2020-2023 Wines of the Month

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If you’re not an experienced wine drinker there are three varietals you should be familiar with: Chardonnay, Zinfandel, and Cabernet Sauvignon. With that in mind, our followers can begin their initiation into winedom with Lloyd Davis’s sublime 2017 Corner 103 Zin. Lloyd sources his grapes from around Sonoma County and his wines are Peninsula Underground's baseline for drinkability. From the time you pull the cork Corner 103 is ready to drink. After opening his tasting room on the Sonoma Square in 2015 Lloyd has produced three Zin vintages: 2012, 2015, and 2017. We highlight the latest vintage as it has just been released yet is easy to enjoy immediately. As you are training your wine palette you may notice a little spice on the tongue. This wine earns the highest Peninsula Underground honor: 5 Corks. If you get a chance stop by Corner 103 for a tasting and tell him Peninsula Underground sent you.

Chardonnay is the most popular wine varietal in the United States by volume. It is often described as “buttery,” meaning it was aged in an oak barrel, or “fruit forward,” which means it was not. This wine also tends to elicit more polarizing responses from wine drinkers than any other varietal. It can be THE go-to for some or be a non-starter for others. With this in mind, Peninsula Underground sought to find a Chardonnay that all of our readers would enjoy. We tasted 20 different California Chardonnays and only one earned our prestigious 5 Corks rating...

Congratulations to the 2015 Le Cuvier (Paso Robles) Chardonnay!

Le Cuvier is perfectly set atop winding Vine Hill Lane off of Adelaida Road. Co-Owner John Munch and Head Winemaker Clay Selkirk produce consistently outstanding wine and have a devoted following. Their Elliptical Club members enjoy the fruits of their labor and the quirky prose that comes with each shipment. Upon our visit we found very knowledgeable staff and pourers who took pride in their product. And what’s better than wine? How about plentiful gourmet food pairings? Le Cuvier has an on-site kitchen and the food their chef prepares is to die for. We then bought a few bottles and relaxed at some outside tables under a large tree with some appetizers. 

The 2015 Chardonnay is a bit more golden in color than you would expect from a typical Chardonnay. That’s because they left the fruit in contact with the skin a bit longer than normal. It produces a wine that has a red wine feel to it and is ready to be enjoyed right out of the bottle. In fact, this bottle comes with a “door tag” that reads, “Do Not Refrigerate.” It should be treated like a red wine. We think this Chardonnay comes as close as any we tasted of earning universal approval and for that we give it our highest rating: 5 Corks!

In Napa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon is king and its top producers are legendary. One of these, Joseph Phelps, produces the highly regarded Insignia Red Wine, which is 84% Cab but retails at $300. While this is an outstanding wine, at Peninsula Underground we are always impressed with finding great value. Joseph Phelps delivers there as well with its 2017 Innisfree Cabernet Sauvignon, our March featured wine.

Some friends brought this bottle over on a night we were serving Korean beef and Asian nachos. Given how young this wine is for a Cab we decided we should decant it, which exposes more of the wine to air and therefore softens the tannins. A typical review for a 2017 Cab might advise that it not be opened for years, or at least decanted for two hours, but we were pouring our Innisfree within minutes. If it’s true that we first taste a wine with our eyes then the rich, medium-dark burgundy color foretold a great experience. And that’s we got. After just a few minutes in the decanter this wine had no trace of tannins. It drank like a triple-digit Napa Cab that had been cellared for years. The best news? You can pick up this bottle at your local store for less than $40! Bring this to dinner the next time you gather with friends and family and tell them it earned 5 Corks on Peninsula Underground. 

The 2017 Innisfree Cabernet Sauvignon by Joseph Phelps proves you can find world-class wine without paying exorbitant prices and for that reason it is Peninsula Underground’s March wine-of-the-month.

Widely heralded as the “Queen of Zin,“ Sonoma County’s Carol Shelton consistently produces highly regarded, fruit-forward wines at extremely reasonable prices. We have featured her on Instagram and have made several visits to her Santa Rosa tasting room. On our last visit in January our executive board was treated to a private room tasting. We enjoyed many of her flagship Zinfandels but our favorite was her Black Magic Late Harvest Zinfandel, whether it be the 2011 pictured here or a more recent varietal that carries the Wild Thing label, it is our April featured wine.

A late harvest wine is one in which the grapes are left on the vine long after the normal harvest, perhaps a couple of months. This causes the grapes to dehydrate and the sugars to become more concentrated. It may also typically produce a higher alcohol content. It is a wine you would enjoy with a dessert or cheese plate. Some love late harvest wines as a dessert unto themselves while others find them to be too sweet for their palate.

The 2011 Black Magic we tasted at Carol Shelton was exquisite and luscious, made of 87% late harvest Zinfandel and 13% Tinta Madeira Port. It was satisfyingly sweet with a smooth finish. It’s described by Carol Shelton as follows:  “Inky blue-purple in color, yummy deep razz-blackberry jam and luscious dark chocolate of oak spices, sweet but not clumsy, pleasingly balanced with a bit a tartness, not at all hotly alcoholic, bit of warm vanilla at finish.”

We enjoyed our 2011 Black Magic with dark chocolate while playing The Great Dalmuti after dinner. It received wide praise.

Of course, at Peninsula Underground our mission is to find great value in wines for our followers and the Black Magic delivers. You can find a current Wild Thing Black Magic on wine.com for $18.99 a bottle. For those interested in comparing varietals through the years, you can go to the Carol Shelton website and order “library” Black Magic at $20 a bottle. 

In short, the Queen of Zin won us over with all the wines we tried but the sublime Black Magic Late Harvest Zinfandel earned our top score of 5 Corks for its taste and value and for that reason is our April wine-of-the-month.

You may have noticed that every featured wine so far this year has been from California. Well, our office is in the Golden State so we admit it, we are biased. Still, we recognize that the proliferation of wineries throughout the U.S. (Oregon, Washington, Virginia, New York, Texas...) makes it a great time to be an oenophile no matter where you live. And best of all, you can find great wines, at reasonable prices, that are ready to drink right now. That’s our mantra at Peninsula Underground. We love helping you find those wines. For May, we take you to the state of Washington.

Let’s say you’re going to meet your significant other’s parents for the first time. They’ve invited you over for dinner. Of course, you’d like to bring a nice bottle of wine but you want to be thoughtful, savvy. Not one of those cliche’ grocery store bottles but something different, interesting. A conversation starter. Hello Mercer Family Vineyards Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve!

Located in south-central Washington, Mercer Family Vineyards is in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA, which was established in 2005. Don’t let that fairly recent designation fool you. Nearly 50 years ago Don and Linda Mercer planted the first wine grapes in Horse Heaven Hills. Now, this AVA accounts for more than 1/4 of Washington’s total grape production.

We first tried Mercer’s 2016 HHH Cab Reserve in December and were immediately impressed by its sleek, softening tannins. It’s what you might expect from a wine that has laid down for several years. Winemaker Will Mercer describes the wine: “Aromas of ripe blackberries, bright red currants, savory herbs, and sweet pipe tobacco are highlighted by vanilla and sweet spice...a light touch of acidity.”

Whether you can discern all those aromas and flavors or not you will know from the first sip that it’s an exceptional, delicious wine. We then tasted this wine against other notable Washington and California Cabs and it was superior to all of them. The best part of all? You can pick up the 2016, or the current release 2017, for about $25 a bottle at Total Wine or wine.com. 

For producing an amazing Cab reserve at a very reasonable price the Mercer Family Vineyards’ Horse Heaven Hills earns a 5-Cork rating and is our May wine-of-the-month. We recommend it to all our followers.

Selecting just one wine to feature each month is a difficult task. And choosing one from a single winery where everything is consistently outstanding is even harder. Soda Rock of Healdsburg in Sonoma County provided us that challenge for June. Long considered by many on our executive board as their favorite stop during January’s Winter Wineland, Soda Rock is now facing the daunting task of rebuilding their historic structure after last fall’s fires. We can all do our part to help Ken and Diane Wilson, and their team, by buying their wine. 

The obvious key to making great wine is to start with great grapes. Soda Rock’s winemaker, Antoine Favero, nurtures these in abundance. His signature Zinfandels are each uniquely crafted to their respective vineyards. While every Soda Rock Zin (or Sauv Blanc or Cab or...) we have tried has been exceptional, for June we focus on their Primitivos. 

A black-skinned Italian grape that is genetically identical to California Zinfandel, Primitivo was long ago used for blending. Today it stands firmly on its own. Whether it be their 2016 Los Amigos or their current releases—Lytton Station Alexander Valley ($34) or Rockpike Ranch Reserve ($55)—these wines exhibit the wonderful combination of berries and pepper that provide a jammy flavor and long finish. Go to sodarockwinery.com and pick some of these Primitivos. Then drop us a line and thank us for the recommendation! Better yet, the next time you are in Sonoma County make sure you visit Soda Rock and tell them Peninsula Underground sent you. Savor their wines and give the resilient Lord Snort a push!

For providing a drinking experience way above its price point, Soda Rock Primitivo is our June wine-of-the-month.

After first tasting our July featured wine I was inspired to see if its very name reveals insight into how to best describe it. According to various internet sources the name Peju means “love” and inspires commitment, willpower, and exuberance. “Province” is defined as an area of special knowledge, interest, or responsibility. The Peju Province Red & White Blend is aptly titled and our July wine-of-the-month.

The love and exuberance of this wine by the members of our executive board who tasted it was universal. Chris, our VP of Linguistics: “It’s like a summer Rose’ but with body!” Sara, our VP of Marketing and PR, was excited to detect a slight effervescence. Our CEO, Dina, spoke of the crispness of a Sauv Blanc with the complexity of a red blend.

To be clear the Peju Province, their signature cuvee, is not a Rose’, which is what you get when you leave red grapes in contact with their skin for a short time. It is a red-white blend. They take stainless-steel fermented white varietals and combine them with barrel-aged red varietals. As the first red-white blend we have seen, the name Province is apropos. The result is a uniquely-hued wine, akin to the shade of watermelon juice. The color alone generated conversation among our board. 

Another part of the fun of this wine is attempting to detect the varietals used. We suggest a double-blind tasting the first time you have it. Not the type of double-blind tasting typical of our industry. Rather, place the bottle in a bag and provide your guests with blindfolds. It will be really interesting to see what type of wine (red, white, rose’) and what varietals they think they are tasting. I bet the results will be a broad spectrum, especially since this wine is best served chilled.

As our subscribers know, we are always looking for interesting wines, that are delicious, at great prices. Clearly, Peju Province is interesting...and it’s only $30 per bottle! We recommend a case of it for summer - www.peju.com.   For providing our most unique tasting experience of the year at a very reasonable price the Peju Province Red & White Blend is our July wine-of-the-month.

We were so excited to be back in Napa last month. Temperatures were in the low 80s and we enjoyed numerous outdoor, sit-down tastings. At every winery we visited we received outstanding service from people genuinely happy to be back at work. We tasted a lot of great wine, many deserving to be our August wine-of-the-month, but one stood out as a great summer sipper: 2019 ZD Wines Rosa Lee Pinot Noir Rosé, Napa Valley.

ZD Wines was founded over 50 years ago by Norman and Rosa Lee deLeuze. As they state on their website: “The letters ZD allude to ‘Zero Defects,’ a quality control term that applies just as well to our wines as to the rocket propulsion programs our founders worked on before starting a wine business.”

Located on the Silverado Trail in Rutherford, ZD’s outdoor tasting was on their elevated outdoor patio overlooking the valley; a stunning view to put you in a great mood to taste. Scott was our pourer and educator (ask for him when you go). He knows his wines and is passionate about sharing them.

The wine is light pink—they left the skins on for just two hours—and was aged in stainless steel. It’s more floral on the nose than their Sauvignon Blanc. It is pleasantly sweet (we detect strawberries) with a spritz on the end. A perfect wine for an early summer evening for your socially distanced backyard entertaining. At $35 per bottle this wine provides great value, which our followers particularly appreciate.

If you are able to get back up to Napa soon make it a point to taste at ZD, pick up their 2019 Rosa Lee Pinot Noir Rosé (and their approachable 2017 Cab and Tempranillo and...), and tell them you came because it was Peninsula Underground’s August wine-of-the-month.

We are blessed in California to have the Napa Valley, Sonoma County, and Paso Robles wine regions. But less than a three-hour drive from our Orange County office lies the vastly underrated Santa Ynez Valley. This is where we found ourselves last week after having to cancel our Napa trip due to the devastating fires. Once we decided on visiting Santa Ynez we knew our first stop had to be Tensley.  

We were first introduced to Tensley last fall when its 2017 Santa Barbara County Colson Canyon Syrah checked in at #14 on Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines. The very day the issue appeared we had a bottle delivered from Total Wine. We were most struck by the deep purple color and the nose of smoked meat.

With that as a backdrop, four of us from Peninsula Underground arrived at Tensley and enjoyed our tasting on their lovely patio in Los Olivos. Nelida guided us through their lineup of 2019 Syrahs: Santa Barbara County, Turner, and Colson Canyon. They are our September wines-of-the-month.

As our followers know, we normally pick one particular bottle as our wine-of-the-month. This month is the exception as Tensley’s 2019 Syrahs were all equally but distinctively exceptional. You might wonder why we are already tasting and reviewing 2019 Syrahs. Well, we had the pleasure of meeting owner and winemaker Joey Tensley, who was very generous with his time. He explained to us that they had already sold out of the 2018s so they had to push the 2019s out quickly. It is amazing how good they are already.

The Santa Barbara County Syrah was surprisingly silky with red fruit and berries. It is young with a slight bite at the end but wonderfully drinkable now and will be outstanding for 8-10 years. The Turner Syrah is a shade lighter than the Santa Barbara. We detect less oak and more black pepper. On the whole this was more complex than the Santa Barbara and can also be cellared for 10 years. They only made 70 cases so grab yours soon! Finally, the Colson Canyon was lighter still than the Turner with a nose of violets. On the palette is smoked meat with a notably fruity finish. This wine has wonderful flavor now and is surprisingly approachable for its complexity. It was distinct from the others.

On the whole, Tensley makes the best Syrahs we have ever reviewed. Followers of PU know that we always have an eye toward wine that is ready to drink at a great value. Tensley Syrahs are the template for that approach to wine. When you taste the wines you won’t believe the prices:

Santa Barbara County: $30

Turner: $46

Colson Canyon: $46

Do yourself a favor. Take a weekend away to the Santa Ynez Valley. Enjoy the beauty of the outdoors and the delicious wines of the region. Just make sure that visiting Tensley is at the top of your list. Tell them you visited because they were Peninsula Underground’s September wine-of-the-month.

One of the great joys of being in the wine industry is experiencing something new, and it happens more often than you might think. Look no further than our 2020 monthly featured wines and you can read about a Chardonnay that should not be refrigerated but served at a red wine temperature (Le Cuvier) and a wine where red and white are fermented separately then blended (Peju). Our October wine-of-the-month continues the theme of the unexpected.

After visiting Napa in July shortly after the reopen and Santa Ynez Valley in August, we headed back to Napa near the end of September. When our plane landed we learned about the new, devastating fires that had started just hours earlier. The visits we had scheduled in the northern part of the valley were understandably canceled as many brave individuals fought to save their property and livelihood. During the pandemic we have often heard that the best way to support our friends in the industry is to keep buying their wine. So, rather than getting back on a plane, we improvised our trip. It turns out our Rioja Bureau Chief has personal connections with Reynolds Family Winery and arranged for us to visit. They are in the southern end of the valley and were far enough from the fires to not be in danger.

Started in 1995 by Steve Reynolds, a former dentist, and his wife Suzie, Reynolds Family Winery is one of the few truly family-owned and operated wineries that still exists in Napa Valley. We were hosted by the articulate, 22-year-old Cameron Reynolds who could not have been more impressive. You would be hard-pressed to find a more self-assured, knowledgeable, service oriented young man in the industry. He navigated us through nearly a dozen wines, many that, for one reason or another, were not your typical Napa offering. 

But one stood out and is Peninsula Underground’s October wine-of-the-month: The Reynolds Family Winery Clear Cabernet Sauvignon. Yes, CLEAR.

Imagine being poured a chilled Cab that by appearance could nearly be mistaken for a glass of water. That’s Reynolds’ Clear. We believe it is the only such wine in Napa Valley—maybe anywhere. As you might guess, a great many questions and a thorough education followed. Cameron explained to us that they pick 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and take it straight to the bladder press to squeeze out the fruit. There is basically no contact with the skin to give it the deep violet hue of a typical Cab. It is lighter than the lightest Sauvignon Blanc you might find. It is then fermented in 100% stainless steel for 8 months. We detected the aromas of tropical fruit and the taste of fresh melon and raspberries. A very interesting, tasty wine. I wish we had first tried it blind but will include it in our future blind tastings. 

Consider the discussions that will take place when you take this out to serve the next time you host friends or family. As our readers and followers know, we love to highlight great wines of great value that are drinkable right away. This outstanding Reynolds Family Winery Clear Cabernet Sauvignon is $45 per bottle ($36 for club members) and does not need to be cellared. Buy it. Talk about it. Enjoy it. It is a lot of fun.

Hopefully you can make your way to Napa Valley soon. When you go, make an appointment to taste at Reynolds Family Winery and ask for Cameron. Tell the family you visited because it was Peninsula Underground’s October wine-of-the-month.

If you cannot make it in person, visit their website: https://www.reynoldsfamilywinery.com/ and follow on social media  @reynoldsfamilywinery!

P.S. Make sure you ask Steve about his tequila!

Humor us here at Peninsula Underground as we take our November “wine” of the month and actually choose a bourbon. With four of our executive team members involved with our November “bourbon” of the month, we’d be remiss if we didn’t choose it, not to toot our own horn, but to share with you something so unique that we knew you’d want to know about it.

What do you get when a Nike designer, Facebook’s first director-level employee, a hospitality executive, a political advisor, and a philanthropist walk into a bar? Well, maybe not a bar, but the same room with the same ideas about making a bourbon – you get Blue Run. 

Blue Run Spirits’ inaugural expression – a 13 year Kentucky Straight Bourbon bottled at 113 proof – is our November “bourbon” of the month.

Understanding that evolving the bourbon industry and creating fine products for the modern bourbon fan could never happen without an exceptional whiskey to start with, these guys teamed with Jim Rutledge, a 50+ year whiskey veteran and former master distiller at Four Roses, who serves as the brand’s liquid advisor.

And, the bourbon… it’s at a higher proof to preserve every bit of flavor. The long aging process allows for a bold flavor profile while maintaining a smooth finish. Its glossy amber with bronze highlights finish smells like candied dates and fig, mixed with molasses, butterscotch, and dark chocolate. It tastes like caramel and brown sugar mixed with oak and has dense concentrated flavors of baking spices and chocolate covered cherries. And the finish, long, sweet, and dry with crisp textures of warm stone fruits and candied apple. Honestly, it’s everything we ever wanted in a bourbon. Some of us said after tasting it that, “It danced on our palates in a smooth jazz kind of way and we loved it!”

Oh, and the bottle! Blue Run sourced only the highest quality plate glass from France for the bottles. The Viceroy Butterfly is a common sight on the banks of many Kentucky waterways and it symbolizes change and new beginnings. The butterfly symbolizes the evolution of what a bourbon can be. And, we believe Blue Run is the new beginning of bourbon.

We recommend adding no more than one small ice cube to enjoy the full deliciousness of this inaugural 13 year bourbon, that is if you can find a bottle! We hear that the 13 year fall release is now sold out but should be available online again in mid-November at www.bluerunspirits.com. Let us know what you think! 

I know, I know. You love California wine, Italian wine, French wine, blah blah blah. At Peninsula Underground we love them too! But how many of you have ever professed your loyalty to Arizona wine? You should!

We recently had the privilege to do a sit-down tasting at the Aridus Wine Company tasting room in the Scottsdale Arts District. We were humbled that Aridus team member Alex came in on a Sunday specifically because he knew we were visiting. He led us through an array of wines grown in the Willcox AVA of Southeastern Arizona. We are not ashamed to admit that we had never tasted Arizona wine before. Those who follow our reviews and IG know that one of the themes of our 2020 featured wines has been “the unexpected.” That theme continues in December as we discovered so many interesting, unique, and delicious wines from Aridus. We will be reporting on our blog and Instagram about many of them in the near future but one of them stood out as our December wine-of-the-month:

2018 Aridus Wine Company Graciano

First of all, many of you have probably never even heard of the Graciano grape, which is a Spanish red wine varietal grown mainly in the Rioja Baja region, known for its dry climate. As it turns out, the Willcox AVA has a similarly arid climate and Aridus is the Latin word for dry or arid. So you can see how winemaker Lisa Strid is able to extract the bold aromas and taste of fresh berries from her grapes. Aficionados of Paso Robles might describe this wine as jammy or fruit-forward with a peppery finish. Those adjectives are much too cliché to give to this single-varietal wine. We prefer to say that the grape is truly the star of this wine and that its mouth feel and finish are perfect representations of the region from which it hails. This wine is ready to savor now and over the next 5 to 6 years. It can be purchased for less than $40! 

At Peninsula Underground we strive to report on great wines of great value that are ready to drink right now. This 2018 Aridus Graciano delivers on all fronts and that is why it is our December wine-of-the-month.

Bravo Lisa, Alex, and the entire Aridus team! 

If you are planning to be in Scottsdale contact Patrick and make an appointment for a tasting. Request that either he or Alex pour for you. Tell them that Peninsula Underground sent you. If you are not going to be in Arizona then Aridus will ship to you.

www.ariduswineco.com

@ariduswineco

 We began 2020 with our annual trip to Sonoma County for Winter Wineland. This is a company-wide retreat of business and pleasure. Isn’t all wine tasting pleasure? Yes! 

We scarcely could have foreseen the year that would follow from there. While we still were able to make several more trips to various wine regions we constantly had to improvise due to COVID and fires. We learned to be adaptable and appreciative. We also learned that misfortune is actually the mother of revelation.

As we have written previously our scheduled Napa trip in August was canceled due to the fires so we rerouted to the Santa Ynez Valley instead. This is an extremely underrated wine region and we have documented the great wine we tasted, including our January wine-of-the-month:

2017 E11even Petit Verdot, an Andrew Murray Production

Andrew Murray Vineyards had been recommended to us by several folks in the region. In fact, here’s a tip for when you go winetasting: ask people who work at a winery where THEY like to taste. You will find many hidden gems that way. We drove on winding Foxen Canyon Road in Los Olivos out to Andrew Murray Vineyards.

We sat shaded at a table on their elevated, pebbled front deck on a warm August afternoon. Two different tastings were set up for us: the first was a line of Andrew Murray wines and the second was E11even Wines, an Andrew Murray Production. While we liked everything we tried, which doesn’t happen very often at a tasting, the E11even wines were the star. As fans of This Is Spinal Tap, we were instantly curious about the name (“This one goes to eleven!”), especially when the label on the bottle is fashioned in the form of a concert ticket. Sure enough, Andrew Murray (a musician himself) confirmed for us that the movie was indeed his inspiration for this label of wines. He was very generous with his time, took us on a tour of his entire facility, and gave us great insight into their winemaking philosophy and procedures.

Back to the wine. Petit Verdot has lived a long life as primarily a blending grape but has been gaining steam as a single varietal. This Bordeaux varietal is a late ripener, which brings a balancing acidity to the wine. The grapes are small with thick skin, which provides the tannins. On the nose of this E11even Petit Verdot you detect a delightfully slight buttered popcorn from the 25% new French Oak. On the palate are ripe cherries and the minerality of the high elevation in which this estate grape is grown. It is a layered wine with surprisingly softened tannins for a 2017, leading to a long finish. An exceptional wine.

Of course, at Peninsula Underground it is not enough for the wine to be outstanding. It also must provide great value. At $36 per bottle this 2017 E11even Petit Verdot by Andrew Murray is our first highly recommended purchase of 2021, and is our January wine-of-the-month.

Order yours here:

www.andrewmurrayvineyards.com

and follow them @amvwine and @e11wine.

Tell them Peninsula Underground sent you.

 Proper wine tasting takes place using these three senses in order: sight (“appearance”), smell (“nose”), and taste (“palate”). The way the wine looks as it is poured from the bottle, as it rests and swirls in the glass, and as it is held to the light can give you clues as to its age, level of tannins, alcohol content, and flavor profile. After observing a wine—and swirling it in your glass—you are ready to smell it. Doing so may confirm your visual observations, reveal how it was aged, and further prepare you for its taste. Finally you get to taste it. Is it tannic, sweet, dry, bitter, sour? How does it feel in your mouth? Do you like it?

If you are interested in a wine that will arouse all of those senses in a unique way then let us introduce you to the 2019 Merkin Vineyards (Caduceus Cellars) Shinola Orancia from Arizona’s Willcox AVA. It is our February wine of the month. This 100% Malvasia Bianca is an Italian white varietal grown at 4,300 feet in Cochise County. Smartly presented in a clear bottle, you first start tasting this wine before it is ever poured. 

The orange hue is intriguing; something you’ve never seen before. This occurs because of the 10-day maceration on the skin. You expect there to be notes of citrus on the palate. It appears slightly lighter in the glass than in the bottle and exhibits good viscosity when swirled. On the nose Orancia surprises you with tropical fruits: papaya and mango...not citrus. There is also a floral component. Not a hint of oak, which makes sense, given that it was fermented in stainless steel.

On the palate you experience crisp, restrained fruit with a pleasantly bitter finish. What you might expect to be an overwhelming fruit bomb based on your sight and smell is a deftly structured wine that should age well for a white. It’s thoroughly enjoyable. Owner and winemaker (and Renaissance man) MJ Keenan, of the bands Tool, A Perfect Circle, and Puscifer is a descendant of Northern Italian winemakers and the effort and skill he applies as a vintner is truly notable. 

Perhaps what we appreciated most about his Shinola Orancia is that it’s a wine that keeps you on your toes; from sight, to smell, to taste it delivers the unexpected. It is a wine to be experienced. Our readers know that we love wine that exceeds its price point. The 2019 Merkin Vineyards (Caduceus Cellars) Shinola Orancia is only $20. This is an amazing value, and when you consider what the wine delivers, it was an easy choice as our February wine of the month. When you order yours make sure you tell them Peninsula Underground sent you.

www.caduceus.org

@caduceuscellars

@merkinvineyards

There are times when selecting our wine-of-the-month is a difficult process, weighing the merits of many great bottles and taking into consideration their corresponding value. This was not one of those months. Quite simply, the best wine we had over the past month was the 2017 Chalk Hill Estate Red. It is our featured wine for March.

Before we even get to the wine, Chalk Hill Estate just might sit on the single best property in all of Sonoma County. Set high atop Chalk Hill Road roughly 5 miles northeast of the town of Windsor, this winery offers breathtaking views from outside their tasting room. A 180 degree vista of lush, forested trees sweep into the distance, revealing an idyllic pond on the valley floor to the right, and dissect rolling vineyards high on both sides. You could sit, drink wine, and stare all day. We have (well, not ALL day). 

The 2017 Chalk Hill Estate Red is a blend of 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Malbec, and 11% Petit Verdot. It is rich and bold with leather, dark berries, dark chocolate, and a long, supple finish. The tannins are rounded and the wine has great structure. It is mature beyond its years. When our board visited their tasting room last year we tried about a dozen of their varietals and blends and liked every one of them. Part of what makes Chalk Hill wines so fantastic is that most of their offerings are drinkable on release and can lay down for quite some time. This reflects the skill and deft touch of winemaker Courtney Foley and her staff. At Peninsula Underground we receive shipments of wine from all over the world. Perhaps no other winery makes us smile as much as when we open a box and see it’s from Chalk Hill.

What about value?

The U.S. Wine Institute reports that each U.S. resident consumes 2.95 gallons of wine per year, which is nearly 15 bottles. That’s one per month, plus an extra bottle at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and for your birthday. Why not splurge on at least one of those bottles and buy this 2017 Chalk Hill Estate Red for $70? At Peninsula Underground when we talk about great wines of great value we don’t just mean inexpensive wines, we mean wines that outperform their price. Our March wine-of-the-month is not inexpensive but it outperforms its price and will continue to for at least the next 6-7 years. Order yours today and tell them Peninsula Underground sent you:

https://www.chalkhill.com

@chalkhillestate

Need an excuse to join a new wine club? We offer for your consideration Beckmen Vineyards in Los Olivos. Their 2018 EXP Aggregate is our April wine of the month and only available to wine club members. 

Beckmen Vineyards is another of our 2021 wines of the month with music industry ties (see Andrew Murray in January and Caduceus/Merkin in February). Owner Tom Beckmen founded Roland Corp. U.S., a leading manufacturer and distributor of electronic music instruments. He and his wife Judy, along with sons Steve and Jeff, use biodynamic farming practices to craft world-class wines from the Los Olivos and Ballard Canyon AVAs in the highly underrated Santa Barbara wine region.
 

The 2018 EXP Aggregate is a blend of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Grenache, with small percentages of Mourvedre, Counoise, and Merlot. You first detect blackberries on the palate. This makes sense because the blackberry is produced by many species in the genus Rubus. These species have often been grouped together and called species aggregates, hence the name of the wine: Aggregate. This wine is wonderfully floral and features notes of licorice and spice; it is complex and balanced. Enjoy it now but buy enough to lay down because it will likely hold through the end of this decade.
 

Our mission at Peninsula Underground is to help you find great wines of great value that are ready to drink right away. The 2018 Beckmen EXP Aggregate is a great wine that is drinking beautifully right now...and if you join their wine club it is a great value at $34. When you do tell them it was because you read about them on Peninsula Underground.
 

Join and follow here:
 

https://beckmenvineyards.com

@beckmenvineyards

 If you are a fan of dessert wine do we have a treat for you! Our May wine of the month is the Stone Hill Moscato. 

Based in Hermann, Missouri, Stone Hill is Missouri’s oldest winery, dating back to 1847, and one of its most acclaimed. They routinely win top awards at wine competitions in Missouri and elsewhere.

Stone Hill’s Moscato is made from the Valvin Muscat varietal, which is a cross between Muscat Ottonel and Muscat du Moulin. This hybrid grape was first released in 2006. Of course we believe its application as a dessert wine has been more recently perfected by Stone Hill! This wine is heavenly. In the glass it is a shade darker than a clear Cabernet Sauvignon (see our October 2020 wine of the month).   It has a luxurious, slightly effervescent mouth feel. Peach and lychee on the palate. Those used to California wine might liken this to a late harvest Chardonnay. Can’t say enough good things about this wine. We kept going back trying to find fault with it but we could not. As close to a perfect dessert wine as you can find.

As you know, our mission at Peninsula Underground is to help our readers and followers find great wines of great value. At $12 the Stone Hill Moscato delivers on that mission statement perhaps better than any wine we have reviewed in a long time and that is why it is our May wine of the month.

Buy yours here and tell them Peninsula Underground sent you:

https://stonehillwinery.com

@stonehillwinery

 They have produced wine for 26 generations. Their wine is served at Buckingham Palace and is coveted worldwide. Now the legendary Antinori family has reached the new world: California (Anti - Ca), specifically Napa Valley. Be thankful. Their 2017 Antica Napa Valley Mountain Select Cabernet Sauvignon is our June wine of the month.

Yes, Antinori, for the first time, is producing wine outside Italy. The 2017 Antica Cab is the perfect combination of old world Italian savvy with new world Napa power. Unlike a Tignanello, which uses Cab in its red blend and usually should be cellared for several years after release, Antica is a true Cab ready to drink right now. Completely counterintuitive. And value? That’s what it’s all about in choosing wine in modern life. Antica is basically half the price of Tignanello, or a premier Napa Cab.

The wine itself has a pleasing, consistent aroma of fresh berries backed by firm yet refined tannins and a long finish. Your glass will last longer than a normal pour. It’s hard to believe that a 2017 Napa Cab can be so approachable. That’s what you get from the Antinori family.

Legendary Napa Cab meets legendary Italian winemaker at half the price? Yes, please! That is why the 2017 Antica Napa Valley Mountain Select Cabernet Sauvignon is our June wine of the month.

Learn more about Antica and order yours here (and tell them Peninsula Underground sent you):

https://www.anticanapavalley.com

@anticanapavalley

 The wand chooses the wizard. That’s been the metaphor for explaining how we choose our monthly featured wine. Sure, we can dig into our cellar and pull out what we expect to be a compelling wine. And the wine is often quite good and you read about it on our daily posts. But at a basic level if we have to go searching for a wine it isn’t very romantic, is it? It feels forced. Even up against a deadline the wine we end up highlighting always seems to find us.

Hello, 2017 Merry Edwards Russian River Valley Pinot Noir Olivet Lane. You are our July 2021 wine of the month!

We were given this bottle two days before deadline by a colleague and brought it to dinner that night with friends. We decanted it for an hour and then experimented by pouring it into two different glasses: a traditional “red wine” glass and a glass with a larger bowl and wider opening (not a typical Pinot glass). Remember, we taste wine with three senses: sight, smell, and taste. Right out of the gate we were struck by the deep purple color of the wine; not what you expect from a Pinot. Already intrigued, we moved to “the nose.” The wide bowl was the right choice. It delivered aromas of ripe berries and freshly cut flowers, while the traditional glass gave off a tighter, one-note smell.

A great start. But we’re really all in it for the taste, right? The wine-of-the-month must taste great. This Merry Edwards Olivet Lane Pinot delivers. A creamy texture with raspberries and a hint of chocolate leading to supple tannins. Great complexity and structure. One of the finest Sonoma County Pinots we have tasted in some time. Even our CEO, who is not a Pinot fan, enjoyed her glass. Bravo!

As you know, at Peninsula Underground our mission statement is to highlight great wines of great value. While purchasing this wine might be a splurge, value doesn’t always mean inexpensive. It means exceeding the price point. This wine does that and is our July wine of the month. 

We can’t wait to see what wine chooses us next month!

Purchase Merry Edwards wine and follow them here:

https://www.merryedwards.com

@merryedwardswinery.

 At Peninsula Underground it is known as “Magic in a Bottle,” so named by Sara, our VP of Marketing and PR. Corner 103’s Sparkling Rose’ has long been the go-to sparkling wine of our executive board. It is delicious. It is versatile. It is perfect. And in August it is our wine (and cocktail) of the month.

Speaking of magic, owner Lloyd Davis must be a magician because every wine he releases is ready to drink right away. It’s uncanny. In fact, Corner 103 is one of the inspirations for our mission statement.

Corner 103 sits on the square in the town of Sonoma. Lloyd and Tasting Room Manager Brent Johnson lead their guests in an unparalleled sit-down experience. Each wine is served in its dedicated glass that sits on a customized coaster providing all the stats for that wine. Lloyd and Brent teach you how to taste, how to pair with food, and how to think about wine. One of their basic tenets is that their guests are wine experts because they know what they like. It’s a great way to break down the sometimes intimidating barriers that can be ingrained in the wine industry. For this reason, and many others. Lloyd and Brent are beloved by their guests and wine club members. It should therefore come as no surprise that they were named the Best Tasting Room in America by USA Today in 2020. (And as of this writing they are leading the vote for 2021.)

Corner 103’s Sparkling Rose is 84% Pinot Noir, 12% Chardonnay, and 4% Pinot Meunier. They describe this extraordinary sparkling wine that used the traditional methode champenoise as follows:

“This beautiful salmon-colored wine opens with inviting aromas of strawberry and rose. Flavors of freshly-picked strawberry, red raspberry and brioche dance upon the palate, with a pleasingly full finish.”

Agreed. It is our go-to for parties, celebrations, toasts, and Tuesdays. The point is, we drink it all the time. If you only drink this sparkling straight up you are already ahead of the game. Ah, but wait. Lloyd also has crafted our single favorite sparkling wine cocktail.

Allow us to introduce you to the Corner 103 Rosé-Aperol Spritz. It is the perfect summertime drink and draws rave reviews whenever we serve it. You need to incorporate this in your rotation; it will change your life. Here is their recipe:

Ingredients

   •    3/4 cup grapefruit or passion fruit juice, chilled

   •    1/4 cup Aperol

   •    1/4 cup fresh lime juice

   •    4 teaspoons sugar

   •    1 750ml bottle of NV Sparkling Rosé (Corner 103), chilled

   •    Ruby red grapefruit wedges

Directions

Whisk grapefruit or passion fruit juice, Aperol, lime juice, and sugar in a large pitcher until sugar is dissolved. Stir in Sparkling Rosé. Serve in a large ice-filled wine glass. Garnish with a grapefruit wedge.

If you want to take this recipe from a 10 to 11, use fresh passion fruit (or guava).

For producing a perfect sparkling rose’ and our favorite sparkling wine cocktail, the Corner 103 Sparkling Rose’ is our August wine (and cocktail) of the month. Visit Lloyd and Brent for a special tasting experience and join their wine club. You can thank us later. Purchase and follow here:

https://www.corner103.com

@corner103

One of the blessings of being based in California is our access to a plethora of world-class winegrowing regions. No matter how often we travel around the state tasting wine we always seem to discover something new and exciting.
South of both Sonoma and Napa and east of San Francisco lies Contra Costa County, a lesser-known yet vastly underrated winegrowing region in the Central Coast AVA. It is home to some fantastic old-vine plantings of Zinfandel as well as Mourvedre and Carignan.

We recently tasted what we believe to be the best example and expression of this wine region: the 2019 Bedrock Wine Co. Evangelho Vineyard Heritage Red Wine. It is our September wine of the month.

We received this bottle, among others, for a virtual winetasting conducted by Aldo Sohm. The wine is a gem. It is a Zinfandel-based blend that also features Carignan, Mataro, Alicante Bouschet, Grand Noir, Mission, Palomino, and Clairette Blanche. 

Most of us on the executive board are suckers for wine that pours purple from the bottle to the glass. This Bedrock Wine shows that beautifully rich, opaque hue. On the nose you experience a powerful aroma of jammy black fruits. This wine is full bodied with ripe blackberry and leather on the tongue. Surprisingly low tannins and a silky mouth feel lead to a satisfyingly even finish. Outstanding.
As you know, at Peninsula Underground we don’t just love great wine, we love great value. This flagship Contra Costa County wine from Bedrock Wine Co. retails for under $40. It is a must buy and our September wine of the month.

Purchase yours and follow here: 

https://bedrockwineco.com/bedrock-heritage/on-the-wings-of-a-pig/
@bedrockwines 

Cabernet Sauvignon can be a difficult purchase, particularly if your goal is to bring a bottle to a friend’s house for dinner. What’s the problem? Cabs are among the more expensive varietals and what you typically find in the supermarket aisles are current releases that are often heavily tannic and therefore not yet approachable. 

We offered a solution with our May 2020 wine of the month, the Mercer Family Vineyards Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, which is exceptional and checks in around $25. Washington Cabs like Mercer are generally a great value. But can you really find a quality California Cab that is ready to drink right away for around $25?

Yes you can. Let us introduce you to the 2018 Liberty School Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve from Paso Robles. It is our October 2021 wine of the month. This release comes from Hope Family Wines, makers of the highly regarded Austin Hope Cabernet Sauvignon, which we refer to as the Great American Cab.

As you know, at Peninsula Underground we are fascinated by wines that perform well on pop-and-pour. This Liberty School Reserve is money in that regard. Out of the bottle it pours as deep cardinal. After a swirl your nose detects picante dark fruit. This wine is drinkable from the first sip as softened tannins are integrated into dark fruit and pepper. Wonderfully balanced. We paired it with pumpkin spice hummus and it was magic in the mouth. Perfect for the fall season.

As with the Mercer Cab, this delightful 2018 Liberty School Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve checks in at $25. See, it is possible to pick up a great California Cab at the market that you can drink tonight at a reasonable price. Bravo Hope Family Wines!

For showing that you can have it all with a California Cab, the 2018 Liberty School Reserve is our October 2021 wine of the month.

Purchase yours and follow Hope Family Wines here: 

http://hopefamilywines.com

@hopefamilywines

Many of us are prone to hyperbole in our speech. It’s a way that we emphasize our feelings about something. Sometimes that hyperbole is literally true. This is the case with our November wine of the month. The 2020 Verterra Rosé of Merlot is the best Rosé we have ever tasted.

Located in Leland, Michigan in the Leelanu Peninsula AVA, Verterra Winery has been producing award-winning, estate-grown wines and hard ciders for years.

This wine is beautiful in the bottle; a deep pink/salmon color. It has an inviting aroma of strawberries and raspberries that is slightly floral. With a hint of effervescence, the taste confirms the nose of red berry fruit and has a long finish. It is an absolute crowdpleaser. Hear everyone “oooh and aaah” as you pour it from the bottle; you might even hear people prone to hyperbole to describe it. It is absolutely delicious.

The 2020 Verterra Rosé of Merlot is more than just a great summer Rosé to savor by the pool or lake. We’re way past the point now in our collective wine knowledge of pigeon-holing Rosé into a summertime, daytime  wine. This Verterra Rosé of Merlot should be enjoyed anytime you want a bold, bright, tasty wine.

This outstanding representation of the northwestern Michigan wine region delivers great taste and great value at $26 and we proudly name it as our November wine of the month. Pick up at least a half a case and follow them here:

https://www.verterrawinery.com

@verterrawinery

Things happen for a reason. On our recent trip to Paso Robles we arrived at our vacation rental to find it had no running water. After several frustrating hours trying to get this resolved (don’t ever rent from TurnKey Vacation Rentals) we had to leave to check into a hotel. This caused us to have to change our tight winery itinerary for the next day. The result was an unscheduled stop to visit Nicora’s tasting room in Tin City of Paso Robles. We’re so glad we did. Their 2019 Buxom is our December wine of the month.

Upon arriving at Nicora we were met by tasting room manager and sommelier Evan Vossler, who was happy to accommodate our group of six. It was immediately evident that Evan has a passion for service and uses the delicious wines at Nicora as his vehicle for bringing joy to others. We chatted and joked with him as if we were old friends. He is smart, amiable, and fun. Evan led us through a series of Syrahs and Syrah blends that were all delicious. Really, any of them could have been our wine of the month; whatever you buy at Nicora is a great purchase. We also want to recognize general manager Glenn Mitton, who is a great guy, even though he wouldn’t share his pizza with us (smiles)! 

The 2019 Buxom is a 100% Syrah that comes from three vineyards: 74% La Vista Vineyard, Adelaida District, Paso Robles; 13% Bien Nacido Vineyard, Santa Maria Valley, Santa Barbara County; and 13% Fulldraw Vineyard, Willow Creek District, Paso Robles. Winemaker Nick Elliott, who cut his teeth with Central Coast heavyweights Scott Hawley (Torrin), Eric Jensen (Booker), and Bob Tillman (Alta Colina), has produced a big, bold Syrah that is approachable right out of the bottle. This is the result of having used the cooler climate Bien Nacido vineyard to temper the wine. In the glass it is a crimson purple with no rim variation. The nose and palate are consistent as you savor the dark fruits and smoked meats with firms tannins that build to a long finish. A luxurious wine to be enjoyed now and over the next 8-10 years. 

We are always impressed with wines that outperform their price. While the $65 price tag might give you some pause, it is much better than many Syrahs we tasted in Paso Robles that were more expensive. We suggest picking up several bottles for the holidays. 

Order yours here and when you do tell them you heard about their wine from Peninsula Underground:

https://www.nicorawine.com/

For more than 50 years the Trefethen family, pioneers in the Napa Valley wine industry, have been making outstanding wine at reasonable prices. In fact, as far as Napa Valley is concerned, they are the embodiment of our mission statement.

We have many favorites at Trefethen: Dragon’s Tooth, OKD Four, and The Cowgirl and The Pilot to name a few. Each one of these provides an exceptional tasting experience. To those of us on the board, however, the best combination of taste and price is the 2018 Trefethen Malbec. It is our January wine of the month.

As they state on their website: “Our early plantings of Malbec were intended for blending into our other estate-grown wines but we quickly realized the variety also wanted to speak for itself. This small-lot bottling showcases intense dark fruit notes, undertones of mint and leather, and fine tannins leading to a bright finish.”

Tasting notes: “This wine opens with generous aromas of wild boysenberry, blueberry, and black cherry. Juicy darker notes of blackberry and plum layered with hints of sage and bay leaf blend seamlessly on the palate. The enduring acidity and structure complement the balanced tannins.”

Our followers can acquire this wine, which is one the best expressions of Malbec this side of Mendoza, for $45 (join their wine club and it’s even cheaper). Hurry though, because it is a small lot and we already bought a ton of it for client gifts this year.

For delivering top-notch, Napa-quality wine at a price much less than you would expect to pay, the 2018 Trefethen Malbec is our January wine of the month. 

Purchase wine and follow here:

https://www.trefethen.com

@trefethenfamily

On the northern end of Napa Valley where the Mayacamas and Vaca mountain ranges converge in the Calistoga AVA sits Perliss Estate Vineyards. You won’t really see them on any winery maps and there are no ostentatious signs proclaiming their presence. It’s the type of place immune from your GPS; it’s not on Highway 29 and not on the Silverado Trail. Directions amount to making a turn at the third gravelly driveway past a certain road sign after the black pig farm (which turned out to be actual pigs). Finding it is part initiation and part victory. Such was our state of mind upon reaching the “Perliss gates” where a phone call and a password was then needed for final entry. As you might have guessed, this is not a winery open to the general public; we were fortunate to get a private tasting.    

The house sits high on a ridge overlooking a slope of 2.6 acres of vineyards planted to Cabernet Sauvignon. Perliss is a small-production winery of roughly 300 cases a year of Cab and Sémillon, which they source from the nearby Knights Valley AVA of Sonoma County.    

Upon arrival we were greeted warmly by James, who led us into the house and treated us to a glass of their 2019 The Serpents, which is their 100% Sémillon and our February wine of the month. It’s a white wine Bordeaux grape mainly used for blending but at Perliss is a superstar on its own. Aged 16 months in Tuscan terra-cotta amphora and neutral French oak barrels, the wine is full bodied with a wonderful nose of honey. On the palate there is the complexity of toastiness and bright, fresh fruit. This is a wine that can age…and we also were treated to the 2016 vintage…but the 2019 was our favorite.    

So much of wine tasting is about the experience; it informs the appearance, smell, and flavor of wine. James led us about the sloping property amidst the oak trees pouring us Sémillon and their estate Cab and gave us an education in Perliss and the local wine culture in a personable way. In fact, James was well versed in Michigan wine and we traded war stories about our adventures. We felt like we were drinking with an old friend. How can the wine not be great?    

At Peninsula Underground we love when wine provides exceptional value. While Napa Valley is pricey, this Sémillon can be acquired for less than $60. It is well worth it. You can only get it by joining their mailing list. We highly suggest you do. We purchased verticals that go back in their library to 2011.    

For providing an amazing experience and one of the top white wines we have tasted in some time, Perliss Estate Vineyards and their 2019 The Serpents is our February wine of the month.  

Join their mailing list to purchase and follow them here:   

https://www.perlissvineyards.com  

@perlissestate  

We are living in the golden age of wine. There are great winemakers all over the world and social media, online purchasing, and knowledgeable consumers make much of it accessible to oenophiles regardless of where they live.      

During our Michigan Wine Experience last fall we reported on the exceptional wine and wineries to be found in their five AVAs. One of these wines was the best Cabernet Franc we tasted and comes from Tabor Hill Winery in the Lake Michigan Shore AVA. It is our March wine of the month.      

Founded by Leonard Olson in 1970, Tabor Hill was the first winery in Southwest Michigan in over 30 years. Today, it is the fourth largest winery in the state with 60 acres and more than 80 varieties of wine grapes.      Their Cabernet Franc shows a rich, dark plum color in the glass with good viscosity. On the nose is fig, dark berries, chocolate, and coffee. It smells like a big California Cab with oak prominent but restrained. This is a full-bodied wine with medium plus tannins that reveal berries, chocolate, leather, and coffee on the palate. The taste confirms the nose. This is the most California/Bordeaux style wine we tasted from Michigan: bold yet drinkable with a long finish. It’s magic after 10 minutes in the glass.      

Tabor Hill can ship wine to the vast majority of states in the U.S. and their Cabernet Franc is an amazing value at $27.99.     

Purchase yours and follow them here:    

https://taborhill.com  

@taborhillwinery  

 t Peninsula Underground we visit a lot of wineries. This is eminently clear from our posts, reviews, and articles. We are fortunate to be based in California, so access is not a problem. We recognize, however, that not everyone is so lucky. Most people buy wine at a supermarket on their Sunday shopping trip and then drink it very soon after purchase. We try to keep that in mind when recommending a wine.  

For those of you who won’t be visiting California in the near future we recommend that you purchase the 2018 St. Francis “Old Vines” Zinfandel Sonoma County, our April wine of the month.  

Founded in 1971 in Sonoma Valley, St. Francis is a certified sustainable, family-owned winery. Their spectacular mission-style tasting room provides visitors with some of the most stunning views in the valley.   

St. Francis farms over 380 acres of vineyards and also has long-term relationships with grape growers, which gives them access to highly coveted old vine Zinfandel grapes. Their 2018 “Old Vines” Zinfandel comes from vines that are 50-110 years old; this wine is blended with Petite Sirah. In the glass the wine shows deep purple, much darker than a typical Zin. On the nose are aromas of red fruit, which build to red and black fruits on the palate. As the wine opens up additional flavors of spice and vanilla come dancing to life and there is a long, satisfying finish.   

At Peninsula Underground we love when wine provides great value and this St. Francis “Old Vines” Zinfandel Sonoma County drinks way above its roughly $20 price point. The next time you are at the supermarket don’t just pick up a bottle, pick up at least half a case. It is ready to drink now and you will love it. A great wine at a great price that is ready to drink tonight: that is why this St. Francis “Old Vines” Zinfandel is our April wine of the month.  

Learn more about St. Francis Winery & Vineyards and follow them here:   

https://www.stfranciswinery.com 

@stfranciswinery

As wine drinkers many of us are set in our ways:      

“I love big reds!”      

“A buttery Chard is my go-to.”      

“I don’t like sweet wine.”      

“Italian wine isn’t bold enough.”       

Do any of these sound familiar? How often do we get out of our comfort zone and challenge our biases—and palates? For the last two-plus years every wine we have chosen as our wine of the month has been new world.       

In May 2022 we slay the prejudices against old world wine and sweet wines by selecting the 2018 Heinz Eifel Rheinhessen Beerenauslese as our wine of the month.       

Beerenauslese is a German term for a late harvest wine. In this case, Heinz Eifel showcases Riesling, a highly versatile grape. Riesling can range from dry to sweet while also maintaining high levels of acidity. It is a great food wine.       

The 2018 Beerenauslese is deep gold in the glass, nearly amber in color. The wine is full bodied with a floral essence and stone fruit (peach) aromas. The taste confirms the nose. It is sweet but balanced.      

Why is Riesling such a great food wine, even if it’s a sweet, late-harvest expression? Because it pairs well with a wide variety of flavors. In our tasting of the 2018 Heinz Eifel Rheinhessen Beerenauslese we tried it with acid (lemon), which achieved total harmony on the palate. This was the best pairing of the 36 we tried on the day. It also did well with umami, which is the best pairing for those who might like restrained sweetness. Pairing it with a sweet wafer cookie enhanced both the cookie and the wine. Finally, it even stood up well to spicy hot Doritos (the only wine we tried that could make such a claim).      

We always preach value at Peninsula Underground and this 2018 Heinz Eifel Rheinhessen Beerenauslese delivers: you can pick up this bottle online for under $30.  There is an entire world of wine out there that is accessible to us. This month we encourage you to get outside your comfort zone and try something new. If you start with our May wine of the month you are well on your way.       

You can follow Weingut Eiffel-Pfeiffer here:  @eifelpfeiffer.

If you do any reading about wine at all you know that amazing things are happening in Washington state. In Walla Walla, east of the Cascade Mountains, vintners are blessed with fertile soil, desert-like conditions that produce little rainfall, mainly confined to winter, and two hours more sunlight per day than California wine regions. In the hands of rockstar winemaker Charles Smith, these ideal conditions lead to bold, complex wines, like the 2017 K Vintners Rockgarden Syrah, our June wine of the month.      

Rockgarden Vineyard comes from the Rocks District, the only AVA in the U.S. whose boundaries have been fixed by virtue of a single soil series (Freewater Series) and a single land form (alluvial fan). K Vintners Rockgarden Syrah (100%) is characterized by black pepper, licorice, and gamey meat with a touch of minerality. A fresh, lively wine with a long finish. It can be said of the best winemakers that they allow you to taste the land. With his Rockgarden Syrah, Charles Smith takes you four hours southeast of Seattle and drops you in the heart of the Rocks District. He extracts uncommon flavor and mouthfeel so you can experience this dynamic region in your glass.      

Washington state on the whole also generally delivers great value. This 2017 K Vintners Rockgarden Syrah drinks way above its $55 price point. We encourage you to try it.      

For taking us to a particular place in the wine world and allowing us to taste the best the land has to offer, the 2017 K Vintners Rockgarden Vineyard Walla Walla Valley Syrah is our June wine of the month.      

Learn more about K Vintners and Smith’s other labels here:  https://houseofsmith.com 

@houseofsmithwines

One of the best values in the wine world is in…Napa Valley. Seriously. And we don’t just mean relative value. We’re talking $16 per bottle for an outstanding wine.    

With summer upon us we are increasingly opting for refreshing white wines for mid afternoons on the porch or by the pool. There is no better option than Pine Ridge Vineyards Chenin Blanc + Viognier White Blend (CB+V), our July wine of the month.  

Located on Silverado Trail, Pine Ridge has been producing top-flight Cabernet Sauvignon for more than 40 years. However, in 1995 a blending experiment with Chenin Blanc and Viognier resulted in a cult favorite white blend that sells out quickly every year.  

Chenin Blanc is a versatile grape with high acidity that can be presented dry, off dry, or sweet and can grow in a range of climates. Pine Ridge sourced their Chenin Blanc from the Clarksburg appellation, a moderate climate growing area in the Sacramento River Delta. Viognier is an aromatic grape with low to medium acidity that grows in moderate climates and works well as a blending agent. Pine Ridge sourced theirs from Lodi.  

The genius of this CB+V is in Pine Ridge’s harvesting decisions. The Chenin Blanc was picked early to keep the sugars low and preserve the fresh aromas and flavors of green apple, quince, and chamomile. By contrast, the Viognier was allowed to grown on the vine a bit longer and expresses characteristics of peach, honeysuckle, and jasmine. When blended (typically 80% CB and 20% V) it produces a medium-bodied wine with medium acidity, a slight sweetness (off dry), and effervescence that is refreshing and leads to a long finish. At 12% ABV it’s almost too easy!  

Putting this wine in your summer rotation is a no-brainer. The problem is, you have to get it before it sells out. We suggest you stay in touch with Pine Ridge to find out when they will release their next vintage and jump on it the first chance you get. At $16 per bottle, buy a case…or two!  

For delivering an outstanding white blend drinking experience at an insanely reasonable price, the Pine Ridge CB+V is our July wine of the month.  

Find out more about Pine Ridge, purchase their wine, and follow them here: 

https://www.pineridgevineyards.com @pineridgewine

If you’re looking for something new in your wine-drinking rotation, a wine that breaks you out of the rut of the same 2-3 varietals you normally pour, then we recommend the 2021 La Mesa Vineyards Gamay Noir. It is our August wine of the month.

For many of us the only time we drink Gamay is with Thanksgiving dinner but we may not have even known that’s what we were drinking. The home for Gamay is Beaujolais, the sixth district of Burgundy. Labeling of wine in France typically is of the region where the grape grows, not the varietal itself. When we pour a bottle of Beaujolais we just need to know that this is a bottle of Gamay.

Gamay (formally Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc) is a black grape that grows well in moderate climate and has high acidity and low to medium tannins. It shows red fruits like raspberry, red cherry, red plum, and strawberry. It is typically light bodied and unoaked and is made for early drinking.

While rare, it is possible to find great Gamay in California. La Mesa Vineyards is the only grower of Gamay in Amador County. The red, granitic soil conditions in their vineyards are very similar to those found in the Northern part of Beaujolais and Northern Rhône.

Côme Laguë, La Mesa’s owner and vigneron, recommends his Gamay chilled. It’s a bright, fresh, radical summer wine done the traditional unoaked Beaujolais style—carbonic maceration for about 3 weeks in sealed tanks. It’s one of the rare wines that if you only got to smell it you would still be satisfied: think Smucker’s strawberry preserves. This wine will thrill your taste buds as well.

Côme obtained the Gamay cuttings from El Dorado County’s famous Barsotti Vineyard and grafted the clone to La Mesa’s lower hillside block in 2020. It successfully took hold and produced a bumper crop in 2021. We, as consumers, are the lucky beneficiaries. 

We served the La Mesa Gamay Noir with a whimsical Thanksgiving sandwich food board in July and the pairing was heavenly. 

At $39 the 2021 La Mesa Vineyards Gamay Noir provides a tasty, refreshing experience that is outside the normal routine. This combination of value and excellence makes it our August wine of the month.

Purchase yours and follow La Mesa Vineyards here:

https://lamesavineyards.com/collections/reds/products/gamay-noir-2021

It seems we never have to go out of the way to find our wine of the month; it always finds us…even if we travel a long way for that to happen!

Recently, on a visit to Montana four of our board members visited Missoula‘s Plonk Wine Bar, which is the best place to go in Montana to “get your wine on.” While there they ordered a bottle of 2020 Eshcol Red Wine by Trefethen, our September wine of the month.

Because we are based in California we have made a seemingly innumerable number of trips to the Napa Valley generally and Trefethen specifically. In all that time we never tasted Eshcol. Who knew we had to go to Montana to do it?

We were first struck by the Harry Potter-esque wine label. Visit Trefethen‘s website (https://www.trefethen.com/eshcol/ ); there’s a fun image key of everything depicted. The intrigue begins before you taste the wine, therefore adding to the enjoyment.

Eshcol is the name of one of the first vineyards in 19th century Napa Valley, in what we now know as the Oak Knoll District AVA. Trefethen honors that past with the name of this wine, which is apropos, given that they are one of the pioneering wineries in the valley, having opened in 1968. 

Our followers know our high regard for Trefethen, as it consistently delivers great value, particularly for its locale. Eshcol is their introductory wine, which is a Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon-based Bordeaux blend that is made to be approachable and affordable. 

We were immediately struck by the aromas and taste of fresh red fruit and blackberries. The wine is balanced with low to medium tannins and medium acid. It is meant to be consumed tonight, not cellared, which is not a commentary on the quality. It is possible to have a Bordeaux blend of high-quality that can be consumed at a young age. Eshcol by Trefethen is that wine. Best of all, it is available for under $25.

The best way to describe it is that Mike, our VP of Imports, bought four bottles the night they visited and then went back the last day of the trip to buy more.

When thinking about the types of wine we like to recommend to our readers and followers, the 2020 Eshcol Red Wine by Trefethen stands as the shining example. It is a great wine of great value that is ready to drink tonight. This is why it is our September one of the month.

When thinking about the types of wine we like to recommend to our readers and followers, the 2020 Eshcol Red Wine by Trefethen stands as the shining example. It is a great wine of great value that is ready to drink tonight. This is why it is our September one of the month. 

Living in Southern California we have convenient access to numerous world-class wine regions: Sonoma County, Napa Valley, Paso Robles, and Santa Barbara County. What’s the one region most of us don’t even know about, let alone consider? Valle De Guadalupe in Baja California, Mexico, just 90 miles south of San Diego.

One of the world’s great emerging wine areas, Valle De Guadalupe boasts more than 100 wineries featuring Nebbiolo, Tempranillo, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, and Merlot, among others. The majority of vines are grown in valleys at 300 to 2,000 feet and get cool sea breezes in the mornings and warm afternoons. Soils range from sandy loam, to granite, to clay. The unique microclimates in the valley provide flavor profiles not typically associated with the varieties they are growing. This makes for an exciting tasting experience.

On their recent excursions through the Valle, our bureau chiefs Tiffany and Nicole judged the 2020 Rosso Del Valle from Villa Montefiori as the most spectacular wine they tasted. It is our October wine of the month. The wine is 100% Montepulciano, aged 18 months in new French oak. It is brawny and complex, yet elegant. In the glass it is a deep ruby, tending toward purple. On the nose and palate is pronounced intensity of red fruit and vanilla. A truly outstanding wine.

Next time you are considering a wine trip go outside the box and visit Valle De Guadalupe. Tastings are $10-$20 and many outstanding bottles could be acquired for $20-$40. When you splurge, we suggest the 2020 Villa Montefiori Rosso Del Valle, our October wine of the month.

Learn more about Villa Montefiori/Vinos Paoloni and follow them here:

https://en.VillaMontefiori.mx

@villamontefiori

As we get closer to Thanksgiving many of us are preparing dinner menus for the big day. When it comes to wine we invariably reach for the traditional Beaujolais (Gamay), and with good reason. The light body, low tannin, high acid, and red fruit aromas and flavors pair well with so many flavors of autumn. It’s one of the world’s most versatile wines.

But actually, what is the most food-friendly wine? Riesling. A highly acidic, aromatic varietal that can be dry to sweet and light-bodied to full-bodied. Depending on the ripeness, the wine will exhibit flavors of green fruit, citrus, stone fruit, tropical fruit, and even dried fruit and honey. When paired with different food flavors it can stand up to salty, acidic, umami, sweet, and even hot spice.

While dining out on shellfish recently we came upon the 2021 Seaglass Wine Company Central Coast Riesling. It can be purchased for only $12 and is our November wine of the month.

The wine is pale lemon in color and wonderfully off-dry. The cool climate of the Central Coast and the 10% Sauvignon Blanc blended in creates crisp, full acidity. On the nose are aromas of stone fruit, tropical fruit, and blossom, which are confirmed on the palate. Great structure and balance with a long finish. We paired it with garlic shrimp but it would work along side sweet and sour sauce or even a chili spice. It’s a very good wine. 

This fall, when you’re planning your dinner if you have guests that enjoy white wine, and are unsure what to serve, then turn to Riesling. We suggest you pick up a case of 2021 Seaglass Central Coast so that you have some left for yourself when the holidays are over. It’s a great wine of great value that is ready to drink right  away. Sound familiar?

Purchase their wine and follow them here:

https://www.seaglasswineco.com

@seaglasswineco

For the average consumer, French wine can be intimidating. Unless you speak the language, the mere words on the label, let alone the pronunciation, are a deal killer. “Why can’t they just put Cabernet Sauvignon on the bottle?!”

When we tell you that the 2019 Domaine Johann Michel Cornas is our December wine of the month you might think Cornas is a grape varietal they grow in France. Incorrect. It is a varietal many Americans, particularly those in California, know quite well: Syrah. We didn’t use our French-wine decoder ring (there is no such thing) to discover this; we took classes. For those who don’t have the time or desire to seek sommelier or WSET certifications, here is a basic primer.

French wine laws are rather strict and complex. It’s not like the United States where you can basically grow whichever grapes you want, wherever you want. In France, the allowable grape varietals are essentially based on what grows well in a particular region. For the most part, in France the varietal does not appear on the label. Instead, it’s usually the region, village, or vineyard. The trick is to understand which grapes grow in those locations, as dictated by French wine law. 

Cornas is an appellation in the Northern Rhône Valley, south of Lyon, that grows Syrah. This makes sense because the warm climate and sun-baked slopes are conducive to successfully growing this grape. When you see Cornas on a wine label you know it must be 100% Syrah.

The 2019 Domaine Johann Michel Cornas is our choice as wine of the month because it will be familiar to those with California palettes while providing a bridge to the French style. In the glass the color is a bit more restrained than you would normally find in California: it is deep ruby (not quite purple). Medium plus intensity of aromas and flavors of black cherry, blackberry, black plum, violet, stone, and leather abound. However, the primary difference between California and Cornas is that in this wine licorice predominates whereas in California black pepper is often the star. 

This Cornas is youthful, which is the way we tend to drink them in California, but is developing into something that will be layered and balanced for years to come. The acid is high and the tannins are medium plus. It is full-bodied with a long finish. It can be thoroughly enjoyed now but if you buy half a case you’ll be rewarded by letting several lay down and opening them every other year beginning in about three years.

On your next dinner with friends we suggest picking up a bottle of your favorite Paso Robles Syrah and drinking it side by side with the 2019 Domaine Johann Michel Cornas and see if you can detect the differences. You might even impress them with your French wine knowledge.

Here endeth the lesson.

You can purchase our December wine of the month online through most major wine retailers and can follow Domaine Johann Michel @Michel.Johann.

With its spiritual home in the heart of Tuscany, Sangiovese is unquestionably the signature grape of Italy. Whether it be Chianti, Chianti Classico, or Brunello di Montalcino, these wines enjoy a worldwide  following.

The grape-growing regions of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres sit between 30 and 50 degrees latitude. Tuscany rests at a latitude 43.5 degrees north. If you follow that latitude around the globe you will discover that it goes through Idaho’s Snake River Valley AVA. It is there that you will find Will Wetmore’s Veer Wine Project and his 2020 Sangiovese, our January wine of the month.

The Sangiovese grape, when made as a premium wine, is generally characterized by high acid, high tannin, and high alcohol. On the nose and palate you’ll experience red cherry, red plum, strawberry, chestnut, game, leather, oak, mushroom, tobacco, and cedar. In short, it is red-fruit driven and rustic.

Veer Wine Project’s Sangiovese comes from the Arena Valley Vineyard. Wetmore fermented it both wildly and conventionally. The extended skin contact time of 20 days coaxed out extra tannin to add complexity. Our reviewers noted aromas and flavors of raspberry, red cherry, violet, toast, fresh herbs, and spice. The high acid and medium-plus tannin give this wine great structure and aging potential, though it is enjoyable right now. It stands up quite well to its Italian brethren.

As our readers know, it is not enough for a wine to be great but it must also provide great value. At $32.00 per bottle the 2020 Veer Wine Project Sangiovese drinks way above its price point and is therefore our January Wine of the Month.

Learn more about Veer Wine Project, buy their Sangiovese, and follow them here:

https://www.veerwineproject.com

@veerwineproject 

An outstanding Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon for less than $40.00? It’s true, it’s the 2020 Synthesis by Martin Ray Winery & Vineyards, and it’s our February Wine of the Month.

Though Santa Rosa-based, Martin Ray has sourced from around the great Napa Valley mountain and valley floor appellations: 40% Oakville, 16% Stags Leap District, 12% Oak Knoll, 12% Yountville, 8% Rutherford, 5% St. Helena, 5% Mount Veeder, 2% Diamond Mountain District. The result is a wine that is eminently balanced with layered complexity, ripe tannins, bright acidity, and subtle approachability.

On the nose and palate this Synthesis Cab has a wonderful primary combination of black fruit and concentrated red fruits, secondary notes of chocolate and toast, and tertiary characteristics of turned earth and walnuts. Frankly, it has something for just about every Cab-lover’s palate. You can drink it now, but it has the acidity and tertiary backbone to lay it down for many years.

At Peninsula Underground we are always on the lookout for great value wines. It can be hard to find, and often quite relative, when it comes to Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. However, whether you buy it from Martin Ray ($55.00) or from Wine.com ($39.99), the 2020 Martin Ray Synthesis Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley is one of the great values for a premium wine anywhere in California. We highly recommend it.

Learn more about Martin Ray Winery & Vineyards and follow them here:

https://www.martinraywinery.com
@MartinRayWinery 

This year we are celebrating our tenth anniversary at Peninsula Underground. In that time we have tasted amazing wine from all over the country and all around the world. After a decade, to say a wine is “the best” means comparing it against thousands of its peers. 

We may have just discovered the best Rosés (yes, plural) we’ve tasted in all our ten years. Every head must bow, every tongue must confess that Vinos Unidos is the best: their 2019 Napa Valley Rosé is our March wine of the month.

In early December, the night before our board conducted its initial tasting for the Idaho Wine Experience, we were invited to cover a wine tasting event at the Huntington Club. Of the 50 or so wineries pouring that night, two of them made a distinct impression on us. One of them was Vinos Unidos (teaser alert: you’ll have to wait to find out about the other). We met Bob Jauregui, one of the partners, and he poured us their 100% Rosé of Pinot Noir. It was astonishing. We wrote about it on Instagram the next day and declared Vinos Unidos a new star in the wine galaxy, even though it was the only wine of theirs we tasted. 

Leaving the event that night we realized we had to try their entire portfolio. Bob contacted us the next day to thank us for our post and offered a private tasting for our board. What a treat. He led us through seven labels made by founding partner and winemaker Gerry Martinez—all of them very good. There are just a few wineries where we like everything they make right out of the bottle: Chalk Hill and Corner 103 quickly come to mind. Vinos Unidos joins that list. 

But what about the Rosés, what about our March wine of the month? As it turns out, the 100% Pinot we tasted at the Huntington Club is sold out, and we think it’s cruel to our readers and followers to honor a wine as wine of the month if they can’t buy it. But no problem, Vinos Unidos has three Rosés, with their new release right around the corner. The one you can buy now—our March wine of the month—is the 2019 Napa Valley Rosé, a blend of 36% Petite Sirah, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 16% Malbec, and 11% Syrah. It is a medium salmon in the glass and on the nose the first impression is citrus and peach blossom. This wine has a pronounced intensity of flavor with lemon, grapefruit, peach, watermelon, and a slight minerality on the palate. It’s as complex of a Rosé as you’ll find, while still being light and fresh with the right amount of acidity. A scrumptious finish. Gerry really threaded the needle with this wine. Outstanding.

For ten years our motto at Peninsula Underground has been to help our followers find great wines of great VALUE that are ready to drink right away. The 2019 Vinos Unidos Napa Valley Rosé—perhaps the best Rosé we’ve tasted in ten years—can be purchased for just $32. Buy a bunch of it.

For making the best Rosé we’ve tasted at such a reasonable price the 2019 Vinos Unidos Napa Valley Rosé is our March wine of the month.

If you live in Orange County contact Bob for a private tasting for your group. 

You can learn more about Vinos Unidos, purchase their wine, and follow them here:

https://vinosunidos.com 

@vinosunidos

Located northwest of the city of Santa Barbara, the Santa Barbara County wine region conjures up thoughts of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and the cult classic Sideways. The region’s proximity to the cooling influences of the Pacific Ocean make it an ideal climate for these cherished varietals. The eastern-most AVA in this region is also one of the smallest and newest (2009) in California: Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara. There you will find some of the finest Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux varietals made in the United States. In fact, Happy Canyon may be country’s most underrated AVA.

You may be wondering why, in a world-class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay region, you would find some of the best expressions of Cabernet Sauvignon. After all, Burgundy is not geographically close to Bordeaux in France, so why would Pinot and Cab grow successfully in Santa Barbara County? It has to do with microclimates and geography. 

In France and many other parts of the wine-growing world, other than the United States, strict regulations control which grape varieties may be planted. Each variety is unique in terms of when it buds, when it ripens, the temperatures in which it thrives, the thickness of its skin, and so on. A grape is therefore planted only in regions uniquely suited to extract the best result for that varietal.

Cabernet Sauvignon is a grape that buds late and ripens late (Cabernet Franc buds about a week earlier). It thrives in warmer climates and therefore needs a longer growing season so that can it fully mature. Happy Canyon is more than a dozen miles inland from the Pacific Ocean and is flanked by the San Rafael Mountains. This area has a large diurnal range, with temperatures typically topping 100 degrees (too hot for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay) during summer days but cooling to the 50s at night. Elevations in the area range from 500 feet to 3,430 feet and the the low-nutrient soils are made up of a mixture of loam and clay with red and yellow chert and serpentine cobbles. Such factors tend to result in lower yields with pronounced aromas and concentrated flavors in Cabernet Sauvignon. If Happy Canyon AVA was located in France it is very likely that the only permissible varietals would be Bordeaux.

At a Morton’s wine locker event several years ago we were speaking to their general manager and sommelier, and asked him to introduce us to a wine that was different…off the radar…underrated. He immediately directed us to Michael Speakman, owner, with his wife Joyce, of Westerly Wines. Michael has spent his adult life as a successful entrepreneur but has so thoroughly enjoyed his tenure as head of Westerly Wines that despite all his labor in making deliveries and pouring at events seemingly every night he will tell you that he hasn’t worked a day. The Speakmans are also good neighbors and members of the community, as Westerly has developed partnerships with organizations such as Navy Seal Foundation, Granada Theatre, Second Harvest, and Fish For Life.

We spent a lot of time chatting with Michael that evening. He’s engaging, knowledgeable, and yet disarming when talking about wine. When we learned that most of his wine came from Happy Canyon we were intrigued. We were quite familiar with, and had visited, Happy Canyon’s Crown Point, which makes an exquisite—and expensive—Bordeaux blend. Our first sip of Westerly’s Typecast (50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 50% Cabernet Franc) was a revelation. It was the equal of Crown Point and less than half the price! 

The back of the bottle gives the origin of the name Typecast, a champion thoroughbred racehorse in the early 1970s who broke stereotypes by routinely defeating male horses in prestigious races on both coasts. Typecast was the jewel of Fletcher Jones’s 4,000-acre Westerly Stud Farm in Santa Ynez. Like the racehorse, Westerly’s Typecast Happy Canyon would take down seemingly more heralded, and expensive, wines in a blind tasting. The 2019 Westerly Typecast Happy Canyon is deep purple in the glass. There is a medium plus intensity of aroma and pronounced flavors that include blackberry, black currant, black cherry, violet, a hint of roasted red pepper, graphite, dark chocolate, and tobacco. There are several more descriptors, but at the risk of geeking out too much, let’s just say it has great complexity with wonderfully integrated acid and tannin. The alcohol level is 15.5% but the balance is such that it doesn’t seem that high, which is a testament to skilled winemaking. Enjoy this wine now or over the next 8-10 years.

You know that at Peninsula Underground we are always impressed with great value. You also realize that value is a relative term. If you want to experience exceptional wine from Happy Canyon AVA you must pay the price. However, rather than paying $150 per bottle you can purchase two bottles of Westerly Wines Typecast and still have money left over. We suggest you buy a bunch, but hurry, fewer than 170 cases were produced. Our bottle of is number 398 (cool, right, they number the bottles!).

For making an exceptional wine in one of the country’s premier AVAs at a reasonable price, the 2019 Westerly Wines Typecast Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara is our April wine of the month.

Learn more about Westerly Wines and follow them here:

https://westerlywines.com

@WesterlyWines

 According to Statista.com, more than 60% of Americans ages 30-49 have purchased wine at a grocery store in the last three months. But what are they buying? The usual suspects, that’s what (come on, you know the ones we mean). The mega-production wineries with enough volume to be placed in large retail chains. Lots of these wines are more of a manufactured product than a work of art. They are often manipulated to meet a taste profile, to be consistent year after year. They essentially make Budweiser, unaffected by that year’s grape quality, yield, or weather. Yes, you can pay a lot of money and find some good wine in supermarkets but rarely will you find great, or interesting, wine. 

Now, it is hard to blame many people who purchase wine at grocery stores. Not everyone lives within convenient travel distance of a wine region. In fact, many have never visited in their lives and don’t have the knowledge to purchase wine previously unknown to them online. 

Those of us in the industry who are fortunate to live in, or frequently visit, wine  country, realize that truly great wine often comes from small-production, family-owned producers. Let us introduce you to one of them: Golden Ridge Cellars of Washington’s Walla Walla Valley. Their 2017 Estate Merlot is our May wine of the month.

In a relatively short period of time, the Walla Walla Valley AVA has cultivated a reputation for world-class Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. With hot days and cold nights and a 200+ day growing season, the region allows these grapes to ripen properly and develop their signature aromas and flavors. This length also fosters the right balance of acid and tannin. Golden Ridge Cellars is a gem in this region and their wine really has a sense of place.

Owned by Michael and Cindy Rasch, Golden Ridge Cellars is a 10-acre farm and vineyard, first planted in 1998, that grows Bordeaux varietals Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Malbec. Michael is the winemaker, and along with his winery team, takes pride in being completely hands on every step of the way, from vine to bottle. With an annual production of 900 cases you won’t find their wine in every grocery store—and that’s a good thing. Handcrafted wine that goes where the grapes and the weather take it is where you tend to find greatness. Their 2017 Estate Merlot is the perfect example.

In the glass, our May wine of the month is ruby in color. The first aromas are of red plum, followed by cranberry, sour red cherry, and a hint of stewed fruit. We also detect violet and tomato leaf. Secondary and tertiary notes of smoke, grilled meat, leather, wet leaves, and mushroom give the wine great complexity. The medium plus tannins are chewy and velvety, which is a hard needle to thread, and are perfectly balanced by the medium acid. This is a full-body, harmonious wine that is so good now but will continue to develop over the next 2-3 years. It’s a fantastic tasting experience.

At Peninsula Underground we are most impressed by wine that delivers great value. At $40 a bottle the Golden Ridge Cellars Estate Merlot Walla Walla Valley does just that. They produced 150 cases and only about half remain so we suggest you orders yours before it’s too late.

If you happen to be in Walla Walla Valley, make an appointment to taste: the fee is only $10 and is refunded with a single bottle purchase. If you can’t make it in person, visit them and buy online:

Golden Ridge Cellars

@GoldenRidgeCellars

Make sure you pick up several bottles (maybe one of the last cases) of the 2017 Estate Merlot, our May wine of the month. 

 So many of the wines and winemakers we have highlighted and awarded over the years have an artistic connection:

Cameron Stoffel, owner and winemaker of Ultima Tulie Wines, is the artist on all his labels; blending femininity with nature, the labels are mixed media and have a photographic depiction of a woman. Cameron’s Syrah/Petite Sirah blend won best red blend at our 2022 Under the Radar California competition.

Actor-turned-winemaker Matt Espiro Jaeger, whose extensive credits include Yellowstone, released the inaugural vintage of his Fuil Wines and Tábla label in 2022 and garnered several awards in our Under the Radar California competition and a high score from Wine Enthusiast.

Steve Alden, former photojournalist with Newsday and the National Geographic Society, is essentially a one-person operation at Murder Ridge, the most honored winery at our 2022 Under the Radar California competition. Steve’s stunning pictures of nature and wildlife can be found on Murder Ridge Winery’s website.

It is no coincidence, then, that we occasionally use the phrase “wine as art” to describe something notable…extraordinary. Our June wine of the month, the 2019 SUTRO Wine Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley Warnecke Ranch, continues this trend. 

On Day 3 of the recent Alexander Valley Cabernet Academy, attended by our senior writer and co-founder, Steve Rochford, 13 industry professionals were driven up a windy dirt road shrouded by fog in the Mayacamas for a discussion (and tasting) of the impact of elevation on wine. On the drive, Alice Warnecke Sutro, founder and owner of SUTRO Wine, gave a delightful talk on the history of Sonoma County art and counterculture, interspersed with her family history in the county, which traces back to the 19th century. We learned that her grandfather, John Carl Warnecke, architect to President Kennedy, actually designed the President’s gravesite and the eternal flame. In her storytelling Alice is poised, erudite, and downright charming. So is her wine.

Alice has a BA from Stanford University in Art History and graduated from the California College of the Arts MFA program in Painting and Drawing. Her current medium is creating portraits as a live performance. Alice founded SUTRO Wine in 2012 and grows grapes for her label on Warnecke Ranch and Vineyard, which has been in her family for more than a century. 

We tasted the 2019 SUTRO Warnecke Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon as one of five wines chosen for a discussion of geology and soil during the Cabernet Academy. Warnecke Ranch is known for its volcanic soil and the wines made from grapes grown there are reflective of the terroir, but not entirely predictive. We love when wine surprises us and arouses our senses. The SUTRO Warnecke Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon, which spent 20 months in 25% new Hungarian oak, is distinct from the start, with pronounced intensity of black tea on the nose, followed by black cherry, rosemary, and tomato leaf. The black tea and black cherry carry through to the palate, along with black pepper, herbs, and chocolate. This wine has high acid, well-integrated, soft tannins, and a long finish. A wine with a real spirit and soul; a wine to be savored. Revel in opening a bottle now or over the next 10-12 years. 

One of the great benefits of Cabernet Sauvignon in a world-class growing region like Alexander Valley is that you get enough warmth to ripen the grape properly and volcanic soil to stress the vines and concentrate the flavors. These wines are thoughtful; not overly extracted, like what you may find in other parts of the state. And more reasonably priced. We would put the 2019 SUTRO Wine Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley Warnecke Ranch ($70) up against any California Cab of double the price and not just be getting a better value but also a better wine.

An accomplished artist carrying on a family tradition by making distinct, balanced, exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon from their century-old vineyard in Alexander Valley. Sounds like “wine as art” to us and it sounds (and smells and tastes) like our June wine of the month.

Learn more about SUTRO Wine, purchase their wine, and follow them here:

https://www.sutrowine.com

@sutrowine

This seems to happen so often: one of the highest-scoring wines in a competition doesn’t win Best in Class while wines with lower scores do. During our Merlot Madness national competition this past March our Sommelier, Andy, placed eight bagged wines at random in a bracket to create head to head blind tasting match-ups. As it turns out, the wine that had the second-highest score, the 2021 Accenti Bedrock Vineyard Merlot, lost in the first round because it ended up being paired against the wine that had the highest first-round score.

During our 2023 Under the Radar California competition the wine that received the fifth highest score of all wine received, the 2019 Stringer Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley, did not win Best in Class because the two highest scoring wines in the entire competition also happened to be Cabs. In fact, this Stringer wine scored higher than every Best in Class wine except for Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and Syrah. It deserves to be honored. We highlighted Westerly Wines, which was second overall, as our April Wine of the Month. For July, that honor goes to Stringer Cellars.

Winemaker Casey Stringer grew up in Wisconsin, attended college in California, and has worked in wineries at some of the premier wine regions of the world: Napa Valley, Willamette Valley, Central Otago, and Hawke’s Bay (you can read Stringer Cellars’ full profile in the Wineries drop-down under 2023 Under the Radar California).

Casey’s winemaking philosophy is simple: use the finest grapes he can find from the best vineyard sites in California and make small lot wines you will not soon forget. Casey employs minimalist winemaking techniques, allowing the fruit and individual vineyards to shine through in each bottle.

The 2019 vintage of Cabernet Sauvignon in Napa Valley is outstanding; there was a warm, even growing season, allowing the grapes to ripen properly. The Stringer Cellars Cab is a great representation, scoring an average of 93 points with our five reviewers.

The wine itself is a beautiful, deep purple; what you would expect from a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. There is a medium intensity of aroma that becomes more pronounced as the wine opens up. Expect black cherry, black plum, blackberry, black currant, stewed fruit, black pepper, violet, lavender, baking spices, dark chocolate, and turned earth. It certainly leads with dark fruit, but has layered complexity, great structure with high acid, and a full, long finish. Very well balanced. A wine that reflects skilled, finessed winemaking. Not overly extracted. Just pure quality.

Given that it is Napa Valley, you would expect a wine as good as the Stringer Cellars Cabernet Savignon to be well over $100. It’s not. This wine is a great value at $75. You can purchase it and enjoy it now, but this will also lay down for many years to come.

For making a premium Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon at a reasonable price the 2019 Stringer Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon is our July wine of the month.

Learn more about Stringer Cellars, purchase their wine, and follow them here:

https://www.stringercellars.com

@stringer_cellars 

On the last night of the Alexander Valley Winegrowers Cabernet Academy this past May, we were treated to a gourmet dinner in the barrel room of Rodney Strong Vineyards, featuring exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon blends. In the courtyard reception prior to dinner we met Katja Newman, Managing Partner of La Cienega Vineyard. Katja introduced herself and said she was sorry they had missed our 2023 Under the Radar California competition but that they wanted to enter in 2024. Katja then poured us their inaugural vintage (2018) of the La Cienega Sonoma County Red Blend. While they may have missed this year‘s competition, they did not miss out on recognition. This “Singing Angels” Red Blend is our August wine of the month.

Katja’s parents, Werner and Helle Siegert, began growing Cabernet Sauvignon in Alexander Valley in 1997 to sell to two prominent local wineries. Their first commercially sold vintage under their own label was in 2018. La Cienega (“lovely pond”) Vineyard is named for a beautiful hacienda an hour outside of Quito, Ecuador, where the family moved in 1986. When the family moved back to Alexander Valley in 1994 to grow grapes, they found the perfect site, complete with a lovely pond. La Cienega Vineyard was born.

The 2018 “Singing Angels” is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon (Alexander Valley) and 20% Carignane (Russian River Valley). The wine is deep ruby in the glass. On the nose, you get raspberry, red plum, violet, black cherry, and black pepper tending toward licorice. The palate confirms the nose with the addition of blackberry, cassis, black olive, spice, and mocha. Medium acidity with plush, ripe tannins. Deftly made as the Carignane adds a robust quality to the wine without being astringent. The wine is full bodied with a long finish. It is wonderful now and will be for 5-7 years.

Our readers and followers know that it is not enough for a wine just to be of high quality, as this “Singing Angels” Red Blend clearly is, but it also must provide great value. At $48 per bottle, this wine drinks way above its price point. We strongly suggest you purchase a half case or more to see (and taste) for yourself.

The true gems of the wine world are the small-production, under-the-radar wineries. This is one of the reasons we have an annual competition to highlight these producers. We look forward to next year’s submissions from La Cienega Vineyard. If the 2018 Singing Angels Sonoma County Red Blend is any indication, they will do very well indeed. In the meantime, it is our August wine of the month. 

Learn more about La Cienega Vineyard, purchase their wine, and follow them here:

https://www.lacienegavineyard.com

@lacienegavineyard 

 If you have followed us, subscribed, or read our content for any length of time, you know that we are big fans of Lloyd Davis’s Corner 103. Back in January 2020, their 2017 Zinfandel was our first wine of the month. Their tasting room on the Sonoma Square delivers the best tasting experience you will find anywhere. Don’t just take our word for it. In 2020 and 2021, Corner 103 was named Best Tasting Room in America by USA Today. In 2022 and 2023 they finished second.

The magic behind the wines of Corner 103 is that all of them are ready to drink upon release. This is the case even though their varietals with aging potential will still have a long life. It’s uncanny. In fact, they were the inspiration behind our tag line, “There are great wines of great value that are ready to drink tonight…”

Corner 103 was the first winery where, as a staff, we could agree that we like everything they make (we have added Chalk Hill, Le Cuvier, and Vinos Unidos to that list). We visited Lloyd the very first weekend they opened in 2015, and then brought a bunch of new fans to his tasting room the very next day.

It should come as no surprise, then, that Corner 103’s 2020 Moon Mountain District Sonoma County Cabernet Franc is our September wine of the month.

A new AVA, having been designated in 2013, Moon Mountain District sits in the Mayacamas mountain range, which divides Sonoma County from Napa Valley. The southwest-facing, high-elevation (400-2,200 feet) slopes produce thicker-skinned, more intense grapes from the rocky, volcanic soils. The grapes get plenty of sunlight, but the peak daytime temperatures tend to be cooler than the valley floor. This provides ideal conditions, not only for ripening, but to preserve acid, making for a balanced wine. Corner 103’s Moon Mountain Cabernet Franc is a wonderful expression of this climate.

The wine is deep ruby, with medium plus acid and tannin. Aromas of cherry cola, blackberry, violet, licorice (turning to black pepper on the palate), and dark chocolate. Full body with a silky mouthfeel. Bright and fresh. A slight stoniness to the finish. This wine is so well balanced that the 14.9% ABV plays much lower. Definitely enjoy this now or over the next 5-7 years. Such a treat.

A great way to get introduced to Corner 103 is by visiting Lloyd and Brent at their tasting room. After you taste their amazing wines, you will become a fan…and a new wine club member. Membership has its privileges: you’ll be able to stock up on the 2020 Moon Mountain Sonoma County Cabernet Franc, our September wine of the month, at a discount. During your birthday month, you’ll be able to purchase their wines at half off.

Corner 103: great people, great tasting room, great club, great wine. Start with a visit and a sip of the Moon Mountain Cabernet Franc (although Lloyd will insist you start with his signature Sparkling Rosé), our September wine of the month. Tell them Peninsula Underground sent you.

Learn more about Corner 103, purchase their wine, and follow them here:

https://www.corner103.com

@Corner103

When we think of Bordeaux we typically focus on Cabernet Sauvignon (Left Bank) and Merlot (Right Bank). Those are not the only Bordeaux varietals but they are the superstars. Another black grape, Malbec, was once quite prominent, but is now essentially gone from this famed region. In the winter of 1956, a severe frost ravaged Bordeaux, taking with it roughly 75% of the 5,000 hectares of Malbec. Only Cahors, in South West France, remains a prominent producer of the grape, with a little more than 3,000 hectares, making it the spiritual home of Malbec in France.
 

Of course, we all love a good Malbec. So where is most of the best coming from? Argentina. With roughly 43,000 hectares (mainly in Mendoza), the country supplies the majority of the Malbec-loving world with this “Bordeaux” varietal.
 

So which one should you buy? There are a ton of great options but we are enamored with value. One of the best value Malbecs we have come across is from winemaker Karim Mussi, whose 2021 Qaramy Latido Malbec Valle De Uco Mendoza Argentina is our October wine of the month. Imported by Vinovia Wine Group, this Malbec delivers classic Mendoza Malbec drinkability at less than $30.

The high-elevation Uco Valley (3,000 feet +) produces bright, fresh fruit flavors in this Latido Malbec: juicy red plum and black cherry being most prominent on the midpalate. The wine then shows a roundness from the use of oak, with vanilla as the focus. Medium minus tannins and medium acid make the wine eminently approachable as it builds toward tomato leaf and black pepper on the finish. Just an easy drinking, everyday pleasure.

Load up on this wine and then you no longer have to wonder what wine to open without breaking the bank during your busy work week. You will then know why the 2021 Qaramy Latido Malbec Valle De Uco Mendoza Argentina is our October wine of the month. 

Learn more here, including when Vinovia Wine Group is having its next warehouse sale:

https://karimmussi.com

@karim_mussi

https://vinoviawinegroup.com

@vinoviawinegroup

n his post-presidential life, Teddy Roosevelt cheated death from malaria by exploring uncharted tributaries of the Amazon. It is the subject of Candice Millard’s gripping tale, The River of Doubt. Had he sought out the most challenging river in France, the Bull Moose would likely have chosen the Loire, the longest, and least navigable, of France’s major rivers. 

The Loire begins its life in the Rhône department and then meanders more or less due north before turning left on its way to the Atlantic Ocean. It gives its name and moderating climatic influences to the Loire Valley wine region. Where it makes the left is the city of Orléans in the northwestern edge of the Central Vineyards, just before heading into Touraine. On the far western side of Touraine, over 100 miles from Orléans, lying to the south of the Loire is the commune of Chinon, home to the 2020 Olga Raffault Chinon Les Barnabés, our November wine of the month.

For the most part, wines in France are not varietally labeled, but rather note the region where the grapes grew. A wine called Chinon is Cabernet Franc, because those are the black grapes that grow there. This offering from Olga Raffault comes from their Barnabés vineyard, with its flat, sandy, gravelly soil along the Loire. Consequently, their Chinon will be quite unlike what California Cabernet Franc fans (who expect big, brooding wines) are used to. The cooler, wetter climate, with well-drained soil, followed by six months of aging in stainless steel, produces a wine that shows bright, fresh red-fruit characteristics with a hint of violet and rose petals. Tannins are low, acid is medium, and it is best consumed young, almost in the style of a Beaujolais Nouveau. Just a lovely wine. 

And you can drink it everyday. At a price tag of around $20, buy it by the case. It will also be a crowd pleaser when entertaining.

At Peninsula Underground, our mission is to help you find great wines of great value that are ready to drink tonight. The 2020 Olga Raffault Chinon Les Barnabés is emblematic of our cause. If TR were still around we’d like to think he would tell us, “bully for you” for recommending it.

Learn more about Olga Raffault, purchase their wine, and follow them here:

www.olga-raffault.com

@olgaraffault

This sort of thing seems to happen a lot.

In our recently completed Colorado Wine Experience Competition, the top nine overall scoring wines all took home Best-in-Class medals. Except one. The fourth highest rated wine of the entire competition was the 2019 Restoration Vineyards Estate Cabernet Franc Grand Valley. The only reason it didn’t win a medal is because the Estate Reserve Cabernet Franc from the same producer was the number one overall wine (and therefore Best Cab Franc). Still, the Estate Cabernet Franc was of such high quality that we believe it deserves to be honored. That’s why it is our December wine of the month.

Restoration Vineyards was founded by Linda and Gary Brauns, who have a passion for restoration projects. Gary began by restoring old Volkswagens, which led him to a career as a parts distributor for Mercedes Benz, the cars he now restores. The couple has also supplemented their income by flipping houses.

It should come as no surprise, then, that in 2012 the Brauns bought a dying 10-acre vineyard in Palisade, Colorado, on East Orchard Mesa, above the Colorado River, known as the “stick vineyard.” They originally planned to flip it in a couple of years but those plans changed when “the sticks” produced a Chardonnay crop in their first year of ownership. Linda learned how to make wine and a new passion was born.

The Brauns opened their tasting room in 2018 and today Restoration Vineyards grows Barbera, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Semillon. Critical acclaim and accolades for their wines have followed.

Their 2019 Estate Cabernet Franc is a model wine for teaching others how to identify aromas and flavors because there is so much to offer. A nose of stewed black cherry, black currant, cherry blossom, clove, bell pepper, prune, cedar, and leather. On the palate expect black cherry, raspberry, cranberry, blackberry jam on toast, warm spices, oak, tar, and turned earth, all building to wet slate and chocolate on the long finish. So pleasingly complex and balanced. Medium plus acid and tannin provide impressive structure and ageability. Just an outstanding wine.

Of course, at Peninsula Underground we are most impressed with value. At $38 a bottle this wine is about 40% less than the reserve. It is well worth your purchase. We suggest at least half a case. You can thank us later.

For delivering a great wine of great value that is ready to drink tonight (and for quite some time), the 2019 Restoration Vineyards Estate Cabernet, Franc Grand Valley is our December wine of the month.

Get in contact and purchase here:

https://restorationvineyards.com

@restorationvineyards