3 from the left coast

What do I have for you today? How about three really good California wines.

The first wine is Macrostie Chardonnay 2006. Macrostie comes from the southern end of the Sonoma Valley, in the Carneros region. The Carneros region spans both Napa and Sonoma. It forms a crescent around the top of San Pablo Bay. This Chardonnay has a nice, citrus note. It has a thread of acidity running through the wine that makes it thirst quenching. Isn’t odd that we rarely refer to wine as thirst quenching? It has some oak, but just a kiss of oak. It is a very well balanced Chardonnay. Normally, priced in the $22 range

I found a new Pinot producer called Keller. The 2005 Keller Pinot Noir is in the Sonoma Coast appellation. The Sonoma Coast appellation is located …. Well on the Sonoma Coast. This is a real Pinot Noir, not a Pinot on steroids. It is loaded with flavors of ripe cher¬ries, raspberries, and cola, with smoky, spicy complexities from the French oak. The mouth feel is smooth and velvety, sliding to a long, fruity finish. I really like this wine. This is what Pinot should be. Priced between $36 and $40

The final wine is Larkmead 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate. Now Larkmead is a new name for me, but has been around for 100 years. This is a historic property, located due north of St. Helena in the Napa Valley. It has a long and storied history. I won’t go into that now, but Google it sometime. It is very interesting. The wine itself is gorgeous. The color is a deep purple hue. The nose is a cornucopia of smells. (Those new to this e-mail will find I like the word cornucopia). Aro¬mas of graphite, black currants, and spice waft up from the glass. In the mouth it is a blockbuster of a wine. Loads of fruit, flavors cascade across the palate. The finish is long and pure. This could be a good Second Growth along the lines of Cos de Estrounel.