Kenwood makes a very clean and complex Sauvignon Blanc, which is grown all over Sonoma County - the cooler Russian River Valley and Carneros provide the fruit which imparts the grassy and jasmine flavour components and in the warmer Alexander, Dry Creek and Sonoma Valleys for the tropical flavour components.  The wine is fermented and aged in steel, imparting no flavour on the wine and retaining the acidity of the fruit. 

This wine is a force to be reckoned with on the California Oyster competition circuit, winning year over year in pairing competitions.  It also makes a nice partner for sushi and sashimi, poached lobster and pan-fried crab cakes. 

"Made in a wonderfully dry, crisp style, Sauvignon Blancs like this fill a much-needed niche in fruit-heavy California.  It's zesty and minerally, with lemon, lime and grapefruit flavours.  Beautiful as a cocktail sipper or with the perfect roast chicken."

87 points, Wine Enthusiast, October 2010

Grayson Cellars Chardonnay 2009  [750ml/12case]   $18.95

Grayson Cellars buys premium fruit from growers and wineries in Napa Valley, Mendocino County and Sonoma Valley and passes the value onto the consumer.  For the past 5 vintages, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate has named the Grayson Chardonnay a "top value" and has awarded no less than 87 points. 

"Almost too good to be true, there are nearly 15,000 cases of the 2009 Grayson Chardonnay, which is a naked Chardonnay offering lots of crisp, elegant, unbuttered popcorn, tropical fruit, pear and citrus blossom characteristics. This medium-bodied white possesses surprising fruit intensity and overall balance. Fresh and pure, it is ideal for drinking over the next year. "

87 points, Wine Advocate, Dec 2010

Belle Glos "Meiomi" Pinot Noir 2009   

[750ml/12case]    $29.95

Qupé Central Coast Syrah 2009    [750ml/12case]  $29.95

Frog's Leap Rutherford Merlot 2007  [750ml/12case]   $49.95

One of my favourite all-time wines is Frog's Leap's Merlot.  Winemaker John Williams says that it's the most difficult wine to grow, because pushed too far to ripeness merlot starts to taste like Cabernet - dark fruit, heavy tannins, high alcohol - but Merlot isn't Cabernet.

Merlot should be red-fruited and soft, with fresh herbal aromas like clover and sage, soft acids, supple tannins and moderate alcohol, plus, balance to age. 

Frog's Leap's vineyards are all dry-farmed, a belief system finally taking hold in Napa, which means that they never receive water or nutrients. The vines have to drive their roots very deep,  which in turn provides the perfect balance of nutrients for the plant.  Healthy plants means healthy fruit and this equates to expressions of terroir in the finished wines as well as flavour.   

I've had the pleasure to taste this wine at almost 20 years old and it is an experience I'll not soon forget.

Kenwood "Yulupa" Lodi Old Vines Zinfandel 2008  [750ml/12case]   $19.95

This Zinfandel was harvested from select vineyards in Lodi, northern California's stronghold of century old Zinfandel vineyards.   

After fermentation a small amount of Petite Sirah was added to bolster body and give additional complexity.  The wine was then aged in seasoned American and French oak barrels for 14 months to soften the wine and add spice tones.

Rich, ripe aromas of berries and figs are followed by complex notes of gingerbread and toffee.  This flavourful wine has a full-bodied mouthfeel and well-structured tannins. 

Cannonball Cabernet Sauvignon 2007   

[750ml/12case]    $22.95

Just as doing a cannonball into the pool is fun, brash and attention-grabbing, so is this big California Cab.   The fruit sources are mainly Dry Creek Valley and Alexander Valleys, but the "California" designation allows winemaker Dennis Hill the flexibility to source fruit from anywhere that improves the blend.

It has great aromatics and that wonderful pie-shell, graham cracker note that I love. The wine is full-bodied, with soft tannins that feel like crushed velvet on your tongue and the finish is nice and long with a hint of sweet-fruit aromatics.   

If you've enjoyed the "soft, red-berry, cocoa and sage" Alexander Valley cabs, such as Silver Oak and Kendall Jackson's single-vineyard wines, then Cannonball is for you. And, with a little wishful thinking, this wine goes great with anything off the barbecue.