Sipping Fine Wine

9.4

A blend from several vineyards, including Middle Reach, Green Valley, Santa Rosa Plain, and the Laguna Ridge area. Bright Ruby color, purple edges, with aromas of ripe fruits, floral and complex spice. On the palate concentrated flavors of raspberry, cherry and currants with pepper, tea, herbs, vanilla and oak, aged on French oak, soft tannins on well balanced structure. Full body, rich long finish, ending with spice, ripe fruit and oaky tones. Very Nice! — 4 months ago

John Bratincevic

8.9

NOSE: lemon curd, chalk, straw, white toast with a little butter. Old apple?

TASTE: white grape, toast, nice acidity, mild aged cheese nuttiness - like a young manchego. It’s pretty good, but the white grape taste puts me off. Even for this “super high value” champagne ($25 in my area), I prefer cheaper cremants. 89. — a year ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

Gavi comes from small growing area in northwestern Italy located north of Genoa on steep slopes of Ligurian Apennines. White label is La Scolca’s everyday wine, an alternative to their “Black Label”. From Cortese di Gavi grape (younger vines), pale yellow with delicate aromas of stone & citrus fruits. Palate, with extended lees aging shows rich apple & lemon flavors, nutty notes, good mouthfeel. Crisper than ‘17, medium finish, vivid acidity ending with a mineral character. Nice! — 3 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.3

A Santa Barbara area Pinot. Deep Ruby color with aromas of red fruits, forest floor and spice, spent about 15 months in French oak (50% new). On the palate flavors of cherry and raspberry with cedar notes, cinnamon spice and earthy herbs. Full-bodied, fine tannins, long finish ending with fruit, oak and an earthy character. Nice! Drinking well now! — 10 months ago

Brandon Boesch

9.3

Really nice. Definitely Sonoma coast with a bit of Russian river influence. Strawberries, baking spices galore, decomposing redwood forest, some cherry and maybe a bit of plum. It’s great but similar to a lot of other Pinots from that area. — 2 years ago

David Walser

9.0

Visiting Fredericksburg TX for a few days. This is TX hill country and has a big winery community. Never tried any TX wines before but found a few surprises here. We tasted at Becker earlier today but not this wine. $30 on the restaurant wine list. Becker wasn’t our favorite stop but it is the only local winery represented on their list. Overall local wines seemed overpriced compared to CA wines. Just realized we had an older vintage (2018) on our last trip from Houston to Anaheim. It’s interesting that most of the grapes used in the local wines come from Lubbock (panhandle) area. Don’t know where these grapes came from, or what varietals are present. — 3 years ago

Mark S.

9.1

16 years. 5 hours decanting today. Complexity. Matured. Black currant, tobacco. Acidity is a bit high in this area. 2007 @4811, F wine. , 231106-231215 — a year ago

Joe Fischer

8.9

Great everyday drinker! A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, and Merlot. Aromas of Cranberry, Cherry, and Plum. On the bud, leather, cedar, and stewed fruit. It has a nice finish. If you’re in the Boise area, be sure to visit the friendly team at Hat Ranch. — a year ago

Martinez

9.0

Good Pomerol from one of the appellation’s largest estates, with around 12 hectares on the southern part of the Pomerol plateau, in an area known for its iron-rich clay subsoils. Known locally as “crasse de fer” or iron dirt, this type of subsoils have a high content of iron-oxide, which gives Pomerol wines their characteristic aromatic richness. It was also the inspiration for the estate’s name (“taille fer” translates to “carve the iron”). 81% Merlot and 19% Cabernet Franc, aged for 12 months in oak barrel (40% new). Aromas of dark fruit, plums, chocolate and earthy notes. Full-bodied, rich and concentrated. Noticeable tannins. — 2 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.3

See previous notes. They still apply. All the hallmarks of modern Australian Chardonnay. Nutty leesy aromas with rock melon notes - from the cool climate district near the city of Orange. A light to medium weight palate. Proving that the Orange/Tumbaramba district is a great area for cool climate Chardonnay with Penfolds sourcing fruit from here for their top Chardonnays like Yattarna. Also Phillip Shaw (former winemaker for Rosemount when they were famous) has set up a winery here under his own name. — 4 years ago