Hello and welcome to this week’s dig through the pile of wine samples that show up asking to be tasted. I’m pleased to bring you the latest installment of Vinography Unboxed, where I highlight some of the better bottles that have crossed my doorstep recently.

This week included some offerings from a Prince. Specifically the Prince of Liechtenstein, whose family owns a winery in Austria, and vineyards in both Austria and Liechtenstein. The royal family has been making wine at the Hofkellerei des Fürsten Von Liechtenstein since 1712, and currently employs consultant Stéphane Derenoncourt for its efforts in Liechtenstein, and Josef Stumvoll for their work in Austria. The two wines I’m recommending this week come from the far northeast of Austria, and are both field blends of Grüner Veltliner and Riesling. They’re both quite different, but both tasty.

I’ve long enjoyed the wines of Fort Ross Vineyard, perched above the town of Fort Ross on the farthest western edge of the Sonoma Coast. This week I’m recommending their Chardonnay, as well as a couple of their Pinots, and their very special Pinotage, which has long been one of the better bottlings of that variety in the world. My favorite of the wines this week was their Terraces Pinot, which has a lovely elegance and purity with a gorgeous texture.

Stewart Johnson from Kendric Vineyards in Marin dropped off a couple of wines this week, his Loup Solitaire Pinot Noir and his Syrah, which I found really pretty, with an attractive smoky berry quality.

Sarah and Chris Pittenger’s Gros Ventre Cellars makes a wide variety of artisan wines from Sonoma County and the Sierra Foothills, and this week I’m reviewing one of their single-vineyard Pinot Noirs and their version of a passetoutgrains blend of Gamay and Pinot Noir. Both are very tasty, but the Baranoff Vineyard Pinot is quite special with a sensual quality that can’t be beat.

Lastly, I’ve got two wines to recommend from Two Shepherds Winery, their old-vine Carignan, which is made with 50% whole-cluster fermentation and comes across as crunchy and boisterous, as well as their Pinot Meunier, which has an earthier funk to it and will appeal to those who like savory qualities in their light-bodied red wines.

Notes on all these below!

Tasting Notes

2021 Hofkellerei des Fürsten Von Liechtenstein “Ried Karlsberg Cuvée Trocken” White Blend, Niederösterreich, Austria
Light to medium gold in the glass, this wine smells of wet pavement, white flowers, white peaches, and pears. In the mouth, Asian pear flavors mix with a touch of stone fruit, as a crackling stony minerality pervades the palate. Hints of green herbs emerge in the finish. Outstanding acidity and stoniness. A blend of Grüner Veltliner and Riesling. 2.7 g/L residual sugar. 13% alcohol. Score: around 9. Cost: $??

2022 Hofkellerei des Fürsten Von Liechtenstein “Herrnbaumgarten” White Blend, Niederösterreich, Austria
Light yellow-gold in the glass, this wine smells of apricots, pears, and a hint of lemongrass. In the mouth, brisk flavors of ripe pear and stone fruits have a stony wet chalkboard quality and excellent acidity. Notes of Asian pear and a hint of citrus zest linger in the finish. A blend of Grüner Veltliner and Riesling. 1.5 g/L residual sugar. 12.5% alcohol. Closed with a screwcap. Score: between 8.5 and 9. Cost: $25. click to buy.

2022 Fort Ross Vineyard Chardonnay, Fort Ross-Seaview, Sonoma Coast, Sonoma, California
Light yellow-gold in the glass, this wine smells of lemon zest, vanilla, and pastry cream. In the mouth, flavors of lemon curd, toasted hazelnuts, vanilla pastry cream, and a touch of nutmeg have a silky texture and decent acidity. I’d love a little more zip here, and there’s just a touch too much toastiness for my taste, but this is a well-made wine. Spends 11 months in 30% new French oak. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 13.5% alcohol. 340 cases made. Score: between 8.5 and 9. Cost: $48. click to buy.

2022 Fort Ross Vineyard Pinot Noir, Fort Ross-Seaview, Sonoma Coast, Sonoma, California
Medium garnet in the glass, this wine smells of cranberries, cherries, and dried herbs. In the mouth, faintly saline flavors of cherry, cranberry, and raspberry mix with raspberry leaf and dried herbs. A nice citrus peel quality lingers in the finish with a hint of oak and excellent acidity. Lightly grippy tannins stay supple across the palate. Ages for 11 months in 30% new French oak. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 13.5% alcohol. 590 cases made. Score: around 9. Cost: $54. click to buy.

2021 Fort Ross Vineyard Pinotage, Fort Ross-Seaview, Sonoma Coast, Sonoma, California
Medium to dark garnet in color, this wine smells of wet earth, leather, snuffed candle, and cherries. In the mouth, slightly muscular tannins wrap around a core of earthy cherry, black raspberry, and dried herbs. Notes of forest floor linger in the finish with a hint of citrus peel. Excellent acidity. Spends 15 months in 30% new French oak. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 13.5% alcohol. 260 cases made. Score: between 8.5 and 9. Cost: $47. click to buy.

2022 Fort Ross Vineyard “The Terraces” Pinot Noir, Fort Ross-Seaview, Sonoma Coast, Sonoma, California
Medium garnet in color, this wine smells of raspberries, dried flowers, and cherries. In the mouth, bright raspberry and cherry flavors are shot through with dried flowers and hints of toasted oak. Lovely diaphanous tannins and gorgeous acidity. Hints of citrus peel and herbs linger in the finish. Spends 11 months in 40% new French oak. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 13.5% alcohol. 250 cases made. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $80. click to buy.

2022 Kendric Vineyards “Loup Solitaire” Pinot Noir, Petaluma Gap, Marin, California
Light garnet in color, this wine smells of raspberries, redcurrants, and citrus peel. In the mouth, tangy sour cherry, redcurrant, and raspberry flavors have a nice sourish brightness thanks to excellent acidity. Faint, gauzy tannins add texture, as citrus peel notes linger in the finish. 13.1% alcohol. Score: between 8.5 and 9. Cost: $20. click to buy.

2022 Kendric Vineyards Syrah, Petaluma Gap, Marin, California
Medium garnet in color, this wine smells of black cherry, blackberries, and wet pavement. In the mouth, faintly saline flavors of black cherry, blueberry, and sour cherry have a lovely bright citrusy acidity and a faint fleecy tannic texture. Compelling wet pavement minerality lingers underneath it all with just a tiny hint of smokiness. Lovely. 13.5% alcohol. 170 cases made. Score: around 9. Cost: $30. click to buy.

2022 Gros Ventre “High Country Red” Red Blend, Sonoma Coast, Sonoma, California
Light garnet in the glass, this wine smells of struck match, raspberries, and blood oranges. In the mouth, orange peel, raspberry, raspberry leaf, and cherry flavors have a lovely gauzy tannic texture and green herbal freshness that sneaks into the finish. Excellent acidity and lovely faint minerality. A blend of 57% Gamay Noir and 43% Pinot Noir. 13.3% alcohol. Score: around 9. Cost: $43. click to buy.

2022 Gros Ventre “Baranoff Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, Sonoma, California
Light to medium garnet in the glass with a faint haze, this wine smells of flowers, raspberries, and freshly chopped herbs. In the mouth, silky flavors of raspberry and redcurrant mix with chopped herbs and sour cherry notes as gauzy tannins coat the mouth, and citrus peel and herbs linger in the finish. Lovely, with excellent acidity and balance. 13.1% alcohol. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $64. click to buy.

2022 Two Shepherds “Hopkins Ranch” Pinot Meunier, Russian River Valley, Sonoma, California
Light garnet in the glass with a faint cloudy haze, this wine smells of cranberries and raspberries with a hint of flowers. In the mouth, tangy sour cherry and raspberry flavors mix with dried herbs and a touch of something funky like blue cheese. Nicely textured with faint gauzy tannins and excellent acidity. There’s a hint of yerba mate in the finish. Organically farmed. Fermented with ambient yeasts. Spends 10 months in neutral oak before being bottled unfined and unfiltered. 13.3% alcohol. Score: around 8.5. Cost: $27. click to buy.

2022 Two Shepherds “Trimble Vineyard Old Vine” Carignan, Mendocino County, California
Light to medium garnet in the glass with a faint haze, this wine smells of boysenberries, cola, and a hint of saddle leather. In the mouth, fleecy tannins wrap around a core of boysenberry and cherry fruit that is crunchy with bright acidity. Notes of flowers and berries linger in the finish along with dried herbs and the texture of the tannins. Organically dry-farmed, head-trained grapes. Fermented 50% whole cluster with ambient yeasts. Spends 10 months in neutral oak. Bottled unfined and unfiltered. 11.4% alcohol. Score: between 8.5 and 9. Cost: $25. click to buy.