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.
Vinous, 90 points: The 2018 Zinfandel Old Vines is a gorgeous wine and a fabulous value. Sweet dark cherry, new leather, spice, menthol, licorice and red flowers all open up effortlessly. Medium in body yet fleshy and wonderfully deep, the...
jebdunnuck.com, 95 points: Another Russian River Valley release, the 2018 Zinfandel Montafi Ranch (89% Zinfandel and 11% other assorted varieties) is another ripe, sexy wine. A sweet bouquet of mulberries, red plums, brambly herbs, cigar, and spice...
jebdunnuck.com, 96 points: A bigger, richer effort based on 96% Zinfandel and 4% Carignan from a site in the Russian River, the 2018 Zinfandel Papera Ranch offers a meaty, powerful bouquet of black cherries, red plums, Asian spices, and chocolate...
jebdunnuck.com, 93 points: All Zinfandel from the Dry Creek Valley, the 2018 Zinfandel East Bench offers up a great, pure, medium to full-bodied style that carries lots of classic spice, brambly herbs, incense, and plum-laced fruits. Nicely...
Vinous, 93 points: The 2015 Zinfandel Old & Mature Vines Scherrer Vineyard is a wine of distinction and pedigree. Rich, deep and luscious, with tremendous character, the 2015 hits all the right notes. Most importantly, the Old & Mature...
Vinous, 95 points: (93-95 points) The 2018 Zinfandel Ueberroth Vineyard is another potent and tannic wine in this range. All of that structure works well to play off the racy, bold Paso fruit that runs through its veins. Iron, smoke...
Wine Enthusiast, 94 points: The producer's marquee wine and a nod to its long-standing ties to farming, this is fresh and earthy in notes of crushed rock, slate, dried herb and black pepper. The fruit is layered and sumptuous in flavors of raspberry...
Vinous, 94 points: (92-94 points) The 2018 Zinfandel Fredericks Vineyard is a pretty wine, but it is also one of the more unsettled wines in this range. I have no doubt it will come together, but today, it is a bit awkward. The depth and...
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 93 points: 93+ The 2016 Zinfandel Old Vine has an open nose of red berry preserves, warm blackberries and stone fruit hints with layers of cinnamon stick, sweet spices, charcuterie, garrigue, turned earth and dried violet. The...
jebdunnuck.com, 94 points: The 2017 Zinfandel Fanucchi-Wood Road Vineyard is a bigger, more structured wine and, like the other Zinfandels here, is a field blend aged 10 months in 50% new oak. Beautiful notes of red plums, blueberries, sandalwood...
Vinous, 95 points: (93-95 points) The 2018 Zinfandel Hayne Vineyard is elegant, nuanced and wonderfully perfumed with lavender, spice, sweet red cherry, red plum, rose petals, mint and blood orange. This delicate, light-on-its-feet...
jebdunnuck.com, 92 points: The 2016 Zinfandel Tofanelli Family Vineyard is classic Zin all the way with its exotic bouquet of spice, cedar, white pepper, and blueberry pie. This medium-bodied, balanced, elegant effort has the class and length to...
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First of all, the ease of shopping on the JJ Buckley site is very smooth. Clean platform with nice graphics and easy to read information on the wine. Processing my order was fast and I especially appreciate all the shipping options (including GSO, which many other online retailers don’t seem to show or use).
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