White Cottage Ranch
Showing 1 thru -9 of 9
White Cottage Ranch 2007 Estate Merlot (Howell Mountain)
- Editors' Choice
- $50
The best things about this Merlot are its extreme dryness, tannin integrity and relative austerity. It’s a pleasure to drink a Merlot that’s not a fruit bomb. That doesn’t mean you won’t find complex flavors of blackberries and currants. You will. It means that this extraordinary Merlot is pushing the envelope on what California, and Napa Valley in particular, is…
— S.H.
(12/1/2010)
White Cottage Ranch 2008 Estate Cabernet Franc (Howell Mountain)
- $40
A tremendous Cabernet Franc that shows the intensely concentrated fruit and considerable tannins of Howell Mountain. Explosive in cherries, cherry liqueur and red currants, yet for all the power, the wine has a dignified balance. A bit aggressive now. Give it 2–3 years to calm down.
— S.H.
(5/1/2011)
White Cottage Ranch 2008 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (Howell Mountain)
- Cellar Selection
- $55
Put this one in the cellar and forget about it for a good six years, if not far longer. It’s tannic and youthfully rude in fruity flavor, and the oak barrel influence presently dominates. But it’s finely made and pure, showing its Howell Mountain roots, and should easily develop bottle complexity for many years.
— S.H.
(5/1/2011)
White Cottage Ranch 2007 Risa Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley)
- Online Exclusive
- $40
What a nice Cabernet this is. It’s so dry and well-structured, tantalizing your palate with hints of richness instead of swamping it with fruit and oak. Shows summer-ripe, briary blackberry and black currant flavors, with grounding notes of dried herbs, violets, tobacco, licorice and cedar, leading to a distinguished finish. Now–2013.
— S.H.
(12/1/2010)
White Cottage Ranch 2007 Estate Sangiovese (Howell Mountain)
- Online Exclusive
- $45
One of the drier, more elegantly structured Sangiovese out there. It shows subtle red cherry, red currant and tobacco flavors, laced with white pepper. A hard streak of acidity cuts through the middle, suggesting softening things like olive oil, lamb, mozzarella cheese.
— S.H.
(12/1/2010)
White Cottage Ranch 2008 Estate Merlot (Howell Mountain)
- $40
A wine of considerable power and impact. Feels explosive and weighty in the mouth, with massive cherry, berry and currant flavors that finish hard and astringent. Shows its finesse in the quality of tannins and overall balance. An impressive Merlot that should develop some bottle characteristics over the next 4–5 years.
— S.H.
(5/1/2011)
White Cottage Ranch 2008 Estate Risa Cabernet Sauvignon (Howell Mountain)
- $35
An intense Cabernet, packed with concentrated mountain fruit flavors of blackberries, black cherries and cassis, and wrapped in hard, mouth-numbing tannins. Might age for a year or three, but seems a bit off-center to do more interesting things over the long haul.
— S.H.
(5/1/2011)
White Cottage Ranch 2007 Estate Cabernet Franc (Howell Mountain)
- Online Exclusive
- $51
Nice and dry, with fine, firm tannins. Quite a good wine, but kind of one-dimensional, with ripe red cherry purée and oak flavors that don’t develop beyond that in the mouth. Shows the risks when you depend on 100% Cabernet Franc to make a complete wine.
— S.H.
(12/1/2010)
Showing 1 thru -9 of 9
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