Wine & Spirits

96 points Jeb Dunnuck  Made from 100% Grenache aged a full 30 months in 70% new French oak, the deep ruby-colored 2016 On The Road is another full-bodied, concentrated, yet also pure and balanced wine from this talented winemaker. Blackberries, ground herbs, pepper, spice box, and licorice-laced black cherries all define the bouquet, and it hits the palate with a silky, expansive texture, no hard edges, and a great finish. It shows the pure, balanced, seamless style of this vintage beautifully. It's terrific today yet has the tannin, balance, and length to keep for 7-8 years. Drink through 2027.  (10/2019)

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96 Points Jeb Dunnuck. " ...inky colored, the 2017 Casual Encounters checks in as 40% Syrah, 35% Mourvèdre, 19% Grenache, and tiny amounts of Carignan and Tannat. Lots of mulled black fruits, smoked meat, barbecue, and peppery notes emerge from the glass. It's full-bodied, super-rich, and concentrated, yet still stays light on its feet and beautifully balanced. It's a classic, sweetly fruited, sexy 2017 ... "

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Dragonette Pinot Noir Radian Vineyard 2018 97 Points Wine Enthusiast, Matt Kettmann"This is an incredibly dynamic, complex and yet utterly delicious bottling. Aromas of roasted cherry, iodine, iron, bay leaf, sage and mushroomy meats envelop the nose. The palate is rich in texture and flavors yet fierce with acidity, combining opulent berries, toasted sage and gamy meats into a head-spinning sip."

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Grimm’s Bluff is Biodynamically farmed - dedicated to producing only the very best grapes from special terroir. Dragonette sources fruit from three blocks of Grimm's where painstaking care is taken to produce low yields. The grapes are fermented and aged in French oak barriques and specially designed cigar shaped barrels, where it rests on the lees and develops superior texture, concentration, and flavor. This is a special Sauvignon Blanc, rich and minerally, worthy of the finest seafood or pasta with cream sauce.

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93 Points. Weighty, yet ethereal, fruity with pineapple, candied orange rind, nuts with a minerally sprinkle of sea salt. The palate is creamy and round, yet delicate. This is a complex and serious Chardonnay from one of the top wineries in Santa Barbara.

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Winemaker Notes Deep ruby in color with intense dark fruit aromas of ripe black cherry, black currant and plum interlaced with complex notes of sweet herbs, clove, vanilla, dark chocolate, and toasty oak. Blackberry, cocoa, and black peppercorn unite on the layered palate with complex notes dark berry and cassis with highlights of bay, anise and mocha. Full yet elegant on the palate, with vibrant fruit and very approachable tannins with hints of nutmeg and vanilla bean add to the long persistent finish.

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Winemaker Notes The wine is a vibrant blend delineated from the region’s cooling fog and warm afternoon sunshine to allow balanced ripening of lush varietal flavors and natural acidity that can be derived from our venerated vineyards.

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This wine comes loaded with cassis, boysenberry, and tobacco leaf aromas, and notes of thyme and clove. The Wine Advocate says "Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley features vibrant notions of crushed wild blueberries, black cherries and cassis with touches of cigar box, black tea and wild sage. Medium to full-bodied with a full frame of ripe, grainy tannins, it has seamless freshness laced through the energetic fruit, finishing long and juicy. " A true bargain in Cabernet Sauvignon if ever we saw one!

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Winemaker Notes The 2016 Arise offers a rich attack with sweet, plush tannins and notes of cherry, plum, and smoked duck in a long finish of coffee, plum, and blueberry. An ideal 2016 harvest season resulted in rich fruit of uncompromised character. The 2016 Arise is Blackbird at its core of supple winemaking. Blend: 55% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, 17% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Petit Verdot.

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2017 PharaohMoans Syrah, Paso Robles – Huge Score From Wine Critic Jeb Dunnuck, “All Syrah brought up in 60% new barrels, the 2017 Syrah Westside offers a thrilling bouquet of black (and some blue) fruits, bay leaf, bacon fat, chocolate, and spring flowers. With a Côte-Rôtie like meatiness and gamey, floral character, medium to full body, no hard edges, and fine tannins, it’s another remarkable effort from this estate. Drink it any time over the coming decade or more.”  JEB DUNNUCK 97 POINTS

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Details 94 Points Jeb Dunnuck: "The Linen Calodo 2016 Perfectionist is a Syrah-dominated blend that includes 17% Mourvèdre and 9% Grenache that was brought up all in concrete. It's a supple, voluptuous effort that offers loads of black and blue fruits, ground herbs, earth, and peppery notes as well as a full-bodied, ripe, beautifully polished elegant style on the palate. Like all of Matt's wines, it has a complex, nuanced, seamless style that's a joy to drink."  

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Details 95 points Jeb Dunnuck  The 100% varietal 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon One Point Five is a head-turner and actually gives the flagship a run for its money. Stunning notes of crème de cassis, blackcurrants, tobacco, and lead pencil as well as subtle oak and violets all flow to a full-bodied 2016 that shows the elegant, purity, and balance that makes the 2016 vintage so spectacular.  (1/2020)  

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