January 2019

Once again, as has been our tradition for many years, January is Zinfandel month here at Connoisseurs’ Guide. It is a time to which we anxiously look forward with great anticipation, and, while we are rarely disappointed, we confess to a bit of extra excitement this out-ing. January is also the month for the annual Zinfandel celebration hosted by Zinfandel Advocates and Producers (ZAP), a non-profit, membership-based association of growers, vintners and consumers dedicated to furthering the cause of their favorite grape through education and promotion in any number of ways, chief of which is the once-a-year wine-and-food extravaganza in San Francisco, now known as the Zinfandel Experience, slated this year for January 17 to 19. The three-day gathering, which has become an institution, attracts devoted Zin lovers from around the world and this year includes dinners, seminars and an auction, all leading up to a Grand Tasting of wines from some of the state’s finest producers. We rarely miss the event and learn something new every time, and there is simply no better venue for dyed-in-the-wool Zinfandel zealots and interested newcomers alike to meet its many makers and immerse themselves in the pleasures to be had from California’s unique contribution to the world of fine wines. Information about and tickets to the festivities can be found at https://zinfandel.org/events/zinfandel-experience-2019/. Last year’s presentation was particularly rewarding, and we cannot wait to see what discoveries await in 2019.

ZINFANDELFew, if any, varieties have had such a long history in California, and, while it may have had its ups and downs over the years, Zinfandel has endured and claims an important contemporary place on California’s roster of significant and satisfying red wines. This month’s survey of new offerings is one of our longest to date, and counts collectable, not-to-be-missed wines from many of Zin’s most capable, well-established makers such as Beekeeper, Jeff Cohn and Rockpile Vineyards to name but a few and includes several eye-opening efforts from names that are new.

SAUVIGNON BLANCSauvignon Blanc earns its well-deserved share of praise for good value, but, as our January update on recent releases confirms, there are more than a few surprisingly complex and serious efforts that are bound to surprise those who still mistakenly think of the variety as a second-class grape. It yields wonderfully food-friendly wines that can age famously, and it is gaining respect as a new generation discovers its manifold charms.

THE YEAR IN REVIEWAs we begin a new year, we pause for a moment of retrospection and take stock of the one that has come before. 2018 was, by and large, a year without vinous turmoil here on the West Coast. The harvest was bountiful, a bevy of noteworthy new wines came to mar-ket, and we look back in amazement at what has been an unprecedented, still-continuing run of fine vintages.

THE BEST WINES OF THE YEARWe taste thousands of very good wines annually, yet there are always those that somehow stand out in memory as we sort through our favorites of the past year. Choosing from such a lengthy list of worthies is a happy, if at times, difficult task, and, after much thought, we are pleased to present your trusty editors’ picks of the top ten *** and ** bottlings that made their ways to our table in 2018.

BEST BUYSSparkling wine may be central to holiday celebrations, but we think it is a necessity throughout the year, and there is host of fine offer-ings to be had at prices that invite drinking on a regular basis. Affordable favorites in Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah round out this month’s shopping list of Best Buys and are happy reminders that there is no need to forego good wine as we tally up recent seasonal expenses.

zinfandel pg 40 sauvignon blanc pg 53 the year in review pg 56 the best wines of the year pg 57 best buys pg 58

JANUARY 2019. © 2019 by CONNOISSEURS’ GUIDE TO CALIFORNIA WINE. All Rights Reserved. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to: Connoisseurs’ Guide [ISSN 0161-6668], P.O. Box 8, Pinole, California 94564. CONNOISSEURS’ GUIDE TO CALIFORNIA WINE is published monthly at 2691 Doidge Avenue, Pinole, California 94564 and is available only by subscription.

CONTACT: Email: office@cgcw.com. Website: www.cgcw.com. Phone: 510-417-2833. Publisher/Editor: STEPHEN M. ELIOT.Publisher Emeritus: CHARLES E. OLKEN. Winery/Subscriber Relations: LYNNE CHAR BENNETT. Administrative Support: THERRY OLKEN.

SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION: Subscribers receive our magazine on the first of every month, with hundreds of wine reviews and other important consumer oriented information. Every wine reviewed is presented as part of our comprehensive reports on available wines and are also included within our extensive, sortable database of past reviews now numbering close to 30,000 separate entries. Each monthly issue is sent by email and is also downloadable directly printed in magazine format both from the email as well as from our website. Subscriptions are $96 for one year and $170 for two years.

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AVAILABILITY

3 Generally available in most market areas.

1 Limited production and/or limited geographic distribution.

O Very limited availability.

GV Good Value

S Soft and fruity wine. Quaffable by itself or with light foods.

F Crisp white. Medium acid and dry. Fish or delicate flavored foods.

C Mellow white. Dry to slightly sweet. Enough acid for white meats.

lFull and balanced dry White. Try with rich seafood and fowl dishes.

L Light Red and powerhouse White. Fowl, veal and light meats.

B Medium Red. Balanced, good depth, medium tannin. Beef and lamb.

T Robust Red. Full tannin, intense flavors. For highly spiced meat dishes.

d Sweet Dessert wine. Enjoyable by itself or with sweet desserts.

DRINKABILITY

D Drinkable now. Unlikely to improve with further aging.

I Drinkable now. Further bottle aging can improve this wine.

A Cellar for future drinking. Wine will improve with bottle aging.

U Not suitable for drinking.

OUTSTANDING WINES CHARACTERISTICS & TRADITIONAL USE WITH FOOD

Tasting Note Legend

NOTE: Wines not marked with stars are often delightful wines. Each has unique virtues and any of these wines may be the best wine to serve your needs based on value, availability or for your dining and taste preferences. *Prices – Approximately California full retail prices.

Connoisseurs’ Guide tastings are conducted with Stemware.

*** THREE STARS: (95-98 points) An exceptional wine. Worth a special search of the market.

** TWO STARS: (91-94 points) A highly distinctive wine. Likely to be memorable.

* ONE STAR: (87-90 points) Fine example of a type or style of wine. Without notable flaws.

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It has been argued that Zinfandel has long suffered from something of an “identity crisis” insofar as it defies simple definition and, in fact, is a variety that can yield wines in a vast and varying number of styles. It has been a California mainstay since the nineteenth century and was one of the few varieties that managed to survive Prohibition owing to its popularity with home winemakers who were legally allowed to make up to 200 gallons a year for personal consumption, but it has no European legacy for making

“noble” wines and is without a classic, old-world model that seems to necessarily be the requirement of legitimacy in the minds of so many would-be arbiters of just what makes a wine great. We have commented before that Zinfandel’s original sin and biggest liability is that it is not French, but, as its devotees know so well, there is simply no other wine quite like it.

There is no question but that in recent years, Zinfandel has been gaining prestige as a new generation of vintners have turned their attention to crafting serious wines reflective of place, and interest is rising in preserving generations-old heritage vines. The state’s Zinfandel acreage has decreased by more than 10% in the last decade according to the latest USDA report, but Zinfandel is still the third-most planted red wine behind Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir and is behind the latter by less than 100 acres.

Most any discussion of modern Zinfandel begins with lamentations about its unfortunate tenure as a source of mawkishly sweet pinks in the 1970s and 1980s, but there have always been a handful of well-made examples, despite its widely held reputation as a second-class variety. That number has been on the rise over the last twenty or so years with important producers such as Ravenswood, Ridge and Rosenblum paving the way for a new generation of vintners who regard Zinfandel as no less rewarding than any of the wine world’s heralded grapes. It may not have attracted the same legions of thirsty wine drinkers who cannot seem to get enough Chardonnay, Cabernet, Pinot Noir and, yes, Pinot Grigio, and it does not command the same representation on restaurant lists and retailers’ shelves that we think it deserves, but its champions are an especially dedicated lot, and the winds of fashion appear to be gently blowing its way.

As for Zinfandel having an identity “crisis,” we would argue that its ability to succeed in making wines that range from heady and opulent to more structured and refined is hardly a handicap. The same criticisms have dogged local Syrah, but, in the end, claims that Zin is hopelessly confusing to consumers are demeaning to wine lovers who are seen as being incapable of navigating their ways through its range of styles and finding which ones are appealing to taste and circumstance. More than ever, inquisitive drinkers are looking to learn and experience without summarily being told what to like, and Zinfandel affords opportunity for exciting discovery on the part of those new to its unique and manifold satisfactions. Old Zinfandel hands certainly have their favorites, as do we, but, as our first reviews of the New Year affirm, new labels appear with every vintage, and even its most practiced makers are loathe to rest on past laurels and work to continually refine the winemaking art. These are good times to be drinking California wines in general, and the latest crop of new Zinfandels is most definitely one that should not be missed.

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iq ANCIENT PEAKS Santa Margarita Ranch 2016Big, highly ripened and as unsubtle as they come, this full-bodied Zinfandel is long on extract but short on keen fruit with heat and drying astringency to spare. It is tough enough to make the case for additional bottle time, but keeping comes with no guarantee that polish is in the offing. 3 T I $20.00

* it ANDIS Old Vines Original Grandpère Vineyard 2016Amador County. Sporting more fruity potency than either of its cellarmates and a solidly varietal Zin that shows a touch of dark chocolate to its ongoing message of concentrated, well-defined blackberries, this weighty offering stays on point from start to finish and is not derailed by excessive ripeness or heat. It is fit with a modest measure of firming tannin but is accessible and easy to taste now and shows good promise for three or four years of positive growth. O T I $40.00ir ANDIS Estate Friedlander Block Amador County 2016Although leading with a moderately fruity nose of black and red berries, this full-bodied wine gradually fixes on ripeness as its dominant theme, and hard-to-ignore heat ultimately gets the better of its nominal varietal fruit. It leans slightly to softness and is no more than modestly tannic, and, while a tasty enough Zin that will do the trick when paired with full-flavored dishes and richer cheeses, its shortfall of fruity energy leaves it just short of unqualified recommendation. 1 T D $25.00iq ANDIS Amador County 2016Starting out with a likeable nose of ripe berries framed with a bit of hardwoody sweetness, this rounded, slightly sweet-seeming effort tends to dryness once in the mouth and spends its fruity capital quickly as its frontal flavors pull up fairly short and end on a slightly desiccated note. 1 T D $25.00* is ANGRY BUNCH Mendocino County 20156% Petite Sirah; 3% Syrah; 2% Alicante Bouschet. Smelling and tasting of ripe berries and plums with a nod to proper ripeness and never a wine that goes to the brink, this relatively temperate, medium-full-bodied look at the grape counts vitality and good balance as significant assets, and, while showing a few youthful angles and edges, it is essentially bright and buoyant stuff that keeps heat and tannin nicely in check. GOOD VALUE O B I $21.00

ir ANGRY BUNCH Dry Creek Valley 2016Lightly spicy in a slightly briary way but insistently fruity with a bright berry quality that stays in frame throughout, this zesty, moderately full-bodied youngster gets a good lift from obvious acidity, but fights against equally obvious tannins that tend to close in at the finish, and its wiry traits and evident astringency make a case for a bit of age. 1 B I $25.00iq ANGRY BUNCH Lodi 201610% Petite Sirah; 3% Syrah. Although not a wine that goes to chocolaty extremes in the nose, and one that smacks more of strawberries than the more typical dark fruit of Zin, this fairly full-bodied working edges to ripeness on the palate and hints at a touch of sweetness as it does. It is easy to drink but wants for keener fruit focus and promises little in the way of improvement with further age. 3 B D $18.00

* it BELLA GRACE Old Vine Amador County 2016A bit more convincing in fruit than its two 2016 cellarmates, yet a wine that reflects the same sense of sinewy substance and heft, Bella Grace’s Old Vine bottling is a burly, big-bodied Zinfandel with plenty of meat on its bones and the fruity extract to earn a place as the pick of the three. It, too, is more tough than refined and will benefit from a few years of smoothing, but it will serve in a pinch now with the heartiest fare. 1 T I $29.00* is BELLA GRACE Estate Amador County 2016Obviously extracted but a bit grudging in showing its fruit on the nose and likewise well-stuffed, if less than keenly fruity on the palate, this gutsy youngster inclines to the rustic toughness that marks so many of its Sierra Foothill cousins. It is not big on refinement just now and is unlikely to become an elegant wine over time, but it is solidly Zinfandel in character albeit a little rough and tumble in style. 1 T I $34.00ir BELLA GRACE Amador County 2016While starting out on the lighter and quieter side of things with pleasant, but limited aromas of red berries, this slightly sinewy young Zin surprises a bit by being bigger and better filled once in the mouth. It is rough around the edges with grippy tannins coming on at the finish, yet, if there are no guarantees that it will find a marked increase in polish with age, it has a sufficiently fruity heart to make keeping for a few years the preferred choice all the same. 1 B I $22.00

*** js BEEKEEPER Montecillo Vineyard 2016Sonoma County. Zinfandel is rarely the recipient of the kind of swollen prose and lofty scores that are routinely thrown Cabernet Sauvignon’s way, but we suspect that even the fussiest collector of trophy wines will rethink their opinion of the variety when met with an example as deep and wonderfully well-crafted as the latest Beekeeper is. While very rich and long on exceptionally pure varietal fruit, the wine is already showing uncommon finesse and tailoring, and it is destined to age famously and grow ever more involving over the course of the next five to ten years. It is most definitely a “keeper” and deserves a place in the cellar of every serious Zinfandel devotee. O B I $65.00

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** jm BENOVIA Sonoma County 2016As this wine so capably attests, ripeness and fruity abundance are not antithetical, and, while a weighty, very rich, full-bodied effort that commands attention, it is a wine of real varietal authority that is never so ripe as to lose its identity. It is, withal, a very deep and impressively concentrated wine that fills the mouth and holds and holds at the finish, and, even if showing a bit of the fruity flamboyance that makes good Zinfandel so appealing in its youth, this is one eminently worthy of laying away with the guaranteed prospect of additional complexity and polish to come over the course of the next half-dozen years. 1 T A $42.00

* it BINZ Fox Creek Vineyard Shenandoah Valley 2013Amador Zinfandels are typically wines of substance and sinew, and this one fits the model, but it counts concise, well-ripened, blackberry fruit as its first virtue and, having reached its fifth birthday, has lost much of its youthful toughness. It is supple to start and still a bit tannic at the finish, but its persistent fruity presence is not sacrificed to astringency, and it will handily fill the bill now in mealtime settings when only a sturdy and solidly built Zin will do. O T I $28.00* is BINZ Shenandoah Valley 2016This nicely controlled, mid-sized Zin is ripe without stepping over the line and counts both fairly well-defined, varietal fruit and careful balance on the positive side of its ledger. It is not a wine that goes for big impact but is steady in its berry-like focus, and its temperate style tags it as a useful mealtime choice that does not demand hearty foods to succeed. O B I $30.00* is BINZ Fox Creek Vineyard Shenandoah Valley 2014Redolent of black cherry cola in scent with a lightly woodsy trim to both its aromas and flavors, this nicely textured Zinfandel has aged gracefully and sports an attractively supple feel with nary a hint of toughness or heat. Although it shows no signs of imminent fading, it is ready to enjoy now, and we would opt for drinking sooner than later. O B D $28.00* is BINZ Esola Vineyards Shenandoah Valley 2013Still fairly fresh on the nose despite its extra years and strongly suggestive of crushed boysenberries with notes of dry spice to its aromas, this firmly built bottling is geared to acidy brightness on the palate, and its surprisingly lively flavors are more narrow than broad and expansive. Its acidity works to accentuate its nominal tannins, and things do tend to dry just a bit in the late going, but

the wine gamely keeps fruity brightness in play and is certain to do tasty near-term service with the likes of Tagliatelle alla Bolognese. O B D $27.00ir BINZ Fox Creek Vineyard Shenandoah Valley 2015Taking a bit of air before finding its fruity bearings and a more generous wine in the mouth than its dense, but slow-to-unfold aromas predict, this weighty and slightly rounded, full-bodied working winds up tasting of well-ripened berries and its fruit does a credible job of holding its own against evident heat and the emergence of last-minute tannins. O B I $28.00iq BINZ Shenandoah Valley 2015Edging to chocolate and emphasizing simple ripeness over defined fruit with scattered suggestions of dried grapes showing up in both its aromas and ample, but fairly rough-hewn flavors, this wine momentarily wins favor for its rounded palatal beginnings but gives way to obvious back-end heat and a little too much tannic bitterness at the finish. O T I $30.00

* iu CAROL SHELTON Karma Reserve Sonoma County 201557% Zinfandel; 25% Petite Sirah; 10% Cabernet Sauvignon; 7% Alicante Bouschet; 1% Viognier. The most approachable of the several Carol Shelton offerings, owing perhaps to its extra year of age, the 2015 Karma Reserve is a juicy, nicely filled wine that is beginning to show an appealing sense of layering to its rich, sweetly oaked aromas and flavors of healthy, well-ripened, blackberry fruit. It teases with a bit of suppleness that foreshadows good things to come, and, if tasty now, it has the structure and energy to get even better if allowed to rest for another three to five years. 1 T I $30.00* iu CAROL SHELTON Cox Vineyard Reserve Old Vine 2016Mendocino County. 14% Carignane; 8% Petite Sirah. Direct and very specific blackberry fruit sits at the heart of this one, and, from first sniff to finish, the wine is solidly varietal and shows a little more winemaking polish than its slightly bigger, marginally riper mates. That is not to say that it lacks for ripeness, it simply puts the emphasis on fruit with touches of soil and spice lending a subtle bit of complexity. It is full-bodied without being at all heavy and it earns good marks for both its balance and its well-sustained finish. O T I $28.00* it CAROL SHELTON Rocky Reserve Florence Vyd. 2016Rockpile. 13% Petite Sirah. Following in the footsteps of its mate from the Peaceland Vineyard insofar as it is appointed with plenty of deep, well-focused ripe berry fruit and on the slightly astringent, acid-firmed side of things at the moment, this solid, somewhat rustic youngster is similarly a Zinfandel that begs for a few years of patience. It is not rough and tough as much as it is a bit taut and noticeably rigid at the finish, but it has more than enough fruity substance and depth to make two to four years of aging an entirely worthwhile proposition. 1 T A $36.00* it CAROL SHELTON Peaceland Vineyard 2016Fountaingrove District. 16% Petite Sirah; 3% Carignane. The relatively new Fountaingrove District AVA just east of the Russian River Valley is the source of this intensely aromatic young Zin, yet,

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while leading with an immediate, well-filled nose of ripe berries and lightly vanillin oak and featuring lots of upfront fruit on the palate, this fleshy but tightly wound wine is beset by pushy acidity that presently amplifies the astringent effects of its very noticeable back-end tannins. For all of its early appeal, it gets fairly unruly by the time that it finishes and very much wants to be set aside for a few years. 1 T A $35.00ir CAROL SHELTON Wild Thing Old Vine 2016Mendocino County. 14% Carignane; 8% Petite Sirah. Fully ripe and edging to sweetness with a chocolaty trim to its loosely berry-like nose and emphasizing ripeness a little more forcefully than defined fruit in its slightly dry and narrow flavors, this wine tends to stiffen following a brief bit of early suppleness and pulls up a touch short at the finish with evident acidity coming on as its early fruit loses traction. 3 B I $19.00* it CASTORO Reserve Zinfusion Paso Robles 201515% Petite Sirah; 5% Barbera. If unlikely to please those who prize delicacy and nuance above all, Castoro’s very full-bodied Zinfusion will never be accused of timidity, and its potent, full-on presentation of sweet, very ripe fruit will find favor with Zin lovers who like their wines to be big and bold. Make no mistake, it is intense and fairly blustery stuff with plenty of palpable back-end heat owing to its stated 15.8% alcohol, but it is surprisingly successful in keeping the grape’s blackberry fruit in sight at all times, and, if not for the faint of heart, it is a Zinfandel that most definitely delivers the goods. GOOD VALUE 1 T I $24.00ir CIRQUE DU VIN Red Wine Paso Robles 2016By Peachy Canyon. Comprised of a far-reaching mix of varieties ranging from Zinfandel to Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec with a little Petite Sirah and Merlot tossed in for good measure, this likeable, brightly balanced red blend is, not surprisingly, short on varietal specifics, but it is ripe, clean and fruity with but a bare bit of tannin and a turn of acidity that argues for service with sweet and tangy barbecued fare. 1 B D $19.00

* jl DASHE Late Harvest Dry Creek Valley 2016More often than not, the designation of Late-Harvest on a Zin label is a sure sign of high alcohol, but, in this instance, the wine has retained a considerable amount of residual sugar (12%) and is an immensely fruity wine that keeps heat well in check. It is far more than an exercise in simple sweetness and keys on varietally specific berries from front to back with fine acidity warding off cloying confection, but, in spite of its very commendable balance, this is far sweeter than any entrée will want as a partner. It needs to be reserved for dessert settings and will succeed famously as a dessert in and of itself. 375 ml bottle. 1 d I $30.00* it DASHE Todd Brothers Ranch Old Vines 2016Alexander Valley. This wine turns out to be a bit leaner and more tightly structured on the palate than its rich and outgoing aromas predict, but it is youthful reluctance more than any lack of inner fruit that presently holds it back. True, it is not a member of the ultraripe crowd, but it is more than ripe enough, and, if it wants time in which to further unwind, it promises to be more

measured than lavish even upon hitting its peak some three or four years down the line. 1 B I $42.00

* is DASHE The Comet Sonoma County 201650% Zinfandel; 40% Petite Sirah; 10% Carignane. Very clearly showing the tannin that comes with two of its three components but still evoking a certain blackberry element that is the hallmark of the first, the Dashe Comet is a relatively sturdy wine that, for now, is about structure more than welcoming fruit. All that it asks for is a couple of years of age, and, if never an especially succulent wine, it should show a fruity bloom if granted a bit of cellar time. 1 B I $42.00

* is DASHE Reserve Dry Creek Valley 2016With a straightfoward varietal nose of mixed berries, cocoa and subtle oak and flavors to match, this firm, slightly dry-edged look at Zinfandel hits the right marks without hitting any with great intensity or flare. It gets a tad rough and unruly at the eleventh hour, but a year or two in the bottle should smooth off its ragged edges as will the tempering effects of food if it is poured in the shorter term. 1 B I $30.00

ir DASHE Florence Vineyard Dry Creek Valley 2016As taut and tangy as it is fully ripe with a dollop of sweet oak put into play early on, this wine fights to find a keener sense of fruit, but its task is made more difficult as ripeness and elevated acidity presently pull it in two directions at once. It is full-bodied and fairly hard at the edges, and it can very much do with a few years of smoothing. O T A $42.00

* is DAY El Diablo Vineyard Russian River Vineyard 2016Ripeness plays second fiddle to defined Zinfandel fruit here, and, while the wine has plenty of palatal weight, it is not a notably big example as Zins go and tends more to structured firmness than to big muscles and fat with evident acidity making itself known as it goes. It will turn the trick as a partner to sundry savory pork dishes in the near term but should gain in refinement if left to sit in cellar for another few years. 1 B I $48.00

* is DAY Grist Vineyard Dry Creek Valley 2016Far and away the ripest and most sizeable of the Day Zinfandel trio, this one from the Grist Vineyard is a fairly full-bodied edition that starts out on a slightly rounded, glyceriny note then grows ever firmer with late-arriving tannins leaving a bit of a pucker in its wake. It does not, however, err to heaviness and heat, but its slightly rustic inclinations steer it to service with comparatively hearty entrees. 1 T I $43.00

* is DAY Sonoma County 2016Smelling first of ripe berries and secondarily of a touch of savory spice with moderately fruity, berry-like flavors putting it on the clear varietal track, Day’s Sonoma County bottling is a slightly supple, fairly straightfoward Zin that never raises its voice but stays true to the grape from front to back. It is just tight enough at the finish to suggest that it will benefit from a few years of age, but it is not tough or tannic and will make for comfortable mealtime use in the short term. 3 B I $27.00

D

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* jl DRY CREEK VYD Wallace Ranch DCV7 2016Dry Creek Valley. Not only the most outgoing of the aromas in this set of Dry Creek Vineyard wines but also among the most inviting in this Issue, it smells of fresh, ripe blackberries with the nicest wisp of strawberries and cream in the background and a complexing spicy note at the margins. Full but not overly heavy on the palate and quite tasty, the wine does bring a noticeable dose of tannins to the party and will want at least a couple years of cellaring to round out, and we would expect that a wait of four to six would be even better. 1 T I $42.00* jl DRY CREEK VINEYARD Old Vine Dry Creek Valley 201619% Petite Sirah; 3% Carignane. Echoing its predecessor in most every way, Dry Creek’s 2016 Old Vine bottling again inclines to structured sturdiness yet is marginally deeper in continuous fruit and displays exceptional Zinfandel focus throughout its length. It, too, is a wine that promises to age famously, but those who are forgiving of a bit of youthful astringency will find plenty to like even now. That said, we see it gaining with time and expect it to reach a polished, but still-potent peak some three to five years down the line. O B I $35.00* iu DRY CREEK VINEYARD Old Vine Dry Creek Valley 201522% Petite Sirah; 2% Carignane. Here is a moderately big Zin that is both weighty and well-structured, and it steers away from extravagant ripeness with ample, dark berry fruit center stage at all times. It is still a bit rugged and comes with a fairly full dose of tannin thanks to its complement of Petite Sirah, and, while not prohibitively astringent, it is a sturdy example that is sure to be bettered by three or four years of age. 1 T I $35.00* it DRY CREEK VYD Four Clones Vineyard DCV2 2016 Dry Creek Valley. And, speaking of the gruff nature that can be part of the Zinfandel package, this wine is the most solid, almost blocky of the Dry Creek lot, and, while its fruit is deep enough to stand up to the task of outliving its tannic structure, this wine is also a bit less inviting than the Wallace Ranch bottling. Still, if you want a wine to put away for six years or more, this would be a very good choice. 1 T A $42.00* it DRY CREEK VYD Spencer’s Hill Vineyard 2015Dry Creek Valley. 21% Petite Sirah. Similar in ripeness to the wine above but a little drier overall and thus showing a slight drift into dense and concentrated characteristics that flirt with but do not embrace a wayward bit of desiccation, this full-bodied bottling also plays a bit toward the rustic end of the Zinfandel spectrum. Yet, despite those tannins, we would not see a longer aging curve for this one given that its fruit is not quite as generous as its sibling from the Wallace Ranch. 1 T I $42.00* jl EASTON Estate Shenandoah Valley 2015Smelling at first of sweet, ripe raspberries but taking on more depth and a darker fruit tone with air, Easton’s hefty, solidly

structured Estate Zin is a big, but very well-balanced working whose ample bones are covered with plenty of fruity flesh. It is distinctly varietal through and through with a spicy, slightly stony turn that earns it an appreciative nod for complexity, and it can be counted on to evolve nicely and become more interesting yet over the next half-dozen years. 1 T I $35.00* it EASTON Old Vine Rinaldi Vineyard Fiddletown 2015Smelling of ripe blackberries with a veneer of woodsy spice and fully reflecting the same in its dense, highly extracted, mouthfilling flavors, this burly, big-bodied, young Zin has plenty of swagger but, for now, is little concerned with refinement. It is sufficiently tannic to warn off hasty drinking, but its essential fruit emerges intact at the finish and serves as a guarantor of better with age. Allow for at least two or three years of additional softening and integration here. 1 T A $35.00* it EASTON Fiddletown 2015As immediately inviting as this wine’s generous aromas of freshly baked berry pie may be, there is no getting around the pushy, truncating tannins that rush up on the palate and remind that a wine’s smells and flavors are not always the same. It has fruit aplenty, but it is not ready for prime time drinking, and even those who can look past its astringency will find more to like once a few years have passed, and it is comfortably priced for putting a few bottles away. GOOD VALUE O T I $25.00* is GREEN & RED Tip Top Vineyard Napa Valley 2014Far from fruit-forward but a slightly deeper and better-filled effort than either of its two similarly solid, firmly structured mates, the winery’s 2014 Zinfandel from the Tip Top Vineyard ups the ante as far as fruity muscle is concerned while favoring the savory spice qualities that mark the bunch as a whole. It, too, is tannic, though not oppressively so, and, given the choice, we would wait on it for another couple of years. 1 T I $34.00ir GREEN & RED Chiles Canyon Vineyards 2016Napa Valley. None of the Green & Red Zinfandels goes wanting for ripeness, yet each is sparing when it comes to outgoing fruit, and, if this one musters a little more fruity conviction, it is defined less by its halting blackberry presence than by its firm, slightly rigid structure and toughening back-end tannins. While it is sure to benefit by a year or two of age, its chances for increased charm are uncertain at best. 1 B I $26.00iq GREEN & RED Chiles Mill Vineyard Napa Valley 2015Relatively muted in fruit and playing instead to the grape’s more savory aspects with elements of briar and stony earth to the fore, this sparsely filled, medium-full-bodied bottling comes up short on Zinfandel’s juicier traits and drifts steadily to dryness before finishing on a fairly sere note. It makes claim to a bit of complexity, but, in the end, it is less than complete. 1 T I $30.00* iu GRGICH HILLS Napa Valley 2014The latest effort from Grgich Hills is a solid, very well-structured Zin that, while deep in defined fruit, is still a little restrained at this point when compared to fruitier, up-front versions that are tasty as soon as they are bottled. It is built with a firm spine of

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tannin that ensures a lengthy lifeline ahead, and, if not so closed-in that it cannot be enjoyed now, it is a wine well worth cellaring for another three or four years and one that will hold up nicely for twice as long. 3 B I $36.00* it HARNEY LANE Lizzy James Vineyard Old Vine 2016Lodi. Sourced from vines that are well over 100 years of age and unquestionably deserving its “Old Vine” designation, Harney Lane’s flagship Zinfandel is a big, bold expression of what Lodi does best. It trades refinement for potency and exhibits plenty of fruity muscle, and, while emphatically ripe and showing a bit of heat as proof, it is surprisingly well-structured for the heady, full-bodied wine that it is. Nuance is not its forte, but richness most definitely is, and those on the hunt for prim and proper Zins need not apply. 1 T I $36.00

** jp JEFF COHN Iron Hill Vineyard Sonoma Valley 2016“Refined” is not a word often used in the review of Jeff Cohn’s so boldly crafted wines, and even here, the use of the term must be seen in relation to his other Zinfandels. Yet, this wine is, in fact the most refined of its maker’s remarkably deep, concentrated efforts, and it rises to the top for its distinctive fruitiness and its great generosity. Make no mistake; it is a ripe wine with plenty of heft, but it also displays a nice bit of polish and, its elevated alcohol level notwithstanding, it keeps fruit and balance first and foremost. Its red and black fruits character is well-supported by a light-medium layer of tannins that will allow it to achieve early drinkability in just a few years for those who like sturdy wines yet retain ageworthiness over a half-decade or more. Sometimes, “less muscular” is simply okay. O T A $45.00** jo JEFF COHN Orcio Cassata Vineyard Sonoma Vly 2016Orcio is a small-lot experimentation with wine that has been fermented in amphora, an old-fashioned clay vessel whose use arguably produces clean, smoother, fruit-focused wines. And while this variant from the Cassata Vineyard is very much to our liking, it does not rise above the more typical large-vessel results achieved with its vineyard mate. That said, this version seems to be also somewhat rounder and richer if not quite so tight and in need of long-aging. It is not without tannin, but being a tad less hard in texture, it is the more inviting of the two and, in any event, both are exceptional. O T A $50.00** jo JEFF COHN Cassata Vineyard Sonoma Valley 2016Fans of Jeff Cohn’s wines may well prefer this bottling to the Iron Hill effort because this one has the “swaggering, swashbuckling” personality that is most often associated with the leaders of Mr. Cohn’s parade. It is deep and extracted with dense blackberryish fruit accented by notes of black plum, dark roasted coffee and burnt chocolate all in service to its remarkable central fruit. That it has sinew and a touch of latter palate heat is to be expected,

yet, when served with a well-seasoned lamb shank or something of that ilk, it shines even now and will only get better and better for up to a decade to come. 1 T A $45.00** jn JEFF COHN Rinaldi Vineyard Fiddletown 2016Intense, extracted blackberry fruit with a quiet note of rich-earth minerality and subtle hints of ripe blueberries give this nose its own distinctive cast, and while the wine has all the size, depth and richness that one expects of the winery, it holds itself out as distinctive more than different. Its full body and somewhat fleshy feel on entry lead to generous flavors and also to quite noticeable tannins, all of which lead us to want more mid-term than long cellar aging for this one. O T A $45.00** jm JEFF COHN St. Peter’s Church Vineyard 2016Alexander Valley. From a vineyard with a reputation for dense, ripe, occasionally over-the-top wines, Mr. Cohn has brought a modest measure of temperament to the beast without losing the concentration that remains the vineyard’s hallmark. Ripe, deep and dark, yet nicely fruited as well, this one is, without question, a big wine that is very much in step with its siblings. Indeed, it may even be a tad less demanding of age than a few, and, if a half-decade in the cellar would not be too much, it is going to come drinkable earlier on. O T A $45.00

** jm JEFF COHN Isabel Sweetwater Springs Vineyard 2016Russian River Valley. Full-on ripeness and generous aromas and flavors lift this deep, full-bodied, extracted wine into the top tiers but then run right up to the borders of excess, and only the pure, focused fruit holds it back from going over the line. Some are going to find this to be their favorite of the bunch for sheer size and volume, of which there is plenty here, while others may opt for the slightly less outsized aspects of others amongst the Cohn Zinfandel universe. Fans of the style, rejoice. There are few holds barred here. 1 T A $45.00** jm JEFF COHN Nun’s Canyon Vineyard 2016 Moon Mountain District. The highly concentrated fruit in this wine keeps coming and coming from first sniff to lasting, slurpy aftertaste, and while there is a certain extra bit of fleshiness to its texture, the wine is sure to please with savory foods ranging from Italian sausage sautéed with peppers and onions to lamb stew. And, despite cellaring being an option, the wine will stand up to full-flavored dishes from day one. O T I $45.00

* jl JEFF COHN Rossi Ranch Vineyard Sonoma Valley 2016As ripe as any of the Cohn Zins, this big boy combines a wealth of ripe blackberry fruit with hints of dried grapes and a bit of an earthy, stony minerality in its aromas, and reprises that bold mix on the palate where ripeness leads to noticeable heat and some grabby tannins. Almost “chunky” in posture, and very much in want of some cellar time, it asks for five years or more to resolve its astringency but its ripe fruit could come into full bloom with far less patience. O T A $45.00* jl JEFF COHN Dealmaker California 201680% Zinfandel; 20% Petite Sirah. If you find a better Zinfandel for $20, rush out and buy it, but, until then, rush out and grab this one. It is, in almost all ways, part and parcel of the mishpocha (look it up; it’s a good word to know) save for the fact that Cohn has moderated its tannins and ripeness while not giving up much of his trademark depth and clear varietal focus. It is on the direct, juicy, drink-me-now side yet will certainly deliver well if allowed to age for bit. And one could do worse than putting a supply of this tasty wine aside. It is a real steal in high quality Zin.GOOD VALUE 1 T I $20.00

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* iu JEFF COHN The Imposter California 201644% Zinfandel; 22% Petite Sirah; 14% Syrah; 12% Grenache; 5% Carignane; 2% Mourvèdre; 1% Viognier. The Cohn winery also makes highly rated Syrahs, and this wine, while having Zin as its first component, has been made with a high percentage of Rhône varieties, and acts more like something from that part of the world than a Zinfandel. No harm in that, of course, and other than the fact that this one is not really Zin-like, it is a wine that will be right at home with well-seasoned hunks of beef or lamb hot off the grill. 1 T I $35.00* is JOULLIAN Sias Cuveé Carmel Valley 20145% Primitivo; 4% Petite Sirah; 3% Cabernet Sauvignon; 3% Merlot; 2% other. Elements of plums and berries merge with a touch of hardwoody spice in the nose here and continue without missing a beat in the ample, tannin-framed flavors of this weighty, obviously extracted Zin. The wine is slightly thick on the palate and gets a bit tough in the late-going, but it manages to maintain its fruity varietal bearings even as building astringency comes on a bit strong at the finish. 1 T I $30.00

** jn KRECK Teldeschi Vineyard Old Vine 2016Dry Creek Valley. Very rich, very ripe and very much showing the pedigree of what we believe is one of the top Zinfandel sites in the state, Kreck’s Old Vine bottling from the Teldeschi Vineyard is a lavish yet very deep wine that is rife with sweet berries, but it does not stop there and shows a fine sense of layering with elements of minerals, creamy oak and highlights of dusty soil spice making for a complex package that transcends simple fruitiness. It is big but well-balanced, and its minor tag-end of heat is a small price to pay for this kind of richness and fruity depth. O T I $42.00* it KRECK Del Barba Vineyard Old Vine 2016Contra Costa County. Every bit as ripe and full-bodied as its high-scoring companion from the Teldeschi Vineyard yet a bit noncommittal in precise fruit and given to jammy, strawberry-like sweetness before heat and slight dryness intrude and work to truncate its finish, this wine earns easy recommendation by dint of its considerable richness but wants for better focus and fruity extension to rise in rank. O T I $42.00ir LAPIS LUNA North Coast 2017Clean and on Zinfandel’s berryish track but a wine without bells and whistles, this direct offering teases with muted berries and a hint of earthy spice in the nose and finds a marginally more secure fruity footing in the mouth. If its frontal flavors drift to dryness, and it asks for a little more fruity flesh in the late going, it is still a useful, fairly priced wine that gets to nod for value.GOOD VALUE 3 B D $15.00** jm LA STORIA Block 303 Alexander Valley 2016By Trentadue. 9% Petite Sirah; 2% Carignane; 1% Sangiovese. While there are certainly bigger and bolder Zins to be had, this

well-balanced bottling is not wanting in size, and it exhibits lots of particularly well-defined varietal fruit, first in the nose and then again in its juicy, terrifically long-lasting flavors. It is succulent without being outwardly sweet, and its careful balance is as commendable as its marvelous fruity precision. Look for three to five years of positive growth here, but know that waiting is not likely to come easy.GOOD VALUE 3 T I $34.00* it LAVA VINE The Poor Ranch Mendocino 201513% Petite Sirah. There is more richness and fruity immediacy about this wine than is shown by its Napa Valley companion, and there is considerably more ripeness as well, yet it, too, is a firm and structured wine that stays clear of excess and heat. What it does not avoid is a fair bit of back-palate tannin, but though it inclines to slightly drying astringency just now, it ends with enough intact fruit to argue successfully for three to five years of patience. O T A $45.00* is LAVA VINE Napa Valley 2015The more temperate of the two Lava Vine offerings with regard to ripeness and evident alcohol, the winery’s Napa Valley version is a firm, full-bodied Zinfandel that shows lots of fruity vibrancy but is, at this point, a little constrained when it comes to outgoing richness. It is underpinned by ample acidity that both narrows and contributes a noticeable tang to its finish, and, while always on very solid varietal footing, it is a wine that wants for the tactile smoothing and expansion that another two to four years of age should bring. O B A $45.00* iu MAURITSON Dry Creek Valley 2016This nicely balanced, moderately full-bodied Zinfandel finds a very comfortable place right in the middle of the varietal road with a steady fix on berry-like fruit and the tasteful presence of sweet oak lending a boost in richness throughout. It is not quite as deep and does not command the same degree of attention as the winery’s collection of Rockpile bottlings reviewed further on in this issue, but it is no shrinking violet by any means, and it gets good marks for its construction, its unwavering focus and its fine fruity persistence. 1 B I $39.00* it McNAB Mendocino County 2016Here is a happy find that delivers lots of honest Zinfandel fruit and does so with far more precision and polish than its modest price tag might lead one to believe. It is weighty and ripe without being brash, and it is as well-structured as it is insistently fruity and focused. It is thoroughly tasty right now and will make for delicious drinking in the near term, yet, thanks to its fine acid balance and deftly fit tannins, it has good potential for at least a few years of positive growth.GOOD VALUE 1 T I $18.00* jl MIKE & MOLLY HENDRY R.W. Moore Vineyard 2016Coombsville. Coombsville is often spoken of as being a cooler enclave in Napa Valley, but there is little about this heady wine that suggests cool-climate origins, and it leads in the nose with effusively sweet, very obvious berrylike fruit that is reiterated with force in its generous, unabashedly ripe flavors. That fruit more than holds its own against a one-two punch of tannin and heat

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at the finish, and, if never a Zinfandel that will find favor with those who hold that less is more, it should leave those who, in fact, revel in more thoroughly satisfied. 1 T I $40.00* iu MIRO Mounts Vineyard Reserve Dry Creek Valley 2016Here is a wine that proves that Zinfandel can be big, ripe and well-balanced all at once, and even if it gives ground to a bit of last-minute heat, it remains fixed on very deep, blackberry fruit from front to back. It is solidly structured and quite long on the palate with good acidity working to stave off the softness that sometimes comes with a wine of its ample alcohol (15.6%), and, while not at all shy about showing its fruit now, it is built to keep and should improve for a few years. O T I $38.00* is MUELLER Old Vine Russian River Valley 2015Mueller’s Old Vine Zinfandel is a big, fully extracted effort that flirts with hints of milk chocolate and a wee bit of dried-grape desiccation even as it keeps its sights steadily set on blackberry fruit throughout. It is a decidedly rich wine with plenty of varietal authority, and, while arguably verging on being a bit overdone, it says Zinfandel with a very confident voice. O T I $42.00

* iu NOCETO The Original Grandpère Vineyard 2014Amador County. Here is lively Zinfandel that departs from the usual varietal model and draws back from aggressive ripeness in favor of brighter, more buoyant fruit. Its carefully oaked aromas of red berries are followed by zesty, very like-minded flavors, and while mustering a good deal of fruity richness, the wine is always spry and light on its feet. It is in no danger of drying or fading any time soon, but it is drinking splendidly right now and will be especially welcome as a sympathetic partner to tomatoey pastas of all kinds. O B D $38.00* it OPOLO Forte Paso Robles 2016All of the Opolo Zins check in with alcohols well over 15%, but, as a group, they are quite well-balanced for wines of their very ripe persuasion, and this effusive, big-bodied yet unexpectedly zesty offering is the deepest and best structured of them all. It does a good job at keeping its heat to a manageable minimum, and it is insistently bright and fruity with a strong, sweet berry bias running its length and the balance to age and improve for another three or four years. 1 T I $40.00* is OPOLO Mountain Paso Robles 2017As is the case with its siblings from Opolo, this is a Zinfandel little concerned with subtlety and constraint. It runs straightway to heady, late-harvest ripeness with a sweep of chocolate to its juicy and jammy, berry-like fruit, yet that fruit holds its ground against tannin and heat, and its balancing acidity keeps it away from

heavy-footed softness. It is a wine of a style, and not one to pour with milder foods, but those who like their Zins big and ripe will have no complaints. 3 T I $29.00* is OPOLO Summit Creek Paso Robles 2017Very ripe and noticeably hot it undeniably may be, but here again is a big, close-to-jammy Zin that does not bog down in syrupy softness and is surprisingly well-balanced for a wine of its style. It is decidedly varietal in focus with berryish fruit running its length, and the acidity that keeps it alive pushes slightly puckery tannins to the fore at the finish. While it will benefit from another twelve months in bottle, it will hold its own with big-flavored foods now.GOOD VALUE 3 T I $19.00

* jl PEACHY CANYON Mustard Creek 2016Adelaida District. Peachy Canyon’s many single-site Zinfandels are not a succession of wines that are essentially the same, and, of them all, this is the one that earns a nod as being the richest of the bunch. It smacks of boysenberries at one moment and a touch of dark coffee the next, and, while not overly beholden to high ripeness, it does convey a little more substance and fruity weight than most. Its well-integrated tannins afford a nice bit of tactile grip without becoming so prominent that lengthy aging is required, but it is structured in a way to repay dividends with a few years of patience. 1 T I $42.00* iu PEACHY CANYON Vortex Paso Robles 2016We like this wine’s sense of composed richness, and we like its ongoing message of very keen, optimally ripened, berry-like fruit, but what we like most is its almost pliant palatal feel and the way in which its acidity and nominal tannins provide structure without being at all obvious. It is, in fact, so nicely assembled that it can be easily enjoyed in the near term, but it is deceptively ageworthy and we can see glimmers of complexity that should become more evident if it is allowed to sit quietly in the cellar for a few years. O T I $38.00* it PEACHY CANYON 30th Anniversary Paso Robles 201615% Syrah; 5% Grenache. Celebrating Peachy Canyon’s thirty years of winemaking, this very full-bodied wine begins with dense aromas of dark fruit, chocolate and slightly peppery spice and follows suit on the palate with ripe and obviously extracted flavors that are presently bound up in undisguised tannin. It is ambitious stuff, to be sure, but it is a bit of a brute and is too tough and astringent to drink any time soon, and its recommendation comes with the caveat that it be hidden away in the cellar and ignored for no less than four or five years. O T A $95.00* it PEACHY CANYON Willow 2016Willow Creek District. Quite unlike any of its mates, this one tightens up to the point of getting a bit hard on the palate after leading with a very rich, effusively fruity nose that gives rise to expectations of a far more open wine. Simply put, it starts out one way but ends in another, and it will need some time in which to soften and smooth. Age will unquestionably work in its favor, yet it may never be quite as succulent and outgoing as its very attractive aromas suggest. Hold off on pulling its cork for at least a couple more years. 1 T A $44.00

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* is PEACHY CANYON D Block Paso Robles 2016Sourced from a very small parcel in the winery’s Mustang Springs Vineyard that was planted in cooperation with UC Davis and ZAP as means by which to preserve 18 different heritage clones, the D Block bottling is a relatively mild-mannered offering that plays to restraint rather than unbridled ripeness. It is lighter in style and minimally tannic with a mild, but lingering, slightly spicy fruity presence, and it will serve best when partnered over the next two or three years with dishes that call for Zinfandels that steer clear of bluster and high extract. O B I $85.00

* is PEACHY CANYON Mustang Springs 2016Adelaida District. Just a bit brighter and lighter in gait than its bigger, more substantial siblings and showing distinctive touches of dried flowers to its essential message of ripe red berries, this medium-full-bodied wine is dialed back in tannin and gets a lively lift from acidity. It gets a thumbs-up vote as a good candidate for pouring with tangy, tomato-sauced pasta dishes during the upcoming two or three years. 1 B I $42.00* is PEACHY CANYON Westside Paso Robles 201610% Petite Sirah; 9% Alicante Bouschet. From its nicely focused, lightly spicy aromas of berries and cherries to its lively, mid-density flavors, Peachy Canyon’s Westside Zinfandel is a clean, easy-to-like, medium-full-bodied effort. It is slightly rounded in feel with comparatively muted tannins, and, while capable of keeping for several years, its accessible, no-nonsense fruitiness invites drinking without need of further cellaring. 3 T D $26.00

ir PEACHY CANYON Incredible Red California 201610% Petite Sirah. Loosely suggestive of cherries, berries and a touch of milk chocolate in the nose and essentially following suit in its direct, easy-to-access fruity flavors, this slightly soft-edged, mid-sized effort manages to quietly stay within varietal lines with no interference from tannin. Its enjoyment requires no additional age, and it is useful, fairly priced wine that will be welcome with all sorts of simple barbecued fare.GOOD VALUE 3 T D $15.00iq PEACHY CANYON Especial Adelaida District 2016Despite putting a fairly good first foot forward with its intriguing and concentrated aromas of sweet red berries, dried plums and slightly gingery spice, this somewhat confusing offering is ripe, taut and decidedly wiry all at once in the mouth without the fruit to offset its stiffness, and its prospects for better with age are remote. O T I $46.00

* it PEDRONCELLI Courage Faloni Vineyard 2016Dry Creek Valley. Bound to be viewed as being a bit over the top to many and just as likely to satisfy fans of unapologetically ripe, downright hedonistic Zinfandels, this full-blown edition shows a little more range and complexity than its style predicts, and, even if getting fairly hot, tough and tannic in the latter-going, it is never less than well-fruited and avoids the raisiny,

dried-grape desiccation that more often than not comes with wines of its ilk. 1 T I $32.00* is PEDRONCELLI Bushnell Vineyard Dry Creek Valley 2016Undisguised ripeness is a step or two ahead of fruit here, yet the wine still smacks of sweet berries throughout and has the extract and richness to at least partially offset the plainly evident heat that cannot be ignored at the finish. Although not out of control, this is a big and fairly rugged Zinfandel that opts for potency over refinement, and, even with age, it will need pairing with hearty, boldly flavored foods. 1 T I $26.00* is PEDRONCELLI Mother Clone Dry Creek Valley 2016Never a wine that aims for bombast or drama but one that gets it right in terms of defined Zinfandel fruit, Pedroncelli’s Mother Clone bottling stays well within varietal bounds in both scent and taste. If arguably not as rich as either of its two winery mates, neither is it compromised by the obvious heat that appears in both, and its grippy, finishing tannins will be mitigated by service with food and/or another year or two on the cork.GOOD VALUE 3 T I $19.00

* it POMAR JUCTION Reserve El Pomar District 2015Just as ripe as its year-younger companion, but showing a deeper and broader sense of essential, dark berry fruit and a boost in overall richness, Pomar Junction’s 2014 Reserve Zin is a hefty wine of ambitious reach, but it cares little for charm and instead aims for power in a potent, but patently unrefined way. It is sufficiently tannic and hot to bother those looking for refined Zins, yet it will never be accused of timidity and will satisfy folks that have no time for wimpy wines. 1 T I $43.50* is POMAR JUNCTION El Pomar District 2015Subtlety and nuance are not in this wine’s job description, but full-on ripeness and extract definitely are, and the wine makes no bones about being big, bold and close to over the top just as it makes no apologies for its considerable substance. It is arguably too hot and unquestionably a bit crude, but it successfully works to stay within varietal lines and will never be mistaken for anything other than Zinfandel. 1 T I $31.50iq RABBIT RIDGE Westside Paso Robles 2016Although its soft and slightly jammy, blackberry-like aromas do not suggest that runaway ripeness will be an issue here, this taut and toughly textured, full-bodied wine does, in fact, race headlong to ripeness on the palate. It will not offend die-hard fans of big and blustery Zins, but it never quite finds the fruity richness needed to offset its coarseness or its all-too-obvious back-end heat. 1 T D $25.00ir REPLICA Pickpocket Red Wine California 201649% Zinfandel; 20% Petite Sirah; 14% Rubired; 8% Tempranillo; 7% Cabernet Sauvignon; 2% other. Even if composed of a varied mix of grapes of which not quite half is Zinfandel, this outgoing effort smacks strongly of the sweet berry of the variety from start to finish. Fairly ripe and trimmed with palpable finishing heat to make the point, it is a rich wine without nuance and will get along

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nicely with sausages simmered in a spicy tomato sauce over the next couple of years. 1 T I $20.00

** jm RIDGE Pagani Ranch Sonoma Valley 20169% Petite Sirah; 3% Alicante Bouschet. There is no shortage of “there” here, but it is presented in a balanced, polished and very deeply fruited package that shows the winery’s unrivalled ability to get the most out of Zinfandel while still staying entirely within fairly classic varietal boundaries. The wine’s clear focus on black berries with hints of red and its soft, rich woody trim are backed by early suppleness on entry and underlying tannins that bring both backbone and aging potential to the wine. It is so well made that it could drink perfectly now with roasted lamb dishes while also promising a more sophisticated side if allowed to rest in the cellar for some three to five years. 3 B I $40.00* iu RIDGE Lytton Springs Dry Creek Valley 201669% Zinfandel; 23% Petite Sirah; 6% Carignane; 2% Mataro (Mourvèdre). The use of other grapes in this wine takes it slightly wide of the berryish mark, and, while that in and of itself is no crime in Zinfandel-dominated wines, it here brings a certain extra measure of toughness and a certain dry cast to the fruit. Still, it is ripe black fruit that makes up the heart of the wine both in the nose and on the palate and allows it to sail past its light-medium tannins without so much as a “by your leave.” It will easily take up to a half-decade in the cellar. 3 T A $44.00* is RIDGE Ponzo Russian River Valley 2016Its mix of red and black fruits is well within Zinfandel territory, but this wine has shown more depth in previous outings, and, while there is nothing amiss here, there is also only just enough right to garner a recommended rating. It never quite finds the central fruit needed for more and gets a tad short and dry while finishing on a slightly bitter, dark chocolate note. A few years in bottle will help a bit. 3 T I $35.00ir ROBERT HALL Cavern Select Dusi Vineyard 2016Paso Robles. Ripeness figures prominently here and adds a streak of chocolaty sweetness to this very full and slightly viscous wine’s principle themes of sweet berries and dried herbs in both aroma

and flavor and imparts a palpable degree of heat at the finish. There is, however, enough fruity extract to keep things pointed in the right direction, and, if hardly an elegant Zin, it claims a good sense of richness. 1 T I $42.00

** jo ROCKPILE Cemetery Vineyard Rockpile 2016By Mauritson. Like most members of its clan, Rockpile’s Cemetery Vineyard Zinfandel is an intense and optimally ripened working that holds nothing back, but it is incisively fruity every step of its lengthy way and accented throughout with the woodsy, slightly briary spice unique to the variety. It is full without being overly weighty or hot and displays fine balance for a wine of its style and girth, and, as very rich and accessibly juicy as it may be at the moment, it is guaranteed to be better yet once another three or four years have passed. 1 T I $51.00

** jn ROCKPILE Westphall Ridge Vineyard Rockpile 2017By Mauritson. Although certainly not exactly alike, the Rockpile bunch exhibits a great deal in common as far as concentrated fruit and well-managed ripeness go, and, while this one scores on both of those counts, it inclines ever so slightly to black cherries with a touch of clean, earthy spice and claims a voice all its own. It is so well-balanced that it seems less hefty that it really is, and, if it echoes its many siblings in being accessible and ageworthy at once, it is thoroughly inviting now and needs but a minimal wait before growing into its best. O T I $49.00

** jm ROCKPILE Jack’s Cabin Vineyard Rockpile 2016By Mauritson. Long on dark, decidedly ripe blackberry fruit with a slow-to-show, slightly savory mix of clean earth, leather and dusty spice becoming evident with a few swirls in the glass, this fully packed and solidly structured young wine follows with flavors that run parallel to the nose and is at present a little more sinewy than it is supple. Drying tannins rush up and work to blunt its finish just now, and, with a more forceful voice than its mates, it asks for a few extra years of age. 1 B A $47.00

* jl ROCKPILE Pritchett Peaks Vineyard Rockpile 2016By Mauritson. Drawing a bit back from heady ripeness and fixing instead on buoyant, mid-density fruit and never a wine that will need overthinking about the right food match when dinnertime comes, this firmly built, medium-full-bodied Zin gives up a bit of muscle and sinew and adopts a slightly more bouncy stance with seamlessly fit tannins and fine overall integration of its parts. It is not, however, a light wine in any way, it simply is not quite as big as its siblings and it handily fills the niche of a well-measured and eminently foodworthy wine that is destined to age by dint of balance rather than brawn. 1 B I $49.00

*** jq ROCKPILE Rockpile Ridge Vineyard Rockpile 2016 By Mauritson. Taking a place at the head of the 2016 Rockpile family and a Zinfandel of altogether striking richness and fruity depth, this beautifully measured offering earns the nod as being the best of an eminently collectable lot owing to its range, its impeccable balance and its keen-as-can-be composition. It is never outsized despite being a wine of great concentration and substance, and it comes as close to being mannerly as a Zin of its size and ripeness can be when it is as young as this one is, but we have no doubts at all that it will become even more mannerly yet and lose nothing in the way of potency if allowed to quietly rest for another half-decade and perhaps more. Serious Zinfandel lovers are advised to take note. 1 T I $45.00

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* it ROCK WALL Pearl Hart Reserve 2015Contra Costa County. Hard-to-ignore ripeness is central to this massive and mouthfilling Zinfandel, and the wine is sure to be seen by some as being too much of a good thing, yet for all of its considerable size and undisguised trailing heat, it is rife with blackberries and has a firm grasp on very deep fruit that never lets go. It will overpower all but the richest entrees and will find a particularly welcome place as an accompaniment to flavorful, meal-ending cheeses. 1 T I $50.00* is ROCK WALL Harris Kratka Vineyard 2016Alexander Valley. A bit underplayed in its lightly dusty, berry-like aromas and a Zinfandel that successfully aims for balance rather than hard-charging ripeness once in the mouth, this effort musters a nicely sustained sense of fruit albeit without trading on mouthfilling extract. Its mannerly stance invites drinking with slightly lighter foods than its bolder, riper, big-bodied cousins commend, and it will age comfortably for several years by dint of its careful balance. 1 B I $35.00ir ROCK WALL Sven & Ole’s Reserve California 2015Here is a ripe and full-bodied Zinfandel that goes two directions at once, for, while it leads with a good measure of plummy fruit, it runs into formidable tannins that ultimately outpace that fruit. Age may well work in its favor, but it is a fairly tough customer at the moment that will need a bit of luck if it is to outgrow its blunting astringency. 1 T A $50.00

* it RUSACK Estate Ballard Canyon 20169% Petite Sirah. Its appellation may be better known for fine Syrah, but it appears that Ballard Canyon can make temperate, well-balanced Zinfandels of distinction, and, while this one may not depend on big muscles and pushy ripeness, it is keenly fruity, with a good complement of fresh, well-ripened berries. It is young, and it is still a bit tense and nervy, but its fruit effortlessly stays the course even as its flavors tighten up and allow youthful tannins to make their mark. It is, however, sure to relax and will become more welcoming in even a year or two hence, so our advice is to put aside any thoughts of hasty drinking and exercise some patience here. 1 B A $48.00ir RUSSELL FAMILY O.V.Z. Paso Robles 201610% Petite Sirah. From its ripeness and tannin to its plainly evident heat, this is wine that holds nothing back, and, if unrepentant fans of powerhouse Zinfandels are bound to find it to their liking,

it will likely impress others as being too brawny and brash for its own good. Its toughness should ease somewhat with age, but we do not expect it to appreciably change its stripes with the passing of time. 1 T I $40.00

* it SADDLEBACK Old Vines Napa Valley 2016On balance a big and decidedly rustic wine that makes no attempt to hide its ripeness but one that does not go to the sweet and overly alcoholic brink, the Saddleback Old Vine Zin is a meaty, rough-hewn wine whose fruit somehow manages to fight off its heat, and, even if fairly tannic and slightly raw in the latter going, it boasts a good degree of extracted blackberry fruit and has a better-than-average chance of rounding with age. If rugged Zins are your thing, it can be poured now, but the rest of us will be happier if it is left to sit for a few years. 1 T A $46.00

* jl SEAWOLF Love Vineyard Russian River Valley 2016Making an auspicious debut in the pages of CGCW, Seawolf has come up with a rich, well-composed, carefully crafted Zin that goes right to the varietal point and shows a bit of layered richness as it does with a trim touch of sweet oak to its raspberry-like fruit. It is bright, balanced and racy rather than a wine that runs to brawny rusticity, and its finely joined fruity acidity will keep it lively for years to come. O B I $42.00

** jm SIMONCINI Saitone Ranch Vineyard Old Vine 2013Russian River Valley. Giving lie to the notion that Zinfandel is a wine best drunk while young, Simoncini’s five-year-old effort from the Saitone Ranch Vineyard is a ripe and weighty wine that, while starting to show some of the complexities of age, is still on the somewhat big and burly side of things with a liberal dose of tannin underlying its very deep and impressively extracted dark berry fruit. It can be enjoyed now providing that the meal is right and one likes Zins with plenty of grip, but it will age effortlessly for at least another five years and will progressively become a little more polished as it does. O T I $65.00* iu SOBON ESTATE ReZerve Primitivo 2016Amador County. Geared more to ripe cherries and plums rather than Zinfandel’s more typical blackberry traits and flirting with a bit of cola-like sweetness on the nose as well as in its ripe and well-filled flavors, Sobon’s latest ReZerve Primitivo is a big, fully ripe and weighty wine with whose generous fruit does a very

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good job at buffering its ample alcohol. It is far more concerned with richness than refinement and will likely remain so with age, but it concludes with just enough tannic grip to suggest that it will benefit from a few years of cellaring. 1 T I $24.00* it SOBON ESTATE Rocky Top Amador County 2016Over the course of the last several years, Sobon Estate’s Rocky Top Zin has established itself as a very reliable offering that gets it right in terms of structure and good definition without veering too far in the direction of extravagant ripeness. The 2016 version does all of that and is a balanced, moderately full-bodied wine with a clear fix on varietal berries, and it has more than enough fruity substance to keep its nominal firming tannins in check. And, it becomes doubly attractive at the price. GOOD VALUE 3 B I $18.00* is SOBON ESTATE ReZerve Amador County 2016A bit out of step with past ReZerve offerings insofar as, even if fully ripe, it is neither as big nor as brawny as has been the norm and runs to tangy red berries rather than the jammy extract that its 15.4% alcohol predicts. It is firmly balanced and buttressed by comparatively temperate tannins, and it is on track to improve with two or three years of age. 1 T I $24.00ir SOBON ESTATE Cougar Hill Amador County 2016A fair bit of woodsy, slightly briary spice serves as a counterpoint to fruit here, and, while the wine does have enough berry-like character to say Zinfandel, its fruit never quite takes command and gradually gives way to stick-to-your-teeth tannins before closing with a slightly too-astringent finish. Hearty grilled meats rather than tomatoey pastas are its preferred partners, and a bit more bottle time should help its youthful rigidity to ease.GOOD VALUE 1 B I $18.00ir SOBON ESTATE Old Vine Amador County 2016This juicy, sweetly fruited effort recalls the days when Zinfandel was an unchallenged price-point leader and, like a good many of its maker’s wines, delivers notable value. It is ripe and rounded and so very easy to taste in its youth without interference from tannin and overt heat. It is admittedly a bit simple, but it is tasty stuff whose enjoyment requires no waiting and will do yeoman service with sundry barbecued pork recipes in the coming year.GOOD VALUE 1 T D $14.00iq SPICY VINES Zin Master Dry Creek Valley 2015This bold, very big-bodied Zinfandel is undeniably expressive, but it is pushed to the limits by extreme ripeness and, while very rich, runs into so much challenging coarseness and flaring heat that even the grape’s most devoted fans will find forgiveness difficult. It is a powerhouse, but it is very crude, and waiting for beauty and grace to arrive with age is very likely to ultimately be an exercise in wasted patience. O T I $40.00* jl TERRA D’ORO Home Vineyard Amador County 2016This deep and convincing wine hones in on the variety’s classic blackberry fruit and, while fully ripe, avoids jammy excess as it does. It is full and fleshy in feel with a streak of firming tannins sneaking up at the finish, but it sports plenty of fruity strength and is a wine that looks to age extremely well. Although not

prohibitively tough and sure to please fans of big Zinfandels in the short term, a more polished future awaits once another three or four years have passed. 1 T I $30.00* iu TERRA D’ORO Deaver Vineyard Amador County 2016This wine puts a good first foot forward with youthful, moderately deep aromas of fairly vigorous, ripe berry fruit that are enriched by a tasteful touch of mildly creamy oak and follows with ample, somewhat rustic Zinfandel flavors that convey plenty of extract and heft. It is a bit tough just now but is kept on course by its very steady, well-defined fruit, and a couple of years in the cellar will see it through to its best. 1 T A $30.00* it TERRA D’ORO Amador County 20166% Petite Sirah; 1% Teroldego. Ripe, rich in oak and boasting plenty of concentrated, well-focused varietal fruit from first sniff to finish, this impressively filled offering overachieves at the price and ranks among the better Zinfandel buys to be found. It comes with enough finishing grip to encourage a few years of keeping, but, if a tad rustic as Amador versions are wont to be, it is never so tannic as to warn off early drinking, especially when matched up with the likes of spicy grilled sausages or hearty pork stews.GOOD VALUE 3 T I $18.00* is TERRA D’ORO SHR Field Blend Amador County 2016Inclining more to red berries than black and showing a good deal of youthful energy, this co-fermented blend of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Barbera is a slightly rounded, moderately fruity effort whose minimal tannins make for an accessible, comfortably balanced and easy-to-drink wine that does not demand much in the way of additional age. O T I $35.00

* jl THREE Evangelho Vineyard Contra Costa County 2016For those who consider high ripeness matched with concentrated fruit to be a virtue, this wine will be right smack up their alleys. Its generous but still youthfully direct berryish aromas favor the black side of the spectrum with hints of raspberries also laid on, and its flavors, while similar in focus and depth, come with a full body and noticeable tannins for both grip and very appropriate muscularity. It has the stuffing and energy to last for a half-dozen years, but fans of the style may well enjoy it with savory beef or pork dishes in the nearer term. 1 T I $38.00ir THREE Old Vines Contra Costa County 2016The wine above uses its ripeness and substantial fruit content to achieve fairly reasonable, concentrated, ripe-leaning balance. This wine has a harder time with that precarious mix of elements and turns rather more obviously to dried-grape character for its focus, and, while it might make a decent partner to savory meats served with equally savory sauces, its best use could well be as a mate to post-prandial cheeses. 1 T I $22.00

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* is UPSHOT Red Wine Blend Sonoma County 2016By Rodney Strong. 37% Zinfandel; 30% Malbec; 27% Merlot; 3% Petit Verdot; 3% Riesling. If certainly not a wine that zeroes in on distinct Zinfandel character, this multi-varietal blend from Rodney Strong is a clean, well-balanced offering that mixes various red and black fruits with gentle oak spice and scattered touches of cocoa. It keeps both alcohol and tannin nicely in check and will provide useful drinking with any number of not-too-heavy meat dishes for several years. 3 B I $28.00iq UVVAGIO Primitivo Lodi 20167% Barbera. Fairly scaled back in terms of evident ripeness and fruity presence and not a wine that speaks with a bold varietal voice, this firm, slightly edgy bottling is fairly vague in focus and finishes with a trailing streak of bitterness as its here-and-gone berry-like traits let go. 1 B D $24.00

** jn V. SATTUI Gilsson Vineyard Old Vine 2016Russian River Valley. It is hard to go wrong with any of the new V. Sattui Zins, and, in truth, picking a favorite is no easy task, but this amazingly rich offering from the Gilsson Vineyard gets the nod for its altogether extravagant display of very deep and constant fruit. It may run to ripeness but it never threatens with excess, and it is uncannily balanced for the fully packed wine that it is, and it closes with a terrifically long finish so rich in fruit that its ample alcohol never becomes a problem. Save it for service with the richest entrees that call for a top-flight Zinfandel, and, as outright delicious as it is in its youth, it is easy to predict years of tasty drinking ahead. 1 T I $42.00** jm V. SATTUI Crow Ridge Vineyard Ancient Vine 2016Russian River Valley. The second of two outstanding efforts from the Russian River Valley, V. Sattui’s Crow Ridge bottling is an immense, absolutely mouthfilling Zin that holds nothing back. It is big, it is dense and it is ripe to the point of almost suggesting a bit of sweetness, but it never wanders away from the generous and marvelously deep fruit that is its first concern. Just as is the case with its equally rich partner above, it is a wine that will age well despite its wide-open richness. 1 T I $55.00* jl V. SATTUI Quaglia Vineyard Ancient Vine 2016Napa Valley. Lush and lavish fruit is the first message here, and the wine again shows no want of ripeness, yet, for all of its very considerable density and weight, it is indelibly varietal and solidly built with a good complement of slightly grippy tannins. Even though its upfront richness is bound to tempt immediate drinking, and we would not argue that it is not tasty now, but it is a Zin that will only get better and, given the choice, we would opt for a few years of waiting. 1 T I $49.00* jl V. SATTUI Vittorio’s Vineyard Napa Valley 2016Smelling and tasting of ripe berries and black cherries with hints of root beer and cola just off to the side and a trim bit of sweet

oak evident throughout, this moderately full-bodied Zin trades potency for articulate fruit and earns it spurs for precision more than bluster and raw power. It is a fairly classy look at the grape wherein all of its parts are seamlessly joined, and, if approachable in its youth, it is certain to age on the strength of its balance and careful composition. 1 B I $39.00* jl V. SATTUI Amador Ridge Vineyard 2016Amador County. Ever so slightly dialed back in ripeness relative to its headier mates, this finely balanced bottling nonetheless delivers the goods when it comes to well-defined Zinfandel fruit and shows a little more finesse and polish than a typical Sierra Foothills effort. It is full-bodied, to be sure, yet it backs away from sledgehammer potency and displays a consistent sense of careful integration from beginning to end. O B I $38.00* jl V. SATTUI Dry Creek Valley 2016It may not claim single-site origin, but this is no simple appellation bottling, and, quite to the contrary, it shows a marked degree of complexity to its lightly spicy aromas of ripe berries, minerals and dusty soil that extends well into its like-minded flavors. While quite ripe, it is more fleshy than fat and sits easily on the palate with fine acidity lending welcome brightness and trim tannins contributing just the right bit of grip. Drink it now or later as you choose, but know that there is no hurry and that it will hold up nicely for a number of years. 1 T I $37.00

** jn WONDERMENT Bacigalupi Vineyard Old Vine 2014Russian River Valley. Proving that good Zinfandel can be as complex as it is fruity, Wonderment’s 2014 bottling from the well-regarded Bacigalupi Vineyard is a well-crafted working that is as polished as it is rich with a lovely appointment of creamy oak to its continuous blackberry fruit. At four years of age, it has rounded into fine drinking shape, yet it has a sense of reserve that bodes well for the future and is balanced to reward upwards of another half-decade of cellaring providing that one can resist its considerable present appeals. O B I $40.00

* iu ZIALENA Sonoma County 2014Generously appointed with fully ripe, distinctly blackberry-like fruit and unmistakably varietal from beginning to end, this big-bodied effort is a stout and sturdy expression of the grape that stops just short of being a bit overdone. It is one for dyed-in-the-wool fans of the grape who believe that good Zinfandel is, by necessity, a wine into which one can sink their teeth, but its brawnier traits do not come at the cost of plentiful fruit, and it will make memorable drinking when teamed with hearty, well-seasoned pork roasts and stews. 1 T I $36.00

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We commented last summer that Sauvignon Blanc’s star appeared to be on the rise, and our latest installment of new offerings only adds to the sheen of a variety that is too often dismissed as being of secondary importance. The truth is that Sauvignon Blanc comes in a great many guises, all of which can be attractive and deserving of serious attention. Its mealtime versatility has long made it a welcome guest at our

tables, and its ability to succeed in styles from herbal and refreshingly crisp to full, ripe and enriched with oak makes it a wine that will satisfy with dishes ranging from delicate seafoods to more substantial fare that typically invites service with Chardonnay. This month’s update includes fine versions that reflect every persuasion, and, although there are high achievers that deservedly come with higher prices, we are impressed, as always, with the considerable number of wines winning “Good Value” mention. The ranks of fine Sauvignon Blanc, it turns out, are filled with affordable offerings galore.

* is BLACKBIRD Dissonance Napa Valley 201715% Semillon. Here is a light and relatively low-keyed look at Sauvignon Blanc that speaks to the variety’s herbal side in fairly hushed tones while hinting at sweet Asian pears and a distant suggestion of fresh ginger. It does not roar from the glass but is relatively restrained throughout and while briefly rounded on entry finds a welcome bit of firming acidity that wards off any suggestion of sweetness. 1 C D $32.00* iu BRANDBORG Umpqua Valley 2016Sweet and slightly juicy in scent with appealing top notes of fresh herbs overlying its well-stated mix of melons and mildly citrusy fruit, Brandborg’s is a spry, moderately rich Sauvignon Blanc that shows plenty of brightness and life to its lengthy, like-minded flavors. It is charged with lots of fruity acidity, but never once errs to wiry stiffness, and, while eminently tasty right now, it is guaranteed to hold up quite well and grow with a bit with age.GOOD VALUE 1 F I $20.00* is CALSTAR Russian River Valley 2017This very clean, briskly balanced middleweight is neither intensely varietal nor wildly fruity, yet it shows very good staying power on the palate with a minerally underpinning to its constant, if slightly restrained, lemon-tinged fruit. It is an energetic Sauvignon Blanc that plays to youthful restraint without ever seeming thin or at all underfilled, and it will fill the niche nicely as a palate-cleansing companion to any number of fleshy fish dishes.GOOD VALUE 1 F I $20.00* it CANNONBALL Eleven Dry Creek Valley 2017Very solidly built and yet a bit fuller and richer with a fine, fleshy palatal feel, the Cannonball Sauvignon Blanc boasts a good deal of fruit without being boisterously “fruity”and conveys a certain reserve that suggests that it will age into better. That is not to say that it is in any way lacking in up-front appeal, but it is balanced to keep and has the depth and fruity extension to confidently argue for another year in the bottle. 3 l I $25.00iq CARICA Moaveni Vineyard Bennett Valley 2017Although starting on a very positive note with rich, lightly herb-accented aromas of well-ripened melons and picking up a hint of spiced apples with air, this weighty, slightly coarsely textured youngster is compromised by bothersome bitterness that seems unlikely to ease after its raggedness has diminished with a bit of bottle time. O l I $29.00

* it CASTORO Paso Robles 20175% Viognier; 5% Gewürztraminer. The addition of two aromatic white varieties in its cépage contributes a slight floral cast to the nose here, yet this patently varietal offering is principally focused on Sauvignon Blanc grassiness throughout. Its herbal traits, while constant, are never so strident as to get in the way of its ample, very accessible ripe melon fruit, and the wine is moderately full in body and well-balanced at once. It ranks among the better buys in its genre and is well worth seeking out.GOOD VALUE 1 l I $16.00

** jn DAOU Adelaida District 2017Those who resolutely hold that Sauvignon Blanc’s first duty is to be spry and intensely grassy are bound to find their convictions tested here as this mouthfilling rendition heads off in a decidedly different direction with but a muted complement of herbs sitting behind its layered mix of optimally ripened, melon-like fruit and lovely, complementary oak. It is sizeable stuff as the variety goes, but it is impeccably balanced without so much as a suggestion of heaviness, and its deep and complete flavors display terrific stamina and length. It is not the wine to bring to the table when looking for a crisp companion to fresh oysters, but richer fare from butter-poached lobster to savory salmon dishes will find few better foils bearing the varietal name. 1 l I $50.00

** jn DRAGONETTE Vogelzang Vineyard 2016Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara. Like its equally rich cellarmate from the Grissini Family Vineyard, this is a Sauvignon Blanc of considerable substance and size, and it, too, is a wine that is best set aside for pouring alongside fairly flavorful fare. It gets the nod of the two by dint of its very solid construction, and, although already showing fine depth and range with juicy, stone fruit at its heart and complexing touches of minerals, spice and herbs emerging throughout, it is balanced to keep and improve for several more years. O l I $45.00

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** jm DRAGONETTE Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara 2017Intensely grassy but very deep in defined fruit and a Sauvignon Blanc through and through, Dragonette’s appellation bottling is an expressive, very well-made wine long on very keen varietal character. It is medium-full-bodied with a slightly rounded palatal feel, and, if energetic and very well-balanced, it is so rich and deeply filled that it asks for pairing with richer foods. Try it with grilled salmon or liberally herbed roasted chicken, and, as tasty as it is now, it can be counted on to provide several more years of delicious drinking. 1 l D $35.00

* jl DRAGONETTE Grissini Family Vineyard 2016Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara. This rich and comparatively full-bodied working recalls Chardonnay in its volume and overall weight, and its concentration and ample fruity muscle tag it as Sauvignon Blanc that very much wants drinking with appropriately full-flavored foods. It suggests ripe melons at one moment and a bit of creamy oak the next with flashes of sweet lemons peeking out here and there. While close to coating and near-unctuous in feel, it is not heavy-footed, but its fundamental lack of tactile angles and edges signals that it is ready to enjoy without need of further age. O l D $45.00ir DRY CREEK VINEYARD The Mariner 2017Dry Creek Valley. 88% Sauvignon Blanc; 12% Semillon. Very fresh yet a little tight on first nosing and fairly tight-fisted from first sniff to finish, this youthfully constrained, mid-density effort conveys a good sense of substance, but it is a bit ragged in feel and presently wants for polish and increased fruity presence. We are fairly certain that another year of age will be of real benefit here, and, while we are willing to bet on its future, we are not willing to bet big. 1 l I $35.00ir FETZER Echo Ridge California 2017It is not uncommon for various inexpensive Fetzer bottlings to hit the mark for fine value, and this lively, well-defined, lighter-bodied offering is nothing short of an out-and-out bargain. It is hardly a powerhouse, but it is distinctly varietal with kiwi-like fruit played against a quiet suggestion of fresh grass, and it is better balanced than a wine carrying a suggested retail price of ten dollars before discount has any right to be. Kudos to Fetzer once again.GOOD VALUE 3 C D $10.00

* is GREEN & RED Catacula Vineyard Napa Valley 2016Redolent of green tea and lemons in its fairly fresh and zesty aromas and reflecting the same mix of fruit and leafy herbs along with a scant stony note in taste, this slightly rounded, medium-bodied offering hits the varietal mark without hesitation, and its winning combination of cleanliness, vitality and slight juiciness earns it easy recommendation.GOOD VALUE 1 l D $22.00** jo ILLUMINATION 51% Sonoma County 201749% Napa County. 7% Semillon. It would be all too easy to underestimate this wine as being fresh and nominally fruity on first nosing, but, given a few moments, its aromas expand and impress with their sense of composition and depth. So, too, on the palate, this one takes its time to reveal all that it has with nascent layering and a deepening seriousness showing with each successive sip. It is a full, but tightly wound Sauvignon Blanc that, more than most, speaks very convincingly of a need for time, and

we strongly urge that it not be drunk down in haste. Experience teaches that good Sauvignon Blanc can age wonderfully, and this one has the look of a wine that will reward a half-decade or more of patience. 3 l A $50.00* it JOSEPH PHELPS St. Helena 2017Subtle grassiness and a gentle touch of sweet oak are teamed with direct, lightly melon-like fruit in both the aromas and flavors of this easy going, clean-as-can-be Sauvignon Blanc, and, while the wine teases with a suggestion of sweetness that makes it a tasty quaff on its own, it is fit with trim acidity that keeps it light on its feet and balanced to drink comfortably with a wide range of lighter foods. 1 C D $40.00

* it JOULLIAN Family Reserve Carmel Valley 20178% Semillon. Smelling of sweet lemons and blossoms with light background accents of fresh grass testifying to its variety yet favoring ripeness and slightly viscous once in the mouth, this medium-full-bodied working runs more to richness than to cleansing crispness and shows a wee touch of heat in the latter going. Although it would not be our first choice when lighter seafoods are on the night’s menu, it will do the trick in washing down slightly richer fare and should match up particularly well with flavorful, braised chicken recipes. 1 C D $25.00ir KATE ARNOLD California 2017Light and slightly sparing in fruity richness with just enough grass and a touch of fennel in the background laying claim to being Sauvignon Blanc, this solid, slightly fleshy, medium-bodied wine possesses very good structure and picks up a little more positive fruit as its goes. It is, withal, a cleanly made, easy-to-taste effort that will fit in with a wide range of foods, and it becomes more appealing yet when its modest price is revealed.GOOD VALUE 3 F D $15.00

* jl KELLEHER Block 21 Oakville 2017Kelleher Sauvignon Blancs have never shied away from ripeness, and this bottling follows in the family tradition, but, if admittedly a bit warm at the finish, the wine is fully fleshed out with more than enough fruity stuffing to buffer its last-minute heat. It makes

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up in richness for what it may lack in finesse, and, rather than being an exercise in simple ripeness, it shows a fair degree of complexity in its expression of melons, candied lemons, creamy oak and understated herbaceousness. Needless to say, it is one to reserve for meals big on flavor and should be overlooked with dainty dishes. 1 l I $34.00ip LAPIS LUNA North Coast 2017Vaguely melony and distantly suggestive of dried grasses on the nose but never wholly convincing as Sauvignon Blanc, this softly balanced bottling follows suit and pulls up short on the palate, with dull, undefined flavors that come up wanting in brightness and bounce. 1 C D $15.00

* jl MERRY EDWARDS Russian River Valley 2017Very much showing its maker’s penchant for riper, full-flavored Sauvignon Blancs and a wine that tends to melony sweetness while holding the variety’s grassy traits to a quiet minimum, the latest from Merry Edwards is a fairly mouthfilling version that eschews delicacy in favor of juicy richness. It joins those offerings that are more wine than lighter seafoods are up to comfortably handling, but it will shine with spicy crab cakes or roasted chicken finished with a slightly sweet glaze. 3 C D $36.00ir MORGAN Monterey 2017Less fruity and more weedy in focus with a subtle stony bent to its nose and of a very similar mind from entry to finish, this firmly balanced youngster edges to stiffness, at least for the nonce, and takes on a touch of chalkiness in the late going. Time is its ally, and another year in the bottle should allow it to relax, but it will successfully work as a crisping companion to fattier fish dishes in the shorter term. 3 F I $18.00

* it NAVARRO Cuvée 128 Anderson Valley 2017Light and lively right from the start and never a wine that goes for big fruit and obvious ripeness, Navarro’s Cuvée 128 is a sleek and racy offering whose first concern is zesty freshness, but it manages to keep its sights centered on very clean, mildly grassy, slightly citrusy fruit at all times with the brisk balance to succeed famously as a refreshing foil to the likes of oysters on the half-shell and lighter fish entrees of all sorts.GOOD VALUE 1 F D $19.50ir POMAR JUNCTION El Pomar District 2016Sweet on the nose, slightly sweet on the palate and wholly absent of Sauvignon Blanc’s green and grassier traits, this cleanly made mid-sized wine tastes vaguely of mildly tropical fruit and lemons, but it trails away to a slightly hard and chalky finish. Service with food should help ease its way, but its fruity hesitance costs it any chance for full one-star endorsement. 1 C D $21.00

iq PUMA ROAD Monterey County 201720% Semillon. Wholly devoid of Sauvignon Blanc’s tell-tale herb-and-grass aspects and focused instead on a mix of minerals and white peaches in both scent and taste, this moderately full-bodied effort ups the ante a bit in terms of tactile richness and weight before getting a bit chalky and hard at the end. It has substance without offering a clear look at fruit, and, though it should hold up with age, there is no guarantee that fruit will find a significantly more prominent role in the years ahead. 1 l I $25.00ip ROCK WALL Sandy Bend Vineyard Lake County 2017Among the lightest, least forceful Sauvignon Blancs in this month’s survey, but a wine that is underfilled rather than one that lays claim to nuanced delicacy, this soft, slightly viscous effort is clean but watery at its heart, and it lacks the fundamental fruity core to survive late-arriving bitterness. 1 C D $18.00

* jl RUSACK Estate Ballard Canyon 2017Bright, buoyant and juicy with a nicely measured streak of varietal herbaceousness in careful counterpoint to its continuous, mildly melony fruit, Rusack’s Sauvignon Blanc flirts with a scant touch of sweetness but is exceptionally well-balanced and never inclines to candied confection. It is wonderfully sustained on the palate and enlivened by just the right amount of palate-cleansing acidity, and it will make marvelous drinking with all sorts of chicken and sweet-leaning crab recipes over the next two or three years.GOOD VALUE 1 C D $26.00* iu SADDLEBACK Oakville 2017With an engaging nose of well-ripened melons and sweet citrus redolent of fresh mandarins that is graced by highlights of green tea, this solidly built offering follows with fairly deep, generously fruited flavors that are both ripe and quite nicely balanced. The wine is arguably a touch coarse at the moment, but its sins are nothing more than those of extreme youth, and service with food in the near term or, better yet, a bit of bottle time are certain to bring the polish at which it now only reluctantly hints.GOOD VALUE O l I $24.00ir SANTA BARBARA WINERY McGinley Vineyard 2017Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara. Fairly ripe and yet sparing in both defined fruit and Sauvignon Blanc’s herbal aspects, this moderately full-bodied wine conveys a good deal of substance and palatal weight, but its slightly viscous beginnings give way to a bit of coarseness and heat as it crosses the palate, and it ultimately wants a little more varietal confidence to break into recommended ranks. O l D $20.00ir SANTA BARBARA WINERY Santa Ynez Valley 20175% Riesling. Fairly withdrawn and reluctant to open on the nose and similarly less than forthcoming in the mouth with a certain structural tightness that reinforces its impression of ungenerous youth, this one hints at weedy herbaceousness, citrus and stones without ever raising its voice and finishes on a slightly chalky note. It is not without fruit, but that fruit needs time to emerge, and the wine stands to benefit from even as little as another six to twelve months of age. 3 F I $17.00

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The Year in Review 2018

s usual, January is a time for reflection here at the Connoisseurs’ Guide as the joyous madness and harried times of the holiday season recede. As the new year begins, we look forward with optimism to what lies ahead, but we customarily find ourselves casting a lengthy look back at what the last one has meant in the endless evolution of fine California wines and offer our thoughts about the ways we have come and where the

local vinous world might be headed. To say that 2018 was fruitful – pun intended – is an understatement to say the least, and the succession of fine vintages begun in 2012 has continued without interruption, yet each harvest and flood of newly released wines bring plenty of food for thought.

AThe recently concluded vintage has winemakers up and down the coast happy, if vineyard reports are to be believed, and, while it is rare to hear growers and vintners complain once the harvest has come in, we see no reason to question their widespread cheer. Picking started a bit late, but there were no issues with rain or the heat spikes that complicated things the last couple of years, and, for the most part, grapes were allowed lengthy hang time in which to develop desired character. The 2018 crop was a large one, and, while we have heard from several vint-ners that the prices for grapes grown in some favored sites were down as a result, we are not holding our breaths that a long crop will neces-sarily translate into any decline in the cost of premium wine overall, given that yields were down in the previous year. Questions about “smoke taint” that surfaced after the devastating wild fires of 2017 are being quietly voiced again after summer fires first in Lake and Mendocino Counties and later in Butte County, the latter of which left a smoky pall over much of the Bay area for days and may have affected a few vine-yards late to pick, but answers to if and how much damage was done must wait until we see wines in bottle. We do not anticipate serious problems, but suspect that unwarranted sensationalism is afoot and expect to hear more on the topic in the months ahead.

As for finished wines that came our way this past year, there are only good things to report, but ongoing improvement should not be surpris-ing given the string of good harvests and the tenacity of winemakers always looking to improve on the craft. Vintners and growers, not to mention consumers, are smarter than ever, and that can only mean that the trajectory for fine West Coast wine will only continue to go up. The big three – Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay – still command much-served attention, and the list of recommended offer-ings of each has steadily lengthened. While we still are not comfortable with the rampant grade inflation that seems to be the norm in much of the popular press, we must admit that the overall quality of wines coming our way has gotten better in recent years and that patently avoid-able efforts are far and few between.

Zinfandel and Syrah look to be emerging from their sustained doldrums, while Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier are well on their ways to proving that superlative, genuinely interesting white wine does not begin and end with Chardonnay. Although far from household names, any number of less-heralded and underappreciated varieties such as Grenache, Tempranillo, Albariño, Marsanne and Roussanne have established a firm foothold in the state’s better winegrowing districts and old favorites like Barbera, Chenin Blanc, Riesling and Gewürztraminer are showing stubborn resilience and refusing to fade into anonymity as a new generation of discerning wine drinkers revels in the diversity afforded by California wines. Arguments about style persist but have become less vitriolic, and looking back, it is hard not to see how honest debate is healthy and bound to advance both the art and industry of fine wine.

Each year, of course, comes with low points as a well as high, and, on an especially sad note, we said goodbye to one of the state’s great cham-pions of Zinfandel, Kent Rosenblum, who unexpectedly passed away last September due to complications from knee surgery. Kent was a cherished friend with a first-rate palate and a knack for telling jokes who sat in on many of our tasting panels over the years, and he will be sorely missed. Gone, too, is Robert Haas, who founded Tablas Creek winery in Paso Robles, and Ulysses Valdez, grower par excellence, who tragically left us too soon at the age of 49, but, just as with Kent, their legacies are alive through sons and daughters who have become impor-tant members of California’s winemaking family.

The wine world has grown ever larger and more complicated, and the staggering number of wines from which to choose can be daunting, but such growth would not be possible without a concomitant increase in interest from consumers. The internet and social media have made for an extraordinary electronic symposium wherein wine lovers of all stripes, from the casual consumer to those passionate imbibers for whom things vinous is a way of life, can educate themselves and readily exchange opinions and ideas. Neither can be ignored by any of us who make, sell or write about wines, yet we like to think that there is a still room for experienced, professional guidance, and we would like to close with a word of appreciation for all of you who find some value in our monthly musings. Wine has been both our vocation and avocation for over forty years, and, if forty more might be asking for too much, we will remain doing that which we most love to do as long as we are able. We look forward to the coming year and many more after that. Thank you for your continuing readership.

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In far too many ways, time passes all too quickly, but when looking back on 2018 as we assemble our lists of candidates for “Best of the Year” hon-ors chosen from the thousands of wine reviewed in the pages of CGCW, we realize that the year’s journey has been a long one, indeed. The task of naming favorites is never an easy one, and, as usual, choosing our top picks requires some painful winnowing, but, here again Steve and Charlie humbly offer up their selections of those bottles that have left especially indelible memories in what has been an altogether remarkable year for California wines.

Winery of the Year: KISTLER VINEYARDSThere are years when one producer stands out and makes our choice of “Winery of the Year” fairly easy, but, in 2018, the field was crowded with worthies, some for their mastery of one or two varieties, such as Blue Farm, Donum and Diamond Creek to name but a few, and others, like Darioush and last January’s honoree Frank Family for their across-the-board success with multiple grapes, all of which earn honorable mention. When read-ing through the reviews of the past twelve months, however, it is Kistler Vineyards in Sonoma County that wins our vote for its remarkable collection of eleven recommended Chardonnays and Pinots Noirs that netted three*** awards and a half-dozen ** ratings as well.

Red Wine of the Year: JOSEPH PHELPS Insignia 2015 and DIAMOND CREEK Red Rock Terrace Cabernet Sauvignon 2015Cabernet Sauvignon showed exceptionally well this past year with a host of outstanding offerings checking in with *** ratings, but two peren-nial favorites found their ways to the very head of an extraordinarily accomplished class, and both the 2015 Joseph Phelps Insignia and the 2015 Diamond Creek Red Rock Terrace share the distinction of being the very best of the best.

White Wine of the Year: KISTLER Hyde Vineyard Chardonnay 2015There is never a shortage of fine California Chardonnays from which to choose, yet, in 2018, one stood out from all of the rest. Kistler impressed with nine standout Chardonnays in our July issue, and, while we would be more than happy to have any of them at our tables, the stunning version from Larry Hyde’s Carneros Vineyard is our highest scoring white wine of the year.

STEPHEN ELIOT’S Best of the *** WinesBEEKEEPER Secret Stones Zinfandel 2015DIAMOND CREEK Red Rock Terrace Cabernet Sauvignon 2015DONUM Angel Camp Pinot Noir 2015JOSEPH PHELPS Insignia Cabernet Sauvignon 2015KISTLER Hyde Vineyard Chardonnay 2015MERRY EDWARDS Bucher Vineyard Pinot Noir 2016PAUL HOBBS Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2015SCHRAMSBERG J. Schram Rosé Sparkling Wine 2009THREE STICKS Walala Vineyard Pinot Noir 2015

TREFETHEN Halo Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

Best of the **WinesCHATEAU STE. MICHELLE Eroica Gold Riesling 2014CORISON Helios Sunbasket Vineyard Cabernet Franc 2015DAOU Sauvignon Blanc 2016DRAGONETTE MJM Syrah 2014LIMERICK LANE Hail Mary Syrah 2015ROEDERER ESTATE L’Ermitage Brut Sparkling Wine 2012SEGHESIO Pagani Zinfandel 2015V. SATTUI Quaglia Vineyard Ancient Vines Zinfandel 2015WILLIAMS SELYEM Olivet Lane Pinot Noir 2016

WONDERMENT Hyde Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2015

CHARLES OLKEN’S Best of the *** WinesBEEKEEPER Montecillo Zinfandel 2015BLACKBIRD Paramour Cabernet Franc 2015BLUE FARM King Ridge Vineyard Pinot Noir 2015DIAMOND CREEK Red Rock Terrace Cabernet Sauvignon 2015JEFF COHN Buffalo Hill Syrah 2015JOSEPH PHELPS Insignia Cabernet Sauvignon 2015KISTLER Hyde Vineyard Chardonnay 2015ROEDERER ESTATE L’Ermitage Rosé Sparkling Wine 2011SAINTSBURY Lee Vineyard Pinot Noir 2016

TREFETHEN Halo Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

Best of the ** WinesDAOU Mayote 2015DuMOL Lia Viognier 2015DuMOL Ryan Pinot Noir 2015JEFF COHN Iris Brut Rosé Sparkling Wine 2016KISTLER Durell Vineyard Chardonnay 2015LYNMAR Kanzler Vineyard Pinot Noir 2016MOONE-TSAI Hillside Blend 2015STORYBOOK MOUNTAIN Estate Reserve Zinfandel 2014WILLIAMS SELYEM Rochioli Riverblock Pinot Noir 2015BLACKBIRD Arriviste Rosé 2017

Best Wines of the Year 2018

Connoisseurs’ Series

For more information about CONNOISSEURS’ SERIES, please call the California Wine Club at 1-800-777-4443 or visit www.cawineclub.com/connseries

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Best Buys in the Market

** BLACK KITE Pinot Noir Gap’s Crown Vineyard Sonoma Coast 2015, ** SOJOURN CELLARS Pinot Noir Reuling Vineyard Sonoma Coast 2016 and SOJOURN CELLARS Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Georges III Vineyard Napa Valley 2015.

Created by the California Wine Club exclusively for Connoisseurs’ Guide readers, and featuring only our two-star and three-star selections, the CONNOISSEURS’ SERIES wine-of-the month club makes hard to get wines available for you. Featured this month are:

The holiday season may have passed, but good sparkling wine is a staple throughout the year and we continue to be impressed by the extraordinary value afforded a good number of local Méthode Champenoise bottlings. Heading up January’s lengthy list of priceworthy bubblies, the lively, wonderfully refined * ROEDERER ESTATE Brut Ander-son Valley ($24.00) remains a perennial favorite, and the latest * SCHRAMSBERG Mirabelle Brut California ($29.00) similarly gets the nod for its careful crafting and yeasty precision. The rich and well-balanced * SCHARF-FENBERGER Brut Rosé Excellence Mendocino County ($26.00) is a substantial, eminently foodworthy effort, and the spry, slightly creamy * RACK & RIDDLE Blanc de Blancs North Coast ($20.00) is a fine example of the genre. GLORIA FERRER checks in with three enthusiastically recommended sparklers, a fruity * Blanc de Noirs Carneros ($22.00), a frothy and friendly * Blanc de Blancs Carneros ($22.00) and a crisp, finely bubbled * Brut

Sonoma County ($22.00), and, not to be outdone, MUMM likewise wins endorsement for several different bottlings that deliver outstanding quality at the price, and its sleek and delicately toasty * Blanc de Blancs Napa County ($24.00) is joined by the juicy, fruit-forward * Brut Rosé Napa County ($24.00), the * Brut Prestige Napa County ($24.00) and the slightly sweet * Cuvée M Napa County ($24.00) in a most impressive quartet of affordable sparkers. Finally, the * KORBEL Natural Russian River Valley ($16.00) and its two 86-point cellarmates, the KORBEL Brut California ($14.00) and the KORBEL Brut Rosé California ($14.00) over-deliver at the price, and, just as is the case with most all of the well-made sparklers on this month’s roster of Best Buys, they are easier to like yet when found at a substantial discount as they sometimes are.

The demand for good Cabernet Sauvignon has not eased, and, if the top offerings can get very expensive, fine values still await price-conscious Cabernet lovers who are unwilling to wait for special occasions when indulging in their favorite wine. Among recent favorites that are both tasty and easy on seasonally strained budgets, the * SUMMERS Andriana’s Cuvée 82% Sonoma County/18% Napa County 2016 ($20.00) is a standout for its well-defined, very honest varietal fruit, while the nicely composed * INCONCEIVABLE After The Flood Columbia Valley 2014 ($25.00) and the energetically fruited * MERCER Horse Heaven Hills 2016 ($20.00) are a noteworthy pair from Washington well worth seeking out. Inclining to ripeness and of a more succulent bent, the * KLINKER BRICK Lodi 2015 ($19.00) is certain to please, and, while falling just short of full one-star recommendation, the 86-point NOW PRESENTING Paso Robles 2016 ($18.00) is a weighty, but not-too-tannic offering that says Cabernet in a clear and constant voice.

News Syrahs will be featured in March, but there are any number of surprisingly good efforts that still can be found, and several hit the mark for outstanding value. The ** BECKMEN Purisima Mountain Vineyard Ballard Canyon 2016 ($32.00) is a ripe and heady, generously filled Syrah that is bursting with explicit varietal spice, and, from Monterey County, the ** WRATH San Saba Vineyard Monterey 2016 ($39.00) and the ** WRATH KW Ranch Santa Lucia Highlands 2016 ($39.00) are breakthrough bottlings of amazing richness and fruity depth. At the lower end of the price scale, the carefully constructed * TERRE ROUGE Les Côtes de L’Ouest California 2015 ($22.00) continues its maker’s winning ways with Syrah, and both the juicy * KLINKER BRICK Farrah Lodi 2015 ($20.00) and the lively, 86-point WRITER’S BLOCK Lake County 2015 ($18.00) are bargains that should not be overlooked.

SPARKLING WINE

CABERNET SAUVIGNON

SYRAH

Write to us at P.O. Box 8, Pinole, California, 94564. Our phone is 510-417-2833. Email: office@cgcw.com Web: www.cgcw.com

January 2019 Index

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ZINFANDEL iq ANCIENT PEAKS Sta Margarita Ranch 2016* it ANDIS Original Grandpère Vineyard 2016

ir ANDIS Estate Friedlander Block 2016

iq ANDIS Amador County 2016* GV is ANGRY BUNCH Mendocino County 2015

ir ANGRY BUNCH Dry Creek Valley 2016

iq ANGRY BUNCH Lodi 2016*** js BEEKEEPER Montecillo Vineyard 2016* it BELLA GRACE Old Vine Amador Co 2016* is BELLA GRACE Estate Amador Co 2016

ir BELLA GRACE Amador County 2016** jm BENOVIA Sonoma County 2016* it BINZ Fox Creek Vineyard 2013* is BINZ Shenandoah Valley 2016* is BINZ Fox Creek Vineyard 2014* is BINZ Esola Vineyards 2013

ir BINZ Fox Creek Vineyard 2015

iq BINZ Shenandoah Valley 2015* iu CAROL SHELTON Karma Reserve 2015* iu CAROL SHELTON Cox Vineyard 2016* it CAROL SHELTON Rocky Reserve 2016* it CAROL SHELTON Peaceland Vineyard 2016

ir CAROL SHELTON Wild Thing 2016* GV it CASTORO Reserve Zinfusion 2015

ir CIRQUE DU VIN Paso Robles 2016* jl DASHE Late Harvest 2016* it DASHE Todd Brothers Ranch 2016* is DASHE The Comet Sonoma County 2016* is DASHE Reserve Dry Creek Valley 2016

ir DASHE Florence Vineyard 2016* is DAY El Diablo Vineyard 2016* is DAY Grist Vineyard 2016* is DAY Sonoma County 2016* jl DRY CREEK VYD Wallace Ranch 2016* jl DRY CREEK VYD Old Vine 2016* iu DRY CREEK VINEYARD Old Vine 2015* it DRY CREEK VYD Four Clones 2016 * it DRY CREEK VYD Spencer’s Hill Vyd 2015* jl EASTON Estate Shenandoah Valley 2015* it EASTON Old Vine Rinaldi Vineyard 2015* GV it EASTON Fiddletown 2015* is GREEN & RED Tip Top Vineyard 2014

ir GREEN & RED Chiles Canyon Vyds 2016

iq GREEN & RED Chiles Mill Vineyard 2015* iu GRGICH HILLS Napa Valley 2014* it HARNEY LANE Lizzy James Vineyard 2016** jp JEFF COHN Iron Hill Vineyard 2016** jo JEFF COHN Orcio Cassata Vineyard 2016** jo JEFF COHN Cassata Vineyard 2016** jn JEFF COHN Rinaldi Vineyard 2016** jm JEFF COHN St. Peter’s Church Vyd 2016** jm JEFF COHN Sweetwater Springs Vyd 2016** jm JEFF COHN Nun’s Canyon Vineyard 2016 * jl JEFF COHN Rossi Ranch Vineyard 2016* GV jl JEFF COHN Dealmaker California 2016* iu JEFF COHN The Imposter 2016* is JOULLIAN Sias Cuveé Carmel Valley 2014** jn KRECK Teldeschi Vineyard Old Vine 2016* it KRECK Del Barba Vineyard Old Vine 2016

GV ir LAPIS LUNA North Coast 2017** jm LA STORIA Block 303 2016* it LAVA VINE The Poor Ranch 2015* is LAVA VINE Napa Valley 2015* iu MAURITSON Dry Creek Valley 2016* GV it McNAB Mendocino County 2016* jl MIKE & MOLLY HENDRY R.W. Moore 2016* iu MIRO Mounts Vineyard Reserve 2016* is MUELLER Old Vine Russian River Vly 2015* iu NOCETO The Original Grandpère Vyd 2014* it OPOLO Forte Paso Robles 2016* is OPOLO Mountain Paso Robles 2017* GV is OPOLO Summit Creek Paso Robles 2017* jl PEACHY CANYON Mustard Creek 2016* iu PEACHY CANYON Vortex 2016* it PEACHY CANYON 30th Anniversary 2016* it PEACHY CANYON Willow 2016* is PEACHY CANYON D Block 2016* is PEACHY CANYON Mustang Springs 2016* is PEACHY CANYON Westside 2016

GV ir PEACHY CANYON Incredible Red 2016

iq PEACHY CANYON Especial 2016* it PEDRONCELLI Courage Faloni Vyd 2016* is PEDRONCELLI Bushnell Vineyard 2016* GV is PEDRONCELLI Mother Clone 2016* it POMAR JUCTION Reserve 2015* is POMAR JUNCTION El Pomar District 2015

iq RABBIT RIDGE Westside Paso Robles 2016

ir REPLICA Pickpocket Red Wine 2016** jm RIDGE Pagani Ranch 2016* iu RIDGE Lytton Springs 2016* is RIDGE Ponzo 2016

ir ROBERT HALL Cavern Select 2016*** jq ROCKPILE Rockpile Ridge Vineyard 2016** jo ROCKPILE Cemetery Vineyard 2016** jn ROCKPILE Westphall Ridge Vineyard 2017** jm ROCKPILE Jack’s Cabin Vineyard 2016* jl ROCKPILE Pritchett Peaks Vineyard 2016* it ROCK WALL Pearl Hart Reserve 2015* is ROCK WALL Harris Kratka Vineyard 2016

ir ROCK WALL Sven & Ole’s Reserve 2015* it RUSACK Estate Ballard Canyon 2016

ir RUSSELL FAMILY O.V.Z. Paso Robles 2016* it SADDLEBACK Old Vines Napa Valley 2016* jl SEAWOLF Love Vineyard 2016** jm SIMONCINI Saitone Ranch Vineyard 2013* iu SOBON ESTATE ReZerve Primitivo 2016* GV it SOBON ESTATE Rocky Top 2016* is SOBON ESTATE ReZerve 2016

GV ir SOBON ESTATE Cougar Hill 2016

GV ir SOBON ESTATE Old Vine Amador Co 2016

iq SPICY VINES Zin Master 2015* jl TERRA D’ORO Home Vineyard 2016* iu TERRA D’ORO Deaver Vineyard 2016* GV it TERRA D’ORO Amador County 2016* is TERRA D’ORO SHR Field Blend 2016* jl THREE Evangelho Vineyard 2016

ir THREE Old Vines Contra Costa Co 2016* is UPSHOT Red Wine Blend Sonoma Co 2016

iq UVVAGIO Primitivo Lodi 2016** jn V. SATTUI Gilsson Vineyard 2016** jm V. SATTUI Crow Ridge Vineyard 2016* jl V. SATTUI Quaglia Vineyard 2016* jl V. SATTUI Vittorio’s Vineyard 2016* jl V. SATTUI Amador Ridge Vineyard 2016* jl V. SATTUI Dry Creek Valley 2016** jn WONDERMENT Bacigalupi Vineyard 2014* iu ZIALENA Sonoma County 2014

SAUVIGNON BLANC* is BLACKBIRD Dissonance Napa Valley 2017* GV iu BRANDBORG Umpqua Valley 2016* GV is CALSTAR Russian River Valley 2017* it CANNONBALL Eleven Dry Creek Valley 2017

iq CARICA Moaveni Vineyard 2017* GV it CASTORO Paso Robles 2017** jn DAOU Adelaida District 2017** jn DRAGONETTE Vogelzang Vineyard 2016** jm DRAGONETTE Happy Canyon 2017* jl DRAGONETTE Grissini Family Vineyard 2016

ir DRY CREEK VINEYARD The Mariner 2017

GV ir FETZER Echo Ridge California 2017* GV is GREEN & RED Catacula Vineyard 2016** jo ILLUMINATION 51% Sonoma County 2017* it JOSEPH PHELPS St. Helena 2017* it JOULLIAN Family Reserve Carmel Valley 2017

GV ir KATE ARNOLD California 2017* jl KELLEHER Block 21 Oakville 2017

ip LAPIS LUNA North Coast 2017* jl MERRY EDWARDS Russian River Valley 2017

ir MORGAN Monterey 2017* GV it NAVARRO Cuvée 128 Anderson Valley 2017

ir POMAR JUNCTION El Pomar District 2016

iq PUMA ROAD Monterey County 2017

ip ROCK WALL Sandy Bend Vineyard 2017* GV jl RUSACK Estate Ballard Canyon 2017* GV iu SADDLEBACK Oakville 2017

ir SANTA BARBARA WNY McGinley Vyd 2017

ir SANTA BARBARA WNY Santa Ynez Vly 2017