Aubert wine rating

Aubert Wine Ratings: The Producer’s Best Vintages

California, Collecting, Sonoma, Wineries

Mark Aubert’s winery first sprang into existence from California’s rich soils in 1999, and ever since, Aubert Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines have been climbing steadily higher in professional and public opinion, like grapevines reaching for the sun. Of course, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the state’s most prolifically planted varieties. With so many other notable California producers specializing in similar wines—Peter Michael, Williams Selyem, and Donum among them—what is it about Aubert wines that merits an ever-growing waiting list just to join the winery’s mailing list?

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Kistler makes high-quality Sonoma Chardonnay

What Is the Top-Rated Sonoma Chardonnay?

California, Producers and Wineries, Sonoma, Varietals

You don’t have to travel to Burgundy to find complex white wines with distinctive minerality and finesse. California’s northern Sonoma Coast is home to some of the most reputable Chardonnay producers in the world. Unlike most New-World Chardonnay, which is typically rich and buttery, top-rated Sonoma Chardonnay leans toward an elegant, acidic, and earthy profile. These wines have compelling notes of crisp green apple, refreshing citrus, racy acidity, brine, and wet stone—flavors and aromas that develop even greater depth with age.

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Hearty dishes make perfect Napa Cabernet food pairings as they complement these powerful, concentrated wines.

The Best Napa Cabernet Food Pairings

California, Enjoying Wine, Napa, Pairing

If you’re looking for a crowd-pleasing food and wine pairing, it’s hard to go wrong with Cabernet Sauvignon from California’s Napa Valley. Many of these wines are powerful, high in alcohol, and fruit-forward, balanced by bracing acidity and prominent oak. The finest Napa Valley Cabernet is bold and acidic enough to stand up to the heartiest dishes but also complex and interesting enough to serve on its own or with simple hors d’oeuvres. It’s very easy to find a great Napa Cabernet food pairing and there are a few classic pairings every wine enthusiast should try at least once. The foods in this pairing guide will bring out the best flavors in your Cabernet Sauvignon; we’ll also suggest some more unusual pairings that are sure to impress your dinner guests. 

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The Oakville AVA contains many illustrious vineyards.

Oakville AVA: Everything Collectors Should Know About This Region

California, Napa, Wine Regions

What do Harlan Estate, Opus One, and Screaming Eagle have in common? All of these iconic producers own vineyards in the Oakville American Viticultural Area (AVA). The Oakville AVA is a small California winegrowing region located at the center of the Napa Valley that is famous for its production of top-quality Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blends. Some of the world’s most expensive and sought-after Cabernet Sauvignon labels like Harlan Estate and Morlet Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Passionnément are made in the tiny Oakville region. 

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Opus One vs Caymus wine compared next to each other

Opus One Vs. Caymus: Which Should You Collect?

California, Napa, Producers, Producers and Wineries

As two of the biggest names in the Napa Valley wine industry, Opus One and Caymus make highly sought-after Cabernet Sauvignon blends of outstanding quality. However, this is where their similarities end. When you compare Opus One vs. Caymus, there’s a clear difference in style and flavor. In this guide, you’ll learn what the flavor differences are between Opus One and Caymus as well as the differences in value, age-worthiness, and collectability so that you can curate your ideal collection of great Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. 

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One of the most famous Sonoma wine appellations is Los Carneros

Your Guide to Sonoma Wine Appellations

California, Sonoma, Wine Regions

Sonoma Valley in California has earned a stellar reputation for producing some of the most fascinating wines in the New World. An incredible array of wines is made here, from refined and elegant Pinot Noir that dances delicately on the palate to robust and hedonistic Zinfandel that’s full of unctuous fruit flavors. What makes this region so diverse? More than a dozen microclimates and terroirs are packed into this small county. There are 18 Sonoma wine appellations (called American Viticultural Areas, or AVAs for short), each producing different styles of wine. No two appellations are exactly alike. 

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2012 Colgin Tychson Hill Vineyard one of Colgin's 100-point wines.

Colgin’s 100-Point Wines Are Great Investments for Collectors

California, Collecting, Napa, Producers, Producers and Wineries

Colgin Cellars’ wines are supremely rare and exclusive. The Napa Valley winery sells fewer than 2,800 cases of wine per year to a handful of upscale restaurants and 8,000 members on its selective mailing list. Getting your hands on these complex and delectable red wines isn’t easy, particularly if you’re on the hunt for one of Colgin’s many 100-point vintages. These top-rated wines are highly sought-after among serious wine enthusiasts and tend to sell out very quickly on the secondary market. 

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The Russian River Valley wine region has an unusual climate.

Your Guide to the Russian River Valley Wine Region

California, Sonoma, Wine Regions

If you were to rank the best American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) in the United States, the Russian River Valley wine region would be near the top of the list. This California AVA located in Sonoma is tremendously well-respected among wine experts, who consider it one of the greatest regions in the world for growing complex Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Many of the wines made here are acidic, elegant, and multilayered. These are luscious wines that every collector should experience at least once in a lifetime. 

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Top-rated California Cabernet wines on display.

Ranking the Top-Rated California Cabernet

California, Producers and Wineries, Reviewing, Wine Regions

While you can show that certain vintages, labels, or producers are better than others using metrics like tasting scores, price performance, and bottle value, ranking the top-rated California Cabernet is still a subjective process. In this guide, we’ve identified some of the highest quality producers, vintages, and wine labels on the market today. While these rankings are by no means definitive, they are designed to help you gain a better understanding of which wines most collectors find worthwhile so you can add top-quality Cabernet to your collection.

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