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2015 Waxwing, Syrah, Halcon Vineyards, Yorkville Highlands. Scott Sisemore’s ripe and opulent 2015 Waxwing Halcon Vineyards Syrah from Mendocino County’s Yorkville Highlands is one of the best wines to date…

2016 Alfaro Family Vineyards, Rose of Pinot Noir, Santa Cruz Mountains. One of the very best Rose wines of the vintage so far is Richard Alfaro’s dry and full flavored…

2015 Vina Godeval, Godello “Cepas Vellas” Valdeorras, Spain. The Vina Godeval Godella Cepas Vellas is from high elevation vines in Galicia’s Valdeorras region where there is a huge difference in…

2012 La Spinetta, Barbaresco “Vigneto Bordini” Piedmonte, Italy. Over the last 6 months I’ve tried the La Spinetta Vigneto Bordini 2012 three times, each time the experience gets better and…

2015 4 Monos, Vino de la Sierra de Gredos Tinto, Vinos de Madrid, Spain. 4 Monos Viticultores is a group of four friends, “Four Monkeys” from just outside Madrid in…

2016 Red Car, Rose of Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast & Mendocino Ridge. The Red Car wines have all raised their quality levels with the 2014 Pinots really showing well, but…

2015 Banshee, Cabernet Franc “Alegria Vineyard” Russian River Valley. The Banshee Wines limited release Cabernet Franc from the Algeria Vineyard in the Russian River is a wonderful and very impressive…

2014 Vocal, Gruner Veltliner “Alfaro Vineyard” Santa Cruz Mountains. The Vocal Gruner by Ian Brand and Ted Glennon is remarkably dusty dry white with a brisk nature and vigorous intensity,…

2014 Pence, Syrah “Sebastiano” Sta. Rita Hills. The new Pence winery, founded in 2010, is a wonderful surprise, these beautiful and soulful wines are hand-crafted by Sashi Moorman, of Stolpman,…

2012 E. Pira & Figli-Chiara Boschis, Barolo, Cannubi, Piedmonte, Italy. Chiara Boschis has crafted some beauties in 2012 and this Cannubi is a classic, and one that won’t need ages…