k

9.1

Dry cab with fruit forward finish and nice lingering acidity on finish. Dark berries with a slight grassy note mid palate. — 7 months ago

Maggie Harrison

9.3

green pepper, barnyard. cliche to say it but quite old world in style. Terrific value, lots of complexity. medium tannins, medium + acid. — a year ago

Tree Kilpatrick

9.7

Smells like a forest and nice apples. Flavors are dynamic, spices, sweet marjoram, nice cranberry sauce, and dried cherries. Plus chocolate dusted truffles. Dry, but juicy. The tart, tannins and fruit are nicely balanced. Also a meaty streak. Wow this is bright and lovely stuff. — 5 years ago

Turd Ferguson

9.4

This wine is ridiculous. Pair with togarashi dusted fried chicken. — 7 years ago

Shay A

9.4

Another Wednesday Wine Committee in the books. Great hosting by @Bill Makens . 1 sparkler, 3 whites, 4 reds, 1 dessert wine all served blind.

My co-red WOTD. Perfumed with sweet oak, candied black cherries and cocoa dusted dates. Youthful. Big structure in place but not overly gripping. Dusty covered blackberries, plum and peppercorn, showing a hint of leather. Gorgeous. I called this late ‘00s/early 2010 Napa Cab. — 7 years ago

with Colby, Bill and 1 other

Shay A

9.4

Happy Father’s Day! Wonderful pull by my father in law.

I’m a big fan of this winery as you don’t see them around very much. Such high quality with impeccable wine making. Slow ox for 1-2hrs. 95 merlot/5 CabFranc. Espresso and dark cocoa dusted black cherry, ripe blackberry and currant aromatics...intoxicating. So soft, yet ripe fruit, on the palate. Cherry swisher sweets, baked mixed berry figs, and still tart red and black fruit. Can’t believe how tart and ripe the fruit is even at 13yrs. Outstanding. — 7 years ago

Shay A

9.4

Drinking so well and was improving the longer it was open. So fragrant and aromatic...crushed potpourri, cherry pipe tobacco and baked blackberry pie. Dusty on the palate and still youthful. Dark cocoa dusted dates, roasted plum, blackberry and raspberry pie with strong acidity and tannin. A great drinking window. Thanks @Keith Fisher — 7 years ago

with Weston

Ted

9.0

Big wine. I guess I wasn’t expecting that for some reason. Blueberries and black berries. — 7 months ago

with Jeni

Nagib Nasr

9.1

Not so bad — 4 years ago

Jacob smith

8.9

Not my favorite wine. Soild — 6 years ago

Shay A

9.6

Finally getting around to posting wines from my annual Napa trip from two weeks ago. Always goes by quick! Lots of fun new stops this year.

Theorem was one of our highlights last year, so we made sure a return visit was lined up this year. Base of Diamond Mtn with one of the most beautiful properties I’ve seen. Over the last 12 months, they’ve added a couple new wines (with more to come from Moon Mountain). TRB is the winemaker.

In the running for red wine of the trip. When visiting last year, I preferred the ‘14 (ripe, balanced, savory) over the ‘15 (more acidity, touch lighter, high toned)...this ‘13 takes the best of each and marries them. This is a classic high end TRB Cabernet from a stellar vintage. Truffles raspberries, candied black cherries, cocoa dusted mixed berry pie and graphite aromatics accompanied by sweet blueberries, freshly squeezed blackberries, toffee and espresso, baking spices, and fine grained tannins. Built like a tank. Superb. — 6 years ago

Shay A

9.6

July 4th Friday was a total blowout! Killer bottles one after another. Here are just a few of the bottles we all enjoyed!

Such a treat to compare this against the ‘08 Schrader To Kalon and the ‘09 Chappellet Pritchard Hill. This was decidedly more dusty. Dark cocoa dusted dates, cassis, and black cherry compote over toasted graham crackers. This was decanted about an hour+ before we got to it and it was still powering through hours later. Thanks, @joe leatherwood . — 7 years ago

with joe, Dan and 2 others

Justin Hart

9.5

This is still quite young and it definitely punches above its weight class easily standing up to Malbec’s twice its price.

The nose brings scents of wet gravel, fresh violets, leather and ripe red plum.

On the pallet, white pepper, jammy plumb and baking spices predominate. Yum!! — 7 years ago

with Jen and Cherish

Matthew Bull

9.0

Marvelous. Chocolate and notes of crisp burnt toast. — 7 years ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.0

Macchia – Delicious Barbera 2023
Lodi, California – USA 🇺🇸

Overview
Barbera may be native to Italy, but in Lodi it thrives in the warm days and cool nights, producing generous, fruit-driven wines. Macchia has built a reputation for crafting some of the most expressive New World Barberas, with a track record of winning international medals (including Gold at the International Barbera Competition in Italy for earlier vintages). This 2023 vintage keeps that pedigree alive with a vibrant, approachable style.

Aromas & Flavors
Explodes with blackberry, ripe plum, and dark cherry layered with chocolate, spice, and hints of licorice. There’s an intensity of fruit without losing freshness, showing why Barbera adapts so beautifully outside its homeland.

Mouthfeel
Juicy, full of energy, with supple tannins and balancing acidity. Medium-plus body with a long, fruit-forward finish dusted with cocoa and spice.

Food Pairing
Pairs effortlessly with rich tomato pasta, grilled lamb chops, or a hearty sausage pizza. Also excellent with strong cheeses that complement its ripe fruit core.

The Verdict
Macchia delivers again with a Barbera that’s as delicious as its name. The 2023 vintage stands out as a casual yet compelling New World take on an Old World classic—backed by a winery whose style already carries international pedigree.

✨ Personal highlight: This wine style has pedigree from past events, but the 2023 is very much its own statement. It’s “delicious” in every sense and shows how consistent Macchia has been across vintages. Cheers! — a year ago

Shay A

9.4

Last of a 3-pack I bought a few years ago. Should have bought more! Thankfully the ridiculous pricing for the 2008 keeps this 2007 an easy choice when looking for more great champagne.

Having had the 2006, 2007 and 2008 all within the last 6 months or so, it’s fun to see the differences. 2006 seems to be a bigger champagne in regards to richness, yet still has great structure…2008 is wound up crazy tight, extremely chiseled and age worthy…the 2007 is a more accessible version of the three with lots of similarities to 2006.

Right down the middle in terms of style (doesn’t come across reductive or oxidative in profile). Tart lemon, yeasty, chalk, and a hint of nuttiness on the nose. Comtes always has this kiss of freshly baked lemon scone note on the nose to me. Not as multidimensional as 2006, but tons of layers here both aromatically and on the palate. Continuously evolving revealing limestone, powder sugar dusted lemon bars, and roasted almonds. Lemon-lime mineral grip isn’t as prevalent as the 2008 on the finish. This can certainly age, but with how good it is now, pop and enjoy! — 4 years ago

Shay A

9.2

Monthly WTF wine group night. Our theme was American oak vs French oak. All wines tasted blind. We started off with two bottles of bubbly and finished with two non-themed reds.

Posting my review from a few months back as my experience was the exact same.

Very ripe and integrated. Full spectrum of red and black fruit, cassis, pipe tobacco and worn saddle leather on the nose. Structure was still very solid with plenty of tannins at the finish to keep this upright. Round on the palate...dark cocoa dusted dates, roasted plum, cardamom and muddled raspberries. Drinking really well but will probably hold in this window for a few years. — 7 years ago

with Jack, Mark and 4 others

Shay A

9.5

This is one of the best Italian wines I’ve had, and it’s coming on the heels of trying the ‘11 vintage of this a few months back. Lots of similarities. A more ripe/modern/New World style. Super ripe dark fruits, cocoa dusted dates, sweet pipe tobacco, and a powerfully tannic finish. Mid palate is dense and seductive with outrageous texture and flavor. This could be a monster in a few years. What a wine, @joe leatherwood ! — 7 years ago

with Dan, Mark and 3 others

Ryan Hare

9.3

Robust, complex, and rich. Notes of dark chocolate, dry herbs, and cherry on the nose. Full bodied: peppery with cherry and blackberries. Long and intetesting finish carried by supple tannins. — 7 years ago

Keith Whitener WSET Diploma, CSW

9.0

Leather cocoa black fruit in a deep purple robe. — 8 years ago