Ten Merlots for Fall

As temperatures start to drop and football blares in the backgrounds, fall means a shift from white wine and rose to reds. Merlot has been experiencing a solid comeback over the past five years. I have loved to see how this varietal has grown in popularity, as Merlot at its best can be one of the world’s singular wines.

I have chosen ten new world Merlot wines that emirate good value and show the potential of the varietal. See for yourself, I think you will be very impressed with these wines, whether it is the budget friendly 2019 Bonterra Merlot (OB, 88) or the utterly captivating, special occasion 2018 Duckhorn ‘Three Palms Vineyard’ Merlot (OB, 95). These wines prove that there is a great new world Merlot for every occasion and budget. 

CALIFORNIA

2019 Bonterra Merlot ($18.99)- Juicy with ripe red currants and red cherry flavors, this good value Merlot is best enjoyed over the next several years while the brightness remains. Drink 2021-2024- 88

NAPA VALLEY

2018 Cakebread Cellars Merlot ($70.00)- Rich and polished, the 2018 Cakebread Cellars evokes a soft mouthful with plenty of rich dark fruits with tobacco leaf and tar undertones. Enjoy this great new Merlot over the next decade. Drink 2021-2029- 91

2018 Duckhorn ‘Three Palms Vineyard’ Merlot ($110.00)- A magical new wine, the 2018 ‘Three Palms Vineyard’ by Duckhorn is one of the best of its kind that I have eve tasted. The heady aromatics bring you back to the glass for more enjoyment as Turkish coffee, dark cherry cordial, tar and leather tones all brilliantly combine. Full-throttle, yet showing great acidity and texture, this intense, hedonistic style of Merlot is brilliant to enjoy now with its milk chocolate, creme de cassis and coffee ground flavors. I can imagine this cellaring well for another twenty years, but it is very hard to resist in its unadulterated youth. Drink 2021-2038- 95

2018 Mt. Brave Merlot ($100.00)- Deep, polished and filled of terroir, the 2018 Mt. Brave Merlot is a spectacular bottling by Chris Carpenter. Once on the nose this evokes tar with leather, baking spices and copious dark fruits with chocolate tones adding to the intrigue.  Full-bodied and decadent, with good structure, enjoy this outstanding bottling over the next fifteen to twenty years. If enjoying in its youth, give this beauty at least an hour decant.  Drink 2021-2038- 95

2018 Markham ‘Napa Valley’ Merlot ($29.00)- The 2018 Markham ‘Napa Valley’ Merlot delivers a soft mouthfeel with ripe blackberry, black cherry and milk chocolate flavors with lighter loamy undertones. Immediately gratifying, try pairing with a juicy burger. Drink 2021-2026- 90

2019 Rutherford Hill ‘Napa Valley’ Merlot ($30.00)- Juicy and ripe red and dark fruits greet you with tobacco leaf and underbrush undertones. Beautiful now, enjoy this great value over the next five to seven years. Drink 2021-2026- 90

CHILE

2019 Casillero del Diablo ‘Reserva’ Merlot ($10.00)- For a mere ten dollars retail this Merlot delivers plenty of ripe dark fruits with herbal undertones that makes this very classic Chile. With bright acidity, enjoy this great value now. Drink 2021-2023- 88

WASHINGTON

2019 Woodward Canyon ‘Estate’ Merlot ($52.00)- The 2019 Woodward Canyon ‘Estate’ Merlot is an outstanding bottling that is already providing plenty of drinking pleasure at the two year mark. Right away fresh and plush red fruits combine with tobacco leaf, tar and leather on the palate. Soft on the mouth with beautiful length, this has another ten to fifteen years to go. Drink 2021-2033- 92

2018 Northstar ‘Columbia Valley’ Merlot ($41.00)- Soft, round and generous, the 2018 Northstar ‘Columbia Valley’ Merlot is an outstanding of this varietal from Washington State. Generous, with good length, the wine exudes class with its core of Black Forest Cake, cigar box and boysenberry cordial flavors that mingle with firm tannins and bright acidity. Enjoy this outstanding wine over the next decade. Drink 2021-2031- 92

2018 L’Ecole No 41 ‘Walla Walla Valley’ Merlot ($38.00)- The 2018 ‘Walla Walla Valley’ Merlot is an awesome wine by L’Ecole. Ripe black plum and chocolate covered dark kirsch aromas with baking spices all meld in the glass. The palate is refined and elegant with a terrific mouthfeel and outstanding length. Rich dark fruits collide with minerals, smoke and chocolate cake notes on the palate. Outstanding in its youth, this has a long way to go. Drink 2021-2035- 93

The Eyrie Vineyards

Every so often I will uncork an older bottle of ‘The Eyrie Vineyards’ Pinot Gris or Pinot Noir.  These wines no longer surprise me. Back ten years ago I was floored when I was first poured one of these wines from the 1980s — I simply could not fathom the level of freshness kept intact in the wine. Needless to say, these are wines that are built to age.

One of the historic wineries in Oregon, The Eyrie Vineyards Jason Lett continues his father's legacy that began in the 1960s. David Lett is known for making the first Pinot Gris wines in North America and made his mark as one of Oregon’s premier vintners. Jason has continued his father’s legacy and is crafting one of the outstanding wine lineups in the Willamette Valley.

I adored the new Eyrie releases which beautifully showcased the warm 2018 vintage. These are wines that show beautiful tension and finesse but have more mid-palate ripeness than the 2016 and 2017 bottlings. They are a must-buy for those who desire a touch of hedonism in Oregon Pinot Noir. 

Eyrie makes some killer Chardonnay and I adored the new 2019 The Eyrie Vineyards ‘The Eyrie’ Chardonnay (OB, 93) which is simply a can’t miss effort at this price. Even better is the new 2018 The Eyrie Vineyards ‘The Eyrie’ Pinot Noir (OB, 95) which as everything you want in a warm vintage Oregon Pinot Noir — tension, richness, depth, flavor density, and flavor complexity. Learn more about this fantastic and historic winery and their wines at http://www.eyrievineyards.com Here are the outstanding wines by The Eyrie Vineyards. 

2018 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Meunier- Novel and complex, the rich 2018 Pinot Meunier exudes class with ripe red raspberry cordial, peat moss and shades of baking spices aromatically. The palate is soft and round, combining ripe red fruits with tilled soils and earthy undertones. Enjoy this fantastic new wine over the next decade. Drink 2021-2031- 92

2018 The Eyrie Vineyards ‘The Eyrie Chardonnay- More deep and rich, but a touch less mineral-driven, the 2018 ‘Oregon’ Chardonnay by The Eyrie Vineyards shows the warmth of the vintage. Layers of buttercream and pineapple combine with nutmeg dusted Challah bread on the palate. This shows glorious length and stuffing, beautifully showcasing the 2018 vintage.  iDrink 2021-2031- 93

2019 The Eyrie Vineyards ‘The Eyrie’ Chardonnay- Fresh vibrant and expressive, the 2019 ‘The Eyrie’ Chardonnay reveals loads of mouth-watering acidity and a soft texture upon entry. Layers of Japanese pear, brioche and tart melon fruits combine with stony minerals on the palate. Gorgeous now, this has another decade to go. Drink 2021-2031- 93

2018 The Eyrie Vineyards ‘Daphne’ Pinot Noir- The small, 13 acre ‘Daphne Vineyard’ ironically mostly planted to Pinot Gris. Once on the nose this takes on dusty soils and ripe red cherry tones alongside shades of teaberry and baking spice infused orange rind aromatically. Soft and approachable, with beautiful depth and mouth-watering acidity, this black fruit driven Pinot Noir is absolutely gorgeous even at the three year mark and will be sure to provide drinking enjoyment for at least another decade. The combination of weight, range and verve here is seriously good. Drink 2021-2033- 94

2018 The Eyrie Vineyards ‘Sisters’ Pinot Noir- The set on both Jory and Marine Sedimentary soils, the ‘Sisters’ Pinot Noir is a lower elevation site that seems to express both soil types really well in the bottle. This is a very pretty, salty Pinot Noir that shows beautiful red fruits colliding with wet volcanic stones, and shades of blood orange zest on the palate. Immediately gratifying with its savory tones and beautiful texture the 2018 ‘Sisters’ Pinot Noir will cellar well for at least another decade. Drink 2021-2034- 94

2018 The Eyrie Vineyards ‘Outcrop’ Pinot Noir- The ‘Outcrop’ Pinot Noir comes from a very small plot of land in the Dundee Hills AVA. Already nicely evolved, this shows off  a dusting of volcanic soils that combine with shades of peat moss and bright red fruits aromatically. Once on the mouth the silky texture exudes elegance. With bright acidity and serious weight, this ‘wow factor’ Oregon Pinot Noir bottling has at least another ten to fifteen years ahead of it. Drink 2021-2036- 95

2018 The Eyrie Vineyards ‘Rolland Green’ Pinot Noir- The ‘Rolland Green Vineyard’ is a six acre parcel that is planted to ungrafted Wadenswil and Pommard clone Pinot Noir. I love this wine for its combination of weight and bright acidity. You’re immediately greeted to loads of tension on the mid-palate with gorgeous red cherry and wild blackberry flavors alongside loamy soils on the palate. Showing beautiful length and persistence, this outstanding new Pinot Noir isn’t going anywhere for a really long time. Drink 2021-2035- 94

2018 The Eyrie Vineyards ‘The Eyrie’ Pinot Noir- Some of the oldest vines in the Willamette Valley are planted in the sixteen acre ‘Eyrie Vineyard.’ Aromatically quite evolved and intense, this outstanding Pinot Noir shows off Earl Grey tea tones alongside peat moss, pine needles and ripe dark fruits on the nose. The palate is beautifully textured and fresh, showing outstanding weight and bright acidity. This finishes exceedingly long. Classy and every bit delicious in its youth, enjoy this fantastic new bottling over the next fifteen years. Drink 2021-2038- 95

Reynvaan 2017 White Wine Retrospective

As I look back at the 2017 vintage I can’t help but smile when I think about the overall quality that came to both red and white wines. 2017 in Washington will be remembered as the massive layers of smoke that stayed high in the skies seemingly for months. In the Seattle area, 2017 was a lost summer — a summer that we never had as air quality remained poor for weeks upon end and people were advised to stay in their homes and not venture outside. 

Top Washington vintners produced some incredible wines in 2017. The vintage would have been considerably warmer had the smoke not created a barrier to the sun, cooling may places by ten or more degrees. This was precisely the case in the Rocks District, which did not see the level of heat spikes like 2015 or even 2016. This area was blessed with remarkably consistent weather throughout much of the summer. 

While this was a warm vintage by Washington standards, things ended up cooler than 2015, 2016 and 2018. Many of the white wines made in 2017 impressed, and top producers like Reynvaan produced some of the finest white wines that I have tasted. A few weeks ago I had the chance to revisit some of the 2017 Reynvaan white wines after some time in the bottle. These wines showed exceptionally well and are still extremely youthful as both will go for another eight to ten years. The 2017 Reynvaan ‘In The Rocks’ Viognier (OB, 96) is unctuous, soft and generous on the mouth with gobs of stony minerals. It is one of the best Viognier wines I have tasted from anywhere over the past year. Nearly as good is the 2017 Reynvaan ‘Queen’s Road’ White Wine (OB,  95) which shows even more dense fruit flavors with plenty of lip-smacking acidity and an exceedingly long finish. These two are truly some of the great white wines being made on the west coast. Learn more about Reynvaan wines at https://www.reynvaanfamilyvineyards.com and here are my tasting notes from the gorgeous 2017 Reynvaan white wines.

2017 Reynvaan ‘In The Rocks’ Viognier- I have had the chance to visit this wine several times  over the past year and I have been consistently floored. The 2017 ‘In The Rocks’ Viognier is one of the great white wines made this vintage. The floral tones aromatically are exquisite as honeysuckle and shades of gardenia blossom mingle with ripe pear, starfruit and wet stone undertones on the nose. Upon entry the silky mouthfeel and dazzling minerality really impress as layers of buttercream, baking spice dusted Japanese pear, and toasty brioche all marvelously come together on the palate. With glorious length, this beautiful Viognier is showing exceptionally well right now and will continue to provide drinking enjoyment over the next eight years. Drink 2021-2028- 96

2017 Reynvaan ‘Queen’s Road’ White Wine- This is my first visit to this wine since it was released a few years back. A beautiful blend of 55% Marsanne and 45% Viognier, the ‘Queen’s Road’ was aged for 22 months in 50% new French oak prior to bottling. Ripe and intense on the mouth,  this delivers ripe nectarine and lychee tones alongside buttered shortbread, salted Macadamia nut and shades of roasted pineapple on the palate. This deep, downright unctuous white wine shows no signs of slowing down right now, and has at last another eight years to go. Drink 2021-2029- 95

Beringer Vineyards

One of the most historic properties in Napa, Beringer dates all the way back back to the 1860s. For years I’ve tasted at Beringer and it is always a welcome experience to come back to this expansive spot in St. Helena. I have very fond memories of older bottles of their ‘Private Reserve’ Chardonnay as these are some of the most age worthy Chardonnays you will find in Napa. Beringer may have invented the White Zin but they also have crafted some incredibly age worthy Chardonnay and Cabernet wines. 

Winemaker Ryan Rech came to Napa more than a decade ago, where he led winemaking for the relaunch of the Souverain wines crafted in the historic Asti winery, and later, working alongside famed Chateau St. Jean winemaker Margo Van Staaveren. In 2016, Ryan joined Beringer Vineyards as Luxury Red Winemaker and crafted wines from the Knight’s Valley estate. He was appointed Sr. Winemaker and General Manager in 2017 and elevated to Chief Winemaker in 2021, following the line of Mark Beringer, the great-grandson of Beringer Vineyards’ founding brother Jacob Beringer

I adored their 2018 ‘Private Reserve’ Chardonnay (OB, 94) which is a stunning new wine that shows serious weight and tension. This is a killer value to buy by the case.  Another sensational value buy is the 2018 Beringer ‘Knights Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 91) which is fresh and dense, loaded with black fruits. Learn more about these awesome wines at beringer.com Here are the awesome new premium wines by Beringer Vineyards. 

2018 Beringer ‘Private Reserve’ Chardonnay- Rich and downright unctuous with a silky texture, the 2018 Beringer ‘Private Reserve’ Chardonnay is a sensational value from this house. Once on the nose this shows off butterscotch tones that combine with banana, roasted pineapple and shades of salted Macadamia nut. The palate is plush and dense with a soft mouthfeel and wonderful sense of length. Highly enjoyable now, be sure to taste this at a warmer temperature to take in this rich drinking experience.  Drink 2021-2031- 94

2018 Beringer ‘Knights Valley’ Cabernet Sauvignon- Rich and delicious the 2018 ‘Knights Valley’ by Beringer, delivers plenty of ripe blackberry, black cherry and mocha flavors. Full-bodied and delicious, this generous effort is a stunning wine for the price that is best enjoyed over the next seven to ten years. Drink 2021-2028- 91

Etude

Founded back in 1982 by acclaimed winemaker Tony Soter, Etude focused their program on the crafting Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the cool-climate Carneros region. Tony would later found Soter Vineyards in the Willamette Valley and sold the winery in 2000.  Having visited the property several times I can saw that it is a beautiful spot to taste wine with its expansive vineyards, cool coastal breezes and views from across the valley. 

In their Carneros vineyards, Etude has nearly 20 clones of Pinot Noir planted. Their estate vineyard, the Grace Benoist Ranch, is located on the southern part of the winery’s property and is massively impacted by the coastal breezes of the area. Winemaker Jon Priest has been at the helm for many years and crafts a range of wines from Carneros and the Central Coast region of California, Oregon, and even New Zealand. I loved his new 2018 Etude ‘Grace Benoist Ranch’ Pinot Noir (OB, 92) which is salty and savory with beautiful red fruits. Learn more about this historic Carneros estate at etudewines.com and here are my reviews of the new Etude wines. 

2019 Etude ‘Grace Benoist Ranch’ Chardonnay- Salty and terroir-driven, the beautiful 2019 ‘Grace Benoit Ranch’ Chardonnay is an outstanding release by Etude. On the nose this takes on Japapesne pear and baking spice dusted Challah bread notes with nutty undertones. Fresh and lively, with bright acidity, this will cellar well over the next eight years. Drink 2021-2028- 92

2018 Etude ‘Grace Benoist Ranch’ Pinot Noir- Silky and soft, the 2018 ‘Grace Benoist Ranch’ Pinot Noir reveals soft tannins that line pretty ripe guava, strawberry and red cherry flavors alongside shades of tilled soils and orange zest on the palate. Gorgeous now, this has at least another decade of life ahead of it. Drink 2021-2033- 92

Seghesio

Today we honor one of California’s great houses for Zinfandel. One of the premier houses for Zinfandel in North America, the Seghesio family has been involved in wine for more than 120 years. In 1895 Italian immigrant and winemaker Edoardo Seghesio planted his first Zinfandel vineyard in what is now Seghesio’s Home Ranch Vineyard in Sonoma County’s Alexander Valley. Edoardo and his wife Angela survived Prohibition as one of roughly100 wineries to survive that era. Following prohibition, Seghesio sold bulk wine and it was only under 4th generation owner, Ted Seghesio when a focus on premium wines evolved. In a short period of time, Seghesio became synonomous with some of the highest quality and good Zinfandel available on the retail market. Their success lead to the 2011 sale of Seghesio Family Vineyards to Crimson Wine Group. 

Today their wines are as good as ever. A serious value, the 2019 Seghesio ‘Sonoma’ Zinfandel (OB, 91) will cater to a range of palates and is a killer food wine that will match with a juicy burger or steak. Refined and utterly fantastic even in its youth, the 2019 ‘Cortina’ Zinfandel (OB, 93) is silky and elegant with seriously good flavor range. Learn more about these outstanding Zinfandel wines at seghesio.com and here are the beautiful new wines by Seghesio.

2019 Seghesio ‘Sonoma’ Zinfandel-  A blend of 88% Zinfandel has a touch of Petite Sirah and mixed red wines blended in, with a dash of Alicante Bouchet. Soft, round and generous with a silky texture this delivers plenty of roasted fig and ripe red cherry flavors alongside a bright sense of minerality. Enjoy this outstanding value over the next eight years. Drink 2021-2029- 91

2019 Seghesio ‘Cortina’ Zinfandel- Sourced from the Dry Creek Valley, the 2019 ‘Cortina’ is downright delicious to savor in its youth. Deeply concentrated, with a great veil of tension, this delivers plenty of black plum, blueberry pie and espresso bean flavors with an exceedingly long finish. Refined and also quite viscous, this has a long way to go in the cellar. Drink 2021-2033- 93

Pambrun

An relatively new outpost by Willamette Valley Vineyards utilizing fruit from acclaimed Walla Walla vineyards, Pambrun is named after Pierre and Kitty Pambrun who operated the Nez Perce Trading Post for the Hudson’s Bay Company in 1832. The Pambrun Vineyard is planted alongside Walla Walla wine visionaries in SeVein and is located on the Oregon side of the Walla Walla Valley, as they produce three wines, a Merlot, a Cabernet Sauvignon and their ‘Chrysologue’ which blends both varietals. 

Each wine was beautiful, coming from the electric 2018 vintage. I particularly admired the 2018 Pambrun ‘Chrysologue’ Red Wine (OB, 93) which deftly blends a larger portion of Cabernet Sauvignon (59%) with Merlot. Soft and approachable now with silky tannins and a soft mouthfeel, this has another fifteen years in front of it. Learn more at pambrunwines.com and here are my reviews of the new Pambrun wines. 

2018 Pambrun Merlot- Souced fron the Seven Hills and Summit View Vineyards, this beautiful 2018 Merlot reveals silky tannins and bright red fruits that collide with shades of blackberry compote, scorched earth, tilled soils and chocolate cake on the palate. Full-bodied with plenty of toasty oak, this silky Merlot has another ten to fifteen years ahead of it. Drink 2021-2031- 92

2018 Pambrun Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2018 Pambrun Cabernet Sauvignon delivers plenty of soft dark fruits with tobacco leaf, chocolate and espresso bean flavors. Full-bodied and delicious now, this has another ten to fifteen years to go in the cellar. Drink 2021-2031- 92

2018 Pambrun ‘Chrysologue’ Red Wine- The 2018 ‘Chrysologue’ is a fantastic left bank style of blend, yielding 59% Cabernet Sauvignon with the remainder Merlot all sourced from the Walla Walla Valley. Once on the nose this takes on layers of Black Forest Cake, creosote and herbal undertones alongside toasty oak. The palate is plush, soft and well-balanced with tons of red and dark fruits that line a framework of silky tannins and plenty of finesse. Drink 2021-2033- 93

Merry Edwards

A true California icon, Merry Edwards began her winemaking career back in 1973. She sought to plant her own vineyards where she could capture flavors through site-specific viticulture. In 1996, she purchased 24 acres of sloping hillside in the southern hills of Russian River Valley, intent on growing Pinot Noir on this promising site. With her husband, Ken Coopersmith, as her helpmate, Merry planted 20 acres of vineyard at Meredith Estate in 1998 and harvested a small crop in 2000. In 1999 Merry and Ken expanded the brand’s estate program by purchasing 9.5 acres on Laguna Ridge in the heart of Russian River Valley and planted in 2001. The first Coopersmith Pinot Noir released was a 2004 and this esteemed site is where Merry Edwards winery first began. 

A few years ago I had the chance to interview Merry and talk about her illustrious career — particularly how she has transformed the California Sauvignon Blanc market. Now at the helm, Heidi von der Mehden has trained under Merry for many years before becoming head winemaker at Merry Edwards. Heidi is actually originally from wine country. She has now come full circle — after earning her degree in chemistry from Santa Clara University in 1997 and teaching high school chemistry in Tanzania, Africa, while serving in the Peace Corps, she decided to put her chemistry background to work at home in the wine industry. Heidi crafts some incredible wines and I was blown away with the overall quality. I adored her 2019 Merry Edwards ‘Olivet Lane’ Chardonnay (OB, 94) which is dense and fresh with incredible length. Even better is her sinfully good 2019 Merry Edwards ‘Meredith Estate’ Pinot Noir (OB, 95) which is one of the finest California Pinot Noirs I have tasted this past year.  Learn more about this famed Russian River outpost at merryedwards.com Here are the gorgeous new releases by Merry Edwards. 

2019 Merry Edwards ‘Olivet Lane’ Chardonnay- The gorgeous 2019 Merry Edwards ‘Olivet Lane’ Chardonnay is a glorious new release from the Russian River Valley.  Saline drenched white peach, Japanese pear and shades of nutmeg dusted starfruit all fill the nose. The palate is soft, round and beautifully textured. Showing serious depth and concentration, this finishes exceedingly long with minerals and vanilla cream. This has some excellent cellaring potential. Drink 2021-2031- 94

2019 Merry Edwards ‘Sonoma Coast’ Pinot Noir- A whiff of light salinity takes you right by the ocean in the 2019 ‘Sonoma Coast’ which follows with teaberry and herbal undertones aromatically. Full-bodied, with light tannins, this shows off salty red fruits alongside kumquat zest, and stony undertones on the palate. Gorgeous now, enjoy this beauty over the next ten to twelve years. Drink 2021-2033- 94

2019 Merry Edwards ‘Warrens’ Hill’ Pinot Noir- The 2019 ‘Warrens’ Hill Vineyard’ is a tribute to the three significant Warrens’ in Merry’s life — Warren Miller, Warren Arnold and Warren Dutton. Intense and hedonistic once on the nose, this showcases tart red fruits that collide with tobacco leaf, orange zest and shades of freshly tilled soils. The palate is chewy and dense with bright acidity and a soft mouthfeel, with wonderful length. Beautiful to consume now, this has another fifteen years ahead of it. Drink 2021-2036- 94

2019 Merry Edwards ‘Bucher’ Pinot Noir- Located in the Russian River Valley, the ‘Bucher Vineyard’ is planted to Pommard and Merry Edwards clonal selections of Pinot Noir. The palate is silky smooth with a seamless texture and glorious sense of length. Wild blackberry and gran-orange flavors combine with minerals, loamy soils and smoky undertones on the palate. Full-bodied, yet showing some great tension, this outstanding Pinot Noir has another fifteen years in the cellar. Drink 2021-2036- 94

2019 Merry Edwards ‘Meredith Estate’ Pinot Noir- The dense and powerful 2019 ‘Meredith Estate’ is another outstanding Pinot Noir by the talented Heidi van der Menden. Cigar box aromas combine with ripe cherry cordial, and red raspberry with dried herbs on the nose. The palate is soft and plush, with serious weight and tension that runs through the core of very pretty red and dark fruits. High gratifying in its full-throttle youth, this beautiful wine has another two decades of life ahead of it. Drink 2021-2038- 95

2019 Merry Edwards ‘Russian River Valley’ Pinot Noir- Sourced from a host of esteemed sites throughout the Russian River Valley, this shows off cola and red currants that march on with shades of tilled earth and Bing cherry on the nose. The palate is soft and round with a lovely sense of mouthfeel, viscosity and poise. Ripe red fruits mingle with minerals, damp earth and shades of wild mushroom on the palate. Drink 2021-2031- 92

2019 Merry Edwards ‘Olivet Lane’ Pinot Noir- the 2019 ‘Olivet Lane’ Pinot Noir is a nuanced effort that has really good flavor range. Right out of the gate this exudes class with its tight core of crunchy red fruits that collide with minerals and smoky undertones on the palate. Medium-bodied and showing wonderful verve and balance, this outstanding Pinot Noir will become very earthy as it ages over the next ten to fifteen years. Drink 2021-2035- 94

2019 Merry Edwards ‘Klopp Ranch’ Pinot Noir- I have long admired these wines from the ‘Klopp Ranch’ that was planted back in 1989. Various clonal selections are planted including a field selection from Joseph Swan Vineyards and a non-heat treated Pommard clone as well as Dijon clones, 115, 667 and 777. The nose shows insanely good range from Mandarin orange zest to teaberry and red currants alongside peat moss tones. The palate is soft, elegant and exceedingly refined, as this effortlessly glides throughout the drinking experience. Gorgeous in its youth, this will deliver drinking enjoyment for the next fifteen plus years. Drink 2021-2037- 95

2019 Merry Edwards ‘Coopersmith’ Pinot Noir- The nose shows some beautiful ripe strawberry and guava with cran-cherry, giving this a very high-toned aromatic experience. The palate is fresh and refined with a soft texture. Ripe red fruits mingle with minerals, baking spices and suggestions of salty soils on the palate. This is seriously good and very pretty even in its youth. Drink 2021-2036- 94

2019 Merry Edwards ‘Georganne’ Pinot Noir- Sourced from this estate vineyard in the northern part of Russian River Valley, adjacent to Rochioli and Williams Selyem, this is entirely planted to Merry Edwards clone Pinot Noir. The palate is very silky and elegant, yet has a wonderful sense of damp earth with peat moss undercurrents alongside the bright core of pomegranate seed, gran-orange and cigar ash tones. This is a vivid, highly novel expression of Pinot Noir. Drink 2021-2037- 95 

Duckhorn Merlot

If I were to pool many of you about what you consider to be your top California Merlot, my guess is that I would get many responses who say their answer is the Duckhorn Merlot. There is good reason for this success. A brand that has been very immune to the Sideways Phenomenon, Duckhorn first pushed their Merlot wines back in the 1980s and were a huge part of Merlot’s major successes in the 1990s. People were immediately gratified by the approachability of these wines.

I have had many of these Duckhorn Merlots back to the 1990s and I have been so impressed how the wines aged. I even had my birth year wine from 1980 that was still singing albeit very old. The wines grow more soft and tend to hold their fruit really well. Even Duckhorn Merlots that are eight to ten years old can appear as very youthful. Today their Decoy wines and their Decoy Merlot offer some serious value at a very consumer friendly price point.

Over the past five plus years Duckhorn has achieved magical success with their Merlots, with their ‘Three Palms Vineyard’ even being named the #1 wine in the world by Wine Spectator a few years back. I recently had the chance to taste all of the new Merlots by Duckhorn and was really impressed. Their 2019 Decoy ‘California’ Merlot (OB, 90)  offers good balance and structure with bright red and dark fruit flavors. Learn more about these great wines duckhorn.come and here are my reviews of the new Duckhorn and Decoy Merlots.

2019 Decoy ‘California’ Merlot- Soft, round and showing really good value, the 2019 Decoy Merlot offers ripe red and dark fruits with tobacco leaf undercurrents and a nice sense of viscosity. Medium-bodied and nicely balanced, enjoy over the next five years. Drink 2021-2026- 90

2018 Duckhorn ‘Napa Valley’ Merlot- Balanced and sturdy, the 2018 Duckhorn ‘Napa Valley’ Merlot is an outstanding effort that has some really good cellaring potential. Once on the nose this takes on layers of expresso bean and chocolate cake alongside dark currant tones that all meld in the glass. Full-bodied and delicious with its core of dark fruit favors, the 2018 Duckhorn ‘Napa Valley’ Merlot will cellar well over the next ten to fifteen years. Drink 2021-2033- 92

2018 Duckhorn ‘Three Palms Vineyard’ Merlot- A magical new wine, the 2018 ‘Three Palms Vineyard’ by Duckhorn is one of the best of its kind that I have eve tasted. The heady aromatics bring you back to the glass for more enjoyment as Turkish coffee, dark cherry cordial, tar and leather tones all brilliantly combine. Full-throttle, yet showing great acidity and texture, this intense, hedonistic style of Merlot is brilliant to enjoy now with its milk chocolate, creme de cassis and coffee ground flavors. I can imagine this cellaring well for another twenty years, but it is very hard to resist in its unadulterated youth. Drink 2021-2038- 95

J. Lohr

A winery that stretches back to the 1960s, Jerry Lohr began searching for a great location plant his first vineyard. Originally raised on a South Dakota farm, Jerry had a background in agriculture and chose the Central Coast, which was an experimental region at the time. Jerry has created an amazing success story with his winery, J. Lohr. J. Lohr offers a unique range of really well-riced wines, from limited production wines to 8,000 case production wines. I love the current offerings by them which impress and offer seriously good value.

The red wines by J. Lohr were also excellent and displayed wonderful depth and concentration. An outstanding Petite Sirah release is their 2018 J. Lohr ‘Tower Road’ Petite Sirah (OB, 92) which is intense and massive with some good cellaring potential. I adored the new Chardonnay release, the 2020 J. Lohr ‘Riverstone’ (OB, 92) which shows a silky texture nd has wonderful stony and salty undertones .Check out more about this outstanding lineup at https://www.jlohr.com Here are the outstanding new wines by J. Lohr. 

2020 J. Lohr ‘Riverstone’ Chardonnay- The 2020 ‘Riverstone’ Chardonnay is set on ancient stones from the Arroyo Seco River. Ripe and beautifully textured the wine shows off ripe banana and shades of papaya on the palate with salty and stony undertones. This dense chardonnay has some really nice aging potential and will develop nutty and earthy tones as it cellars. Drink 2021-2028- 92

2020 J. Lohr ‘Falcon’s Perch’ Pinot Noir- The 2020 ‘Falconer’s Perch’ shows forward cola and cranberry tones alongside shades of orange rind on the palate. Enjoy over the next few years. Drink 2021-2024- 88

2019 J. Lohr ‘Fog’s Reach’ Pinot Noir- The 2019 ‘Fog’s Reach’ Pinot Noir delivers a bright veil of tension once on the palate. Layers of pretty red fruits collide with smoke, and tar tones. Enjoy over the next seven years. Drink 2021-2028- 90

2018 J. Lohr ‘Tower Road’ Petite Sirah- The 2018 ‘Tower Road’ Petite Sirah shows off its inky core in the glass. Firm tannins hold in place a massive wall of blue and black fruits with Black Forest Cake scorched earth and tobacco leaf undertones. Seriously good now, this will age well for another decade. Drink 2021-2031- 92

Brick & Mortar

A really consistent producer known for more of an old-world style, Brick & Mortar was founded back in 2011, as their focus is on on single-vineyard Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah, from select high-elevation Napa, Sonoma, and Mendocino vineyards. They are known for picking early to create wines that have more finesse than intense fruit flavors that are lower than most in alcohol and pair beautifully with a range of foods.

Winemaker Matt Iaconis completed his viticulture and oenology degree from UC Davis in 2008, and then worked at a range of wineries in wineries in Australia, New Zealand, Italy and most of all Burgundy. He is most inspired by the old world style of making Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from his time spent in Burgundy. Formerly working at Napa stalwart Antica, Matt is now in his 13th vintage. I was very impressed with the new wines that he has crafted. Look to the food friendly 2017 Brick & Mortar ‘La Perla Vineyard’ Brut Sparkling Wine (OB, 92) which has gobs of tension and  lovely salty undertones. Evne better is the terroir-driven, very old-world style 2019 Brick & Mortar ‘West Block Petaluma Gap’ Syrah (OB, 93) which is very California meets Hermitage. Learn more about these beautiful wines at bhttps://www.brickandmortarwines.com and here are my reviews of the new Brick & Mortar wines. 

2017 Brick & Mortar ‘La Perla Vineyard’ Brut Sparkling Wine- Fresh and lively, the 2017 ‘La Perla Vineyard’ Sparkling Wine shows pretty green apple and unripe cantaloupe tones with gobs of minerality mid-palate. Salty undertones complete this beautiful, tension-driven new sparkling wine that will drink well over the next ten years. Drink 2021-2031- 92

2018 Brick & Mortar ‘Manchester Ridge VIneyard’ Chardonnay- Located the Anderson Valley, the ‘Manchester Ridge Vineyard is a high elevation (2,000 feet above sea level) location set mostly on Goldridge soils. The salinity really shines here with salted Marcona almond, banana, white peach, vanilla cream and shades of green papaya on the palate. Drink 2021-2031- 92

2018 Brick & Mortar ‘Cougar Rock Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- This Napa Pinot Noir shows off good nuance with dried herbs and wet stone tones alongside a core of very pretty red fruits with rose water. Lighter to medium-bodied, enjoy this beautiful Pinot Noir over the next seven to ten years. Drink 2021-2028- 91

2019 Brick & Mortar ‘West Block Petaluma Gap’ Syrah- Salty, savory and very Pinotesque, the ‘West Block Petaluma Gap’ shows off pretty red florals with a core of salty red fruits, iodine and a dusting of white pepper. Medium-bodied and very Hermitage, with outstanding length and novelty, this beautiful wine will cellar well over the next decade. Drink 2021-2031- 93

Cava Mestres

One of the great spots in Cava, Mestres is a house with a really long history. Roughly three years back I visited the Cava region for the first time and was very glad that I did. Exports from Cava that we experience in the United States are nowhere near the consistent quality of the wines that I experienced while I was in Catalonia. 

One of the oldest houses in Cava, The Mestres family dates back to 1312 as a wine negotiant and they have owned vineyards in Sant Sadurni d’Anoia since at least 1607. Many years later in 1925  Josep Mestres Manobens made his first sparkling wine by blending indigenous varietals Macabeu, Xarel-lo, and Parellada. Joan Aura serves as cellar master winemaker. They source from their 74 acre estate, which is divided into two plots: Clos Damiana and Clos Nostre Senyor as well as some area vineyards. Their vineyard is set on calcareous clay soils.

Having visited this winery it is set in a storybook setting in the small town of Sadurni d’Antonia, which is roughly an hour from Barcelona via train. The region is quite mountainous and it has a very different climate to Barcelona having a considerably lower maritime influence. Mestres give their sparkling wines extended time (18 months to 7 years) on the lees in bottle, which contributes to the complexity of the wines. During our cellar tour we had a chance to see some of their wines that have date back fifty years. Like many of Spain’s most celebrated houses, Mestres prides themselves at aging their wines and releasing them when they find them ready. We were able to see the disgorgement process as well as some bottling while we were there and I was amazed at the attention to detail as the cellar master inspects each individual bottle, regardless of price. They are truly a storied house in sparkling wine. 

I love their new ‘Reserva’ bottling, the NV Mestres ‘1312’ Rose Cava (OB, 91) is fresh and vibrant Rose with lovely earthy tones. I loved the with their 2013 Mestres ‘Visol Gran Reserva Brut Nature’ Cava (OB, 93) which is already nicely evolved from this outstanding vintage. This beauty has another decade or more to go. Learn more about this storied winery at http://www.mestres.es/?lang=en Here are the great new wines by Cava Mestres.

2018 Mestres ‘1312 Reserva’ Rose Cava- This beautiful bottling blends Trepat, Pinot Noir and Monastrell. The soft mousse upon the attack entices as layers of pretty guava and red cherry fruits combine with orange zest and hints of nectarine with earthy and stony undercurrents. Enjoy over the next several years.  Drink 2021-2026- 91

2013 Mestres ‘Visol Gran Reserva’ Cava- Taken from a very good vintage in Cava the 2013 ‘Visol’ combines 40% Xarel-lo with 35% Macabeo and the remainder Parellada from vines over 50 years of age.The silky mousse impresses upon entry as layers of nectarine, salted Macadamia nut, baking spice dusted pear and lemon zest infused toasty brioche all come together marvelously on the palate. Refined and elegant, this is drinking marvelously right now and has another decade to go. Drink 2021-2031- 93

2009 Mestres ‘Clos Nostre Senyor Gran Reserva’ Cava- Taken from what was a very warm vintage, the. 2009 ‘Clos Nostre Senyor’ is a blend of old vine 60% Xarel-lo (60%), Macabeo (20%) and Parellada (20%).Showing off its deep hue in the glass, the Cava shows off beautifully nutty tones on the nose with layers of ripe pear and white peach, with white florals rounding out this exquisite bouquet. Full-bodied and intense, with an oily texture, this rich yet tension-driven Cava finishes exceedingly long, with gobs of mouth-watering acidity and a light dusting of salinity. This is already beautifully evolved at the twelve year mark and enjoy this exceptional wine over the next decade. Drink 2021-2031- 95

Caymus Vineyards

One of the iconic wineries in Napa, Caymus built a name for themselves by crafting some stunning Cabernet wines for decades. They have a very hedonistic style of wine that might not appeal to everyone. I absolutely was enchanted by the quality of their top wines. 

Back in 1972, Chuck Wagner started Caymus Vineyards with his parents, Charlie and Lorna, and created incredible success with their wines. Caymus Cabernet is sourced from 8 of Napa Valley's 16 appellations and the Caymus ‘Special Selection’ is the only wine in the world to be honored twice as Wine Spectator magazine's “Wine of the Year” for the 1984 and 1990 vintages.

Caymus and their Wagner Family of Wines produces everything from Chardonnay to Sauvignon Blanc. For those who do not enjoy huge extraction in their wines, kindly glance away. Like last years release, the 2019 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 93) which is dense and chewy with wonderful length. I adored the 2019. Emmolo Merlot (OB, 92) which has really good range and intensity. One of the outstanding wines out of Napa, the 2016 Caymus ‘Special Selection’ Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 95) is massive and beautifully structured Cabernet that will cellar for another twenty years. Learn more about these outstanding new wines at https://www.caymus.com Here are the beautiful new release wines by Caymus Vineyards.

MV Red Schooner Voyage 9- This delicious red wine made by Caymus Vineyards is created from high elevation Malbec grapes from Mendoza. Inky once in the glass, this delivers plenty of black and blue fruits with bright acidity and lighter cocoa powder flavors. Not for the weary, the Voyage 9 is already drinking beautifully right now. Drink 2021-2029- 93

2019 Emmolo Merlot- The 2019 Emmolo Merlot is named after Jenny Wagner’s mother, Cheryl Emmolo. Full-bodied, and showing good verve, the Emmolo Merlot shows off black tea, tomato leaf and rich dark currant flavors with black cherry compote on the palate. Delightful in its youth, this has another ten to fifteen years to go. Drink 2021-2033- 92

2018 Caymus-Suisun ‘Grand Durif’ Petit Sirah- The 2018 ‘Grand Durif’ is crafted from Petite Sirah grapes sourced the Suisun Valley, not far from Napa. The palate is plush with a silky texture. Black tea and exotic spices combine with blueberry cordial and Turkish coffee tones on the palate. This is drinking beautifully now and has another decade ormolu to go in the cellar. Drink 2021-2031- 93

2019 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2019 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from eight of Napa’s sub-appelations. Aromatically quite intense, this revels in its massive core of blackberry cordial, mocha, tar, black licorice and creme de cassis aromas that all meld in the glass. The palate is plush with a sensational sense of texture. Layers of dense dark and blue fruits mingle with minerals and salty undertones. Drink 2021-2031- 93

2016 Caymus ‘Special Selection’ Cabernet Sauvignon-This is now the second time in the year that I have had the chance to taste this beautiful wine. The 2016 ‘Special Selection’ is a massively dense wine that is truly starting to sing in its highest octave now at the five year mark. Once on the nose this shows decadent blueberry cordial tones alongside dried herbs, black currants and shades of chocolate covered black raspberry.The palate is intense and rich with a soft mouthfeel. Incredible to savor now, this has at least another fifteen years to go in the cellar. Drink 2021-2035- 95

Chateau Angelus

Famed right bank house Château Angélus, until 1990 known as Château L'Angélus, or simply L'Angélus, is located in Saint-Emilion and since 2012 has been a premier grand cru classe (A) in the classification of Saint-Emilion wine. The house has been owned by the Boüard de Laforest family since the Domaine de Mazaret was bequeathed to Comte Maurice de Boüard de Laforest in 1909, and expanded by the acquisition of Clos de L'Angélus in 1926 and a plot from Chateau Beau-Sejour Becot in 1969. Angelus is named after three Angelus bells which are audible from the vineyards and come from the chapel at Mazerat.

Famed enologist Michel Rolland serves as consultant as the property has 23.4 hectares planted to 51% Merlot, 47% Cabernet Franc and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon.  For my palate the Angelus wines are truly some of the most extraordinary in the world, and some of the greatest examples of Merlot and Cabernet Franc that you will find.

A few weeks back I had the chance to taste the extraordinary 2010 Angelus (OB, 100) which is one of the great wines I have tasted over the past year. This masterpiece is only slowly starting to show its full potential, and the wine has at least another twenty years of cellaring ahead of it. Learn more about this famed house at https://www.angelus.com/en/ Here is my review of the 2010 Chateau Angelus. 

2010 Chateau Angelus- The 2010 Chateau Angelus is a masterpiece now at eleven years. Haunting aromas of sandalwood, Black Forest cake, mocha and tar all come together on the nose. The palate is opulent with a silky texture and gorgeous layers of black cherry cordial, tar, garrigue, and asphalt. This is sinfully good especially after several hours of air, as this has decades of life ahead of it. Drink 2021-2041- 100

Big Table Farm

One of the great producers of the Willamette Valley, Big Table Farm was a project many years in the making for Clare Carver and Brian Marcy. I’ve been witting about these wines for many years now and for those who haven’t had the chance to taste these yet I urge you that this is a not to be missed lineup of wines — from bright, mineral driven Rose to rich and layered Chardonnay to earthy and downright seductive Pinot Noir. 

At the helm is the talented Brian Marcy who has been making wine for a very long time now, first being head winemaker at Neyers and crafting some gorgeous Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah there before settling with Clare in the Willamette Valley. I have said for many years that it is very hard to find this degree of tension and viscosity in a glass of Oregon Pinot Noir. 

It is also worth noting that his 2020 Big Table Farm ‘The Laughing Pig’ Rose (OB, 92) was one of the great wines in my 2020 Rose Report. I adored the new releases which were stunning across the board. I absolutely loved the new 2019 Big Table Farm ‘Yamhill-Carlton’ Pinot Noir (OB, 93) which is deep and rich with a silky mouthfeel. Even better is the outstanding 2019 Big Table Farm ‘Sunnyside Vineyard’ Pinot Noir (OB, 94) which shows a supple mouthfeel that combines with incredible range. It is a downright sexy Oregon Pinot Noir. Learn more about Big Table Farm at http://www.bigtablefarm.com/ Here are the fantastic new release wines by Big Table Farm.

2020 Big Table Farm Pinot Gris- Rich, decadent and truly novel, the 2019 Big Table Farm Pinot Gris is a fleshy, broad shouldered and delicious bottling that is gorgeous to enjoy over the next several days. Beeswax, orange zest, cantaloupe and guava combine with minerals and scorched earth undertones. This is a brilliant effort from more than a challenging vintage. Drink 2021-2023- 93

2019 Big Table Farm ‘Eola-Amity Hills’ Chardonnay- The gorgeous 2019 ‘Eola-Amity Hills’ Chardonnay delivers a soft mouthfeel with gobs  of minreality. Lemon oil, wet stone, unripe melon and baking spice dusted Challah bread all marvelously combine on the palate. This glorious wine has a long way to go in the cellar. Drink 2021-2033- 94

2019 Big Table Farm ‘Yamhill Carlton’ Chardonnay-  The 2019 ‘Yamhill Carlton’ Chardonnay is a gorgeous wine that is already beautifully evolved. Dense with rich orchard. Fruits and. shades of toasted hazelnuts with lemon zest and salty undertones. Drink 2021-2033-  93

2019 Big Table. Farm ‘Yamhill-Carlton’ Pinot Noir- Only 235 cases produced, the 2019 ‘Yamhill-Carlton’ Pinot Noir shows off beautiful red florals alongside. White pepper, peat moss and orange rind undercurrents on the nose. Full-bodied and beautifully textured, this sensational bottling is showing brilliantly even at two years of age. Drink 2021-2031-  93

2019 Big table Farm ‘Sunnyside Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- Big table Farm has been sourcing from this site since 2011, as the ‘Sunnyside Vineyard’ was planted back in 1970. Shades of pine needles with wet stone, red cherry preserves and guava puree all mark the nose. The palate is rich, concentrated and shows a seamless texture with beautiful length. Enjoy this glorious effort over the next ten to twelve years. Drink. 2021-2033- 94

2019 Big Table farm ‘Cattrall Brothers’ Pinot Noir- Sourced from a tiny, 3-acre site in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA, the 2019 ‘Cattrall Brothers’ Pinot Noir shows a wonderful purity of fruit with its tart red berry profile. Medium-bodied, with nice finesse, and peat moss undertones, this lighter style of Oregon Pinot Noir will continue to impress over the next decade. Drink 2021-2031- 92

Aubaine

Today we share one of the exciting new winery projects out of Oregon. Aubane has Burgundy in mind with all of their wines. The winery focuses on single vineyard and estate only Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.  Founder Andy Lytle connected with esteemed winemaker Isabelle Meunier to make a beautiful expression Eola-Amity Hills Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

For those less familiar with Isabelle, she has a longstanding history in the Willamette Valley, and has made beautiful wines under many labels. Originally from Quebec, Isabelle studied winemaking and viticulture at the University of Dijon and in New Zealand at Lincoln University before coming to the Willamette Valley.

I adored her new 2019 Aubaine ‘Anhata Vineyard’ Chardonnay (OB, 92) which is a wine with serious poise, and a long finish. Even better is the sinfully good 2019 Aubaine ‘Joie’ Pinot Noir (OB, 93) which has really good heft and finesse in a challenging vintage for Oregon Pinot Noir. Learn more about this outstanding new winery project at aubainewine.com and here are my reviews of the new Aubaine wines. 

2019 Aubaine ‘Anahata Vineyard’ Chardonnay- The 2019 ‘Anahata Vineyard’ Chardonnay is a great new wine by the talented Isabelle Meunier. The palate shows a silky mouthfeel with great finesse. Layers of Meyer lemon zest, diatomaceous earth, green papaya and salted Marcona almond all brilliantly collide on the palate. With good fruit weight and tension, this beautiful wine will cellar well for at least another decade. Drink 2021-2031- 92

2019 Aubaine ‘Anahata Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- Dense and deeply colored considering the vintage, the 2019 ‘Anahata Vineyard’ Pinot Noir reveals black tea, blackberry compote and exotic spices with tilled salty soils on the nose. The palate shows good weight and a silky texture. Layers of red and dark fruits mingle with smoky minerals, damp earth and peat moss undertones. Seriously good even at the two year mark, this beautiful wine will provide drinking enjoyment over the next decade — or more. Drink 2021-2031- 92

2019 Aubaine ‘Joie’ Pinot Noir- The ‘Joie’ utilizes Pommard and Dijon clone 777 vines, as this was aged in 30% new French oak before bottling. Red currants mingle with orange rind, Christmas spices and wild blackberry on the nose. The palate is dense and chewy with a great sour red and dark fruit profile. With good richness, flavor density and finesse, this beautiful wine has a long way to go. This is impressive weight considering the vintage. Drink 2021-2033- 93

Vina Pedrosa

Today we share some of the outstanding wines made by Hnos. Perez Pascuas and their Ribera del Duero winery, Vina Pedrosa. For many years I have admired the range of wines that they produce. This Ribera del Duero property has produced a stunning lineup of Tempranillo based wines. For those unfamiliar with the wines from this region, the reds typically have a bit of Cabernet blended in, and are primarily made with Tempranillo. This gives the wine a denser, exotic edge. Vina Pedrosa wines are 100% Tempranillo. Wines are sourced from vineyards set at roughly 800 meters and vines are mostly planted on clay and limestone soils. Amazingly, winemaking in this region traces back to more than 2,000 years ago. This small growing region is not far from Rioja and is located north of Madrid

I was particularly impressed with their incredible ‘Reserva’ and ‘Gran Reserva’ bottlings, I was enamored by the 2016 Vina Pedrosa ‘Reserva’ (OB, 94) has massive depth and concentration with silky tannins. Their 2015 Vina Pedrosa ‘Gran Reserva’ bottlings (OB, 96) is one of the great Ribera wines that I have tasted over the past year.  Learn more about these tremendous wines at https://perezpascuas.com/en/vina-pedrosa-crianza-en/ Here are the awesome release wine from Hnos. Perez Pascuas and Vina Pedrosa.

2018 Vina Pedrosa ‘Crianza’ Ribera del Duero- Polished and soft on the mouth, the 2018 Vina Pedrosa ‘Crianza’ Ribera del Duero delivers a seamless texture with toasty oak tones that wrap around a core of bright red fruits, tobacco leaf and citrus rind accents. Full-bodied and delicious now, the ‘Crianza’ will provide drinking enjoyment for at least another decade. Drink 2021-2031- 93

2016 Vina Pedrosa ‘Reserva’ Ribera del Duero- Every bit outstanding, the 2016 Vina Pedrosa ‘Reserva’ Ribera del Duero is absolutely captivating to enjoy now at the five year mark. Once on the nose this takes on burnt cherry with pomegranate seed, toasty oak and shades of menthol. Full-bodied and dense, the earthy undertones really add to the enjoyment as firm tannins hold in place a delightful core of red and dark fruits with chocolate accents. Expressive, lively and light on its feet, the beautiful 2016 Vina Pedrosa ‘Reserva’ Ribera del Duero will cellar well over the next fifteen to twenty years. Drink 2021-2036- 94

2015 Vina Pedrosa ‘Gran Reserva’ Ribera del Duero- Rich, decadent and full of life, the 2015 Vina Pedrosa ‘Gran Reserva’ Ribera del Duero is a sensational, full-throttle joyride throughout the drinking experience. The length, density and brightness of the wine is particularly appealing, as intense roasted figs, chocolate cake, orange rind, dark currants, and loamy tilled soils all come together marvelously on the palate. This finesse and exceedingly long finish both add to the enjoyment. Intense to enjoy in its hedonistic youth this complex and delicious ‘Gran Reserva’ will surely live past the twenty year mark — but is every bit delicious in its sinfully good youth. Drink 2021-2041- 96

Epoch

For many years I have admired the wines by Jordan Fiorentini. She has a penchant for creating full-bodied wines that show beautiful finesse regardless of vintage. I as not surprised a few years back when Phillipe Melka began making wines from these esteemed vineyards of Epoch, one of the great wineries in Paso Robles. For many years Jordan has been at the Epoch helm, crafting wines that seem to defy the odds in terms of packing fruit weight and finesse into a Rhone style bottling even in the warmest of vintages. 

I was massively impressed with the new wines that Jordan had crafted. She makes a downright killer Rose and her 2020 Epoch Rose (OB, 92) rivals anything in the region with great freshness and a silky texture. Even better is the gorgeous 2017 Epoch ‘Authenticity’ Red Wine (OB, 95) which is off the charts, complex wine that has some great cellaring potential but is also delightful to savor in its hedonistic youth. Learn more about these outstanding wines at epochwines.com. Here are the great new wines by Epoch.

2020 Epoch Rose- Very pretty rose water tones connect with guava, wet stone and strawberry on the palate. Fresh and vibrant with a beautiful sense of texture, this outstanding new wine will cellar well over the next five to seven years, picking up earthy tones as it progresses. Drink 2021-2027- 92

2020 Epoch White Wine-  The 2020 Epoch White Wine is a scintillating and vibrant new bottling by the talented Jordan Fiorentini made from mostly Grenache Blanc and Viognier. Once on the nose this takes on ripe pear with starfruit and baking spices that all meld in the glass. Rich and viscous with bright acidity, enjoy over the next five to seven years. Drink 2021-2026- 92

2017 Epoch Temnpranillo- Sourced from the Padereski Vineyard, this 100% Tempranillo brings rich roasted figs with espresso bean, black currant jelly and tar flavors. Full-bodied and absolutely delicious to enjoy now, with light tannins keeping everything together, this outstanding wine will cellar well for another ten to twelve years. Drink 2021-2033- 94

2018 Epoch ‘Estate Blend’ Red Wine- The 2018 ‘Estate Blend’ is a rich and powerful bottling that delivers a punch early on. Needing an hour decant to fully be aroused, the wine shows off intense dark fruit flavors that mingle with dark chocolate shavings, scorched earth and lighter garrigue tones on the palate. Enjoy over the next decade. Drink 2021-2031-  93

2018 Epoch ‘Sensibility’ Red Wine-  A blend of nearly all Grenache (95%) with just a touch of Syrah, the 2018 ‘Sensibility’ shows the potential for Grenache in the Willow Creek District. Beyond the massive wall of hedonistic red and dark fruits you see lighter red florals and herbal undertones, with shades of wet stone, blood orange zest and gobs of mouth-watering acidity that complete this gorgeous new wine. The exceedingly long finish and beautiful sense of verve really add to the enjoyment here. Drink 2021-2033- 95

2018 Epoch ‘Veracity’ Red Wine- The 2018 ‘Veracity’ blends s mostly Mourvedre (48%) and Grenache (39%) with the remainder Mourvedre. Intense Asian spices combine with black currants, mocha and black licorice tones on the nose. Dense and plush, with a gorgeous sense of texture, the 2018 ‘Veracity’ is a polished, beautifully structured and hedonistic bottling that will cellar well over the next fifteen years. Drink 2021-2035- 95

2017 Epoch ‘Authenticity’ Red Wine- The 2017 ‘Authenticity’ is a blend of mostly Syrah (92%) with small portions Mourvedre and a splash of Viognier. Full-bodied and intense, this shows off tar, tobacco leaf, white pepper dusted BBQ beef ribs and beautiful freshness on the palate. Finishing very long, this outstanding new bottling will cellar well for at least another decade. Drink 2021-2036- 95

2017 Epoch ‘Block B’ Syrah- Dense and heady, the 2017 ‘Block B’ Syrah shows some good cellaring potential considering its concentration and bright acidity. It is full-throttle and intense with gorgeous black fruits and black florals that collide with smoked brisket, tar and lighter herbal undertones. Great to enjoy now at the four year mark, this has at least another decade of life in front of it. Drink 2021-2035- 95

Bledsoe | McDaniels

A few weeks ago I had the chance to sit with Josh McDaniels, one of the great winemaking talents in Washington. McDaniels trained under eminent winemaker Chris Figgins at Leonetti before partnering with NFL legend Drew Bledsoe to start Doubleback. As much as Josh loved making outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon, he mentioned that he had always had a penchant for Oregon Pinot Noir. Over time he and Drew realized that they needed to start a new Oregon winery. Josh also had a chance to make Oregon Pinot while working for Figgins Family in 2011 and I was impressed with what he made in 2019 despite harvest conditions being less than perfect.  

I was very impressed with the new wines and adored the 2019 Bledsoe | McDaniels ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir (OB, 95) which is deeply concentrated with a soft mouthfeel and brilliant tension. Just as good is his Syrah from the Rocks District of Milton-Freewater, the 2019 Bledsoe | McDaniels ‘Lefore Vineyard’ Syrah (OB, 95)  is a marvelous wine showing great length and aromatic/flavor range. It is thrilling stuff to enjoy now and will cellar well for more than a decade. Josh also made a killer new release from the ‘Lefore Vineyard’ in the Walla Walla Rocks District AVA. The 2018 Bledsoe | McDaniels ‘Lefore Vineyard’ Syrah (OB, 95) which has as brilliant sense of finesse and amazing range that runs the spectrum. This is seriously good even right now. Learn more about this outstanding new winery project at http://bledsoemcdaniels.com/#top Here are the beautiful new wines by Bledsoe | McDaniels. 

2019 Bledsoe | McDaniels ‘LFG Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir- The 2019 ‘LFG Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir is a blend of Wind Ridge and Ellis Estate Vineyards. Aged in neutral oak, the ‘LFG’ shows pretty red florals with red currants and shades of red raspberry on the nose. The texture here is insanely good as beautiful guava, red cherry and pomegranate seed with orange rind all collect momentum on the palate. The minerality here is outstanding as this beautiful wine will cellar well for another decade. Drink 2021-2031- 93

2019 Bledsoe | McDaniels ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir- Sourced from old vine Pommard Clone from the Ridgecrest Vineyard as well as the Ellis Estate Vineyard, this shows off gorgeous toasty oak with pine needles, huckleberry and black tea tones. The palate is extremely pillowy and refined. This is very dense and intense wine considering the challenges presented at harvest. Gorgeous now, this has some seriously good aging potential. Drink 2021-2035- 95

2019 Bledsoe | McDaniels ‘Lefore Vineyards’ Syrah- Aged in roughly 20% new French oak puncheons, the ‘Lefore Vineyard’ dates back to 1998. The aromatics are astonishing good. Bacon fat, green olive tapenade, violets and shades of Hoisin sauce all mark the nose. The wine hits all the right boxes in texture, acid and mouthfeel, with an extremely long finish. The salty and savory tones of the wine are truly outstanding. Enjoy this beautiful wine in its finesse-driven youth after an hour of air. Drink 2021-2031- 95

DuMol

During harvest 2021 we share one of the world-class producers of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah and Cabernet in California. I have been consistently blown away with the consistency of these wines. Strangely DuMOL was born in 1996 initially as a hobby for three friends as the project was not initially focused on producing world class wines. Since 1999 Andy Smith been at the helm as winemaker. Originally from Scotland, Andy has previously worked at Dry River, Littorai, Havens, Franus, to Matua and Mt Pleasant wineries. Andy went on to graduate in viticulture and enology from Lincoln University in Christchurch, NZ and later became assistant winemaker for Paul Hobbs. Needless to say, Andy Smith has a handle on every single varietal that he touches.

The current releases by DuMOL stunning across the board. I loved the 2019 DuMOL ‘Hyde Vineyard’ Chardonnay (OB, 95) which is fresh, vibrant and silky throughout the drinking experience. Even better is the 2019 DuMol ‘Finn’ Pinot Noir (OB, 96) which is one of the great Pinot Noir wines from California that I have tasted this year.  This wine has some massive cellaring potential. Learn more about these stunning new wines at https://www.dumol.com Here are the great new releases by DuMOL. 

2019 DuMol ‘DuMol Estate Vineyard’ Chardonnay- Set in the Sonoma Coast AVA, the ‘DuMol Estate Vineyard’ Chardonnay is planted to Hyde, Wente and Mount Eden clonal selections from this site roughly ten miles from the Pacific Ocean. Considerably more expressive at a warmer temperature, cloves, salted pear, kumquat rind and brioche tones all fill the nose. The palate is silky and seamless with layers of salty earth, Japanese pear, starfruit and baking spices. Complex and beautifully textured, with good length, this has another ten to fifteen years of life ahead of it. Drink 2021-2033- 94

2019 DuMol ‘Hyde Vineyard’ Chardonnay- One of the outstanding sites in the Carneros AVA, the famed ‘Hyde Vineyard’ has a massive maritime influence and planted to old Wente clonal selections, this 2019 edition benefits from about an hour air. Once aroused this evokes honeydew melon, lemon zest dusted Challah bread and shades of nectarine with baking spices. The palate is soft and seamless, as this effortlessly glides throughout the drinking experience. Wait for the exceedingly long finish. Drink 2021-2033- 95

2019 DuMol ‘Chloe’ Chardonnay- The 2019 ‘Chloe’ is sourced from the famed ‘Ritchie Vineyard’ which is an older site in the Russian River Valley with vines over 45 years of age.The wine is impeccably textured with a soft mouthfeel. Full-bodied orchard fruits combine with salted and nutmeg infused French bread with roasted pineapple giving this an exotic edge. The wonderful length adds to the enjoyment, as this glorious wine has at least another ten years to go in the cellar. Drink 2021-2033- 95

2019 DuMol ‘Finn’ Pinot Noir- The latest 2019 edition of ‘Finn’ is mainly sourced from the DuMol O’Connell Estate Vineyard which is set on marine sandstone and silty clay loam. One whiff and you are greeted to seriously good aromatic range from orange peel and bergamot notes alongside a great core of red and dark fruits with cola accents. The palate is lush, round and generous, with a seamless sense of texture. Copious cranberry, pomegranate seed, orange zest, cola and baking spices with sandalwood accents all greet you alongside very light tannins and an opulent mouthfeel. This is quite simply one of the great, well-rounded Russian River Valley Pinot Noirs that I have tasted over the past year. Drink 2021-2038- 96

2019 DuMol ‘Estate’ Pinot Noir- Sourced from the ‘DuMol Coffee Lane Vineyard’ this Pinot Noir combines clonal selections Calera, Swan and 943, as this saw 45% new French oak for fifteen months prior to bottling. Cherry cola, sassafras, wild mushroom and pine needles greet you on the nose. The palate is seamless and soft, with a generous mouthfeel. Layers of very pretty red and dark fruits brilliantly combine with the great veil of viscosity and tension, with salty undertones. Drink 2021-2036- 94

2019 DuMol ‘Jentoft Vineyard Ryan’ Pinot Noir- The 2019 ‘Ryan’ Pinot Noir was sourced from the ‘Jentoft Vineyard’ is set on a steep hillside with a strong coastal influence. This beautiful new Pinot Noir was aged for fifteen months in 45% new French oak before bottling. Exotic spices and red currants fill the nose, leading to loamy tilled soils and blood orange zest undertones. The palate has a silky texture with plenty of viscosity and great finesse. Highly gratifying to savor now, this has another fifteen years of life ahead of it. Drink 2021-2036- 95

2019 DuMol ‘Eddie’s Patch’ Syrah- The inky and brooding 2019 ‘Eddie’s Patch’ will give any other Sonoma Syrah a run for its money. Sourced from the ‘Hoppe-Kelley Vineyard’ in the Russian River Valley, the Syrah utilizes Alban and Syrah Noir clonal selections, as vines are fifteen years of age. Once on the nose this takes on black tea, blackberry compote, tar and anise tones aromatically, with toasty oak and shades of beef drippings. The palate is intense and highly savory with black olive tapenade, smoked brisket, Black Forest Cake and a light dusting of white pepper, with salty undertones. Complex and literally a full meal in a glass, this decadent yet well-balanced Syrah will cellar well over the next fifteen years — but it is nearly impossible to resist right now. Drink 2021-2038- 96