New Wine Reviews from Rich Cook

Got some rad new reviews from wine critic and wine competition professional, Rich Cook.

The first was on our 2023 Dry Muscat:

San Diego County has all sorts of surprises waiting for you as a wine destination, and this bottling is one of the biggest surprises. Even with a year in the bottle, this wine pops with rich aromas of white flowers, stone fruit and spice that will have you expecting something sweet. It then flips the script with crisp, dry style on the palate, showing the stone fruit with accents of guava and Muscat spice. I have loved this – four vintages running.

93 Rich Cook

I love this wine, it's one we make every year to honor the history of Muscat in Highland Valley. If you take one of our estate tours, we actually have an ad that shows you Dry Muscat for sale for like, $0.10 a gallon.

The next review was on our 2024 CoBeck, which is our signature white blend.

Winemaker Kiara Boccia-Fenlason shows off her blending skill with this six-component offering. Bright white flower aromas lead to a palate of nectarine, apple and mixed citrus that are deepened by stony mineral notes. It’s very dry, with a soft white pepper note joining in the long finish. Think seafood when pairing, and don’t be afraid to jazz it up to match the vibrant acid profile. Contains 48% Grenache Blanc, 24% Sauvignon Blanc, 11% Viognier, 9% Muscat, 5% Picpoul Blanc and 3% Grenache Noir.

92 Rich Cook

Blending is really the time that winemakers get to have fun with their craft. Sometimes, where to start can be daunting, but typically, I have some sort of goal in mind in regards to what I am trying to achieve stylistically. The CoBeck is an exception to that; the only goal I have is to make it lively and fresh, because it's named after our owners' children, so I want it to be like a wine version of their personalities. The 2024 vintage was particularly fun, and I am actually really looking forward to the 2025 vintage being bottled.

The last review I am going to include in this post was on our 2021 Reserve Petite Sirah.

A little bottle aging prior to release makes this an approachable Petite Sirah. Rich blackberry liqueur aromas with hints of vanilla and anise translate beautifully as palate flavors, and the elements are well integrated through a long finish where a tarry note adds to the complexity. The wood tones will continue to integrate with further aging, but that shouldn’t stop you from enjoying this near term. This is a producer to watch!

93 Rich Cook

Throughout my (still young) career, Rich has been incredibly supportive and welcoming in the community. His beautiful words about my wines show that he gets what I am going for, which, quite honestly, is the biggest compliment a winemaker can receive. Cheers to future vintages, and hopefully giving you all more to enjoy!

Please go read more reviews and articles at Wine Review Online.