Bruce Dunbar

8.3

The ‘23 may not be the best Turley Juvenile ever, but it remains a solid value wine that’s very drinkable now (4/25 and the next ~5 years). Beautiful in the glass — pinkish purple with nearly neon edges — it lets off aromas of strawberry, kirsch, and cocoa in a heady, powerful nose. The fruit dissipates on the palate though, leaning into minerality, cola, sour cherry and a touch of pepper alongside a dusty finish. It’s an interesting and enjoyable, if not enthralling, blend. — 3 days ago

Bruce Dunbar

8.9

The 2021 Argentino follows in the footsteps of its prodigious predecessors. It’s loaded with sweet, almost syrupy fruit, oak and overall richness with wonderfully firm and slightly drying tannins to balance it out. A baby from a site with 10 centuries of history. — 2 months ago

Bruce Dunbar

8.9

I heard Bill Murray on a podcast recently raving about the bramble-berry pie he had the night before, describing the many berries that went into making it so delicious. It’s a fitting description for the current release of Bedrock’s Dolinsek Heritage red too, which is loaded with a rainbow of berry flavors and all their sweetness and bright acidity captured in a bottle instead of a crust. There’s an added bonus of a long, peppery finish thanks to the 70+% Zin in the field blend and some firm, drying tannins that signal a great future ahead. — 3 months ago

Bruce Dunbar

8.9

A powerful Syrah in its youth, the Winds of Change 2023 (released March ‘25) opens with a dusty nose full of minerals, rose and kirsch. On the palate, its drying tannins are at the forefront now, adding to the dusty feel, but there is a nice peppery bite, dark cherries and tar. It felt a bit reserved and perhaps a few more years in bottle will mellow the tannins and let the rest shine. — 7 days ago

Bruce Dunbar

9.1

This is a wonderfully complex and layered Riesling with effervescent acidity, florals, white fruit and minerality. Lemon peel, pear, slate, and honeysuckle are on the nose and palate, each with its own distinct but harmonized role. If only there was more to be had! — 2 months ago

Bruce Dunbar

9.0

Held this for a couple years and it was worth the wait. Beautiful, shimmering straw color with a nose of honeysuckle and light citrus you can smell feet from the glass. Fleshy white fruit, a bit of grapefruit, juicy and rounded nicely by the staves! — 3 months ago

Bruce Dunbar

8.8

A really lovely California sparkler that brings together the best of California Chardonnay with Blanc de Blanc! Rich nose with toasty oak, minerals and pear on the palate, all lifted by a delicate mousse. A great food sparkler. Can age. — 4 months ago

Bruce Dunbar

8.7

Just released (3/25), the 2023 Rivers Marie Sonoma Coast Pinot is restrained, even reticent. Pinkish violet with a slight bit of plum and violets on the mostly closed nose, it offered a hint of kirsch along with minerality early in. With a little more air, plum, cherry, and dark berries began to emerge. Hopefully time brings this relative bargain in the RM lineup to its historic levels of complexity. — 21 days ago

Bruce Dunbar

9.1

A wine with a profile as complex as the eight or so field blend grapes that comprise it. Leading with Gewürtztraminer and Riesling, it has honeysuckle and pear on the nose, along with lots of fleshy white fruit, florals and a beautiful oily/petrol counterpoint. Four years in the cellar served it well and I think it has a few more. — 2 months ago

Bruce Dunbar

7.9

I was underwhelmed by this and another 2011 Gestalt Block opened a couple years ago. Both showed raisiny traits, not much fruit and drying tannins I had hoped would have softened with 10-15 years in the bottle. Not sure if it was the wine or mishandling prior to purchase (bought a couple years after release, around 2015) but these seemed to be a bit tainted and/or past their prime. Too bad given high expectations and years of praise for Brittan. — 3 months ago