Category: Blog


Bigger Than Your Head: Sublime Sauvignon Blancs

Bigger Than Your Head, August 9, 2023 If any two people in the California wine industry could be called a power couple, that epithet could go to Bibiana Gonzalez Rave and her husband Jeff Pisoni. Bibiana — let’s use first names — is owner and winemaker of Cattleya Wines, a producer of chardonnay and Pinot… Read more »

James Suckling’s Monthly Tasting Report Reviews 2021s

July 2023 Issue We tasted nearly 3,000 wines in June as we head toward another record number of wines rated at JamesSuckling.com in a single year. Many of our top scorers came from California, where James managed to sneak in a short stay at his home in Napa. 2021 Shared Notes Les Pierres qui Décident… Read more »

Shared Notes Bottles Custom Gold Foil

wine.com 93 Points for the 2022 Les Leçons des Maîtres

    May 2023 Issue 2022 Shared Notes Les Leçons des Maîtres 93 points Light straw color; dried earth, tart lemon aroma, biting, chalky, medium depth, alive; medium bodied, zingy on the palate; dry, fine acidity, well balanced; tart citrus and chalky flavors, persistent; medium finish.

Wine Spectator Insider Weekly: Nov. 16 Edition

Get our editors’ exclusive picks from recent blind tastings of complex Oregon Pinot Noirs, rich Barolos and lively California Sauvignon Blancs. Also featured are Australian Cabernets and Syrahs, plus white Burgundies, including grands crus. Sauvignon Blanc Russian River Valley Les Pierres Qui Décident 2021 94 points | $75 | 107 cases made | White Distinctive,… Read more »

Les Lecons des Maitres 2012-2014 Bottles

Shared Notes 2021 Vintage Release: Ten Vintages of Sauvignon Blanc

10 years ago, Bibiana and Jeff set out to create something together. This would be a wine label dedicated to exceptional and age-worthy Sauvignon Blanc. The goal from the outset was to gain inspiration from two famed regions in France that produce noteworthy styles of this wine: Bordeaux and the Loire Valley (home to Sancerre… Read more »

Bibiana and Jeff in the Vineyard the Year they Started Shared Notes

2020 Les pierres qui décident Recommended in Wine Spectator Tasting Report

The continued surge of terrific Sauvignon Blancs from California has cemented the wine’s reputation as one of the most consistent and affordable whites in the state. What’s even more exciting for fans of this complex, fragrant and refreshing variety is how many different expressions there are. The examples I have reviewed over the past year… Read more »

Bibiana and Jeff at the Sorting Table

2019 Vintage Highlighted in James Suckling’s Sonoma Wine Tasting Report

Tasting Sonoma Wines: Bolder and Brighter, with a Unique Coastal Kick In this report we mainly focus on the 2018 and 2019 vintages, which are both fantastic years but for different reasons…2019 was generally cooler, resulting in more elegant and restrained wines with real charm. —Nathan Slone, Associate Editor Image: jamessuckling.com 2019 Les leçons des… Read more »

2019 Vintage Reviewed in Jeb Dunnuck’s Sonoma Regional Report

Sonoma: Looking at the 2019s In a nutshell, 2019 is another strong vintage that fits nicely alongside the trilogy of 2016, 2017, and 2018 in terms of quality. I think 2018 is the best of these recent vintages, yet 2019 is certainly not far behind, and as I hope these reviews show, the vintage is… Read more »

Vineyard Hills in Sonoma California