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Buying Guide  >  All Regions  >  US  >  California  >  Central Coast  > 

Santa Maria Valley Wines

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Showing items 1 through 8 of 658
97
points

Qupé 2006 Bien Nacido Vineyard 25th Anniversary X-Block The Good Nacido Syrah (Santa Maria Valley)

  1. $100
Score Chasers: USA 2011
A gigantic wine, one of the most powerful Syrahs in memory. Shows fabulously rich tannins from stem fermentation, sweet, spicy and earthy. The aromas and flavors are of mushrooms, grilled meat, blackberries, cherries, cola, black pepper and smoky cedar. Extraordinary depth and complexity, a very great California Syrah. Could soar off the charts in the next 2–3 years.  — S.H.  (10/1/2011)
97
points

Tantara 2004 Evelyn Pinot Noir (Santa Maria Valley)

  • Editors' Choice
  1. $80
Stunning. Just magnificent. This is from Tantara’s little Bien Nacido block. It achieves wonderfully ripe fruit flavors with clean, balancing tannins and acids to produce the utmost California cool-climate Pinot Noir. Cherries, raspberries, cola, rich new oak and Asian spice flavors all flood the palate, wrapped into a dramatic silky, velvety texture. This is great…  — S.H.  (12/31/2006)
97
points

Qupé 2005 Bien Nacido X Block The Good Nacido Syrah (Santa Maria Valley)

  • Online Exclusive
  1. $95
Fantastic, fabulous, a stupendously good Syrah that shows off Bien Nacido at its most perfect. Totally dry, with sturdy but ultra-refined tannins, it displays massive waves of blackberries, black currants, blueberries, smoked meat, violets, sandalwood and black pepper. Just beginning to find its groove, it should develop for many years.  — S.H.  (10/1/2009)
96
points

Byron 2008 Nielson Vineyard Pinot Noir (Santa Maria Valley)

  • Editors' Choice
  1. $34
Silky and velvety soft in the mouth, coating the palate with extraordinary raspberry and cherry flavors, enriched with sweet oak, and spiced with cloves, cinnamon and white pepper. There are even notes of cocoa and orange zest. Yet brisk acidity makes it all clean and vibrant. It’s hard to imagine a California Pinot Noir tasting better than this—and what a…  — S.H.  (11/1/2010)
96
points

Bien Nacido 2007 Bien Nacido Vineyard Syrah (Santa Maria Valley)

  • Editors' Choice
  1. $52
Score Chasers: USA 2011
From the vineyard’s choicest blocks. There’s so much going on here, it’s hard to know where to begin. Explosive in grilled meats, blackberries, plum jam, licorice, coffee, chocolate, caramel, black pepper and Chinese 5 spice, yet bone dry, with smooth, rich tannins. Extraordinarily good now, and should develop in interesting ways. Certainly one of the best…  — S.H.  (10/1/2011)
96
points

Rusack 2008 Reserve Chardonnay (Santa Maria Valley)

  • Editors' Choice
  • Online Exclusive
  1. $32
Guaranteed to please the most discriminating Chardonnay fans for its dry crispness, great structure and endless opulence. Massively complex, offering waves of grilled pineapple, pear, buttered toast and smoky vanilla. The grapes came mainly from Bien Nacido Vineyard, with the balance from Sierra Madre. Only 338 cases produced.  — S.H.  (8/1/2010)
96
points

Au Bon Climat 2006 Santa Barbara Historic Vineyards Collection Bien Nacido Vineyard Chardonnay (Santa Maria Valley)

  • Editors' Choice
  1. $35
Chardonnay doesn’t get much better than this. Bursts with grilled pineapple-infused crème brûlée, peach pie, butter-sautéed banana, passion fruit and butterscotch flavors, dusted with cinnamon and brown sugar. Yet all that opulence is balanced by perfect acidity. Totally gorgeous.  — S.H.  (10/1/2009)
96
points

Au Bon Climat 2008 20 Years in the Shed with Bob at Bien Nacido Pinot Noir (Santa Maria Valley)

  1. $75
Score Chasers: USA 2011
A stunning Pinot Noir. Feels soft as silk, yet crisp, tastes flamboyant yet controlled, a wine that contains many opposites. Made from a barrel selection of the best of winemaker Clendenen’s Bien Nacido Pinots, it’s superb to drink now. Hard to exaggerate its charms, with waves of spicy raspberries, cherries, cola and sandalwood. Really seductive and impressive.  — S.H.  (10/1/2011)
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Showing items 1 through 8 of 658

Most Reviewed Varietals [All]

Barbera Cabernet Sauvignon Chardonnay Chenin Blanc Grenache Merlot Nebbiolo Pinot Blanc Pinot Grigio/Gris Pinot Noir Riesling Roussanne Sauvignon Blanc Shiraz/Syrah Sparkling Viognier White Blend

Most Reviewed Producers [All]

2nd Chance Addamo Alchemy Wine Productions Aliento Del Sol Alta Maria Ambullneo Ampelos Arcadian Au Bon Climat Babcock Bel Glos Belle Glos Benziger Bernardus Bianchi Bien Nacido Bonaccorsi Bonny Doon Brophy Clark Byron Callaway Cambria Chanin Clendenen Clendenen Family Costa de Oro Cottonwood Canyon CRU Winery Daniel Gehrs Deep Sea Demetria Deovlet Dierberg Drake Epiphany Falcone Fess Parker Fetzer Flying Goat Cellars Foggy Bridge Foley Folkway Fontes & Phillips Foxen Gary Farrell Harbison Wines Hug Imagery Io J. Wilkes K. Furtado Kallick Ken Brown Kendall-Jackson Kenneth Volk Kunin Kynsi La Fenêtre Labyrinth Landmark Lane Tanner Longoria Loring Wine Company Lucas & Lewellen Migration Mount Eden Nagy 2 Native 9 Nerelli Nicholls Nicolaysen Family Vineyards Nonno Zito Ojai Ovene Paeonia Paul Lato Presqu'ile Qupé Rancho Sisquoc Red Pony Ranch Riverbench Row Eleven Royal Oaks Rusack Sanctuary Sanguis Scott Scott Cellars Shadow Canyon Sierra Madre Silver Stone Winery Sobriquet Winery Stephen Ross Storm Summerland Tantara Taz Testarossa Thomas Halby Three Saints Tin House Tres Vinicultores Trou de Bonde Twomey Tyler Villa Mt. Eden Vine Cliff Vino V Waltzing Bear Whitcraft White Hawk Wild Horse
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