($25): With their Fiddletown bottling, Renwood Winery has produced a lush and simultaneously, briary Zinfandel, filled with dark fruit flavors and spice.  It has depth and the ripe fruit notes come across as a touch sweet, but yet, overall, the wine remains in balance and not overblown. … Read more

($135): This concentrated and bold — 15% stated alcohol — Cabernet does manage to contain itself.  The breeding of Napa Valley is apparent with rich cassis-laden fruit flavors combined with haunting herbal nuances.  Tightly wound with fine, but firm tannins, the 2010 Mondavi Reserve is best cellared for several years.  … Read more

($24): With this Sauvignon Blanc, their first commercial offering, Clos du Val shows they are as talented with their whites as with their terrific reds. Pleasantly pungent with a marvelous balance of creaminess, it has lovely depth while avoiding heaviness.  Though spicy and bright, it still doesn’t shake you by the lapels but rather awakens your palate and makes you want to take another sip. … Read more

($20): Once again, location matters.  Amador County has a great reputation for Zinfandel and it shows in the character of this wine.   Fresh bright fruit flavors, dried fruit notes, and spice all come together in this bold, yet not massive, Zinfandel. … Read more

($15): There’s nothing petite about wines made from Petite Sirah.  This robust red, actually purple, wine delivers jammy fruit flavors seasoned with licorice and spicy oak.  It would work well with a hearty pasta dish.
85 Michael Apstein Oct 29, 2013… Read more

($15): This unusual blend of Zinfandel (86%) with a touch of white grapes (Roussanne, 2%) and a grape I’d never heard of (Souzao, 1%) had me running to Jancis Robinson’s Wine Grapes.  The remainder of the blend is Primitivo and Mourvèdre. … Read more

($20): Sweet cherry-like flavors dominate in this Central Coast Pinot Noir.  Lots of spice from oak aging and a whiff of savory notes compete with the ripe fruit flavors, but they are ultimately forced into the background by the unbridled fruitiness. … Read more

($38): Thankfully, Clos du Val retains their hallmark style of restraint and elegance with their 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon.  And they do it without sacrificing intensity or weight. This wine amazes with its plethora of flavors.  There’s the expected mix of black and red fruit flavors, but there is also alluring nuances of herbs, savory notes and even olives. … Read more

($45): Location matters.  Spellbound’s Napa Valley bottling of Petite Sirah is a big step up from their less expensive “California” one.  With spicy deep dark berry scented flavors accompanied by moderate tannins, this is quintessential Petite Sirah.  Winemaker, Rob Mondavi, Jr.,… Read more

($35): Clos du Val, one of the pioneer Napa Valley wineries, fortunately has never varied from it style that values finesse over power.  Admirable restraint in this clean Merlot allows you to savor it.  Though focused on fruit flavors, an appealing earthiness, characteristic of Merlot, appears in the finish. … Read more

($23): This bright Pinot Noir showcases the ripe sweet fruit of the Russian River Valley.  Concentrated, but not over the top into the Pinot Syrah category, its polished tannins make it ready to drink.  Indeed, it could stand alone for those who relish a glass of red wine before dinner, but would also be a fine choice for roast duck.… Read more

($10): It’s hard to find a drinkable $10 Chardonnay these days.  So when I ran across one that was not only drinkable, but good, I was thrilled.  There’s no subtlety here, just rich ripe fruit and, most importantly, balance.  Easy to sip before a meal, this straightforward Chardonnay is an especially good choice when serving a crowd.… Read more

($40): Decades ago Robert Mondavi coined the name Fumé Blanc for his wine made from the Sauvignon Blanc grape. It has always been one of California’s most distinctive, and the Mondavi 2011 continues that track record.  The grapes have traditionally come from the famed To Kalon vineyard near the winery and they’ve opted to now put the vineyard name on the label. … Read more

($32): Clos du Val, thankfully, has resisted the trend toward overripe, boisterous wines.  With this lacey and pure Pinot Noir, they deliver bright clean red fruit with a hint of minerality.  It is precise with delicate savory elements in the finish. … Read more

($14): This wine exemplifies why we need to regulate the term “Reserve.”  Red Rock Winery produces 40,000 cases of this Pinot Noir annually from grapes that come from anywhere in California.  That’s hardly a Reserve wine.  Slightly sweet and soft, this fruit-focused wine works perfectly as a stand-alone aperitif. … Read more

($15): This is a softer and rounder style of Sauvignon Blanc with less of that varietal’s usual pungency.  You could sip it as an aperitif or match it with a take-out rotisserie chicken.
86 Michael Apstein Oct 8, 2013… Read more

($225): Insignia, a gloriously suave Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Merlot and Malbec, remains one of Napa Valley’s most acclaimed wines.  And with good reason judging from the 2010.  An explosive wine, its glossy texture is all the more amazing considering the wine’s concentration and power.… Read more

($60): This concentrated Pinot Noir pulls it off without landing in the Pinot Syrah category because underneath all that power is refinement.  Long and layered, Foxen has delivered a ripe wine, befitting its origins, without pushing it over the top.  You’ll embrace it for its black-fruited succulence rather than its delicacy.… Read more