bommarito with cynthia

Domaine Bart Marsannay Rose 2013 a rose from pinot noir.. strawberry and roses.. longishinish

Stephan Massone Masera Gavi Piedmont 2012  surprisingly on the sweet fruity side.. light body not a lot of mineality

Valle dell'acate Il Frappato Sicily 2013  soft and fruity, a grown up lambrusco

Vajra PNQ497 Langhe rosso 2010  a pinot noir from italy. dark fruit with a dusty character.. slight mushroom and very fruity on the palate..

Caterina Zardini Valpolicella Classico 2011  juicy and slight spicebox.. with a touch of earthy finish.. a crowd pleaser

appellations tasting spanish

2011 Quinta Apolonia Belondrade 100% Verdejo vanilla nose, a little tropical front on the front with a mineral wet stone finish.. quite viscous

2011 Belondrade 100 % verdejo oak sur lie aged for creamy quality.. lots of aciditty for a highly oaked wine. rounder finish from that. very expensive for a spanish white.. would be arrcound $44 a bottle

2010 Cesar Principe 13 Cantaros (pitchers) 100% tempranillo cedar box nose, dark purple in color, very tannic with a light green finish

2009 Almaroja Pirita Arribes Castilla Y Leon Spain.. made from juan garcia and other indigenous or heirloom grapes of the region.. unusual blend and unusual aromas.. my first thought was a corked bottle but i was assured that was how it smelled.. a little earthy and tannic and very rustic

betty bolling/ k vintners/ pinnacle

2012 Vino Pinot Grigio Washington a bit sweet on the finish.. a little round

2012 Eve Chardonnay juicy and light

2012 Velvet Devil Merlot  young vine nose and stays on the palate.. still juicy. good tannins

2012 Boom Boom Syrah with 3% viognier and juicy almost meaty

2012 Chateau Smith Cabernet dark purple in color, dark fruit on the finish..

2010 Charles Smith Northridge merlot cinnamon spice on the finish. slight green on front palate.. fruit tannins coming through on the end

Brewer Clifton Central Coast/ Toby Oshiro

Trying the 2011 offerings from  Brewer Clifton

Santa Barbara Chardonnay Santa Rita Hills gunpowder/flint on the nose, lots of weight on the palate from the fruit  not a fruit bomb

Gnesa Chardonnay again with greenish yellow..with the flinty nose

Machado Pinot Noir 2011 light rhubarb earthy nose. tannins pronounced. upfront fruit.

Cargasacchi Pinot Noir 2011  dusty nose, dark fruit with a lighter finish

Ampelos Pinot Noir 2011  fruity nose, most user friendly

3-D Pinot Noir 2011 beautiful perfumy nose, dusty earthy finish

in general the chards came off fruity but not the fruit bomb where as the pinot noir were more on the burgundian style of earth and terroir

row eleven/ major brands

Civello White Blend California 2011 Vermentino, Albarino blend  light in color, juicy with nice grassy finish.

Row Eleven Pinot Noir Santa Maria earthy mushroomy style.. juicy on the palate with a quickish finsih

Row Eleven Vinas 3 Pinot Noir California..dried fruits california style

Row Eleven Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 2011  dried fruit, rhubarb red fruit on the finish.

Statton Lummis Cabernet Sauvignon slight brett on the nose, cassis and fruits on the finish

The riddler Napa Valley, 2012.. not overly complex.. trying for the apothic market

The Magician Lot 11 Red Blend California NV  interesting blend of different varietals from California.. Cabernet Dorsa, Maxim Rouge, Dornfelder,  light like a pinotage without the smoky character

Conn Valley Vineyards Vintegrity

Prologue Chardonnay 2012  creamy and yet no ML.. acidity and flavors stand out

Prologue Cabernet 2011.. hard vintage. lots of dried red cherry.. a slight cough drop

Chardonnay Napa Valley.. 2011  very similiar in style to the Prologue except with a little more oak

Pinot Noir Napa Valley 2011 a bit of dried fruit.. but more red apple.. very fruity..

Right Bank Napa Valley 2011 showing well for the vintage.. good fruit. nice tannin..

Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2011.. dark color in the glass.. tannin from fruit and oak but well put together.. 100% cabernet

Eloge 2010 Napa meaning praiseworthy.. a bordeaux blend..  tight nose, showing it needs time to age. could use a steak

Major Brands

Zaca Mesa Viogner Santa Ynez valley 2011.. slight honeysuckle nose, typical of viognier  lots of midpalate.. not as sweet as expected.  good price for people to try Viognier

Z Cuvee Santa Ynez Valley 2009  wants to be rhone style but not very complex.. juicy enough and enjoyable

Nadia Sauvignon Blanc Santa Barbara 2011  soft floral nose, pink grapefruit with more rounder mouthfeel than expected for sauv blanc

Nadia Cabernet Sauvignon Santa Barbara 2011 green or young nose, cherry vanilla that almost borders on cough syrup flavors.. not a fan

Laetitia Estate Chardonnay Arroyo Grande valley 2012  lengthy oaky nose, roundness of oak and glycerin.. oaky finish... lots of oak... the old maison deutz property.. back in the day many Champagne producers bought land in california to make an american version.. some stayed but many didnt

Laetitia Estate Pinot Noir Arroyo Grande 2012  slight vegetal which follows on the palate.. dried fruits but showing green in the end too... maybe just young

Justin major brands

Landmark Overlook Chardonnay 2010... showing some age..slight vegetal nose and almost bright yellowish ut color.. luscious still on the palate..

Landmark Pinot noir 2012.. best wine of the bunch. long finish.. typical california nose and palate.. long nice finish.

Justin Sauvignon Blanc 2010  showing age too.. a little more minerality but dullish finish

Justin Chardonnay Central Coast 2012 new label.. nice flavors.. a more subtle form of wine from the region where tropical fruit flavors dominate.   light toasty finish

Justin Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 Paso Robles  also a vegetal nose, soft and easy, red fruits, low tannin

Justin Obtuse Port style, 100 % cabernet that has fermentation stopped by brandy made from the same source grapes.. following the stinky vegetal nose, viscous but not overly sweet. interesting