Though less than half a century old, and remarkably young compared to its European counterparts, the wine industry in California has managed to enchant the country’s wine buying public as well as receive accolades from “across the pond.” This may be because of two realities. First is the undeniable quality of the wines—remarkably fruity, full and satisfying, rarely too austere or tannic to be savored from the first day. The second is the “buy American” angle. A very high number of American wine buyers simply prefer domestic to foreign wines.
The state plays host to an enormous range of microclimates and soils as well as a lot of sunshine, hot summer days and dry harvests. All these factors contribute to healthy ripe fruits that make European producers, in less dependable climates, green with envy. More than three out of every four years, California’s best sites produces excellent wines.
The U.S. is not protectionist when it comes to taxing imported wines compared to many other countries, but the California wine industry is inherently protected because of consumers wanting to buy American.
To most people, the Napa Valley is the home of California wine, and Cabernet is the clear king in Napa. Burgundy varieties like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir have moved to cooler areas, for the most part closer to the Pacific. This includes the western stretches of Sonoma County, the Anderson Valley in Mendocino County, and the Santa Maria and Santa Ynez valleys of Santa Barbara County. In regions as contrasting as Mendocino County, the Sonoma coast, Carneros, Paso Robles, and Santa Maria Valley, Syrah vines have yielded interesting wines. Excellent Zinfandel is also produced all over the state and may be the only California wine emulated abroad.
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 94 points: (94+ points) The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Dr. Crane Vineyard is a blend of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc. It has a medium to deep garnet-purple color and an earthy nose with kirsch, black berries...
jebdunnuck.com, 96 points: Made by Laura Diaz (formerly at Lokoya) and coming mostly from valley floor fruit, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Pleinair is a sexy, flamboyant beauty that boasts a deep purple color, a huge nose of cassis and blueberry...
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 95 points: A blend of 65% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, the medium to deep garnet-purple colored 2016 Red Blend Right Bank Reserve comes sashaying out of the glass with the most gorgeous perfume of...
Wine Spectator, 95 points: Features black currant, blackberry and boysenberry reduction flavors that are tightly coiled for now, carried by well-embedded acidity and racy graphite notes. The long finish pumps out fruit, with extra anise and sweet...
jamessuckling.com, 93 points: Rich aromas of blueberry, dried cherry, clove and sandalwood. It’s full-bodied with firm, smooth tannins. Spice and dried fruit peel on the finish. Drink from 2022.
jebdunnuck.com, 94 points: The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon District Collection St. Helena comes from more sandy, gravelly soils and it’s a more fruit-forward, elegant effort that has impressive red currants, vanilla bean, and spice. It’s another...
jamessuckling.com, 98 points: This pure cabernet sauvignon shows amazing aromas of black currants, violets and blueberries that follow through to a full yet very tight and fine-grained tannins. Extremely long and exciting. Purity and bright. Drink...
jamessuckling.com, 96 points: This is a flamboyant red that offers hazelnuts, dark berries and a hint of chocolate. Full-bodied with round and soft tannins. So fresh. So rich, enticing and layered. A blend of 84 per cent cabernet sauvignon, nine per...
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 92 points: The 2016 Arise Proprietary Red is a blend of 55% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, 17% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Petit Verdot. It has a deep garnet-purple color and opens with fragrant black cherries, black raspberries and warm...
jamessuckling.com, 97 points: Impressive aromas of dried flowers, crushed blackberries and plums. Some sweet-tobacco undertones. Full-bodied, dusty and juicy with chewy tannins that are supple and savory, combining with the fruit. Flavorful and...
jamessuckling.com, 92 points: A deep and highly structured Napa merlot that has a lot more to give than the majority of wines in this category. The very ripe cherry and red-plum aromas are neatly wrapped around the full, fine tannins and the delicate...
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 96 points: The 2016 Ingenuity is blended of 54% Syrah, 20% Petite Sirah, 16% Mourvèdre and 10% Grenache. It was made using 10% whole cluster and aged 19 months in 75% new French oak barrels and puncheons. It has a deep ruby-purple...
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 98 points: The deep purple-black colored 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Aida Estate Vineyard comes strutting out of the glass like a total rock star, giving up flamboyant notes of warm cassis, blueberry compote and preserved plums with...
Wine Enthusiast, 96 points: Dense in the glass, this blend of 58% Syrah, 19% Mourvèdre, 17% Grenache and 6% Tempranillo begins with intensely smoky dark fruits as well as blackberry jam, violet, wild sage and mint. The mouthfeel is full and rich...
Wine Enthusiast, 97 points: From the La Jota estate vineyard as well as W.S. Keyes, this impressive wine opens in coconut, chocolate and mocha. Structured tannins lead the way to generous toasted oak, clove, garrigue, tar and leather, a savory...
Wine Spectator, 91 points: Steeped boysenberry, fig and blackberry fruit gives this a forward personality at first glance, but there's a well of reserve too, with apple wood, licorice and bramble notes strutting on the back end. Features good juicy...
Wine Spectator, 96 points: A beauty, with creamed plum, braised fig and melted black licorice notes that are long and deep, gliding through effortlessly and ending with a swath of espresso, loam and smoldering tobacco details. Hard to resist now...
jamessuckling.com, 97 points: This is a big and juicy red with dark berries, tobacco and hazelnuts. Iron too. Full body and layered, chewy tannins. Balsamic lilt to the red fruit on the palate. Ripe and beautiful. Brick and terracota character to the...
jebdunnuck.com, 97 points: All these 2016s from winemaker Graeme MacDonald are straight-up brilliant wines. Starting with the 2016 Proprietary Red, which is 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, it...
jamessuckling.com, 94 points: A soft and juicy red with a lovely freshness and brightness. Medium-bodied, balanced and subtlety structured with a long and flavorful finish. Fun blend of cab, merlot, sangiovese and nebbiolo. Drink or hold.
jebdunnuck.com, 93 points: The 2016 Pinot Noir Estate is the larger production red from this team, yet it certainly gives a good view into the quality coming from the Hilt wines. Black cherries, black raspberries, graphite, peppery herbs, and...
jebdunnuck.com, 96 points: A co-fermented mix of 70% Cabernet Franc and 30% Merlot, all from the Hudson Vineyard in Carneros, the 2016 Red Wine H Block is a beauty that just sings of high-class Cabernet Franc with its forest floor, leafy herbs...
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 93 points: Pale to medium ruby, the 2016 Pinot Noir Cleary Ranch The Settler has a nose of granite dust, tobacco leaf, crunchy cranberry and Bing cherry with soft potpourri touches. Light to medium-bodied, it's earthy and minerally...
jamessuckling.com, 98 points: This is the debut vintage of this wine from the esteemed Bordeaux owner, Alfred Tesseron, who bought the property in the Napa mountains in 2016. Aromas of plums, wet earth, fresh herbs and tobacco. Some green olives...
jamessuckling.com, 95 points: Extremely perfumed with dark berry and hints of tar and dried flowers that follow through to a medium body, firm and silky tannins and a flavorful finish. Lots of momentum at the finish. Needs a year or two to come together.
jebdunnuck.com, 93 points: The 2016 Red Wine checks in as a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, 20% Merlot, and 10% Petit Verdot. Brilliant notes of cassis, tobacco leaf, damp earth, cedary herbs, and graphite all emerge from this...
Wine Spectator, 91 points: A subtle savory edge leads off, followed by enticing rooibos tea, red currant preserve and raspberry coulis flavors. Elegant finish. Drink now through 2026. 19,500 cases made. — JM
jebdunnuck.com, 97 points: 97+ The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon comes all from the estate Reynoso Vineyard in the Alexander Valley and saw 22 months in 80% new oak. It’s a rich, incredibly powerful wine that has sensational notes of black currants...
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Very nice prices on hard-to-find wines. I look forward to the emails listing the specials and find them hard to resist (unfortunately for my pocketbook).
-Verified Buyer, August 2021