Wine Reviews

Seductive mocha- and espresso-scented oak leads to a supple, graceful offering of blueberry and raspberry flavors that’s rich without being weighty, gaining depth and revealing extra layers on a long, sustained finish. Drink now through 2022. 150 cases made.

An attractive Burgundian-style Chardonnay, the 2014 Chardonnay Starling Morelli Roost displays plenty of white peach, honeysuckle, green apple and poached pear. It is deep, rich, full-bodied and impressively endowed. The winemaker was Kirk Venge, which certainly helps explain the high quality. Drink it over the next 4-6 years.

A really sexy top-notch effort is the 2013 Pinot Noir Old Manzana Slope. This is a 150-case cuvée and a beauty in terms of complexity and richness. I have no idea what the clonal material is, but the wine has a dark ruby color, a big sweet kiss of cherries, strawberries, earth and spice, a silky, medium to full-bodied mouthfeel, and a long, lush finish. This superb Pinot tips the scales at 14.3% natural alcohol. The finish is stunning. Drink it over the next 5-7 years.

Juicy, zesty style with a racy streak to the core of wild berry and blackberry fruit. Snappy acidity keeps the flavors lively. Ends with firm tannins.

Ripe, dense purple, with low acidity, beautiful blueberry and blackberry fruit with acacia flowers and dusty, loamy soil notes.

Ripe, cassis-smelling and flavored wine with full-bodied power. Opaque in color with characteristics of licorice, graphite, black fruits and cedarwood. It should age well for 15-20 years.

Exhibits beautiful red and black fruits, loamy soil nuances, forest floor and underbrush.

From a multiplicity of vineyards, this wine works and is a tremendous value for the price. It mixes hot mulled-cider spices, cinnamon, clove and pine forest, conveying surprising depth. Plum, dark cherry and more clove lead to a powerful, leathery finish.

This richly concentrated, vineyard-designated wine is undeniably in balance. It has a cavern of blackberry and jammy cherry at its core, which simultaneously buzzes in minerality before finishing in a dusting of cocoa and black pepper. The tannins are fine and integrated, providing a generosity of texture that should mellow over time. Cellar through 2027.

This richly concentrated, vineyard-designated wine is undeniably in balance. It has a cavern of blackberry and jammy cherry at its core, which simultaneously buzzes in minerality before finishing in a dusting of cocoa and black pepper. The tannins are fine and integrated, providing a generosity of texture that should mellow over time. Cellar through 2027.

This stunner vintage has opaque purple, displaying richness and intensity in its notes of lead pencil shavings intermixed with cedar wood, fruitcake, blackcurrant and blackberry fruit. A wine of extraordinary intensity and a long finish, it should drink well for 20-25 years.

This vintage has a dense purple color followed by notes of creosote, burning embers, wood spice, forest floor, blackberry and cassis. It is full-bodied with great intensity and a long, rich, concentrated finish.

Virtually perfect, this vintage has notes of scorched earth, burning embers/ charcoal, blackberry and blueberry fruit, and some floral notes. Quite full-bodied, it offers sweet tannins, low acidity, and a fleshy, rich finish of close to a minute.

This vintage is a beautifully complex wine with big, sexy notes of new saddle leather, blackberry and blackcurrant fruit, silky tannins, a full-bodied, voluptuous texture and lots of personality and glycerin-filled fruit. This is a beauty to drink over the next 7-8 years.

Sleek and spicy, with a spice box accent to the wild raspberry and strawberry flavors, graced by whiffs of smoke, a dash of mineral and accents of black tea. Drink now through 2025.

Both the 2011 Amisfield Pinot Noir and 2013 Amisfield Sauvignon Blanc from Central Otago received a Gold Award in the 31st TEXSOM International Wine Awards. Congratulations!

The 2012 Bacio Divino Proprietary Red is a superb blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Sangiovese and Cabernet Franc. Dense ruby/plum/purple with notes of freshly ground pepper, bouquet garni, roasted meats, blackcurrants and cherries, this is a spicy, aromatic, ripe and singular style of wine that Bacio Divino pulls off beautifully. Drink it over the next decade.

Bacio Divino, a project of Claus Janzen and his son, offered three vintages of their single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons and a couple generic bottlings, plus other assorted bottlings from their terrific value-priced wines, such as Pazzo. There are also a couple of Burgundy-styled wines made from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the Dutton Ranch, which I decided to include since they’re the only Sonoma County wines from Bacio Divino.

Speaking of Janzen’s terrific value, the 2012 Pazzo rocks. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Sangiovese, it’s a very sexy, fleshy, succulent style of wine that consumers undoubtedly adore. Lots of red and black fruits, meaty, peppery spices and a hint of Provençal herbs all catch the taster’s attention in this lusty, heady, ripe, rare outstanding effort. Drink it over the next 2-3 years.

Bacio Divino, a project of Claus Janzen and his son, offered three vintages of their single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons and a couple generic bottlings, plus other assorted bottlings from their terrific value-priced wines, such as Pazzo. There are also a couple of Burgundy-styled wines made from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the Dutton Ranch, which I decided to include since they’re the only Sonoma County wines from Bacio Divino.

The generic 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa is outstanding, and better than the single-vineyard 2011s. Lots of Christmas fruitcake, white chocolate, coffee bean, blackcurrants and sweet dark cherries are all present in this medium to full-bodied, lush, heady wine that’s a reasonably fair value in the luxury-priced scheme of Cabernet Sauvignons from Napa.

Bacio Divino, a project of Claus Janzen and his son, offered three vintages of their single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons and a couple generic bottlings, plus other assorted bottlings from their terrific value-priced wines, such as Pazzo. There are also a couple of Burgundy-styled wines made from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the Dutton Ranch, which I decided to include since they’re the only Sonoma County wines from Bacio Divino

A blend of fruit from different sources, the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Silencieux is a classic Nils Venge Cabernet Sauvignon – broad, savory, rich and complex with notes of crème de cassis and vanilla, well-balanced wood, and a full-bodied, powerful, opulent style. This sensational effort should drink well for 20-25 years.

The bigger-than-life 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Family Reserve possesses a great personality as well as stunning blue, black and red fruits, graphite and toasty oak, killer richness and opulence. I would not be surprised if it is drinkable early given the sweetness of tannin. It is another unreal offering from Nils Venge. Drink 2018-2040.

The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Bone Ash Vineyard should be as good as the 2012. It reveals sweet blackberry and blueberry fruit, a creamy, opulent, voluptuous texture, and incredible richness and length. It should drink well for 20-25 years.

The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Bone Ash Vineyard (393 cases were bottled unfined and unfiltered) comes from a 12-acre site in Calistoga planted over 21 years ago. A compelling Cabernet Sauvignon, it offers copious notes of crème de cassis, charcoal, graphite and a hint of minerality as well as terrific blackberry and cassis fruit. This full-bodied, massive Cabernet is neither overripe nor heavy. It is a killer effort from one of the great craftsman of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Nils Venge, who has over 40 years of experience producing great Cabernets. Enjoy this beauty over the next 20-25 years, although I suspect it will last even longer.

A wine I have purchased and followed, and never been disappointed with, is Venge’s Cabernet Sauvignon Family Reserve. The 2012 is another killer effort. It possesses sensational ripeness, brilliant purity, a seamless integration of acidity, wood, alcohol and tannins, full-bodied splendor and gloriously pure blackberry, blueberry and cassis fruit intermixed with a whiff of smoky oak in the background. This is a great Napa Cabernet Sauvignon from the heart of the valley. It should last for 25-50 years!

The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Bone Ash Vineyard (125 cases made) possesses a dense ruby/purple color as well as a beautifully sweet nose of creme de cassis, blueberries, licorice and lavender. The complex aromatics are followed by a full-bodied wine that reveals some tannin, but its overall impression is one of opulence, luxurious richness and an extravagantly long finish. This terrific Cabernet is a benchmark for what can be achieved in Calistoga. It can be drunk now or cellared for 20-25 years.

The Venge family, sourced the Bone Ash Cabernet from their 12-acre family vineyard in Calistoga. The name is taken from the white volcanic soils that some refer to as tufa.

The spectacular 2011 Syrah Stagecoach Vineyard Block I-4 (250 cases produced) boasts a dense purple color along with notes of camphor, blackberries, cassis and charcoal. The wine hits the palate with a thunderous display of black fruits, loads of glycerin (15.9% alcohol), (but not a bit of heat,) sweet tannin and stunningly rich, concentrated fruit. A terrific, full-bodied texture, sensational purity and a long finish result in an iconic Syrah from one of the great pioneers in Napa Valley.

There are 350 cases of the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Family Reserve which boasts a dense ruby/purple color as well as beautiful aromas of cassis, red and black fruits, high-toned spicy oak, a full-bodied, layered mouthfeel, and a finish that lasts 45-50 seconds. This fabulous, All American Cabernet Sauvignon that comes from a first-growth site will offer glorious drinking over the next 20-25 years. I am glad to see the Venges building sweeter tannins into their wines so they have accessibility in their youth and adolescence.

A finished barrel sample of the 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Family Reserve exhibits a dense ruby/plum/purple color in addition to sweet cassis, vanillin and spice notes. This will be a forward, precocious, sexy Family Reserve given the vintage conditions. The structure, massive foundation and power of the great years is not there, but that has been replaced by pure charm, lots of ripe fruit and a sensuous style. Most consumers probably prefer this style to a big blockbuster, and this 2011 should be hugely successful when released.

A finished barrel sample of the 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Family Reserve displays that vintage’s deep ruby/purple color along with sweet creme de cassis and floral notes, a striking purity, and full-bodied richness without heaviness. Venge appears to have hit pay dirt in this top vintage with this beautiful 2012. It tastes like a largely unformed barrel sample, but it is locked and loaded, and should turn out to be every bit as strong as Venge’s finest Family Reserves produced to date.

The bottled 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Bone Ash Vineyard has turned out exceptionally well in this lighter, more challenging vintage. Sweet, creamy cassis, licorice, and subtle oak and smoke notes are present in this forward, evolved, sexy, full throttle Cabernet. While the 2010 may be slightly bigger, denser and more formidable, the amazing 2011 is certainly one of the stars of the vintage. A gorgeous, long, velvety finish adds to the appeal of this wine, which should be drunk over the next 10-15 years. The good news is 525 cases were produced.

The Venge family, sourced the Bone Ash Cabernet from their 12-acre family vineyard in Calistoga. The name is taken from the white volcanic soils that some refer to as tufa.

The 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Silencieux is a much larger cuvee of 1,568 cases from top sources in Napa. Another big time winner, it is not quite as profound as its 2010 siblings or the 2011 Bone Ash and Family Reserve, but it is a delicious, reasonably priced Napa Cabernet Sauvignon that showcases Venge’s Midas touch with this varietal. Rich, concentrated, round and generous, this is a sumptuous Cabernet Sauvignon with no hard edges. Enjoy it now and over the next 10-15 years.

Here’s a bright, tart, wonderfully drinkable young Sauvignon Blanc with some real complexity. It’s savory in citrus, gooseberry, green apple and vanilla flavors, with just a touch of creamy oak.