Wine-Blog
Welcome to the Sipped Reviews wine blog. The reviews you see here are partly appearing because we love to taste, tear apart and review wines. We taste a huge variety of wines from all over the place. We don’t really focus. If a great wine comes our way, we review it. So, what you see will seem completely random, these reviews come from an eagerness to continue exploring wine, viticulture, oenology, geology and climate. Every glass is an education.
Why ratings? I like to see a rating on a wine simply because it means someone else has taken the time to share their view, and also, I’m not blindly purchasing a wine. Now, I might not agree with the rating after I taste it, but at least I have some data to go on to give me some idea of the quality of the wine I’m thinking of purchasing. So, take it or leave it. Our ratings tend to be more conservative than others and, ALL of the wines rated here were purchased by us. None of these wines were gifts given to elicit a better rating. FYI.
Past Archives:
ARCHIVE #2: Reviews from February 23, 2024 to July 23, 2024
ARCHIVE #3: Reviews from July 23, 2024 to May 23, 2025
ARCHIVE #4: Reviews from May 24, 2025 to 12/11/20225
ARCHIVE #5: Reviews from December 11, 2025 to April 20, 2026
— Most Recent —
ARCHIVE #6: Reviews from April 20, 2026 to July 2, 2026
Wine
Vintner: Black Kite
Description: Black Kite Wines
Vintage: ~
Varietal: Various
Notes: We have been visiting Black Kite for years now. I remember people in Suisun Valley talking about them in hushed tones as though they were talking about going to Mecca. And when we finally went, we found out why there was such a reputation. These were really amazing wines.
Year after year we always found amazing wines there. But it wasn’t till this year that we found that 2024 was the most consistently great year yet.
2022 Angel Hawk Sonoma Coast Chardonnay – 93 pts
2024 Wendling Vineyard Anderson Valley Pinot Noir – 96 pts
2024 Ferrington Vineyard Anderson Valley Pinot Noir – 94 pts
2024 Gap’s Crown Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir – 97 pts
2024 Robert’s Road Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir – 93 pts
2024 Jasper Freestone Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir – 96 pts
2024 Sonoma Coast SOAR Pinot Noir – 97 pts
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Rating: See Above
Date Tasted: 8/22/2026
Vintner: Joseph Jewell Wines
Description: Joseph Jewell wines
Vintage: ~
Varietal: Various
Notes: First of all, thank you to Regan who was our host today. She is insanely cool. She set us up with a bunch of new wines to try and several beautiful verticals. You can see them below.
2025 Raymond Burr Vineyard Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County Vermentino – 92 pts
2023 Elk Prairie Vineyard, Humboldt County Pinot Noir – 93 pts
2021 EMERALD Humboldt County Pinot Noir – 94 pts
2020 Old Girls, Martini Clone Russian River Valley Pinot Noir – 94 pts
2022 Old Girls, Martini Clone Russian River Valley Pinot Noir – 97 pts
2023 RUBIES Russian River Valley – 96 pts
These are really stunning wines. But Old Girls takes the cake.
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Rating: See Above
Date Tasted: 8/22/2026
Vintner: Signorello
Description: Napa Valley
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Notes: We get blackberry, black cherry and gobs of leather and tobacco. There is black plum, baking spice and graphite.
The palate is lush with fruit and coats the tongue with blackberry and dark chocolate. The tannins are med+, the finish is medium. The body is full, the concentration and intensity are med+. But that tongue coating of lovely fruit is amazing.
This was a $30 dollar purchase at Costco. A real winner.
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Rating: 95
Date Tasted: 8/22/2026
Vintner: Sterling Vineyards
Description: Platinum, Napa Valley
Vintage: 2020
Varietal: Merlot
Notes: Notes of black cherry, plum, raspberry, green bean, oak, cranberry, coffee, tobacco, cocoa, cream cheese and brioche.
The tannins are high, the finish is long, the concentration and intensity of fruit is high. The body is med+. All in all, this is a very nice Merlot from Sterling.
Thie wine is a very impressive merlot. It is not your usual merlot. It has the texture of a much more expensive wine. It is unusual, complex and someone obviously spent time on the creation of this thing.
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Rating: 92
Date Tasted: 8/21/2026
Vintner: Sojourn Cellars
Description: Sangiacomo Vineyard, Sonoma Coast
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: This is amazing wine. I picked it up on Last Bottle. And it is far more beautiful than when we tried this a couple years ago at Sojourn. It is full of raspberry, strawberries, red cherry, baking spice, cranberry Jello, pinks (flower), cinnamon, clove, cedar.
The palate is like a symphony of spice, high acidity, florals, berries in concentrated intensity. The body is med+, the tannins medium. And the finish is another symphony.
When we tried this in the tasting room a few years back this was a 94. But here at home, with time under its belt, it has come into its own. What a lovely beast. But . . . this is Sangiacomo fruit. It rarely goes wrong.
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Rating: 96
Date Tasted: 8/17/2026
Vintner: Etude
Description: Fiddlestix Vineyard, Santa Rita Hills
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: This has a lovely dusty berry nose with raspberry, strawberry, cherry, tart pomegranate and cranberry. oak, baking spice, spearmint.
The finish is tart and long, the body, concentration and intensity are med+. The tannins are medium. The acidity is high. It makes for a pleasurable experience. It has a thickness of berry fruit mixed with tart, heavy pomegranate.
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Rating: 92
Date Tasted: 8/16/2026
Vintner: Etude
Description: Grace Benoist Ranch, Carneros
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: Strawberry, black cherry, spicy pomegranate, raspberry, wet soil, lime curd, carnation, turmeric and cardamom. What a nose!!!! This thing is stunning.
The palate is full body, high acid, high concentration, med+ intensity and medium tannins. The color is dark, much darker than many Carneros pinots we have tried.
This is a pinot to look into. It has great concentration on the nose and palate. The fruit notes are quite amazing, balanced and very interesting in a wide range of scents. We tried this with chicken shawarma and it was stellar!
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Rating: 94
Date Tasted: 8/15/2026
Vintner: Beringer
Description: Knight’s Valley Reserve
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Red Wine
Notes: The nose has blackberry, biscuit, cocoa frosting, raspberry, lilac, mushroom, leather, black pepper, a touch of anise, clove and pomegranate.
The palate has high acid, med+ intensity and concentration of fruit. The tannins, finish and body are medium. It has a lovely flavor that melded wonderfully with shawarma, naan, tamarind sauce and hummus. It has the spice content to match well with spice Mexican enchilada sauce or even chicken tikka masala.
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Rating: 93 / 94 with food!!
Date Tasted: 8/15/2026
Vintner: Laurel Ridge
Description: Cuvee, Willamette Valley
Vintage: 2020
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: There is raspberry, strawberry, Phreesia and soft earth. The nose has a touch of VA (volatile acidity) that is like cedar, clove and cinnamon.
The palate shows rather firm, clingy tannins, med+ body, concentration and intensity. High acidity, great fruit and long finish make this a rather pleasurable wine. It is a mouthful of fruit, tannic texture and high acid.
My sister brought this down from Oregon. A very nice gift. We have visited this winery before and there were a bunch of really nice pinots that they produce.
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Rating: 91
Date Tasted: 8/8/2026
Vintner: Beaulieu Vineyard
Description: Napa Valley
Vintage: 2023
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Notes: First, this is an unreleased wine. The BV 2023s will emerge in early September. And secondly, they asked me not to say where I got it. This is the BV store front Cab that sells for just over $40. And it has already received 91,92 and 94 points. But again, this is a 2023!
So here we go: let is breath. It is tight at first. It has bright red fruit, blackberry, plum, brioche, cocoa, sage, baking spice and light floral notes.
The palate is amazing with high acid, long finish, med+ concentration, intensity and soft tannins. But it is a full-bodied wine. This wine has lovely balance.
For the price, this is a stunning wine. 2022 was a great wine to take to parties. This one is one you might want to hold onto selfishly. Take something else to the damn party! Enjoy this one with the family. It has the polish of a much more expensive BV wine such as Ranch 1 or 2.
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Rating: 93
Date Tasted: 8/7/2026
Vintner: Failla Wines
Description: Sonoma Coast
Vintage: 2023
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: This wine has a lovely strawberry Jello nose, lilac, black cherry, lake water and a slight raspberry hint.
The palate is medium body, finish and intensity. But it has med+ concentration, high acid and rich fruit. The tannins are med-.
This is a nice regional blend by Failla. They do some great wines from single vineyards, but we always give the regional blends a shot. In this case, this wine is a winner.
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Rating: 93
Date Tasted: 8/6/2026
Vintner: B Cellars
Description: Petaluma Gap, Sonoma County
Vintage: 2025
Varietal: Sparkling Albarino
Notes: This is a really cool wine. We bought it untasted. But it had great recommendations. This wine has some lovely notes on the nose of pear, apricot, honeysuckle, honey and nectarine.
The palate has very nice acid, big bubbles, rich texture, pleasurable fruit flavors of apricot, green melon, pear, apple cider and honey. But it is not sweat at all. It just appears sweet because of the huge fruit.
At $45 bucks, this is a real winner of a sparkling wine. And if you are the kind of person who finds many sparkling wines too austere, this is the wine for you.
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Rating: 93
Date Tasted: 8/6/2026
Vintner: Aubaine Wines
Description: Anahata Vineyard, Eola-Amity Hills, Willamette Valley
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: Nice notes of cherry, strawberry, dried herbs and flowers, cranberry, baking spice and vineyard dust.
The palate is full of mineral goodness, long finish, med+ concentration and intensity. The tannins are medium and dusty. It has tart fruit from the high acid and minerals.
Both on the nose and palate this wine has fresh, crisp fruit, earthy notes and textures provided by the granular tannins — reminiscent of vineyard dust.
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Rating: 92
Date Tasted: 8/1/2026
Vintner: Tongue Dancer Wines
Description: Vineyard Eleven, Russian River Valley
Vintage: 2023
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: The nose has strawberry jam, mineral, nori, soft graphite, savory broth, raspberry, tart cranberry and lilac.
The palate is rich with fruit flavors that balance nicely with the high acidity. It has nice fully bodied texture with a long, mouth-filling finish. The balance between minerals, acid and fruit is so pleasant.
A darn fine effort. This wine will go great with foods like baked chicken, mac and cheese, grilled sandwiches — anything that matches the umami savory notes in the wine.
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Rating: 94
Date Tasted: 7/30/2026
Vintner: Calafia Wines
Description: La Reina, Napa Valley, St Helena
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Red Blend
Notes: We usually start with the nose. But this wine is such a palate pleaser that we are going to start there. This wine has big (but) silky tannins that provide so much structure. The finish is long. The concentration and intensity are big and full. Nice acidity keeps this wine perfectly balanced. The flavors are crisp, lush, concentrated and beautifully structured.
And now for the nose: dense scents of florals that remind us of the flowers you would put into a potpourri before you dried them. And it has about every berry flavor in the book. There are raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, pomegranate, potting soil, leather, hazelnut and sweet tobacco.
This is really, really great wine. Get some!
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Rating: 96
Date Tasted: 7/31/2026
Vintner: Calafia Wines
Description: Sisney Vineyard, Amador County
Vintage: 2025
Varietal: Verdelho
Notes: This is a stunning Verdelho. The nose has such lush fruit concentration. It has lovely green melon, citrus notes, tropical fruits, honeysuckle, pear, lake water, soft minerality and a hint of white nectarine.
It is a wonderfully balanced wine on the palate with high acid, long finish, rich concentration and intensity of fruit. Highly concentrated fruit and crisp acidity.
Goodness in a bottle. I’m not sure where I can get more of this yet, but I want more. This is a finely crafted wine just makes you want another sip, and another . . .
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Rating: 96
Date Tasted: 7/30/2026
Vintner: Testarossa
Description: Garys’ Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands, Monterey County
Vintage: 2024
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: We get red cherry, strawberry and sour blackberry on the nose. There is what we can only describe as warm dust, and then mushroom, mint, toasted wood and tart lime Jello. Weird and cool!
The palate has high acid, medium tannins, long finish, med+ concentration and intensity. But the finish is long. There is a lovely thickness on the palate of dark berry fruit mixed with a tart Kaffir lime note.
Garys’ is one of our favs. When we see this from any of the other producers, we do not hesitate — we buy it. It is hard to go wrong.
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Rating: 94
Date Tasted: 7/28/2026
Vintner: Testarossa
Description: Sierra Mar Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands
Vintage: 2024
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: Red cherry, brioche, strawberry jam, raspberry, crushed wildflower stems, dusty marshmallow, wet soil and
The palate is well balanced between high acid and rich berry/cherry flavors that linger in a long finish. Body, concentration and intensity are in the med+ range.
Sierra Mar is one of our favorites . . . I mean, it is Santa Lucia Highlands. You are starting with some of the best pinot in the world. And this one has so much brambly fruit, earth and rich baked goodness that you cannot go wrong.
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Rating: 94
Date Tasted: 7/27/2026
Vintner: Testarossa
Description: Sierra Mar Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: Black cherry, raspberry, strawberry, dried sage plant/wood, peach, pungent earth, baking spices and dried flowers.
The palate is very rich with high acid, long finish, high concentration of intense fruit and full body. It is very well balanced.
This is just a stunning wine. I would go back for more on this one.
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Rating: 95
Date Tasted: 7/27/2026
Vintner: Mangels Vineyards
Description: Suisun Valley
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Syrah
Notes: On the nose you get black cherry, forest floor, black plum, currant, raspberry, dried flowers, rose petals and graphite.
The palate has sizzling, full tannins, high acid, med+ concentration and intensity. The body is full and the finish is long with berry flavors that glide down the center of the tongue.
This wine has a great balance between high acidy, dark fruit flavors and bright berries. It is a solid sipper but would be great with grilled chicken, salmon or buttery crab/lobster. A nicely solid wine at a phenomenal price!
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Rating: 90
Date Tasted: 7/27/2026
Vintner: Weather
Description: Made by John Anthony, Chenoweth Vineyard, Russian River Valley
Vintage: 2019
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: So great! I have no words. This is available at the John Anthony tasting room in Napa on first street. It has a lovely nose and perfect balance on the palate, long finish.
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Rating: 94
Date Tasted: 7/19/2026
Vintner: Etude
Description: Temblor Vineyard, Grace Benoist Ranch
Vintage: 2020
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: Black Raspberry, black cherry, baked peach, mint, cream, brioche, fresh oak, diesel and lime leaf.
It has high acid, long finish, concentrated fruit with great intensity and med+ body.
This was reviewed briefly at a party last night. It is great wine.
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Rating: 93
Date Tasted: 7/19/2026
Vintner: Benmar
Description: Three’s a Treibh, Chehalem Mountains, Oregon
Vintage: 2024
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: I have been keeping an eye on Last Bottle since they got started. And once in a while I pull the trigger on an interesting find. This one is a nice bottle for $25 bucks. And who doesn’t like sheep for the sake of Pete.
Just think of a dusty, summer morning on the vineyard. You have a piece of toast with raspberry jam in your hand. The two meld together as you watch the grapes ripening. Veraison is afoot. And the scents of strawberry, rhubarb and red cherry are ripe in the air as well. This is how this wine smells.
The palate has med+ tannins that need ripening. There is high acid, well rounded, concentrated fruit with a nice, long finish.
A great buy if you got on this one on Last Bottle.
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Rating: 93
Date Tasted: 7/12/2026
Vintner: Bethel Heights
Description: Aeolian, Eola-Amity Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Vintage: 2023
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: Strawberry jam, black raspberry, rainier cherry, vineyard dust, burnt sugar brioche, pot pourri, fresh lilac and a hint of lime leaf. This is a stunning nose.
The palate has medium tannins, med+ body, intensity and concentration. The finish is nice, fruity and long with a bunch of dried flowers accenting. The acidity is perfect and high.
So, Bethel Heights is firing on all four cylinders. It is a really a pretty wine and worth far more than the $35 bucks we spent on K&L. What a great package!
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Rating: 94
Date Tasted: 7/7/2026
Vintner: Arterberry Maresh
Description: Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: It has that key lime freshness without all the lime flavor. Does that make sense? There is red cherry, pomegranate molasses sweetness, cranberry, unripe red currant, weedy crushed bramble and hibiscus.
The palate shows high acid, long finish, medium tannins and body. The concentration of nicely balanced acidity and raspberry/cherry are med+. The intensity is high. There are really no tannins to speak of.
All in all, a really fresh, acidic wine with great, crisp flavors and nose.
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Rating: 93
Date Tasted: 7/6/2026
Vintner: Mount Edward
Description: Central Otago, New Zealand
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: Blackberry, sweet black cherry, pungent sage, tarry burnt sugar and spices.
The acidity is high, the flavors have med+ concentration and intensity. It has a medium but flat finish, medium body and tannins. There is a small amount of bitterness on the back palate.
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Rating: 90
Date Tasted: 7/6/2026
Vintner: Alfaro Family Vineyards & Winery
Description: Trout Gulch Vineyard, Santa Cruz Mountains
Vintage: 2023
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: Strawberry, tart rhubarb, red cherry, cranberry, mint, wet potting soil, lime leaf, spice box and dried flowers. Really intriguing nose! Rather tart.
The palate shows high, tart acid, med intensity and concentration of fruit. The finish and body are med+. The tannins are low.
A fascinating wine. Quite tart on the nose and palate giving a vibrant freshness. It could do with a little more warmth to the fruit to offset the acidity.
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Rating: 92
Date Tasted: 7/5/2026
Vintner: Sandhi Wines
Description: Rinconada Vineyard, Santa Rita Hilla
Vintage: 2023
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: Black cherry Jello, cinnamon, clove, cranberry, black raspberry, hibiscus, white pepper, vineyard dust and green chili pepper.
The acidity in this is high, the tannins are medium, concentration, finish and intensity are med+.
The nose on this wine is so enticing. It has that thick, Jello scent that we love. It is rich and intense. And it has so many interesting scents. The palate is a little thinner, a bit dispersed, but you still get the white pepper, gobs of berry/cherry and fresh, crisp, tart acidity. This is a nicely crafted wine.
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Rating: 94
Date Tasted: 7/4/2026
Vintner: Craggy Range
Description: Martinborough, New Zealand
Vintage: 2024
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: First of all, let’s talk about the color. This is as dark as a Petit Sirah! You can’t see though it when held over a piece of white paper. We are talking EXTENDED maceration. The nose is lush with dusty cupboard raspberry, black cherry, freesia blossom, oak and forest floor.
The acid is high, the palate shows long finish, tart fruit, med+ tannins, concentration and intensity.
We saw this on K&L Wines for $29.99. It is worth every penny of that price and probably twice that. This is wine that west coast USA Pinot drinkers will find different and fascinating. It is a different animal and a lovely one at that!
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Rating: 96
Date Tasted: 7/3/2026
Vintner: Kalm Cellars
Description: Calistoga, Napa Valley
Vintage: 2023
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Notes: Blackberry, blueberry, white nectarine pit, cocoa, coffee, black pepper, black cherry, pomegranate molasses, dry herbs, madeira richness, lilac and vineyard soil. All these fruit notes are so bright and fresh. It is very young. Give it some time to open after opening.
The palate shows a lot of lovely blueberry/nectarine fruit — med+ intensity, concentration and body. The acidity is high and the finish is long. The tannins are medium and linger on the teeth nicely.
For a new winery that is just getting on its feet, this is a nice bottle for $40 bucks. We are thinking this is a winery to keep on the radar. It is a nicely fresh, rich wine.
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Rating: 91
Date Tasted: 7/2/2026
Vintner: Kalm Cellars
Description: Calistoga, Napa Valley
Vintage: 2025
Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc
Notes: A touch of grass, pineapple, passion fruit, honey, nectarine, butter and pear. The nose has med+ intensity and is well balanced.
It has a high acid yogurt tartness on the palate making for a lovely creamy crispness. The fruit concentration is med+. The finish is soft and medium. For being in the warm end of the valley, the alcohol is nicely low. This is a really nice SBlanc with a lot going for it.
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Rating: 90
Date Tasted: 7/2/2026
