Ming L

9.1

When I think of Paso reds, ripe and rich are the first things come to mind. Not this bottle though. At 8 years old, the fruits are so fresh and pure. Only on the 3rd day that it started to show some tertiary notes of fig, black tea leaf, and dried mushroom. Love the 13.5% abv.
From one of my favorite boutique wineries. 299 case made. — 2 years ago

Pablo Cetlinski

10

One of few wineries that have the grape in California. Breaths the Pacific breeze and is growing on the soil sanctified by Russian Orthodox chapel. — 4 years ago

Keith Ward

9.2

Still standing tall! Amazing Bordeaux blend from one of Australia’s preeminent wineries! Very balanced, great forward fruit and a super-long finish! Had with aged beef - to die for!! — 5 years ago

Mike Mayer

9.1

Ruby colored liquid in my glass. Hints of cherry pie on the nose. Flavors of tart cherries, red plums and baking spices. Beautiful acidity. A very balanced wine. This is my last regular bottle of CP wine. I do have a VS Pinot which I will sit on for a while. Glad other wineries are making really good wines from the Clos Pepe vineyard. — 6 years ago

with Lisa

Adriana Fabbro

8.9

Very drinkable Cali sauv blanc that grows on you with time in the glass. Had at virtual tasting with Bodkin’s Chris Christensen and he told the story of how the fruit that went into this wine wasn’t from his main vineyard in Lake County (too much smoke damage in 20) but a blend of fruit contributed by good friends of his at 3 Sonoma wineries that had better luck that year —talk about a wine being the story of a vintage! A softer, rounder Sauv B that’s light on the grassy/grapefruit/quince notes, with more lemon, stone and tropical fruit. Great story teller and great winemaker! — 3 years ago

Aaron Rankin

9.1

Happy Juneteenth. Drinking an Anthill, one of the few wineries who sent me a statement of solidarity with Black Lives Matter.

Decant at least two hours. I sampled over that period and found it showed more and more with time.

At this stage this is a plush, fruit-forward cold weather Syrah. Nose is blackberry compote, currant, bramble. Palette is sweet and juicy, with
black/blue fruit, and undertones of what’s to come - olives, roasted herbs, lighter meats. Whereas N. Rhône brings overt red meat blood tones, this more evokes roasted poultry. — 4 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

8.9

Lloyd made the rounds working at a bunch of renowned wineries, Cakebread, Stag’s Leap, La Crema & Rombauer where he gained Head Winemaker status before leaving in 2008 to start his own project, Lloyd Cellars. Fruit sourced from blocks in Sangiacomo & Truchard Vineyards, aged for 10 months in new American oak. Aromas of ripe stone & tropical fruits, citrus and blossom notes. Palate has apple, pear & peach flavors with bits of citrus wrapped in a creamy texture. Long rich finish ending with slight toasty notes. Tasting Sample. — 5 years ago

Ming L

9.1

A friend who introduced me to couple of great boutique Paso wineries brought this GSM from his new discovery.
Signature Paso ripe lightly candied fruits leaning on the darker and more savory side. Dark chocolate, peppery spices, and game too. Full body. Dense and beautifully textured. Ripe soft tannins.
50/30/20 M/G/S blend. Powerful and rich. — 3 years ago

Jim McCusker

9.2

I guess it’s closed wineries day with my posting, as Hilliard Bruce unfortunately had to close its doors a couple of years ago due to John Hilliard’s health. This a simple but elegant pinot with classic SB fruit on the nose, nice balance on the palate, and a graceful finish. Not convinced this will improve any more (it’s actually probably on its downslope), so I’d recommend enjoying this one now). — 4 years ago

with Vanessa

Ming L

8.9

Only GSM for 2017, with 47% Syrah and 31% Mourvèdre and the rest Grenache. Slightly riper and more peppery than the 2016, but the same deliciousness. Definitely a bit young to open now.
I was told the 2017 would be even better than 2016 for the smaller wineries in Paso, as it had a large crops and the smaller wineries do not have the capacity to handle all the volume, so they are very selective in picking the fruits for their own bottles. — 5 years ago