Delightful Chardonnay and Pinot from Ram’s Gate Winery

It’s impossible for me to think about California without worry and empathy for those affected by the wildfires in Southern California. My heart goes out to all those suffering from these devastating fires, and I have the utmost respect for all the firefighters, first responders, volunteers, and helpers of all kinds.   

For me, it was specially Sonoma Pinot and Chardonnay that really got this East Coast guy stoked on California wine. Just something about Sonoma hits different. Over the years, I’ve kept tabs on my favorite producers and enjoyed exploring new (to me) ones over the years. A winery I’ve enjoyed a lot over the past few years is Ram’s Gate Winery – who makes complex, delicious, mouthwatering Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. 

Ram's Gate Estate Vineyard. Credit: Ram's Gate Winery

This Sonoma producer proves itself yet again with two new 2021 releases. They hold an estate vineyard in Carneros and source fruit from different sites around Sonoma, and seem to always craft winners. In 2021, Winemaker Joe Nielsen’s Sonoma Coast Series show the concentration and depth of dry conditions with the brightness and levity I love from Sonoma wines. 

These wines were received as samples and tasted sighted. 

2021 Ram's Gate Chardonnay Sonoma Coast - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
SRP: $48
Pretty yellow color. Breezy and bright on the nose with yellow pears, white peaches, drizzled with lime and lemon, and topped with some chalk dust and limestone. The palate is racy and crisp but shows a lovely depth of texture with flavors of rich lemon curd, tangy orange peel, kiwi, and yellow pears. There are waves of flinty minerals and chalk dust, along with honeyed white tea and hints of mint. So fresh and vibrant but deep and complex as well. Sourced mainly from Sebastapol-area fruit, this wine is aged for 11 months in 25% new French oak. (92 points)

2021 Ram's Gate Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
SRP: $52
Deep ruby color. Gorgeous aromas of black cherries, red and black plums, along with strawberry jam – saucy but fresh with scents of spiced black tea, tobacco, rose hips, and white pepper. The palate sports dusty tannins, deep texture, but such lively acidity, making for a fresh but rich wine. Lovely concentration of fruit (black cherry, raspberry, tangy strawberry) and the fruit is mixed well with tones of mint, rose, violets, spiced tea, some clay, loamy earth. Hints of cedar and clove are blended in expertly. Drinking great now, but no rush at all, as I’d love to see how this develops. Sourced from fruit from Green Valley, Sonoma Coast, Russian River Valley, and Carneros AVAs, and aged 11 months in 25% new French oak. (93 points)

Douro reds for chilly times

I hope your 2025 is off to a great start, dear reader.

Winter is in full swing and here in the Mid-Atlantic we’re looking at the first real blast of cold air and snow on the way. So, if you’re not doing a dry January, it’s a great time to check out some warm, hearty reds.

Quinta de Roriz - Credit: Prats & Symington

This week, I want to highlight two delightful selections from the Douro region of Portugal. I’m a huge fan of Portuguese wine, culture, the food, the surf – pretty much everything. I’ve made three trips and there’s still so much to see. For example, I haven’t been to the Douro, but I love learning about this region through its exceptional wines. Port is king, and also great for the season, but it’s the dry reds that really keep me coming back.

2022 wasn’t easy for Douro viticulturists, as the Douro Valley dealt with extreme heat and drought in the run up to the vintage, stressing the vines and, I reckon, the growers and winemakers. But the resulting wines show vibrancy, liveliness, and the resilience of this ancient region.

Prats & Symington formed in 1999 as a family partnership between the Symington family and the Prats family of Bordeaux. Based at Quinta de Roriz, a heralded site has been producing estate wines since the late 18th Century, where the vines get classic schist soils and a mostly northerly orientation, yielding cooler nights and focused, bright wines.

The entry level Prazo de Roriz delivers a ton of value and offers a great place to start your exploration into Douro reds. Then we have the Post Scriptum, which is sourced from Prats & Symington’s Quinta de Roriz and Quinta da Pedri, and is aged in 400-liter barrels. Both are blends of traditional varieties like Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, and Tinta Roriz.

If you haven’t tried a wine from this producer before, I find them very reliable across vintages, and it helps that the wines are available in many markets.

These wines were received as samples and tasted sighted.

2022 Prats and Symington Douro Prazo de Roriz - Portugal, Douro
SRP: $19

Bright purple color. The nose pops with blackberry compote, tangy plums, along with plenty of sage, tobacco, earth, anise, and ginger cookie tones, making for a delightfully spicy, fresh appeal. On the palate, I get plums, blackberries, tangy black currants, on a frame of structured but smooth tannins and crisp acidity. It’s all quite balanced and wrapped together nicely, with accents of iron, graphite, oregano, smoky earth, some dark chocolate tones. Such a good value, and a great wine with cold weather, hearty food, and good friends. A classic Douro blend at a great price. (90 points)

2022 Prats and Symington Douro Post Scriptum de Chryseia - Portugal, Douro
SRP: $32
Deep purple color. The aromas show a dark, complex host of plums, black currants, saucy black cherries, along with anise, earth, graphite, and tobacco. The palate sports solid tannins but they have a fine, dusty feel, and the acidity is vibrant, laying the foundation for dark, tangy fruit (black cherry, currant, fig paste). I love the complexities of anise, cocoa, tobacco, and clove. Lovely complexity and depth, and has cellar potential too, making for a great experience and value. A blend of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, and Tinta Roriz. (92 points)

Value and excitement from Argentina's Domaine Bousquet

Everything’s expensive these days. But that makes finding a value even more fun. Something you need or like that makes you go, “Wait – it’s only how much, now?”

Argentina has long been a respite for the value-seekers out there. From when I first fell for wine some 15 years or so ago until today, I’ve been able to find a lot of excitement from this diverse country, and for a very moderate cost.

Credit: Domaine Bousquet

One of the producers I revisit frequently is Domaine Bousquet. The winery has been making organic wine since 1997, based in Mendoza’s Uco Valley. Their entry-level wines are widely available and perform high in their category, and their wide range of varietals offers a lot to enjoy. The classic high-elevation terroir of this region is evident across the spectrum, with the wines providing juicy fruit, tangy acidity, and complex nuances.

But it hasn’t been a rosy picture for winemakers these past few years, especially if your market is America. U.S. sales have been down in recent years, and were down almost 5% by volume last year alone. Yet, according to Nielsen data, organic wines are slightly up (a percent or so). And Bousquet sports the best-selling organic Malbec in its price range.

So, if you’re looking to explore more wines from Argentina, save some money, and support organic winemaking, you’ve come to the right place.

These wines were received as samples and tasted sighted.

2023 Domaine Bousquet Chardonnay - Argentina, Mendoza, Valle de Uco, Tupungato
SRP: $13
Light yellow color. The nose pops with white peaches, limes, cantaloupe, and crunchy green apples, with notes of honeysuckle and celery seed. The palate shows a nice depth of texture with vibrant acidity and a fruit salad of green apples, white peaches, papaya, and orange slices. Steely but creamy vibes, and some flinty minerals and honeycomb notes. Accessible but nice complexity, too. (88 points)

2022 Domaine Bousquet Chardonnay Cameleon - Argentina, Mendoza, Valle de Uco, Tupungato
SRP: $15
Deep yellow color. The aromas sport rich pear, pineapple, yellow apple, along with honey, almond skin, sea salt, yellow flowers, and chalk dust. The palate is precise but generous, with creamy texture and lip-smacking acidity. Flavors of pineapple, papaya, and green apples mix well with tones of white and yellow flowers, sea salt, honeycomb, almond butter, and popcorn. Delicious, nuanced, crowd-pleasing, and complex. (91 points)

2022 Domaine Bousquet Cabernet Sauvignon - Argentina, Mendoza, Valle de Uco, Tupungato
SRP: $13
Deep purple color. Aromas of juicy black cherries, dark plums, sweet blueberries, with tones of violets, pepper, and barbecue jerky. Tangy acidity kicks off the palate with some suave tannins, and flavors of blueberries, black cherries, and plums. The fruit is bright and vibrant, and mixed nicely with tones of black pepper, violets, and nuances of oak and anise cookie. A lot of fun, with plenty of complexity and depth. (89 points)

2021 Domaine Bousquet Cabernet Sauvignon Cameleon - Argentina, Mendoza, Valle de Uco, Tupungato

SRP: $20
Dark purple color. Nose shows saucy plums, tart currants, and a potpourri of black tea, earth, mocha, tobacco, tar, and white pepper. I get tangy acidity on the palate, with dusty tannins, and a fleshy, tangy mix of red and black currants and black cherry jam. Love the complex notes of tobacco, mint, oregano, clay, some bell pepper. The toffee and coffee nuances add complexity. This needs to be on a BTG list at a burger bistro ASAP! (91 points)

2022 Domaine Bousquet Malbec - Argentina, Mendoza, Valle de Uco, Tupungato
SRP: $13
Rich purple color. Aromas of mulled blackberries, black cherries, and dark plums, mixed with violet, potting soil, tobacco, with hints of graphite and leather. The palate is smooth and suave with chewy tannins and vibrant acidity. Tangy plums meet sweet blackberries and black cherries, and the fruit is mixed with cool notes of black tea, anise, violets, and earth. Fun, balanced, delightful, this is a crowd-pleaser that brings a lot of depth to the table. (90 points)

California New Releases: Cabs and Chards

Folks don’t seem to agree on much these days. There’s a lot of division out there. But I like to think the vast majority of wine-consuming Americans can agree on this – California Cabernet and Chardonnay are great. They’re classics for a reason.

And this week I’m focusing on some new releases from well-known California producers that deliver. Most of the wines are widely-available, and there’s a lot of value in here as well. And, these days, that matters a lot.

These wines were received as samples and tasted sighted.

2022 La Crema Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Sonoma County
SRP: $45
Deep purple color. A dark but vibrant and spicy aromatic display, with black currants and plums, mixed with anise, tobacco, black pepper, some graphite, and iron, dried violets as well. The palate sports smooth tannins and vibrant acidity, with pleasantly ripe currants, blackberries, and blueberries. The fruit blends nicely with elements of graphite, minerals, mocha, tobacco, and cedar nuances. A rich but elegant blend of fruit from Alexander Mountain and Valley, Dry Creek, and Bennet Valleys. A beauty for the upcoming colder weather, as it’s drinking great now. (91 points)

2021 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Artemis - USA, California, Napa Valley
SRP: $85
Bold purple color. Exotic aromas of plum sauce, red and black currants, fig paste, with cool tones of eucalyptus, mint, chewing tobacco, along with some stony earth and mulch. The palate shows suave tannins, moderate acidity, and juicy, tangy fruits (blueberries, black cherries, figs). The fruit is accented by tones of mint, fallen leaves, black pepper, eucalyptus, and some earthy-stony tones. Classic vibes, lots to love, this is fun but complex and a great way to dive into Stag’s Leap Cabernet. (92 points)

2021 Smith-Madrone Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, California, Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District
SRP: $65
Vibrant purple color. Beautifully deep and complex aromatic display – I get roasted figs, dark plums, black cherries and currants, so tangy and vibrant, along with clay and loam, clove, pepper, creosote, black tea. The palate shows structured but fine-grained tannins, met nicely with bright acidity for a refreshing and balanced appeal. The black and red currant fruit, blueberries, and plum fruit shows depth and tanginess. All sorts of non-fruit nuances are packed in here (charcoal, minerals, cedar, tobacco, mint, black pepper, black tea) but will need time in the cellar to show their full potential. Love the tangy, mineral and earth-laden finish. This is beautiful now but needs some serious TLC (time laying in cellar) to express itself fully. At the price, and given the aging potential, this is a crazy value. Includes some Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, this wine spends18 months in 65% new French oak. (94 points)

2023 Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay Sonoma Coast - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

SRP: $25
Deep yellow with a nose of juicy peaches, green and yellow apples, nectarines, backed up by notes of hay, honeycomb, along with a cool mix of cornbread and almond butter, with a hint of minerals. Pleasantly creamy with fresh acidity and a yummy mix of yellow apples, bruised pears, white peaches, and orange creamsicle. I get notes of bread crumbs, whipped honey, and some refreshing mineral tones as well. (88 points)

2023 Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay Russian River Ranches - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
SRP: $31
Rich yellow color. The nose shows a rich mix of white peaches, yellow apple, orange peel, along with scents of white tea, honey, some clove and mint. The palate is plush and bold but shows moderating acidity, with a delicious fruit salad of nectarine, yellow apples, papaya, white peach. The fruit is accented with notes of lemon pie with graham cracker crust, almond skin, mixed with welcomed nuances of chalk dust, minerals, and slate. Yummy, fresh, sporting solid complexity. (91 points)

Fortified wines for Autumnal times

I am so stoked about Autumn! Here in the Mid-Atlantic the leaves are peaking and I’ve been waking up early on cool, crisp mornings whenever possible to go birdwatching, hiking, climbing, really anything outside. It’s all wonderful to me this time of year.

October in Shenandoah National Park.

Halloween is just around the corner as well, and sugary sweets and spooky fun abounds. Don’t worry – I’m not writing about pairing wine with Halloween candy. No thanks. But, this week I want to highlight some frightfully delicious fortified wines that would make a great adult treat for this time of year.

Tawny Port is such a fun style, from the younger, more accessible – but highly delicious – offerings, to the richer, nuttier, more savory styles of longer-aged wines, there’s a lot of unique flavors and variations to explore. To start, I think it works best to pick a producer and see if their style aligns with your palate.

Dow’s is one of my favorite Port houses, ever since I bought two 2003 Vintage Ports upon release – the first time I spent more than $80 on a bottle of wine. (They’re still both sleeping, of course, and will for years to come.) While their Vintage Ports are well-known and heralded, the Tawnies really rock, too. And this week I have three to choose from. 

And I can’t forget Sherry. But let’s focus on a dry wine, shall we? The Tio Pepe brand from Gonzalez-Byass offers several of these Spanish delicacies, but their dry Palomino Fino is bright, zesty, and makes for such pleasant sipping. Bring out the bleu cheese and Marcona almonds for this one. 

These wines were received as samples and tasted sighted. 

Dow’s 10-Year Tawny Port - Portugal, Douro, Porto 
SRP: $45
Rich, deep ruby/tawny color. The nose exudes roasted figs, sweet dates, candied pecans, along with toffee, notes of honeyed tea, and some clove and light roast coffee. The palate is rich and suave with a mouthfeel moderated by the acidity, and flavors of yellow raisins, plum compote, and dried mango. Sweet but vibrant tannins with nuances of black tea, salted caramel, milk chocolate, and toffee. So smooth and pleasant. (91 points)

Dow’s 20-Year Tawny Port - Portugal, Douro, Porto 
SRP: $78
Beautiful amber color. The nose smells of warm rooibos tea, caramel, apple pie, along with clove, roasted nuts, toffee, and hints of earth and clay. The palate is plush and sweet with a lovely depth of texture and fresh acidity to keep things balanced out nicely. Flavors of fig paste, apple butter, candied orange peels, along with nuances of toffee, dark chocolate, and some cigar box. Suave, deep, complex, yet refreshing and so fun to sip. Lovely stuff. (93 points)

Dow’s 30-Year Tawny Port - Portugal, Douro, Porto 
SRP: $175
Deep auburn color. The nose is exquisite, as the nuances and depth are dialed up even more. I get dates, figs, candied apple, orange peel, along with toasted nuts, vanilla bean, cinnamon crumb cake, and salted caramel – lovely! The palate is suave, rich, and deep yet expressive and vibrant, and balanced wonderfully. Baked figs, dates, and yellow raisins for days. The fruit is backed up with honey, black tea, salted caramel, cinnamon crumb cake, crème brulee, and even some cool black tea, leather, and cigar shop tones. Harmonious, expressive, and simply beautiful. A sip of this lasts for a really long time. This on a cold night with some loved ones – a perfect idea. (95 points)

N.V. Gonzalez-Byass Palomino Fino Jerez-Xérès-Sherry Tío Pepe (Muy Seco-Extra Dry) - Spain, Andalucía, Jerez-Xérès-Sherry
SRP: $20
Light yellow color. Aromas of oyster shell, salt brine, lemon, quince, papaya, with elements of corn husk, candle wax, and almond skin – a lot to sniff, ponder, and enjoy. The palate shows racy acidity with a briny, spicy appeal and a creamy, waxy texture. Flavors of lemon, orange peel, and green apple, and the fruit is laced with tones of almond, honey, oyster shells, crushed limestone, and sea salt. Fun, bright, dry, bracing, but shows delightful texture and complexity, and finishes with tones of green herbs and white tea. Delicious, versatile, would be good at pretty much any time and for any occasion. And a great value. (90 points)

Digging into Paso Roble's Broken Earth

I’ve only visited California’s Paso Robles wine country once, and toured a lot in a few days, and I have the fondest memories. I often wish to return to visit new wineries, relive the love, and score more waves on the nearby Central Coast.

The diverse soils, the hills, the microclimates, it all fascinated me, and helped explain why certain Paso wines just hit differently. And the wine folks who live there are scrappy, tough, really smart, and willing to experiment. All sorts of vines find their way in this varied terrain, and I’ve found lots of joy in Mediterranean white wines, Spanish reds, Italian blends, and other unexpected varietal wines.

Recently, Broken Earth rekindled that Paso spark for me. Broken Earth was established in 1973, and celebrates the heritage of the Continental Vineyard property, which was originally named Rancho Tierra Rejada, or “land of worked earth.” They have a large portfolio with what seems like a bunch of interesting wines. I was happy to taste through the trio of their “CV” wines – which are their allocated, higher-end wines made only in certain vintages.

These wines allow winemaker Chris Cameron to shine. An Australian by birth, he’s worked harvests for four decades and first showed up in Paso in 2007. And he’s got a lot of great fruit with which to work his blending prowess.

Also of note: they’re also a California Certified Sustainable Vineyard, and seem to take stewardship seriously, so that’s always a great thing. And as a big owl nerd, I’m a fan of any vineyard that utilizes owl boxes!

Check out these wines below, which I received as samples and tasted sighted.

2020 Broken Earth Winery Studium Red CV Reserve - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles
SRP: $80
Deep purple color. The nose is so inviting with black currant, fig paste, black cherries, accented with sage, tobacco, mint, along with deep stony, graphite, coffee grounds, and cocoa nibs. The palate is structured but silky with crisp acidity, smooth tannins, and deep flavors of mulled cherries and plum fruit. I get a lot of spicy herbs, black pepper, and barbecue sauce, with dried violets and hints of clove. Complex, saucy, savory, and a lot underlying minerals, earth, and graphite. A decant is a good idea if drinking now, but this will also age very well. (92 points)

2019 Broken Earth Winery Cabernet Franc CV Reserve - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

SRP: $80
Bright purple color. A deep yet integrated nose of red and black currants and cherries, mixed with plenty of roasted red pepper, bay leaf, tobacco, black pepper, and grilled steaks – really cool stuff to sniff. The palate is full and suave and shows a solid core of tannins along with fresh acidity. I get black currants and saucy cherries, dark but crunchy fruit, and a host of fascinating savory tones: mesquite, sage, anise, black pepper, leather, incense sticks – there’s so much to parse through. Expressive with air but this will age wonderfully, and I’d like to revisit in like eight years. Excellent Paso Cab Franc! (93 points)

2019 Broken Earth Winery Cabernet Sauvignon CV Reserve - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles
SRP: $80
Dark purple color. The nose is a dense display of currant, plum cake, and roasted figs, but it opens to show savory spices, dried violets, potting soil, tar, tobacco, and some dark chocolate shavings. On the palate, this is rich and full but shows nice grip, balanced with lively acidity. The black cherry, wild blueberry, and plum compote flavors blend really well with the graphite, charcoal, spicy herbs, and earthy tones. Suave, full, but deep and vibrant. This really needs some time in the cellar to unfold, but even now it tells a great story. (93 points)