California Wine Advisors

As we approach one decade of cellar time, Aloft’s new 2013 Cabernet continues to absolutely over-deliver at every level plus promises continued enjoyment for at least another five years! This hidden gem offers an ultra-velvety texture, graceful dark fruit and loads of spices that are now well integrated on the palate to include alluring dark...

This is a delightfully luscious, mouth-watering, and exotic new white wine; guaranteed to impress for a refreshing happy hour or pairing with a wide array of menus! It’s also the most uniquely creamy and delicious Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon blend we’ve discovered as it enjoys extended aging (rare for a S.B.) in new French oak....

This is one of the most deeply delicious and uniquely exotic white wines we have the pleasure of judging annually. The newly released 2016 vintage is another show-stopper, guaranteed to impress for a refreshing happy hour or pairing with a wide array of menus! It’s also marvelously creamy with a silky texture as it enjoys...

The 2020 On The White Keys Artists Reserve is truly astounding as it offers aromas of jasmine and gardenia wafting from the glass…then leading to an exotic cornucopia of flavors including peaches, nectarines, chamomile, spice, mint and toasted almonds. The blend of Sémillon here reminds us of favorite white Bordeaux such as Cheval Blanc. The...

This flashy + refreshing white wine delights from the start with a bouquet of alluring scents of lemon oil, honeysuckle and papaya. The creamy palate showcases exotic flavors of honeydew melon, hibiscus, and a subtle hints of both coconut and toasted oak. We loved the silky smooth texture and hints of pink grapefruit plus orange...

Though it is relatively unknown, Arkenstone’s Estate Sauvignon Blanc is up there with the very best expressions of this varietal in the Napa Valley, and the 2022 vintage is spectacular. Though it is always refined and glossy in texture, the 2022 is so silky and seamless due to an extra dollop of Semillon to go...

The 2014 Barrett & Barrett is deep dark ruby in color, almost black in the glass. It shows intense deep aromatics of concentrated blackberry, currants, sage and hints of caramel coupled with cocoa powder and allspice. After a decade of library time, this treasured red displays a seamless balance of flavor and structure: everything needed...

This supremely silky new discovery waltzes out of the glass with a bevy of enticing fruit flavors and a certain ‘X’ factor that demanded our attention. Voluptuous layers for dark fruit (blueberry, blackberry, plums) are impeccably balanced with notes of graphite, espresso bean tobacco leaf and mouth-coating tannins on the seductive finish. Enjoy this vibrant,...

This Bernard Magrez 2016 is one of the purest expressions of Napa’s best undiscovered gems today. Immensely hedonistic and satisfying on many levels. This flashy new release shows superb concentration and purity of dark fruit deftly melded together with exotic notes of mocha, espresso, and spicy oak. The palate, supported by a velvety smooth structure...

The 2022 DB4 is an ethereal expression of the estate that is lifted, elegant, and quietly complex. Cocoa emerges immediately on the nose, followed by glimmers of blueberry and red apple. On the palate, it’s creamy, layered, and beautifully composed, revealing waves of floral notes, polished fruit, and a supple textures. The balance is exceptional,...