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Cellar Favorite: Two from Mayacamas
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, United States: California
, Feb 2023
It’s always a pleasure to spend time at Mayacamas. As much as I enjoy tasting today’s current releases, it is also a great deal of fun to go back and revisit wines made by Bob Travers before he sold the winery. These two Cabernets will delight Mayacamas fans.
Vinous Table: Napa in the City 2022: The BYOB Gala Dinner
Vinous Table, United States: California
, Feb 2023
Napa in the City is an event we have wanted to do for many years. The logistics of hosting such large events are pretty daunting, so the moment never seemed right. But, in 2022, as we emerged from the COVID-19 lockdown, the time finally did seem right to bring together a number of reference-point Napa Valley winemakers, our readers and the city’s top sommeliers for a weekend of great wine, food and conviviality for the inaugural edition of Napa in the City.
Vinous Table: Private Dinner at Wheeler Farms, Saint Helena, CA
Vinous Table, United States: California
, Feb 2023
This was a fabulous dinner that I will remember for a very long time. Many thanks to our guests for the spirited discussion and the Wheeler Farms team for a magical night.
Napa Valley: The Frantic 2020s & Stunning 2021s
United States: California, featured
, Feb 2023
With the first 2020 Napa Valley Cabernets starting to appear, readers will encounter one of the most controversial vintages in the history of Napa Valley. Before we take a look at the year and the wines, allow me to get one thing out of the way first. Two thousand twenty is by far the hardest and most complicated vintage I have ever tasted anywhere in the world. This report focuses on 2020 and 2021, along with some late releases from 2019.
Cellar Favorite: 1992 Philip Togni Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Estate
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, United States: California
, Feb 2023
The 1992 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate remains an epic wine for the Togni family.
Cellar Favorite: 1974 Diamond Creek Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Gravelly Meadow
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, United States: California
, Jan 2023
I have always had a soft spot for Diamond Creek Vineyards, charmed by Al and Boots Brounstein, who would regularly pour their wines in London in the early days of my career.
2021 Sonoma Preview
United States: California, featured
, Jan 2023
It’s far too early for me to have a complete view of the 2021 vintage in Sonoma County, but the wines I have tasted so far suggest this is a very good and possibly outstanding vintage. The best 2021s are deep, beautifully layered and highly expressive of site. Watch this space for updates in the coming weeks.
Cellar Favorite: 1991 Dominus
cellar favorite, Cellar Favorites, United States: California
, Nov 2022
I’m no California expert. But I know a great California wine when I meet one.
Vinous Table: Bar Le Côte, Los Olivos, CA
Vinous Table, United States: California
, Sep 2022
With its seafood focused menu and bright décor, Bar Le Côte is a very welcome addition to the Santa Barbara wine country dining scene.
Santa Barbara: A Rare Bright Spot for California in 2020
United States: California, featured
, Aug 2022
Santa Barbara is one of the few bright spots for California in 2020. Tucked away to the south, far away from fires that were so damaging in the north, Santa Barbara was blessed with far more favorable conditions throughout the year, especially during the critical weeks around harvest. There were some challenges, most notably heat spikes in middle to late August and all of the stresses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, but overall Santa Barbara fared much better than the rest of California. Based on what I have tasted and seen so far, Santa Barbara produced the finest wines in California in 2020 by a wide margin.