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.
jamessuckling.com, 95 points: Perhaps the best Tapestry ever made with currant, chocolate and berry aromas and flavors. Full body, layered and rich with a wonderful depth and generosity yet always focused and poised. Better in 2019 but already delicious.
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 96 points: 96+ The 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Signature has a very deep garnet-purple color and opens with wonderfully expressive notes of warm cassis, baked plums, black raspberries and kirsch with suggestions of underbrush, lilacs...
jebdunnuck.com, 97 points: The 2016 My Favorite Neighbor is made with the intent of competing with cult Napa Cabernet Sauvignon yet at a more maintainable $80 price point. Coming all from westside Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon, mostly on clay...
Wine Enthusiast, 96 points: Editors' Choice. This is a stunningly beautiful wine at this price point, age-worthy and complex, it will stay with you long after it's gone. Opening in cedar, clove and cinnamon, it follows with a dusting of cocoa powder...
jebdunnuck.com, 96 points: In the same mold as the 2014 only slightly deeper, more concentrated, and backward, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon offers loads of blue fruits, cedar, lead pencil, and scorched earth aromatics, full-bodied richness, and...
jebdunnuck.com, 97 points: The only red I was able to taste, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate checks in as 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 7% Malbec, and 5% Petit Verdot brought up in 79% new French oak. It's a total rock star of a wine and...
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 93 points: A blend of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Syrah and Grenache, aged eight months in 30% new French oak, the deep garnet-purple colored 2017 Red Blend 8 Years in the Desert bursts forth with blackberry pie, warm cassis, licorice...
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 94 points: 94+ The 2015 Estate Red is deep garnet-purple colored and delivers a good amount of oak-inspired notions to begin over a core of blackcurrant cordial, blackberry pie, preserved plums and chocolate box with hints of...
Wine Enthusiast, 96 points: From Tom and Martha May's famous, organically farmed site in the heart of the appellation, this is a blockbuster vintage of the 100% varietal wine, immaculately structured and full of fresh acidity. The menthol is there...
jamessuckling.com, 93 points: No shortage of crème de cassis on the palate here as well as ripe stems, underbrush, clay and hot stones. The palate though is really fresh and vibrant with structured tannins, bright fruit, driven acidity and a fruity...
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 94 points: (91-94 points) The 2015 season resulted in tiny clusters and small berries with production levels off by a minimum of 25%. The following 2015s will be bottled unfined and unfiltered. The 2015 Chardonnay Cahill Lane is...
Wine Enthusiast, 90 points: Fragrant in white flowers, this wine offers sizzling freshness and stony backbone. Melon, lemon, lime and tangerine all play a part in contribution to its fruit-forward complexity and long-lasting appeal. Small amounts of...
jebdunnuck.com, 100 points: Also inky colored, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill comes from the estate vineyard on Pritchard Hill and spent 22 months in new French oak. It has a similar level of purity, as well as incredible minerality, to...
jebdunnuck.com, 98 points: A blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc and the rest Petit Verdot and Malbec, there's 928 cases of the 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate, unquestionably one of the wines of the vintage. Blackcurrants, unsmoked...
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