Press

Acclaim for Waterstone Winery

2003 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve
90 points
"Harmonious and well-proportioned, especially for the vintage, with well-integrated currant, blackberry and wild berry fruit supported by firm tannins and lively acidity, finishing with a long, detailed aftertaste. Drink now through 2012."
- J.L., Wine Spectator, May 15, 2007

2005 Carneros Chardonnay
97 points
- justwinepoints, April 2007

87 points
"From its properly ripened, fresh-apple aromas to its rounded, oakenriched, fruit-focused flavors, this very clean, well-defined Chardonnay hits all the right varietal marks. It is smooth and slightly oily in feel with a nice note of finishing firmness, and if it wants a bit more concentration to win higher scores yet, it is a friendly and wholly enjoyable offering suited to warm-weather drinking in the upcoming months."
- Connoisseur's Guide to California Wine, April 2007

2001 Cabernet Sauvignon
89 points
“ The rumor surrounding this wine is that it is made from declassified lots of some cult Cabernet producers (one in particular), but since that cannot be proven, I will just comment on the wine. The color is a deep ruby, and the bouquet offers lovely scents of spice box, black currants, and cherries. There is good body, abundant fruit, a nice tactile impression, and a lush, heady finish with no hard edges. Undeniably a very fine value in Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, it will drink well for 3-4 years.”
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate

87 points
“ Rustic in style, with a dense, murky core of currant, earth, iron, anise and cedary oak flavors. Young and a bit awkward, it nonetheless is concentrated and structured and at this price is hard to beat. Best from 2004 through 2011. 1,829 cases made. ”
Wine Spectator

93+ points
“This is a big, lush wine that is full of cherries, chocolate and tobacco. The structure is there and so is the intensity. You can identify the blue-chip pedigree with the first sip, plus this is from the excellent 2001 vintage. At this price, it’s a fantastic house wine, wedding wine, everyday wine, but it tastes shockingly similar to many high-end cult wines.”
David Sokolin

2001 Pinot Noir
86 points
“This dark ruby-colored wine exhibits a toasty, smoky, weedy, black currant-scented nose, medium body, soft, rich, chewy flavors, nicely integrated tannin and wood, and low acidity. Accessible and fleshy, it will offer ideal drinking over the next 7-8 years.”
Wine Spectator

2003 Carneros Pinot Noir
3 Stars
“Waterstone Pinot Noir Carneros 2003 Rhone-like, with meaty and gamy flavors. Some tart strawberry notes. Medium complexity. Soft texture.”
The Press Democrat, March 8, 2006

2002 Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley
86 points
“Delivers ripe, concentrated fig, honey, straw and melon tones, with fine focus and citrus rind acidity lingering on the finish. Drink now."
Wine Spectator

2002 Merlot Napa Valley
“Merlot may have taken a beating in Sideways, but that wouldn't have been the case if Miles had wrapped his lips around a bottle of the 2002 Waterstone Napa Valley Merlot. You won't find a bigger, more complex Merlot for less than 20 bucks and don't overlook Waterstone's equally fine Carneros Chardonnay. "
805 Living, Wine Taste, Chris Rubin

2004 Carneros Chardonnay
"The Waterstone Winery, launched just six years ago, sources grapes from the cool Carneros region of Napa Valley. The 2004 vintage is the winery s second Chardonnay. It s less about oak than it is about the fruit,
which has compelling crisp green apple character."
Food & Wine , April, 2006

89 points
"Smooth and juicy with depth and lovely richness; balanced, long and stylish. "
-Anthony Dias Blue Reviews, Patterson's Beverage Journal, March 2006

87 points - Good Value
"Bright, mildly blossomy, lemon-like fruit in the aromas sets the tone of this fresh, crisply balanced bottling right from the start, and, while by no means a wiry wine in the mouth, it definitely leans to the citrusy side of
the varietal spectrum. It shows a scant edge of pithy bitterness, but it still makes the cut, and a brief bit of bottle age could bring it all the smoothing it needs."
- Connoisseurs's Guide to California Wine, March 2006