| Winery | Special Designation | Vintage | Varietal | Rating | DateTasted | Notes | Buy Again? |
| Dutton Estate | La Familia, Dutton Ranch Russian River Valley | 2022 | Pinot Noir | 94 | 6/27/2025 | Oh goodness. This thing is lovely. It has kirsch cherry with a sweet edge. Tart strawberry and raspberry. It is a plush a pinot as you can get without it being flabby. No flab here. Just good balance in the fruit.
The body is full, the finish long, the concentration and intensity full. The acid is high, and the finish is luxuriously long.
With that said, heck. This wine rocks! | y |
| Dutton Estate | Jewell Block, Dutton Ranch, Russian River Valley | 2022 | Pinot Noir | 94 | 6/27/2025 | Raspberry, tart cranberry, sweet black cherry, graphite and wet tree bark.
The acidity on this one is med+, the body, finish and concentration of fruit are high/full.
Its a really nice pinot noir. On the palate is really shines even more than the nose. It has a long finish and great intensity. It is just so satisfying in balanced flavors. If the nose had the same intensity as the palate flavors this would rate higher. But seriously, this is worth trying. | y |
| Sanford | Santa Lucia Highlands | 2021 | Pinot Noir | 92 | 6/27/2025 | Strawberry, raspberry, red licorice, tomato paste, earth, freshly baked cheese danish. Really!
The tannins on the palate are medium. Acidity is high. The finish is nearly long. The intensity and concentration of fruit are med+
This is a wine a friend brought over, and I decided to do a quick review. The palate on this wine has flavors of tart cranberry balanced out with the red licorice. Its a darn good wine! | y |
| Trader Joes | Reserva, Douro DOC , Lot #266 | 2022 | Vinho Tinto | 90 | 6/27/2025 | It has plum, black berries, baking spice, pie crust and earth on the nose. The palate is firm with high, almost sweet tannins, high acid, great intensity and concentration of fruit. The body is med and the finish is med+.
All in all, a great effort to get this wine from Portugal to us!
33% Touriga Nacional
33% Touriga Franca
17% Tinta Roriz
7% Tinta Barroca
5%v Sousao
2% Tinta Amarela
1% Moreto | y |
| Trader Joes | Grand Reserva, Alexander Valley, Sonoma County , Lot #140 | 2022 | Cabernet Sauvignon | 92 | 6/27/2025 | This wine has intensity! It has licorice, clove, blackberry, cassis, black currant, black pepper, cocoa and brioche.
The palate is concentrated, intense, med+ tannins, high acid, very long finish and full bodied.
Jeez Louise! This thing has great intensity. At first it is a bit over the top with the clove. But after 15 minutes is integrates fully. And I love this! | y |
| Bernardus | Garys Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands | 2022 | Pinot Noir | 91 | 6/23/2025 | Garys fruit is usually treated like gold. This is not the best Garys pinot weve tried, but its still a nice wine. We black and red cherry, cranberry, raspberry, earth and spices.
The finish is med+, the body is medium, the acid is high. It has fairly high intensity and concentration.
The issue with this wine is the acidity. On opening, the acid hit like a hammer. But over time this settled down. And after an hour it still leans tart and does not have the fruit to balance that out. But it is still a 91 for fruit and intensity. | y |
| Black Kite | Kites Rest Anderson Valley | 2023 | Pinot Noir | 91 | 6/22/2025 | | y |
| Black Kite | Sonoma Coast | 2023 | Pinot Noir | 93 | 6/22/2025 | | y |
| Bruliam | Sangiacomo Roberts Road, Petaluma Gap, Sonoma County | 2023 | Pinot Noir | 92 | 6/22/2025 | | y |
| Domaine de la Riviere | Middle Reach Vineyards Sonoma County | 2021 | Pinot Noir | 93 | 6/22/2025 | | y |
| Domaine de la Riviere | Heritage Block Russian River Valley Sonoma Coast | 2021 | Pinot Noir | 94 | 6/22/2025 | | y |
| Dutton Estate | Manzana Vineyard | 2022 | Pinot Noir | 91 | 6/22/2025 | | y |
| Dutton Estate | Manzana Vineyard | 2021 | Pinot Noir | 91 | 6/22/2025 | | y |
| Dutton Estate | Karmen Isabella | 2023 | Pinot Noir | 91 | 6/22/2025 | | y |
| Dutton Estate | Thomas Road Vineyard | 2022 | Pinot Noir | 92 | 6/22/2025 | | y |
| Dutton Estate | Cherry Ridge Vineyard | 2021 | Syrah | 92 | 6/22/2025 | | y |
| Fatdragon | | 2022 | GSM | 95 | 6/22/2025 | | y |
| Maritana | Five Wells Vineyard Russian River Valley | 2019 | Pinot Noir | 92 | 6/22/2025 | | y |
| Parea | Lodi | 2022 | Al | 92 | 6/22/2025 | | y |
| Parea | Lodi | 2022 | Albarino | 92 | 6/22/2025 | | y |
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