Kent Rasmussen

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Kent Rasmussen 2003 Late Harvest Gewürztraminer (Russian River Valley)

Price $16

Even if you’re not a huge fan of dessert wines, you might like this one. It’s a very sweet, flashy wine filled with brilliantly opulent apricot purée, mango, peach cobbler, vanilla and cinnamon spice flavors, with bright, good acidity for balance. Absolutely delicious. — S.H. (3/1/2006)

points

Kent Rasmussen 2007 Esoterica Chavez-Leeds Vineyard Petite Sirah (Rutherford)

Editors' Choice
Online Exclusive

Price $40

Very dry and tannic, as Petite Sirah should be. But unlike many “Pets,” it’s also balanced and elegant. The official alcohol is only 13.5%, yet there’s not a trace of greenness. In fact, the wine, which has plenty of French oak, is quite rich in blackberry and black currant flavors. Really a superb example, a Petite Sirah for Cabernet fans. Should evolve… — S.H. (9/1/2010)

points

Kent Rasmussen 1996 Reserve Chardonnay (Napa Valley)

Price $45

One of the oldest wines submitted, a deliciously complex créme brûlèe, coconut, nutmeg, vanilla and smoke bouquet opens this classy contender. Full and creamy on the palate, it offers rich, finely nuanced pear and nectarine fruit flavors accented by clove, nutmeg and coconut. Still feels young, finishing long and bold with intriguing spice and tangy pineapple notes. — W.E. (7/1/2001)

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Kent Rasmussen 2007 Pinot Noir (Carneros)

Price $40

An entirely satsifying Pinot Noir that meets all the variety’s basic requirements. It’s dry, crisp and silky in texture, with oak-nuanced flavors of raspberries, cinnamon and mocha. Drink now in its flamboyant youth. — S.H. (9/1/2010)

points

Kent Rasmussen 1997 Chardonnay (Napa Valley)

Price $25

Delicious fruit with very good texture and some subtlety mark this commendable Chardonnay. It is creamy, but not overly so, with flavor hints of lemon and other citrus, as well as a definite mineral/earth quality. — M.M. (10/1/1999)

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Kent Rasmussen 2001 Chavez & Leeds Vineyard Petite Sirah (Rutherford)

Price $30

Here’s Petite Sirah near its best. The wine is full-bodied and dry, with the structure of a great Cabernet, but an entirely different profile. Black and red cherry, ripe blueberry and mocha flavors are finished with sweet toasty oak. Acidity is low, the tannins rich and complex in this delicious wine. — S.H. (12/31/2005)

points

Kent Rasmussen 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley)

Cellar Selection

Price $28

Dry, crisp and tannic. It is not a soft, opulent fruit bomb, but a wine of structure. That’s not to say it doesn’t have fruit, because it does—mainly cherry and blackberry compote. But those authoritative tannins give the heft needed for medium-term aging. Drink now through 2010. — S.H. (3/1/2006)

points

Kent Rasmussen 2007 Esoterica Cabernet Franc (Napa Valley)

Online Exclusive

Price $40

A well-constructed wine whose tannic structure and ripeness indicate a pedigreed terroir. In fact, the grapes are from Mount Veeder. Flavorwise, it’s all about cherries, ripe from the tree and baked into a pie. It’s more light-hearted and silkier than Cabernet Sauvignon, but no less serious. — S.H. (9/1/2010)

Most Reviewed Designations

Chavez & Leeds Vineyard Esoterica Esoterica Chavez-Leeds Vineyard Late Harvest Reserve

Most Reviewed Varietals

Cabernet Franc Cabernet Sauvignon Chardonnay Gewürztraminer Petite Sirah Pinot Noir

2009 Monte Pinadillo Ciranza

Black fruit, raisin and minerally aromas combine to create a formidable…

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