Do you know what tesserae are? I didn’t before my recent visit to Garden Creek Vineyards in Geyserville, California. (For the record, tesserae are small blocks of stone, tile, glass, or other material used in the construction of a mosaic). Picking up ancient Greek lingo isn’t standard practice at wineries,
This is an absolutely ebullient wine, lively, exciting, with sweet cherries and blueberries dancing across the palate, cassis on the mid-palate, mint and rich earth running throughout. It is full-bodied and chewy, and lusciously fat. Drink with filet mignon with truffle butter. Very Highly Recommended. 96 points. DBH WHO: Ridge
Aromas of elderberry and chocolate waft up from the glass. Plenty of plum lead on a palate that adds brown sugar and vanilla. Drink with burgers. Recommended. 86 points. DBH WHO: Frei Brothers WHAT: Cabernet Sauvignon DESIGNATION: Reserve WHEN: 2014 WHERE: Alexander Valley, Sonoma County, California HOW MUCH: $28 (media
The nose is complex, with blackberries, cassis, and freshly dug mushrooms, still covered with black earth. Blackberries and cassis lead on the palate, with earthy complexity, touches of vanilla and spices, then hints of raspberry offering high notes all run through the mid-palate. Tannins are fine. This is rich and
Aromas of blackberries and cocoa waft up on the nose. Huge, ripe black fruits lead on the palate, black currant, plums, and elderberry, with milk chocolate and espresso adding depth on the mid-palate. Tannins are grippy. This requires red meat and fat - try it with lamb chops with béarnaise
Brothers Vineyard is Rodney Strong's northernmost, and warmest, vineyard in Alexander Valley. The wine of opaque, with a deep, earthy nose. Black currant dominates, with sweet blueberry in the background. It is even darker on the palate, leading with elderberry and blackberry. Some black tar and tobacco add bitter to
When first poured, the familiar Bordeaux-like aroma envelopes your senses. And sure enough, this wine is a blend of four of the main Bordeaux grapes – dominated, in this case, by cabernet sauvignon (77%). Both aroma and flavor exhibit refined red fruit against a backdrop of fine tannin. Well-balanced tannin, fruit and
Rich, luscious and deep, this is a big mouthful of joy. Black currant and black cherry waft up from the glass. Deep black fruit and loads of dark chocolate and espresso coat the entire mouth, huge, rich, and round. The mid-palate adds a touch of tart blackberry, adding acid-bright freshness.
