DeLoach Vineyards Reviews

DeLoach continues to impress with this Lake County vineyard-designate, a well-balanced Zin with plenty of density amid its brick tar and brambly blackberry fruit. With leveled acidity along with plenty of power, it’lll both age and be pleasing to drink now, with smoky meats.

Cellar Selection. The Sebastopol Hills may someday be an appellation. This area of the southern valley lies open to maritime influences, making it cool. This polished Pinot shows its terroir in the brisk acidity, minerality and earthy fruit notes of pomegranates and heirloom tomatoes that accompany riper, sweeter raspberry and cherry flavors. A few years in the cellar should add traction.

De Loach’s OFS bottling is a barrel selection of the winery’s extensive vineyard holdings. This 2011 is dry, balanced in acidity and tannins and quite impressive for the way the ripe red fruits and berries hold back, tantalizing with hints of ripeness yet receding into dryness.

The Chardonnay O.F.S. is a cuvee that, in the days of Cecil Deloach, was one of the great Chardonnays of Northern California, and is now being resurrected by Jean-Charles Boisset, who owns this winery. The 2011 Chardonnay O.F.S. possesses more honeyed tropical fruit than its siblings as well as a richer, fuller taste profile. Good freshness and purity along with a judicious and discrete use of wood suggest it should drink nicely for 5-6 years.