The spring season brings diverse weather, so it is ideal to have a wide variety of wines on hand. Therefore, I tasted more than 100 wines from various grapes for this column, and below are my favorites across a broad range of prices:
$10s-20s
Domaine Bousquet 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon “Reserve, Organic Grapes, Tupungato, Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina ($18): Beautiful purple color leads to a strong, complex nose and an outstanding palate highlighted by pleasing strength, excellent balance, medium tannins and lingering length.
Trapiche 2022 Malbec “Medalla, Mendoza, Argentina� ($20): I loved its deep, purple-hue preceding rounded body, forward fruit, ample personality and extended finish.
Eroica 2023 Riesling “Columbia Valley, Washington� ($22): Subtle to the eye and nose, but otherwise attractive with strength, plentiful fruit, fine balance and more on the palate, all carried for impressive length.
DAOU 2022 Rose “Paso Robles� ($24): Orange-tinted color catches the eye, but this notable wine excels on the palate with vitality, full body, forward fruit and pleasing balance, coupled with prolonged complexity, integration and refinement.
Textbook 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon “The Pey Family, Paso Robles� ($27): Attractive purple color and a strong nose lead to rounded body, appealing fruit, fine balance, engaging personality and likable length.
Rombauer 2023 Sauvignon Blanc “Sonoma & Napa Counties� ($28): This fine Sauv Blanc literally shines in the glass and features superb strength, impressive dimensionality and a long finish.
Sean Minor 2022 Chardonnay “Signature Series, Sonoma Coast� ($28): The best buy in this price category has deep yellow color, a strong nose with notable complexity and excellence on the palate with extended length.
EX (by Wrath) 2022 Pinot Noir “Monterey County� ($29): I enjoyed its hue and strong, layered nose, and I loved its full body, fruit, fine balance and more on the palate…all carrying throughout a long-lingering finish.
Additional worthy buys:
14 Hands 2021 red blend “Hot to Trot, Columbia Valley� ($15); Louis Jadot 2022 Rose “Coteaux Bourguignons, France� ($15); St. Francis 2022 Chardonnay “Sonoma County� ($17); Dry Creek Valley 2023 Chenin Blanc “Dry, Clarksburg� ($18); Liquid Light non-vintage sparkling wine “Brut Rose, Washington State� ($22).
$30s-40s
Sea Slopes (by Fort Ross Winery) 2023 Chardonnay “Sonoma Coast� ($30): Outstanding, especially in terms of its deep yellow color foretelling broad excellence with strength, complexity, integration and personality, all carrying for notable length.
Wrath 2021 Pinot Noir �115/667, Monterey� ($39): Increasingly impressive from eye to nose to a palate featuring heavy body, very strong but wonderfully balanced fruit, dimensionality, character and refinement.
Dutcher Crossing 2023 Grenache Rose “Dry Creek Valley� ($40): Orange-red color leads to noteworthy strength on the palate, accompanied by superb crispness, complexity, integration and personality over lingering length.
Limerick Lane 2023 Zinfandel “Russian River Valley� ($46): This excellent Zin is beautiful to the eye and nose, preparing the way for its notable body, fruit, balance and more…much more.
Other appealing selections:
Markham 2021 Merlot “Napa Valley� ($32); Mommessin 2023 Gamay Noir “Grandes Mises, Saint-Amour, France� ($32); Imagery 2024 Rose “Aleatico Rose, Serres Ranch, Sonoma Valley� ($38); Sosie 2021 Syrah “Vivio Vineyard, Bennett Valley, Sonoma County� ($42); Dutcher Crossing 2021 Chardonnay “Stuhlmuller Vineyard, Alexander Valley, Sonoma County� ($45); Dutcher Crossing 2018 red blend “Winemakers� Cellar, Kupferschmid Red, Dry Creek Valley� ($45).
$50s-60s
Chalk Hill 2023 Chardonnay “Chalk Hill, Sonoma County� ($52): Very attractive with excellence in intensity, body, fruit and balance…all extended for lingering length.
Imagery 2021 Petite Sirah “Paso Robles� ($53): I loved the hue and depth of its color, as well as its strength, fruit and crispness. Moreover, medium tannins complement wonderful complexity, integration and personality throughout a prolonged finish.
Roederer Estate 2020 sparkling “Apple Valley Vineyard, Anderson Valley� ($55): A bit light in color, but its impressiveness grows on the palate with excellent balance and extended length.
Wrath 2022 Pinot Noir “Boekenoogen Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands� ($55): Beautiful in the glass and on the nose, but particularly on the palate with strength, rounded body and much more, all carried throughout a lingering finish.
Turnbull 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon “Napa Valley� ($60): Enjoyment begins with its deep purple hue, grows with its powerfully complex nose and peaks with its viscosity, very strong fruit and highly appealing integration, refinement, personality and length.
Limerick Lane 2021 Zinfandel “Rocky Knoll, Russian River Valley� ($68): I loved its gorgeous purple-tinged color and expressive nose featuring power and dimensionality. Excellence continues on the palate with strength, body, fruit, balance and a beautiful finish.
Further fine choices:
Markham 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon “Napa Valley� ($53); Gary Farrell 2021 Pinot Noir “Hallberg Vineyard, Russian River Valley� ($65).
$70s+
Yarden 2019 Syrah “Allone Habashan Vineyard, Galilee� ($75): Among the best wines I’ve tasted in the past year with impressive strength, generous body, beautiful fruit and noteworthy complexity accompanied by outstanding integration, refinement, personality and length.
Benziger 2020 red blend “Tribute, Sonoma Valley� ($100): Exceptional in multiple dimensions, including its deep purple-tinged color, notable power, wonderful balance and highly pleasing refinement, all prolonged throughout an extended finish.
Merry Edwards 2022 Pinot Noir “Meredith Estate, Russian River Valley� ($100): Beauty to the eye and excellence on the palate result in a superior wine in which strength, fruit and complexity produce highly appealing personality that carries for long-lingering length.
Cliff Lede 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon “Rhythm Vineyard, Stags Leap District� ($125): Strikingly beautiful, dark-purple color leads to impressive strength, thick body and broad excellence in terms of balance, complexity, refinement, integration, personality and more.
Other superb selections:
Arista 2021 Chardonnay “Russian River Valley� ($70); Domaine Della 2021 Pinot Noir “Sonoma Coast� ($72); Concannon 2019 Petite Sirah “Heritage, Livermore Valley� ($75); DAOU 2021 red blend “Reserve, Seventeen Forty, Paso Robles� ($75); Mayacamas 2022 Merlot “Mt. Veeder, Napa Valley� ($75); Merry Edwards 2023 Sauvignon Blanc “Russian River Valley, Sonoma County� ($80); Vitae Springs 2022 Pinot Noir “Force Sauvage, Vitae Springs Vineyard, Willamette Valley, Oregon� ($90).
Contact a local liquor store to determine availability of wines you wish to purchase or search for them online. John can be reached at [email protected]