Tim Bausack

9.3

Paid $27 | Date: 2026-05-23 | From: Merchant’s GB | ABV: 14.5%

App: pale ruby, moderate transparency
N: strawberry, black cherry, caraway, white pepper, estuary, leather, flint, gunpowder
P: pomegranate, unripe strawberry, leather, black pepper
S: b med+ a high- t med alc integrated f med
V: enjoyable, complex nose, palate simpler, could stand some age
Window: 2025 - 2038 — a month ago

Ron from VA

9.2

Loved the maturation on this bottle at nine years old: Sturdy and structured. Concentration of ripe red fruit plus plenty of phenolic verve. A fantastic representation of a masculine Virginia CF — 9 months ago

Andrew Eddy

9.0

Times change. Upping to 9. — a year ago

with Lisa

Frank Lin

9.0

Absolutely delicious! Perfect balance of fruit and acidity. And a wonderful body and richness. Definitely worth getting again. — 3 years ago

Chris Wheaton

9.4

I remember very much enjoying this wine on release though a bit too intense at that young age. Now calmed slightly but still sappy cool climate Central Coast Pinot Noir flavors. Deep ruby in color, lovely acidity and balance. Save the next one for at least five more years. — 5 years ago

Mike Foley

9.4

One of the best chards I’ve tasted and I’m a Pinot fan of Brewer Clifton. I am going back for more. — 6 years ago

Jim McCusker

9.1

Easily one of the better incarnations of this wine, the 2015 Sky is drinking really well. I think (but am not 100% certain) that by this vintage Greg Brewer had moved from Melville to John Hilliard’s operation just down the road on Route 246. Has many of the same characteristics you’d expect from a St Rita Hills pinot - beautiful bright strawberry-laced fruit, a bit of earth and spice, all wrapped together in a wine with a seamless mouthfeel. Very sad that life circumstances compelled John and his wife to shut HB down, but this wine is a terrific reflection of what they achieved in a very short space of time. Cheers! — 6 years ago

with Vanessa

Connor Kanen

9.5

Toasted pine nuts and stone fruit on the nose. Mouth coating palate and soft, long finish - more weight than the machado. — a month ago

J Greene

9.3

Beautiful nose on this, remembering why I bought this while in the tasting room in Sta. Rita Hills (nice little spot in Los Olivos, highly recommend). Med+ intensity on the nose with bright cherry and strawberry. A bit of cedar/vanilla, but not much. Floral notes that almost turn to candy or runts. Nice on the palate too with a big pop of red fruit, med+ acidity and nice fine, integrated tannins. Long finish that sort of turns from sweet to tart cherry. Just a really nice wine. I scored a 93 but guessing this will improve and become a bit more elegant with a few more years. — 8 months ago

Scott E. Becker

9.2

[Tasted on September 29, 2024 at Home]

Wine is Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir. Cherry SweeTarts, red plum, tobacco, graphite, smoke and spice. — 2 years ago

Neal Krishna Devaraj

9.2

Hints of lime sea salt and light tannins. Super great — 3 years ago

Jim McCusker

9.5

Fantastic pinot from Greg Brewer at Brewer-Clifton. Usually I find his pinots need a few more years in bottle to really sing, and while this one is going to get better with more time, it’s terrific right now. Drinks like a CA version of a Premier Cru burgundy. Terrific. — 5 years ago

with Vanessa

Charlie Tapp

9.2

Sour cherry preserves, rose petal and cranberry. Amazingly balanced and fresh for a 12 year old wine with 14.5%. — 6 years ago

Eric Urbani

9.2

Excellent - Made by Imada Shuzo, esteemed female brewmaster in Hiroshima prefecture. Only brewer to use the Hattanso rice variety. “Earthy, textures tart bold” — 6 years ago

Connor Kanen

9.0

Flinty, lemon zest aromas. Green apple on the palate. Crisp finish — a month ago

Kerri

9.2

Outstanding! Great medium bodied, plum and earthy. Loved it — a month ago

Scott E. Becker

8.9

Purchased during October 2021 visit to Brewer-Clifton tasting room in Los Olivos. Black fruit with pepper notes. Good QPR. — 10 months ago

Eric Urbani

9.4

Wes Hagen, 20 year veteran wine maker at Clos Pepe Vineyard, joined our group and gave us a master class in Santa Barbara pinot noir. We tried 11 PNs from 2004-2010, made by Loring, AP Vin, Sandler, Siduri, and Brewer-Clifton. This was my favorite as well as the group’s #1. — 2 years ago

Jim McCusker

9.5

Another confirmation that Greg Brewer makes some of the best, age-worthy chards out there. This 2013 is awesome. My only regret is that I don’t have another bottle to see what it will be like in 3-4 years (I’m guessing even better). — 5 years ago

with Vanessa

Jim McCusker

9.1

This was part of a series that Greg Brewer bottled at Melville back in the early 2000s. At that time Melville had 14 different clones under vine, I believe. The Estate was a variable blend of some fraction of these, but being a student of pinot Greg thought it would be cool to bottle a bunch of the clones as single-clone offering to people who might geek out about trying to identify different clonal components in the various main offerings, trying some blending at home, etc. (basically, me as the target audience). I was stunned at how well this wine is still drinking after 14+ years. Beautiful, deep ruby-red color, the wine still had an impressive amount of fruit, great balance, and that tell-tale spiciness that is characteristic of wines from their Santa Rita Hills vineyards. Really terrific! — 5 years ago

with Vanessa