Ted

8.9

The sheep looks mad. Medium body and acidity. Blueberries on the front side and coffee on the backside that lingers. — 8 months ago

with Jeni

Bobby Gilbane

10

If you don’t love this wine, I will fight you. — 4 years ago

Daniel P. Drake

9.3

Earlier this week I had the pleasure of eating out in Chicago on the river and enjoyed this 2017 Duckhorn Vineyards Merlot. From Napa Valley this blend is 88% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec. Everything is all outside, no dining in and social distancing is a must, though masks are optional out doors and waitstaff has to wear the masks.

On the nose was black cherry, raspberry, black plums, tobacco, chocolate, rose petals and dusty earth.

On the palate there is beautiful fruit, black cherry, black plum, raspberry, cocoa, licorice, red currant, vanilla, spice and dusty earth.

The wine is medium to full bodied that has a creamy, silky smooth mouth feel with medium to medium + acidity and medium + fine tannins that leads into a long fresh fruit finish. A very enjoyable bottle of wine that went very well with my NY Strip. I hope everyone is well and healthy? Please stay safe and continued health. Nostrovia! 🍷🍷🍷🍷 — 4 years ago

Evelyn Frison

9.1

Pair with a hot date. Food optional. Notes: Dry but smooths out. — a year ago

Ericsson

9.0

First of five fun, fantastic, and frugal wines for everyday drinking. The kind that, on the third glass, make you make realize what wine is really about… Barbera from Piedmont. This has a purple tint with highly ripe fruit and leather aromatics. Dry with heavy fruit and acid on the pallet. Medium plus body and alcohol, tannic, with a light finish but surprisingly balanced. Around twenty bucks a bottle and perfect for fast casual food. PS Decanting is optional but highly recommended and aging is not necessary but will pay off greatly. — 3 years ago

Peter Collins

9.4

A bit of a crap shoot even with great labels to buy older stuff. Happily the 2007 Tempest was actually more than I expected. Drank it as second bottle after the 2013 Shafer Cab. Where the Shafer was big, full of tannins and spicy, the Realm was muted but full and just really smooth on the palate with a great finish. Hate to compare to clothing but it’s a comfy shirt. — 5 years ago

Robert Cooper

9.0

DECANT, NOT OPTIONAL. Heavy sediment. Pleasant balanced tanins, dark.and dry purple fruits, leather. — 6 years ago

Gregory Fulchiero

9.3

A Cote rotie in VdF clothing. You can see the original sticker ghosted in the background when they didn’t get paperwork in to the AOP in time. Plenty of olive and bacon aromas. Ripe fruit on this 2015. — 3 years ago

Byron C Mayes

9.2

Stat bright pale straw. Lighter but inviting nose of Asian pear, toasted vanilla spice, and rocks. Palate is medium full yielding chalky pear, flinty citrus rind, and a hint of chalky vanilla. Medium long finish, especially as the wine warms up. The flagship wine of Domaine Dagueneau lives up to all the hype. “A red in white clothing,” as my drinking partner puts it. Allegedly, Didier preferred this wine with a rare steak. I totally get that, having had this with a lightly marbled New York strip (and shrimp). It’s Cabernet Sauvignon’s mother after all. So much complexity and general “stuff” in this wine! If you’re one of those who won’t spend a lot on white wines, you’re missing out. This is up there with Savienneres and White Burgundy among white wine royalty. Fork over the cash. You won’t regret it. Drink now through 2026. — 3 years ago

Kim Stanbro

9.0

Wines are more fun and taste better coming from a 3L. 11 ladies at a clothing swap killed this in the first hour. — 6 years ago

with Amy and Jo