2023 Skylark Wine Company Pinot Blanc Orsi Vineyard 91
Crushed citrus, mint, leafy herbs, and some mineral-like nuances all emerge from the 2023 Pinot Blanc Orsi Vineyard, a lively, clean, crisp white that has bright acidity and a great finish. It’s going to be about as versatile on the dinner table as they come and should have a couple years of prime drinking.
2023 Skylark Wine Company Pink Belly Rose 89
The 2023 Pink Belly Rose is all Grenache from Mendocino County, and it offers a Bandol-like light salmon hue to go with bright, crisp notes of savory orange zest, chalky minerality, and spice. It’s balanced, medium-bodied, has a supple mouthfeel, and a good finish. As rosés from California go, it’s a smoking value as well.
2019 Skylark Wine Company Grenache 90
The current release, the 2019 Grenache is 88% Grenache and 12% Syrah that was aged 20 months in used barrels. This ruby-hued effort offers lots of savory red and black fruits, peppery herbs, underbrush, and some meaty nuances in a medium-bodied, rounded, layered, complex package. It’s clearly mature today, yet it should continue drinking nicely through 2029.
2021 Skylark Wine Company Red Belly 91
The latest release for this cuvée, the 2021 Red Belly checks in as 75% Syrah, 15% Grenache, and the final 10% Carignan, all of which is from Mendocino fruit. It’s always a good value, and the 2021 is no exception, offering a solid nose of peppery red and black fruits, herbes de Provence, leather, and assorted baking spice-like nuances. Charming, medium-bodied, beautifully textured, and absolutely delicious, this classy red is drinking great today, yet I see no reason it shouldn’t keep nicely through 2031. It might be the finest example of this cuvée I’ve tasted.
2019 Skylark Wine Company Syrah Rodgers Creek Vineyard 92
Reminding me of a great Crozes-Hermitage, the 2019 Syrah Rodgers Creek Vineyard has terrific red and black berry fruits, bacon fat, peppery herbs, and hints of game in a medium-bodied, layered, balanced style that’s already a joy to drink. It will keep nicely through 2029 with no issues, and I suspect even longer. This is 100% Syrah that spent two years in one-third new French oak.