Wednesday, September 06, 2006

Smoking Loon

Smoking Loon

Smoking Loon is one of a variety of labels produced by American wine making giants Don Sebastiani and Sons. Winemaking has been in the Sebastiani family for over a century. Samuele Sabasitiani arrived in Sonoma county in 1895 emigrating from Italy. By the early 1900s he had saved enough money to purchase vineyards in prime Sonoma wine country. The company grew however in 2001 Don Sebastiani who had been CEO for 15 years branched out on his own forming Don Sebastiani and Sons. The new direction aimed to appeal to a younger generation of wine drinkers. The new wines would have a modern style and a broader appeal. The new company quickly proved its worth and soon became a leader in the American winemaking industry. Smoking Loon is just one of it secondary labels and is a unique and exciting addition to any collection.

Smoking Loon Cabernet Sauvignon

This unique blend begins with a rich deep plum tone and a dignified nose of black cherry. Soft underlying hints of clove and cinnamon linger in the bouquet. On the palate sweet blackberries and ripe raspberries are off set with a spicing of white pepper and a touch of dill. This wine flows effortlessly to a delicious strawberry and currant finish with lingering hints of rhubarb pie.

Smoking Loon Chardonnay

This is a intoxicating sweet wine that begins with an effervescent golden glow and a fresh nose. Juicy pineapple is layered with spring flowers and green tea delighting the senses and delivering on the palate. Zesty lemon meringue and papaya are complemented with notes of limestone and a touch of clove. The wine coats the mouth with flavor and delivers a full lingering finish of nectarine and vanilla.

Smoking Loon Merlot

The Smoking Loon Merlot engages the senses with an exciting lavish aromatic structure and a rich flow of flavor. To begin the wine pours with a dark ruby tone and hits of fresh basil, cherries and blueberries. On the palate a soft flow of warm cherry pie and juicy plum are layered with spicy cinnamon and cranberry. The wine finishes splendidly with warm notes of creamy vanilla, French oak and enticing red fruit flavors. The lingering strawberry and cherry notes leave the mouth ignited.

Smoking Loon Pinot Grigio

The Smoking Loon Pinot Grigio is a sensual smooth wine with a fresh bouquet and a diverse arrangement of flavors. The aromas of fresh oranges and ripe grapefruit burst out of the bottle filling the nose. On the palate sweet madarin oranges and nectarine flavors are layered with limestone notes. The wine flows like silk with a subtle finish of mineral and lemongrass.

Smoking Loon Pinot Noir

This Smoking Loon special begins with a bright garnet glow and a tantalizing flowery aroma. The wine opens up with a sweet rising hit of rose petal green tea. The palate is treated to a heavy flowing, mouth filling flavor. Sweet cherries and strawberry are off set with a unique hint of pomegranate seeds. This wine is delightfully distinctive and will intrigue till the last drop.

Smoking Loon Syrah

This is a bottle bursting with personality. This Syrah pours an inky plum into the glass and opens up nicely with the fresh scents of strawberry and creamy caramel with a touch of mocha. Hints of rosemary and sage are subtly revealed in the bouquet. On the palate the flavors explode with juicy notes of strawberry jam and rich hits of blueberry coated with traditional French oak. The wine is completed with a full flavored finish of milk chocolate, cranberries and herb.

Smoking Loon Sauvignon Blanc

This bottle opens with an opulent straw tone and a summer nose of fresh pineapple, apples and hibiscus. The wine has a gentle flow that coats the mouth and ignites the senses. Heavy hits of lemon and melon dominant the palate with warm undertones of thyme and gooseberry. This wine finishes with a citrus zest and a lingering fruit impression that leaves you wanting more.

Smoking Loon Viognier

This bottle has a light golden hue and a heavy floral aroma on the nose. Sensual notes of jasmine and narcissus flow from the glass. The palate is supple with white peach, apricot and guava nectar filling the mouth. A subtle touch of clove and honey completes the wine.

Quilceda Creek

Quilceda Creek

The first Quilceda Creek cabernet was produced in 1979. The winery founded in 1978 is located in Maryville, Eastern Washington. Quilceda grapes are sourced from a number of vineyards all in Washington wine country. Quilceda Creek quickly made a name for itself producing some of the areas most renowned and consistently spectacular cabernets. The winery is home to the classic cabernet sauvignon, merlot and the Columbia Valley red.

Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 2003

This vintage explodes with a rich and striking intensity of aromas and flavors and a light garnet tone. The palate is layered with complex hints of vahlrhona chocolate and Asian spices with a flowing undercurrent of wood-smoke. The aromas and flavors deliver with tobacco, coffee, violets and blackberry and cherry fruits that linger sensually on the mouth. This dry wine will deepen and intensify with maturity and will be a refreshing rich drop for 10-20 years.

Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 2002

The 2002 Cabernet possess a bright ruby glow and a strong nose of black fruits and spice. The bottle opens with a heavy textured fruit aroma that leaves a lasting impression and deepens into a refreshingly sweet wine. On the palate the rich fruit continues to impress with a smooth tannins and a enveloping chocolate flavor to finish the wine.

Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 2001

This Quilceda Creek bottle begins with a deep plum tone and a concentrated flowery nose of violet. The bouquet ignites with cassis, blackberry and cherry off set with a fresh burst of herbs. On the mouth the wine is full and smooth with a surprising depth and refined ripe tannin. The bottle is packed with rich black fruits and licorice flavors with a lingering impression of tobacco and brown spice. An ageworthy wine that will continue to deepen with maturity.

Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 2000

The 2000 bottle is heavy with aroma and flavor that blasts onto the nose and bombards the palate. This ruby red wine expels a full nose of blackberry and plum with warm undertones of creme de cassis, Asian spice and light smoke. On the mouth the wine possesses a velvety full texture that delivers the rich pure fruit flavors of cabernet fruits. This is a well balanced heavily aromatic bottle that will continue to deliver with age.

Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 1999

This bottle opens up with a warm glowing red tone and a nicely developed raspberry nose. The bouquet reveals rich aromas of spice and oak with soft cherry, menthol and maple notes. The wine sweetens on the palate continuing to open up with spice and hints of meat and minerals. A silky perfumed finish is completed with a long strong tannins that melts over the mouth and promises a fine maturation.

Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 1998

The 1998 vintages possesses a significant weight and depth and an intensely dark coloration. To open the wine overflows with blackberry jam and spice off set with juniper berries. A deep concentration and striking consistancy reveals itself on the mouth with layers of fresh black berries, cassis and juicy plum. This is a velvety complex bottle with a long smooth tannic finish.

Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 1997

This cabernet begins with a glowing ruby tone and a richly layered aromatic structure. Floral elements mingle with blackcurrent, tar and mocha and undercurrent of tobacco and mineral are revealed as the bouquet is opened. This wine is dense and full in flavor and texture leaving a lasting chewy tannic impression.

Quilceda Creek Reserve Cabernet 2003

This is a rich bright wine with flavors exploding from the glass and saturating the senses. Notes of dark cherries, black currants and berries meld with a floral hint of violet. On the mouth the wine is dense with a medium body and a smooth flowing texture. The flavor is fruit packed and powerful finishing with signature grace and sweetness.

Quilceda Creek Reserve Cabernet 2002

This full red wine begins with a marriage of plum and cassis on the nose and flows elegantly onto the mouth. Heavy fruit flavors burst onto the palate revealing raspberry and plum with undertones of chocolate and oak. Fresh herbal notes refresh the mouth while a sweet ripe tannins finishes the wine delivering lingering fruit flavors.

Quilceda Creek Reserve Cabernet 2001

The 2001 Columbia Creek red begins with a deep red tone and a smoky aroma. The nose resembles roasted red and black fruits and deepens as it flows onto the palate. The flavors of this vintage are sweet and lush covering the mouth with black fruit and mineral. Undertones of graphite give this wine a raw strong finish.

Tignanello

Tignanello

The Tuscan winery is run Marchese Peiro Antinori the latest in 26 generations of the family to precide over the family business. Antinori wines can be traced back as far as the 12th century. The offical establishment of the Italian empire dates back to 1385 when Giovanni de Pieri
registered with the guild of winemakers. Ever since the Antinori family has produced some of Italy's finest wines. The TenutaTignanello estate and vineyard is the pride of the winery responsible for the companies flagship wine.

2003 Tignanello

This wine pours languidly into the glass with a seamless effervescent plum tone. Notes of white pepper, sweet summer flowers and blackberries are complemented by an underlying mineral hint. The flavors intensify on the palate with dominant hits of black berries, cherries and black
licorice. The body is firm with an acidic layer and the finish warm and long.

2001Tignanello

The 2001 Tiganello begins with a powerful nose of black cherry, olive and coffee. Layers of herb and pine complement the distinctive bouquet and continue to impress upon the palate. The dominant flavor is of rich black fruits that overflow and saturate the mouth. The feel is silky and smooth and the finish delivers a delightful length.

2000 Tignanello

The 2000 bottle is a nice youthful wine with a dark plum tone and a heavy concentration of black fruits. This wine slides onto the palate releasing overflowing hints of berries and black cherry. Layers of smoke and earth combine seductively with a warm cocoa undertone. This wine is completed with a toasty oak finish and a lingering fruit essence.

1999 Tignanello

This wine possesses a deep ruby hue with an opulent pink rim and a flowing complexity of dark fruit flavors. Layers of black berries and cherry flow over hints of cocoa smoke and earth. The mouth is coated with a tight supple feel and is left with a lingering oak finish.

1998 Tignanello

This bottle opens with a bright red hue and a strong nose of tobacco. The flavors are full of fruit and continue to develop as the wine breaths. On the palate the wine is sweet and sumptuous with a full-bodied feel and a mouth coating fruit concentration. The finish is well balanced and
rich leaving an oak and tobacco edge.

1997 Tignanello

The 1997 vintage slides into the glass with a dark crimson velvet hue. Notes of ripe fruit pierce the nose with layers of fig, smoke, leather and forest floor. The fruit overflows onto the palate drenching the mouth with a well-balanced graceful texture that fulfils the promise of fresh fruit. This is an age worthy bottle.

1996 Tignanello

This wine takes its time on the opening slowly revealing a delicate nose bursting with herb and spice. The palate is saturated with a heavy concentration of dark fruits and toasty oak. Big and bold on the mouth and lingering on the finish this wine is undoubtedly tantalizing with it
simplicity.

1995 Tignanello

This bottle possesses a rich deep ruby tone that softens at the edges. The nose is subtly sensual with rising notes of sweet plums, chocolate and oak with a touch of pepper and a hint of earth underneath. This wine quickly excites the palate before evening out to fully cover the mouth with fruit and tannin. An explosive acid finish is off set by a lingering sweetness.

1994 Tignanello

This is a distinctive bottle with an engaging nose that combines sweet floral notes of lavender and sumptuous red fruits as well as a talc mineral hint. These aromas deliver on the palate with a dominance of red fruits coating the mouth. This is a graceful, mouth filling wine with a silk like
texture and a refined open finish.

1990 Tignanello

The 1990 bottle is dark and broody with a medium body and an intriguing nose. Notes of cedar and balsa open up in the glass. Revelations of dark fruits and a hit of warm eucalyptus complete the bouquet. The palate is saturated with rich dark fruit that pours heavily over the mouth and
finishes seamlessly with a contrasting acid sweetness.

Tuesday, September 05, 2006

Yellow Tail

Yellow Tail

The Cassella wine company produces yellow Tail wines. The Casella family has been in the winemaking business since 1820. Filippo and Maria Casella immigrated to Australia from Italy in the 1950s and purchased land in prime NSW wine growing country. The first bottles were produced in 1965 and since then the growth of the company has been exponential. The modern winery was born in 1969 and today the Cassella sons run the winery. Cassella’s Yellow Tail wines have proved to be more successful than the family could have imagined. The wine is Australia’s foremost brand and the brand has enjoyed both domestic and worldwide success.

Yellow Tail Riesling

This is a light opulent wine with an effervescent tone and bright burst of fruit aromas. The wine flows heavily into the glass with a rising nose of lemon, lime and orange blossom. The flavors are exuberant on the palate with enticing fruit sensations and warm undertones of cinnamon. This is a soft flavorsome wine with a silky smooth finish.

Yellow Tail Pinot Grigio

This Yellow Tail bottle is light in tone and fresh on the nose. The bottle opens up with zesty green apples and juicy pear aromas. On the palate the wine is full with a mouth coating feel and a crisp citrus and apricot taste. Undertones of nut and mineral complete this sweet fresh wine.

Yellow Tail Semillon Sauvignon Blanc

This bottle possesses a light dazzling straw tone and an uplifting fruit concentration. The wine reveals crisp apple, lemon and gooseberry on the nose with layers of pear deepening on the palate. This is a bright summer wine that flows with effortless fruity components.

Yellow Tail Verdelho

This wine begins with a golden straw tone and a ripe floral nose. Musk and lemon delight and undertones of passion fruit deliver onto the palate. The mouth is filled with a sensual citrus hit and a tropical flow of fruit. The finish is long and leaves a lasting warmth and sweetness.

Yellow Tail Chardonnay

In the glass the wine is golden and rich with sweet fruit aromas. Juicy peach and tropical melon is off set with oak. On the palate the flow of fruit continues with a delicious melding of tropical fruits and understated peach and melon. The wine flows gracefully and finishes with a crisp lingering feel.

Yellow Tail Shiraz

This Yellow Tail red is deep plum in tone and spicy on the nose. The bottle opens up with dark berry aromas layered over notes of spice. On the palate this full flowing wine reveals a heavy concentration of ripe fruit with layers of earth and sweet berries. A warm hint of vanilla and oak complete the wine and linger on the finish.

Yellow Tail Merlot

This Merlot is one of the finest on the market. The rich crimson tone dazzles with opulent plum hues pouring into the glass. The nose is full with rich red berries and juicy plum with undertones of spice and vanilla oak. The mouth is treated to a flowing hit of fruit with plum and fruitcake dominating and layers of oak resounding. The finish is graceful and defined by a subtle sweet hit of spice.

Yellow Tail Cabernet Sauvignon

This Yellow Tail Cabernet is sensual and bright with a warm deep plum tone. Hits of black berry, lashings of dark chocolate and hints of vanilla and mint flow from the glass delighting the nose. The wine coats the mouth in fruit, berry and spice. The tannins are graceful and soft and the finish delivers good length and a toasty oak touch.

Yellow Tail Shiraz-Grenache

This bottle is rich and bright with a fresh feel and a sweet open aroma. The bottle begins with raspberry, black cherry, spice, and deepens with layers of French oak. The Palate is fresh and full of sweet fruit. Notes of pepper and spice complement the ripe dark fruit flavors.

Yellow Tail Shiraz Cabernet

This daring bottle reveals a deep red tone and ripe berry nose. The wine flows seamlessly onto the palate coating the mouth with berry flavor and oak notes. This is a soft sensual wine that finishes gracefully with a delicious lingering fruit flavor and a velvet feel.

Wente

Wente

The Wente Vineyards are a family legacy. The winery and vineyards are California’s oldest family owned and operated. Family has consistently run the winery since its establishment in 1883. C.H. Wente was a first generation German immigrant that had learnt the craft from none other than Charles Krug. In 1883 he purchased the first Wente vineyards in Livermore valley and began making wine. The winery now a leading California producer is run by generations of the Wente family. The Vineyards span approximately 3,000 acres and are located across the Livermore Valley, Sanfrancisco Bay and Arroyo Seco. For over 120 years the Wente family has produced quality wine with a distinctive Californian feel and generations of the Wente family continue that tradition today.

Wente Cabernet Sauvignon 2003

This bottle is full with lush fruit flavors and a warm bouquet. Violets with an underlying hint of cedar dominate the nose. On the palate the fresh flavors of cherry and ripe plum flow seamlessly coating the mouth with a lingering smooth tannins and a lasting fruit impression. This bottle will age gracefully or can be enjoyed young.

Wente Cabernet Sauvignon 2002

This is a deep and dark cabernet with garnet tones and a brooding crimson core. The nose rises gently from the glass with dark fruits notes and hints of spice. The wine flows flawlessly onto the palate igniting the mouth with a sweet soft coating of fruit and supple tannin. Layers of chocolate, cassis and persistent dark fruits complete this elegant bottle.

Wente Cabernet Sauvignon 2001

This bottle opens with a vibrant effervescent tone and a sensual rising aroma of currants. On the palate this wine is sweet and lingering with lashings of cherry and plum layered with warm mild chocolate notes. The wine is full and round on the mouth with lasting fruit sensations and hints of spice on the finish.

Wente Cabernet Sauvignon 1997

This is a distinctive opulent wine with a clear ruby tone and a balanced nose of black currants, cedar and notes of herb. The aromas flow onto the palate and coat the mouth with clean crisp fruit flavor and layers of cedar and herb. This is youthful wine but will also develop nicely with maturity.

Wente Merlot 2003

This fine Merlot is ripe and full of bursting fruit flavor. A deep ruby tone opens the bottle with a nose of currant and plum revealing in the glass. An edge of spice invites the senses as the aromas deepen on the palate leaving a lingering fruit impression. This wine finishes gracefully with soft fruit flavors and integrated oak notes.

Wente Merlot 2002

This bottle opens with a warm dark tone and an expressive nose of blackberry, red cherries, black tea and creamy vanilla. The wine flows like velvet onto the palate filling the mouth with concentrated fruit flavors and notes of herbal tea and sweet vanilla. The finish is fruity and lingering with well-integrated tannin and a refined balance.

Wente Crane Ridge Merlot 2002

This wine is full of flavor and texture. The bottle begins with a deep ruby tone and a rising nose of cherry with notes of cedar and graham. The wine flows seamlessly onto the palate with a warm refined balance. The delightful fruit components are well integrated with French oak and graceful tannins.

Wente Crane Ridge Merlot 2001

The 2001 bottle begins with a dark tone in the glass and a subtle nose of red and black fruits. The flavours are rich and ripe with overwhelming currants and cherries off set with cedar and spice notes. The wine flows with a graceful silk texture and finishes with an underlying oak edge.

Wente Crane Ridge Merlot 2000

This Merlot opens up with a gentle nose of fruit and oak and a warm spicy feel on the mouth. The flavors are rich currants, juicy plum and layers of cedar and spice. The wine flows gracefully filling the mouth with persistent rich fruits and gentle notes of cedar and oak. The finish is full and spicy with lingering supple tannins.

Wente Crane Ridge Merlot 1997

This Merlot is full and rich beginning with an inky dark core and a complex nose. Black cherries, currants and plum rise from the glass with hints of mineral and spice revealing in the bouquet. On the palate this wine slides with sensual sweetness and concentrated fruit flavors. A graceful long finish completes this wine.

Vega Silica

Vega Silica

In 1864 Eloy Lecanda brought 18,000 shoots of indigenous French varietals. This was the foundation of what was to become Spain’s greatest wine making dynasty. The winery was founded by Eloy who quickly found success in the winemaking business with his estate Brandies. By 1876 he was suppling wine to the Spanish Royal Family. The winery first produced its now famous reds at the beginning of the 20th century. In 1915 the winery introduced two Bordeaux wines Vega Sicilia" and "Valbuena. The winery entered its modern form in 1982 when it was brought by the Alvarez family. The family continues to produce Spain’s most renowned world glass wines with the same passion and commitment with which is was forged.

Vega Silica Unico 1994

This years release is dynamic with a rising nose of plum and oak to begin. Notes of leather are revealed in the bouquet and a rich tender flow engages the palate. The mouth is filled with bitter tannins and deep dark chocolate, black cherry and meat. The finish just keeps on giving with hints of pepper and a velvet feel.

Vega Silica Unico 1991

This beautifully crafted wine opens with a subtle nose of warm caramel and fresh green pepper. The wine flows with a feisty feel onto the palate coating the mouth with layers of black cherry and black coffee. This is a heavy brooding wine with a rich decadent finish and an elegant warmth and grace.

Vega Silica Unico 1990

This bottle begins with a vibrant ruby red tone and a full rising nose of red fruits. The bouquet is richly dominated with cherries and the palate is filled with concentrated jam cherries. The mouth is ripe and sweet with a flowing warmth and sensuality. This wine is completed with a long velvet finish and a port like richness.

Vega Silica Unico 1989

This wine opens up with a sensual plum tone with an opulent ruby rim. The nose is bursting with expression, igniting the senses with black fruits, fig and notes of heavy nail varnish. The palate is delightful with layer upon layer of black fruits. The finish is full of flow and grace with a daring lingering heat.

Vega Silica Unico 1987

This bottle delivers a soft sweet nose that rises gently from the glass revealing damsons, saddleleather and underlying cherry fruit notes. The palate is well balanced with a simple silk flow and a dominant fruit expression. The flavors develop nicely with black fruits, raisin and stewed figs revealing in the mouth.

Vega Silica Unico 1986

This is a classic Spanish wine with an opulent red tone and a full earthy nose of cherries and prunes with notes of sliced pear. The wine is soft and silky on the mouth coating the palate with bursting fruit expressions. Plum, meet, grapes and hints of fennel fill the mouth and continue to develop intensity. The finish is powerful and elegant with a long lingering depth and explosiveness.

Vega Silica Unico 1985

This bottle begins with a deep ruby core that flows into the glass and softens round the rim. The nose is complex and enticing with notes of plum and chocolate layered with sweet raisins. The body possesses a full flow and simply slides onto the palate revealing flavors of prunes, wild black fruits and ripe grapes. This wine finishes with an explosion of flavor and an underlying hint of toasted oak.

Vega Silica Unico 1974

This wine begins with a raunchy dark hue and a vibrant complex nose of rose and notes of perfume. The palate is well balanced with traces of acid apparent as the fruit sensations dissipate. This is a brooding red with refined quality and a sensual dark flow.

Vega Silica Unico 1968

This bottle opens up with a deep crimson tone and an inviting aromatic complexity. Notes of resin and coffee meld with cherries and an edge of pepper. The palate is warm and fresh with a distinctive layer of oak integrating well with the fruit and coffee flavors. The finish is vibrant and lively leaving a sweet lasting impression on the mouth.

Vega Silica Unico 1966

This bottle possesses a deep garnet glow and a dark brooding nose of fruit and chocolate. The palate is soft and engaging with hints of raisin and dates dominating. This wine flows seamlessly coating the mouth with richness and texture before finishing with quiet elegance and warmth.

Monday, September 04, 2006

Trefethen

Trefethen

Trefethen wines were conceived in 1968 when Eugene and Catherine Trefethen bought around 600 acres of land in the Napa Valley. The vineyards and winery are nestled in the Southern hills of the Napa Valley in an area know as the Oak Knoll district. The Family began growing grapes and selling them to the best wineries in the Valley. In 1973 Trefethen wines were officially born when the family decided their grapes needed an identity of their own. They built a winery and began to produce small quantities of estate grown wines. Today the Trefethens are considered Napa Valley pioneers and their wines are renowned worldwide. They continue with their commitment to producing world-class wines.

Trefethen Chardonnay 2004

This delightful Trefethen bottle opens up with a golden tone and a warm aroma of toasted almonds and honey. Gentle fruit sensations rise from the glass inviting the nose with peach and pear. The palate is vibrant and bursting with bright fruits. Lemon drops and tropical pineapple fill the mouth and leave a lasting impression on the finish.

Trefethen Chardonnay 2003

This is a classic vintage that delivers sweetness on the nose that continues to delight on the palate. The nose opens up with mango and apple with layers of tropical fruits and a hint of tarragon. The palate is full with lavish citrus flavors and understated oak notes. A graceful, light finish is completed with a mineral undertone and a lasting impression of fruit.

Trefethen Chardonnay 2002

This bottle has a brilliant tropical nose with hits of mango and a spicy note of tarragon. The palate enjoys a full creamy texture and a zesty lemon concentration with undertones of oak to balance the flavor. The fruit lingers throughout the finish and is complemented by an underlying mineral hit and a smooth silky texture.

Trefethen Chardonnay 2001

This wine is big and inviting on the nose with sensual hints of vanilla and warm creamy butter notes. Underlying fresh granny apples and crisp Fuji apples slide onto the palate melding with tropical and citrus fruits and juicy guava. This wine is completed with a firm balance and a long velvet finish.

Trefethen Chardonnay 2000

This bottle opens up with a bright tropical nose and a sweet fruity flavor. Pineapple and mango notes rise from the glass and are complemented by a hit of spicy tarragon. The wine flows onto the palate like silk and reveals creamy citrus flavors of lemon and apple with undertones of oak and mineral. The wine finishes with a lingering fruit flavor and a hit of spice.

Trefethen Chardonnay 1999

This bottle opens up with a soft glowing honey tone and a vibrant nose of apple, lemon zest and sweet honeydew. A graceful flow of full rich fruit pours onto the palate delightfully melding with classic oak and verbena. The finish is well balanced with a long fruit essence.

Trefethen Cabernet Sauvignon 2002

This is a brilliant rich wine with an opulent purple hue and a heavy fruit concentration on the nose and mouth. Ripe plum and blackberries begin the nose and deepen on the palate blending nicely with violets, vanilla and a hint of forest floor. This wine possesses a delicate, graceful flow, a full mouth of fruit and a long sweet finish.

Trefethen Cabernet Sauvignon 2001

This wine opens sweetly on the nose with a rich melding of red berries and cherry fruits. A dusting of cedar cigar box and spice and layers of oak pour onto the palate filling the nose and mouth with complexity. The wine is full and lavish on the mouth with oak and spice components sweetly converging to complete the bottle.

Trefethen Cabernet Sauvignon 2000

This 2000 Estate blend is warm and spicy on the nose with juicy hits of cherry and wild berries and an underlying oak essence. The wine flows onto the palate warming the mouth with a berry fruit and cherry complement and an elegant hint of tobacco and chocolate. A well structured combination of tannins and fruit flavors linger on the full, lush finish.

Trefethen Cabernet Sauvigon 1999

This vintage is full of richly concentrated cherry fruits that promise on the nose and slide onto the palate. Aromas of black berry jam, cassis and currant are complemented by an underlying oak that flows seamlessly onto the mouth. Fresh fruit flavors dominant the palate and continue to impress leaving a lingering forward finish.

Trefethen Cabernet Sauvignon 1998

This is a vibrant lavish wine with a full nose of fruit to begin the bottle. Rich essences of plum and cherry are off set with a cedar layer and a heavy full concentration of dark berries. On the mouth the aromas intensify and coat the mouth in fruit. Hints of black pepper show on the palate and the big bright fruit flavors leave a lasting impression.

Treana

Treana

The Hope family who began growing grape varietals in 1978 founded the Treana winery. Prior to the establishment of the winery the Hopes sold their wines directly from the tasting room under the Hope family label. In 1996 nearly two decades later they established the winery and began growing grapes and selling wine under the Treana label. The labels flagship wine is the Proprietary Red Blend that is made solely from Paso Robles grapes. The name Treana symbolizes a trinity of natural elements. The sea, soil and sun, which make for prime grape growing conditions in the Paso Robles appellation of the Central Coast. It is this marriage of the elements coupled with the Hope families 20 years winemaking experience that ensures each bottle is uniquely crafted to perfection.

Treana Red Blend 2001

This red is deep and rich with a dark crimson tone and a full nose of fruit. The aromas saturate the nose with dark stone fruit, earth and layers of coffee, black cherries, plum and spice. The nose resonates on the palate with earthy tones and dark fruits. This is a refined dry wine with a full body of velvet and a long dusty finish.

Treana Red Blend 2000

This is a tempting sensual and sophisticated wine with a deep plum hue and a complex nose. The bottle opens up with notes of black berry and cassis off set with plum and herb hints. The wine flows onto the palate coating the mouth with a smooth even flavor that is reminiscent of dark fruits. The finish is long and warm with sweetness lingering on the mouth.

Treana Red Blend 1999

This is a dark brooding wine with a deep garnet tone and a rich nose of briary fruits, black fruits, leather and a touch of anise. On the palate the wine is dusty and fine with a flowing sweetness and a heavy concentration of Cabernet fruits. This is a distinctive bottle with warm fresh undertones and a long spicy finish.

Treana Red Blend 1998

This red pours into the glass with a sweet crimson core and a fading dark rim. On the nose it is warm and fresh with notes of black cherries and berry fruits and a hint of leather. The wine flows smoothly onto the palate coating the mouth with layers of blackberries and cassis. The finish is fruity with a sweet flow and an edge of spice.

Treana Red Blend 1997

This wine begins with a vibrant purple tone and a sweet and spicy nose. Notes of blackberry and cassis rise from the glass and slide onto the palate. Hints of spice dance on the senses while the mouth is filled with lingering hits of coffee, anise and cocoa.

Spottswoode

Spottswoode

The Spottswoode vineyards and winery is a family owned business that dates back to 1882. George Schonewald who was an early pioneer of viticulture in the Napa Valley established the estate. The property is located in the St Helena region of the Napa Valley. The 40 acres of prime vineyards are complemented by the historic Victorian home that appears on the label. The Novak family who purchased the estate in 1972 now owns the winery and vineyards. The first Spottswoode cabernet was produced in 1982 and since then the wines have upheld a tradition of estate excellence and refinement.

Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon 2003

This vintage is very inviting and bursting with youthful charm. Layers and layers of sweet aroma open up the bottle with dark cherry and blackberry jam mingling with chocolate and ginger. The bouquet continues to deliver with a complex lashing of violets, apple blossoms and mango integrated with lemon curd and sea salt. This is an intriguing explosive wine that simply dances onto the palate filling the mouth with flavor and well-balanced tannins. The wine finishes with a lingering graceful oak component.

Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon 2002

This is a dynamic sweet flowing wine that opens with an uplifting bouquet of fresh ripe fruit and subtle toasty oak. Warm lashings of coffee and chocolate, plum and blackberry fill the nose and mouth. The flavors continue to develop with hits of cola, crème brulee and cinnamon layered with menthol, clove and banana peel. This wine possesses a rich complexity and a powerful full body that saturates the palate with flavor and feel.

Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon 2001

This is a dark, brooding and intriguing bottle with an inviting nose. The aromas of supple ripe blackberry and juicy plum dance out of the glass melding with hints of earth, pine and pumpkin. Notes of nutmeg, clove and cherry are off set with glycerin, molasses and graham cracker on both the nose and the palate. The wine flows like silk and leaves and lasting graceful impression.

Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon 2000

This is a deeply sensual and earthy wine with Bordeaux like look and feel. A sweet nose of Oreos, hay and menthol swirl in the glass with layers of plum and cedar revealing in the bouquet. Underlying hints of pepper, herb and stewed fruit deepen on the palate coating the mouth with a full feel and well-integrated balance.

Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon 1999

This is a soft tempting wine with a lovely slow release of aromas and flavors. Black berry and cherry fruits open the bottle with touches of tobacco, mineral and pepper reveling on the bouquet. Smoky oak and cedar are off set with herb, rose and spearmint to make for a delightful fresh taste. This wine delivers with refinement and a lovely oak balance. This is an age worthy bottle.

Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon 1998

This wine opens with a forward hit of black berry, tobacco and herb. Hints of cedar dust and cocoa powder mingle with nutmeg and a light touch of soy to create a powerful complex flow of aromas and flavors. The wine is well rounded and smooth with a long balanced finish.

Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon 1997

This vintage is a fine Spottswoode special with a bursting nose and an explosive palate. Blackberry pie and spice begin the bottle with clove, caramel and crème de cassis layered in abundance over the palate. Hints of plum, marzipan, toffee and cardamom are finished with a salty note to complete this lush graceful wine.

Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon1996

This is a dreamy bottle with a delicate sweet flow. The nose opens up slowly with earth and dried cherry fruits melding sweetly with tealeaves, root beer, pepper and liquorices. Soft tannins and a mouth filling flavor and feel finish this wine.

Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon 1995

This bottle is rich and delectable with an interesting nose of tobacco, cedar and herb complemented with concentrated fruit and mineral. On the palate the bouquet delivers on its promises of pepper, nutmeg, black tea and mocha. This wine is complex and layered with flavors and aromas. A graceful flowing feel finishes with spice and rose petal to leave the senses ignited.

Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon 1994

This is a youthful wine with a powerful fruit component and an earthy feel. On the nose hints of toast and bacon contrast with sweet white chocolate, black fruits, pine and cocoa. These aromas deepen on the palate coating the mouth in elegance and sweetness. A long savory finish completes this wine.

Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon 1993

This bottle opens up with a diverse aromatic structure that engages the senses and delivers on the palate. The nose is full of floral, earth essences with hazelnut, raspberry chocolate, brandy, and forest leaves. These scents deepen on the mouth with underlying hints of molasses and persimmon pudding completing the festival of flavors. A warm dry finish and silky feel define this wine.

Peju

Peju

The Peju winery was founded in 1983 when Tony Peju purchased the Rutherford Bench property in the Napa Valley. The vineyards had been producing grapes since the early 1900s and the previous owners had found success in selling the grapes to other wineries. The Peju family initially continued to do this in order to learn which vineyards and grapes were the most successful. Tony quickly learned the processes of winemaking and continued to develop the vineyards and growing processes. The Peju wine company is now recognized as one of the Napa Valleys top wineries. It is especially well know for its outstanding Cabernets that possess intense flavor, depth and complexity.

Peju Rutherford Reserve Cabernet 2003

This Rutherford special begins with a glowing opulent red tone and an expressive bursting nose. Aromas of cherry, blackberry and raspberry jam are layered with lashings of cola berry, vanilla and roasted coffee. The bouquet deepens and reveals hints of dried herbs, tealeaves, cinnamon and cloves. The palate is warm and rich with lashings of concentrated fruit and undertones of earth and mineral. This wine is completed with a well-balanced fruit finish.

Peju Rutherford Reserve Cabernet 2002

This wine opens up with a dark inky tone and a fresh rising nose of blackberry, cocoa and kirsch. The aromas are complex and continue to delight the senses with notes of cedar, vanilla and clove off set with lashings of ripe raspberries and a touch of green pepper. The palate is warm and sweet with rich black fruit flavor, cherry and cola melding with vanilla bean, roasted coconuts and an earthy undertone. The finish is long and velvety with distinctive rich oak tannins.

Peju Rutherford Reserve Cabernet 2001

This wine pours a silky deep red into the glass with warm rising aromas filling the nose with black berries and cherries. On the palate this wine is full and sweet with dominant fruit flavors coating the mouth. Ripe black fruits and notes of vanilla and oak flow seamlessly over the palate and finish strongly.

Peju Rutherfod Reserve Cabernet 2000

This bottle opens up with a dark crimson tone and a distinctive nose of steely pencil lead, spicy cinnamon, clove and toffee. The aromas deepen on the palate revealing notes of graham cracker amongst the heavy fruit sensations. This wine is dark and brooding with a sweet currant of oak and a long lingering finish.

Peju Reserve Cabernet 2003

This wine has a warm red cherry tone with a bright raspberry rim. The aromas rise from the glass igniting the senses with Bing cherry, clove, crème de cassis and roasted coffee. Layers of blackberry, pepper and toast are completed with notes of green olive and fresh herbs. The palate is vibrant and full with black cherries and raspberries with undertones of toast and campfire. The finish is long and bold with a silk like flow.

Marilyn

Marilyn Merlot

The Marilyn Merlot label was officially established in 1985 in St Helena, Napa Valley. Bob and Donna Holder along with a group of friends had been making wine in their homes for several years when the idea of the Marilyn Merlot was conceived. The wines were primarily given as gifts to friends or to charity before the concept developed and the wine became available for public sale, quickly proving its worth. The label has an agreement with the Marilyn Munroe estate for exclusive name and photo rights. Every year on her birthday a simple Merlot is released with a different picture of the global icon on the label. This wine gained critical acclaim and quickly became renowned among fine wine lovers and collectors. The Marilyn wine company now produces a number of wines including its flagship Merlot, the Norma Jean, the Velvet collection and Cabernet.

Marilyn Velvet Collection 2003

This wine flows into the glass with a dark ruby tone revealing an enticing nose of cherry and chocolate offset with a cool cola infusion. On the mouth a full tempting velvet flow opens up with black cherry and chocolate. Hints of spice flood the palate with a fine smoky finish to complete this age worthy bottle.

Marilyn Merlot 2004

This bottle is a classic Merlot with a bursting overflowing fruit nose and a warm ruby tone. On the mouth the wine is full and round with a decadent velvet flow of raspberries, blueberries and chocolate. The wine finishes with a sweet smooth impression and a concentrated fruit complement.

Marilyn Merlot 2003

This is a vibrant expressive bottle with a deep purple tone and a sweet warm nose of chocolate and oak. The wine is balanced and layered with dark fruit flavors and a chewy textured feel. The body continues to impress with exciting depth and length.

Marilyn Merlot 2000

This is a daring enticing wine with classic Merlot characters and an inviting nose of fresh dark fruit and oak. The wine flows with exceptional balance and a delicate lush feel that covers the palate in big fruit flavors. This wine finishes heavily with a dusty edge and a lasting impression.

Marilyn Merlot 1999

This is a warm and enticing wine with a rich complexity of flavor and aroma. The bottle opens with a sensual garnet tone that deepens to ruby at the core and a gentle nose of Merlot fruits. The mouth is filled delightfully with warmth and spice with persistent fruit sensations. This wine is sweet and very age worthy with a delicate velvet finish.

Marilyn Merlot 1998

This is ripe bursting Marilyn bottle that smothers the senses with juicy black berry aromas and flavors. The nose is understated and earthy and the palate is fresh and sweet exploding with black fruits and vine. This wine possesses a medium body and a loaded lingering finish.

Marilyn Merlot 1997

This Marilyn Merlot is delightfully rich and sensuous with bursting aromas, classy undertones and deep lingering flavors. The bottle opens up with a warm inviting ruby tone and a black berry and cherry nose. The body flows languidly onto the palate filling the mouth with juicy blueberries and chocolate. Layers of oak and earth complete this well-balanced bottle.

Marilyn Merlot 1996

This is a lavish graceful Merlot with delicious warm chocolate aromas and spicy notes rising from the glass. On the palate dominant black and red fruit flavors fill the mouth with intensity. This bottle develops nicely coating the mouth with a spicy finish and an elegant flow.

Marilyn Merlot 1993

The 93 Marilyn Merlot is soft, flowing and sweet with a vibrant earthy red tone. A delightfully rich nose of berries and chocolate entice the senses. The palate is devine with flowing notes of blackberries, blueberries and juicy ripe plum. This wine is elegant and refined with a sensual decadent feel.

Marilyn Merlot 1990

This bottle begins with an effervescent glow and lashings of ruby in the glass. The aromas rise gently with tender hits of blackberry, currants and raspberries. The aromas deepen and slide on the palate overwhelming the mouth with rich fruit flow and underlying notes of spice. The finish ignites the senses with a burst of flavor and smooth tannins.

Grgich Hills

Grgich Hills

Miljenko “Mike” Grgich burst onto the international winemaking radar in 1976 at the now infamous Paris Tasting. Mikes 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay was proclaimed the finest white wine in the world. This stunned the international wine community and quickly earned Mike a reputation as one of the best winemakers in the world. With his success Mike Grgich had announced to the world that California wine making was on the rise. After the tasting Mike began talks with Austin Hills from the Hills Bros coffee family and his sister Mary Lee Strebl. Austin owned vineyards in the Napa valley and Mike was a master winemaker dedicated to the production of world-class wines. Grgich Hills Cellars was established in 1977 and to this day remains committed to the production of distinctive California wines.

Grgich Hills Chardonnay 2003

This beautifully crafted bottle begins with a sensual bouquet of jasmine and waves of juicy pineapple. On the palate sweet white peach is complemented with hints of mineral and nuts. This is an elegant wine that coats the mouth generously with freshness and concentrated fruit flavors.

Grgich Hills Chardonnay 2002

This Grgich Hills bottle opens up with a fresh nose of acacia blossoms, mineral layers and a crisp green apple note. The wine slides onto the palate with a big fruit hit of flavor. Apples and pears dominate the mouth with sweet undertones of honey, lemon drops and juicy melon. A fine well balanced vintage with a full body and long lingering finish. A slight hint of nuts completes the bottle.

Grgich Hills Chardonnay 2001

This wine pours elegantly into the glass with rising aromas of apple and honey gracefully melded with citrus, mineral and vanilla oak. The flavors are rich and fresh with enticing hits of grapefruit, pineapple, lemon and pear complemented with a nutty essence. This wine is seamless and velvety with a long full finish.

Grgich Hills Chardonnay 2000

This wine expresses a sweet melding of fresh golden fruits and classic oak. On the nose a fresh hit of pineapple and mango is complemented with layers of lemon. The aromas slide delicately onto the palate coating the mouth in dominant fruit flavors. This wine has a delightful tropical feel and a creamy elegant finish.

Grgich Hills Chardonnay 1999

This bottle begins with a light golden straw hue and a powerful forward smoky nose. Green apples, toast and ripe pear fill the bouquet and flow onto the mouth expressing impressive depth and body. The flavors coat the mouth with citrus and lemon with layers of green apple lingering on the palate. This is a well-balanced sweet fruit wine with a fresh lemon finish.

Grgich Hills Cabernet Sauvignon 2002

This wine pours a deep plum into the glass with a rising nose of rich blackberries, cassis and notes of earth, truffle and cedar. The wine pours seductively onto the palate with sensual hits of fruit, a hint of pepper and a smooth tannins. This is a complex age worthy bottle that leaves a lasting impression.

Grgich Hills Cabernet Sauvignon 2001

The 2001 Grgich Cabernet possesses an intense depth and powerful complex bouquet. The wine begins with a rising nose of cassis and cedar with complements of rose, licorice and dried cherry. The wine flows lavishly onto the palate with the rich dark fruit flavors of plum and cherries layered upon notes of anise, cigar box and spicy oak. This is a full flowing wine with a velvet feel and a rich flavor full finish of caramel, cassis, cherries, mocha and vanilla.

Grgich Hills Cabernet Sauvignon 2000

This is a classic Grgich Cabernet with a bursting nose of ripe black fruits, a rising bouquet of cassis and cedar and a playful exuberance. The wine gushes onto the palate revealing an enticing depth and silky texture. Flavors of dark fruits and smooth tannins pour over the mouth delighting with balance, power and a long lingering finish.

Grgich Hills Cabernet Sauvignon 1999

This wine begins with a tempting deep red glow and a classic Cabernet bouquet of dark fruits and cassis. On the mouth the wine is elegant and expressive coating the palate with sensual lingering flavors. Blackberry and spice are complemented with a milky chocolate that lingers on the finish. This wine will age delightfully.

Grgich Hills Cabernet Sauvignon 1998

This is a refined sweet red wine with an inviting and sensual nose that simply explodes from the glass. Rising notes of blackberries, cherry and cassis fill the bouquet and slide like silk onto the palate. The flavors flow with rich red currant, cherry and a touch of herb. This wine possesses a powerful mouth coating tannins that leaves a lingering impression.

DuMOL

DuMOL

The DuMOL wine company is renowned for its unique Chardonnays and dark complex Pinot Noirs. Kerry Murphy and Michael Verlander founded the company in 1996 and the aim was to produce outstanding wines with grapes sourced from the Russian River region of Sonoma County. Andy Smith is the winemaker responsible for the decadent intense world-class wines produced by DuMOL. The grapes are sourced and blended from a variety of vineyards in the region, which are ideal for making Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

DuMOL Chardonnay Russian River 2004

This beautifully crafted wine begins with a pale straw glow and an uplifting nose of sweet honey, zesty citrus, flint and undertones of hazelnut. On the palate it is simply mouthwatering with an instant power and richness revealing wet stone minerals and citrus oils. A sweet honeyed hit of fresh fruits slowly opens up in the mouth with a full rounded finish and the promise of graceful maturity.

DuMOL Chardonnay Russian River 2003

This wine slides an effervescent golden into the glass with rising notes of flint and mineral penetrating the nose. Layers of orange blossom, citrus, lemon custard and fig are complemented by a warm touch of underlying white pepper. The palate is bursting with flavor, citrus and mineral meld with orange peel, honeysuckle, fresh sliced apple and mint. The flavors develop renewed intensity as the wine opens up and sweet hints of crème brulee and hazelnuts dance in the mouth. This is a full rich wine with a lingering fresh finish and a pure fruit concentration.

DuMOL Chardonnay Clare 2004

This wine slides into the glass with a pale yellow complexion and a heavy mineral nose. The bouquet rises with tempting baked apple, sweet honeysuckle and smoky notes. The palate is warm and intense with layers of fresh white peach, sweet citrus limes and wet stones off set with warm hits of nutmeg and fresh mint. This is a graceful wine with a lengthy finish and a dark brooding youthful feel.

DuMOL Chardonnay Isobel 2004

This is a vibrant DuMOL bottle with a golden hue and a ripe enticing nose. Aromas of honeysuckle and orchard fruits rise from the glass and deepen as they flow onto the palate. The mouth is coated with a heavy texture and an earthy flavor with mineral components and a layer of hazelnuts. The finish is long and lingering with a refined, stony edge.

DuMOL Chardonnay Isobel 2003

This is a fresh bright bottle with a golden hue and an explosive nose of toasted almond, fresh citrus, flint and crème brulee. The wine pours onto the palate with warmth and vibrancy revealing citrus oil, juicy grapefruit and smoky notes layered with a strong stone and mineral essence. Sweet hints of peach and vanilla cream finish the palate and a long velvet flow completes this wine.

DuMOL Chardonnay Chloe 2004

This wine opens up with a golden effervescent tone and a seductive nose of sweet fruits. The aromas burst with honey citrus, apple and notes of hazelnut. The palate is coated with layers of nectarine and white peach with undertones of mineral lingering on the mouth. The wine is gentle and rich with a silky texture and a quiet soft finish.

DuMOL Pinot Noir Russian River 2004

This rich plum colored wine opens up with a nose of black cherries, fresh violets, herbs and a layer of spicy red licorice. On the palate the wine reveals pure black raspberry and notes of mineral. The mouth is filled with warmth and sweetness with layers of juicy plum and truffle emerging. This is an age worthy wine with a sweet fruit finish and a velvet feel.

DuMOL Pinot Noir Ryan 2004

This is a vibrant ruby wine with an explosive aroma and a pure fruit concentration. Dark licorice rises on the nose with kirsch and rosehip notes deepening as they slide onto the palate. The mouth is filled with enticing wild berries, violets and dark tealeaves. This is a sensual decadent wine with a bursting sweetness and a supple tannin. The finish is delightful smoky with a juicy plum note leaving a lasting impression.

DuMol Pinot Noir Ryan 2003

This deep plum wine opens with a rich nose filling aromatic structure. The bouquet is bright with notes of wild berries, kirsch and all spice warming up the senses. On the mouth the wine flows with seamless intensity. Lavish juicy dark fruits meld with cola spice, bursting cherry and rosehip; undertones of truffle, tealeaves and rhubarb ignite the palate. The long finish is warm and smoky with a slight spark resounding on the mouth.

DuMOL Pinot Noir Aidan 2004

This is a deliciously dark and stormy wine with a deep plum hue and a daring rising nose of black raspberries, fresh herbs, all spice and wild flowers. On the palate the flavors pour like silk with dark fruits dominating the mouth. Cassis and plum are married with floral violet notes creating a delightful warm taste and feel. Vibrant lively tannins and a heavy flowing feel finish the wine with a hint of truffle leaving a lasting impression.

Duckhorn

Duckhorn

Founders Dan and Margaret Duckhorn established the Duckhorn Wine Company in 1976. The Duckhorn vineyards produced their first vintages in 1978 with modest quantities of Merlot and Cabernet. They further expanded their production to include Sauvignon Blanc in 1982 and continued to produce some of North Americas finest Bordeaux wines. The Duckhorn wine company now harvests from its 6 vineyards all in the rocky slopes of Howell Mountain. The land is home to a unique topography, which produces a distinctive growing climate and environment. From its inception Duckhorn has concentrated on producing world class Merlot and continues with that commitment to excellence today.

Duckhorn Estate Grown Cabernet 2002

This estate vintage opens up with a rich red tone and a complex nose of sweet spice and smoke. The bouquet delights with lush roasted plum, currant and chocolate layered upon notes of mint and truffle. The flavors pour refreshingly onto the palate with hints of currant and dark chocolate melting on the mouth. This wine is defined by its integration of sweetness and spice. The finish reveals dusty tannins and leaves a subtle sweetness lingering on the senses.

Duckhorn Estate Grown Cabernet 2001

This vintage possesses an encompassing ruby tone and a slick refreshing aromatic structure. On the nose this Cabernet bursts with cassis, cherry and notes of mint. The wine coats the mouth with a firm tough texture revealing subtle dark berries, leather and an underlying hint of medicinal flavors. Hints of leather linger on the finish.

Duckhorn Estate Grown Cabernet 2000

The 2000 bottle is a delicate and smooth wine with a fresh bouquet of fruit and a warm flavor full mouth. On the nose enticing raspberry and cherry open up with layers of cassis and spice. Undertones of chocolate, toffee and oak deepen the aromatic structure and tantalize the senses. The palate is treated to a full velvet flow with layers of sweetness. Berry, crème brulee and toasty oak dance across the palate and leave a lingering finish of bright fruit and refined tannins.

Duckhorn Estate Grown Cabernet 1999

This Cabernet begins with a ruby tone and a graceful delivery of aroma. The nose is greeted by warm melting caramel and vanilla with waves of raspberry, toffee and chocolate. Undertones of toasted oak support the decadent bouquet. On the palate fruity layers are off set with cracked pepper. This age worthy wine is defined by a long finish and a supple structure.

Duckhorn Three Palms Merlot 2003

This fine Duckhorn Merlot is defined by a smooth graceful texture and bursting layers of aroma and flavor. The bottle opens up with a nose of sweet red fruits. Strawberry and cherry meld with raspberry and undertones of black olive, almond and spice. The flavors flow like velvet onto the palate revealing lush fruit and layer upon layer of strawberry and red cherry. This Merlot finishes with a complement of oak and cedar and leaves a lingering silk impression on the mouth.

Duckhorn Three Palms Merlot 2002

The 2002 bottle is delightfully integrated with a rich complex melding of aromas. This wine opens up with a hit of black currant and cassis. The nose deepens revealing fresh strawberry and raspberry notes with underlying smoky bacon and a subtle hint of mint. On the mouth this is a silky, full-bodied wine with ripe tannins and an exploding flavorsome palate. Warm oak and vanilla are complemented by a flowing fruit concentration.

Duckhorn Three Palms Merlot 2001

This wines begins with a warm ripe concentration of aromas. Soft notes of mint and chocolate complement a nose of cherry and sage. The flavors coat the mouth with a rich and well-balanced flow of strawberry, raspberry and spice. The wine finishes gracefully with earth and oak.

Duckhorn Three Palms Merlot 2000

This is a unique bottle with a diverse medley of aromas and flavors. To begin the nose is layered with heavy notes of smoked meat, dried herbs and oak. Undertones of raspberry jam and caramel complement and entice. Rich flavors of chocolate and coffee meld with black berry and cherry on the palate. A deep lingering finish of ripe fruits and oak with well-balanced tannins and the promise of maturity define this wine.

Duckhorn Three Palms Merlot 1999

This bottle opens with a warm fresh baking aroma. Bread and oak entice the senses while the bouquet deepens with smoked meat and rosemary. Undertones of strawberry jam and cream with a hint of mint capture the imagination and intensify on the palate. The rich exciting flavors of black cherry and plum coat the mouth melding sensually with bittersweet chocolate, strawberry and toast. This is an age worthy bottle that leaves a lasting impression on the palate.

Darioush

Darioush

Darioush Khaledi grew up in Shiraz, prime wine country in Iran. His father was a winemaker and from a young age Darioush was fascinated with wine and the processes of producing it. As a young adult he collected fine wines further developing his connection to wine. In the late 70s Darioush immigrated to Southern California where along with his brother in law found success in the grocery business. As his grocery business grew Darioush turned his attention towards the production of wine. The stunning winery and visitor centre established in 2004 is the culmination of years of work and is a beautiful representation of the refinement and uniqueness that distinguishes all Darioush wines. Darioush produces fine Bordeaux style wines and is renowned as a distinctive producer of Californian wines.

Darioush Signature Cabernet 2003

This bottle opens with a warm plum glow and a fresh bursting hit of wild berry aromas. The wine flows like silk onto the palate delivering rich creamy flavors of bittersweet chocolate, espresso and crème de cassis with underlying notes of cedar, spice and vanilla. This wine is delightfully rich and ripe and will deepen with age.

Darioush Signature Cabernet 2002

This is a seductive daring vintage with a deep opulent glow and a fresh ripe nose of berries. This refined wine is distinguished by a rich heavy texture that floods the senses and fills the mouth with cassis, crème de cassis, espresso and chocolate. Hints of cedar spice and vanilla oak complete the taste and linger on the finish. This wine is distinguished by its depth, balance and ripeness; this is a wine that will mature very well.

Darioush Signature Cabernet 2001

This is a sensual wine with a bursting nose that explodes from the glass with delicious mocha, cassis and blackberries layered upon licorice and sweet vanilla. The mouth is filled with lashings of rich dark fruits that gently linger like silk on the palate. Smooth tannins, a fresh concentration of fruit and a long lingering finish define this vintage.

Darioush Signature Cabernet 2000

This is a highly expressive bottle with warm aromas rising from the glass inviting the senses. Layers of licorice, cassis and blackberries complement rich decadent mocha, espresso and vanilla. The mouth is treated with a heavy concentration of ripe dark fruits and a velvet flow. This wine is completed with a long refined finish.

Darioush Signature Cabernet 1999

This signature bottle opens up with a refined nose of cherry, black currants and fennel. The bouquet reveals hints of spice and cedar and layers of roast coffee, vanilla and sweets notes of violets. The aromas deepen on the palate coating the mouth with a rich texture and full complex flavor. The wine is sweet to finish and lingers with a hit of spice.

Darioush Cabernet Sauvignon 2003

This wine possesses a dark plum tone and a ripe nose of fruit. Juicy plum, currants and cherry dominate and deepen sweetly on the palate. The mouth is round and supple with a velvet flow and layers of fruit. The finish is sweet and lingering with a touch of oak.

Darioush Cabernet Sauvignon 2002

This wine opens with a swirling red hue and a sweet nose. Aromas of red and black currants, notes of vanilla and subtle oak rise out of the glass. The wine flows warmly onto the palate revealing a smooth tannins and layers of blueberries. The finish is both sweet and warm with a very soft hint of spice.

Darioush Cabernet Sauvignon 2001

This vintage simply bursts with divine fruit essences on both the nose and mouth. This wine slides onto the palate fulfilling the promise of concentrated dark fruits and an underlying oak balance. This is a refined bottle with a lingering rosy finish.

Darioush Cabernet Sauvignon 2000

This wine opens with an effervescent red tone and delivers a rich hit of black berries, cassis and currants on the nose. The flavors echo on the palate with rich layers of mocha, roasted coffee and cocoa combining sweetly to cover the mouth. The finish is full of fruit and notes of coffee.

Darioush Cabernet Sauvignon 1999

This is a classic Bordeaux style red with a rich nose of spicy earth, cocoa and coffee. Hints of green tea deepen on the bouquet and flow effortlessly onto the palate. The flavors are vibrant and decadent blackberries, currants and notes of oak. The wine is completed with a warm soft finish and rich supple tannins.

Crane Lake

Crane Lake

The Crane Lake label is one of many produced by the Bronco wine company. This company is best know for its famous 'Two Buck Chuck' and its label Charles Shaw. The Bronco wine company is a bulk wine producer with around 35,000 acres of vineyards in the Napa Valley region.

Crane Lake Cabernet Sauvignon 2003

This is a youthful wine exuberant with fruit aromas and flavors. The wine opens up with a plum red tone and a rising nose of blackberries and raspberries. On the palate a soft flow of cabernet fruits coat the mouth. Raspberries, cherries and black fruits dominant with a very fine layer of spice completing the bottle.

Crane Lake Cabernet Sauvignon 2002

This is a unique bottle from this bargain wine label. The nose reveals a strong chocolate aroma with layers of molasses. The wine slides over the palate with a fresh crisp feel and flavor. Subtle hints of black fruits and mild soft tannins finish the wine.

Crane Lake Chardonnay 2004

This is a sweet summer fresh wine with an enticing golden glow in the glass and a delicious fruit nose. The aromas rise from the glass revealing ripe pears, red apples and cinnamon with undertones of clove and limestone. The palate is coated with a velvet full texture and a powerful delivery of fruit.

Crane Lake Merlot 2004

This is a smooth bottle with a dark inky red tone and a delightful rising nose of black currant and plum. On the palate these aromas deliver coating the mouth in concentrated dark fruits and soft supple feel.

Crane Lake Merlot 2003

This bottle begins with a warm opulent plum core with a soft red rim and a nose of black and red fruits. The aromas rise from the glass showing hints of currants and juicy plums. The wine flows onto the palate with a warm expression of plum and cherries. The mouth is soft and supple and the finish is warm and refined.

Arrowood

Arrowood

Richard and Alis Demers Arrowhead founded Arrowhead Wines in 1986. Richard had been making wine for around 4 decades producing some California's classics whilst working at the Chateau St. Jean. Arrowheads philosophy is simply to produce outstanding varietals wines from grapes grown in the diverse regions of Sonoma County. They have more that achieved that producing some of the counties finest Cabernets and Chardonnays.

Arrowood Cabernet Sauvignon 2002

This Arrowood Cabernet is a full-bodied wine with a bold character. The bottle begins with a rising cedar and cigar nose that smoothes out with cherry, cassis and notes of leather. On the palate a flowing velvet mouth of concentrated fruits is revealed. Black fruits and cherry engage with underlying cassis and a firm tannins. The dominant flavors of cherry and cassis continue to impress on the senses leaving a long finish dancing on the mouth.

Arrowood Cabernet Sauvignon 2001

This bottle is a traditional Arrowood wine that entices the senses with a nose of sweet fruit. The bouquet is rich with black cherry and hints of smoke, liquorices and underlying peppercorn. The mouth is treated to a decadent creamy texture and a warm lavishing of black fruit flavor and lavender off set with a touch of clove. This wine is completed with a lingering cherry finish and a sweet impression.

Arrowood Cabernet Sauvignon 2000

This vintage possesses a warm opulent ruby tone and a lavish nose of cherry and liquorices. Layers of spice and smoke mingle with notes of peppercorn and cassis. The wine flows onto the palate with a rich velvet texture and a dominant black fruit flavoring. Sweet hints of lavender and clove complement the fruit and coats the mouth. To finish the wine is bold and sweet with lingering cherry flavors.

Arrowood Cabernet Savignon 1999

The 1999 bottle offers a unique blend of intense aroma and flavor. The wine pours a deep ruby into the glass and quickly reveals a heavy aroma of black cherry and cassis. These aromas deepen on the mouth flowing with crème de cassis and berry. This is a textured complex wine with a hit of spice and a lively feel on the mouth. The wine finished with a warm complement of vanilla and oak as well as a lasting fruit flavor.

Arrowood Cabernet Sauvignon 1998

This bottle opens up with a warm ruby tone and an inviting bouquet of cherry, plum and spice. On the mouth this wine flows like silk with a complex hit of black cherries, cassis and plum. Undertones of wild berry deepen on the palate and are complemented by a finish of spice and anise. This is a rich and complex wine with a decadent flow and feel.

Arrowood Chardonnay 2004

This delightful Chardonnay is full of fruit on both the bouquet and the palate. The nose is rich with pineapple and tropical honeysuckle with underlying aromas of gardenia and jasmine. A warm subtle hint of oak runs onto the palate where the scents continue to deepen into enticing flavors. Explosions of pineapple and peach meld with intoxicating apricot and melon. The mouth is treated to a chewy lush and dynamic feel that leaves a lasting sweet impression.

Arrowood Chardonnay 2003

This bottle is exceptionally bright and full of fruit flavors. Juicy green apple, peach and melon are blended exquisitely with a fresh acidic note. This wine flows with a creamy full texture and a sweet balance of flavors. The acidic bite lingers on the palate and melds with a finish of oak and spice.

Arrowood Chardonnay 2001

This bottle opens up with a warm golden tone and a fresh fruit nose. Rich bursting aromas of apple, melon and peach are off set with a hit of sweet citrus. The wine is creamy velvet on the palate with exotic melon and apple flavors dancing around a baked bread note. This is a deliciously complex and enticing wine that lingers on the mouth and delivers with its promises of fruit sensations.

Arrowood Chardonnay 2000

This Arrowhead special pours into the glass with lashings of fresh fruit revealing on the nose. Lush pineapple with a hint of spice and undertones of peach deepen throughout the bouquet and flow onto the palate. This silky full wine delivers a bold fruit finish and leaves a lingering impression on the mouth.

Arrowood Chardonnay 1999

The 1999 vintage is a classic Arrowhead with overflowing fruit sensations both on the nose and the palate. To begin the nose invites and intrigues with pineapple, ripe pear and apples layered upon sweet orange blossom. Notes of honeysuckle and creamy vanilla add depth and complexity to the bottle. On the palate fresh peach, melon and apricot dazzle with a soft note of oak complementing the fruit. A lasting balanced finish completes the wine.

Almaviva

Almaviva

The Almaviva winery and its distinctive reds are a result of collaboration between Baron Philippe de Rothschild and Viña Concha y Toro. The Almaviva winery was established in 1996 with its first Primer Orden vintage. The winery was completed in 1999. These classic Bordeaux wines are refined with French tradition and possess the feel of the Bordeaux yet they are produced in the Chilean vineyards of Almaviva. The winery produces its famous reds in small quantity making way for exceptional quality.

Almaviva Red Blend 2003

This vintage is a splendidly dense and surprisingly flavorful wine. To open the bottle exudes heavy raspberry and black currant fruit flavors with a hint of fig and tobacco. Notes of warm cedar deepen on the palate and a toasty oak finish lingers on the mouth. This wine is finely balanced with a soft velvet texture that leaves a lasting impression.

Almaviva Red Blend 2002

This is an exquisite vintage bursting with flavor and texture. To open the bottle is dark ruby red with a sweet nose of spice and black fruits. Lashings of vanilla and smoky oak tantalize the senses. The wine flows on to the palate with a full, bold texture that reveals rich blackberries and cassis. Layers of liqueur and cherry deepen as the mouth is coated. This bottle is completed by a ripe, balanced, silk flow that lingers on the mouth.

Almaviva Red Blend 2001

The 2001 vintage is a strong sturdy wine with a diverse marriage of flavor, texture and aroma. Notes of dried currant and cigar smoke deliver the bouquet with underlying hints of iron. Layers of loam, plum and blackberry mingle with spice and mineral on the mouth. Power fruit flavors define this bottle with a rich layered texture and a lasting warm impression.

Almaviva Red Blend 2000

This Almaviva special opens with a deep plum tone, quickly revealing floral notes of lavender. The bouquet strengthens with lashings of plum, currant and black cherries layered upon mineral, smoke and spice. Onto the palate the wine flows with intensifying flavors of coffee and mocha mingling with leather and refined tannins. The feel is heavy and dense with a chewy saturating finish.

Almaviva Red Blend 1999

This bottle pours into the glass with an opulent red tone darkening to ruby at the edges. The aromas ascend with a dominant brown spice and black fruit nose. The wine expands with a complex delivery of oak and earth. These aromas deepen on the palate soaking the mouth with a heavy full-bodied entry supple with ripe tannins. This is a refined wine with a dry finish that will age well.

Almaviva Red Blend 1998

This is a dense wine with an intense bouquet of cherry and plum. Notes of earth, meat and tobacco integrate with a lively infusion of fruit and a full bold texture. The mouth is saturated with flavor and the long finish is completed with dry tannins.

Almaviva Red Blend 1997

This bottle possesses a warm opulent tone and a powerful bursting bouquet of aromas. Notes of earth and liquorices rise from the glass with currents of berries and green pepper underlying. On the palate the flavors intensify with layers of spice, plum and black olive. This is a finely balanced vintage with a silky long finish.

Almaviva Red Blend 1996

This 96 bottle is Almaviva's first vintage red. The bottle is rich and fragrant with a heavy dense fruit concentration on the nose. Black raspberries and cassis full the bouquet with underlying herbal notes. This is a classic Bordeaux wine with a velvet flow and a sensuous black fruit follow through.

A. Rafenelli

A.Rafanelli

The A. Rafanelli wine company is a family owned and operated winery that focuses on producing small quantities of extraordinary wine. Located in the hills of prime Sonoma wine country the winery and vineyards overlook the Dry Creek Valley. The winery is now run by 4th generation Rafanellis but still upholds traditional winemaking practices to ensure the world-class quality of their wines. A. Rafanelli specializes in Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot.

A.Rafanelli Dry Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 2002

This is a dark wine that opens with a warm crimson tone and a full black fruit nose with vanilla notes. On the palate dark fruits and herb are complemented by hints of vanilla and raspberry undertones. The wine is full and balanced with a soft tannin and good acid structure. Long on the finish with continuing hints of cabernet fruits lingering.

A.Rafanelli Dry Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 2001

This is a classic Cabernet with bursting decadent aromas and flavors. A purple, plum hue pours into the glass and rising notes of currants, black cherries and berries are layered with hints of warm chocolate. On the palate this wine is sweet and heavy with milk chocolate and black fruits. This wine possesses refined A. Rafanelli style with a lingering velvet texture and a flavorsome fruit finish.

A.Rafanelli Dry Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 2000

The 2000 bottle is delightfully youthful and expressive. A rich nose of juicy red fruits, cherries, pine and spice rise from the glass and flow onto the palate. The mouth is teased with cassis, blueberries, cedar and a silky sweet converging of aroma and flavor. This is an opulent, free flowing wine with a nice balance and a unique spark on the finish.

A.Rafanelli Dry Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 1999

This is a powerful, lush wine with a deep ruby glow and a ripe nose of fresh dark berries and black cherry. The wine overwhelms the palate with heavy flowing texture and layers of flavor. Heavy fruit concentration dominates the mouth with hints of black pepper and camphor lingering on the palate. This is a chewy wine that will mature gracefully.

A.Rafanelli Dry Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 1997

This is a dark brooding wine with an inky plum tone and intense depth of flavor and aroma. The nose rises sensually with notes of black and red fruits and a sweeping undertone of earth. The palate is full with complex flavors of cassis, chocolate and cookies layered with smoky cigar and fresh mint. This vintage perfectly melds fruit and acid components with supple tannins. This wine is sweet and exotic and will further develop with age.

A.Rafanelli Dry Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 1995

This year’s wine possesses a purple hue and a delicate nose of sweet raspberries. Layers of spice and acid reveal in the bouquet and flow sensually onto the palate. The mouth is filled with warmth and density with persistent red berry, cherries and raspberry flavors accompanied by an underlying note of tealeaves. The finish is full of fruit and a subtle touch of spice.

A.Rafanelli Dry Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 1994

This wine opens up with a fresh fruit concentration on the nose and a rising spicy core. Raspberries explode in the bouquet with notes of spice and earth complementing the fruit sensations. On the palate spicy sweet red fruits are coupled with a mouth filling texture and a warm infusion of dusty earth.

A.Rafanelli Dry Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 1992

This bottle is a fine example of a classic Italian Cabernet. Soft purple glowing tones with an opulent red rim and the sweet rising aroma of berries. The palate is rich with well-balanced acid and fruit components and full flowing silk texture. Layer upon layer of berry fruits dance over the palate and continue to impress throughout the finish, with an underlying oak integration completing the bottle.

A.Rafanelli Dry Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 1991

The 91 one bottle is especially dark and decadent with a steely deep plum tone and an explosive nose. Traditional berry fruits rise from the glass with complements of leather, lead pencil and iron revealing in the bouquet. On the mouth this wine is soft and seductive with flowing notes of red fruit and subtle spice on the finish.

A.Rafanelli Dry Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 1984

This is a graceful refined wine with a depth and intensity that ignites the senses. The nose is filled with notes of earth, layers of smoke and dark berries, cherries and plum. These aromas simply slide onto the palate deepening and developing with fruit notes filling the mouth. This is a finely balanced wine with a lengthy fruit and spice finish.