21 posts
2021 Trujillo Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($96) Michael Trujillo arrived in Napa Valley in 1982 from his family’s farm in Colorado. He grew up helping his father year-round in the fields, and learned early on about how soil, climate, pests and cr...
2017 Frank Family Napa Zinfandel ($38) Rich Frank, the founder of Frank Family Winery, developed a passion for wine, particularly Bordeaux and Italian wines, during his extensive travels as the former President of Disney Studios. In the 1980s, he di...
Michael Trujillo arrived in Napa Valley in 1982 from his family’s farm in Colorado. He grew up helping his father year-round in the fields, and learned early on about how soil, climate, pests and critters affect living, growing plants. After three d...
2018 Levendi Sweetwater Napa Cabernet Sauvignon ($60) According to Lavendi Winery, “The Mediterranean cultures know how to celebrate. A good meal and a good wine seem reason enough to call together the people that matter most. And that’s how the Lev...
Ultraviolet Sparkling Rosé ($24.99) This Ultraviolet sparkling rosé is from Poe Wines, in Napa, which was founded by Samantha Sheehan in 2009 after being inspired by the wines she tasted in Burgundy and Champagne. Their goal “is not to replicate Bur...
2018 Sinegal Napa Cabernet Sauvignon ($79) I recently had the opportunity to share a bottle of Sinegal Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. And, Wow, this one is amazing! Even at it’s young age. Sinegal Estate is a family-owned winery in Napa that is situated ...
Silvia Cellars is a small family-owned winery whose mission is to produce a small number of high-quality California wines from some of California’s best vineyards. And, matching vineyard to variety is the key to their process for producing outstandin...
St. Supéry Estate Sauvignon Blanc ($22) St. Supéry Estate Vineyards and Winery is a 100% Estate Grown, sustainably farmed winery located in the renowned Rutherford growing region in the heart of Napa Valley. Committed to producing the highest qualit...
The wines of Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley are some of the best in California, the United States and the world. They are both in northern California and located right next to each other. So, you might ask “Is there really a difference between these t...
2018 Tempest Bay Chardonnay ($7.99) The Carneros AVA in California includes an eastern half in Napa and a western half in Sonoma. It’s known for producing high-quality wines, especially Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. And that’s why this wine caught my e...
2017 Hess Collection Lion Tamer Cabernet Sauvignon ($60) This Hess Lion Tamer Cabernet Sauvignon is from Napa Valley. It a blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Petite Sirah and 8% Malbec. It’s aged in 33% New French and American oak barrels for 20 m...
2017 Hess Napa Valley “Allomi” Cabernet Sauvignon ($32) This is a repeat to Behind the Cork ™ but one that’s well worth a ‘revisit.’ This 2017 Hess Napa Valley Allomi Cabernet Sauvignon comes from Pope Valley in the north-eastern part of Napa. It’s...
2017 Hess Collection Napa Valley Chardonnay ($22) With pineapple, green apple, and tropical fruits on the nose, you might be expecting a bright, crisp high acid Chardonnay. And, this Hess Collection Chardonnay delivers the bright fruit flavors as ...
2017 Duckhorn Napa Valley Chardonnay ($19) Here’s another ‘big name’ Chardonnay that’s worth checking out. Dan and Margaret Duckhorn founded Duckhorn Vineyards in Napa Valley in 1976, which was one of the first 40 Napa Valley wineries. Keenly focus...
2016 Lion Tamer Red - The Hess Collection ($45) This red blend comes from The Hess Collection of wines from Napa Valley. Hess Family wines was founded by Donald Hess in 1978. Today, Tim Persson (Donald’s son in law) and his wife Sabrina are owners ...
2015 Z. Alexander Brown Uncaged Pinot Noir ($12) This Pinot Noir sources its grapes from Monterey County, Napa County and Sonoma County. Not a bad set of sites for growing Pinot Noir! The back label states “…wines that offer big and bold flavors, y...
Last time we looked at the factors that make a wine more capable of bottle aging. And, somewhat surprisingly, there are very few wines that actually hold up well in the bottle, even with proper storage. So then, what wines do hold up? The results r...
2014 Hess Collection Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon ($65) Wow! Napa turns out great Cabs, and this is one of them. This blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Malbec and 3% Petite Verdot yields a bold yet somehow delicate collection of dark fruit fla...
2015 Hess Collection Allomi Napa Cabernet Sauvignon ($32) At this point, one would assume that a 2015 Napa Cab is a bit too young to be at its peak. And, while that may be so, this Cab is already terrific. With aromas of plum, fig and raisin, and it...
2015 The Hess Collection Napa Valley Estate Chardonnay ($22) This week’s feature is The Hess Collection’s 2015 Napa Valley Chardonnay. This wonderful 100% Chardonnay features flavors of apple, white pear and a slight touch of tropical fruits and a v...
2013 Hook or Crook Napa Valley Red Blend ($7) I’m always curious when I come across a new label at Trader Joe’s. This one caught my eye so I brought it home. While they don’t specify the grapes used, this is a full-bodied red with a real nice set o...