California Wine Reviews

I drank these 30 wines and tasted apple, black fruit, bright, cherry, creamy, fruity, red fruit, smoky, smooth tannin, spice. The wines are aged, biodynamic, food friendly, food-friendly, my favorites, small production, unoaked and came from a variety of sources, including wine clubs, wineries, and wine stores.

Wine reviews by: Jessyca Frederick

Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir

2017 Ken Brown Wines Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir

A beautiful example of what put Sta. Rita Hills on the map of world’s best Pinot Noir regions.

Tasting notes: red fruit, spice

Improv

2014 Ecluse Wines Improv

A great example both of the winemaking style from Écluse Wines and and the ageability of their wines (and red wines from Paso Robles).

Tasting notes: black fruit, smooth

Chardonnay, Sonoma County

2020 Long Street Winery Chardonnay, Sonoma County

A nice, solid Chardonnay. Well-balanced, structured but not oaky, round but not buttery, not too much alcohol, not too much acid.

Tasting notes: balanced, white fruit

Oakville Cabernet Sauvingon

2019 Stag’s Leap Winery Oakville Cabernet Sauvingon

The nose was classic blackberry and graphite, with a hint of pyrazine. It was fairly bright for a Napa Cab, and lighter bodied than I expected, too. I tasted cedar and clove, blackcurrant, and some plum.

Tasting notes: bright, black fruit

Block 20 Merlot

2019 Stag’s Leap Winery Block 20 Merlot

Among the three wines I tried from Stag’s Leap Winery in April, this was my favorite. I like Merlot and I’m not ashamed to say so.

Tasting notes: smooth tannins, bright, black fruit, blue fruit

Titus Andronicus

2020 Titus Wines Titus Andronicus

Great crowd-pleasing Bordeaux-style blend. Fruit-forward but balanced with smooth tannins, great acidity, and just a touch of vanilla from the oak.

Tasting notes: red fruit, vanilla, bright, smooth tannin

Swirl Petite Sirah

2018 Penrose Hill Firstleaf Swirl Petite Sirah

People who like a sweeter red wine, like a jammy Syrah, would enjoy this bottle. The sweetness was balanced with strong tannins in this full-bodied red wine.

Tasting notes: jammy, slightly sweet, red fruit, bold tannins

Inkscape Shiraz

2018 Penrose Hill Firstleaf Inkscape Shiraz

A subtle version of what this grape can produce, but a great introduction to it if you’re not familiar and looking for an alternative bold red wine to Cabernet Sauvignon.

Tasting notes: dark fruit, tobacco, spice, subtle

Cabernet Sauvignon

2017 Dani Gold Wines Cabernet Sauvignon

Easy-drinking, well-made California Cabernet Sauvignon featuring cherry, cassis, and soft tannins. Quite enjoyable.

Tasting notes: cherry, cassis, smooth tannin

Envision Pinot Noir

2017 Ken Brown Wines Envision Pinot Noir

The 2017 Envision, a blend of some of SYV’s best vineyards, represented a classic style of Pinot Noir common to the area.

Tasting notes: smoky, red fruit, bright

Sweet Sparkling Rosé

NV Laetitia Winery Sweet Sparkling Rosé

This was fruity and balanced and seemed more Demi-Sec than straight up sweet as the label suggests, but that could be because the wine had enough acid.

Tasting notes: balanced, red fruit, sweet

Patelin de Tablas Blanc

2021 Tablas Creek Vineyards Patelin de Tablas Blanc

I smelled white fruit and enjoyed an appley mid-palate (the Grenache Blanc), a hint of Meyer lemon, and a nice minerality supported by mild acidity.

Tasting notes: apple, low acid, mineral

Vogelzang Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc

2018 Dragonette Cellars Vogelzang Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc

It is a medium-bodied, medium-acidity Sauv Blanc with Meyer lemon and grapefruit on the palate, more muted butterscotch than the nose, and at five years old, just a hint of oak.

Tasting notes: citrus, butterscotch, oak, tropical fruit

Chenin Blanc

2018 Lone Madrone Chenin Blanc

With 4+ years of age on it, this Chenin was not especially fruity, but still aromatic and honeyed. The acidity and body were beautiful, offering interesting textures as the wine moved across my palate.

Tasting notes: bright, honey, apple

Oveja

2018 Lone Madrone Oveja

I enjoyed: white fruit cocktail, banana, lychee, something like Petrol (from the Picpoul), and mandarin. Still food-friendly, after all those years.

Tasting notes: bright, stone fruit

Rosé

2021 Dragonette Cellars Rosé

Strawberry was dominant on both the nose and the palate. This medium-body rosé has a round mouthfeel (due largely to the sur lies aging), is bright. But not too bright.

Tasting notes: strawberry, bright, round, jolly rancher

Estate Rosé

2021 Stolpman Vineyards Estate Rosé

This particular vintage was never especially fruity — sometimes the strawberry and watermelon leap make your mouth water, but in this vintage the fruit was way more subtle than that.

Tasting notes: bright, strawberry, watermelon

New Routine

2017 Thacher Winery New Routine

Big, mouth-coating red wine featuring dark red fruits, black fruits, and a host of other savory flavors.

Tasting notes: dark red fruit, black fruit, pepper

Happy Canyon Sauvignon Blanc

2019 Dragonette Cellars Happy Canyon Sauvignon Blanc

Magic in a bottle. Bright, caramel, bruléed pineapple, guava, and a viscosity that coats your tongue making it all last even longer.

Tasting notes: caramel, pineapple, creme brulée, tropical fruit

Duvarita Vineyard Pinot Noir

2019 Story of Soil Duvarita Vineyard Pinot Noir

A complex, red-fruit forward, slightly smoky Pinot Noir that typifies the Sta. Rita Hills appellation and showcases winemaker Jessica Gasca’s love of letting the grapes shine.

Tasting notes: red fruit, smoky, smooth, cherry, cranberry

Camille Benitah Volute

2020 Naked Wines Camille Benitah Volute

When I taste wines like this one, I’m reminded that Napa Valley wines are mostly overpriced and overhyped. It showcases Napa’s red wine grapes and terroir without breaking the bank.

Tasting notes: black fruit, graphite, chocolate, oaky, smooth tannin

F. Stephen Millier Legend Series Santa Barbara Pinot Noir

2021 Naked Wines F. Stephen Millier Legend Series Santa Barbara Pinot Noir

For $15.99 this Pinot Noir was an impressive doppelganger for Santa Barbara’s more premium product, but the complexity and depth was missing.

Tasting notes: red fruit, earthy

Derek Rohlffs Pinot Gris

2021 Naked Wines Derek Rohlffs Pinot Gris

Fruity and bright, light white wine that tasted a little bit hot to me (the taste of alcohol). As with most Naked Wines whites, a great price for an easy drinking wine.

Tasting notes: apple, baked pear, bright, lemon

Franc Dušak Viognier

2021 Naked Wines Franc Dušak Viognier

A very subtle viognier offering typical varietal flavors like jasmine and honey, but the fruit profile was apple, not the usual stone fruits like apricot.

Tasting notes: floral, honey, apple

Rick Boyer Unoaked Chardonnay

2021 Naked Wines Rick Boyer Unoaked Chardonnay

A beautiful expression of Central Coast Chardonnay which went easy on the winemaking to let the Chardonnay’s bright fruitiness shine on its own.

Tasting notes: creamy, fruity, bright

“Special Club” White Wine Blend

2021 Martelloto Wines “Special Club” White Wine Blend

The drier, lemony flavors of the Sauvignon Blanc sort of pushed and pulled on the fruitier, more aromatic Riesling and Chenin Blanc. Lacked expected brightness.

Tasting notes: lemon, fruity

“M” Chardonnay

2021 Martelloto Wines “M” Chardonnay

Barrel fermented for eight months, this Chardonnay was not super oaky. Signature apple and pear flavors harmonized with a touch of creaminess.

Tasting notes: apple, pear, creamy, light oak

Brander Merlot, Los Olivos District

2018 Brander Vineyard and Winery Brander Merlot, Los Olivos District

I really enjoyed this Merlot which we paired with my spicy Turkey Chili. Flavors of dark red fruit, soft tannins, and a medium body made it quite enjoyable.

Tasting notes: red fruit, dark fruit, smooth tannin

Cabernet Sauvignon

2018 Courtney Benham Wines Cabernet Sauvignon

It had all the hallmarks of a classic Napa Cab — blackberry, cassis, and pretty smooth tannins for a young wine. And it retails for $20!

Tasting notes: blackberry, cassis, smooth tannin

Old Vines Field Blend

2018 Three Wine Company Old Vines Field Blend

This red blend embodies all of the best qualities of its grapes — a bit of spice, a bit of oak, some red fruit, some black fruit, a touch of smokiness… without being a punch in the mouth.

Tasting notes: spice, oak, red fruit, black fruit, smoky

Notice: I hold no formal wine credentials. I am a wine geek who has consumed 1000+ of bottles from 100+ different wine clubs and 1000s more bottles that didn’t come from those wine clubs. I do not accept payment for wine reviews, and I do not accept payments to influence my opinions. I happily accept free wine (and I buy wine).

Why read my wine reviews: Wine taste is subjective. What I like may not be what you like. I try to leave room for you to form your own opinions, so I don’t provide a score or a rating. I do point out wines that are an incredible value or truly not worth the money. I note flaws, wines that don’t have typicity (because this matters if you are buying wine without having tasted it yourself), when wines are out of balance, and when wines lack appropriate body.

I don’t like wasting money (or anything for that matter). I’m careful about where I spend my money and my mindset as a reviewer is to be careful about where you spend yours. I don’t believe a high price tag equals quality and I know for sure there are wines of very good quality that are also a great value.

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