Sipping Fine Wine

9.6

Blend 51% Cab Sauv, 22% Merlot, 14% Cab Franc, 8% Malbec, 5% Petit Verdot, very deep Ruby red color, slight brown edges. Opened in 2026. Interesting wine, at first open, encountered aromas of leather, barnyard & earthy funk, after 30 minutes, started to note aromas of dried black fruits, spice & cigar box, slight forest floor, continued to get better after 60 min. Palate showed black cherry, blackberry, choc flavors with tobacco, cedar & spice. Firm drying tannins, persistent acidity, long finish ending with fruit, cedar, spice, & earthy character. Nice! — 10 days ago

Bryan Vogt

8.9

Past peak on this. Raisin and prune are prominent and little fruit left on the palette. — 14 days ago

Makhanna Seerattan

8.9

I did not try it but Rich liked it . — 9 days ago

Gladys Xiques

9.2

Aged purple fruit. Paired with meat chili — a month ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

Better with the Rib-cap. The 08 vintage was spotty to good. This one shows the shortcomings of the 08 vintage. Really good fruit, but lacks typical, depth, mid palate, and length.

The nose is class Bordeaux.Ripe to ruby fruits of, black plum skin, slightly syrupy blackberries, plum, dark cherry liqueur, strawberries, dark currants. Dark chocolate cake with glaze, screaming, lead pencil shavings, tobacco, leather, dry riverstone, limestone marl, forest floor with dry leaves, soft, incense, black, licorice, red, cola, dry herbs, tomato, leaf, with dark and red flowers, framed in violets.

The palate is ripe to ruby fruits of, black plum skin, slightly syrupy blackberries, plum, dark cherry liqueur, strawberries, dark currants. Dark chocolate cake with glaze, screaming, lead pencil shavings, deep, dark spice that expands wide, nutmeg, cinnamon stick, caramel and vanillin, dry tobacco with ash, leather, dry riverstone, limestone marl, dry crushed rocks, forest floor with dry leaves, moist clays, soft, incense, black, licorice, red, cola, savory dry herbs, tomato leaf, dry oak barrel shaving to cedar with dark and red flowers, framed in violets, acidity is ok, just not right, finish is good, not great, it falls hard on spice and is short of a minute.

93 with the Rib-cap. Green Bean from my organic gsrden. Drink now through 2035. — 24 days ago

Tom Garland

9.5

1/2 hour decant(decent fine sediment). A striking dark ruby red with bricking. On the nose: Captivating notes of dark fruit, forest floor, worn leather, mushroom, cigar, smoked meat, some bandaid(brett). Taste: silky, classic, elegant wine with dried red berries, currants, tobacco, saline, minerals and a cedar graphite long dry finish. YUM! What a thrill to drink tonight! — 2 months ago

with Brenda

Alf Aguirre

9.0

Me encantó súper suave al paladar muy delicado, recomendadisimo — 4 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.4

2016 vintage. Decanted and tasted after 45 minutes and 1.5 hours. A little sed. Light-medium/medium body. Definitely not flashy. More on the lean and mean side of the ledger but not completely without hints of love hitherto. Built for the long haul. 9.4.26. — 17 days ago

John Malcolm

9.0

Not quite as great as I was expecting. May be a bit past its prime. Tasted mostly plum and some dark berries. The finish was a bit weak. — 2 days ago

Paul J

9.5

1hr decant. Dark, rustic red color. Cherries, plums, and cherry now & laters on the nose. Same on the palate. Medium depth with a lingering finish. — 11 days ago

with Brooke

Steve Bridge

9.5

Easily my favorite visit to SMV and every other one was a 10 out of 10. All the 2023s we tasted on the trip were outstanding. This was right up there with any of them. — a month ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.4

1992 vintage. Decent fill. Perfect cork extracted with a Durand. Decanted and tasted after 30 minutes and 1 hour. Plenty of color. Wicked, durty nose. Light-medium body. A lingering dryness afoot in the complexity of flavors that just endure. Seems simple and easy but that was always this producer's calling card. True harmony, sense of place and balance without overreaching is an eternal struggle and rarely achieved. Pity this winery no longer strides the Earth in this guise. Five bottles remaining. 7.31.26. — 2 months ago

Henry Fuseler

9.0

7/2026. Good Zin. Fruit and pepper. Paired well with the lamb chops at Halls Chophouse. — 2 months ago

"Odedi"

9.2

It is time for my #FridayCabernetfix.

Dark ruby in color with a short reddish rim.

Earthy nose with black currants, plums, cooked cherries, oak, chocolates, Indian spices, tobacco leaf, dark coffee, earth, dark chocolates, green vegetables and herbs.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with black currants, black plums, cherries, oak, dark chocolates, coffee, spices, earth, black tea, light green vegetables and peppercorn.

Spicy finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a young Cabernet Sauvignon from Spring Mountain District in Napa Valley. Elegant and nicely balanced. Fruit forward and complex, with a soft mouthfeel. Feels like a Left Bank Bordeaux.

Needed 3 hours in the decanter to open up properly, so be patient.

Will continue to age nicely in the next 20 years. Has good potential to become a 94+ point wine.

I've had a few different vintages of this wine and this vintage seems to be more approachable at this young age.

Delicious by itself, and paired beautifully with the beef brisket.

A blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon and 18% Cabernet Franc. Aged in (50% new) French Oak barrels for 18 months.

14.2% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$70. — 3 months ago

Rick Phillips

9.6

Like most of Philip Tongi wines, this 20 year old is just hitting it’s stride. The nose has lush bold fruits, dark plums, blackberry with a hint of licorice. Some old leather, faint earthy tobacco. Decanted for two hours found a refined texture. Smooth with some sediment, lushness is highlighted by the boldness of the flavors. The finish lingers…
— 21 days ago

with Letha

Tom Casagrande

9.3

The 2020 edition of this wine is excellent. Still on the young side, it’s got a classic Zin nose of pristine brambly blackberry, a lifted note that’s almost but not quite eucalyptus adjacent, and some loamy gravel. Gorgeous balance in the mouth, rich and intense but with an elegant texture, tannins abundant but buried under the concentrated flavors. Flavors balance fruit and savory notes. Long. Love this one. — 3 days ago

Henry Fuseler

9.2

8/2026. Big, bold and dry. Nice finish.

Halls Chophouse — 24 days ago

"Odedi"

9.1

Dark ruby in color with a reddish/brick rim.

Showing its age on the nose and full in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with cherries, plums, black currants, coffee, oak, cloves, earth, tobacco leaf, herbs, black tea and black pepper.

Nice length on the finish with round tannins and tangy cherries.

This is a very tasty Cabernet Sauvignon from Red Mountain in Washington State. Elegant and earthy with chocolate notes.

This Single Vineyard Cabernet is complex with a soft mouthfeel, and feels much older than its age.

Good right out of the bottle, and good by itself or with food. I paired it with a charcuterie board of meats and cheeses.

100% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes were aged in all new French oak barrels for 22 months. A small production of only 5 barrels.

14% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$80. — 2 months ago

Joe Flo

9.4

Excellent mountains wine. — 2 months ago

Brandon Boesch

9.7

2009 at Caruso’s in Montecito. So freaking good. Well balanced. Dark fruit, some hints of pepper, cedar, more fruit, there’s also a freshness of herbs and lighter fruit that was lovely. Had with steak and beets in like 6 different preparations. Perfect pairing. — 2 months ago