored effort that commands attention. Unlike so many of its similarly flamboyant cousins, it promises to age quite well, and, if it offers lots to like in the near term, it will only get better with age.
90 Stephen Tanzer's INTERNATIONAL WINE CELLAR,
May/June 2010
Light yellow. Pungent, mineral-laced aromas of pear, lemon rind, sweet butter and baking spices, plus an intriguing iodine quality that reminds me of Burgundy. Pliant orchard fruit and citrus flavors are complicated by smoke and minerals, with a note of anise emerging on the back half. Very suave chardonnay with very good depth and delineation. The firm, stony finish repeats the smoky note. This parcel of the vineyard is planted to a Wente clone. - Josh Raynolds
2006 Vintage
94 Wine & Spirits October 2008 YEAR'S BEST
Test
made noteworthy chardonnays at Stonestreet and Merryvale before he
started his own label in 2006. This one comes from a block planted
with the old Wente clone at the Sangiacomo's Vella Ranch. It produced
an intricate and layered wine, lasting with powerful complexity. It
starts off with deep baritone flavors of apple and grilled lemon.
Higher notes of litchi and minerals rise out of a rich middle, with the
cool feel of fresh cream. The flavors are deep enough to serve with
roast partridge or the dark meat of a roast turkey. The structure is
substantial enough to benefit from several years of age.
89 One Puff Connoisseur's Guide to California Wine, October 2008
Trim
balance and bright fruit are the watchwords of this carefully
proportioned effort, and, if never a bombastic or boldly styled wine,
it does a fine job at knitting together lengthy varietal fruit with
sympathetic oak spice. Slightly creamy in feel and always light on its
feet, it will find a comfortable place at the table with dishes ranging
from lightly sauced chickens to a plate of sauteed scallops.
87 Wine Spectator online
Elegant,
with subtle creamy pear, fig and melon flavors that show a touch of
leafiness, along with mineral pebble notes. Drink now through 2011.
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2006 Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley
88 Wine & Spirits April 2009 YEAR'S BEST
(Best Buy) A full-bodied pinot noir with wild raspberry flavor, this wine's fruit needs time to absorb some of the caramelized sweetness of its oak. It's gentle and straightforward. For grilled quail.
88 Wine Spectator online
There's good richness in this full-bodied Pinot, which has a core
of ripe raspberry, wild berry, mineral and pebble. Still a bit chunky,
but the flavors are complex and concentrated. Ends with a delicate
note. Drink now through 2014.
89 One Puff Connoisseur's Guide to California Wine
Suggestions
of sour cherries in the nose here are met by a light bit of oak and
hints of dried roses, and the same attractive mix of fruit, oak and
flowers is reiterated in the composed flavors that follow. Nicely
balanced and very smooth with nary a touch of coarseness, this amicable
middleweight Pinot is an eminently accessible rendition that invites
drinking over the next two or three years.
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Syrah, Unti Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley
2007 Vintage
88(+?) Stephen Tanzer's INTERNATIONAL WINE CELLAR, May/June 2010
Deep ruby. Initially reduced aromas of cherry and dark berry skin pick up a subtle floral character with air. Peppery cassis and blueberry flavors are tightly wound and well focused if a bit unyielding. I like this wine's juicy character but it's holding as much in reserve as it offers right now. I'd come back in a couple of years. - Josh Raynolds
2006 Vintage
91 Wine Spectator June 30, 2009
Fresh,
ripe, intense and vibrant, with a tasty core of wild berry, spice,
cedar and mineral that's complex, showing a trace of heat. Drink now
through 2014.
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