Sonoma Journal Rates Benovia's First Wines in the 90s

91 Points | 2005 Zinfandel, Russian River Valley

"Dark ruby-violet robe. Aromas reminiscent of red raspberries, blackberries, cherries, cinnamon, and freshly-snapped twigs. Medium-bodied, with sweet, almost syrupy, red and black fruit flavors that race across the palate. Juicy, and very easy to drink, the notes of dark chocolate that emerge on the finish add complexity to this hedonistic Zinfandel. The gourmand's pizza wine. 15.5% alcohol. Drink now-2009."

93-94 Points | 2006 La Pommeraie Chardonnay, Russian River

"Light lemon-yellow colored. Beautiful and bright floral aromas lead to leesy, rich lemon fruits, with  hints of gooseberry and popcorn. Impressive structure and depth. Great phenolics. From the Dijon 459 chardonnay clone.  No room for picnics or flag football in this vineyard, where the grower has packed in approximately 2400 vines per acre. Barrel sample."

92-94 Points | 2006 Cohn Vineyard Pinot Noir, Russian River

"Bright violet colored. Aromas and flavors of black cherries and violets, this young wine is notable for its purity, concentration, and focus. The impression of good acidity and a dry, long finish indicate this wine will continue to improve in barrel and bottle; accordingly, this rating may prove conservative. These roughly 1-year old vines yielded a mere 1.25 tons per acre in 2006. Barrel sample."

-By J. Dawson, Sonoma Wine Journal, February 2007