uS WINE REVIEWS & RATINGS

California

OTHER CALIFORNIA WHITES

Gewurztraminer

2007 Handley Anderson Valley Gewurztraminer $$

Color: Medium gold

Nose: Floral

Taste: Really off and not balanced with intense floral qualities

Finish: Sharp acidity

Evaluation: Poorly made 72 points

PINOT GRIS/PINOT GRIGIO

2005 Parducci Pinot Grigio

Color: Light

Nose: Pear, mineral

Taste: Mineral with balanced acidity

Finish: Balanced wine with mineral notes

Evaluation: Easy drinking everyday wine. 82 points

2006 MacMurray Central Coast Pinot Gris $$

Color: Light gold

Nose: Floral

Taste: Bitter and too much floral

Finish: Medium

Evaluation: Pass 82 points

RIESLING

2005 J Lohr Baymist Riesling $

Color: Light yellow

Nose: Apple, apricot, mineral

Taste: Tropical fruit, mineral, tangy, apple

Finish: Strong crisp note that mellows into a medium mineral and tropical fruit finish

Evaluation: This is a consistent producer and this is a wonderful value. 87 points

2005 Mount Palomar Estate Bottled Temecula Valley Riesling $$

Color: Light yellow

Nose: Mineral and a little musty

Taste: Sweet, mineral, apricot

Finish: Medium with a nice balanced sweetness with apricot lingering

Evaluation: A good summer time white if you like sweeter Rieslings 83 points

2006 Mirassou Monterey County Riesling $

Color: Light gold

Nose: Pear

Taste: Bitter and off

Finish: Very short

Evaluation: Not a good purchase 75 points

SAUVIGNON BLANC

2004 Kenwood Sonoma Sauvignon Blanc

Color: Clear

Nose: Tropical fruit, pear and mineral

Taste: Nice fruit with peach, pear and grapefruit

Finish: Short with some acidic elements but refreshing

Evaluation: ONe of the better S.B.s I have ever tasted. 90 points

2005 Cliff Lede Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc $$

Color: Medium gold

Nose: Rich and intense smell with mineral and floral

Taste: Rich with floral, mineral, oak, butter scotch

Finish: Mineral, oak, spice, floral

Evaluation: Very intense with some unique flavors for a Sauvignon Blanc. 90 points

2005 Bernardus Monterey County Sauvignon Blanc $$

Color: Clear

Nose: Grapefruit, mineral

Taste: Nice acidity with a clean and crisp taste. Grapefruit and mineral.

Finish: Medium with grapefruit and mineral dominating

Evaluation: A good value. 86 points

2005 Hanna Estate Grown Russian River Sauvignon Blanc $$

Color: Clear

Nose: Citrus with grapefruit emerging.

Taste: Smooth with grapefruit and melon flavors.

Finish: A nice finish that is not to acidic as some s.b. can be.

Evaluation: A great wine that should be consumed this year or early 06. It was flavorful and could be enjoyed on the patio on a hot day. 88 points

2005 Honig Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc $$

Color: Medium Gold

Nose: Apricots, tropical fruit, mineral

Taste: Refreshing, Pear, spice, mineral, tropical fruit

Finish: Short to medium with tropical fruit, mineral, spice

Evaluation: Great, refreshing summertime wine. 87 points

2005 Kenwood Sonoma Sauvignon Blanc $

Color: Very clear

Nose: Mineral and citrus notes

Taste: A bit acidic and dominated by mineral notes. No detectable fruit.

Finish: Short and not impressive

Evaluation: The 2004 was a great Sauvignon Blanc but this one is not a winner. 78 points

2005 Wattle Creek Mendocino Sauvignon Blanc $$

Color: Light gold

Nose: Mineral

Taste: Mineral

Finish: Short and mineral

Evaluation: Lacks excitement 80 points

2006 B V Napa Sauvignon Blanc $

Color: Light

Nose: Grapefruit

Taste: Cat pee and grapefruit

Finish: Medium

Evaluation: No thanks 80 points

2006 Cliff Lede Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc $$

Color: Medium gold (lot's of legs)

Nose: Fresh cut grass, mineral, grapefruit, lemon

Taste: Powerful. Mineral, grass, spice, grapefruit, orange peel

Finish: Medium with mineral, grapefruit, spice, lemon

Evaluation: This is one of the best Sauvignon Blanc's I have ever tried and is sure to please. 92 points

2006 Conundrum California (Blend of White Grapes) $18.95

Color: Light gold

Nose: Floral, spice, mineral

Taste: Floral, honey suckles, mineral, really bitter

Finish: Medium but is not balanced

Evaluation: A very popular white for people but over priced in my opinion 85 points

2006 Joel Gott Sauvignon Blanc $

Color: Light gold

Nose: Citrus, mineral

Taste: Citrus

Finish: Citrus and mineral on this medium finishing wine

Evaluation: Good value. 83 points

2006 Honig Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc $$

Color: Light almost clear

Nose: Grapefruit, lemon, mineral

Taste: Nice acidity with grapefruit, lemon, mineral

Finish: Simple but good

Evaluation: Best value in the SB category from Cali. 88 points

2006 Kenwood Sonoma Sauvignon Blanc $

Color: Light gold

Nose: Citrus and mineral

Taste: Citrus, acidic, mineral

Finish: Citrus, mineral and a little sour

Evaluation: Solid everyday wine for the money. 82 points

2006 Larkmead Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc $$

Color: Light gold

Nose: Cat pee, grass

Taste: Cat pee, grass, mineral

Finish: Medium with mineral, grass and lemon

Evalution: Nice wine that one would think it is from the Loire 87 points

2006 Quivera Stealhead Dry Creek Sauvignon Blanc $$

Color: Light gold

Nose: Orange peal, lemon

Taste: Orange peal, lemon and mineral

Finish: Medium

Evaluation: Nice overall 86 points

2007 St. Clement Bale Lane Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc $$

Color: Light gold

Nose: Floral, pear, apple

Taste: Good acidity with floral, pear, and apple

Finish: Balanced

Evaluation: A nice wine 89 points

2007 Buttonwood Santa Ynez Sauvignon Blanc $$

Color: Light gold

Nose: Floral, honey, lemon

Taste: Light but nice elements with floral, honey, lemon and grass

Finish: Medium

Evaluation: 87 points

2007 Cliff Lede Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc $$

Color: Medium gold

Nose: Lemon, grapefruit, grass, minerals

Taste: Big wine with grapefruit, minerals, grass

Finish: Medium and really balanced

Evaluation: Again great effort! 90 points

2008 Frog's Leap Sauvignon Blanc - USA, California, Napa Valley (4/6/2010)
Classic grass, lemon and grapefruit are featured in the wine. A bit water down on the palate and finish. (85 pts.)

VIOGNIER

2005 Incognito Lodi Viognier

Color: Clear

Nose: Floral, passion fruit, mineral

Taste: Balanced wine with mineral, tropical fruit, and floral notes

Finish: Multi layered with tropical fruit, minerals

Evaluation: A nice flavorful wine that would go great with light pasta or seafood.

89 points

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