California Wines

California Wines
With a history of wine production that dates back to the 18th century, California currently sits as one of the world’s most prolific and reputable wine regions. With an area as vast as California, you can expect a colorful collage of terroir profiles, a series of microclimates, and micro-environments that give the wine a unique, memorable appeal. The region’s produce is far from homogenized in that sense, and it would take you countless hours to sample all of it.
While the region boasts scars from the Prohibition era, it went through what can only be described as a viticultural Renaissance sometime after the 1960s. At that point, California went from a port-style, sweet wine region to a versatile and compelling competitor on the world market. Today, no matter which way your taste in wine leans, you can find a new favorite producer among California’s most talented.
Notable sub-regions include legendary names like Napa Valley and Sonoma County, places that any wine lover worth their salt would die to visit. California’s quintessential warm climate allows for incredibly ripe fruit expressions, a style that provides a stark contrast to Old World-inspired, earthy classics. Even where inspiration was clearly taken from staple French appellations, Californian winemakers put their own unique spin on the wine, making it feel like a unique, standalone piece, rather than a derivative.
A New World region rises to join its viticultural forebears. Its meteoric rise to fame has been nothing short of stunning, and today California can compete with the world’s most prominent wine regions.
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1987 Silverado Napa Cabernet Sauvignon92WSSmooth, ripe and harmonious, with layers of black cherry, plum, currant and anise, finishing with a smooth texture and a long, lingering aftertaste.--1987 California Cabernet horiz..." Learn MoreFormats Available:As low as $239.00
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1996 Pahlmeyer Merlot97RPThe 1996 Merlot (3,000 cases) is a worthy rival. Bottled unfined and unfiltered, this blend of 93% Merlot and 7% Cabernet Franc tips the scales at a heady 14.6% alcohol. Could it b..." Learn MoreFormats Available:As low as $249.00
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1997 Araujo Eisele Cabernet Sauvignon92+VMFull ruby-red. Expressive nose combines black raspberry, currant, black cherry, chocolate, tobacco and sandalwood. Lush and sweet but fresh, with a firm edge of acidity giving shap..." Learn MoreFormats Available:As low as $649.00
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1997 Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon Estate98RPThere are 10,200 cases of the remarkable 1997 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate. Opaque purple-colored with a dense, chewy, full-bodied personality, it displays abundant cassis, mineral, a..." Learn MoreFormats Available:As low as $1,399.00
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1999 Pahlmeyer Merlot94WSA mouthful of wine that packs in lots of rich, deep, plush and concentrated flavors, with tiers of currant, blackberry, raspberry and wild berry fruit. Well-integrated tannins smoo..." Learn MoreFormats Available:As low as $175.00
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2000 Abreu Cabernet Sauvignon Thorevilos92RPThe first release from the 20-acre Thorevilos Vineyard (co-owned by David Abreu and Ric Forman) is the 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon Thorevilos, a blend of 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Ca..." Learn MoreFormats Available:As low as $299.00
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2006 Bond Assortment Case (Melbury, St. Eden, Pluribus, Quella, Vecina)..." Learn MoreFormats Available:As low as $2,549.00
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2009 Bond Vineyards Vecina98+AGBOND's 2009 Proprietary Blend Vecina, from Vine Hill Ranch, is fascinating to taste after the St. Eden. While the St. Eden is round and sensual, the Vecina is all about linear powe..." Learn MoreFormats Available:As low as $775.00
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2009 Calera de Villiers Vineyard Mt Harlan Pinot Noir96+AGThe 2009 Pinot Noir De Villiers Vineyard, from vines planted in 1997, bursts from the glass with expressive, juicy fruit. Dark red berries, flowers, mint, spices and an orange rind..." Learn MoreFormats Available:As low as $95.00
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2010 Futo98AGThe flagship 2010 Futo is rich, deep and implosive. Layers of dark red fruit, mocha, licorice, spices and leather all flesh out in a dark, brooding wine loaded with class and perso..." Learn MoreFormats Available:As low as $635.00
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2010 Heitz Cabernet Sauvignon Martha's Vineyard96AGNot surprisingly, the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Martha's Vineyard is the least expressive of these wines. At the same time, so much of its appeal is in its tightly-coiled energy and ..." Learn MoreFormats Available:As low as $279.00
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2010 Martinelli Vellutini Ranch Zinfandel92WSThis is dense and quite ripe, but backs it up with great intensity and structure. Aromas of blackberry pie and fresh cracked pepper lead to fleshy black cherry, licorice and carame..." Learn MoreFormats Available:As low as $58.95
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2011 Calera de Villiers Vineyard Mt Harlan Pinot Noir90+AGBright red cherries, cranberry, spices, mint, hard candy and anise all jump from the glass in the 2011 Pinot Noir de Villiers Vineyard. Hints of crushed flowers and tobacco follow,..." Learn MoreFormats Available:As low as $79.99
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2011 Dominus96DECA perfumed and refined nose of rose petal, orange rind, raspberry and coriander flower. This elegant nature continues through the palate, which is lacy and plush, but becomes quite..." Learn MoreFormats Available:As low as $295.00
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2012 Larkmead Cabernet Sauvignon Solari99JDThe 2012 Solari is a stunning wine based on 100% Cabernet Sauvignon that spent 20 months in 70% new French oak. As with most 2012s, it’s drinking brilliantly today and sports..." Learn MoreFormats Available:As low as $305.00
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2013 Calera de Villiers Vineyard Mt Harlan Pinot Noir95AGThe 2013 Pinot Noir de Villiers Vineyard is intense, pure and brilliant. Dark red cherry, blood orange, lavender, mint, star anise and wild flowers give the de Villiers an exotic e..." Learn MoreFormats Available:As low as $99.00
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2013 Calera Mills Vineyard Mt. Harlan Pinot Noir95RPJensen's 2013 Pinot Noir Mills Vineyard is a beauty! It possesses a medium ruby color and sumptuous notes of mulled cherries, raspberries, dusty earth, spice box and wild herbs. Me..." Learn MoreFormats Available:As low as $94.99
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2013 Calera Reed Vineyard Mt. Harlan Pinot Noir96WEFrom a vineyard that Josh Jensen planted in 1975 comes this bottling that shows sultry black plum, minty herbs, tarragon, black slate, smashed mulberry and a touch of pork fat. A w..." Learn MoreFormats Available:As low as $84.99
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2013 Calera Ryan Vineyard Mt. Harlan Pinot Noir95+VMA big, powerful wine, the 2013 Pinot Noir Ryan Vineyard packs a serious punch. Dark, bold flavors abound, the result of a drought year that produced tiny berries. Readers will have..." Learn MoreFormats Available:As low as $94.99
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2013 Heitz Cabernet Sauvignon Martha's Vineyard96WEFrom Tom and Martha May's famous, organically farmed site in the heart of the appellation, this is a blockbuster vintage of the 100% varietal wine, immaculately structured and full..." Learn MoreFormats Available:As low as $279.00
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2013 Marcassin Chardonnay Marcassin Vineyard100JDWhile the Pinot Noir lags behind its 2012 counterpart, the same can’t be said about the 2013 Chardonnay Marcassin Vineyard. Utter perfection in wine, this awesome beauty boas..." Learn MoreFormats Available:As low as $799.00
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2013 Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vyd. Elysian Reserve100JDA magical, majestic wine, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard Elysian is a tiny barrel selection from this First Growth site just outside of Saint Helena. De..." Learn MoreFormats Available:As low as $2,299.00
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2013 Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vyd. Elysian Reserve100JDA magical, majestic wine, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard Elysian is a tiny barrel selection from this First Growth site just outside of Saint Helena. De..." Learn MoreFormats Available:As low as $2,299.00
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2013 Peter Michael Chardonnay Mon Plaisir Sonoma97JSA very complex nose here with jasmine, gardenia, peach and hints of lime. Full-bodied, tight and dense. Open and tangy. Some volcanic salt. Fantastic finish with vibrant acidity. G..." Learn MoreFormats Available:As low as $175.00
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2013 Ridge Lytton Springs95AGThe 2013 Lytton Springs has really come together over the last year, far exceeding my early expectations. Powerful and explosive in the glass, the 2013 boasts tons of inky blue/pur..." Learn MoreFormats Available:As low as $55.95