California Vacation (Sonoma, SF, Monterey)

Tasted Saturday, August 5, 2017 - Saturday, August 12, 2017 by ews3 with 591 views

Introduction

A week in California with the family gave some great opportunities to taste. Only two appointments were scheduled, and I had a 2 year old in tow, so options were somewhat limited. That said, still got a great chance to try lots of good stuff and find some new wines worth exploring.

Flight 1 - Rochioli - Westside Road (Healdsburg) (2 Notes)

A beautiful tasting room overlooking the vineyard, but a little disappointing in what you get to try. Still, nice wines and a great atmosphere to kick off the journey.

Flight 2 - Siduri Wine Bar (Healdsburg) (5 Notes)

Paired a flight of Siduri with lunch at the wine bar.

Flight 3 - Ferrari-Carano (Healdsburg Square) (5 Notes)

Popped in here because it was there... wines were ok, but wish I had seen the better flights they had available, as everything was a little basic. Regretted the Baci.

Flight 4 - Ridge Lytton Estate (8 Notes)

A great visit with Ridge, witht he three Monte Bellos side by side being a real treat.

  • 2015 Ridge Zinfandel East Bench 91 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley

    (8/6/2017)

    Tasted at winery. Great acid and structure. Black fruit dusty nice peppery smoke.

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  • 2015 Ridge Geyserville 93 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Alexander Valley

    (8/6/2017)

    Tasted at winery. Nice light licorice sits on top of black fruit with a less prominent smoke and black pepper than the East Bench. Really great structure and balance. I'm typically a Lytton Springs guy, but damn this was good!

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  • 2014 Ridge Syrah/Grenache/Mataro Lytton Estate 91 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley

    (8/6/2017)

    Tasted at winery. Nice balance. Red plum, red licorice. Sweet spice. Some darker notes. Hint of floral or perfumed notes.

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  • 2014 Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Estate 91 Points

    USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

    (8/6/2017)

    Tasted at winery. Brighter plum fruit and cherry, graphite, and spice, with some floral notes that give this a nice lightness. Nice structure with some powdery tannins.

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  • 2004 Ridge Santa Cruz Mountains Estate 88 Points

    USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

    (8/6/2017)

    Tasted at winery. Nice acidic structure. Some sour red fruit a bit pruney on finish. Still some tannin resolving.

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  • 2003 Ridge Monte Bello 91 Points

    USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

    (8/6/2017)

    Tasted at winery. Nice sour red fruit profile. Tannins pretty much resolved. So much older than the 05.

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  • 2005 Ridge Monte Bello 94 Points

    USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

    (8/6/2017)

    Tasted at winery. Such a contrast with the 2003. Still so youthful. Really dark fruit with some graphite, cigar smoke, and a savory meatiness. Long finish and great depth.

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  • 2014 Ridge Monte Bello 95 Points

    USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

    (8/6/2017)

    Tasted at winery. Wow. Really excellent. So much more there than the '14 estate, and the best of the three Monte Bellos presented side by side. Lots of tannins that will take some time to resolve. Mouth filling body with black fruit, sweet spice, violets, and a dusty dried herbal character. Med + finish.

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Flight 5 - Castello di Amorosa (Carneros) (6 Notes)

Overcrowded and overpriced. This came up when I was searching for family-friendly wineries. My daughter had fun running around the courtyard (and did love the grape juice they offered!), but the overall experience was mediocre at best.

Flight 6 - Kutch (Sonoma) (12 Notes)

Really great visit with Jamie at his production facility. All of the wines were good, and some true knockouts in there as well. At the end of the visit he poured a bunch of the '16s that had just been bottled, a real treat and wines to look forward to.

  • 2014 Kutch Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

    (8/7/2017)

    Tasted at winery. This was a bottle that had been open for some time. Still showing some nice dark cherry fruit, this had some caramelization and was showing age. Still pretty tasty!

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  • 2015 Kutch Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 91 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

    (8/7/2017)

    Tasted at winery. This shows really pretty red raspberry notes. Nice smoky note. Some sandalwood and exotic spice notes. Punches way above its weight class.

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  • 2016 Kutch Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 93 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

    (8/7/2017)

    Tasted at winery. Recently bottled. For the first time in 2016, this is fully declassified SV fruit. This was really great. Soft tannin structure, nice red fruited notes and impeccable balance. Finish is outstanding. The SC bottling is always a great value, but the '16 is just phenomenal.

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  • 2016 Kutch Chardonnay Sonoma Coast 93 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

    (8/7/2017)

    Tasted at winery. Holy deliciousness. Really nice lemon, nectarine, and yellow apple notes. Crushed stone and a little flintiness. Very fresh with bright acids, and yet, it's not light -- it toes that line in a great way. Jamie joked that maybe he should focus on Chards... and, as good as the Pinots are, this is spectacular and a ridiculous value.

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  • 2014 Kutch Pinot Noir Bohan Vineyard 89 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

    (8/7/2017)

    Tasted at winery. Nice red cherry fruit, some herbal notes, and dark flowers.. Bright acids are a little bit forward in a tasting sample, but could work with food. Personally, my least favorite of the '14s, but still solid.

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  • 2015 Kutch Pinot Noir Bohan Vineyard 91 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

    (8/7/2017)

    Tasted at winery. Very interesting wine -- this has some sour red cherry notes, but there are more herbal and earthy notes here than fruit. bright acids make this very fresh, but the acidity is a bit too bright compared to the balance of the other single vineyards.

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  • 2016 Kutch Pinot Noir Bohan Vineyard 90 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

    (8/7/2017)

    Tasted at winery. Recently bottled. Sour red cherry, some spice. Sharp acids overpower pretty much everything else right now. This would likely be excellent with food and there is some pretty red fruit peeking out.

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  • 2014 Kutch Pinot Noir McDougall Ranch 91 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

    (8/7/2017)

    Tasted at winery. Red and black fruit notes intermingle, with red cherry, red plum, black cherry, and an interesting brambleberry note. nice spice notes show nutmeg and other spicebox elements. some herbal notes also present (sage?). This is easy drinking due to the fresh acid, minerality, and medium body. Medium(+) finish.

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  • 2015 Kutch Pinot Noir McDougall Ranch 93 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

    (8/7/2017)

    Tasted at winery. Great opportunity to taste this while the offer was open (spoiler alert: I bought some!) Really nice raspberry, red cherry, and red plum notes. The fruit on this is so pretty. Layered textures show some complexity and spice. Soft tannins give this a little power. Everything in perfect balance.

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  • 2016 Kutch Pinot Noir McDougall Ranch 95 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

    (8/7/2017)

    Tasted at winery. Recently bottled. More black fruit here, though Jamie mentioned a watermelon rind note that was definitely present as well (power of suggestion!). Nice floral and crushed rock notes. Still a ton of acid but the fruit can hold up to it. Really outstanding.

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  • 2014 Kutch Pinot Noir Falstaff Vineyard 92 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

    (8/7/2017)

    Tasted at winery. My favorite of the '14s, this showed really nice textures with the red fruited notes of raspberry and strawberry blending seamlessly with some spice and floral notes. This has a great minerality, as well as balanced acidity, body, and tannin that give it a really nice mouthfeel. Really interesting herbal notes from the stems on the nose fall into the background on the palate -- just enough there to add a little intrigue. Great finish.

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  • 2015 Kutch Pinot Noir Falstaff Vineyard 93 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

    (8/7/2017)

    Tasted at winery. This strikes a great balance between light and dark -- it shows both light red fruited notes, but there is some brooding black fruit behind. It shows light floral notes, but then a dark earth moss note. and it shows light and fresh acids, but then packs surprising power as well. Really interesting to nose and taste. I think the McDougall edged this out as my favorite of the '15 lineup, but this was a close second!

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Flight 7 - Enkidu (Sonoma Square) (5 Notes)

A nice tasting room right off the square, this made for a quick visit.

  • 2014 Enkidu Pinot Noir 88 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

    (8/7/2017)

    Tasted at winery tasting room. A little herbal note and rhubarb sit on top of dark cherry and blackberry. Nice aromatics. Well balanced.

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  • 2014 Enkidu Barbera Bedrock Vineyard 87 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley

    (8/7/2017)

    Tasted at winery tasting room. Sour plum. Grippy tannins. Some sour cherry kirsch. Some darker notes of spice add intrigue.

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  • 2014 Enkidu Zinfandel Bedrock Vineyard 88 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley

    (8/7/2017)

    Tasted at winery tasting room. Licorice, anise-oil, dried purple flowers. Red fruit. Grippy tannins detract a bit here. Nice flavors but don't like the textural elements here as much.

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  • 2015 Enkidu Humbaba 87 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County

    (8/7/2017)

    Tasted at winery tasting room. Blueberry, plum, light spice and smoke notes. Tannins better integrated but a bit thin.

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  • 2011 Enkidu Petite Sirah Diener Ranch 91 Points

    USA, California, North Coast, Red Hills Lake County

    (8/7/2017)

    Tasted at winery tasting room. Brooding black fruit with dark pepper and dark flowers. Nice dry aged meat funk. Very tannic but fruit holds up and keeps this going into long finish. Good effort.

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Flight 8 - MacLaren (Sonoma Square) (7 Notes)

Another quick visit right off the square. I had only tasted MacLaren a few times before, and they are doing some really good stuff.

  • 2016 MacLaren Sauvignon Blanc Lee's 88 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Dry Creek Valley

    (8/7/2017)

    Tasted at winery tasting room. White flowers. Fresh cut grass. Tangerine. Nice and refreshing.

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  • 2014 MacLaren Syrah Atoosa's Vineyard 88 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

    (8/7/2017)

    Tasted at winery tasting room. Palate shows black olive white pepper dark flowers, dark red cherry. Well balanced and finishes with pleasant peppered cherry notes.

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  • 2014 MacLaren Syrah Samantha’s Vineyard 90 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

    (8/7/2017)

    Tasted at winery tasting room. Slightly darker profile. Light olive and black cherry. More there, but drinks less fruity vs the Atoona's due to the structure. Powdery med(+) tannins give this a great mouthfeel and are in perfect balance.

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  • 2014 MacLaren Syrah Moaveni Vineyard 92 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Bennett Valley

    (8/7/2017)

    Tasted at winery tasting room. Nice herbal character to this, along with brooding dark fruit and meat. Well balanced, prominent tannic structure. Med(+) finish. Fan of this.

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  • 2013 MacLaren Syrah Moaveni Vineyard 91 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Bennett Valley

    (8/7/2017)

    Tasted at winery tasting room. More red fruited here, with red plum, red berry fruit, and sour red cherry on top of fresh herbs and sweet spice. some sanguine character. again, great structure here. The Moaveni's are quite nice here.

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  • 2014 MacLaren Syrah Drouthy Neebors 87 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley

    (8/7/2017)

    Tassted at winery tasting room. Nice blend of the three SVD (Atoona's, Samantha's Moaveni), this was presented last, which I enjoyed. Good balance of all the red/black/complex notes most prominent in each of the single vineyards, but a little less stuffing.

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  • 2014 MacLaren Pinot Noir Heather 89 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

    (8/7/2017)

    Tasted at winery tasting room. Very RRV in style, this shows cola, red cherry, nice light smoke, and tobacco. a bit simple.

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Flight 9 - Carlisle (Windsor) (4 Notes)

Carlisle continues to put out great stuff at fair prices. This was a fairly quick and limited tasting, but a great chance to see the winery and check in on a few favorites.

  • 2015 Carlisle Zinfandel Rossi Ranch 89 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Valley

    (8/8/2017)

    Tasted at winery. Pretty red berry fruit profile with some light spice and floral notes. Light on its feet, this has bright acids and is well balanced. Finishes a bit short. Paled next to the Montafi Ranch, but still quite nice, especially for those who prefer a lighter, red-toned Zin profile.

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  • 2015 Carlisle Zinfandel Montafi Ranch 93 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

    (8/8/2017)

    Tasted at winery. Nice dark toned fruit of blueberry, blackberry, black cherry, and brambleberry, along with dried herbs, some dried fruit, black pepper, and incense/perfume. Even with all the "dried" character, this drinks remarkably fresh, with great acidity. Wonderful balance. This is really nice, and a big step up from the Rossi Ranch for my palate.

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  • 2015 Carlisle Syrah Papa's Block 94 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

    (8/8/2017)

    Tasted at winery. Really great mix of blue and black fruit, blueberry, black plum, blackberry, boysenberry, along with rose, dry-aged steak, and herbal notes. Exceptional mouthfeel -- broad and creamy without being overdone. Nice heft to this. Long finish. Always a fan of papa's and this young vintage did not disappoint!

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  • 2015 Carlisle Petite Sirah Palisades Vineyard 92 Points

    USA, California, Napa Valley

    (8/8/2017)

    Tasted at winery. A big wine, this is drinking surprisingly well in its youth. Bright blue and black fruit (boysenberry, black plum, black cherry, blueberry), sweet spice, and dark flowers. Big chewy tannic structure. Doesn't quite carry through into the finish as I would want, but otherwise this is really tasty.

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Flight 10 - Martinelli (Windsor) (9 Notes)

Conveniently located back towards the highway, popped in here to try through an assortment of wines. The Pinots were surprising to me, with really nice balance in a CA style.

  • 2014 Martinelli Chardonnay Bella Vigna 88 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

    (8/8/2017)

    Tasted at winery. Caramelized apple, some honey, and mandarin orange. A bit simple. Decent balance, though drinks a bit fruity.

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  • 2014 Martinelli Chardonnay Lolita Ranch 92 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

    (8/8/2017)

    Tasted at winery. Bigger and riper, this was most prominently lemon pudding, with some nice light blossom overtones. Green apple and citrus notes also present. This has a nice balance of ripeness and cut, leading into a balanced finish. Nice.

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  • 2014 Martinelli Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 90 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

    (8/8/2017)

    Tasted at winery. Nice red-toned fruits of strawberry and ripe cherry. Some light spicebox and floral notes keep this interesting. Well balanced and easy to drink.

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  • 2014 Martinelli Pinot Noir Moonshine Ranch 91 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

    (8/8/2017)

    Tasted at winery. Bigger and sweeter than the sonoma coast, this shows ripe red fruit, sarsaparilla, and smoke. This has enough acid to balance out the ripeness, but will be more popular among those who like bigger, fruitier pinot. I liked this better than the SC, but they are really different stylistically, and the QPR on the base SC is significantly better.

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  • 2014 Martinelli Pinot Noir Grace Nicole Zio Tony Ranch 93 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

    (8/8/2017)

    Tasted at winery. Darker profile with a nice mix of red and black fruit. Really nice spice notes. Dark flowers. Earthiness. Interesting herbal character. This was significantly better than the other pinots. Nice balance and a great finish.

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  • 2015 Martinelli Zinfandel Vigneto di Evo 85 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

    (8/8/2017)

    Tasted at winery. Described as their "pizza wine", I can see why -- this has a nice fruit forward profile, without much to think about. red and black cherry, and not much else. what's there is pleasant, but would rather pay a bit more for something better, or half as much for a simple pleasant wine like this.

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  • 2013 Martinelli Zinfandel Lolita Ranch 91 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

    (8/8/2017)

    Tasted at winery. A big step up from the Vigneto di Evo, this showed a much darker profile, with black cherry, black pepper, clove, and tar. nicely balanced. med(+) finish. Aggressive pricing, but the quality is solid here.

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  • 2015 Martinelli Zinfandel Giuseppe & Luisa 92 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

    (8/8/2017)

    Tasted at winery. Really nice black fruit driven profile, with dried herbs, sweet spice, dried dark flowers, and a savory note. Well balanced despite the alcohol. Long finish. This is excellent, although priced at a premium.

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  • 2013 Martinelli Muscat of Alexandria Jackass Hill 88 Points

    USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley

    (8/8/2017)

    Tasted at winery. Grapey muscat note is there, but also a nice peach/nectarine note, along with honey and marmalade. Carries the alcohol well.

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Flight 11 - Thomas Fogarty (Skyline Blvd) (7 Notes)

A recommendation from the Rhys folks, this was a great visit and chance to try a broad selection of Fogarty's lineup

Flight 12 - Big Basin Tasting Room (Saratoga) (6 Notes)

Quick stop through Saratoga allowed a stop here.

Flight 13 - Various other wines (12 Notes)

Mostly with meals

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