California New Wave & Old Guard Tasting

As much as I don't like to paint broad brushes, I am not generally a fan of California wine. That said, I am always willing to dive back in and challenge my pre-conceived notions. As such, as I found myself without something to do on a Friday night, I decided to partake in this tasting, and I'm certainly glad I did. For me, the big take aways are still that generally I find the value proposition difficult in California, even if there are some wines I appreciate. Still though, these wines still are not generally my style of wines, but they do seem to be moving back towards the middle after the Parker dominated years.

That said, the Dunn was nearly magical in its elegance and balance. I'm sure there are other California wines like this that are probably worth seeking out (though again, at nearly $100, not the best value proposition). I look forward to continuing to explore.

• 2013 Arbe Garbe 87 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

  I enjoyed the prior vintage of this quite a bit more. This one has very fresh, vibrant aromas with some spicy oak noted. Oak spice enters on the palate, which is creamy and luscious in texture. Nice soft fruit builds after the oak leaves the palate and it begins building in acidity. I really enjoy the evolution as this is held on the palate, as it feels to continue to shift. Nice soft spice and acid on the pleasingly integrated finish. I appreciate this wine on the palate and finish, but really do not appreciate its aromas.

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• 2013 Liquid Farm Chardonnay White Hill 85 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Sta. Rita Hills

  Very soft aromas with just the slightest hint of spice. The palate offers soft spice as well, on a nicely creamy, soft texture. The taste is interestingly of cream cheese. Huge dial up of aggressive acidity on thee finish which is very tart and puckering, with the slightest bit of alcohol showing itself as well. The aggressivity of the finish is a bit off putting.

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• 2012 Ryme Pinot Noir Verse Las Brisas Vineyard 91 Points

  USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros

  A nice surprise after the Calera Pinot Noir, which I couldn't stand. The aromas are soft and spicy, with pleasing, pure berry notes. Soft fruit on the palate, and the texture is very mellow. Pure and pretty on the palate, without too much depth but a lovely presence. Soft and puckering on the finish, which is rather elegant with its acidic profile.

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• 2013 Anthill Farms Pinot Noir Peters Vineyard

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

  Very cloudy appearance. I can't think a better way to describe the aromas but as "alive." Like some self-proclaimed 'natural' wines do, showing perhaps some yeasty aromas, spice, and a nice tartness. Soft on palate entry, with pure fruit flavors and smooth texture. Puckering and fresh in the mouth. Wow, a very huge and unexpected dial up of acidity on the finish. Very vibrant and puckering fruit lingers nicely. This wine is interesting, but doesn't really come together in a complete message of a wine.

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• 2012 A Tribute to Grace Wine Company Grenache Shake Ridge Ranch 85 Points

  USA, California, Sierra Foothills, Amador County

  Wow, this wine smells exactly like a strawberry fruit roll-up with a bunch of powdered citric acid poured on top. It's amazing how spot on that aroma is. The palate enters softly, with luscious strawberry fruit roll up flavor again, but here it's as if it's turned into a frothy liquid. Again, tons of puckering acid on the palate. Very vibrant and rich acid that totally coats thee mouth at the end. It's hugely rich on the finish, with some light tannins. While this wine is kind of fun to taste, I think the way the texture on the finish brutalizes the mouth would make this quite difficult to consume even one full glass of.

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• 2013 Bedrock Wine Co. Heritage Wine Evangelho Vineyard 90 Points

  USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Contra Costa County

  This wine is mostly Zin based. The aromas are soft, and surprisingly light on fruit aroma considering the makeup. There's some spice and light alcohol noted (listed as 14.1%). The palate is quite soft and pretty, with nice fruit on entry. Pure smooth fruit and high acid keeps this alive in the mouth. On the finish, there's a huge dial up of rich acid and puckering fruit. Pretty lovely and enjoyable, actually.

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• 2010 Stony Hill Chardonnay 90 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Soft, luscious aromas. Very smooth and nice on the nose. Soft, luscious texture on the palate as well. Pure fruit up front, which comes across as pretty elegant for a California Chard. Rich and balanced structure and flavor. Pleasurable dial up of tart fruit and rich acid on the finish. A really nice wine.

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• 2011 Calera Pinot Noir Ryan Vineyard 75 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Mount Harlan

  Very heavily oaked aroma coupled with huge, dark extracted fruit. I'm amazed a wine can have this potent of arorma. You can smell it from across the room, and not in a good way. Smells manufactured. Soft palate entry that starts out quite mild, soft and creamy in texture. Really round flavors and some off balanced acidity. Again, feels constructed and dis-integrated.. like I can see its chemical components. Tons of fake (at least, out of balance) acidity on the finish and booze fruit on the finish. Puckering, lean chemical inflected fruit flavors. The least enjoyable Pinot Noir I've had in a while (though the first California Pinot in about that long).

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• 2012 Ridge Lytton Springs 89 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley

  Very very richly fruited on the nose, coupled with some slight spice and earthy tartness noted. The palate is rich, soft, and pure. I really love the purity of the fruit on aeration. Quite pretty. Very balanced on the palate with pleasing acid; the fruit does tend a bit towards the candied side, though. The finish is tart, puckering, with tons of lean acidity that coats the mouth.

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• 2009 Mayacamas Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 87 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Mt. Veeder

  This had soft, lightly spiced notes on the nose, but some of that spice is oaky and comes across out of balance. Soft and sweet fruit show on palate entry. Seriously, this tastes sweet (and I don't just mean fruity). There's some tartness of acidity and mild tannins, but it's really that sweet fruit that dominates. There's still this notion of sweetness on the finish and alight puckering sensation. Spice, and sweet fruit linger. I seriously wonder how much residual sugar this wine has.

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• 2011 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate 89 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Calistoga

  Soft, lightly spicy notes on the nose, but it's quite mellow and soft. That mellowness transitions to the palate, which is quite soft but also mellow in flavor. The texture is impressive and nice, very soft and pure, but there's absolutely no depth or intensity. Completely lacking in verve. I like that texture, but how about some flavor? There's a slight dialup of flavor on the finish; earth, spicebox, and tartness. Still light though, even if it is balanced. Really wish for some depth and complexity that's lacking. That said, it is a very well balanced wine and enjoyable to drink... for the pedigree, one would certainly hope for some depth, though.

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• 2011 Inglenook Cabernet Sauvignon Cask 87 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Rutherford

  Spicy aromas and some funk, brett perhaps. Really creamy, luscious palate with fairly nice fruit. Really pure and spicy, with more earth. Richly fruited and puckering. Quite forward spice. More of that funky note on the finish coupled with puckering acidity.

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• 2011 Dunn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain 93 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley, Howell Mountain

  Wow, my first experience with Dunn and far and away the best wine of the night. This offered very pretty aromas and painted the most complete picture of the night, showing grace and elegance. Some real depth on the nose. Very rich and smooth immediately in the mouth, showing some very pretty texture, beautifully integrated tannins which don't at all get in the way of the elegant boxy. Pure tart fruit is felt throughout. Really impressive texture and flavor depth is a wonderfully balanced experience. Very pretty on the long, elegant finish. Tart and puckering. This wine's a real beauty. I'm glad to have been introduced to Dunn tonight!

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