August Briggs
Elyse
Heitz
Hendry
Jessup
Leaping Lizard
Newton
Neyers
Provenance
Robert Craig
Ruston
|
 |
|
Elyse 2000 Syrah Napa Valley
The nose is elegant and floral.
There is a distinct licorice and blueberry medley on the palate.
The finish shows good acidity and tannins as white pepper and spice gently
sweep the experience to its finish.
This is a great example of how syrah can be the Yin and Yang.
Earthy and savory, yet juicy and ripe, Elyse Napa Valley Syrah is attention getting
with it's variety of flavors.
It definitely has a Northern Rhône Valley influence and can be cellared for 5-10 years.
Retail price $35. Tasted October 12, 2003.
A must for anyone appreciating elegance and powerhouse flavors,
earning three out of a possible three  .
Top
|
 |
|
Elyse 2001 Rutherford Petite Sirah
A very jammy offering loaded with blueberries, blackberries, anise, black pepper, and smoke.
The acidity and tannins are soft and smooth, allowing this wine to be a crowd pleaser.
Elyse Rutherford Petite Sirah is delightful with grilled meats, hearty sauces, or as a tasty treat by itself.
Retail price $35. Tasted October 12, 2003.
Rich, smooth, and extremely jammy earning two out of three
 .
Top
|
 |
|
Elyse 2001 Morisoli Vineyard Napa Zinfandel
This is a very elegant bottle of red.
With only 2252 cases produced,
this bottle is a great find, a great gift and without a doubt a collectable bottle of zinfandel.
Ripe raspberry flavors flirt with a touch of mint while the smooth tannins
and balanced acidity create perfect structure.
The finish is sweeps in with a touch of smoke.
I'm extremely impressed at how Ray Coursen has created a bottle of zinfadel
that not only is interesting, but elegant as well.
Hanging on to this bottle will prove advantageous.
Drink in the next ten years.
Retail price $32. Tasted October 12, 2003.
Elegance, ripe fruit, and value, Elyse Morisoli Zinfandel earns three out of three
.
Top
|
 |
|
Elyse 2000 Tietjen Vineyard Napa Cabernet Sauvignon
Aged in American Oak, this cabernet sauvignon is very rich and flavorful.
The palate is loaded with seamless wild cherries, raspberries, plums,
and hints of clove, leather, and vanilla.
This limited production cabernet, with only 593 cases produced during this vintage,
is very balanced with ample acidity and tannins.
Another great bottle to stash away for a year or eight.
Retail price $57. Tasted October 12, 2003.
Very interesting and sultry, worthy of a spot in any savvy collector's cellar
earning three out of three .
Top
|
 |
|
Ruston 2000 Napa Valley Cuvée Simone
My first impression of this wine swept me away with fond memories, as chocolate cupcakes wafted through on the nose.
This blend is rich and interesting.
On the palate black cherries and plums swim in a textured dark chocolate back drop of smooth tannins.
There is a Bordeaux like spiciness of clove, tobacco, and mint on the mid-palate.
White pepper echos on a long finish as hints of fruit spark up as a final note.
Smooth and sultry, this cuvée is a gem.
Drink it now or wait a few years for this sultry Bordeaux blend to grow even more interesting.
Retail price $28. Tasted August 21, 2003.
As well made as they come and Ace'ing our expectations earning three out of three .
Top
|
 |
|
Hendry 2002 Hendry Ranch Pinot Gris
had a beautifully fragrant nose with notes of spring blossoms and pineapple.
The structure of the wine is dry, crisp, with rich flavors on the mid-palate reminiscent of
gooseberries and melons, with a touch of banana on the finish.
I found this wine to have great complimentary flavors, crisp and refreshing citrus, with quick, bright
flashes of tropical fruit.
Elegant, well crafted, and very thirst quenching.
Hendry Napa Pinot Gris beats most Italian offerings
and can stand proud next to most Alsatian pinot gris, at the same price point.
Retail price $16. Tasted September 16, 2003. A great domestic pinot gris earning two out of three .
Top
|
 |
|
Heitz Cellars 2001 Napa Valley Chardonnay
is a great domestic style chardonnay for the money.
I was so impressed by the fresh, crisp, green apple note on the front of the palate.
The wine is full bodied with a cleanness of fruit, but not buttery or oaky.
It does have a bit of creaminess on the finish from "lees stirring."
When I asked about the price for this bottle of wine, I was pleasantly surprised at how inexpensive it is.
Too many California Chardonnays are over priced, but this one shines brightly with a bit of "Old World" flavor, a well done
example of a Domestic Chardonnay.
Retail price $15. Tasted September 8, 2003. A great example of domestic chardonnay done well earning two .
Top
|
 |
|
August Briggs 2000 Carneros Pinot Noir
is blended from eight different Dijon Clones.
The nose on this wine is floral like roses.
On the palate, there are ripe wild cherries, strawberry, deep plum flavors, and snappy acidity.
The finish has this enchanting cherry hard-candy finish.
The favors are layered and the finish long and memorable.
August Briggs Carneros Pinot Noir is a delight to drink now and has the acid content to hang around for a few years.
At a little better than 400 cases a year produced, this wine is a scavenger hunt with a bottle of gold at the end.
Retail price $40. Tasted September 4, 2003. This is what pinot is all about, two .
Top
|
|
|
August Briggs 2000 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
is all mountain fruit.
The nose is mint and earth.
This blend of Howell Mountain, Spring Mountain, and Diamond Mountain fruit has cassis and plum with
a sultry black licorice finish.
The acidity creates elegance.
The finish has gripping tannins, but the structure is quite balanced and will drink well for
many years.
August Briggs produces only 4,000 cases of wine a year.
Not only is this a great Napa Cabernet,
but it is an in-the-know wine that doesn't suffer from Trophy wine
pricing.
Retail price $50. Tasted September 4, 2003. Worth every penny earning two .
Top
|
|
|
August Briggs 2001 Calistoga Zinfandel
I've tasted some really expensive zinfandels in the last few years and although very
impressive, I think the price doesn't alway coordinate with the wine.
August Briggs Zinfandel proves that a zinfandel have the quality of a great cabernets,
Super Tucans, or Riojas.
This Old Vine gem brings a sly smile to the knowing Zin-drinkers of the world with its
tar and earth on the nose and its subtle tobacco on the palate.
It is spicy, rich, and ripe.
The finish has zippy white pepper tannins.
Again, another small production bottle at only 850 cases produced in this vintage.
Whether you're a collector or a thirsty Zin-drinker looking for a really special bottle, you'll
agree that this wine is what makes zinfandel in a class of its own.
Retail price $35. Tasted September 4, 2003. Sexy and more sexy with two .
Top
|
 |
|
Jessup Cellars 1999 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon
is a great example of Napa Cabernet at its best.
This cabernet is rich and spicy on the nose. The wine is layered on the palate
with currant and blackberry on a subtle back drop of anise and chocolate.
The tannins tempt you to take yet another sip and another and another . . . .
Tasted June 12, 2003. We give this cabernet sauvignon two .
|
|
|
Jessup Cellars 1999 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon Port
This cabernet port explodes in your mouth. It's like cabernet on steroids.
When I tasted this mouth watering dessert wine I had to stop and pause in thoughtful
mediation as if I had stumbled on a breath-taking piece of art work. It was liquid
chocolate covered cherries and blackberry pie.
Tasted June 12th, 2003. We give this cabernet sauvignon port three .
Top
|
 |
|
Provenance 2000 Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon is exactly what you'd
expect from the ex-wine maker at Duckhorn, Tom Rinaldi. I found this cabernet to be
very interesting with it's rich spicy flavors of clove, vanilla, and black pepper, dusty Rutherford
texture, all splashed against a juicy cassis and black cherry canvas.
Mr. Rinaldi has done an outstanding job on this cabernet.
It's one of those cabernet sauvignons that you just have sit and ponder while you're sipping along
blissfully.
Tasted February 4, 2003. We give this wine two .
|
|
|
Provenance 2000 Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon is
elegant and thought-provoking. Subtle scents of roses, violets, and clove were on the nose.
I found myself paying close attention to its leather, anise, and smoke flavors
as they briefly visited my tongue. The brighter wild cherry flavors marry well this the
tannins.
Tasted February 4, 2003. We give this wine two .
|
|
|
Provenance 2000 Carneros Merlot is smooth and velvety with
chocolate and blackberries, again, it is what you'd expect from someone as skill as Tom Rinaldi.
The nose is soft and perfumed with hints of oak-induced vanilla. The finish is reminiscent of
toasted pecans. This is a Merlot Drinker's merlot.
Retail price $25. Tasted February 4, 2003. We give this wine two .
Top
|
 |
|
Robert Craig 2000 Affinity is an elegant
bottle of wine. I was struck by ripe blueberries on the nose. A subtle touch of blueberries carried
through on the palate as I tasted soft flavors of cedar and a hint of green olive.
It finished with a touch of smoke.
This wine was a nice change of pace from all those huge cabernets.
Wines of this caliber usually cost much more.
The flavors were very delicate, elegant, and intense.
Retail price $48. Tasted August 5, 2003. We give this wine three .
|
 |
|
Newton Unfiltered 2000 Napa Valley Merlot
is another well done Bordeaux style merlot. The tannins give it a nice white pepper and clove
sensation in your mouth. There's something enticing about a wine that is unfined and unfilered,
the raw wholeness gives it subtle little nuances, like the difference between using fresh herbs or dried herbs.
The rich black cherry and vanilla on the palate is balance with just the right amouth of earthy structure.
Retail price $35. Tasted August 10, 2003. A merlot drinkers price with two .
|
|
|
Newton 2000 Napa Claret
is a Bordeaux blend of merlot, cabernet, and cabernet franc.
I immediately tasted the graceful long finish and white peppery attributes that cabernet franc
can bring to a wine.
The tannins where chewy, yet not unpleasant.
The black fruits and vanilla, were complimented by a bold dose of
acidity, mouth-feel tannins, and lingering white pepper finish.
This producer is very sparing with chemicals to the soil and always strives to not polute her soil.
Retail price $ . Tasted August 10, 2003. We give this wine one  .
Top
|
 |
|
Flora Springs 2001 Barrel Fermented Reserve Chardonnay
has a zesty green apple snap and a toasted cashew and clove finish.
The impressive charater and quality of the grapes shows in every demention of the wine.
The wine is aged in French oak and is influence by the oak by a rich roasted nut sense.
I found this chardonnay to be out of the ordinary.
If you are a chardonnay drinker, this wine is the marriage of quality grapes and a skillful
wine maker.
Retail price $25. Tasted June 14, 2003. Two .
Top
|
 |
|
Leaping Lizard 2000 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
is an inexpensive example of Napa Cabernet.
The big fruit and soft tannins in this well priced wine, make it one of the best lower priced California
cabernets on the market.
The nose has hints of vanilla.
A very fruit forward cabernet, the palate is rich with ripe black cherries, cassis, and a hint of smokiness.
The use of oak aging leaves you with a touch of vanilla on the finish.
Leaping Lizard Cabernet Sauvignon is an everyday cabernet, made with quality Napa Valley fruit.
We've tried many California cabernets in this price range and found only a few really offer
"the best juice for the jingle."
Retail price $12. Tasted August 23, 2003.
Great value with earning two out of a possible three .
Top
|
|
|
Leaping Lizard 2000 Napa Valley Merlot
This is big "New World" fruit meets elegant "Old World" structure.
The fruit is dense, rich, and very ripe.
The tannins and acidity give this wine a great mouth-feel.
It is refreshing to find such presence in a domestic merlot.
Leaping Lizard Merlot is very extracted with concentrated black fruit flavors,
while the finish is graced with soft tannins and white pepper.
Leaping Lizard Merlot embraces Bordeaux,
while the ripe Napa quality shines through with every sip.
Retail price $12. Tasted August 23, 2003.
Great value earning three out of a possible three
.
Top
|
|
|
Leaping Lizard 2002 Napa Chardonnay
This chardonnay is a welcome change of pace with its balanced acidity and emphasis on quality fruit.
The nose is alluring with its tropical notes.
On the palate this chardonnay is interesting with hints of pineapple,
green apple, and anise.
The finish is a flirty hint of caramel.
A "New World& chardonnay done with taste and style.
You can tell that the winemaker put thoughtful consideration into this chardonnay.
Retail price $12. Tasted August 23, 2003.
This bottle stands out in its class earning two out of a possible three
.
Top
|
 |
|
Neyers Napa Valley 2000 Syrah
has the density and ripe flavors of a young Châteauneuf du Pape .
There are rich, yet subtle aromas of smoked meat, and wild cherries.
The flavors on the palate are layered with notes of raspberry, roasted nuts,
a turn of black pepper, tomato skins, and licorice.
The finish offers a sultry balance of good acid and tannins.
This wine is a perfect example of how Napa Valley can produce a syrah that can
compete with the Rhône Valley.
Enjoy it now or stash it away, this wine should become very interesting as it ages.
Retail price $40. Tasted May 7, 2003. Great possibilities with two .
Top
|
|
