Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.4

2011 vintage. Last tasted 2.14.25 (9.2). This was the last bottle of this effort in the keep. Previous encounter left me feeling like this was slightly tired and just over the hill. This time, the view was from the top of the hill and fully awake. Not improving at this stage of life but this bottle was roaring. Light-medium body with age-appropriate color and tracings of sediment on the decant. Tasted post-decant after 15 minutes and 1 hour. Tamarind/orange, clove, cinnamon essences with some casual cola nut riding atop the flavor wave alongside a singular spritz of rhubarb. Still very heady tannins afoot to corral the delicate body and impressions. Wish I had a few more of these as this was another excellent, 1er Cru, experience. Based on this particular specimen, this could go another 4-5 years without an amended score or drop-off. A Pommard constantly sticking and moving versus one looking to land that one uppercut. 10.24.25. — 9 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

This one is a 93+ at this stage with room for improvements with some more age.

The Farella showed a more savory character than the rest. It’s body thicker than the others. Ruby; blackberries, black plum, black raspberries & raspberries. Herbaceous notes, soft minerality-rock powder, limestone, volcanics and just drying top soil, dry tobacco, sandalwood, perfectly executed baking spices, dark spice, vanillin, withering dark, red, blue and violets, nice round acidity, nice tension, structure, well knitted & balanced structure with an excellent full minute finish.

Pano photo of Pritchard Hill from the estate (what a stunning view), barrel room, the estates wine collection; which given the excellent producers in it (bottles of Petrus just one of very expensive producers), I’d be a little earthquake nervous & lay some thin wire over the bottles to hold them in place and their tank room. — 2 years ago

Big Wave Dave

9.3

Gunpowder smoke and a reductive mealy depth dominate the nose. The palate is crisp, focused, mouthwatering. There is complexity and structure, and a dominant sourness to the aftertaste that is not unpleasant and gives incredible length. Quite different from the Hunting Hill (more forward) and the Mates (more closed but more to give). This is another superb wine, but it needs food in my view to balance the sourness. — 4 years ago

with Racquel

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

I have a thing for Davis Estates Chardonnay. It’s the quality & the $36 price point that does it. We like it even better with Jasper Hill Farms Harbison soft white cheese. We never seem to tire of it.

This is a Chardonnay that you want to enjoy at a temperature slightly cooler than standard room temperature. 60-64 degrees.

The nose shows reveals; honeysuckle, green & golden apple, slightly sour lemons, overripe pineapple, lime zest, underripe green melon, marmalade, honeycomb, vanilla, overripe stone fruit, melted, brown butter, gentle white spice & chalky volcanic minerals, just a whiff of eucalyptus, salted & melted caramel, limestone, almond skin, hints of the good parts of Lemon Pledge, with candied, yellow lilies/flowers, jasmine & mixed floral greens.

The body is full, waxy, touch gluey with nice viscosity. Beautiful mouthfeel & texture. Honeysuckle, green & golden apple, slightly sour lemons, overripe pineapple, lime zest to candy, apple Jolly Rancher, underripe green melon, marmalade, honeycomb, overripe stone fruit, melted, brown butter, vanilla, gentle white spice & chalky volcanic minerals, touch of the good parts of Lemon Pledge, just a whiff of eucalyptus, salted & melted caramel, limestone, almond skin, fresh Provence herbs, gentle application of oak giving it soft barrel shavings, with candied, yellow lilies/flowers, jasmine & mixed floral greens. Big phat, round, beautiful acidity. The long, full, round, lush, waxy, well balanced & polished finish glides gently and long sets with mid intensity spice & minerality on the long set.

Photos of; their tasting room with kitchen in the back, signage as you come up the driveway with either barn or guest house behind it, Harbison cheese and the Estate as view from their terrace balcony. — 6 years ago

Yi-Fen Li

9.2

Mostly cab franc, fruit forward blackberry, chocolate, baking spices on the nose, changing character after a while + gorgeous view atop Pritchard Hill #napavalley #ovid — 8 years ago

with Clarke and Matthew

Jeff Holloman

9.3

Excellent Aussie Pinot; drinking well now, should cellar well — 9 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.7

I forgot to shoot the Moonracer bottle and borrowed some of these images from their site.

This is one of my favorite wines from Realm. Very kind of Leslie to open for us. The 2021 was outstanding and have it at 97-98. Showed very well at well pop and pour.

The nose on the 2021 Moonracer was quite feminine which has great appeal to me. Dark perfume florals, ripe, lush currants but more cassis with beautiful, soft baking spices.

The palate was fresh and shows round, ruby, lush fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, plum, dark cherries. It is feminine & elegant in its style. Powdered, limestone, rocks & sandstone, soft, dark spice with gentle heat as it sets, sweet forest floor, black licorice, mixed berry cola, some soft, fresh tobacco, expensive, plush leather, softly stated baking spices-nutmeg, clove cinnamon & vanillin, melted dark chocolate, a mix of fresh, red, blue florals framed in violets & some lavender, perfect acidity, elegant, round, extremely well balanced, layered, structured long finish that is two-minutes.

One thing of note, there will be no 2022 The Absurd. The Absurd fruit will go into The Bard and a couple of their others wines. Reason, the six days of brutal heat during the potential harvest window.

Stunning pano view of Pritchard Hill from their estate. If we had been there the day before, fog and clouds would have made this photo impossible. Brand plate on their stainless steel tanks, believe a shot of their Moonracer vineyard and sitting area in their tasting room. — 2 years ago

Keith M

9.0

赤い果実、小梅、ミント、バニラ、枯れ葉、タバコ、リコリス。
ビンテージの割には、少し茶色っぽい色合い。
味わいや香りにも、そのニュアンスがある。
イタリアのネッビオーロとは、明らかに違って、ネッビオーロというよりは、ピノノワールっぽい。
最初は閉じ気味だけど、2杯目からぐんぐん開いて、火薬的な要素も。 — 3 years ago

Severn G

9.1

1996 | Birthday weekend for my lovely wife.

Slight funk on the nose, but solid, dusty red fruits on the palate. Double decanted with notes at 5H. Complete notes on future bottles. 2006 acquisition with careful storage since.

Paired to USDA Prime Strip Steaks (baseball-cut), Allen Bros. Chicago.

I do enjoy the old, minimalist label showcasing the view of the winery in the hill. — 4 years ago

Keith M

9.2

ルークランバートをエノロゴに迎えたオーストラリアのネッビオーロ。
ランゲやロエロのネッビオーロに比べると酸もタンニンも柔らかて厳しさがない。とにかく滑らか。
それでいて、上品な甘さと旨味。
バラの花。控えめながら上品なベリー。
厳格さや複雑さはないけれど、こんなにシルキーなネッビオーロは初めて。 — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

Picked this up this week at K&L Wine Merchants because the bottle was in pristine shape. The neck fill was the same as it was the day it was bottled. I love 1980’s Napa & Bordeaux wines. Really appreciate the ABV of that era, 13.6%. Additionally, I’m always motivated to try producers I haven’t had before. Further, as I swirl my glass, I think to myself, what was I doing the year an old wine was made? Memories?

I figured with the bottles age, I would use my Durand corkscrew. But after pulling it, I realized I didn’t need to use it. Better safe than sorry! The cork was in perfect shape.

The wine still shows good life. The fruit is ripe & fresh with some dark spice, earthiness & shades of dark tannins.

The nose reveals a little barnyard from being in the bottle so long. It needed to stretch a bit and has calmed some. Ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, poached strawberries, black raspberries, well extracted pomegranate with hints of blueberries & rhubarb. Black, rich earth, eucalyptus, steeped black tea, dark, red liqueured notes, anise, understated vanilla, clove, nutmeg, shades of black olive, cedar, soft leathery notes, mid intensity dark spice, limestone, dry, crushed, rock powder, dry herbs, dry stems with bright, red, dark, fresh & withering flowers framed in a field of violets.

The body has leaned with age but, is fresh & clean as it glides over the palate. It shows some barnyard on the palate as well. Tannins are largely resolved but, by no means is this wine over the hill. Past its prime, yes. However, that’s what makes it infinitely more interesting, complex and a welcome change of pace. This bottle certainly will not improve but, would still drink well for another five years. Ripe, floral, blackberries, bright; dark cherries, strawberries & cherries. Black raspberries, black plum, well extracted pomegranate, raspberries with hints of blueberries & rhubarb. Forest floor with dry leaves, eucalyptus, steeped black tea, dark, red liqueured notes, red cola, anise, understated vanilla, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, some caramel, shades of black olive, cedar, soft leathery notes, dry tobacco, mid intensity dark spice, limestone, dry, crushed, rock powder, dry herbs, mint, dry stems with bright, red, dark, fresh & withering flowers framed in a field of violets & lavender. The acidity is excellent...like a cool stream. The long finish is clean, fresh, elegant, well knitted and persists on the palate minutes with medium, dark, gently heated spices on the long set.

I did not decant this bottle at the start. I wanted to see if it would improve or fade in the glass first. As it turned out, decanting this nearly 35 years old was still the correct decision.

Photos of; Sullivan Vineyards, private tasting/dinning room, current Winemaker- Jeff Cole and their Estate vines as view from their terrace. — 6 years ago

Isaac Pirolo

9.5

The Amizetta property is a steep and rocky 40 acre parcel with southern facing slopes at an elevation of 1,000’ situated between Pritchard Hill and Howell Mountain in the Conn Valley region of Napa Valley. The vineyards are farmed by Jim Barbour. Edward Clark is the winemaker, with Chuck Wagner and Rick Forman consulting. After seeing the aerial view of the vineyard I had to taste this... the terracing is impressive. It needs needs about 30-45 minutes to open up and fully show off its lush and opulent style, which features crème de cassis, currant, blackberry, mocha, vanilla, and charcoal, with some faint herbaceousness. If this doesn’t already scream crowd-pleaser, then the round and silky mouthfeel will certainly seal the deal. — 9 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

On the nose; liqueur style blackberries, dark cherries, black plum, plum, blueberries, baked strawberries, sweet spice, vanilla, wood shavings, dark, rich, moist soil, crushed, dry rocks, violets and fragrant, fresh, dark florals. The palate is medium bodied and the tannins are nicely resolved and round. The fruits are also liqueur is style. Blackberries, dark cherries, black plum, plum, blueberries, boysenberries, raspberries, baked strawberries and a touch of dry cranberries. Sweet, soft leather, lead pencil, cola, vanilla, cinnamon, soft spice-box, understated herbal notes, rich, moist, dark soil, crushed rocks, a touch of bramble, crumbled volcanic minerals, nice, soft, round acidity and a long, lush, fresh, elegant fruit finish that is 75% fruit and 25% earth. The 06 has plenty of life ahead of it...at least 10 years. I'm pretty sure this bottle was around $35 at Costco upon release. Photos of, the view from their tasting terrace, the legend/Napa maverick Joseph Phelps, terrace seating and interior shot of the remodeled estate. Producer notes...the winery was founded in 1973 by Napa wine pioneer, Joseph Phelps. Like a number of other vintners in the valley, Joseph came to wine from another industry. In the 1960’s he ran one of the largest construction companies based in the USA, Hensel Phelps Construction One of his projects was to work on building the BART system in the San Francisco Bay Area (Bay Area Rapid Transit). Joseph's transition into the winery business started with a banker informing him of several potential winery projects in Napa and Sonoma. One of the projects was to build Souverain Winery in Napa (now Rutherford Hill Winery). After that project Joseph became interested in purchasing his own property in the valley. He acquired 600+ acres. His first vintage of Insignia was 1974. Joseph Phelps began planting grapes – varieties such as Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Pinot Noir. They ultimately discovered these grapes were not suited to the particular climate of this part of the valley and they changed over to other varietals...namely Bordeaux based red varieties.The first vintage of Joseph Phelps was made at Heitz Cellars. Sadly, Bill passed away in April 2015 at 87...may he rest in peace with a glass that never empties. All and all a good life I'd say. Today his son Bill Phelps is President of winery. Not that long after Joseph's passing, Joseph Phelps opened their remolded hospitality center (photos above) located in what was the original winery building. It's sad that Joseph did not live to see it's full completion and opening. The last 1/4 of glass or less from the bottom of the bottle which; is called "The Truth" was so rich, concentrated & beautiful, I was tempted to push the rating to 9.3/9.4.
— 9 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

This is 93-94 this young. I was a little surprised they slotted this last in the tasting. I would have led with it. However, it didn’t end up being our last wine. Leslie was kind enough to open another.

Both plums, blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, mix of dark berry cola, nice, soft baking spices-nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, vanillin, grainy limestone, wet clay, dark, rich, forest floor, some dry herbs, excellent fresh & withering florals that are a combination of; dark, red, some blue and violets, nice round acidity, a smooth, elegant finish that softly structured, balanced and wire to wire smooth and elegant with a full minute finish.

Photos of; a pano of their stunning view of Pritchard Hill, Their dual sided wall of fame of bottles the staff at the estate have enjoyed and their tasting room table. They did an excellent job curating it. — 2 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

They greet you at their new tasting room on Pritchard Hill (formerly Nine Suns) with their Sauvignon Blanc. Full disclosure, I am not the biggest champion of SB. But, this is very nice.

This is the only one I didn’t take realtime notes on. Classic New World SB. The body is a little gluey, waxy, lemon, lime, tropical melons, pineapple, some presence of dry cut hay/grass, soft minerality, good viscosity, yellow flowers, nice acidy and well polished finish.

Photos are from 1/25-24. Stunning view from the property looking over Pritchard Hill, entry way w/ Vinous wall maps of the PH producers & assorted artworks, their gate as you enter w/ your car and face plate of one of their beautiful tanks in the cellar, which they keep spotless. — 2 years ago

Simon Gilligan

9.3

I’m not overly familiar with Malbec but this tastes pretty good. Has the Rudderless earthy/bushy/herbal flavours as in the Grenache (Sellicks hill location, picks up the nice sea breeze and has a great view as I enjoyed from Doug Govern’s Victory Hotel). Nice spread and lovely tannin with a plusher fruit profile than the Grenache. Cracked it and drank straight away late afternoon. — 6 years ago

Keith M

9.0

ピノらしい木苺的なニュアンス。
ワイルドでピチピチしているが、ナチュラルワインらしい旨味に溢れ、滋味深さもある。
還元的な要素もなく、ピュアさもあるので、ナチュラルのネガさがないところも○。
ルークランバート氏が醸造コンサルタントらしい。
— 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

8.9

This was the other wine we tasted chatting in the tasting room.

While this blend is 80% Pinotage and 20% Cinsault, it’s a bit of a head scratcher as the varietal of Pinotage is a crossing of Pinot and Cinsault. Not sure why you would blend these two varietals. I’ll just copy over some of Anthony’s thoughts in a interview from 2017 when they first released this blend.

“I have always been intrigued by the idea of creating a Pinotage with a youthful, fresh, fruit purity un-tarnished by any oak influence. The Hemel-En-Aarde region produces wonderful Pinotage, but it's tighter and more taut – this is a very different expression,” he said.

I would only add that this blend was fresh, easy to drink and enjoyable. Most people in a blind tasting would simply call, “Pinotage.”

Photos of; Hamilton Russell Vineyard, another granitic soil structure from a different vineyard and a long view of the property with Anthony & Olive’s up on the hill. — 7 years ago

Violet B

9.1

Easy drinking Sav Blanc from a local vineyard in VA with a gorgeous view. — 7 years ago

with Chuck

Shay A

9.2

A while back, Chappellet came to Fort Worth and did a wine dinner, so my in laws and I attended. Overall, very nice wines and we heard the view was great atop Pritchard Hill, so they wanted to stop by during our trip.

Chappellet does a very solid job across many wines, but this Malbec was a standout. It’s usually so inky and one dimensional, but this was a welcomed surprise. Lots of black cherry, red licorice tart and spice. Similar to the well crafted Hope & Grace Malbec that @David T introduced to me. — 8 years ago