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Welcome to the wine notes page. The idea here is very simple. We have over 5000 ratings in our wine tasting database that we'd like to share with anyone who might find these opinions useful. The number of ratings grows weekly.

Our primary focus is on the wineries of the Sacramento region. We spend our time tasting in Lodi, Amador County, El Dorado County, the valley and the Gold Country. Of course, we attend the weekly tastings at BevMo as well, so we get a good selection of California and world-wide wines in our database as well.

Below you'll find a list of our 20 most recent ratings. But to search the whole database for what you're looking for please visit the search page. We have a total of 4750 wines in our database currently.

WinerySpecial DesignationVintageVarietalRatingDateTastedNotesBuy Again?
Sojourn Blanc de Blanc Sonoma Coast2022Sparkling Wine934/27/2026 y
Sojourn Durrel Vineyard2024Chardonnay944/27/2026 y
Sojourn Uuberroth Vineyard, Sonoma Coast2024Pinot Noir954/27/2026 y
Sojourn Silver Eagle Vineyard Sonoma Coast2024Pinot Noir954/27/2026 y
Sojourn Oakville2023Cabernet Sauvignon964/27/2026 y
Sojourn Beckstoffer Missouri Hopper Vineyard Oakville2023Cabernet Sauvignon984/27/2026 y
Spur RoadSonoma Coast2024Pinot Noir924/27/2026Great notes of strawberry, raspberry and black cherry. It has a nice earthy nose like forest floor. It has a chunky, berry tannic quality, nice berry concentration, lively cranberry acidity, medium body and a long finish. This is really nice. We picked this up in Napa today. We tried the 2022 as well. This was far superior. We love the firm tannins, rich berries and balanced acidity.y
Bremer Family WineryNapa Valley2015Cabernet Sauvignon964/26/2026We tried this at Carpe Diem in Napa. We do not remember alot about it other than its lovely aged quality and richness.y
Tolenas WinerySuisun Valley2022Petit Sirah934/25/2026 y
Dylan`s GhostStags Leap District, Napa Valley2023Cabernet Sauvignon984/23/2026Blackberry, cocoa, dill, leather, licorice, black plum. It has a plush nose, velvety. And the flavors and body are more than full. Some who like European style wines would say this is just a big, jammy, Napa wine. But this wine has so much to say for itself. To us, this is really lovely wine with huge intensity and concentration. It is following in the footsteps of many of the amazing 2023 cabs that we have tried already. And this is just the beginning. y
G by Alex GuarachiAtlas Peak, Napa Valley2022Red Blend974/23/2026The nose has intense cocoa, vanilla, blackberry, red plum and licorice. And like a good Atlas Peak wine it has a hint of wet potting soil. The body is full, the finish is long. The tannins are medium and nearly silky. It is very concentrated with a very intense flavor of cocoa. At first, this unbalances the rest of the fine flavors on the palate. But after a good hour breathing, the blackberry emerges past the vanilla and cocoa. It is a find bottle of wine given the time. And any good Atlas Peak wine is always a pleasure to try.y
Tongue DancerPinot de Ville, Sonoma Coast, 10th Anniversary Edition2023Pinot Noir964/23/2026Just a classic. So rich on the nose with all the raspberry, strawberry and red cherry you can ask for. A hint of lime, juniper, pine and wet soil. A very enticing nose that goes beyond the standard pinot noir. And the palate is perfectly balanced with fruit and acidity. A long finish, full body and super concentration. The tannins coat the teeth luxuriously. This is the pinot we were hoping to find at Tongue Dancer. This is nice, collectible wine. It is plush and cohesive with interesting flavors that make you want another and another sip. You almost do not want to drink this with food. This wine wants to stand on its own!y
Tongue DancerWest Sonoma Coast, Putnam Vineyard2023Pinot Noir944/21/2026Raspberry, strawberry, red cherry, bramble stems, lilac and forest floor. A long, rich finish of floral and berry that has a texture like light Jello. The concentration and intensity are med+. The tannins are light, the body medium. This wine has a brambly roughness that is really pretty. This is the best kind of wine. It is interesting. West Sonoma Coast is the newest AVA in Sonoma County. And the wines we have tried that are now designated at West Sonoma coast have been great. This one is fascinating and falls outside of the usual Pinot Noir profile. It is worth trying just for the experience. y
Tongue DancerRambling Fox -- Anderson Valley2023Pinot Noir924/20/2026A classic Sonoma County nose with raspberry, strawberry, cherry, lilac perfume and earth. And the concentration of scents is very pleasing. It has some nice medium tannins that coat the teeth with raspberry. Most of its attributes are medium. The finish has a 15 second length, but the concentration of fruit is very nice. The lilac is very pronounced and really pleasant. We love the Tongue Dancer logos. It is great art that reminds one of Wind in the Willows characters. We have 6 wines to review and started with the most regional of them all. But the pricepoint on this one is great and worth the money ~$41.y
Tongue DancerSonoma Coast, Sonoma County2023Pinot Noir944/20/2026Nice nose with raspberry, candy red cherry and strawberry, wet soil, pencil lead and lilac. The tannins are med+ with a thickness that coats the teeth with sweet fruit. The body is full, the finish is long, the concentration, intensity and finish are full/high. This has rather a nice texture with tactile berry fruit. It is nicely intense. This is a nice Sonoma Coast blend. It is always nice to try the less expensive blends. Often, we like them the best. And the price is nice: $55.y
Trader JoesGrand Reserve, Cru de la Vallee to Rhone, Cairanne Lot# 1472022Rhone Blend924/20/2026First off, what is Cairanne? This is a village and AOC (Appellation Origine Controlee) in the southern Rhone valley of France. The grape generally used in these wines are Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Carignan, Cinsault and Cousoise. And there can be others. This wine starts with a really lovely nose. It has raspberry, strawberry, dried cherry, dried herbs and perfume. The intensity on the nose is med+. The palate is very dry, medium bodied, high acid, medium+ finish, concentration and intensity. It`s very good and super approachable right out of the bottle. This wine is a standout from the other French wines that TJs has put out in the last year. It is a really fun wine that you`ll want to sit and sip. Drink this is creamy salads, grilled chicken, hummus and pretty much any Mediterranean food!y
Trader JoesReserve, Paso Robles, Lot# 2732023Merlot894/20/2026The nose has a vegetal/eucalyptus note, bright red cherry and a scent of Jello. You get raspberry, blackberry, oak, cedar, clove and lilac. It has fairly firm tannins that hit the teeth as dryness. The acidity is high, the body, finish and intensity are medium. The palate is not going to blow you away, but it has some good concentration. But as merlot from Paso, goes it is not a bad effort. Keep this one in your back pocket. The nose has good intensity. It is just a bit disjoined on the palate. It could be a great food wine with meats that are not overpowering. It would be a great Thanksgiving sipper with all those savory flavors.y
Dehlinger Winery - Garbro RanchRussian River Valley, Sonoma County2024Pinot Noir954/19/2026Firm notes of raspberry juice, red cherry, strawberry, wet soil, phreesia, perfume and cocoa. The palate shows firm tannins, long berry finish, high acid balanced with concentrated flavors. The intensity is bordering on high. We stopped and picked up a bottle at Dehlinger on Friday. The 2023 last year blew us away. And this new vintage is equally good, but higher in tannic body. And that plus the high acid and firm concentration of fruit should give it even more ability to age gracefully.y
Rush Lattin CellarsColumbia Valley2023Syrah964/19/2026Blackberry, nori, toasted meringue, black cherry, cocoa, coffee, lilac, game. High acid, long umami finish, full body, dark fruited, leathery intensity and concentration. The tannins are silky but high. It has just incredible, plush, dark fruit with such concentration that this stands out from so many other Washington wines. Strongly recommend decanting or open and leave for two to three hours let it fully open up. Larry is making some lovely, massive wines that would go great with steak or any grilled meats. We enjoyed this wine with garlic and lemon zest sauteed chard, BBQ salmon, spanakopita and tzatziki.y
Rush Lattin CellarsHorse Heaven Hills2023Cabernet Sauvignon9864/18/2026Classic blackerry, cocoa, coffee, tobacco, dried black cherry, graphite, nectarine pit, cassis, spearmint, toasty oak and raspberry. All of these notes are very dark and rich. High tannins, acid and body give this a firm mouthfeel. Pretty much everything is firm with this wine including the concentration and intensity. The finish is delicious. Yah, this is a monster of a cab. But do not think about opening this and trying to drink it right away. This puppy needs a good three hours. We let half the bottle sit overnight and tried it again. Those tannins needed that long to loosen up. So, this review is on the second day tasting. And the wine has lost nothing. It just got better. This wine is so like a Napa cab with all the same notes as Rutherford or Oakville. Horse Heaven Hills is growing some mighty cabs. We cant wait to try this in 5 and then 10 years. This is a wine with a solid aging potential.y
        
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