On the very first sniff, no decanting, no “letting it breathe,” barely a swirl, and I’m already getting huge hits of cumin and freshly ground white pepper. The cumin rolls into cinnamon, apple pie filling, and a bit of star anise. The white pepper evolves into leather, fresh-tilled soil, and some a mix of spiciness that I can’t wait to delve deeper into as this wine continues to mature.

Once the wine does have a chance to open a bit, a lovely concentrated roasted red bell pepper permeates everything for a moment. It just smells red. Like if rubies had a scent - clear, cool, luminous… and red. I also get a lovely note of fresh parsley and cilantro, along with roasted walnuts, lilac, and something with a touch of brine – maybe a creamy fresh feta.

NEW RELEASE! 

As always, this vintage is again oh so smooth and easy drinking. 47% Syrah, 20% Tempranillo, 18% Malbec, 15% Carmenere

This is one of the darker Cabernet Sauvignons we’ve made, looking like blackberry juice in the glass. The dark purple fruit theme continues as you stick your nose in that glass – blueberry, Bing cherry, plum, then some fresh tilled earth, fresh tobacco, campfire, and leather to balance it all out. There is thyme, chocolate, and ruby red grapefruit all managing to exist together in delicious harmony.

Rose petal, earth, plum, salty beef jerky, bramble, and lemon zest are all jockeying to hit your nose first. Each scent is distinct, yet they manage to all be present without overpowering one another. The fruit backbone here is bright but concentrated dried tart cherry, almost headed towards blackberry, but not quite that dense. 

Roast turkey, seafood feast, salty ham, mashed potatoes & gravy... This wine will be the perfect pairing for ALL your holiday festivities!

As bright, illuminous, radiant, fresh Bordeaux blend our Matchless Members named Incandescent. It is a field blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, meaning all the grapes are grown together, harvested together, fermented together, and aged together. This style of farming and winemaking mean the flavors of the two varietals integrate from bud break, leaving a seamless comingling.

This may be the darkest, inkiest Merlot we have ever made. The 2019 vintage is bringing in all the darkness from the color to the aromas of fresh tobacco, roasted tomatoes, clove, and blackberry cobbler. There is even a touch of those beef brisket burnt ends I love so much. All these heavy scents are balanced with fresh oregano, mineral, muscovado, plum, heady lilac, and strawberry Jolly Rancher.

$10 from every bottle sold will be donated to The Code Green Campaign, a non-profit committed to awareness and prevention of mental health issues in first responders.

This is our second ever vintage of Backdraft, a Reserve label we save for only the most special of circumstances, always donating a portion of the proceeds to First Responders. The 2018 vintage is just as smooth and supple as any wine we’ve made. Hitting you in the nose with all sorts of rich aromas – the floor of the redwood forest, fresh tobacco, a pinch of black pepper, Anaheim chili pepper, and Sicilian cured black olives. There’s a red berry in there too, something between rasp & straw.

The fruit fully comes out once you taste this wine, starting with blueberry & plum. The richness of the nose is echoed with bramble, dark chocolate, a touch of baking spices, and more blueberry.

Fresh pipe tobacco, soft lilac, bramble, plum, and leather all comingle in this young, yet powerful Cabernet Sauvignon. Campfire smoke, wet stone, pear, a squeeze of grapefruit zest, and fresh sliced almonds keep you guessing as to what is going to start to shine as this wine ages, but there is no guessing how magnificent it is going to be.