Vinography Unboxed: Highlights from the Week of November 16, 2025

Hello and welcome to this week’s installment of Vinography Unboxed, where I sift through recent wine samples for tasting.

This week showcased several new releases from Unti Vineyards in Dry Creek Valley, including their Fiano, which presents a delightful blend of apple and herbal notes. The Grenache offers vibrant dark fruit flavors of strawberry and blueberry, while the Aglianico stands out with its rich floral blackberries and earthy depth. However, my top pick was their Cuvée Foudre, a GSM blend beautifully aged in large-format old oak.

As a long-time admirer of Armenian wines, I was excited to taste two recent releases from Yacoubian-Hobbs, the collaboration between notable winemaker Paul Hobbs and the Yacoubian family. Their Dry White, crafted from the indigenous Voskehat grape, showcases ripe stone fruit aromas, making it appealing to fans of Viognier. The Areni bottling was juicy and bright, although it had a touch more wood influence than I prefer.

I also sampled the latest release of Limited Addition Wines’ Old Vine Cabernet Franc, which consistently showcases a lovely expression of the grape. The 2022 vintage captured crunchy plum and herbal notes layered over a mineral base.

From Markus Niggli in Lodi, I tasted some recent wines, including his Ancient Blocks Carignan, which boasts a classic cola-nut and strawberry-cherry character. His “Sol” features blue and black fruit flavors mingled with a sweetness from new oak, though both wines come in heavier bottles than ideal.

Finally, the latest estate Cabernet Sauvignon from Spottswoode impressed me greatly. Their 2022 vintage offers a fresh and juicy profile, smooth with balanced acidity, and is designed for aging, despite the overripe tendencies seen in other Napa wines from that year.

Tasting Notes

2022 Unti Vineyards Fiano, Dry Creek Valley, California
Pale gold with aromas of freshly cut apples and herbs. On the palate, silkiness of apple and hay flavors coupled with herbal notes. 13.2% alcohol. Score: 8.5. Cost: $35. Buy here.

2022 Yacoubian-Hobbs “Dry White Wine” Voskehat, Armenia
Light yellow, it exhibits notes of peaches and citrus. The palate offers a silky texture with decent acidity. 13.5% alcohol. Score: 8.5. Cost: $26. Buy here.

2022 Yacoubian-Hobbs Areni, Armenia
Medium garnet with floral aromas and sweet oak notes. The palate is juicy with good acidity, but oak is somewhat prominent. 14% alcohol. Score: between 8.5 and 9. Cost: $26. Buy here.

2022 Markus Wine Co. “Niccolini Ancient Blocks 1936” Carignan, Lodi, California
Medium garnet with cola and cherry notes. The palate reveals cherry and oak with good acidity. 13.9% alcohol. Score: between 8.5 and 9. Cost: $41.

2023 Unti Vineyards Grenache, Dry Creek Valley, California
Medium to dark garnet, showcasing strawberry and blueberry aromas. On the palate, sweet oak and strawberry notes. 14.8% alcohol. Score: between 8.5 and 9. Cost: $40. Buy here.

2022 Limited Addition “Old Vines” Cabernet Franc, Oregon
Light to medium garnet, this wine combines plum and herb aromas with a bright, juicy palate. 13.5% alcohol. Score: 9. Cost: $65.

2022 Markus Wine Co. “Sol” Red Blend, Lodi, California
Dark garnet with blueberry and oak aromas. Flavors of black cherry and blueberry, balanced with acidity. 14.6% alcohol. Score: around 8.5. Cost: $39. Buy here.

2023 Unti Vineyards “Cuvée Foudre” Red Blend, California
Dark garnet with berry aromas and herbal notes. Tasting reveals a saline mix of strawberry and blackberry with good acidity. 14.9% alcohol. Score: around 9. Cost: $70. Buy here.

2022 Unti Vineyards Aglianico, California
Dark garnet with crushed blackberry aromas. The palate is rich with blackberries and tannins, but shows good acidity despite some alcoholic heat. 14.6% alcohol. Score: around 8.5. Cost: $65. Buy here.

2022 Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa County, California
Dark garnet with notes of blackcurrant and green herbs. A well-balanced palate engineered for aging, with great acidity. 13.7% alcohol. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $285. Buy here.

About the Author: Chris Lehoux

Meet Chris Lehoux, an experienced wine connoisseur and dedicated blogger with a deep passion for all things wine-related. With years of expertise in the industry, Chris shares insightful wine reviews, valuable wine tasting tips, expert pairing advice, and captivating tales of vineyard visits. Join Chris on a journey through the world of wine, where every sip is an adventure waiting to be savored!