Review: Alma de Cattleya 2022 Sauvignon Blanc Sonoma County ($26)

 This is a wine made by a winemaker with extraordinary experience and a great palate. A woman who knows how to craft delicious wines. It has vivacious pink grapefruit, pineapple, lime, and honeydew melon flavors, is mildly herbaceous, and it just draws you back to the glass. It's a perfect foil for ceviche or grilled fish, and just a brilliant white wine. It's impressive that anyone can make such a great wine from grapes that they don't control from start to finish and can sell for such a reasonable price. That demonstrates tremendous winemaking chops. ($28) 93 Points.

 

-Tim Teichgraeber

Review: Gehricke 2021 Rosé of Pinot Noir Los Carneros, Sonoma, CA ($29)

 

Gehricke wines are produced by August Sebastiani, a fourth generation vintner from a famed Sonoma family. He hired Alex Beloz (Obsidian Wine Company) to produce the wines, and most of the wines are made in modes quantities. The rosé of Pinot Noir is lovely. The color is bright, light pink, and the wine has pretty watermelon, raspberry and green tea notes that are refreshing and perfect for summer cookouts. Only 325 cases made. (90 Points)

- Tim Teichgraeber

Review: Quivira 2022 Wine Creek Road Ranch Rosé Dry Creek Valley, CA ($30) Best Rosé in California?

 

 

I'm a big fan of Quivira winemaker Hugh Chappelle, who first amazed me with his extraordinary Chardonnays at Lynmar Estate in Russian River Valley. Now that he's been at Quivira in Dry Creek Valley for a while, he's banging out refined Zinfandels, Grenache, Sauvignon Blanc, and this exceptional rosé blended from Grenache, Primitivo, Counoise, Petite Sirah, and Mourvèdre. It's a unique and symphonic blend, and I think it's one of the most pretty, precise, consistent, and delicious rosé wines made in California. At $30, it ain't cheap, but I'd argue it's worth it if you want the very best. It is also made from CCOF organically-grown grapes. (94 Points)

- Tim Teichgraeber