4 | Wine | Sonoma County, Unrated

"Ferrari-Carano’s 2012 Fumé Blanc has aromas of orange blossom, quince, white peach, Meyer lemon and mango complemented by flavors of pineapple, pear and guava. This wine has bright acidity and crisp freshness from the cool, stainless steel tank fermentation, while the subtle oak character from barrel aging adds, body, complexity and depth."

"There are aromas of black cherry, plum, cassis, vanilla and a slight eucalyptus note. In the glass there are refined flavors of red cherry, cassis, blackberry, plum, spice and tobacco. Our 2011 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon has good structure and complexity along with an old world style balance."

"Aromas of wild strawberry, watermelon, raspberry and mint jump out of the glass. There are flavors of strawberry, peach, berry and a hint of minerality. The wine has medium mouthfeel, a dry finish with a very long aftertaste."

"The effect of the destemmer was significant on our 2011 Heritage Vines Zinfandel because it removed almost all of the stems. With this wine, our goal for the maceration was to aggressively extract during the first half of fermentation and then drain and press the wine off the skins prior to drying. This technique allowed us to coax out the depth of the ripe, racy fruit that lurks within Zinfandel grapes and also to avoid some of the roughness that can be leeched out of the skins at the end of fermentation. We employed the use of both French and American oak in the aging of this wine. Toast levels on these barrels were deep enough to impart chocolate and roasted coffee features into the finished wine."

"Simi 2009 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon follows up on its deep, dark garnet color with lifted, pretty aromas of clove, cinnamon, hints of cedar, mint chocolate, and toasty oak notes that beautifully frame dark fruit. Compelling flavors of cassis, blackberry, and plum along with black pepper, cedar, and clove keep this dark and somewhat brooding wine from being too serious. This medium-to full-bodied Alexander Valley Cabernet will bring out the best in roasted mushroom and wild nettle pesto pizza, or charcoal-grilled beef carpaccio with asiago-onion salad."

"A deep, saturated color leads to lifted aromas of blackberry, cocoa, and herby black-currant, followed by a rich, layered mouthfeel, loaded with juicy black cherry, cedar, and crème de cassis, and structured with ripe, mature tannins. Enjoy this seductive Cabernet Sauvignon now and over the next several years."