Reds

Comprising 82% Merlot and 18% other varieties, this Merlot is fruit forward, offering flavors of blackberry, plum and vanilla spice. The finish is long and soft with silky tannins. Try this Merlot with duck, steak, or even grilled tuna. As for cheeses, it pairs well with parmesan or provolone. 

A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and other varieties, here’s a quaffable, easy drinking California red wine that you can open any day of the week. It starts with a rich, dark color and pleases with black cherry, raspberry and vanilla and tannins that are soft and layered. This wine pairs well with both aged cheddar and Gouda cheeses as well as rack of lamb, steak, or pasta in a marinara sauce.

A Pinot Noir that’s priced for all occasions, it is medium-bodied, not high in alcohol (12.5%) and has plenty of flavor. Ruby-colored in the glass, it offers raspberry, cherry and a hint of vanilla on the nose, flavors of cherry and plum, and a soft velvety finish. An excellent choice with appetizers and main courses, you might try it with Brie, goat cheese and smoked salmon – or even lamb shanks and pork tenderloin. 

A real steal, Three Thieves Pinot Noir is generous, fruit-forward, smooth and silky, and mouthwateringly fresh. Though it’s priced as a weekday wine, this Pinot punches above its weight with complex aromas, concentrated flavors, structure and acidity. The fruit was sourced from vineyards in the Central Coast as well as in the Lodi/Clarksburg region. The blend includes 18% Syrah and 6% Petite Sirah for color and body. Enjoy with lamb, lightly-spiced South Asian cuisine, or soft creamy cheeses.

Like all the Three Thieves wines, the 2020 Cabernet was made to open with abandon and enjoy with friends or family. Sourced from vineyards around Monterrey as well as Lodi, this is a California Cabernet that’s smooth and approachable, full-bodied but firm and full of flavor. Those features and the low price make it a great wine for all sorts of occasions: big weekend barbecues, cocktail parties, company events, gallery openings, or quiet evenings at home.

If “Washington State” brings to mind gray skies and rainy days, you clearly know little about the largest AVA in the Northwest, the Columbia Valley. Indeed, the Columbia Valley is bathed in sunshine for over 300 days a year and gets about as much rain as the Mohave Desert. On the other hand, at 46° N, it shares the same latitude as the great French wine-growing regions of Bordeaux and Burgundy, allowing for long summer days and a lengthy growing season. The Columbia Valley’s combination of a long growing season, rich volcanic soils, and plenty of mountain run-off for nurturing vines in the dry climate produce bold and nuanced wines, full of structure and balanced acidity. Produced from vineyards on south-facing hillsides, Castle Rock’s Cabernet Sauvignon is rich, structured and supple. Perfect for summer barbecue!

Located 2 hours east of San Francisco in the San Joaquin Valley, Lodi does not exactly spring to mind as a California wine region. Yet Lodi has had vineyards since the 1850s and currently accounts for 25% of all wine grapes produced in California and 40% of California Zinfandel. Of course, Lodi produces a lot of bargain-priced supermarket wine. But as Lodi’s many old vine vineyards are being shifted away from producing bulk wine, the region’s reputation for bold, full-bodied, and delicious Zinfandel has been growing ever higher. According to the winery, the Old Vine Zinfandel “has aromas of ripe bing cherry, anise and boysenberry jam. On the palate it has rounded tannins, carries a note of raspberry, and finishes with a hint of caramel. It provides an excellent accompaniment to grilled chicken, steak or lamb and most pasta dishes.”

Not to be confused with Syrah, Petite Sirah (a.k.a. Durif) has been part of California winemaking since the earliest days – whether in the “field blends” of the pioneers or as a varietal wine more recently. Black-skinned and high in tannin and acidity, it can add structure and freshness to red blends or produce a lovely varietal that's hearty, age-worthy and generous with dark fruit, spice and floral notes. According to the winery, “this fruity wine is inky and dark plum in color with aromas of blackberry, highlighted by toffee notes and a touch of plum jam. On the palate, it has a robust structure with lively pomegranate notes and hints of mocha on the long harmonious finish. It makes an excellent accompaniment to beef, game, spicy grilled foods and charbroiled meats.” Spice up your weekday meals with this lively red! Great for weekend barbecues, too!

The wine-growing regions of Mendocino remain rural, rugged, and hard to reach compared to Napa Valley or Sonoma County. Small towns, dense forests, ranch and farmlands have changed little over the decades. And while more vineyards dot the hillsides, tasting rooms and tourist facilities are few and far between. Winegrowing in the Anderson Valley is blessed by a cool climate that allows Pinot Noir to develop wonderful aromatics and bright fruit flavors. The 2021 received 90 points from the Wine Enthusiast, which called it “a well-balanced Pinot Noir with a high glug-ability factor and a great bang-for-the-buck value.” It’s a wine that aims to please with strawberries, violets, forest floor, black cherry, pomegranate and savory herbs. Lamb, chicken, salmon and light pasta dishes will all pair well with this wine.

Whereas southern Monterey County is warm, dry, and well-suited to Bordeaux varietals, the northern half, with sandy soils and a moist, cool maritime climate, is perfect for such Burgundian varietals as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Cooler summer temperatures allow for a longer growing season for Pinot Noir, while also allowing extra “hang-time” on the vines, giving way to a characteristic depth and concentration of flavor. Castle Rock’s Monterey County Pinot Noir offers a complex palate of cherry, dark cranberry, earth, and smoked meat. Its elegance, medium body, silky texture, and mild tannins make it an excellent match for lamb and chicken as well as salmon or pan-seared tuna steaks.  

Located between Monterrey and Santa Barbara, the Paso Robles AVA is not among the Central Coast’s cooler climates. Indeed, the Santa Lucia Mountain Range that forms the AVA’s western border, shields most of Paso Robles AVA from coastal fog and winds, which is why Zinfandel, Syrah, and the late-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon feature prominently among Paso Robles wineries. On the other hand, because Paso Robles features the widest day-to-night temperature swing in California, red wines develop complex flavors over a long growing season. Diverse soils are another key feature of Paso Robles: granite, marine, and volcanic rocks, calcareous shales and sandstone can often be found within the same vineyard block! With Castle Rock’s Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon, you get a classic, dark, rich Cab at a price that merits midweek drinking. Pair it with beef, lamb, or even spaghetti Bolognese.