Drink the Bottles

The 2015 Beringer Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a wine that can be enjoyed immediately and often with its incredibly soft tannins and welcoming mouth feel.  Smooth and supple, this blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (87%), Merlot (6%), Cabernet Franc (5%) and Petite Verdot (2%) offers a solid medium purple color and slender legs in the glass.  The aromas of rapsberry, cedar and licorice aren't necessarily the stars here, but rather the supporting cast to a wine that offers the same in the mouth and adds red licorice, roasted coffee beans and soft spices to the mix.  Even with the four blended grapes, I had anticipated a much younger feeling and more acidic wine that would be bright and benefit from a few more years in the bottle.  That was certainly not the case here!  This wine is completely approachable and one that I think you will enjoy with a pot roast dinner if you're looking for a food pairing.  But, it can certainly stand on it's own meri...

Dry Creek Vineyard has been a favorite of mine for several years, as they have a great selection of red and white wines and this 2016 Fumé Blanc is one of their staples.  This varietal has become more popular over the years, but still pales in comparison to a Chardonnay or Riesling.  And if you're going to put yourself out there, you better make this wine stand out and make it memorable.   That's exactly what the good people at DCV give you with their latest Fumé Blanc.  Tons of lemon and lime fruits are front and center at swirling.  A little bit of honey and pineapple are faintly familiar.  Oh, I guess this would be a great time for me to tell you that I drink most of my white wines at room temperature or just slightly cooler than that.  I hate going to someone's house where they pull a white wine out of the refrigerator and start pouring.  Refreshing?  Sure.  Flavorful?  Not as much as if the wine is warmer.....at leas...

I wish I had a dollar for every time over the years someone has asked me, "What's a good wine"?  That's such an open-ended question, especially if you don't know someone's taste preference or budget.  I could spend hours recommending good wines, but you really need some trial-and-error in your life to see what you like.  Even if you like California wines, the flavor profiles vary greatly from appellation to appellation.  Remember, it starts with the soil!  Ok, I think I've rambled on enough here, right?  So, let's talk about this 2014 Cline Cellars Sonoma Coast Estate Merlot.  For those who think they don't like Merlot, it's typically because they haven't had any delicious, 100% Merlot like this one, or they have watched Sideways  too many times.  This beautiful wine is a medium ruby red in color with aromas of dark cherry, chocolate and burnt cedar after intense swirling.  (And if you aren't swirling your wine, you're cheat...