Bright and flavorful, J Vineyards California Chardonnay is a blend of three renowned regions: Monterey (51%), Sonoma (39%), and Napa (10%). In 2022, ample winter rains and a mostly temperate growing season resulted in high-quality fruit with concentrated flavors and exceptional complexity. The wine delights with tropical fruit and vanilla aromas and smooth flavors of apple, peach, coconut, and butterscotch. The rich mouthfeel and crisp finish create a versatile wine that would pair well with arugula-pear salad topped with goat cheese, almond-crusted chicken over herbed rice pilaf, or creamy brie with orange marmalade.
Fruit-driven, approachable - and surprisingly affordable - J Vineyards California Pinot Noir offers a distinctive take on the variety with a delightful melange of red and black cherry, ripe berries, pomegranate, and plum. Sourced primarily from estate-owned vineyards in Monterey, Sonoma, and Santa Barbara, the wine combines qualities from some of the most sought-after locations for Pinot Noir in the state. The 2021 vintage in California was exceptional, dry but consistently temperate. At harvest, the fruit showed excellent concentration and flavor development at lower sugar levels – exactly what is needed for a wine with excellent structure and flavor. Some recommended food pairings include roasted beet goat cheese salad, barbecued pork ribs, cheeseburgers or rich mushroom dishes.
J California Cuvée is a vibrant and elegant sparkling wine crafted from a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier grapes sourced from vineyards in such cooler climate areas as the Russian River Valley, Monterey County, and Mendocino County. The grapes were hand-harvested and pressed using a unique Coquard press from France that exerts extremely low pressure to minimize the breaking of grape skins and seeds that might add unwanted tannins and bitter flavors. Winemaking followed the traditional Champagne method, meaning secondary fermentation in the bottle and 24 months aging on the lees. No special occasion is required to pop the cork and enjoy the fine bubbles and refreshing flavors of this excellent California sparkling wine.
While Clay Shannon’s approach toward organic farming encourages insects to prosper in the vineyards, Cricket Farms Brut is named for a loyal Border Collie named Cricket. This is a refreshing sparkling wine with bright fruit character and fresh acidity. Sourced from the estate’s Long Valley Vineyard, the grapes were picked early to ensure high acidity and low alcohol. It charms with its effervescence and delicate flavors of green apple, pear, and citrus. At only 10.5 ABV and only 96 calories per serving, this sparkler could be the super sipper of the summer!
The Knight’s Valley occupies a remote eastern corner of Sonoma County much closer to Calistoga than to Healdsburg. While vineyards share the landscape with grassy knolls and ancient Live Oak trees, the absence of wineries or tourist infrastructure recalls an earlier era of rural life in Sonoma. This Atelier Ilaria Chardonnay is sourced 100% from vineyards planted in well-drained, rocky volcanic soils. The winery notes describe this Chardonnay as showcasing “gorgeous aromatics of white peach, melon, pear, honeysuckle and white flowers. Delicious layers of crème brûlée, almond, butterscotch and toasty oak continue to waft from the glass. This elegant Chardonnay has a fantastic mouthfeel, divulging creaminess, richness and texture while retaining a backbone of acidity.”
The “Gott” label designates Joel Gott’s premium tier of reserve wines. Whereas most of Gott’s wines are blended from a variety of regions, “Gott” is crafted as an expression of one prestigious location. “Gott” Napa Valley Chardonnay was sourced from the Star Vineyard, which is located in the Rutherford AVA. As a vineyard on the valley floor, near to the Napa River, it experiences morning fog followed by warm afternoons and cool nights. The well-drained alluvial soils produce fruit with concentration, intense flavors, and complexity. Winemaking further enhances the wine. Partial malolactic fermentation introduces tropical notes while emphasizing the purity of Chardonnay fruit. Likewise, the wines is aged in new French oak, but only 70% with the rest aged in neutral barrels. Chardonnay from Rutherford is unique and produced in small quantities, and wineries can price these wines at a premium. This “Gott” Napa Valley provides excellent value.
The diversity of the Napa Valley (and looser appellation rules) allow Titus to make Sauvignon Blanc in a way the French cannot in Bordeaux or the Loire, namely add a small amount of Viognier (2.5% in 2023) to the blend. It may not sound like much, but a smidgen of Viognier adds intriguing aromatic complexity of the wine. The Sauvignon Blanc fruit was sourced from the Ranch Vineyard, while the Viognier came from the Cold Creek vineyard in Carneros. Because of an unusually long winter and cool summer, the Sauvignon Blanc came in much later than usual, allowing for the development of a complex array of flavors. This is a lovely example of a Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc — full of energy, tension, bright and vibrant flavors as well as depth.
Sometimes considered a valley within a valley, the Stags Leap District lies east of Yountville, between the Napa River and a rock formation known as the Stags Leap Palisades. Legend has it that a stag being pursued by Wappo tribal hunters escaped by leaping across the rocky escarpment. Speaking of legends, it was a district Cabernet that took first place in the red wine category at the infamous Judgement of Paris tasting in 1976. The climate here is one of hot summer afternoons that are tempered by cool winds blowing up from San Pablo Bay to the south. But the real secret to the elegance of Stags Leap wines lies in the unique soils, a mix of volcanic deposits, sandstone, shale, and gravelly loam. These soils offer excellent drainage, resulting in low-vigor vines that produce intense and flavorful fruit. This Stags Leap Cab has a richer red fruit profile than the Oakville and Rutherford offerings, with alluring notes of violets and roses that caper with flavors of berries, black tea, and plum.
A blend of 94% Cabernet and 6% Malbec, this wine was sourced from vineyards in St. Helena (76%), Rutherford (18%), and Coombsville (6%). It was aged in 60% new French oak for 28 months. According to the winery, this Cabernet delivers “gorgeous aromas of black cherry, black currant, blackberry, mocha and espresso. Layers of licorice, toasted oak, spices and blue flowers round out the aromatic profile. This wine exhibits stunning richness and texture and a bright vein of acidity runs through the plush fruit driven palate. The enduring finish showcases beautiful finesse and depth.”
Cuvée Guardian Pinot Noir is an elegant and subtle wine that resembles a robust Burgundy more than a fruit-forward, vibrant Pinot of the Sonoma Coast or Russian River. It was made entirely by Yoshiji Sato with fruit sourced from the Eyrie Vineyards in the Dundee Hills AVA in the Willamette Valley. 70% is Wadenswil clone from the Sisters Vineyard, which sits at a lower altitude. 30% is Pommard clone from the higher elevation Roland Green vineyard. The Wadenswil fruit provided supple cherry and raspberry flavors and earthy notes, while the Pomard clone, which was fermented in whole bunches, added tannic structure, density, darker fruit, and mouthfeel.
The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon consists of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7.5% Malbec, 7% Merlot, 5.5% Petit Verdot sourced from the estate-owned Ranch and Ehler’s Lane vineyards. While these two vineyards lie not more than a mile away from each other, their soils produce fruit with significant differences in flavor and intensity. The winery describes the wine as “exuberant and lush… leaping from the glass with notes of candied cherry, crushed raspberries, allspice, and a fresh bay note that lends the wine lift.” And Jeb Dunnuck noted, “With medium to full-bodied richness, plush, integrated tannin, and the vintage's fresher, focused style, it tastes like it costs three times the price. “ It’s a wine that is approachable now but will continue to improve over the next ten years.