Was able to sample the CLARKSBURG WINE COMPANY Chenin Blanc "VS" (Vouvrais Style), and I was quite taken with the 2012 vintage. I keep reading the description of Chenin as being "stoney" and I really do get that with this wine. There is a bracing salinity that just calls for food. Not a wine that is really about "fruit" per se, but some lovely pear notes do come through. The 2010 was also delicious, but I missed the 2011. One of my favorite American Chenin Blancs, although I must aknowledge I am not widely experienced with CB!
At the GLEN ELLEN BLOCK PARTY, Laurel Glen was pouring some lovely maturing vintages of their estate cab-2001, 2002, and 2003. The 2002 was still pretty fruit forward and not showing bottle maturity. The 2001 was in a lovely place, with nice leather and tobacco notes accenting the cassis fruit. Just a hint of bell pepper as well. The body/mouthfeel was somewhat lean and light for a California cab. Which wsa not an issue for the stunning 2003, which showed lovely tobacco and earthy notes as well, but had a roundness and richness in structure that was less evident in the 2001. I loved both vintages, but the 2003 was stunning.
At the block party, I was also impressed at the value of the 2011 Pangloss Cabernet (Sonoma County). It may lack the pedigree and structure of the Laurel Glen wines, but for $30, it was a lovely, lighter style (2011 is great to me) early drinking Sonoma cab. Some pyrazines, but also some nice fruit balance.