Steve Messinger

9.5

Out of magnum. Mushrooms lavender aromas. Great depth w wonderful balance. What a wonderful wine — 2 months ago

Tom Garland

9.4

Seavey spring release party. Barbecue and the following wines:
2020 Seavey merlot
2020 Caravina cabernet
2019 Seavey estate cabernet
1999 Seavey estate cabernet

Had to buy a magnum of the 1999 Seavey estate cab to drink tonight....such an inspired wine and in its prime (see previous notes). — 4 months ago

with Brenda

Jay Kline

9.1

Popped and poured, no formal notes. This bottle has been stored in my cellar since release. I have always appreciated the restrained expression of Clos du Val however, this was enjoyed after the 2005 “Caravina” and there is a very clear difference in class between the two. The Seavey had a level of energy, sophistication and polish that the CdV just couldn’t match, even though it was 8 years younger. However, there was a subtle charm to it and if enjoyed on its own, would have made more of an impression. The profile was dark, with loads of earth. Structure was firm but in balance with the fruit. Finish was medium. Built for another decade but probably won’t improve.
— a year ago

Eric

9.3

Not as much character as the Seavey which I attribute in part to the vintage. Dense but soft. Good stuff. — 3 years ago

Shay A

9.2

Two bottles I opened this evening. I’ve written about the ‘99 Seavey before (thankfully I have 1-2 left!)

My last of three bottles of Tercero Grenache Blanc. Fun wine if you are willing to sit with it and analyze. Very much a thinking style wine, not your typical Grenache Blanc.

Right off the bat (under screw cap) is a whiff of TDN (petrol). Normally that takes me to Alsace or Germany, but the weight here is undeniable Cali with its tropical kiss. In my opinion, Grenache Blanc normally is a bit subdued aromatically with a distinct pistachio/almond note at the finish. This is a viscous and commanding style (salted pineapple) without being flabbby before it channels that pistachio/almond vibe towards the end. Kind of a bigger version of Paso clariette Blanche. Fun to analyze. Drink up. — 3 months ago

Jay Eagan

9.8

Always love this wine blue fruit with a little smoky hint — 9 months ago

with Kristine

Ira Schwartz

9.5

A lesson in one’s wine evolution. Pahlmeyer was one of the first mailing lists I joined . This was the first case purchase of my life. Told to wait 2-3 years before drinking, I did exactly
that. I opened a few bottles over the years and really disliked it. Probably around 2005 a friend asked if I had some wine to donate to charity. Of course I said here is 5 bottles of Pahlmeyer merlot.
That left 3 bottles that I stashed in storage . Fast forward to 2010 and I opened a bottle for a friend who owned a wine store . The two of us looked at each other like deer in the headlights, we were dumbfounded by how good this was. I drank my remaining bottles and have not had this wine since 2016. Thanks to a generous friend who recently said go to the cellar and you pick out wine for dinner. For my palate along with ‘91 Dominus, ‘91 Seavey ‘91 Togni and ‘95 Insignia the best California wines from the ‘90’s. By the way the lack of tasting experience also had me pooh poo ‘91 Dominus.
On the nose a little bit of funk that quickly blew off. Red fruit and plums on the nose give way to a palate of complex and long lasting fruit surrounded by earth and tannins. The wine’s structure leads me to believe that well stored bottles can bring pleasure over the years to come. I would love to taste this out of magnum. — 3 years ago

Cameron Parry

9.4

Gorgeous. Luscious fruit, structure still intact, tannins have mellowed but plenty of grip remains. Acid balance is on point. Long rich finish. Could easily go another 5+ — 4 months ago

Cameron Parry

9.2

Nice sweet ripe fruits (appropriate for the vintage) still going strong. Good balance, though the tannins have really dropped off. Good timing at 15 yrs. - could go a bit longer but not too much before the structure will start to suffer. — 5 months ago

Tom Garland

9.3

1.5 hour decant (decent chunky/fine sediment). An elegant dark garnet with bricking. On the nose: beautiful notes of cherry, floral, ripe plum, sweet tobacco, funky earth, touch of menthol, cedar. Taste: smooth, silky, well structured coats my mouth wine with dark plum, chocolate espresso, loamy earth, cedar, and a spiced caramel long finish. YUM! Aged Seavey cab makes for a wonderful Saturday night. — 9 months ago

with Brenda