"Odedi"

9.1

Pretty color of ruby with a wide reddish rim.

Fruity nose of red and blue fruits with light wood, herbs, light vegetables, spices and chocolates.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with black currants, blueberries, plums, cherries, earth, peppercorn, dark chocolates, herbs and light vegetables.

This 6 year old Single Vineyard Pinot Noir from Russian River Valley is drinking very nicely now. Fruit forward, rich and nicely balanced. Complex and entertaining. Elegant and tangy.

Good right out of the bottle, and gets earthier as it opens up.

Peaking now, and will continue to drink nicely in the next few years.

I had this vintage 3 years ago, and decided to let it age a bit longer, and it is drinking so much better now.

Easy drinking and good by itself or with food.

100% Pinot Noir grapes were aged for 10 months in (35% new) French Oak barrels. Unfiltered and unfined.

13.7% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$50. — 8 months ago

David Walser

9.1

At Wood Ranch Restaurant…50% off wines so we got this for $22.50 instead of paying $10 for corkage. Pleasant enough wine to go with the BBQ brisket. — 4 years ago

Al Shikoh

9.0

medium ruby; raspberry, baking spices, vanilla, hints of caramel; plush, dark fruit, finish is a bit hot and of medium length; medium body, medium acidity, light fine grained tannin, 14.3% ABV; made from 100% Pinot Noir from the Rancho Santa Rosa Estate Vineyard, gently destemmed, not pressed, all free run juice, aged 18 months in 50% new French oak; $55 — 7 years ago

Joanne Gallagher

9.0

This was good. Nice and dry the way I like my reds. Restaurant price was $50, not outrageous. — 7 years ago

Ryan Vento

9.4

Another dinner at Del Frisco’s Grille to take advantage of their “closing permanently” discount of 50% off all alcohol, only this time we had friends 🤙🏻

This wine just presented gorgeously - it was everything I wanted it to be. Finely tuned, complex, and beautifully structured. — 8 years ago

with Taryne and Krystal

Clifton Jackson

9.5

One of the best California Chards that I’ve tasted. Opens with a subtle minerality that softens to a rich fruit fullness of lemongrass and cardamom that is perfectly accented by the mild French oak, maybe up to 50% new. This is a wine that seems to truly express its terroir ... I need to get more of this!!! — 8 years ago

Al Shikoh

8.9

Dark ruby violet. Blackberry, graphite, and a slight herbal note on the nose. Dense and concentrated red and black fruits on the palate with prominent, chunky tannins and long, gravelly finish. Blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot fermented with native yeasts then aged 19 months in 50% new French oak. Made by Diana Snowden wife of Jeremy Seysses of Domaine Dujac in Burgundy. Would undoubtedly benefit from more time in the bottle. 14.5% ABV. $50. — 8 years ago

with Kelly

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

Founded in 1988 by Dave Miner, along with his wife Emily and his parents, Ed and Norma. Aged for 15 months on French oak (60% new), from a 50-acre vineyard planted in 1995 by Gary Franscioni and Gary Pisoni along the terraces of the Santa Lucia mountains. Aromas of fresh dark berry fruit and wonderful baking spice. On the palate flavors of blackberry, cranberry and cola with toasty notes, well balanced. Fine tannins on lingering finish ending with a burst of fruit. Very nice. — 8 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.6

A great Cabernet Sauvignon, aged 18 months in French oak, about 50% new, deep Ruby with aromas of berry fruits, cigar box, lavender and spicy scents. On the palate flavors of black cherry, plum and currants with cacao, floral and minty notes. Fine dusty tannins, long finish ending with fruit, leather, tobacco, espresso and earthy character on a long finish. Very Nice. Will age. — 2 years ago

Austin Hohnke

8.9

Relatively new wine to the Ridge lineup, and a 50/50 blend of Carignan and Zinfandel. Ample freshness here with the Carignan providing some brighter fruit and restraint to the Zin. Clocks in at 13% abv. Oak is a bit pushy for my taste. Nice wine and a good turkey pairing. The 2016 is ready to drink. — 4 years ago

Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.4

The 2011 ‘Gran Reserva’ Rioja by Marques de Caceres is up there with the best Gran Reservas I have sampled from this storied winery. This beautiful wine was sourced from 35-50 year old vineyards with some sections in the Rioja Alta region being 65-85 years old. The grapes for this wine were cropped at a mere 2.4 tons/acre, as the wine is largely sourced from higher elevation sites that are set on limestone and clay. The wine was then aged for 24 months in French oak and then aged for four years in the bottle prior to bottling as the final blending is largely Tempranillo (85%) with smaller parts Graciano and Garnacha. Needing more than an hour in the decanter to fully unwind, the wine slowly unveils black tea and black cherry cordial aromas that mingle with shades of sagebrush and leather, with citrus rind undertones that are all marvelously brought together in the glass. The palate is deep and seductive, showing a wonderful texture and tension that runs through the wine. Exotic spices and chocolate shavings mingle with suggestions of hoisin sauce, peat moss, wild blackberry cobbler and cran-orange flavors. Complex and highly gratifying at the eight year mark, this exotic ‘Gran Reserva’ will cellar well for decades — but is very hard to resist in its youth. Drink 2019-2040- 94 — 7 years ago

Josh

8.9

Nice sweet red with a quick dry finish. Notes of black cherry. — 7 years ago

Isaac Pirolo

9.4

I found a house in St Helena last week and will be moving there at the end of May. I thought I should get acquainted with the neighbors. What better way than a face off?
.
Neyers Vineyards 2011 Neyers Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon vs Salvestrin Winery 2013 Salvestrin Estate Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon.
.
Neyers Ranch is situated in the hills of Conn Valley just east of St Helena, with elevations ranging from 400’ to 1200’ on a south-facing, 50-acre parcel bisected by Conn Creek. Since 1998 Neyers has sustainably farmed this vineyard. Winemaker Tadeo Borchardt started in 2004 as assistant to then winemaker Ehren Jordan.
.
This Neyers was highlighted as one of the best of Napa’s 2011s in Jon Bonné’s piece for the SF Chronicle “Lessons from Napa in the trickiest of years” saying it “finds that great Cabernet balance of sleekness and dense flavor” with “pitch-perfect expression” and an “oregano-like herbal side frames its meaty structure and subtle blackcurrant fruit.”
.
Since 1932, three generations of Salvestrins have sustainable farmed their vineyard which was originally planted in 1860 by Dr. George Crane. It’s situated immediately south of St Helena High School and along Main St (Hwy 29), surrounding the family winery. Rich Salvestrin farms the vineyard and makes the wine, and his wife Shannon handles the sales and marketing, while they both raise the 4th generation on their farm.
.
Robert Parker gushed over the 2013, as “lusty, savory, hedonistic, rich and mouth-filling, with a dense purple color and not a hard edge in sight.” His praise did not stop there, saying that this “blockbuster fruit bomb has complexity, richness and a savory intensity that has to be tasted to be believed.”
.
The vintages were so different that it’s difficult to weigh them against each other. Bonné is definitely on point calling the Neyers one of the best examples of 2011 Napa Cabernet. Savory, with rich aromatics of Mexican cocoa powder and mole sauce, reminiscent of Corison’s 2011. To Parker’s credit, the Salvestrin is definitely a blockbuster and a hedonistic fruit bomb, but the savoriness, complexity, and length tone down its showiness, and add a level of decorum that sets it apart. — 8 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

Had this in a recent blind tasting. Aged for 12 months, very pleasant light berry fruit aromas with slight undertones of earthiness. On the palate cherry and currants with subtle spice. I would consider this one of the lighter bodied CA Pinot’s I have tasted. Soft tannins lingering ending with a mineral tang. Nice, from their 1500 acre Grace Benoit Ranch in Carneros. Consistent quality from recent tastings. — 8 years ago

Tom Garland

9.3

Hudson ranch & vineyard wine tasting

2013 estate syrah
2014 old master (60%cab franc & merlot)
2016 Phoenix (60% merlot, and cab franc)
2011 estate chardonnay
2016 little bit chardonnay
2021 estate cabernet (1st release)
2021 estate grenache

Fun tasting and tour around this classic 2,000 acre Carneros property(200 acres in vines). Grapes sold to more than 25 different wineries like Aubert, Kongsgaard, Kistler, Ramey,etc. — 2 years ago

with Brenda

Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

2005 Marc & Alex Bachelet formed their domaine with aid of their Uncle Monnot & father, first release of the domaine’s Puligny wines garnered immediate recognition, locally & internationally, a rare feat in the wine world. Sourced from 11 acre vineyard, with an average age of 50 years. Aged for 12 months in French oak, has aromatic red fruit with earthy notes. On the palate cherry and strawberry with currant notes, fine smooth tannins, long finish ending with an earthy mineral character. Nice! — 6 years ago

Matt Sterr

9.4

24 mos French Oak, 50% new. Dark and brooding black fruits and cassis interlaced with silky but noticeable tannins. Mouthwatering. — 7 years ago

with P

Kapyrick Wine

9.2

V11. 50/50 Petit Verdot and Merlot blend. Clove and cedar nose. Explosive plum, black berry and black cherry fruit. Long, tight, black pepper, mocha and leather finish. Very nice. — 8 years ago

Isaac Pirolo

9.3

I found a house in St Helena last week and will be moving there at the end of May. I thought I should get acquainted with the neighbors. What better way than a face off?
.
Neyers Vineyards 2011 Neyers Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon vs Salvestrin Winery 2013 Salvestrin Estate Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon.
.
Neyers Ranch is situated in the hills of Conn Valley just east of St Helena, with elevations ranging from 400’ to 1200’ on a south-facing, 50-acre parcel bisected by Conn Creek. Since 1998 Neyers has sustainably farmed this vineyard. Winemaker Tadeo Borchardt started in 2004 as assistant to then winemaker Ehren Jordan.
.
This Neyers was highlighted as one of the best of Napa’s 2011s in Jon Bonné’s piece for the SF Chronicle “Lessons from Napa in the trickiest of years” saying it “finds that great Cabernet balance of sleekness and dense flavor” with “pitch-perfect expression” and an “oregano-like herbal side frames its meaty structure and subtle blackcurrant fruit.”
.
Since 1932, three generations of Salvestrins have sustainable farmed their vineyard which was originally planted in 1860 by Dr. George Crane. It’s situated immediately south of St Helena High School and along Main St (Hwy 29), surrounding the family winery. Rich Salvestrin farms the vineyard and makes the wine, and his wife Shannon handles the sales and marketing, while they both raise the 4th generation on their farm.
.
Robert Parker gushed over the 2013, as “lusty, savory, hedonistic, rich and mouth-filling, with a dense purple color and not a hard edge in sight.” His praise did not stop there, saying that this “blockbuster fruit bomb has complexity, richness and a savory intensity that has to be tasted to be believed.”
.
The vintages were so different that it’s difficult to weigh them against each other. Bonné is definitely on point calling the Neyers one of the best examples of 2011 Napa Cabernet. Savory, with rich aromatics of Mexican cocoa powder and mole sauce, reminiscent of Corison’s 2011. To Parker’s credit, the Salvestrin is definitely a blockbuster and a hedonistic fruit bomb, but the savoriness, complexity, and length tone down its showiness, and add a level of decorum that sets it apart. — 8 years ago

David Walser

9.1

50/50 blend of Zinfandel/petite sirah. Had with beef stroganoff. Always a good choice. — 8 years ago