Isaac Pirolo

9.4

Gaja did not produce their Rennina or Sugarille in 2012 due to a change in their oak program, so all of that fruit went into their Pieve Santa Restituta.
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A minimum of an hour open is needed to give it the room necessary to stretch out and reveal the depth of its complexity. Black cherry, rose petal, tobacco, leather, clay pot, walnut, citrus peel, and earth, with some secondary truffle and fig nuances that both elevate the wine and remind you that you’re drinking Gaja. Excellent. — 2 days ago

Isaac Pirolo

9.1

Completely agree with @Antonio Galloni ‘s assessment... “One of my favorite, go-to affordable Bordeaux. Delicious.” This Cru Bourgeois is 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, 21% Petit Verdot. Considering I spent the morning at Lokoya and the afternoon at Diamond Creek two things are true... one, it’s always worth some time to seek out values... and two, this is one of those values to seek out... (hint... it’s available at Enoteca in Calistoga).

Black licorice, black cherry, cedar, and underbrush. The medium body seems to elevate the flavors just enough to make this distinctive. — 9 days ago

Isaac Pirolo

9.1

Isaac had this 11 days ago

with April, Jeff and 2 others

Isaac Pirolo

9.5

When the boss hands you a bottle of one of your favorite wines just because it’s Friday afternoon... you try to rib him, but in the end it’s just... 🙏👏👊💯🍷

The 2012 O’Shaughnessy Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is 79% of the named varietal with a mix of 6% Malbec, 4% Merlot, 4% St Macaire, 3% Petit Verdot, 2% Cab Franc, and 2% Carmenere.

Impressively virile aromatics of blackberry, cassis, 72% cacao, dark roast coffee, and a blend of masculine spice, including clove, cinnamon, and nutmeg. The palate features notable concentration set against a soft cushion of savory herbs and minerality that helps frame the decadent fruit through its lengthy finish. Excellent mountain fruit that’s still an extraordinary value in terms of Napa pricing. 95+ — 14 days ago

Isaac Pirolo

9.3

Isaac had this 3 days ago

with April, Jeff and 1 other

Isaac Pirolo

9.2

Isaac had this 7 days ago

with April, Jeff and 1 other

Isaac Pirolo

9.7

When I last opened a bottle of Rivers-Marie’s 2014 Panek Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, which was a couple months back, I called it a “spectacular Saturday night wine” and “deserved of the spotlight and worthy of much anticipation.” I still believe that to be true, which makes opening it spontaneously on a Monday night all the better. And now that I think about it, that’s not a bad philosophy to live by: Life is better when you open Saturday night wine on Monday night. — 11 days ago

Isaac Pirolo

9.4

Spottswoode’s 2017 Sauvignon Blanc is sourced from both Napa (36%) and Sonoma (64%) and was released this week. Three different methods of fermentation are employed with most occurring in either French oak or stainless steel barrels but a small amount apportioned to concrete eggs.

Noticeably perfumed and almost opulent in its intensity with layers of potent orange blossom, salted lime, ripe nectarine, and tangerine peel, with a distinctive mint oil that dances on the periphery. The vibrancy is dialed way up, but the lines are clean and the edges are smooth, ultimately yielding an extraordinary Sauvignon Blanc. — 13 days ago

Isaac Pirolo

9.4

Bart and Daphne Araujo sold their eponymous Estate and its jewel, the Eisele Vineyard, to François Pinault of Château Latour five years ago. The offer from Pinault “came out of the blue,” according to Bart, but it was one the Araujos couldn’t refuse. Not being ready to retire, work started immediately on their next project, Accendo.
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The focus at Accendo (pronounced “akkendo” and meaning: to kindle, illuminate, inflame, arouse) is almost clichéd if not on trend for a new Napa project - restraint and reverence to the wines of the 1960s and 70s. Sourced from vineyards in St. Helena and Oakville, they produce Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc. The team includes Françoise Peschon, Michel Rolland, and Steve Matthiasson, as well as the Araujo’s children Jaime and Greg.
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Extraordinarily mineral driven. My first thought was this is what Napa SB would taste like if it was made by Weingut Keller, mouthwatering, layered minerality with lime and citrus blossom accents. Yasss! — 4 days ago

Isaac Pirolo

Two years ago today, I tasted my first wine from Theorem, the 2013 Voir Dire. A year later, I tasted my second bottle, the 2014 Voir Dire. I thought at the time that it would be a cool birthday tradition to start. To say that this tradition has escalated quickly would be an understatement. This year I am actually part of Theorem...

What better way to keep the tradition going than to taste our new wine, Hawk’s Prey? The 2016 Theorem Vineyards Hawk’s Prey is sourced from the young vines on our estate on Diamond Mountain. The wine just pops. So much verve and tension combines with lush black raspberry, crème de cassis, baking spice and a rich, dark chocolate, but with that cannot-put-my-glass-down savoriness that just kills.

Now there are two of them... — 10 days ago