California Wine

Winemaker Description 

Redefining taste once again, this Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir is a mix of Russian River and Petaluma Gap AVAs. Russian River valley’s diverse terroir contributes to a wide range of styles and the cool, foggy climate of the Petaluma Gap produces wines with a distinctive coastal minerality. 

Ripe cranberry and dried black cherry dominate the nose followed by early floral notes and hints of mocha, chai and leather. The mouthfeel is luxurious with juicy black cherry and spice midpalate and notes of Cardamom and clove on the lengthy and complex finish.  

Producer Description 

Intense citrus, lime, and stone fruit aromas lead the way into our refreshing Pinot Grigio. It features full, round citrus fruit flavors and a crisp finish. A food-friendly wine, Pinot Grigio has long been known for its ability to pair well with seafood and other light dishes. The well-rounded flavors of our Pinot Grigio make for a beautiful pairing with Thai food, poultry, and a variety of cheeses. Enjoy slightly chilled.

Producer Description 

Dark and luscious, the 2023 Diamond Collection Claret  showcases flavors of plum, black pepper, and cocoa. Good length, firm tannins, and sophisticated character are enhanced by a full body and long finish.

The term "Claret" is traditionally used to describe a Bordeaux-style red blend, and this wine consistently delivers a rich, smooth, and fruit-forward take on that style.

This rich red blend is versatile and pairs wonderfully with:

• Roasted or Grilled Meats: Steak, lamb, beef tenderloin.

• Hard Cheeses: Aged Cheddar or Gouda.

• Savory Dishes: Mushroom risotto or pasta with a meat-based sauce.

  
  

   

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2021 

James Suckling 100 Points | Firmly structured, age-worthy and so focused and deep in black fruit, this is an especially impressive wine from a highly rated year. Aromas of mint, cedar, star anise, charcoal and graphite, then blackberries, dark spices, blueberries and toast. Massive but fine-grained tannins that carry the intensity through to a lingering finish. Full bodied.

Jeb Dunnuck 98+ Points | Darker currants, smoked tobacco, crushed stone, and graphite notes all give the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon a Latour-like stature and regalness, and it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a deep, layered mouthfeel, and a great finish. One of the more inward and structured examples of this cuvée that I can remember, it's nevertheless flawlessly balanced, has everything in the right place, and is just a magical Pritchard Hill Cabernet Sauvignon that every reader would love to have in their cellar. It should have half a century of overall longevity.

The Wine Advocate 97+ Points | Tasted as the final blend, which was scheduled to be bottled in December 2023, Bryant's 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon combines mint, sage, crushed stone, pencil shavings, cherries and cassis on the nose. Is it perhaps just a bit more complex than the Bettina? It's certainly just as powerful and concentrated, being full-bodied and richly tannic but ripe, silky and almost never-ending on the finish. Personal preference will play heavily into which of the two wines you enjoy more, but both are packed with pleasure.

Vinous 94+ Points | Tasted from a base blend, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the most embryonic, young 2021s I have tasted. At this stage, this is dense and packed to the core, with notable fruit intensity and equally potent tannins. It's an exciting wine, but also incredibly youthful. I very much admire the energy here.

Winemaker Description 

BACA’s Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is an adventurous take on a classic—sourced from top Napa Valley vineyards, including some of the most prized sub-appellations. 

The wine has a dense hue of violet, and aromas of ripe cassis, lavender and warm blackberry pastries. The palate offers dense briar fruit, fine accessible tannins, and a touch of oak from aging lending a fresh expression of the varietal. This is a wine crafted to be enjoyed and cherished early in its life.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2022 

James Suckling 92 Points |  Rich and expressive, with blackcurrants, black cherries, mocha, cedar and hints of spices. The full-bodied palate is deep yet bright and focused with a supple texture and lingering ripe berries and savory nuances. Refined and already attractive, but better from 2027.

Decanter Magazine 92 Points | A blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 3% Malbec, 3% Petit Verdot, and 2% Merlot. Half the wine was barrel-fermented in 50% new French oak, while the rest was fermented in stainless steel, then aged for 18 months in 30% new French oak. Fragrant and packed with sweet red berry fruit, strawberry preserves, and cherry compote, it features gentle, soft tannins that make it very approachable from the pull of the cork. The tannins do build, however, becoming more drying and overarching on the finish, with some of the bright fruit character fading slightly. Nevertheless, this is a lovely wine, best enjoyed with well-salted meats.

Expert Review - Vintage 2013

Wine Spectator | A whiff of cider in the aroma flags this as a stylistic statement, with notes of apple skin, dried fig and spice. 

Winemaker Description 

The Pinot Noir for this method champenoise sparkling wine 'Sea Spray' from Sea Smoke is the result of a careful cluster selection from their estate vineyard. The grapes were gently pressed following an evening in our cold room, then transferred to stainless tanks to begin a long, cool fermentation, which was completed in once-used and neutral French oak barrels. Following six months of sur lie aging in barrel, the wine was bottle aged an additional 16 months en tirage prior to disgorging. The wine was finished with no dosage, to preserve its finesse. The nuanced nose expresses cranberries, lavender, fresh bread and lemon curd. The wine enters the palate with energetic freshness and finishes with delightful length.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2019

Vinous 92 Points Eric Guido | More savory than sweet and wonderfully complex, the 2019 Brut Rosé North Coast bursts from the glass with toasty notes of fresh baguette and almonds, giving way to crushed apples and gingery spice. This rushes the palate with an elegant bead of silken bubbles. It is creamy yet energetic, and mineral-tinged orchard fruits add further tension. The 2019 leaves the senses wonderfully refreshed through the long, crunchy finale, as white strawberry and spice cookie notes fade. The Brut Rosé is a pleasure bomb, yet it’s wonderfully balanced throughout.  Drinking 2023 to 2027.    

Wine Spectator 92 Points | A delicate, graceful rosé, with refined strawberry, fresh ginger and yeast roll tones that glide on the supple finish. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Drink now.  

Winemaker's Notes

Expert Review - Vintage 2019

92 Points Wine Enthusiast | This is loaded with cracked pepper flavors, plus lively cherry and grilled herb notes that finish with polished tannins. 

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2021

The Wine Advocate 96 Points | Grapes for the 2021 Angeli Zinfandel are picked in three passes. Proprietor Scot Bilbro notes that Zinfandel's naturally varying levels of ripeness can lead to raisiny flavors if all the grapes are picked at a higher brix. "If you bring Zinfandel in over 25 brix, that means the juice inside is at 25, but the skins have a lot more sugar, and the level will go up to 28 or more," he explains. "So, we pick at 23, 24 and just shy of 25. You can enable the wine to show off layers with those different picks." This strategy led to a gorgeous Angeli in 2021 that is incredibly expressive and perfumed. Blueberry, boysenberry and blackberry give way to wafts of graphite, gobs of violet and even touches of tangerine. The medium to full-bodied palate explodes with concentrated fruit and expansive layers of floral perfume and spice. It has a powdery frame, bursts of mouthwatering acidity and a very long, nuanced finish. 

Jeb Dunnuck 91 Points | The dark purple 2021 Zinfandel Angeli is from the Angeli estate vineyards in the Alexander Valley and was raised for 15 months in neutral barrels. Concentrated and full-bodied, it reveals layered notes of dried apricot, espresso, blackberry compote, and licorice. The palate is brooding and savory, with a fleshy texture, an earthier profile, and notes of dark chocolate through the finish. A more potent and powerful style.

Winemaker Description 

Showing bright and clear scarlet while poured, the wine in the glass becomes edged with a deeper hue reminiscent of plum skin. With swirling layers of ripe cherry, blood peach, and marzipan this pure Zinfandel is immediately bright, inviting, and nuanced on the nose. Hints of violet, black tea, and spice ground the wine with a dark intensity. Velvety across the palate this exuberant wine finishes dry with a textured foremouth focus and a core of acidity cutting a cleansing path through the richness. This Zinfandel is a seductive, stately celebration of the Angeli vineyard which surrounds the winery.

Winemaker Description

The 2022 Red Shoulder Ranch is a refreshing, vibrant Chardonnay characterized by its lush, glass-filling aromas of white flowers, lemon zest, and exotic fruit. On the palate it offers a graceful balance of energy and richness, with flavors of white melon, apricot, ripe pineapple, flint, honey, and Crème Brûlée. With its pure, Chablis-like acidity this vintage offers effortless structure and elegant balance with a long, delightful finish.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2022

Wine Enthusiast 97 Points | All elegance and silk, this beautifully balanced wine offers a lively texture, with subtle lemon, toast and kiwi flavors on a full body. The mouthfeel is graceful and mouthwatering, backed by acidity that perfectly meets the generous fruit flavors. Making a wine of this caliber in thousands of cases is quite an accomplishment.

James Suckling 96 Points | A vibrant, agile and poised Chardonnay with aromas of pears, apples, sweet spices, jasmine and hints of stones. It’s medium- to full-bodied with precise definition on the palate. Fresh acidity and crunchy fruity at the center and a velvety touch to the edge, bringing volume and a voluptuous character throughout. Lively and long finish.

Jeb Dunnuck 95 Points | I love the 2022 Chardonnay Red Shoulder Ranch. It's a richer, broad, yet still fresh and lively Chardonnay with ripe citrus and pineapple fruits, medium to full body, a layered mouthfeel, and terrific toast, brioche, honeysuckle, and lemon oil aromatics. It will keep for 4-6 years, if not longer, but I love it today.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2021

Wine Enthusiast 93 Points | Balanced on a high level, this intense and concentrated wine is memorable now and sure to improve with further age. Focused black currant and black cherry flavors race across the palate, driven by nervy acidity and muscular tannins. The wine is great to pair with roast duck or pheasant. Best from 2027.

James Suckling 92 Points | Aromas of strawberries and raspberries with dried blood orange, savory herbs and dry earth. Creamy and textured with a medium body and chalky tannins. Flavorful finish.

Winemaker Description 

A tangy fresh cherry nose opens to cocoa, cola, and notes of nutmeg. The juicy lip smacking entry shows lovely cherry and wild strawberry flavors with gorgeous rose petal and baking spices in the background. Smooth tannin and vibrant acidity make this a perfect wine for food pairings.

Expert Review - Vintage 2022

Ken's Wine Guide | This slightly cloudy midnight purple colored Zinfandel from Once and Future opens with a blackberry and red licorice bouquet with hints of red plum, black cherry, dried sage, and violets. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied with integrated medium acidity. The mouthfeel is balanced, round, and smooth. The flavor profile is blackberry, stone dust, and cinnamon blend with notes of boysenberry, black plum and nutmeg. We also detected hints of black tea and oak. The finish is dry, and its well-managed moderate tannins are very nicely sustained. The Tasting Panel would then pair this Zin with a nice New York strip steak along with a dark chocolate mousse. Enjoy – 

Vinous 91 Points | The 2022 Zinfandel Green & Red Vineyard is another wine in this range that is pretty closed today. It has plenty of energy, but the mid-palate is not quite as developed as it is in most vintages. Bottled on the early side, this feels a bit like it’s not fully developed. 

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2021

The Wine Advocate 99 Points | Colgin's 2021 IX Estate is a rich, opulent example, with layers of ripe black cherries and dark chocolate punctuated by hints of sage and bay leaf, plus some vaguely floral notes (violets?). Full-bodied, concentrated, velvety and long, it's another terrific wine that showcases the potential of Pritchard Hill, the investment by the owners and the talent of the winemaking team.

James Suckling 99 Points | Red currant, lead pencil and terra cotta aromas with some bay leaf and sage. Full-bodied with tight, firm tannins that are polished and very fine. Turns to graphite. Extremely long, refined, polished and exquisite. Best after 2028.

98+ Points Jeb Dunnuck | I’d wager a Napa Valley legend in the making, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon IX Estate comes from the estate vineyard on Pritchard Hill, and if there was ever a classification of terroirs in the valley, this would check in near the top of the list. Deep purple-hued, with awesome aromatics of pure cassis, graphite, crushed stone, and subtle floral hints, this has that rare mix of power and elegance that defines so many great wines. Full-bodied, concentrated, and flawlessly balanced, it has no shortage of structure and is going to need 7-8 years, if not a decade, to hit full maturity, where it will hold for 2-3 decade.

98 Points Vinous | The 2021 IX Estate is such an elegant wine. Sleek, aromatic and refined, the 2021 is one of the most polished young wines I have tasted from this site. Red/purplish fruit, lavender, rose petal and mint abound. Silky and delineated, the 2021 is exceptionally beautiful and balanced. Clean saline notes and veins of tannin extend the explosive, sublime finish. 

Winemaker Description 

One of the "cult" producers to crop up in the early 1990s, Colgin Cellars' first vintage was in 1992, with fruit purchased from the Herb Lamb Vineyard, located on the lower slopes of Howell Mountain, just low enough not to be part of the Howell Mountain AVA. Colgin would later go on to buy land and develop vineyards at Tychson Hill (westside Saint Helena, purchased 1996) and IX Estate (Pritchard Hill, purchased in 1998). In 2017, Ann Colgin and her husband, Joe Wender, sold a controlling interest in Colgin Cellars to LVMH but remain active in the business.

Today, Colgin owns six acres of vines at Tychson Hill and 20 acres of vines at IX Estate, with 11 more acres there currently being developed. Cariad comes primarily from the Abreu-farmed Madrona Ranch, on the western side of Saint Helena. Director of Winemaking Allison Tauziet has been with Colgin since 2005, when she joined as assistant winemaker, so she is nearing 20 years of experience with these wines.

To put the new-release 2021s in perspective, Colgin, Wender and Tauziet presented three vintages each of the four wines reviewed this issue—2016, 2018 and 2021. I guess it will surprise no one that these are all gorgeous wines, given the positive press and numerous accolades bestowed on previous vintages, but it is encouraging to see that success and age hasn't slowed down the Colgin team's pursuit of excellence. I've included my ratings and reviews of the older vintages so readers can compare my impressions to those of my predecessor. Like many other producers, Colgin bottled no wines in 2020. 

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2020

The  Wine Advocate 94 Points | Saline and graphite give way to baked apples, acacia and yogurty aromas on the 2020 Chardonnay La Rinconada Vineyard. Medium-bodied with a gentle phenolic grip, it offers bursts of refreshing acidity, mineral-driven flavors and a long, elegant finish.

Jeb Dunnuck 93 Points | Brought up in 25% new French oak, the 2020 Chardonnay La Rinconada Vineyard sports a light gold hue as well as a great nose of ripe green apple, honeyed flowers, and toasted bread. It's medium-bodied, bright, and vibrant on the palate, with a chiseled, focused style that's going to age gracefully.

Wine Spectator 90 Points | Crisp, sleek and polished, with fresh and crisp notes of orange blossoms, lemon bar, candied ginger and lime sherbet. A toasted, salted hazelnut accent emerges on the finish. Drink now. 389 cases made.

Winemaker Description 

Aromas of citrus, toasted hazelnut and white flowers. Very expressive, displaying lemon confit and wet rocks while a touch of hazelnut adds charm. A full palate balanced by crisp acidity, bright, detailed and nuanced, this wine has a lot going on aromatically, while the minerally stone fruits on the palate are racy with a long finish.

Expert Review - Vintage 2021 

Vinous 95 Points | The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate is rich, racy and super-expressive. Silky and deep, with notable resonance, the 2021 offers up dark red/purplish fruit, lavender, spice, menthol, new leather and licorice. Today, it is a very young wine in need of cellaring, but its potential is evident. Dollops of Petit Verdot and Malbec round out the blend. This should be positively stellar.

Winemaker Description 

The nose of the 2021 PlumpJack Estate Cabernet Sauvignon leads with juicy fruits – black cherry, boysenberry, blackberry jam, and muddled mixed berries. The fruit is layered with fresh mint, sage, and iron filings. These aromas are complemented by warming spices, vanilla, and cocoa nib. The palate has a beautiful, velvety texture with plush tannin and an enduring finish with impressions of espresso and dark chocolate.

Producer Description 

Livingston Cellars Rhine is a pleasantly sweet California Rhine that balances a crisp mouthfeel with bright fruit flavors. Livingston Cellars offers affordable award-winning wines that consistently exceed expectations.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2021 

James Suckling 94 Points: Blackcurrants, spiced cedar and dark spices with bark undertones. Full-bodied with very fine, velvety tannins. Textured and compact with a firm, lingering finish. Tight at the end. Needs time to open.

Wine Enthusiast 94 Points: This powerful, densely packed wine bursts with aromas of late-picked blackberries, blueberries and cassis that give way to bold black fruit and dark-chocolate flavors accented by cloves, black pepper and cedar. The tannins are full and firm, needing several years to mellow for best enjoyment.

The Wine Advocate 93 Points: There should be around 30,000 cases of the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon. Tasted as a final blend, taken from tank, it reveals plenty of cherries, plus a backdrop of darker, riper fruit flavors, like cassis and blueberry. There's the requisite cedar and vanilla, from aging in oak, but it's balanced. In the mouth, the wine is medium to full-bodied, silky-velvety smooth and easy to drink, plush without being creamy or overdone, with a long, mint-accented finish.

Wine Spectator 93 Points: A freshly plowed humus note pokes out first, with further coaxing in the glass revealing dense black currant, fig and blackberry paste flavors. On the back end, bittersweet cocoa and espresso crema notes give this a dark, slightly rugged persona, but should smooth out with some brief cellaring. For fans of the toasty style. Best from 2025 through 2040.

Jeb Dunnuck 92 Points: Coming mostly from the estate (70 acres), the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley is based on 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petit Verdot, and the rest Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Merlot. Bottled in March of this year, it has a deep ruby/purple hue to go with a pure, ripe, seamless, medium to full-bodied profile as well as ample cassis and darker raspberry-like fruits, classic tobacco, and spicy, chocolaty oak. 

Producer Description 

Our Merlot is medium-bodied with deep blackberry aromas and a soft, satisfying finish. Enjoy its smooth flavors with Grilled Pork Chops with Apples or Rosemary-Braised Lamb Shanks.

Winemaker Description 

The 2021 CADE Estate Cabernet Sauvignon has beautiful aromas of cherry, raspberry, cranberry, cocoa nibs, baked red delicious apples, dark chocolate, and roasted coffee, followed by rhubarb pie, cinnamon, clove, red cherry, and boysenberry flavors on the palate. The wine has that classic Howell Mountain structure with great density and length. The 2021 vintage was warm and early but produced wines with great length, texture, bountiful fruit, and elegance.

The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Malbec, 5% Petit Verdot, and the rest Merlot. 

Winemaker Description

While the 2021 vintage is defined by concentration and fine tannins often found in warm, dry vintages, it is nuanced by the freshness and liveliness typical of this cool growing region. The balance of elegant, forward profiles from the Bearman Bend Vineyard with the structured, spice-driven qualities from Monument Tree Vineyard come together to create a compelling snapshot of the Anderson Valley. Aromas of ripe wild strawberry rose and cedar on the nose are complemented by supple tannins and a long, lifted finish.

Expert Reviews

James Suckling 93 Points | Nicely deep in black fruit and savory flavors, this well-balanced wine offers excellent focus, depth and length. It’s medium- to full-bodied, moderately tannic and delicious. Stays fresh with good acidity from the first sip to the lingering finish.

Decanter 92 Points | A Pinot Noir blend of grapes from Bearman Bend, the Twomey estate in Anderson Valley, along with Ferrington Vineyard and Monument Tree Vineyard fruit. Lovely, bright, crunchy red fruit, rich cedar spices, dried floral notes, and dusty minerals. Satiny fruit races across the palate, along with plump tannins, electrified by terrific acidity. The fruit concentration is penetrating but never overpowering and is framed by a clove powder and cedarwood dusting on the long finish. Director of Winemaking Justin Hirigoyen has moved the program further away from whole cluster fermentations to avoid too much vintage variation, and readers should expect a consistent fruit-forward, structured style in Twomey's Anderson Valley Pinot Noir.

Winemaker Description

Exclusively crafted under the meticulous care of the Herzog family and Herzog Wine Cellars’ head winemaker, David Galzignato, the Yesod wine series features three ultra-premium single-vineyard wines. Each wine is sourced from some of the most acclaimed vineyards in Napa Valley, California, and are a testament to the family’s rich history and the ambitious vision for Herzog Wine Cellars.

Expert Reviews

Robert Parker 95 Points | Brilliant aromas of black cherries and cassis jump from the glass, as the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Peak Edcora Vineyard bursts with fruit. All Cabernet Sauvignon, from a site that neighbors Stagecoach Vineyard, this is a medium to full-bodied, densely concentrated example of mountain fruit, yet it's one that is not harsh or tough, with well-ripened tannins and a plush, lingering finish. Bravo. 

Jeb Dunnuck 94+ Points | All varietal, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Peak Edcora Vineyard is another deep purple-hued wine in the lineup with tons to love. Pure cassis, graphite, leafy herbs, and damp earth-like nuances all shine here, and it's medium to full-bodied, with beautiful mid-palate depth, ripe, integrated, yet ample tannins, and a great finish. It offers pleasure today, yet I see no reason this shouldn't evolve for 15+ years if well stored. It's another gorgeous Cabernet Sauvignon in the vintage. 

The Wine Independent 97+ Points | Deep garnet-purple in color, the single-varietal 2021 Peak Edcora Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon charges out of the gate with bold notions of creme de cassis, blackberry pie, and boysenberry preserves followed by nuances of dark chocolate, camphor, and black olives. The medium to full-bodied palate is laden with black fruit and savory layers, supported by firm, ripe, grainy tannins and seamless freshness, finishing on a lingering minty note. 

Erin Brooks of the Wine Advocate writes 97+ Points |  The 2019 Soul Of A Lion is a blend of free-run Cabernet Sauvignon (77%), Cabernet Franc (14%), and Petit Verdot (9%), aged 22 months in 100% new French oak. Opaque ruby in color, it offers aromatic contrast between dark, savory cherry fruit, chargrill and graphite, and top notes of green pepper and rose petals. The palate explodes with detailed flavors and its tannins are already resolved and chocolaty, with seamless acidity and exotic spicy layers emerging on the extended finish. Wow! Drinking 2022 -2042.