About the California wine region
Though less than half a century old, and remarkably young compared to its European counterparts, the wine industry in California has managed to enchant the country’s wine buying public as well as receive accolades from “across the pond.” This may be because of two realities. First is the undeniable quality of the wines—remarkably fruity, full and satisfying, rarely too austere or tannic to be savored from the first day. The second is the “buy American” angle. A very high number of American wine buyers simply prefer domestic to foreign wines.
The state plays host to an enormous range of microclimates and soils as well as a lot of sunshine, hot summer days and dry harvests. All these factors contribute to healthy ripe fruits that make European producers, in less dependable climates, green with envy. More than three out of every four years, California’s best sites produces excellent wines.
The U.S. is not protectionist when it comes to taxing imported wines compared to many other countries, but the California wine industry is inherently protected because of consumers wanting to buy American.
To most people, the Napa Valley is the home of California wine, and Cabernet is the clear king in Napa. Burgundy varieties like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir have moved to cooler areas, for the most part closer to the Pacific. This includes the western stretches of Sonoma County, the Anderson Valley in Mendocino County, and the Santa Maria and Santa Ynez valleys of Santa Barbara County. In regions as contrasting as Mendocino County, the Sonoma coast, Carneros, Paso Robles, and Santa Maria Valley, Syrah vines have yielded interesting wines. Excellent Zinfandel is also produced all over the state and may be the only California wine emulated abroad.
The 2023 Dominus is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Petit Verdot. Opaque purple-black in color, it slowly unfurls to reveal a powerful core of blackcurrant jelly, ripe black plums, and fresh...
The 2021 Opus One is composed of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot, and 0.5% each of Merlot and Malbec. It was bottled in July 2023. Deep garnet-purple in color, it comes barreling out of the...
‘Aura’ is part of the Beau Vigne ‘Cult’ series of wines produced by Julien Fayard. This full-flavoured, full-bodied, lip-smacking red wine features heady oak spices nicely balanced by ripe, juicy black cherry and...
This takes a graceful tack, offering supple, cedar-lined notes of gently mulled red currant and black cherry fruit that glide through the tobacco-, mint-, licorice- and sandalwood-accented finish. Offering charm rather...
Spellbinding aromas of rose petals, strawberries, citrus and bark, with hints of lemongrass. Medium-bodied, tight and structured, this offers a captivating combination of linear intensity and calmness, so classy and...
This wine is a great value for the quality, a blend of 88% estate Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% estate Malbec from the producer's high-elevation site. Aged two years in all French oak, it is smooth, supple and rich in...
95+Minty herbs come together with hints of mocha, then dried violets, stone dust and finally wild blueberries as the kaleidoscopic 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Patrimony reaches up from the glass. Cool and collected, this is a...
The 2023 Sauvignon Blanc was barrel-fermented and matured for five months in 15% new French oak. It has pretty aromas of white peach, guava, beeswax, grapefruit peel and candle smoke. The medium-bodied palate features...
This delivers a pure and steady beam of cassis and plum puree carried by gentle underlying succulence. Flashes of hibiscus and iris filter through the fruit, adding to the overall elegant feel. Drink now through 2034...
Offers beautifully rendered notes of hibiscus, rose petal, damson plum and mulberry that stretch out lengthily thanks to the fine-beaded acidity and taut, precise tannins. The sapid finish lets in tea and incense hints...
98+ The 2023 Pinot Noir DuMOL Estate Vineyard is a real head-turner, just as it was in barrel. Dark, sumptuous fruit, leather, incense, tobacco, dried herbs and graphite open first, buffered by brisk acids and beams of...
Lively white flower aromas of honeysuckle and gardenia meet with lemon verbena and guava on the fresh nose of this bottling. The palate is quite floral and tropical, offering coconut and guava cream flavors. — Matt Kettmann
Sourced from a variety of sites in the Sta. Rita Hills, the 2023 Chardonnay White Hill matured entirely in neutral wood for nine months and is particularly overperforming this vintage. Yellow orchard fruits and pastry...
This intense Pinot brings on the sultry aromas, with baked cherry, toasted nori, black tea and grilled mushroom notes on the complex and evolving nose. The palate is equally vivacious, with the plush tannins balancing...
The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Perseid is deep garnet-black in color with cassis, kirsch, redcurrants and blackberries on the nose plus cedar, cigars, earth and bay leaves notes. The palate is medium-bodied and lively with...
This is deep and winey, with cassis, plum paste and linzer torte notes leading the way. Structured but succulent, offering singed apple wood, bay and cast iron accents that support the fruit through the long and focused...
Starts off quiet and tight, with citrus notes mingling with tangy accents of mango and guava on a supple and incredibly juicy frame. As the wine continues to unfurl, details of green apple hard candy, celery salt...
Floral and earthy on the nose in apple blossom and sea spray, this coastal wine begins light in crisp green apple and Meyer lemon as it develops a hearty backbone of powerful intensity and lush texture. Full bodied, it...
For fans of bigger and more powerful Pinot Noir, the 2010 Bernardus Pinot Noir from their Sierra Mar Vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands hits all the right notes. Visually opaque with a deep brick red hue, this wine is...
The 2018 Chardonnay Sta. Rita Hills Cuvee is bright, airy and wonderfully perfumed. Ethereal and gracious, the 2018 lifts out of the glass with striking aromatic presence to match its chiseled, mid-weight personality...
(96+ points) Medium to deep garnet-purple in color, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon erupts from the glass with a gorgeous perfume of blueberry compote, boysenberry preserves, and warm cassis leading to nuances of lavender...
The 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon reveals expressive notes of mocha, licorice and dark chocolate, plus plenty of mixed red and black cherries. It's full-bodied, framed by soft tannins, but it still retains some dustiness on the...
Deep garnet-purple in color, the 2021 Irmgard Pinot Noir soars form the glass with vibrant notes of fresh cranberries, Bing cherries, and red roses, followed by hints of wild strawberries and underbrush. The medium to...
The 2016 Pinot Noir The Settler Cleary Ranch Vineyard is an intriguing wine that nicely shows off the Ernest house style. Crushed red berries, blood orange, chalk and mint give the Settler its distinctive upper register...
A beguiling blend of dusty violets, crushed stone, musky black currants and grilled herbs makes the 2020 Estate Cuvée impossible to ignore. Racy yet supple, this soothes with its ripe red and black fruits while also...
Reductive on the nose, this age-worthy wine shows a ton of structure and elegant power, finessed in tight, youthful tannin and earthy underbrush. Sage, dust and oak support a framework of dense red fruit that should...
Within a remarkable set of wines, the 2023 Pinot Noir Radian Vineyard gets my nod as the most multidimensional wine in The Hilt's portfolio. While several wines in the lineup display oceanic, kelp and nori-like aromas...
Aromas of fresh black cherry, roses, cinnamon and sage burst from the glass on the nose of this Pinot. The palate is energetic, with flavors of spiced plum, crushed Bing cherry, orange peel, black tea and purple flowers...
Showing results from page 1 of 18 pages total.
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