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: 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
