“It tastes as though it costs three times the price. Hats off to winemaker Maayan Koschitzky for over-delivering on all these wines from Royal Prince.” – Jeb Dunnuck
2018 Royal Princess Chardonnay – $30
The 2018 Chardonnay comes all from the Sonoma Coast and was brought up in a mix of French oak (30% new) and stainless steel. Rocking notes of buttered peach, honeysuckle, white flowers, and a kiss of toasted almonds give way to a medium to full-bodied Chardonnay offering beautiful fruit, a solid spine of acidity, and a great finish. It shows more salinity and citrus fruits with time in the glass and has classic Sonoma Coast style. It could be twice the cost and still be a good value. Drink this beauty over the coming 2-3 years. 94 pts.
2018 Royal Prince Cabernet Sauvignon – $45
The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon comes all from Napa Valley and is 100% Cabernet aged 20 months in 60% new French oak. It tastes as though it costs three times the price and has a rocking nose of blackcurrants, chocolate, tobacco leaf, and cedar pencil, with a touch of rocky minerality and graphite showing with time in the glass. Not your simple, value-priced fruit bomb, it has considerable depth of fruit, building tannins, and a great finish. It can be drunk any time over the coming 15+ years. Hats off to winemaker Maayan Koschitzky for over-delivering on all these wines from Royal Prince. 93 pts
2017 Royal Prince Pinot Noir – $35
The 2017 Pinot Noir comes mostly from the Sta. Rita Hills and Santa Maria Valley and was aged 16 months in 60% new French oak. It has a beautiful nose of smoky cherry and raspberry fruits as well as notes of forest floor, salted meats, and dried flowers. Beautifully done on the palate, with a medium-bodied, elegant texture, soft tannins, and a great finish, it certainly over-delivers at the price and is an undeniably delicious, impossible to resist Pinot Noir to enjoy over the coming 3-5 years. 91 pts.
