Gene Buonviri

9.4

Calafia Cellars is owned by Randle Johnson. Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. Located in NAPA Valley the production of Calafia 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon was 175 cases. This blend is layered and balanced. Aromas of black fruit with a mix of flavors from nutmeg, cinnamon and five spice. This wine has an elegant texture. Excellent pairing with Grass-fed California Rib-eye and a great wine pairing with wild caught Pacific Salmon. — 2 years ago

CaptainVino!

9.0

At Born and Raised for Birthday! — 5 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

Born in music and raised in wine. Following the sale of his family’s iconic winery, BR Cohn, in 2015, Dan Cohn set out on his own, and first release was a Cab, "Bellacosa". Aromas of dark berry and sweet herb notes. On the palate flavors of blackberry and plum with cacao, herbs, vanilla spice and cedar. Rustic fine tannins, medium length with a spicy finish. Great value. — 6 years ago

Roberto Lartigue

8.9

SF Born and raised — 6 years ago

Al Shikoh

9.2

Translucent ruby in the glass, it offers strawberry, raspberry, rose petals, and sage on the nose. Intense, sweet fruit flavors of black cherry, raspberry, and red licorice lead to a spicy, cinnamon finish of impressive length. Medium bodied with fine grained tannins and 14.7% alcohol. Made from 100% Grenache with 50% stem inclusion sourced from Upland Vineyard in the Snipes Mountain AVA then aged 22 months in neutral 500L puncheons. Winemaker and owner Andrew Latta, born and raised in Kentucky, has crafted a Wine Enthusiast top 100 wine of 2012. $40. — 6 years ago

with Kelly

Doug Cranmer

9.5

A Santa Barbara County Proprietary Red Wine. Unfiltered and unfined. Entirely constructed of Estrella-clone Syrah from two ends of the Santa Rita Hills and a sprinkling of Viognier. Native-yeast fermented with 40% whole cluster inclusion and raised in large neutral barrels for 26-months. Matthias’ expression of great Syrah from a great Syrah growing region, cool coastal vineyards north of Santa Barbara. Recommended to a little above cellar temperature.

NOSE
Young boysenberries. Steeping Darjeeling tea. A hint of barbecue smoke drifts by.

COLOR/MOUTHFEEL
The color of a deep burgundy Chrysler Cordoba. Big, velvety mouthfeel, but not Corinthian leather.

TASTE/FINISH
Taste: Black cherries, just before 100% ripe. A touch of blueberry pie, but savory, not sweet. Finish: A finish of black pepper with a touch of cocoa nib at the last few touches of finish. Juicy, bustling tannins right to the point where you think they’re a touch too bold, but then the finish reaches over and says “I believe you were mistaken”.

MUSIC
Jazz trumpeter Jeremy Pelt with the track “I’ve Just Seen Her” on his album “The Art of Intimacy”. The Jazz Crusaders with the track “Young Rabbits” from their “Festival Album”, 1966, recorded live at the Newport and Pacific Jazz Festivals. — 4 years ago

Mick Farrell

9.2

Viva St Emilion at Born and Raised with my mother and step-dad! — 6 years ago

with Stacey, Reuben and 18 others

Sipping Fine Wine

8.9

Gerard Bertrand was born and raised in the South of France, making wine with his father, Georges, since the age of 10. Went to a private Rosé tasting and this was one of the better ones. Deep pink with fruit, floral and citrus aromas. Palate shows peachy notes with citrus tones, fresh and crisp. A tad drying on the finish ending with fruit character. Nicely balanced. Tasting Sample. — 6 years ago

Christopher Bezzone

9.1

This bottle is from the region my mother was born, educated and raised. 2017 was a great year. Highly recommend with a fish, light pasta or any chicken dish — 4 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.6

There are few simple life pleasures that are as good as my Ribeye and a well cellared, very good vintage of Pichon Lalande.

One of my favorite New Years Eve traditions is to have an old Pichon Lalande and my Ribeye. This one was close to Heaven.

I come from a mother who raised seven kids on her own as my father passed away five months before I was born. An amazing feat on her part. I say this only to say, if you didn’t eat at rapid pace, you didn’t get your fair share. So, I learned to eat quickly as we all did.

However, this steak and a Pichon Lalande takes over an hour and has lasted two hours on several occasions. One small bite of steak and a small sip of the right Pichon Lalande and my eyes roll as my head dips in complete appreciation and study. This 86 was no exception! Pichon Lalande is simply my favorite steak wine.

The nose on the front end reveals some barnyard but, dissipates as it opens in the glass. Saddle-wood & cedar, forest floor & dark cassis. Ripe & slightly baked; blackberries, dark cherries, mixed dark berry liqueur notes, blueberries, black raspberries, black plum, plum, cherry notes on the glass edges and high nose. Black licorice, limestone minerals, dry stones, dry brush, steeped tea, light herbaceous notes, burnt caramel, vanillin, dark spice with bright red & blue flowers and dark withering florals.

The body is medium full and flat out gorgeous as it tantalites the palate. It’s a slow sipper. The tannins are slightly tarry & well resolved with years ahead. The structure, tension, length and balance have hit full harmony. Dark cassis, ripe & slightly baked; blackberries, dark cherries, mixed dark berry liqueur notes, blueberries, black raspberries, black plum, raspberries, plum and cherry notes on the glass edges and high nose. Black licorice, sweet tarry notes, limestone minerals, dry stones, dry brush, saddle-wood & cedar, forest floor, dark expresso roast, pipe tobacco, soft leather, dry crush rocks, steeped tea, light herbaceous notes, burnt caramel, vanillin, dark spice with bright red & blue flowers and dark withering florals. The acidity is like a waterfall over the palate. The long finish can only be described as ripe, ruby, well balanced Heaven and it is persistent for minutes. Puts on weight with an hour & half plus in the decanter. Tannins also...round, slightly gritty and dusty.

Happy New Year! 🥂🍾🎉🎊🎀🎈

Photos of, Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, painting of Virginie, Countess of Lalande and their barrel room. — 5 years ago