Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/869846
september 2017 / the tasting panel / 69 90 Castoro Cellars 2015 Oakenshield Wineworks Falanghina, Paso Robles ($30) An aromatic white with rich, golden color ; sumptuous and creamy with ripe tropical fruit; deep with good length. 90 Tablas Creek Vineyard 2014 Roussanne, Adelaida District–Paso Robles ($35) From a French-owned winery focused on Rhône varietals in Paso; succulent and smooth with ripe peach and dry fruit; rich and balanced, long and bright. VINEYARD BRANDS 92 Zina Hyde Cunningham 2015 Adeline's Vineyard Chardonnay, Anderson Valley ($42) Ledson's Mendocino winery; sleek and ripened with racy acidity and velvety texture; elegant with nice acid grip and lovely balance; toasty, fresh and round. 92 Grgich Hills Estate 2015 Miljenko's Selection Chardonnay, Carneros–Napa Valley ($60) Refreshing, refined nose with silky texture; showing a juicy and elegant structure; firm yet smooth, long and showing considerable finesse. 93 Cadaretta 2014 Southwind, Walla Walla Valley ($75) Dark, pleasant and mellow; juicy and ripe with notes of rich plum and chocolate; tangy and substantial, concentrated. MIDDLETON FAMILY WINES 90 Midnight Cellars 2014 Nebula Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles ($44) From a mountainous, 28-acre estate vineyard in the Willow Creek District; rich blackberry nose; juicy and bright with toasty plum and berry fruit; soft and tangy. 93 Pellegrini Wine Company 2014 Toboni Oakwild Ranch Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley ($50) Originating around the corner from Pellegrini's Olivet Lane Estate Vineyard with a lush and spicy nose; smooth and succulent with black cherry and spice; savory and tangy, long and balanced. 92 Troon Vineyard 2014 M*T Reserve, Southern Oregon ($50) Food-trodden and co-fermented Malbec (40%) and Tannat (60%) from the Applegate Valley; bright, bold and satiny with juicy plum; unusual and engaging. 93 Calcareous Vineyard 2013 Moose, Paso Robles ($55) A lovely Paso; opulent with tangy blackberry fruit; intense and deep, juicy and round. 82% Syrah, 18% Petit Verdot. KOBRAND 91 Jamieson Ranch Vineyards 2015 Double Lariat Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley ($55) Dark color ; pleasant and silky with balance and finesse from the southernmost winery in the Napa Valley; ripe plum and spice; long and bright. WX BRANDS 96 Pirouette 2014, Columbia Valley ($60) A Bordeaux blend made by Augustin Huneeus, Sr. and Philippe Melka; rich nose; supple, velvety with toasty mocha and vanilla; dense plum and blackberry, spice and oak; soft and generous. 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Petit Verdot, 17% Merlot and 7% Cabernet Franc. LONG SHADOWS VINTNERS 91 Herzog Wine Cellars 2014 Special Edition Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford District– Napa Valley ($95) Soft plum nose; lush and ripe with toasty and mellow blackberry; smooth and rich. Kosher. 97 Clos de la Tech 2012 Pinot Noir, Domaine du Docteur Rodgers Vineyard, San Francisco Bay ($102) The top wine of T. J. Rogers (CEO of Cypress Semiconductor) and his wife Valeta Massey, made on a steep Santa Cruz Mountain one-acre vineyard; spicy cherry nose; supple and juicy with elegance and finesse; refined and dazzling; long and impressive. 90 Geyser Peak 2014 Pluto's Fury Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley ($36) The winemaking philosophy here combines Old World practices with a New World approach; earth, spice and berry nose; mild, dense and showing plum, berries and toasty notes; balanced and well-aged. ACCOLADE WINES