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.
Wine Enthusiast, 97 points: Editors’ Choice. This is such an outstanding wine at any price, but here we’re talking about outstanding value as well. Notes of iron and crushed rock lead to a lengthy balance of juicy red fruit and clove. With small...
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 96 points: The 2018 Vin Perdu is a blend of 38% Syrah, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Petit Verdot, 11% Cabernet Franc and 6% Merlot. Deep garnet-purple in color, it comes skipping out of the glass with bright, cheery notes of baked...
jebdunnuck.com, 97 points: Another head-turning wine from this project, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Project 18 got a handful of expletives in my notes. A plush, sexy, full-bodied 2018 delivering pure dark fruits, hints of menthol and tobacco, a...
jamessuckling.com, 97 points: Intense aromas of black fruit, cocoa powder, black olives, dried violets, tar and cigar box. Some black peppercorn, too. It’s full-bodied with firm, chalky tannins. Incredible intensity and purity of fruit with gorgeous...
Wine Enthusiast, 96 points: This is the first vintage of the Australian producer's foray into Napa Valley. It is tightly structured yet supple, bursting in bright currant and strawberry flavors. Savory components of sage, dried herb and black pepper...
jebdunnuck.com, 95 points: The 2018 Hourglass Cabernet Sauvignon Blueline Estate shows the classic, more focused, elegant – yet also concentrated – style of the vintage brilliantly. Sporting a dense purple hue as well as killer notes of crème de...
Wine Enthusiast, 95 points: An incredible showcase for the appellation, this combines grapes from the producer's estate Westside Farms with Dutton, Woolsey Road and Rochioli Allen, among others. Together it is broadly floral, earthy and richly...
jamessuckling.com, 93 points: Very attractive blackberry and blueberry character with cedar and dried flowers. It’s full-bodied with tight, chewy tannins and enticing, transparent fruit underneath. Flavorful finish. Drink after 2022.
jebdunnuck.com, 94 points: Starting with the 2018 Pinot Noir Estate Sta. Rita Hills, which comes from vines around the estate and saw 40% stems, it reveals a medium ruby hue as well as a great bouquet of ripe cherry and raspberry fruits intermixed...
Wine Spectator, 95 points: Very lush, with warmed plum sauce, cassis and linzer flavors gliding through slowly, but persistently, while cast iron and mesquite notes add range along the way. Stays on the dark side of the spectrum, with a flash of...
jebdunnuck.com, 93 points: Moving to the reds, the appellation 2018 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast was just about completely destemmed (2% stems) and spent 10 months in 18% new French oak. Lots of spice box, earthy forest floor, cherries, and redcurrant...
jebdunnuck.com, 98 points: The 2018 The Bard is beautiful and certainly in the same realm as the 2015 and 2016, both magical wines. This cuvée reveals a deep purple color followed by a beautiful perfume of crème de cassis, blackberries, roasted...
jamessuckling.com, 95 points: This has a deliciously ripe and perfumed nose of blueberries, cloves, potpourri and gravel. It’s full-bodied with firm, chewy tannins and fresh acidity. Creamy and elegant with a driven, focused finish. Cooler and more...
jamessuckling.com, 99 points: Blackberry and black chocolate with mint, conifer and clove. Sweet tobacco, violets and flowers, too. Some graphite. Cool and complex. Full-bodied with ultra fine, dusty tannins and a wonderful, extremely long finish...
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 94 points: Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Bordeaux Blend Papillon springs from the glass with plum preserves, baked blackcurrants and black mulberries with touches of menthol, tobacco leaf and pencil lead. Full-bodied, the...
jebdunnuck.com, 94 points: The 2018 Napanook showed incredibly well, with fabulous crème de cassis, spring flowers, graphite, and green tobacco aromas and flavors. With terrific ripeness, medium to full body, and ripe, yet polished tannins, this...
Wine Enthusiast, 96 points: From a range of sites and expertly blended by Philippe Melka and his team, this wine has 5% Petit Verdot and spent 18 months in French oak, half of it new. Black olive, pencil shaving, sage and cedar provide a savory...
Wine Enthusiast, 95 points: Extreme amounts of cracked black pepper spice up the crumbled lilac, dark-black-plum and snappy red-currant aromas on the dynamic nose of this cool-climate bottling. There's a wild zestiness to the palate, where the...
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 92 points: Medium ruby-purple, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley opens with classic aromas of cassis, cedar, cigar box and bright touches of mint chocolate and red cherries. The palate is medium-bodied with pure, restrained...
jebdunnuck.com, 94 points: Starting with the 2018 Sauvignon Blanc Les Petits Morlet, this comes from declassified lots from the La Proportion Doree cuvée and is 85% Sauvignon Blanc and 15% Semillon aged 14 months in all used barrel. It has a...
Wine Enthusiast, 95 points: Lively aromas of hibiscus, raspberry, cherry, star anise and the slightest gamy funk show on the nose of this bottling. There is a more hearty tone to the complex palate, where riper strawberry and raspberry flavors meet...
jamessuckling.com, 93 points: Lots of blackcurrant and blueberry with violet and boysenberry. Some chocolate, too. Full-bodied with lightly dusty tannins that give a special texture and beauty to the wine. Flavorful and intense at the finish. Better...
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 93 points: The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Coombsville is a lovely wine from winemaker Julien Fayard. It offers the darker fruits and mineral tones of the best Coombsville Cabernets. Deep ruby-purple, the nose blossoms to pure cassis...
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 94 points: The 2018 Chardonnay Sanford & Benedict, sourced from the old, ungrafted vines, has pretty notes of pears, white blossoms, hazelnut and stone, with a silky, expansive palate that offers up an array of citrus, flowers...
jebdunnuck.com, 98 points: Coming from a site in Coombsville, which is a cooler region of the valley, the 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Meeting With The Mentor reveals a vivid purple color as well as an Haut-Brion-like bouquet of cassis, unsmoked...
jebdunnuck.com, 94 points: Readers looking for a textbook Russian River Pinot should check out the 2018 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley. Offering up a medium ruby hue as well as lots of spiced red fruits, cola, leafy herbs, and flowery incense...
jamessuckling.com, 90 points: A firm, rather linear Napa cabernet with dark berry, currant and hints of chocolate and walnut that follow through to a medium body. It drinkable and attractive. Drink now or hold.
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...
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