William Kelley is better known as the Wine Advocate's mould-breaking wine critic. Yet he is also a very gifted winemaker and now, winegrower. Kelley’s micro-Burgundy project released its first wines from the 2019 vintage, and the ambitious pricing has not dampened the fervour—the wines are as remarkable as they are rare. Yet Kelley’s first foray into winemaking did not start in Beaune, Pommard or Gevrey-Chambertin but in the quiet, pastoral AVA of Clarksburg on the outskirts of Sacramento. Rolling back to 2016, Kelley recalls that he and friend-slash-business partner Frank Ingriselli were looking for organically farmed old vines in Californian sub-regions where variety aligned with climate, which led them to Chenin in Clarksburg. “We then applied artisanal French winemaking techniques and sort of waited to see what happened,” he recalls. What happened is that Beau Rivage promptly reset the conversation around the potential to craft world-class Chenin Blanc from Californian soils. Made in Calistoga, this increasingly impressive Chenin Blanc is drawn from some of Clarksburg’s oldest vines, planted in the 1960s and sourced from a long-term organic grower. The grapes are picked in two lots: those from the sunny side of the vine were crushed to release extract, while fruit from the shadier side was pressed as whole clusters using a very long, firm cycle. The musts are fermented with indigenous yeasts and were raised in eight-year-old, low-toast Burgundy barrels. William Kelley uses more and more solids each year, with the wine building texture and drive from its time on lees. Expect a tension-filled and chalky white marrying the engaging texture of well-ripened Chenin Blanc with lovely clarity, fine-boned texture and impressive length. It doesn’t seem too early to call this out as a new Californian benchmark for the variety.

100% barrel fermented to create a rich Chardonnay exhibiting a classic profile of tropical fruit and Bosc pear alongside warm oak aromatics. The luscious palate suggests crème brulee and buttered toast, and finishes with fresh acidity

Kendall-Jackson from the Sonoma County, just north of San Francisco, make a delicious Pinot Noir that has iIntense strawberry/black cherry/smoky/herb garden aromas and flavours with soft fleshy textures and underlying savoury/toasty oak.

Cambria was originally part of the Tepusquet Vineyard. Planted between 1970 and 1971, this ambitious venture helped establish Santa Barbara County as a world-class wine producing region. The Cambria portion of property was purchased in 1986 by Barbara Banke. Today, Cambria is still 100% family owned and the wines are 100% estate-grown.Ripe blackberry and blueberry flavors are followed by notes of cranberry, cherry and pomegranate. With a balance of earth and baking spice, this wine offers firm tannins and a long finish.

Our 2019 Bourbon Barrel-Aged Chardonnay is golden straw in color and opens with aromas of ripe, grilled peach, with hints of toasted marshmallow, vanilla bean custard, and baked spiced pear. Rich, creamy, and concentrated flavors of grilled peach, lemon pie crust, graham cracker, vanilla bean, baking spices, and toasty oak lead to a balanced acidity and lingering finish. Enjoy with grilled halibut with lemon caper butter, roasted pork tenderloin, garden salad with gorgonzola and toasted pecans, grilled prawns, bacon-wrapped dates, or sip it on its own as an aperitif.

With fruit sourced from premiere growing regions along the North Coast (of California) expect a ripe and flavourful Chardonnay with aromas of baked apples, vanilla and buttered toast. On the palate, the flavours are generous with notes of crème brûlée, ripe pear and baking spices and a lush, creamy finish. Pair with creamy pasta or a roast chicken.

This is a cabernet from California. Has a pure varietal fruit-driven quality on the nose. Dusty blackcurrant. The palate shows more sweet fruit characters with a slightly confectionary sweetness on the middle palate...Eminently drinkable red wine for current quaffing.