Robust red with black fruit and heady wafts of heath-land shrubs and pepper on the nose. Very full palate of ripe and powerful dense black fruit and berry flavours. — 2 years ago
This has greatly improved over the past 3 years in bottle. On the nose, funky overripe pears, fresh apple cider and petrol. In the mouth... all kinds of weirdness...in a good way. Pear, wet rock, forest shrubs after a rain (we called them “mountain misery” when I grew up - I don’t know what they are really called). High acid, long finish. This producer is one of the most interesting in the US. — 4 years ago
Brilliant. Stone and dark fruits with some shrubs. 14.5% and light on its feet. Very well balanced. — 5 years ago
Petite Sirah from WA, cool. Nice expression of the rattlesnake hills on the bottle art. Dark, but not quite black as some Petite Sirah. Smells luscious. Rocks, desert shrubs, and red/black fruits on the stove. Maybe a hint of weed aromas too. Flavors are chewy, complex and savory. Has a nice woody cedar side. Tannic, but not over the top. This is a great version of Petite Sirah. Interesting and deep. — 6 months ago
It’s just one of those weekends...
Family in town for the 4th, double date before the storm.
Took me forever to track this down in the city. An elusive bottle that I had six months prior and couldn’t find it anywhere in the metropolis. Finally, just went straight to the producer and sent a message in an e-bottle to the friendly folks at Bloomer Creek Vineyard on Seneca Lake upstate.
Got me a cross-section of their new line of offerings, including three of these babies. Ready?
Funky as a sour beer, apricot, mango chutney and marmalade in the bouquet.
Pet bubbles for sure — love that. Makes it sing like a bluebird on a tall pine. Balanced acidity and sweetness, a perfect harmony that compliments each other. Refreshing AF. Mango strong note with an undercurrent of shrubs and thyme.
Lovely. — 4 years ago
(2012 vintage)Nose is redundant of black pepper, dry leaves, and rich soil. Maybe blueberry shrubs? Palate has a good bit of heat, lots of sun-warmed earthiness. Some dark fruit high notes, but very restrained. This may get more interesting as time passes... My inner Rhône Ranger is pleased! — 6 years ago
Superb single-vineyard wine from a tiny 90-year-old plot, surrounded by pine forests, rosemary bushes and thorny shrubs at nearly 3,000 feet (one of the highest vineyards in the appellation). Aged in French oak for 15 months. Elegant and perfumed with aromas of dark fruit and hints of menthol. Balanced. Remarkable freshness and texture reminiscent of chalk. — 3 years ago
The first Klundt Pinot where I thought he had Pinot talent but wasn’t quite there yet. Fascinating wine. Nose is all forest floor, shrubs and tree bark with some mid season and sour cherry fruit. A charmingly rustic nose. Palate is ripe and elegant but has a tiny barely noticeable prickle of heat. The fruit is deep and luscious and has amazing texture and sweetness. The fruit is what convinced me. The length and the sap. This is best showing yet. Ripe and juicy tannins. Lovely persistence. Terrific structure. — 4 years ago
David Hale Smith
The ne plus ultra of Santa Maria Pinot. Dark forest shrubs and popping tart red-cherry jubilee. — 5 months ago