Category Archives: California Wines – Reviewed

Castello di Amorosa | Wines as Impressive as the Tour?

Castello di Amorosa | Wines as Impressive as the Tour?

Castello di Amorosa

A visit to Castello di Amorosa, or “The Castle” as it is often referred, is a must when visiting Napa Valley. Sure, it’s can be crowded and quite touristy, but it’s nothing short of spectacular to tour this sprawling, 121,000 square foot, 13th century era medieval Tuscan-inspired architectural masterpiece crafted from handmade materials, many of which were actually imported from Italy.

But what about the quality of the wines Castello di Amorosa produces? Today I’m on a mission to determine whether Castello di Amorosa’s wines are as medieval as the towering castle in which they’re made! You can check out more from my previous visit to Castello di Amorosa here.

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Lokoya Winery | Raising The Bar for Terroir

Lokoya Winery | Raising The Bar for Terroir

Lokoya Winery

Lokoya is a place that’s quietly tucked away along the Mayacamas Mountains in Napa Valley, in-between Mount Veeder and Spring Mountain. Meaning “the place where the geese fly over”, the area is remote and serene. There isn’t much happening here… unless of course you know where to look.

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Phifer Pavitt Winery | Upgrade Your Date Night!

Phifer Pavitt Winery | Upgrade Your Date Night!

Phifer Pavitt

I had the good pleasure of meeting Suzanne Phifer Pavitt of Napa Valley’s Phifer Pavitt Wine this past week in Washington, D.C. Despite juggling a rather busy schedule (having just left a meeting with superstar restaurateur Jose Andres and his Master Sommelier Andy Myers) she took the time to personally introduce me to her Date Night Cabernet and the story that inspired it.

Suzanne has become quite adept at not just tackling a busy schedule, but also overcoming obstacles. She spent 14 years working for Chicago tech firm Comdisco in high tech equipment leasing, as one of only two women on a team of over 70 men. Needless to say, she is no push over and oozes an endearing combination of passionate determination and southern charm.

Phifer Pavitt

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Apothic Dark Versus the Popular Apothic Red

Apothic Dark Red Blend | How Does it Compare to the Apothic Red?

apothic dark

My recent review of the immensely popular Apothic Red Blend was met with an interesting response. On one side, many readers reacted positively and remarked that it was one of their favorite inexpensive red blends on the market. On the other hand, several readers commented that the Apothic Red was more of a ‘wine cocktail’ loaded with residual sugar and tainted with wine additives.

While I can’t speak to the issue of wine additives in either the Apothic Red or Apothic Dark wines, I completely agree that the Apothic Red tastes somewhat confected and like a ‘wine cocktail’ to a degree. I wrote that it tasted more like a wine that was made in a laboratory than a vineyard, but that its uncomplicated and approachable sweet, ripe fruit flavors would be quite popular amongst many consumers.

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Apothic Red Blend | Top Red Blends Under $10

Apothic Red Blend Reviewed | Top Red Blends Under $10

Apothic Red

Have you visited the Costco wine section lately? I have, and triumphantly came away with a pretty solid Napa Cabernet under $20. Luckily not much has changed… as their selections continue to focus on value and are strongly oriented towards highly commercial options with a few gems from more boutique producers laced in there. Something else that has remained constant? The prominent positioning and suggestive placement of the Apothic Red Blend.

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Black Stallion Cabernet | Top Cabernet’s Under $20

Black Stallion Cabernet Sauvignon Review | Top Cabernet’s Under $20

Black Stallion Cabernet

It’s been a while now since I’ve featured a Costco wine discovery. Too long, I decided as the Black Stallion Cabernet Sauvignon caught my eye on my most recent bargain wine run. From the stellar 2012 vintage and priced at well under $20 from Cab country? I decided to give it a shot. The winery itself is prominently located on Napa Valley’s Silverado Trail and despite driving past it many times, I’ve sadly never committed to investigating…

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Anaba Wines Reviewed | Realizing a Dream in Sonoma

Anaba Wines Reviewed | Realizing a Dream in Sonoma

Anaba

Anaba Winery is rather conveniently located in Carneros at the ‘gateway’ to Sonoma Valley, so it is amongst the very first wineries you’ll spot as you make your getaway from San Francisco to wine country for the weekend.

Yet despite driving past Anaba’s charming, recently-restored 100 year old farmhouse building more than a handful of times I have surprisingly never stopped by to check them out – as I always seem to be on a mission to get to some producer that’s not so conveniently located.

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Wren Hop Vineyards | Crafting Pinot for Cab Lovers

Wren Hop Vineyards | Crafting Pinot for Cab Lovers

Wren Hop

Google “Wren Hop” and amongst the results is Google’s own description as a ‘Place of Worship’. So you might understand my confusion after looking for directions to a winery that was the top recommendation of Nora Mahan, a well-connected travel concierge for American Express’ destination club Inspirato.

While Wren Hop Vineyards might not be a place of worship in the traditional sense, you might not find this to be such a gross mischaracterization after you visit and taste through their portfolio. To be frank… I’d be surprised if you didn’t find yourself worshiping their Pinot Noirs. Wren Hop

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Ty Caton Sonoma Cabernet | An Estate Grown Gem

Ty Caton Cabernet Sauvignon Caton Vineyard | An Estate Grown Sonoma Gem

Ty Caton

As the hunt for good Napa Cabernet under $20 becomes an increasingly arduous one, you might consider treating your taste buds to a sojourn in Sonoma.

If it’s Pinot Noir that comes to mind when you think of Sonoma, keep in mind when you head further west towards Sonoma Coast is where you’ll find the highest concentration of vineyards dedicated to Pinot (and Chardonnay). But just across the Mayacama mountain range from Napa Valley you’ll find warmer days along with some great Cabernet’s such as this example by Ty Caton Vineyards.

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Davis Estates Winery | A Changing Landscape in Calistoga

Davis Estates Winery | A Changing Landscape in Calistoga

Davis Estates

This renovated historic barn at Davis Estates is a California Historic Landmark

As the epicenter of America’s evolving and increasingly interesting wine scene, Napa Valley is the hottest place to be – and having its namesake on your label lends quite a bit of cachet and prestige in the marketplace.

Being so sought after has translated to the highest prices nationwide per buildable acre, with prices ranging from $150,000 all the way up to $2 million. While it’s still primarily an agricultural-centric region, long gone are the days of diversified crops in this fertile valley – today the cash crop is the wine grape – and it thrives here.

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