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I’m focusing on some new releases from California today, and on wines that deliver quality along with a lot of value. Early January can be a time to tighten up the belts and pay down those travel or holiday bills. So, the wines this week are very reasonably priced, which makes exploring a new-to-you producer a lot easier.
Juggernaut is a California project that immediately grabs your eyes with their intricate animal artwork on the labels. But these are no “critter wine” – there’s serious juice in here. For $20, their Pinot and Cab deliver about as much complexity and depth as humanly possible.
Barra of Mendocino has been such a reliable producer for me, annually putting out classic varietal wines that speak truly of their place. I’ve spent a lot of time in Mendocino over the years, and it’s rugged coast, mountains, and deep forests will always call to me. Sipping one of Barra’s wines is a great way to transport myself back there. The three wines featured here offer a good window into this producer’s style and reliability.
I also have a tradition of opening a bottle of rosé on the first proper snowstorm of the winter. Living in the Mid-Atlantic region, that day has not come yet. We just got hit with inches of cold rain instead. I’m hoping snow is on the way in a few weeks, and when it finally arrives, I think this rosé from Napa’s Hoopes Vineyard is an excellent choice.
These wines were received as samples and tasted sighted.
2021 Hoopes Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé - USA, California, Napa Valley
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SRP: $38
Ripe watermelon color. The aromas pop with tangy strawberries, watermelon, raspberries, with saline, basil, yellow flowers, hay – really vibrant and inviting. The palate is racy and taut with a crunchy mouthfeel but plenty of textural depth and juicy fruit (watermelon, honeydew, strawberries). I get all sorts of cool notes: chalk dust, floral perfume, limestone, basil, white pepper. Lovely freshness and minerality, which lingers on the finish. Lovely Napa Rose here. 80% Cab, with some Malbec, Syrah, Petit Verdot, and Merlot. (91 points)
2021 Juggernaut Wine Company Pinot Noir - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
SRP: $20
Bright ruby color. So fresh and crunchy on the nose with raspberries, red apples, strawberries, along with rhubarb, rose petals, clay soil, and some herbal tea tones. The palate is tangy and zippy with nice depth and dusty tannins, buttressed by fresh acidity. The flavors of tangy strawberries and raspberries mix well with nuances of earth, dried roses and violets, white pepper, and hints of cola and rhubarb pie. Lots of fun, fresh, quite complex, and balanced. (90 points)
2021 Juggernaut Wine Company Hillside Cabernet - USA, California
SRP: $20
Light purple color. The nose exudes smoky earth, tar, and grilled steak along with notes of plum sauce, blackberry jam, mocha, and some tar and dried violets. The palate shows ripe tannins and medium acidity with flavors of saucy cherries and plums, blackberry jam, plum cake. The fruit is mixed with tones of spiced black tea, mesquite, tar, and mocha. Spicy, juicy, lots of fun. (89 points)
2022 The Federalist Wines Pinot Noir - USA, California, Central Coast
SRP: $21
Vibrant ruby color. The nose shows saucy, jammy fruit (black cherries, raspberry, wild blueberries) along with rhubarb, mocha, some toffee, violets. The palate shows smooth tannins and medium acidity, setting the stage for the flavors of plum sauce and black cherry and raspberry jams. Notes of sage, earth, tobacco, and mint add complexity, with some sweet oak on the finish. This is a fun, fresh, crowd-pleasing, value-driven Pinot. (87 points)
2021 Barra of Mendocino Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve - USA, California, North Coast, Mendocino County
SRP: $28
Ripe purple color. The aromas show a deep, saucy, warm appeal, with black cherries and currant jam, along with smoky earth, charcoal, dried sage and thyme, and notes of tobacco and clove. The palate shows a ripe and saucy appeal, with suave but structured tannins, and pleasantly refreshing acidity that keeps it together. Plums, red and black currants, roasted figs, the fruit is tangy, deep, and delicious, accented by coffee grounds, dark chocolate shavings, chewing tobacco, rocky earth, and a vein of graphite and minerals running through it all. Super fun, and really well done. (90 points)
2020 Barra of Mendocino Zinfandel Reserve -
USA, California, North Coast, Mendocino
SRP: $26
Vibrant purple color. Ripe and jammy aromas of black cherries, wild blueberries, raspberries, mixed with spicy green herbs, tobacco leaf, black tea, spiced coffee, hints of dark chocolate. The palate is full but plush with smooth tannins, fresh acidity, and a host of complex, tangy fruits (cherries, raspberries, currants). Notes of spiced black tea, violets and roses, with tobacco and oregano vibes. Super fun and fan-friendly, but the balance, vibrancy, and complexity are impressive. (91 points)
2020 Barra of Mendocino Petite Sirah Reserve - USA, California, North Coast, Mendocino
SRP: $28
Deep purple color. The aromas have this dark, compact feel, but air coaxes out a lot of nuance – roasted figs and plum sauce fruit blends well with roasted red pepper, barbecue sauce, black pepper, leather, and anise. The palate kicks off with fresh acidity that carries through the entire experience, and the tannins provide a nice amount of grip. Currant paste, roasted figs, and tangy plums, the fruit is mixed expertly with tones of pepper, smoky earth, tar, coffee grounds, and clove. Dark and spicy, but expressive and fresh. A perfect wine for a cold winter night and braised meat. (91 points)
Barra of Mendocino has been such a reliable producer for me, annually putting out classic varietal wines that speak truly of their place. I’ve spent a lot of time in Mendocino over the years, and it’s rugged coast, mountains, and deep forests will always call to me. Sipping one of Barra’s wines is a great way to transport myself back there. The three wines featured here offer a good window into this producer’s style and reliability.
I also have a tradition of opening a bottle of rosé on the first proper snowstorm of the winter. Living in the Mid-Atlantic region, that day has not come yet. We just got hit with inches of cold rain instead. I’m hoping snow is on the way in a few weeks, and when it finally arrives, I think this rosé from Napa’s Hoopes Vineyard is an excellent choice.
These wines were received as samples and tasted sighted.
2021 Hoopes Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé - USA, California, Napa Valley
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Ripe watermelon color. The aromas pop with tangy strawberries, watermelon, raspberries, with saline, basil, yellow flowers, hay – really vibrant and inviting. The palate is racy and taut with a crunchy mouthfeel but plenty of textural depth and juicy fruit (watermelon, honeydew, strawberries). I get all sorts of cool notes: chalk dust, floral perfume, limestone, basil, white pepper. Lovely freshness and minerality, which lingers on the finish. Lovely Napa Rose here. 80% Cab, with some Malbec, Syrah, Petit Verdot, and Merlot. (91 points)
2021 Juggernaut Wine Company Pinot Noir - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
SRP: $20
Bright ruby color. So fresh and crunchy on the nose with raspberries, red apples, strawberries, along with rhubarb, rose petals, clay soil, and some herbal tea tones. The palate is tangy and zippy with nice depth and dusty tannins, buttressed by fresh acidity. The flavors of tangy strawberries and raspberries mix well with nuances of earth, dried roses and violets, white pepper, and hints of cola and rhubarb pie. Lots of fun, fresh, quite complex, and balanced. (90 points)
2021 Juggernaut Wine Company Hillside Cabernet - USA, California
SRP: $20
Light purple color. The nose exudes smoky earth, tar, and grilled steak along with notes of plum sauce, blackberry jam, mocha, and some tar and dried violets. The palate shows ripe tannins and medium acidity with flavors of saucy cherries and plums, blackberry jam, plum cake. The fruit is mixed with tones of spiced black tea, mesquite, tar, and mocha. Spicy, juicy, lots of fun. (89 points)
2022 The Federalist Wines Pinot Noir - USA, California, Central Coast
SRP: $21
Vibrant ruby color. The nose shows saucy, jammy fruit (black cherries, raspberry, wild blueberries) along with rhubarb, mocha, some toffee, violets. The palate shows smooth tannins and medium acidity, setting the stage for the flavors of plum sauce and black cherry and raspberry jams. Notes of sage, earth, tobacco, and mint add complexity, with some sweet oak on the finish. This is a fun, fresh, crowd-pleasing, value-driven Pinot. (87 points)
2021 Barra of Mendocino Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve - USA, California, North Coast, Mendocino County
SRP: $28
Ripe purple color. The aromas show a deep, saucy, warm appeal, with black cherries and currant jam, along with smoky earth, charcoal, dried sage and thyme, and notes of tobacco and clove. The palate shows a ripe and saucy appeal, with suave but structured tannins, and pleasantly refreshing acidity that keeps it together. Plums, red and black currants, roasted figs, the fruit is tangy, deep, and delicious, accented by coffee grounds, dark chocolate shavings, chewing tobacco, rocky earth, and a vein of graphite and minerals running through it all. Super fun, and really well done. (90 points)
2020 Barra of Mendocino Zinfandel Reserve -
SRP: $26
Vibrant purple color. Ripe and jammy aromas of black cherries, wild blueberries, raspberries, mixed with spicy green herbs, tobacco leaf, black tea, spiced coffee, hints of dark chocolate. The palate is full but plush with smooth tannins, fresh acidity, and a host of complex, tangy fruits (cherries, raspberries, currants). Notes of spiced black tea, violets and roses, with tobacco and oregano vibes. Super fun and fan-friendly, but the balance, vibrancy, and complexity are impressive. (91 points)
2020 Barra of Mendocino Petite Sirah Reserve - USA, California, North Coast, Mendocino
SRP: $28
Deep purple color. The aromas have this dark, compact feel, but air coaxes out a lot of nuance – roasted figs and plum sauce fruit blends well with roasted red pepper, barbecue sauce, black pepper, leather, and anise. The palate kicks off with fresh acidity that carries through the entire experience, and the tannins provide a nice amount of grip. Currant paste, roasted figs, and tangy plums, the fruit is mixed expertly with tones of pepper, smoky earth, tar, coffee grounds, and clove. Dark and spicy, but expressive and fresh. A perfect wine for a cold winter night and braised meat. (91 points)
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