St. Francis Winery & Vineyards

Anthem • Cabernet Sauvignon • Chardonnay • Merlot • Syrah • Zinfandel

2000 Anthem Meritage, Sonoma Valley - Winemaker's Selection

WINE ENTHUSIAST, October 2004………..Rated "91"

The Wine News- December  2004..........
 “California Best Wines of The Year”
“Wines Worth Seeking” by Steve Pitcher

1999 Anthem Meritage, Sonoma Valley - Winemaker's Selection

WINE SPECTATOR, May 15, 2003………..Rated "92"
Very dark, rich and concentrated, almost syrupy, with dense mocha, currant and blackberry-laced flavors and a nice touch of chocolate. Finishes with smooth, polished, ripe and rich tannins. A blend of mostly Petit Verdot (46 %) and Malbec (40%) with Cabernet Franc (10%) and traces of Cabernet and Merlot. Best from 2004 through 2012.

WINE ENTHUSIAST , October 2003 ……..Rated "93"
A big, dark, dense wine that is flamboyant now, but will be stunning in a few years. As soft as velvet, with huge stuffing of berries, chocolate, herbs, coffee and oak, and balanced. Winemaker Tom Mackey’s first Meritage, this is an unusual blend dominated by Petit Verdot and Malbec.

2003 Cabernet Sauvignon, Wild Oak,Sonoma County

WINE NEWS BUYLINE - 2007 .….......Rated “93”
Impressions of black cherry support an oaky core with berry and spice scents. Lush texture is enhanced by 15 percent merlot. Tart cherry and red currant notes dominate the finish with beautifully balanced cedar and supporting acidity.

QUARTERLY REVIEW OF WINES - Summer 2007
5 STARS - Outstanding
Big, rich, mouth-filling, blackberry, mocha and spicy oak flavors.

2002 Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma County

WINE SPECTATOR , January 2006 .….......Rated “90” "Smart Buy"
Aromas of mocha, currant, dill and herb are rich and concentrated on the palate, revealing a dense, complex core of flavor that keeps building on a long, integrated finish.  Very impressive.  Drink now through 2009.

2001 Cabernet Sauvignon, Nuns Canyon Reserve, Sonoma Valley

THE WINE REPORT , November/December 2005
.........Rated “94”
Exceptional Value - "This stunning dark-purple hunk opened up with a pungent molten core of dark cherry, blackberries covered in sumptuous chocolate and a minty undercurrent. The panelists were captivated by the "fruit-forward attack" that continued on the palate with flavors of dark fruit, cassis and caramel with spiced vanilla. Its finish ended slowly and majestically."

BEVERAGE TASTING INSTITUTE , September 2005 …….....Rated "92"
Exceptional

2000 Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma County

WINE ENTHUSIAST, September 2003………Editor’s Choice
.…..Rated “90”
A blend of the big three Cabernet valleys, Alexander, Sonoma and Dry Creek. Polished and elegant, with good berry flavors balanced and green olive, dill, unsweetened chocolate and earth. Feels plush in the mouth, smooth and soft, but complex. Good enough for your best fare.

1999 Cabernet Sauvignon, Kings Ridge Vineyard, Sonoma County

WINE ACCESS MAGAZINE - Canada ,October 2004
…….Rated "92"
Aged for 30 months in barrel and 14 months in bottle before release. Black, cherry, cassis aromas with minty, spicy, peppery, sandalwood, vanilla, licorice streaks – very aromatic. Rich, fat, intense but slightly dry and tannic. Big cassis jam, sandalwood, peppery, minty, black cherry, mocha, cedar flavors. Very spicy, vanilla, cinnamon sandalwood aftertaste.

1999 Cabernet Sauvignon, Nuns Canyon Reserve, Sonoma Valley

WINE ENTHUSIAST, November 15, 2003……Rated “92”
This is a very good wine, but a young one. It tastes immature now, with its brash, dusty tannins that hide the underlying plum, currant and herb flavors. Even with the softness of its acids, it calls for time in the cellar to open up its hidden treasures. Try after 2005.

WINE SPECTATOR, November 15, 2003……Rated “88”
Not shy about the use of mocha and coconut-scented oak, with a core of earthy currant and enough ripe fruit flavors to fill in the gaps, making this a rich, oaky, full-bodied Cabernet. Fills out nicely on the palate, which is saturated with tannins. Best from 2004 through 2012.

CONNOISSEURS GUIDE, December 2003…Rated “88”
Rich, ripe, outgoing, chocolatey and very lightly tarry in style, this full-bodied, fleshy offering delivers everything for aging except deep and still developing fruit. Instead, what it has stands only in support of its richness, and it is that richness which now propels the wine past a fairly tannic edge in the finish. Its tough side notwithstanding, we would drink this personality-filled wine now and over the next few years. back to top

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2005 Chardonnay, Wild Oak, Sonoma County

WINE & SPIRITS - October 2007 - "90 Points"
Vinous in the mode of a fine St. Veran, this is leesy and clean with fresh pear and yellow herb scents.  There’s a wheatlike tone to the lees, adding complexity for sautéed calamari steaks or Dungeness crab.

WINE REVIEW ONLINE - “90 Points”
St. Francis Winery, Sonoma County (California) Chardonnay "Wild Oak" 2005 ($25): Although it shows the relative restraint resulting from a cool growing year, this Chardonnay is far from feeble.  It has plenty of mouth-filling texture, appealing lemon meringue pie citrusy flavors, and an exceptionally juicy finish.
90 points - Marguerite Thomas Jul 24, 2007 - http://www.winereviewonline.com/wine_reviews.cfm#start

WINE NEWS BUYLINE - 2007 - “91 Points”
Restrained, though very tropical, aromas of pineapple, banana peel and bacon fat. Big, rich, oily flavors of white peach, oak and clove. Brown spice shows up in the finish.

2003 Chardonnay, Behler Reserve, Sonoma Valley

QUARTERLY REVIEW OF WINES, Spring 2005...5 Stars

QUARTERLY REVIEW OF WINES......................................
.Best of Best in California

2002 Chardonnay, Behler Reserve, Sonoma Valley

WINE & SPIRITS MAGAZINE, APRIL 2005.....Rated "90"
Ripened to peach and roasted apple flavors, this is on its way to tropical but never crosses the line. The warmth of alcohol gives it a broad texture, while the fruit remains firm, ready for chicken tetrazzini with fresh herbs and cream.

QUARTERLY REVIEW OF WINES, SPRING 2005........……..Top Ten California Chardonnays
"Luxurious nougat, fig and toasted hazelnut flavors punctuated by good acidity."

2001 Chardonnay, Behler Reserve, Sonoma Valley

WINE SPECTATOR, October 2003…….……..Rated "90"
A very stylish wine, with fresh citrus blossom scents and a lively citrus, lemon and nectarine core of fruit that veers away from being tart, holding a nice beam of flavors, picking up traces of green apple and spice on the finish. back to top

1999 Merlot, Behler Reserve, Sonoma Valley

WINE ENTHUSIAST, December 2003…...…….Rated“90”
Best of the Year Guide
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2003 Syrah, Sonoma Valley

QUARTERLY REVIEW OF WINES, Spring 2005 ........…….....4 Stars       

winereviewonline.com, May 2006 Newsletter -91 Points
A deep black-ruby color, rimmed with bright purple, distinguishes this juicy Syrah. The aromas are deep-set ripe raspberry and subtle black pepper woodsy notes. There are ample tannins to support the fleshy bright berry flavors and despite the 14.8 percent alcohol this good-value wine shows no heat. As Sammy Davis once famously said, "If you don't like this, you don't like chicken on Sunday." 91
Gerald D. Boyd

2001 Syrah, Nuns Canyon Vineyard, Sonoma Valley

WINE ENTHUSIAST, December 2004 ..……...Rated "92"
2004 Buying Guide
An interesting wine that that flirts with greatness. It's obviously pedigreed, with a very fine balance of strong tannins, acidity and plummy, blackberry fruit, and has been well-oaked.
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2004 Old Vines Zinfandel, Wild Oak, Sonoma County

WINE NEWS , June/July 2007..…….…Rated “94”

Promising bouquet of blueberry caramel and vanilla. Juicy blueberry echoes on the palate with pencil lead and infused spicy highlights. Tart in the mouth with prominent cherry and cedar notes that are supported by a great acid structure. A hint of sweetness accents the pretty finish.

QUARTERLY REVIEW OF WINES , Summer 2007
Rated “BEST OF SHOW ”
Big, ripe, plump, elegantly balanced, wild berry, mocha and nutty oak flavors.

2002 Zinfandel, Old Vines, Sonoma County
WINE & SPIRITS , October 2005...Rated “92”

THE WINE REPORT , October 2005... ….…..Rated “90”
With an opaque, ruby center that faded to a beautiful purple rim, this wine issued aromas of blackberry, chocolate, vanilla and oak. The panel praised its intense flavors of berry fruits, tobacco, berry jam and burnt cedar. Mouth filling and balanced, the wine’s finish left remnants of pepper, prune and vanilla on the finish.

STEPHEN BROOK'S TOP ZINS, 2005...Rated “TOP ZIN”
Rich and dense and concentrated but without the complexity and the depth of the single-vineyard bottlings.

2002 Zinfandel, Pagani Vineyard Reserve,
Sonoma Valley

THE WINE REPORT , October 2005……..…..Rated “93” 
Medium-bodied with a “great backbone,” one panelist declared this inky purple wine as “pleasant and drinkable…It makes me want to jump in.” It had complex aromas of dark berries, dried fruits, cassis, black pepper, earth, vanilla and soy. “Smooth, but forceful and exciting” flavors of chocolate, spiced raspberry jam, baked cherries, dried apricot, cloves, vanilla and raisin faded into a woody, fruity finish with highlighted by clove, dried fruit, black cherry, vanilla and oak.

QUARTERLY REVIEW OF WINES, Spring 2005 ....……........5 Stars, CO-BEST OF SHOW

STEPHEN BROOK'S TOP ZINS, 2005……………………….....................….Rated “TOP ZIN”
Cherry jam and vanilla on the nose. Very rich, plump, voluptuous, tannic and peppery, with a persistent finish. Not one for the faint-hearted.

2001 Zinfandel, Old Vines, Sonoma County

THE WINE ADVOCATE, October 2003…..…..Rated “89”
Robert Parker —A dark plum/purple color is accompanied by big smoky, earthy nose revealing aromas of pepper, black cherries, and earth. This spicy, dense, full-bodied, macho Zin should be drunk over the next four years.

WINE SPECTATOR, November 2003……….…Rated “88”
Smooth and ripe, with plum, cherry, blackberry, cassis and chocolate flavors at the fore. Tannins are a tad rustic, but the wine is quite pleasurable to drink.

2002 Zinfandel, Pagani Vineyard Reserve,
Sonoma Valley

WINE ENTHUSIAST, November 2004..…….…Rated “93”

THE WINE ADVOCATE, October 30, 200…….Rated “90”
Robert Parker —Its saturated purple color is followed by a big, full-bodied nose of creosote intermixed with black cherry liqueur, espresso, incense, and spicy new oak. Ripe, long opulent, and nearly viscous, it is loaded with fruit, extract, and most importantly, pleasure. Enjoy it over the next 4-5 years. back to top