A Contemporary California Wine Dinner

Tonight’s Wines

Marietta Rosé “Old Vine”, Marietta Cellars, California, 2024

The 2024 Marietta Old Vine Ranch Rosé is a crisp, Provençal-style blend from California’s McDowell Valley estate. Priced around $18, it offers vibrant aromas of ruby grapefruit and orange sorbet. Made from organically farmed, head-pruned vines, 50% Syrah, 25% Grenache Gris, and 25% Grenache Noir.

Chenin Blanc, Aperture, Sonoma Valley, California, 2024

“The 2024 Chenin Blanc was matured for six months, mostly in stainless steel, with smaller portions of used French oak and concrete. It has pure, ringing aromas of peach, pear and green guava, beeswax, spice and floral perfume. Medium-bodied, the palate is elegantly styled with tempered ripeness, a softly mouth-coating texture, linear acidity and a long finish. 1,010 cases were made.” – 93 Points, Erin Brooks, Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate

Sauvignon Blanc, Cliff Lede, Napa Valley, California, 2024

The lovable 2024 vintage of this Sauvignon Blanc offers complex hints of lime sherbet, honeysuckle, lemon curd, and orange blossom that are fragrant and complex. The flavors and aromas are built on a fleshy, succulent frame, with notes of nectarine, pear, and ripe honeydew melon. Harmonious with a thread of acidity on the finish, this vibrant wine dazzles with its refreshing appeal.Blend: 77% Sauvignon Blanc, 23% Sémillon 92 Points Wine Enthusiast

Chardonnay “Hyde Vineyard”, Ramey, Russian River, California, 2023

So well layered, delicious and vibrant, combining a rich texture with full, ripe fruit flavors and wonderful accents of lemon curd, flint and baking spices. A great wine from a great vineyard in an outstanding vintage. While generous and full-flavored, it also retains great balance, minerality and a slight sense of restraint in the vivid acidity. Fresh and compelling. Drinkable now and best from 2030. (JG) 99 Points James Suckling

Pinot Noir, “Sanford & Benedict”, Racines, Sta. Rita Hills, California, 2018

“This is silky, polished and stately. A blend of one block planted in 2008 as well as a portion of the original 1973 plantings, it both amplifies the style found in the Tyler bottling and supplies a greater level of nuance and character. The higher percentage of stem-inclusion, new French oak and time in barrel that sums up the Racines style, all come together perfectly to show off a dark, more brooding character from this timeless, definitive vineyard. “ 95 Points Decanter

Pinot Noir “Stargazing”, Summer Dreams, Sonoma Coast, California, 2021

Leading off the Pinot Noirs, the 2021 Pinot Noir Stargazing has bright cherry and darker raspberry notes supported by classy oak, peppery herbs, and spicy nuances. It’s medium-bodied, fresh, focused, has fine tannins, and a great finish. It picks up some complex sassafras and floral notes with time in the glass. There’s so much to love here.  95 Points Jeb Dunnuck

Pinot Noir “Goldrock Estate”, Paul Hobbs, Russian River, California, 2022

The 2022 Paul Hobbs Russian River Pinot Noir delivers black fruit flavors, black tea, and redwood forest aromas. From the remote area of Annapolis, the 2022 Pinot Noir Goldrock Estate pours a youthful magenta hue and is a bit more reserved, but as it begins to open in the glass, it reveals notes of bright mixed berries, wild raspberries, blood orange, and dusty earth. Medium-bodied, it’s bright and mouthwatering on the palate, with a juicy feel to flesh out the midpalate and a lovely, sanguine, salty finish. It’s going to be a fantastic, savory wine to drink over the coming 10-15 years. 96 Points Jeb Dunnuck

Cabernet Sauvignon “Rhythm”, Cliff Lede, Stags Leap District, California, 2022

Only the second vintage of this new wine made from grapes grown on Cliff Lede’s valley floor vineyard. Concentrated and elegant, with both red and black fruit, a linear feel to the texture and good, fine-grained tannins to back it up. Also iron, cocoa and graphite come out in the glass. Great balance, a medium to full body and an appetizing sense of subtlety and restraint. Drink now or hold. (JG) 95 Points James Suckling

Fortunate Son “Dreamer” Cab, Oakville, California, 2021

100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged 30–32 months in ultra-tight grain French oak barriques. The wine displays a shimmering, lucid ruby colour. Gorgeous, dusty, dark berry fruit unfolds with an incredible panoply of mulled Christmas spices and warm berry pie compote. Full-bodied and texturally defined, framed by a core of ultra-fine tannins with added dark berry fruit depth. It is a meal unto itself but better paired with roasted meats drizzled in rich plum sauce and accompanied by prosciutto-wrapped figs.            97 Points Decanter

Cabernet Sauvignon “Coombsville”, Paul Hobbs, Coombsville, California, 2022

A delicious, layered, chocolate- and cherry-scented wine that entices you from the first sniff and pulls you through a rich palate and a lingering finish. So luscious, balanced, vivid and deep, showing the silky tannins and cool fruit notes of this southern Napa district. Contains 6% petit verdot, 2% cabernet franc and 4% merlot. Aged in 53% new French oak. Drinkable now, but best from 2030. 96 Points James Suckling

Syrah “Relentless”, Shafer, Stags’s Leap District*Napa Valley, California, 2022

The 2022 Relentless is another superb wine from Shafer in this brutally challenging year. Deep and explosive to the core, the 2022 is seriously impressive. There’s a center of strength here that is palpable. Dark red/purplish fruit, lavender, cloves and blood orange all build into the deep, resonant finish. This is so impressive. 90% Syrah, 10% Petite Sirah. 95 Points Vinous

Red “Lithic”, Keplinger, Amador County, California, 2022

Power meets finesse in this blend, which offers distinctive aromas of black olive and black raspberry, with accents of licorice and pepper. The flavors are layered and complex, delivering notes of blackberry, crushed rock and espresso. The tannins are big but ripe. A Blend of 49% Mourvèdre, 32% Grenache, 23% Syrah . 94–97 Points

Red “George”, Crane Assembly, Napa Valley, California, 2022

A 50/50 blend of old-vine Zinfandel and Petite Sirah, the 2023 ‘George’ opens slowly like an old story retold by someone who knows every detail. Aromas of cardamom, clove, and mocha unfold into violet, plum, and blackberry, framed by savory herbs and dusty minerality. The palate is polished yet generous, with dark cherry, spice, and a cedar-laced finish carried by supple tannins. 95–98 Points