Category:California wine

Wine of the week: Shannon Ridge Wrangler Red 2020

by Wine Curmudgeon Posted On

Shannon Ridge Wrangler Red bottle
Shannon Ridge Wrangler Red 2020/$11-$15

California red blend speaks to the state’s great cheap wine history — and the scourge of availability

This California red blend first appeared on the blog in 2015, but has only been the wine of the week once since then.

Its absence has nothing to do with its quality, of course. It’s a classic California red blend, the kind that used to be quite common before everything had to be cabernet sauvignon or pinot noir or the new au courant varietal.

Its absence? Though I bought it in Dallas in 2015, I rarely saw it on store shelves after that. Because wine availability isn’t supposed to make any sense, is it?

Which is too bad, because the 2020 version of the Wrangler Red ($12, purchased, 13.9%) is even better than the last two — Hall of Fame quality, in fact.

It does all that this style of wine — once known as a field blend — should do. That means fruity but not sweet, balanced, and even more going on than just the fruit. Some herbs maybe? Some mocha? And not too tannic, either. That’s even more impressive since the six-grape blend (zinfandel, syrah, petite sirah, merlot, mourvedre, and cabernet franc) could be overwhelming. It’s not like the first two are especially subtle.

Highly recommended, and just the thing for almost any holiday dinner that isn’t fish (and I’m not so sure that it wouldn’t work with salmon).

Wine of the week: Pavette Sauvignon Blanc 2022

by Wine Curmudgeon Posted On

Pavette Sauvignon Blanc bottle
Pavette Sauvignon Blanc 2022/$10-$15

Yes, a California wine that meets the blog’s criteria for quality and value

These days, save for a couple of one-offs, about the only California brand that meets the blog’s criteria for quality and value is Hall of Fame label McManis. So you can imagine my excitement as I tasted this version of the Pavette.

That’s because this was the second vintage of the sauvignon blanc that tasted — dare I say it? — like California sauvignon blanc and not something run through a focus group.

So, yes, the Pavette Sauvignon Blanc 2022 ($13, purchased, 13%) is well worth recommending. It’s not quite as one-note as the 2021 was, which was mostly white grapefruit. Yes, there is lots of that this time around, but there is also an almost tropical something or other in the middle. Which, of course, is a sign of quality sauvignon blanc made in this style. It’s also crisp and fresh, without any cloying sweet fruit.

The Pavette would be better at $10, but it’s certainly worthwhile at $13 (and I may be a bit too cranky on this point). And it might even get rounder with another year in bottle.

This is the kind of wine to keep on hand as the holidays arrive, in case someone wants a glass of white wine, or to drink with a takeout chicken, a la Jacques Pepin.

Expensive wine 173: Jordan Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

by Wine Curmudgeon Posted On

Jordan Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon bottle
Jordan Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018/$40-$70

California cabernet sauvignon doesn’t get much more dependable than Jordan

The wine business has gone through so many changes in the past decade that it’s sometimes difficult to keep up with all of them – even for those of us who get paid to do so. But one thing hasn’t changed – the quality and style of Jordan’s cabernet sauvignon.

No, this isn’t a hipster wine, and yes, it’s probably on every steak house wine list in the country. But that’s why Jordan endures, and has since its founding in 1972. A friend who was getting into wine in the late 1980s swore by Jordan, and it’s easy to to see why. Fads come and go, but the Jordan style doesn’t.

This vintage ($60, sample, 13.8%) is a wonderful example of that style. It’s classic, traditional California cabernet. That means a big wine, dark and ripe, but not so big that it seems larger than everything else on the table. If nothing else, the sub-14 percent alcohol speaks to that. The berry fruit is layered, there is the usual sort of mocha and hint of oak that these kinds of wines have, and the tannins are very soft.

It’s a food wine, certainly, and a food wine for a meal that takes in much more than meat loaf. It’s ready to drink now, but could also cellar for at least a few more years.

Labor Day wine 2023

by Wine Curmudgeon Posted On

people sitting in front of table talking and eating
“I told you the WC’s wine recommendations were super good.”

Enjoy these four bottles for Labor Day wine 2023

Labor Day traditionally marks the end of the summer in the U.S., which will be most welcome this year. Even the WC, who vowed never to shovel snow again, was getting overwhelmed by 105-degree temperatures. And then some more. And then some more.

So bring on fall, cooler weather, some chilled reds, and relaxing on a shaded place on the porch. And maybe some lemon roasted chicken?

These four bottles will give you a start — and don’t forget the blog’s porch wine guidelines:

• Jolie Folle Sauvignon Blanc 2021 ($13/1-liter, purchased, 11.5%): This French white is more New Zealand in style this vintage, with grapefruit instead of lime and less minerality. But it’s still a fine value. Imported by T. Elenteny Imports

• Umani Ronchi Podere 2021  ($13, purchased, 13%): A surprisingly fresh and berryish Italian red from Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, though it’s not as light as some. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be chilled slightly and served with bacon cheeseburgers.  Imported by Vineyard Brands

• Castle Rock Rose 2022 ($12, sample, 13%): A California pink that is crisp, fresh, and enjoyable — and dry, dry, dry. Look for rose petals on the nose (honest), plus barely ripe berry fruit and a very pleasant stony finish. I’m told it’s available, so its Wine-Searcher entry is probably wrong.

• Campo Viejo Cava Brut Rose NV ($11, purchased, 11.5%): This Spanish bubbly is made with trepat, which is a good thing. But it’s a little less crisp than it could be and it’s not quite up to the standards of what great cheap Cava once was. But it has nice wild berry fruit with decent bubbles, so it will do. Imported by Pernod Richard USA

Photo: Priscillia Du Preez on Unsplash

More about Labor Day wine:
• Labor Day wine 2022
• Labor Day wine 2021
• Labor Day wine 2020
• Wine of the week: Zestos Blanco 2021

Father’s Day wine 2023

by Wine Curmudgeon Posted On

Father's Day ties
Yet again, the Father’s Day tie picture — the WC does love it.

Father’s Day wine 2023: Quality wine for Dad, because that’s what we do

Once again, wine for Dad for Father’s Day that fits what we do here — price and value, and not silliness or scores or expensive wine for the sake of spending money. And don’t forget the blog’s wine gift-giving guidelines — don’t buy someone wine that you think they should like; buy them what they will like.

Father’s Day wine 2023 suggestions:

• Pedroncelli Sauvignon Blanc Giovanni & Giulia 2022 ($22, sample, 13.9%): Yes, more money than I usually spend, but I love this wine. It’s top-notch, varietally correct California sauvignon blanc — so some grassiness, some lime, and even some tropical. Highly recommended.

• Douglas Green Rib Shack Red 2021 ($12, purchased, 13.5%): Pinotage, baby! Which means it’s South African through and through — full and rich, a bit tannic, and with lots of black fruit (plus the telltale pinotage aroma and some fake oak). Imported by Cape Classics

• VillaViva Rose 2021 ($10, purchased, 12%): Not quite as well-rounded as the 2020, but well worth buying. Still savory, some red berries, some minerality. Imported by Aquitane Wine USA

• De Chanceny Brut NV ($15, purchased, 12.5%): Amazon Fresh private label (as well as Whole Foods). Made with the Champagne method, but with chenin blanc as well as chardonnay and cabernet franc. A bit softer, some lemon fruit, but still lively. Imported by Dropping Wines

More Father’s Day wine:
• Father’s Day wine 2022
• Father’s Day wine 2021
• Father’s Day wine 2020
• Expensive wine 164: Albert Bichot Fleurie La Madone 2019

Expensive wine 169: Smith-Madrone Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

by Wine Curmudgeon Posted On

Smith-Madrone Cabernet Sauvignon bottle
Smith-Madrone Cabernet Sauvignon 2019/$63-$75

Napa red offers elegance and style for Father’s Day

We’ve waxed poetic about Smith-Madrone wines on the blog before – its riesling is one of the world’s best. But this red is the wine – because of the way the wine world works – that made the winery famous.

Taste it, and you’ll know why.

The Smith-Madrone Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 ($65, sample, 14.3%) demonstrates what happens when quality grapes meet top-notch winemaking and there is a vision for what the wine should be. That is, not just another 93-point wine, but a bottle that reflects who is making the wine and where the grapes are grown. In other words, wine the way it should be.

This is a stylish and layered red – 83 percent cabernet sauvignon, 12 percent cabernet franc, and five percent merlot – in which the cabernet franc adds a a surprising amount of structure. I didn’t know the blend when I tasted it, but – if I may boast – I figured there had to be something else there to lend that sort of backbone.

Look for all oft the characteristics that define a cabernet from Napa’s Spring Mountain District: tannins that don’t stick out and hurt the back of the mouth, what the tasting notes call zingy acidity, and lots and lots of dark fruit – some berries and some not – plus a touch of black pepper. Know that the wine needs food to stand up to all that it offers.

This is still a young wine, and though it’s more than drinkable now – yes, for Father’s Day – it should age for nicely for four or five more years.

Mother’s Day wine 2023

by Wine Curmudgeon Posted On

Mother and child
Happy Mother’s Day, Mom

Four suggestions — white, sparkling, rose, and red — for Mother’s Day 2023

The blog’s 17th annual Mother’s Day wine post makes me smile — and how often does that happen? The point is that wine is about the people around us, and not boasting about scores or collecting trophies. The blog’s wine gift guide is here.

These Mother’s Day wine suggestions should get you started:

• Pedroncelli Dry Rosé of Zinfandel 2022 ($17, sample, 13.9%): Not the $10 rose it once was, but this California pink remains one of my favorites. This vintage is classic — fruity (zinfandel’s dark berries, believe it or not), oh so fresh and crisp. Not Provencal, but not supposed to be.

• Bodegas Eidosela Neboa 2020 ($18, purchased, 13%):  Let it sit for 30 minutes, and this Spanish white becomes exquisite albarino — savory, salty, a bit of lime fruit, and even some minerality. Imported by Valkyrie Selections

• Steenberg Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc NV ($20, sample, 12.5%): This South African sparkling is not for all tastes, and the price may put some people off. Having said that, it’s quality South African sauvignon blanc that has lots and lots of tiny bubbles. So almost grapefruity, but firmly a Champagne-style wine. Imported by Beck Family Estates

• Forty Ounces Red 2016 ($14/1-liter, purchased, 12%): No, there may not be a lot of this around, and yes, it’s an older vintage. But, somehow, this French red blend is worth drinking — berry fruit, soft tannins, and surprisingly balanced. Imported by Verity Wine Partners

Photo: “CL Society 408: Mother and child” by francisco_osorio is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

More about Mother’s Day wine:
• Mother’s Day wine 2022
• Mother’s Day wine 2021
• Mother’s Day wine 2020
• Expensive wine 165: Roederer Estate Brut NV
• Wine of the week: Broadbent Gruner Veltliner 2021