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Wine Scores
Below is a listing of the wine review scores we frequently reference in our notes. While these sources remain an excellent source of information, we always recommend that you trust your own palate. Scores in these publications often represent the personal taste of an individual critic, which may not always coincide with your own. We have a huge team of excellent wine professionals that can match wines you've had in the past with new arrivals that meet your flavor profile.
- Allen Meadows - Burghound
- Connoisseurs Guide
- Gambero Rosso
- James Halliday
- James Suckling
- Malt Advocate
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
- International Wine Cellar
- Wine & Spirits
- Wine Enthusiast
- Wine Spectator
- The Wine News
- Malt Advocate
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Staff Favorites - Sarah Covey
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Reviews
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2011 Loring "Durell Vineyard" Sonoma Coast Chardonnay
Review Date: 3-26-2013
Love Rombauer? You MUST try Loring's Durell Chardonnay! This puppy is all creme brulee, sweet, buttery richness with medium acidity. Winemaker Brian Loring is vocally unapologetic about his love of big, fat, huge Chardonnay and this wine does not disappoint!
Price: $43.99
2010 Melville "Estate" Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir
Review Date: 3-26-2013
Owner Chris Melville's mission is "to bring the vineyard to the glass", and he has accomplished it for certain with the Estate Pinot Noir. This wine is a blend of all of the Pinot Noir blocks on the Estate, which includes all 16 clones and every soil type! 30% whole cluster fermentation lends depth and character to this wine. All pure bright fruit here! Red cherry, raspberry, bright strawberry, with hints of savory dried herbs from stem inclusion in fermentation. Medium plus acidity and medium plus tannin. Very easy, drinkable and delicious!
Price: $25.99
2011 Melville "Estate-Verna's" Santa Barbara County Syrah
Review Date: 3-26-2013
30% whole cluster fermentation is evident here- a perfumey, lavender, blackberry nose, with white pepper, blueberry, and an interesting asphalty/tar note. Medium plus acidity and medium tannin. Aged in neutral barrel, this is a great example of cool climate Syrah.
Price: $19.99
2010 Tablas Creek "Esprit de Beaucastel Rouge" Paso Robles Rhône Blend
Review Date: 3-26-2013
Pretty black currant, cassis, blackberry, vanilla & blueberry with a meaty, savory, spicy edge. Medium plus acidty & medium plus tannin- a cellar worthy candidate to be sure. Always mainly Mourvedre, the Esprit de Beaucastel is the flagship red of Tablas Creek. 45% Mourvedre, 30% Grenache Noir, 21% Syrah, 4% Counoise.
Price: $52.99
2005 Clendenen Family Vineyards "Bricco Buon Natale" Santa Maria Valley Nebbiolo
Review Date: 3-26-2013
This Nebbiolo shows incredible fruit and polish and yet is still a baby in Nebbiolo-land. Juicy red cherry, raspberry, red roses, fleshy but with medium plus acidity & medium plus tannin. Well-balanced goodness. Drinkable with decanting and food, but tuck this one away for another 5-10 years and I am certain it will only mellow and improve!
Price: $29.99
2005 Clendenen Family Vineyards "Rancho La Cuna" Santa Maria Valley Syrah/Viognier
Review Date: 3-26-2013
Disclaimer: My tasting notes on this wine were written while seated at a long lunch table overflowing with incredible food and lots of wine, along with winemaker Jim Clendenen sitting across from me & Qupe winemaker Bob Lindquist to my right- both egging me on to try their favorite wine! I have a big heart in my notebook next to my 2005 Rancho La Cuna Syrah Viognier notes. Stewed cherries, red cherry, red currant, strawberry, with hints of pepper. Clearly slow in its development, this wine is aromatically pronouned (the Viognier waves up at you along with all that lush fruit) and requires lots of time to sit an ponder. Perfect with ribs, steak, hearty dishes- but most importantly, the most jolly, hilarious people you can muster!
Price: $29.99
2008 Clendenen Family Vineyards "Le Bon Climat" Santa Maria Valley Chardonnay
Review Date: 3-26-2013
Fans of rich, buttery, sweetness rejoice! The Le Bon Climat 2008 is for you! Apple, butter, citrus, with balanced alcohol and medium plus acidity. Still young, but with decanting and some food (lobster, anyone?) a very delicious wine.
Price: $39.99
2011 Clendenen Family Vineyards "Mesa Verde Vineyard" Santa Maria Valley Sauvignon Blanc
Review Date: 3-26-2013
Tropical fruit, lychee, peach & citrus make this Sauvignon Blanc delightfully quaffable! Medium plus acidity with great balance to all that fun fruit. Excellent for parties!
Top Value!
Price: $15.99
2011 Claiborne & Churchill Central Coast Dry Muscat
Review Date: 3-26-2013
Founded in 1983 by Claiborne (Clay) Thompson and Fredericka Churchill, former teachers at the University of Michigan (Clay specialized in Old Norse Languages and Literatures and Fredericka taught German), the winery focuses on Alsacian varietals in the first straw bale winery in California. This Dry Muscat may just be better than anything coming out of Alsace. A lovely expression of Dry Muscat! All the pretty varietal characteristics- orange blossom, citrus, spice, cardamom, apricot- with perfectly balanced medium plus acidity and a clean, bright finish. No flab or syrupy fattiness here. Just 13.5% alcohol- perfect for warm spring & summer evenings on the terrace, with perhaps a little grilled shrimp or chicken satay! Delicious!
Price: $24.99
2010 Claiborne & Churchill "Runestone Barrel Select" Edna Valley Pinot Noir
Review Date: 3-26-2013
If the Claiborne & Churchill Edna Valley Pinot Noir is "The Classic", then Runestone is definitely the sexy older sister! A barrel selection from the 2010 vintage blended by winemaker Coby Parker-Garcia, this wine gorgeous. Red cherry, sandalwood, red roses, spice, with medium plus acidity & medium plus tannin. Drink now with decanting and food (hello Salmon or Pork!) or tuck away to be delighted even more in 5 years! As mysterious & complex as the ancient Norse runes afterwhich it was named!
Price: $39.99
2010 Claiborne & Churchill Edna Valley Pinot Noir
Review Date: 3-26-2013
The Pinot Noir referred to as "The Classic", a perfect expression of Pinot Noir varietal correctness. Red cherry, red currant, strawberry, spice with medium plus acidity & medium tannin. So easy to drink, you may just want to get this wine in large quantity for spring and summer entertaining. Grilled salmon or pork tenderloin, anyone? FABULOUS!
Price: $24.99
2011 Palmina Santa Barbara County Dolcetto
Review Date: 3-26-2013
Red cherry, red currant, red roses, black plum with medium plus acidity and medium tannin, this lovely Dolcetto is accesible now with food. Pretty & varietally correct!
Price: $15.99
2010 Beckmen "Cuvée Le Bec" Santa Ynez Valley Rhône Blend
Review Date: 3-19-2013
Winemaker Steve Beckmen and his team begin to build the Cuvee Le Bec every year at harvest. They get to know the grapes during the growing season and decide upon co-fermentations when the grapes come in. Some years, the wine is more Syrah, sometimes it is more Grenache or Mourvedre. There is a consistent character to the wine, though each vintage speaks clearly. More recently, the Cuvee Le Bec has been Syrah dominant, as Beckmen feels that it creates a more elegant, balanced wine.
Top Value!
Price: $16.99
2011 Talley Estate Arroyo Grande Chardonnay
Review Date: 3-19-2013
75% Rincon and 25% Rosemary's vineyard fruit sources for this lovely, drinkable Chardonnay. Apple & toast, with a leesy richness and medium plus acidity. Very easy and delicious!
Top Value!
Price: $23.99
2011 Chanin Wine Company "Los Alamos Vineyard" Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir
Review Date: 3-19-2013
Red cherry, raspberry, mineral, creosote, with medium plus acidity and pretty fruit expression. Winemaker Gavin Chanin is one to watch. Put this wine away for a few years, or break it out with some food!
Price: $47.99
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