David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

This is 93-94 this young. I was a little surprised they slotted this last in the tasting. I would have led with it. However, it didn’t end up being our last wine. Leslie was kind enough to open another.

Both plums, blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, mix of dark berry cola, nice, soft baking spices-nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, vanillin, grainy limestone, wet clay, dark, rich, forest floor, some dry herbs, excellent fresh & withering florals that are a combination of; dark, red, some blue and violets, nice round acidity, a smooth, elegant finish that softly structured, balanced and wire to wire smooth and elegant with a full minute finish.

Photos of; a pano of their stunning view of Pritchard Hill, Their dual sided wall of fame of bottles the staff at the estate have enjoyed and their tasting room table. They did an excellent job curating it. — 3 months ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

Great 05 fruit with classic Bordeaux profile.

Starts with the bright, ripe fruits that 05 gave. Blackberries, black raspberries, very, dark cherries, black plum, raspberries, plum, perfect graphite for days, cedar, fresh & slightly dry tobacco, forest floor with dry leaves, perfect, dark spices, dry crushed limestone, dry river stone, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanillin, salted caramel, dry, dark chocolate bar, steep tea with fruit, anise to black licorice, haunting herbaceous notes, saline notes, dry to moist clay, bright, mid to dark florals framed in violets, excellent acidity with amazing tension, beautifully balanced & structured, polished, wire to wire finish that lasts close to two-minutes. So round on the palate. Great with the El Salciciero ribeyes.

Corn picked today from my organic garden. Ten to fifteen plus year left. — 9 months ago

Joe Fischer

9.0

Decided to try this one that has been on the shelf awhile for NYE. Quite nice with a very yeasty, flint, and smoke aroma. Nice Fizz. Yellow-green in color. The cork is a bit unusual as it is held on with a rope as opposed to a wire cage. Smooth with a slight salinity and nice finish. — 2 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

This one is a 93+ at this stage with room for improvements with some more age.

The Farella showed a more savory character than the rest. It’s body thicker than the others. Ruby; blackberries, black plum, black raspberries & raspberries. Herbaceous notes, soft minerality-rock powder, limestone, volcanics and just drying top soil, dry tobacco, sandalwood, perfectly executed baking spices, dark spice, vanillin, withering dark, red, blue and violets, nice round acidity, nice tension, structure, well knitted & balanced structure with an excellent full minute finish.

Pano photo of Pritchard Hill from the estate (what a stunning view), barrel room, the estates wine collection; which given the excellent producers in it (bottles of Petrus just one of very expensive producers), I’d be a little earthquake nervous & lay some thin wire over the bottles to hold them in place and their tank room. — 3 months ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

The Hendricks Pinot from the Doctors Vineyard in Santa Lucia. 11 barrels made. 22 months in French oak. I don’t know what everyone is used to but a Pinot 22 months in French oak is far more rare than common. This is my first look from the four bottles I’ve stored. Roughly eight years is the timing for first look.

This may be the best CA Pinot I have consistently yr over yr. The fruit is ripe, dry-ish, slightly tart; blackberries, dark cherries, black plum, black raspberries, plum, notes of blueberries, raspberries, dry cranberries & strawberries. Beautiful mid spices, nutmeg, cinnamon-cinnamon stick, vanillin, mid to dark berry cola, dry brush, dry clay, loamy, limestone volcanics, dark, dry soil, dark chocolate baking bar, crushed dry rocks, notes of not quite eucalyptus, tree bark w/ sap, fresh & slightly withering, dark, red, blue florals framed in subtle violets, near perfect acidity with a nicely structured, well balanced, velvety/silky, consistent wire to wire finish that lasts a minute and half. Simply amazing palate.

Good first look but better things ahead for my next bottle(s). Another 15 plus years of half drinking ahead.

Happy Labor Day weekend. — 8 months ago

Erica Wheeler

9.0

Spicy, easy to drink red. — a year ago

romo

9.3

Impressive balance and restraint for Spain. Herbal fruity high-wire. — 3 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Another excellent purchase from the Benchmark Bin Sale. I love these 15-20 year Heitz Napa Cabernets…97 the rule, not the exception. It had perfect storage and is at its peak and will hold for another 1-2 years and diminish over the following 3-5 years.

The nose is floral dark cherry kirsch. Both plums, blackberries, black raspberries, pomegranate, strawberry liqueur notes, steeped tea, red & dark cola/licorice, dark rich earth, sharp, dry herbs, black pepper, dry twig with dark & red fresh & slightly withering florals.

The palate is ripe fruits well balanced with earth. Perfect evolution & integration. Soft, elegant w/ nothing bitty. Dark currents with ripe, leaner, juicy, slightly liqueured; blackberries, black raspberries, late spring dark cherries, both plums, orange rune, raspberries & poached strawberries. Heavy Asian & Indian, dark spices, black licorice/cola, pure anise, steeped, black tea, touch of black olive, nutmeg, cinnamon stick, vanilla, dry tobacco, dry Provence herbs, barrel shavings, dry pipe tobacco/ash, some lead pencil, leathery, moist, grey, volcanic clay, crumbled limestone, dry crushed rocks, dry river stone, dry brush, grilled meats-Châteauneuf-du-Pape characteristics w/ ragging, withering florals that are dark, red, purple, rainfall acidity with excellent; structure, tension, balance, polished finish that does not end. Wire to wire consistency. Lucky to enjoy a well stored bottle of 97 with this age. — 6 months ago

Shay A

9.3

@Delectable Wine : This is the Under the Wire Hirsch Vineyard Blanc de Noir, not a rosé.

I bought this as it was advertised as a rosé, but it’s just a Blanc de noir. Thankfully, it was a tasty mistake.

Killer fruit in the hands of MTP makes for a delicious bubbly. Opened alongside a 2019 Carboniste BdN as a comparison of Cali bubbles, they were on opposite sides of the spectrum. This UTW Hirsch was more big-house in profile whereas the Carboniste had a grower vibe. Pours almost orange in the glass. Fairly yeasty. Honeyed and orange marmalade. There is a perception of semi-high dosage here, but I’m thinking it’s due to how ripe the fruit is. Extremely creamy and layered. I’d be curious to know how these are at release, but this seems to be aging beautifully. Pop for freshness, but it’s not falling off a cliff any time soon. — a year ago

Mike R

9.4

Highly recommend - great Cali Syrah — 2 years ago