Our Take: The 2023 Fine Disregard Oakley Road Mataro is a rich, savory and herbaceous wine, with dark berries, plum, violet, and hints of dried herbs, leather, and spice. There’s plenty of depth and texture, balanced by great acidity that keeps everything fresh and lively. The tannins have a nice grip, but the wine settles into a soft but long finish. This is the perfect Fall wine—earthy, comforting, and full of character.

94 points Vinous Media
Drinking window: 2026 - 2035
The 2023 Mataro Oakley Road is redolent of dried herbs, tobacco, cedar, olive, mocha and crushed leaves. This is an especially savory, earthy style, and yet there is plenty of fruit in the background. The 2023 is a very special wine, one that perhaps demands a bit more attention from the taster than some of the other reds because of its nuance and relatively shy personality.

There are a ton of highlights in these new releases from Mike Schieffer and Kara Maraden. The 2023 reds in particular show just how special this vintage is in the right spots, for example, Lodi and Contra Costa, where typically warm microclimates fared especially well in a cool vintage. Carignane, Grenache, Mataro and Syrah all shine in this range. I was also intrigued by the Chenin Blanc from Chalone, one of the truly great vineyards in the United States, and the Sémillon from Bedrock Vineyard. Readers will find wines that are all about capturing the essence of variety, site and vintage. - Galloni January 2025