Caymus California Cabernet

Caymus Suisin Walking Fool

That pesky Wagner Family just can’t stop cranking out wines that keep attracting new drinkers. It stands to reason that the people that brought you Caymus, Emmolo, Mer Soleil and many others have decoded the American palate and learned to craft wines of buzz and lushness. This one is Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah from the sunny Suisun Valley, just to the east of Napa and offering great value and friendliness.

C'est pas la Mer a Boire Picpoul

Here’s what you should know about Picpoul de Pinet: it’s never bad; and only sometimes good. So there’s a lot to be said for grapes that never suck. About the time I decided I was no longer going to think about the Picpoul grape, I tasted this Picpoul de Pinet and it was utterly delicious.

Chalk Hill Russian River Chardonnay

Chateau Carteau

The vines on this Saint-Emilion property produce less fruit but more concentrated flavors; that is the character of older vines. The very typical Saint-Émilion blend of 70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon sees a bit more new oak than is typical at this price point; the Bertrand family, long-time owners, clearly see this wine as having the backbone for it. Half new and half one-year-old barrels generate more spice and weight

Chateau Carteau Magnum

The vines on this Saint-Emilion property produce less fruit but more concentrated flavors; that is the character of older vines. The very typical Saint-Émilion blend of 70% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon sees a bit more new oak than is typical at this price point; the Bertrand family, long-time owners, clearly see this wine as having the backbone for it. Half new and half one-year-old barrels generate more spice and weight

Chateau Courac Cotes du Rhone

We might presume that most of the top Old World sites are multi-generational legacies, remaining in the hands of ossified aristocrats served by dedicated minions. I suppose that’s true in some places. But most of the exciting things happen in Europe are the result of new blood; new folks like Joséphine and Frédéric Arnaud who took over this property in 1995. Northwest of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the Arnauds have more than 200 acres of Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre, the latter a grape that has only, in the last two or three decades, become more typical of Côtes du Rhone blends. Again, it helps to add some new blood to these old places.

Chateau Eyquem Le Belvedere

The Bayle and Carreau families bought this 17th century manor house, named for Louis d’Eyquem, nephew of Michel de Montaigne, writer and philosopher and often called the inventor of the essay. With clay-limestone soil and a view of the spot where the Dordogne and the Garonne rivers meet, this is planted to 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Malbec.

Chateau Gazin Rocquencourt

Like much of the best of Bordeaux, Chateau Gazin Rocquencourt has proven itself over centuries. The elegant mansion was built in 1660 but the estate’s origins go back to the Middle Ages, and it can reasonably be called one of the oldest wine estates in the great commune of Léognan, the beating heart of Graves. The estate benefits even more by sharing the winemaking team of Malartic-Lagravière. This is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Merlot.

Chateau Grand Billard

If you ask any wine expert to name the value wines, they will likely reel off only a few dozen well-known names, and some of them count Grand Billard amongst them. It’s the basic Sauvignon Blanc blend, with mostly used barrels to keep the cost reasonable. This is from the critically raved about 2022 vintage so check out the wine to see what the fuss is all about.