| Winery | Special Designation | Vintage | Varietal | Rating | DateTasted | Notes | Buy Again? |
| Babs Wine Co | Santa Barbara County | 2024 | Chardonnay | 94 | 9/20/2026 | An intensely rounded and elegant nose with tropical fruit, butterscotch, fresh coconut, warm hay, caramel apple, browned butter, pear, biscuit, cardamom, oak and saddle leather.
High acid balances out this really intense caramel and fruit profile. The finish long with green apple notes. The wine is simply intense and concentrated. So different than the Sonoma Chardonnays. And for that reason, very refreshing on the palate.
Jeez, for $39.50, this wine is a steal. And it is not your store front wine either. This is elegant and sippable, but priced like an everyday sipper. | y |
| Etienne | Essen, Lirac AOC | 2024 | Lirac Red Wine | 96 | 9/20/2026 | At first pour, this is the wine version of a Thanksgiving dinner complete with all the sides and rich flavors, spices and atmosphere. It screams, "Complete!"
Here is what we mean. Red currant, cranberry, rich cherry, baked raspberry, a bit of rhubarb, cinnamon twist, leather, pipe tobacco, ruby port, Rhone valley herbs, lime leaf, rosemary, sage, duck fat, clay minerals and vineyard soil. Nothing is missing. It is complete.
The palate is high acid, long finish, med+ firm tannins. This is so young. The concentration of fruit is darker on the palate than the nose. But the body is full.
What a stunning wine! You know, you open a wine and think, "So, let`s see what we have here." And then you get this! But then you remember who made it and you go, "Oh, yah, makes sense now." An amazing wine at a price-point that is unbelievable. Note: 80% Grenache, 12% Syrah, 2% Mourvedre, 2% Carignan. | y |
| Moret-Brealynn Wines | Santa Lucia Highlands, Monterey County | 2025 | Rose of Pinot Noir | 95 | 9/20/2026 | Strawberry, pomegranate, red cherry, cucumber, watermelon, cinnamon red hots, kaffir lime leaf, mint and butter cream frosting on scones.
The wine is very concentrated on the palate with a ton of intense fruit, finishing long but so well balanced with crisp acid and minerals. It has a deep bench of flavors on the palate.
This must have been really incredible fruit to have this much concentration and texture. The color is pretty deep red suggesting extended skin contact, which might be where it got all this flavor!! It is like a jolly rancher on the nose but bone dry/fruit forward on the palate. It`s a teaser! This is one of the best rose`s of Pinot Noir we`ve tried this year. | y |
| Beaulieu Vineyard | Maestro Collection, Oakville, Napa Valley | 2023 | Cabernet Sauvignon | 94 | 9/16/2026 | The last few vintages of the Oakville Cab have been overlooked for the most part. It does not get poured as very often and is overshadowned by Goerge de Latour, the Cabernet clones and their more expensive reds. But this being a 2023 with that long, extended hang time for the fruit, this is a wine that will need attention. And it will turn heads.
It has notes of black plum, black cherry, cranberry, blackberry, bay leaf, bright floral notes, coffee, leather and brioche.
The palate is a delight. The wine is well rounded with balanced acid, fruit and tannins all in the med+ range. But the finish is very long. It is a mouthful of berries and cherries.
So, with that said, this is a great wine that is far better than your everyday sipper. In fact, it is so good that you could take it parties and really blow people away. And for food, steak immediately comes to mind, baked potato, garlic bread and grilled veg with nice spicing. | y |
| Hestan Vineyards | Napa Valley | 2021 | Grenache | 94 | 9/15/2026 | Strawberry jam, raspberry, red cherry, baking spices, vanilla, brioche and dried herbs.
The palate has rich berry fruit and a long finish. The tannins are covered in berries that coat the tongue. Very nice concentration and intense fruit and sweet bread. Thankfully, the acidity balances everything out.
This is great, fruity Grenache with a quality that makes you want more. | y |
| Whitehall Lane | Rutherford Estate, Napa Valley | 2024 | Malbec | 95 | 9/15/2026 | Blueberry, strawberry cream frosting, biscuit, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, green pepper, pomegranate, potpourri and green olive.
The palate is insane with brisk berry tannins that sizzle. The finish is long and very pleasant. The acid is high and makes the wine`s fruit brisk. The concentration is lovely. If you want a beautiful, intensely full-flavored Malbec, you cannot go any further than this. | y |
| Alpha Omega | Stagecoach, Atlas Peak | 2023 | Cabernet Sauvignon | 96 | 9/14/2026 | | y |
| Alpha Omega | ERA | 2023 | Cabernet Sauvignon | 99 | 9/14/2026 | | y |
| Alpha Omega | ERA | 2024 | Cabernet Sauvignon | 99 | 9/14/2026 | | y |
| Alpha Omega | Cordes Vineyard, Atlas Peak, Napa Valley | 2021 | Cabernet Sauvignon | 97 | 9/14/2026 | | y |
| Alpha Omega | Paratus Vineyard, Mount Veeder, Napa Valley | 2022 | Cabernet Sauvignon | 97 | 9/14/2026 | | y |
| Beaulieu Vineyard | Rutherford Reserve, Napa Valley | 2023 | Cabernet Sauvignon | 93 | 9/14/2026 | Blackberry, leather, tar, tobacco, anise, cocoa, bell pepper, black plum and black cherry.
The palate has a long finish of dark berry fruit that clings to the tongue. The acidity is high, the tannins are med+ and firm. It has pleasing berry/cocoa intensity and concentration at a med+ level.
All in all, this is a superbly drinkable wine with a ton of concentration of flavors and scents. Have it with a steak, lamb or a smash burger with simple toppings. | y |
| Beaulieu Vineyard | Tapestry, Napa Valley | 2023 | Blend (Red Table Wine) | 95 | 9/14/2026 | A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Touriga Nacional and Petit Verdot. The nose has blackberry, blueberry, black cherry, vanilla, sage, bay leaf, Rutherford dust, anise, cocoa, coffee, leather and biscuit.
The palate is firm with med+ dry tannins. The finish is long with black fruit, vanilla and plum. The acid/fruit balance is very pretty. But it is the concentration and intensity that make this wine. It is well rounded and firm with no holes anywhere in the palate.
The herbs on the palate make this a perfect pairing for roast duck confit, turkey dinner, stuffing, potatoes and fatty gravy. Ideal for savory rich foods. | y |
| Beaulieu Vineyard | Reserve, Ranch 2, Rutherford, Napa Valley | 2023 | Cabernet Sauvignon | 96 | 9/13/2026 | As opposed to Ranch 1 below, this one is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. It has raspberry, blackberry, strawberry, sage, thyme, cedar, cocoa, cinnamon carnation pinks, graphite, plum, anise and vanilla.
The palate has brighter fruit than the nose. It is perfectly balanced. High acid, full concentration, gorgeous strawberry, raspberry, fruity finish that last for over and minute. The body is full, the tannins are med+ and silky.
So, this is a stunner of a wine, especially on the palate. | y |
| Beaulieu Vineyard | Reserve, Napa Valley | 2023 | Cabernet Franc | 97 | 9/10/2026 | Blackberry, blueberry, coffee, vanilla, ripe raspberry, baking spice, black cherry, anise, toasted bread and mocha.
The tannins on this thing are full, sizzling but not tight. The body is full. The concentration and finish are all full and long. The fruit on the palate is intense, lush and rustically alluring.
Wow, that an effort from BV. Their Cab Francs have always been good, but this is better than the stellar 2020. This wine is a tour de force. Talk about a massive palate with richness, complexity and amazing approachability. Do not miss this one. | y |
| Beaulieu Vineyard | Reserve, Ranch 1, Rutherford, Napa Valley | 2023 | Cabernet Sauvignon | 94 | 9/9/2026 | Blueberry, boysenberry, clay minerality, vanilla, cocoa, lilac, a touch of anise, Rutherford dust sage notes.
This wine is 19% Petit Verdot and shows it with floral perfume, but the rest is very attractive, dark fruit. The tannins are dry med+, the finish is long with a lot of dark berries and minerality. The concentration and intensity are very nice and high. It is only missing some bright notes on the palate. But for acid/fruit balance this wine has it all. | y |
| Beaulieu Vineyard | Reserve, Napa Valley | 2023 | Merlot | 94 | 9/9/2026 | This was just released from BV. The nose has blackberry, black plum, cocoa, coffee, leather, salted pretzel, sage, bay leaf, tar and burnt sugar. It is a very dark fruit nose.
The palate is very intense with black fruit, high acid, med+ body and concentration. The finish is long and the tannins are high and sizzling.
This is the most intense BV Reserve Merlot of the 2020-2022 mix. It is dark as night and very intense. Drink it with Greek food -- Tzatziki, hummus, spanakopita, grilled chicken or salmon. | y |
| Hollys Hill | Patriache El Dorado | 2024 | Rhone Blend | 93 | 9/9/2026 | The wine has an intense nose full of blackberry pie, black cherry, plum, damp spring flowers, baked biscuit, cranberry, pomegranate and vineyard soil.
The palate has high acid, tart fruit with med+ concentration, tannins, intensity and body. It has a long cranberry finish -- plenty of balance between fruit and acid.
The components of this blend are 49% Mourvedre, 22% Grenache, 17% Syrah, 12% Counoise. The Mourvedre definitely dominates with the rich dark fruit that this wine portrays. | y |
| Hollys Hill | El Dorado | 2024 | Grenache Noir | 96 | 9/9/2026 | From the first sniff this wine is fruit-filled and alluring. One does not even need to be near the glass to smell these lovely notes. We got cranberry, raspberry, strawberry, red cherry, carnation pinks, vanilla, nutmeg, sweet paprika, vineyard dust, dill and sage.
The palate is dry and yet full of intense, concentrated fruit that leaves the tongue thinking it might be sweet! The medium tannins stick to the teeth with thick berry confit. The finish is thing of luxury. What an incredible performance. | y |
| Beringer | Steinhauer Ranch Vineyard, Howell Mountain, Napa Valley | 2021 | Cabernet Franc | 96 | 9/7/2026 | Blueberry, plush blackberry, Gravenstein apple, cinnamon, nutmeg, pie crust, vineyard soil, nori, leather, burnt sugar and black currant.
The palate is plush. I mean, it is fully bodied, concentrated, intense and high acid. It has a long, beautiful finish, silky, sizzling tannins and full bodied. Cab Francs do not get much better. It is balanced but nuanced enough to be very interesting. Acid, tannins and fruit are just magnificent!!
Final word: magnificent! | y |
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