2006 Carlisle Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley

I let this wine breath for 6 hours.

The nose had lots of bramble and earth, with some blackberry and mocha, and nice hint of blueberry and oak at the end. The palate was sweet and rich, with blackberry liqueur, dirt, blueberry, and a finish of vanilla and spice.

2006 August West Pinot Noir Rosella’s Vineyard

I let this wine breath for about 6 hours.

The nose had lots of black cherry, with hints of cloves and a bit of cinnamon underneath. It ended with some toasty oak. The palate was silky and a little sweet, and had cherry and grapefruit, a little spice, and a very good earth and oak finish.

2005 Francis Coppola / Niebaum-Coppola Merlot Diamond Collection Blue Label

I decanted this wine about 1 1/2 hours.

The nose was loaded with chocolate and oak, along with generous helpings of plum and raspberry. The palate was very tannic and had quite a bit of heat. It also had raspberry and plum, and finished with spicy vanilla. The wine was drinkable, but had way too much oak for my taste.

2006 Linne Calodo Rising Tides

The nose was tight, but I did get some blackberry and cassis, and there was a bit of sweetness. The palate had blackberry and spice, and finished with hints of oak.

2005 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Flax Vineyard

The nose had lots of cherry, a little pomegranate, a touch of pepper, and a bit of vanilla at the end. The palate was silky and sweet, and showed loads of pomegranate and sour cherry, some spice, and finished with hints of earth and oak.

2005 Roy Estate Proprietary Blend

A great nose of chocolate, black currant, earth, and vanilla. The palate was smooth, and had black currant, spice, and oak. The finish was a little hot.

2005 Bouchard Père et Fils Beaune Clos St. Landry

The nose had a nice peach and smoke mixture, that ended with a touch of oak. The palate was crisp, with good acidity, and had butter, smoke, and apple. The nose was very nice, but the palate was too oaky for my taste.

2005 Anglim Grenache

The nose had blackberry, plum, and earth. The palate had blackberry, plum, a little pepper, and finished with a hint of oak. A tasty wine, but it didn’t have a lot of complexity.

2005 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Ferrington Vineyard

The nose had nice cherry and strawberry fruit, cola and bramble in the middle, and spice and oak at the end. The palate was very smooth, and had cherry and dirt, strawberry and spice, and a good cola finish.

2004 Brutocao Merlot Riserva d’Argento

I decanted this wine about 5 hours.

The nose had black currant and cherry, a touch of vanilla, and ended with slight notes of chocolate and spice. The palate was smooth, and had cherry and chocolate, black currant, and finished with some spice and a touch of oak.