Annual List of Best Wines Tasted In 2025

Posted on December 16, 2025 Updated on December 21, 2025

_{Photo ©Michael Kelly}

2025 continued to be a busy year tasting, judging and evaluating wines. Typically, most years I taste or enjoy between 1400 to 1800 wines. This list roughly represents 7% of those wines tasted to be outstanding. I have broken it out by price point, those $50 and under and those $51 and up—-something for everyone! They are listed by varietal to make it easier to search for a specific wine. The picks come from almost all the California AVA’s and sub-AVA’s, Colorado and New Mexico. 2025 was a year in which many wines in the cellar hit their maturity so you will notice a higher percentage of older wines. I believe whole heartily and stand by these picks. There were many other very good and solid wines, but these “stood out” from the crowd with my highest ratings. Most of these wines have been written up and you can do a search for the story on the right-hand side on a PC or laptop on my website (htttps://californiawinesandwineries.com)

Sláinte,

Michael Kelly

2022 Culmination Clone 30 Cabernet Sauvignon – Special Treatment For a Special Wine

Posted on December 11, 2025 Updated on December 11, 2025

_{photo ©Michael Kelly}

Background

_{photo ©Michael Kelly}

The word culmination is defined by the “end point or final stage of something you’ve been working toward or something that’s been building up”.  Synonyms are apex, climax, peak, pinnacle, summit or zenith. Wood Family Vineyards, having made dozens upon dozens of award-winning wines, decided to launch a second label. The second label is the culmination of intense understanding of the vineyard management, grape harvesting, production techniques, barrel choices and wines their customers desired. Simply stated the culmination of decades of intense knowledge and experience was more than appropriate to call the new label CULMINATION!

_{photo ©Michael Kelly}

So why this new label? Often a second label is the function of selecting grapes from a particular row in the vineyard, special barrels, pricing profiling or aging considerations. From conversations with Harrison Wood VP and Rhonda Wood the winemaker, the second label is much more than augmenting their current production. The CULMINATION label is reserved for completely different selections and techniques producing some of the same varieties they produce at Wood Family Vineyards. Their intention is to introduce an elevated experience beyond their current offering and tasting room enjoyment. The CULMINATION wines will be targeted at wine connoisseurs and those wanting a more intimate experience with possible food pairings. Many new and exciting announcements will be forthcoming over the next few months including a CULMINATION EXPERIENCE.

The five wines in their CULMINATION portfolio are: Cabernet Franc, Proprietary Red Blend, Sauvignon Blanc, “Hot Lips” Blanc de Blanc and Clone 30 Cabernet Sauvignon.

This story is about their new label CULMINATION 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon Clone 30.

The Wine – “Wine is bottled Poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson

_{photo ©Michael Kelly}

The 2022 Culmination “Clone 30” Cabernet Sauvignon is a very limited offering of only 92 cases. The grapes were from their estate One Oak Vineyard. The grapes/wine went through a special handling, 76% were fermented in small open top bins and 24% were fermented in new French oak barrels. They took the heads off the barrels to do punch downs. After pressing, the “open top bin” grapes, now juice, was put back in a tank for 48 hours to settle and then placed in oak barrels. The 24% was put back in the previously new French oak barrels and the 76% was placed in new oak barrels for 18 months. They then blended the two separate batches and put them in oak for another 12 months.

The result of this special handling was to produce as Rhonda Wood stated, “bold tannins, smoother integration and mouthfeel plus retained acidity and color”.

_{photo ©Michael Kelly}

When first opened, this wine’s coloring was a dark red and royal purple with medium heavy viscosity. The color was a bit mesmerizing with clarity and distinction. On the nose violets waft into the senses along with enticing dark fruit. Once on the palate, surprisingly, blueberries were the dominant fruit producing an elegant and smooth wine. Tannins were very present, yet not jagged or edgy but more caressing in the mouth. The finish provided a textual feel with layers of enjoyment with a vanilla note concluding each sip.

The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon

_{photo ©Michael Kelly}

Even on a cold foggy day and evening, the BBQ was fired up for filet mignon steaks this evening. Seasoned with applewood smoked salt, wood fried garlic seasoning, mesquite seasoning and Flatiron BBQ Rub pounded in the steak on both sides. This rub contains chipotle, ancho, habanero, thyme, toasted onion, smoke ghost peppers, roasted garlic and paprika!

_{photo ©Michael Kelly}

Seared on the BBQ at 1500 degrees and served medium rare. Plated with Blue cheese crumbles and accompanied by a small Russet potato and a fresh garden salad with Blue cheese, fresh bacon, onion and cherry tomatoes.

A delicious meal and perfectly matched food and wine pairing!

Sláinte,

Michael Kelly

https://californiawinesandwineries.com

https://woodfamilyvineyards.com/

https://flatironpepper.com

2024 Wood Family Vineyards Chardonnay – A Cornucopia of Luscious Fruit

Posted on December 8, 2025 Updated on December 8, 2025

_{Photo ©Michael Kelly}

The Wine – “Wine is bottled Poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson

_{Photo ©Michael Kelly}

There is simply no simple explanation on how Rhonda Wood makes consistently great Chardonnay wine except that she is a perfectionist! She has for seven to eight years made Chardonnay wines that have been one of my favorites and annually makes the yearly listing of Best Wines Tasted in the year. So it is once again for her 2024 vintage for the Best Wines Tasted in 2025.

This wine comes from two different vineyards in Livermore, one on the valley floor and the other in the hills. The wine is barrel fermented in 100% French oak barrels with 35% new for 10 months. The stirring of the lees was every two weeks.

_{Photo ©Michael Kelly}

First in the glass a slightly darker golden color that shimmers in daylight with brightness. A heavier than usual Chardonnay. On the nose a cornucopia of fruits rise to meet the imbiber with green apples and pears being dominant. Once on the palate the fruits of green apple and ripe pear swirl about merrily in the mouth. Additionally stone fruits of apricot and peach provide a secondary flavor and slightly shy quality, but welcoming. On the finish a brioche quality of “heaviness” provides a beautiful conclusion to each sip. Less sweet than the previous vintage with more fruits allowed to come into play.

This release for 2024 Chardonnay is targeted for mid-August.  It comes in at 14.5% alcohol and list price is $36/bottle.  

The Food and Wine Pairing – “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon

_{Photo ©Michael Kelly}

Paired this evening with a new recipe called Grilled Chicken Kabobs. The chicken breast was cut into sizes to fit into a barbeque basket with fresh vegetables. The baskets were cooked for a total of eight minutes, rotating each basket after two minutes on each side.

_{Photo ©Michael Kelly}

The chicken pieces and vegetables were marinated for eight hours with olive oil, soy sauce, honey, minced garlic, Kosher salt, black pepper, red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, zucchini slices, red onion and chopped parsley.

_{Photo ©Michael Kelly}

Served with long and short grain rice and fresh garden salad. The garden salad included pepita seeds, green onions, cherry tomatoes, pepperoncini with Champagne dressing.

The Winery

_{Photo ©Michael Kelly}

Wood Family Vineyards, located in eastern Livermore Valley with Rhonda Wood owner & winemaker, has been producing award winning wines for over two decades. You can read more on Rhonda’s background from airline pilot to award winning winemaker at:

https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2016/02/10/wood-family-vineyards-2

https://californiawinesandwineries.com/2022/11/24/2020-wood-family-vineyards-the-captain-a-red-wine-blend/

Recently at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition (largest in North America), Wood Family Vineyards won the following awards and not all are listed:

2019 Cabernet Franc – Double Gold

2021 Malbec – Double Gold

2019 Cabernet Sauvignon “Clone 30” – Double Gold

2021 El Loco Rojo Red Blend – Double Gold

2021 The Captain Red Blend – Double Gold

The list of awards is extensive featuring all their wines on their website.

Sláinte,

Michael

https://californiawinesandwineries.com

https://woodfamilyvineyards.com/