Prager Winery & Portworks
2003 Royal Escort $80
Two generations of Pragers run this unique
family Winery and Portworks in Napa Valley.
They produce five styles of port, and a fine
late harvest Riesling called Sweet Madeline
Perhaps the most impressive Prager product
is their Royal Escort, a vintage port crafted
from 100% Napa Valley Petit Sirah and
aged for 2-3 years in 60 gallon oak barrels. Superb with soft cheese, ripe pears and salty pecans, this port is a true investment in pleasure.
Buehler Vineyards
2004 Zinfandel $16
Buehler produces some of the most elegant Zinfandels at any price and
this one is really a bargain. Complex wild berry flavors, hints of
prune and currant culminate in an intriguing floral note at the finish.
While lesser Zinfandels at this price may lack finesse, this one has a
big burst of fruit up front, followed by the Petit Sirah-inspired
peppery notes and even a touch of measured spice from the restrained
use of new oak.
Frogs Leap
Rutherford 2002
$65
An inspired blend featuring the structure of Cabernet Sauvignon with the delicate floral accents of Cabernet Franc.
This wine is tight and concentrated, with a dense earthy edge to the currant and sour cherry notes.
A strong commitment to sustainable agriculture on the part
of Frog's Leap vineyards compliments their goal of high quality wines.
Bacio Divino 2003
$80
This stunningly successful
Californian interpretation of a Tuscan-style blend
(Cabernet
Sauvignon, Sangiovese & Petit Sirah) offers suggestions of
sweet, jammy plum, leathery licorice, and delicately toasted oak gradually unearthed from the core.
Aptly named “Divine Kiss” in
Italian, this one is well worth cellaring. Winemaker Claus Jansen, began following his inspiration back in 1993.
His wines are a class act all the way.
Sebastiani
Secolo 2003
Sonoma County $30
This brilliant blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Merlot opens
from an opulent center of plush plum through black cherry,
with a touch of smoke and dried sage at the finish.
It has a dense, dark crimson color and its well integrated tannins carry the flavors through to a lingering finish..
Secolo, a "Bordeaux-style" blend which means "century" in Italian, was first released in 2004
to commemorate Sebastiani's 100-Year Anniversary.
Dutton-Goldfield
Chardonnay 2003
Dutton Ranch Rued Vineyard
The lush mouth-feel of the floral scented "chardonnay muscat" varietal that Warren Dutton planted by chance back in 69' was nurtured through careful wild fermentations and clarified beautifully without filtration.
The result is a wine with complex aromas of lychee and toffee and nuanced flavors of lightly spiced pear, and tropical fruit. What enlivens these flavors through to the finish is the scintillating acidity in the wine created by the cool climate of the region.
Quady
Vya $15.99
Made in both white extra-dry and red-sweet styles, Vya offers two distinct versions of vermouth. The spicy-sweet version is perfect for a vermouth cocktail (French Kiss), an appetite inspiring drink that blends notes of cinnamon, cloves and orange rind in such a way as to beautifully balance the sweetness of the base wines with delicate and pleasing bitter botanicals.
The extra dry Vya is a mysteriously engaging drink with a complex floral/herbal aroma derived 15 different botanicals including Lavender, sage, alfalfa, and linden.
Preston of Dry Creek
Sauvignon Blanc
Hartsock Dry Creek 2004 $16
Peachy and green melon flavors are found amid the freshly herbal
and mown-straw aromas. These characteristics give this stainless steel
fermented wine a certain appealing vivacity that is well suited to the varietal.
Preston of Dry Creek, Sonoma County, was awarded Organic Certification
by California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) for its grapevines, olives, fruit trees and
market gardens.
Jarvis
Cabernet Franc
Estate Grown 2002
Here's proof that Cabernet Franc can do more than add a floral quality to Cabernet Blends. Eighteen months of barrel aging in new French oak adds a hint of toasty vanilla to the lavender and cassis aromas, while a perfect harmony of spicy blueberry
and black cherry flavors linger elegantly through the finish.
Located high above the city of Napa, Jarvis vineyards are planted in gently sloping meadows
a thousand feet above the valley floor. Cool maritime breezes allow a long "hang-time," -the fruit maturation period needed
for best flavor and concentration at harvest.
Heller Estate
Merlot 2000 $16
This Organic Estate-Bottled Merlot is conceived from grapes grown
in the Cachagua region of the Carmel Valley. Its aromas are a bit muted but nevertheless
the full-bodied wine shows off wonderful flavors of lush ripe plums,
with hints of spice and cinnamon carried through the mid-palate, Its luxurious mouthfeel
achieved from its velvety tannins make it a perfect partner
to roasted vegetables, and braised meats.
