Today we share the beautiful wines of Kerr Cellars, founded back in 2013 by professional golfing icon and sommelier Cristie Kerr. Cristie first fell in love with wine on a visit to Napa Valley in 2000. She was seduced by the tranquil hills, rustic old-world charm, and extraordinary ‘Old World’ wines. Seven years later, Cristie joined forces with Suzanne Pride Bryan of Pride Mountain Vineyards to create Curvature Wines. Curvature is a range of boutique wines whose profits support breast cancer research. Showered with praise upon release, Curvature Wines found immediate industry acclaim. The wines were featured on the lists at distinguished restaurants, clubs, cellars, and even served at the White House. Building on Curvature’s success, Cristie launched Kerr Cellars in 2013 with partner Erik Stevens and highly acclaimed winemaker Helen Keplinger.
The new wines were fantastic across the board. I adored the 2023 Kerr ‘Sonoma Coast’ Chardonnay (OB, 93) which shows amazing salty character from this region that neighbors the Pacific Ocean. Check out the stunning 2023 Kerr ‘Beckstoffer Vineyard Georges III’ Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 99) which flirts with perfection and has amazing tension and flavor density from this slightly cooler vintage in Napa. Learn more about these great wines at kerrcellars.com and here are my reviews of the new wines by Kerr.
2024 Kerr ‘Napa Valley’ Sauvignon Blanc- The 2023 Kerr Sauvignon Blanc offers freshly cut grass and Key lime on the nose alongside damp wet rock. The palate is neatly textured and shows excellent length and terrific flavor density. Don’t serve too warm! Drink 2026-2031- 92
2023 Kerr ‘Sonoma Coast’ Chardonnay- The outstanding 2023 ‘Sonoma Coast’ Chardonnay is a brilliant new wine by winemaker Helen Keplinger. Stored for 12 months in 33% new French oak before bottling, this opens with a bright bouquet of ripe peach and pastry crust alongside shades of orange blossom. The palate is neatly textured and rich with great melon and citrus fruit flavors at its core. Delicious now, enjoy over the next eight to ten years. Drink 2026-2033- 93
2023 Kerr ‘5 Wells Vineyard’ Chardonnay- Sourced from the Sonoma Coast AVA, the 5 Wells Vineyard was started back in 2015 by Crawford and Jane Selina Kwon Wells of Sebastopol. Baking spices and mango notes mark the nose alongside suggestions of salted french bread. The palate is soft and inviting, as this opens with serious tension and texture — coming up seamless throughout the drinking experience. Enjoy this brilliant new 2023 Chardonnay now and over the next ten years. Drink 2026-2035- 94
2023 Kerr ‘Rued Vineyard’ Chardonnay- The acclaimed Rued Vineyard is located in the Sonoma Coast AVA. Stored in mainly natural French oak for 16 months, this shows off a silky mouthfeel throughout the drinking experience. A beam of finesse follows the entry alongside passionfruit, guava and rich honeydew melon flavors, with salted macadamia nut nuances. Stony and salty, with terrific freshness, enjoy now and over the next ten years. Drink 2026-2035- 94
2023 Kerr ‘Silver Eagle Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- Originally planted by famed Sonoma grower Ulises Valdez, the Silver Eagle Vineyard is a Sonoma Coast location that is set on a unique combination of Goldridge mix with red shale soils. Showing off its dark core in the glass, you are greeted to a great melange of black and red fruits on the nose with cola and fresh sage accents. The palate is rich and viscous with amazing tension and salty nuance. Highly enjoyable now in its heady youth, watch this evolve over the next ten to fifteen years. Drink 2026-2040- 95
2023 Curvature Red Wine- A really great glass of wine for the price, the 2023 Curvature Red Wine is dark in the glass, offering black tea and middle eastern spice aromatics that pair well with a rich core of dark fruits and dark chocolate shavings. The palate is rich and viscous with a silky mouthfeel and terrific sense of tension. Terrific now, enjoy this beautiful red blend now and over the next eight to ten years. Drink 2026-2034- 93
2023 Kerr Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2023 Kerr Cabernet Sauvignon opens with chocolate cake, tar, anise and loamy soils on the nose. The palate is fresh and inviting with a smooth mouthfeel. Terrific now, enjoy over the next eight to ten years. Drink 2026-2033- 92
2023 Kerr ‘Wappo Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2023 ‘Wappo Vineyard’ stands very dark in the glass, delivering heady aromatics of sandalwood, anise, black currant jelly and violets that all take shape in the glass. The palate is rich and silky with a refined texture and great sense of weight and finesse. This has some serious aging potential. Gorgeous now, caressed by refined tannins, enjoy over the next twenty years to come. Drink 2026-2046- 96
2023 Kerr ‘Mast Ranch Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The ‘Mast Ranch Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon comes from a slightly cooler location that is set on silt loamy soils with some alluvial rock that is highly influenced by the San Pablo Bay. Scorched earth and Black Forest Cake notes combine with menthol accents on the nose. The palate is powerful and concentrated with a fabulous melange of black and blue fruits, with great volcanic soil character. Generous and broad-shouldered, with terrific depth and underlying tension, watch this evolve over the next two decades to come. Drink 2026-2046- 97
2023 Kerr ‘Beckstoffer Vineyard Georges III’ Cabernet Sauvignon- A sensational wine from this famed location, the 2023 Kerr ‘Beckstoffer Vineyard Georges III’ Cabernet Sauvignon comes from this Oakville vineyard set on loamy soils. This comes off super seamless throughout the drinking experience. Damp soils combine with creme de cassis, sweet pipe tobacco, dark chocolate shavings, Asian spices and pencil lead notes on the palate. The Oakville character really shines through here. Nothing short of a world-class bottling, this is the finest that I have tasted from Kerr yet. Enjoy now and over the next two decades. Drink 2026-2046- 99
2023 Kerr ‘Beckstoffer Bourn Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The dazzling 2023 ‘Beckstoffer Bourn Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon comes from this St. Helena location and was stored in 16 Months in all new French oak prior to bottling. Well-structured and viscous, with serious tension, this is just a joy to consume now. Graphite, creme de violette and Turkish coffee flavors all emerge alongside great loamy soil character. Full-bodied and intense, enjoy over the next several decades to come. Drink 2026-2046- 98
2023 Kerr ‘Heilcon Sage Ridge Vineyard’ Red Wine- The 2023 ‘Helicon’ combines 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, with 20% Cabernet Franc, 18% Merlot, and a splash of Petit Verdot from the acclaimed Sage Ridge Vineyard. It is beautifully balanced stuff, with fresh herbs that combine with damp rocky soils, tar, menthol and heady black and blue fruits. Showing beautifully now, enjoy over the next ten to fifteen years to come. Drink 2026-2041- 96