Brian S

9.6

Love the blue red fruit with sanguine — a month ago

Josh Betz

9.6

Happy Valentines Day! What a great wine to celebrate my love and bride of 25 years — 2 months ago

M. Christopher Roebuck

9.1

Given that I am the only reviewer thus far, I feel the need to provide an update. Enjoying my last bottle now. The nose is of prune, stewed fruits, earth. On the palate, the tannins are now fully integrated, muddled blue and black fruits dominate, with some raisin and prune. A much better showing than my prior review. I feel almost apologetic because this is a very good Gigondas. I wouldn't hold this longer though.

91+ points — 2 years ago

Jay Eagan

9.4

What a vintage on Pritchard Hill! This is THE go to in this zip code (way under The neighbors are Ovid & Colgin. I can’t believe this is 7 years from vintage - it’s still very young with lots of currant and blueberry with mocha. Tannins kick in in the mid palate and a lengthy finish. With a rack of lamb - proof God loves us! — 4 years ago

Scott Kahn

9.3

My first Cariad vineyard - a delightful expression of Cabernet in a glass! Graphite, tar, and dark fruit with mature tannic structure - less intense than Colgin’s IX… — a month ago

Jimmy Hayes

Estate Director Mayacamas Vineyard

9.4

Too young, obviously, but it called to me from the cellar! Gorgeous layers - individuals now, but I’m guessing will integrate together beautifully with more bottle age. Big dense black fruit leads the nose, whole the palette brings a great meaty smoky quality. There’s already a satisfying savoriness there I can’t wait to check in again 10 years or so. That special energy and beautiful texture I expect from Colgin is there in spades. Bottle 2 waits patiently! — 3 months ago

Bisher Akil

9.2

Enjoyed April 2022 — 2 years ago

Tom Garland

9.4

1 hour decant(decent fine/cloudy sediment). A remarkable dark garnet with some bricking. On the nose: rolling waves of sour cherry, stewed meat, minty menthol, licorice, forest floor. Taste: layered, juicy, lush mouthcoating wine with dark cherry/plum, chocolate, graphite, and peppery cedar medium plus finish. YUM! — 2 months ago

with Brenda

Conrad Green

9.1

Quite alcoholic on the nose. Plum and sweet fruit. Slightly toasted notes. Intense and pure. Very good. Unlike the others in this flight — a year ago

with Paul and Ara

Delectable Wine

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9.9

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Melanson Vineyard emerges mostly from upper blocks on this site, a striking hillside that faces Colgin, where the steep exposure can yield wines of tremendous pedigree. That is exactly what comes through here. Inky red/purplish fruit, spice, rose petal, cedar and sweet pipe tobacco meld together effortlessly, with silky tannins that wrap it all up. Bold and luscious, but with tremendous nuance, the Melanson Cabernet is a total stunner in 2018. As I have written in the past, farming here has improved tremendously in recent years. This is another superb example of the quality that this site is capable of. Winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown gave the 2018 a relatively short 10 days on the skins. I imagine he thought the site would take care of the rest. It's hard to argue with that. The 2018 is off the charts great. Don't miss it. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, January 2021)
— 3 years ago