Hide All Details
Joseph Swan Vineyards,
Ready, but will improve,
Winemaker and owner Rod Berglund (also known as “The Rodfather” to friends) was a protegée of Joseph Swan and has been making the wines here since the late 1970s. Based in the Russian River Valley in California, Rod continues to make restrained wine in the style of Burgundy.
Light ruby in colour with some paling of the rim, this has pure and lifted red berry fruit aromas with a restraint and herbaceous note that is more commonly associated with Burgundian Pinot. The texture is silky, and the tannins fine-grained, with a supple and juicy coating. There is a spicy character that flows through the wine, which continues on the finish with a jasmine tea note. Drink now to 2028.
Light ruby in colour with some paling of the rim, this has pure and lifted red berry fruit aromas with a restraint and herbaceous note that is more commonly associated with Burgundian Pinot. The texture is silky, and the tannins fine-grained, with a supple and juicy coating. There is a spicy character that flows through the wine, which continues on the finish with a jasmine tea note. Drink now to 2028.
Ready, but will improve,
Lytton Springs is predominantly Zinfandel (69%) with Petite Sirah (23%), Carignan (6%) and Mataro (aka Mourvèdre, 2%) making up the rest of the blend in 2016. Originating from the Dry Creek AVA and produced by one of the world’s greatest wine producers, this wine has layers of complexity and charm. It’s a delicious combination of wildflowers, redcurrants and bramble fruits with hints of rosemary. Chalky tannins are balanced by juicy acidity. The sheer concentration creates a long finish. Drink now to 2025.
Fiona Hayes, Buyer (September 2019)
Fiona Hayes, Buyer (September 2019)
Ready, but will keep,
AVNI Chardonnay combines fruit from predominantly Nekia soils in Salem’s Bunker Hill, Eola-Amity Hills including Lingua Franca Estate, Yamhill-Carlton, with a small contribution from Laubejac Vineyard near Monmouth, in Willakenzie soils. The aroma is complex with layers of mineral, smoke, herbs. The wine is silky, racy and complex on the palate. A lasting finish of citrus, pear, and white flowers concludes with flinty, mouth-watering minerality.
Ready, but will keep,
Toasty, nutty and smoky notes are wonderfully integrated with verbena and white floral aromatics. Zesty acidity and a refreshing, savoury core bring precision and energy to the wine. The palate builds to a pithy finish. The intensity and vibrant acidity will enable this wine to keep for a further five to eight years. It would be perfect with duck or roast chicken. Drink now to 2027.
Fiona Hayes, Buyer (September 2019)
Fiona Hayes, Buyer (September 2019)
Ready, but will keep,
BHV Chardonnay is exclusively from Salem’s Bunker Hill, with 20-year-old CH76 vines on pure Nekia soils at an altitude of around 800 feet. BHV, the only west facing vineyard we work with, is exposed directly to the cooling ocean winds of the Van Duzer corridor. The aroma is complex with layers of mineral, smoke, herbs. It has a distinctly lifted flavor and intensity. The wine is crunchy, racy and complex on the palate. A lasting finish of citrus, herbs, and white flowers concludes with flinty, mouthwatering minerality, that has intensity but floats on the tongue.
Ready, but will keep,
This wine is a bin-end, discounted by 20%.
Fog Monster is the exciting California project from Chris and Andrew Mullineux – the couple behind Mullineux & Leeu Family Wines, one of South Africa’s most iconic names. Andrea is Californian, so in between harvests in the Cape and when visiting family in the US, the couple decided to start a small label – Fog Monster.
They make the wines at a custom-crush facility, working with fruit from some particularly special vineyards. The red comes from Bedrock – the same remarkable site that gives its name to the Bedrock Wine Co.. The vines were planted in the 1880s, and are a complex field blend, dominated by Zinfandel. Thanks to 50% whole-cluster, the wine is fresh and perfumed – with lifted red fruit and spice joining the core of darker fruit. The age of the vines gives the wine remarkable concentration. Layered and rich with fine-grained tannins, it builds to a long spicy finish. Drink now to 2025.
Fog Monster is the exciting California project from Chris and Andrew Mullineux – the couple behind Mullineux & Leeu Family Wines, one of South Africa’s most iconic names. Andrea is Californian, so in between harvests in the Cape and when visiting family in the US, the couple decided to start a small label – Fog Monster.
They make the wines at a custom-crush facility, working with fruit from some particularly special vineyards. The red comes from Bedrock – the same remarkable site that gives its name to the Bedrock Wine Co.. The vines were planted in the 1880s, and are a complex field blend, dominated by Zinfandel. Thanks to 50% whole-cluster, the wine is fresh and perfumed – with lifted red fruit and spice joining the core of darker fruit. The age of the vines gives the wine remarkable concentration. Layered and rich with fine-grained tannins, it builds to a long spicy finish. Drink now to 2025.
Verite Winery,
Ready, but will improve,
A warm, redolent bouquet laced with Cabernet Franc infused notes of mocha, espresso and grilled herbs melds into layers of dark fruit as the 2010 La Muse opens up in the glass. The opulence of the Merlot comes through on the mid-palate as the wine literally explodes with a melange of blue/black fruits, graphite, melted road tar and asphalt. Over the last year, the 2010 has gained juiciness, but it is also less explosive than it was when I last tasted it. Then again, the wine has been in steel for about seven months, so that is understandable. Suave tannins round out the polished finish. In 2010 La Muse is 84% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. Seillan wasn't happy with the Malbec, so he dropped those components from the final blend. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025.
94-96/100 Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate
94-96/100 Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate
Ready, but will improve,
Ready, but will improve,
Sourced from Dry Creek Valley this cuvee is made up of 74% Zinfandel, 16% Petite Sirah, 8% Carignane, 2% Mataro. There is a richness and concentration that showcases itself on the aromatic and textural components of this wine. Rich red berried fruits and spice are supported by a silky density on the core with round but pronounced tannins and a refreshing juicy acid profile. Wild strawberries and pepper continue rather attractively on the length.
Fiona Hayes, Wine Buyer
Fiona Hayes, Wine Buyer
Ready, but will improve,
The 14.5% alcohol is incredibly well integrated with a blend of 70% Zinfandel, 15% Carignane, 12% Petite Sirah, 3% Alicante Bouschet. An excellent 50th Geyserville vintage! The aromatic profile is incredibly intense with notes of brambles fruits, spice, licorice and cedar are supported by a richness on the palate but with a distinct vibrancy and balance from the acidity and integrated tannins.
Fiona Hayes, Wine Buyer
Fiona Hayes, Wine Buyer
Verite Winery,
Ready, but will improve,
Verite's 2010 Le Desir is the richest and most powerful of these wines. Cedar, tobacco, mocha and sweet spices all blossom in the glass. Blackberry jam, cassis, smoke, licorice and grilled herbs open up over time. Firm, structured and huge on the palate, the Desir is the most intense and opulent of the 2010s. It is likely to require the most time to come around. The blend is 50% Cabernet Franc, 40% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025.
94-96/100 Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate
94-96/100 Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate
Drink now,
I've long been a fan of Ridge Vineyards and in particular their Zinfandels. The grape is known for mass production of plummy, strawberry fruit flavoured wine for very easy consumption. Geyserville and Lytton Springs completely dispel those images with expressive wines showing great depth which are very much influenced by their terroir. The direction of Ridge ensures these wines are beautifully balanced which in turn gives them plenty of potential to age should you be able to resist for long enough. Of the two, Lytton Springs is the more seductive and accessible in youth. The 2006 vintage represents superb value for money.
(Jake Dean - Fine Wine Manager) Aged for 15 months in american oak, boasting more Zin (80%), more pretty Petite Sirah (16%) and less Carignan (4%) than its stable mate Geyserville, this Dry Creek Valley wine is all griottines, espresso coffee and chocolate; a slender, more feline, come-hither kinda wine that's drinking just fine now and over the next 5 years, especially with spicy Tex-Mex cuisine;
(David Berry Green)
(Jake Dean - Fine Wine Manager) Aged for 15 months in american oak, boasting more Zin (80%), more pretty Petite Sirah (16%) and less Carignan (4%) than its stable mate Geyserville, this Dry Creek Valley wine is all griottines, espresso coffee and chocolate; a slender, more feline, come-hither kinda wine that's drinking just fine now and over the next 5 years, especially with spicy Tex-Mex cuisine;
(David Berry Green)
Drink now,
The 2011 Proprietary Red Geyserville (78% Zinfandel, 16% Carignan and the rest Petite Sirah, Alicante Bouchet and Mataro; 14% alcohol) was made from grapes harvested between September 21 and October 3. It reveals more stuffing than the Zinfandels as well as attractive earthy, briery, spicy fruit, pepper, meat and black cherry fruit. While it is not one of the legendary Geyserville efforts, it is a competent red wine to enjoy over the next 5-7 years: 2013 -2020
Robert M. Parker, Wine Advocate #209 Oct 2013
Robert M. Parker, Wine Advocate #209 Oct 2013
This Sauvignon comes from the well-known Ritchie vineyard. In the Russian River (Sonoma County), the site is a mix of sandy loam and volcanic soil with vines planted in 1972. After whole-cluster pressing, the juice is fermented in concrete eggs and spends eight months on lees, with some aged in neutral barre. It has an attractive phenolic grip with intense grapefruit, a herbal note and a mineral attack.
Fiona Hayes, Wine Buyer