Jay Kline

9.2

Opened three days earlier. The 2023 pours a deep ruby/purple color with an opaque core; medium+ viscosity with significant staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with powerful notes of ripe brambles, lavender pastilles, bacon fat, black pepper, and fine baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. A delightful pairing with Bison ribeye. Young but showing its potential. Drink now through 2043. — a month ago

Kaushal Kantawala

9.2

Rich plum and dark fruit, low acidity in the mid-palate but a smooth finish. — 3 months ago

Adam Baker

9.2

Really good CA Pinot. Lots of big flavor for a Pinot. Good smooth dark fruit with a long finish. Perfect with beef chili and jalapeño cornbread. Rec’d by guy at 31st & Harvard. — 8 months ago

with Brud

Guillermo Gonzalez

9.3

Superb. Needed something to stand up to a bone in rib eye as well as an unruly 1 year old. Deep garnet color. Lot of berries on the nose with hints of smoke and bacon fat. Beautiful long tannic finish. — 5 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.3

Yellow gold. Good weight. Fruit forward nose. Lemon curd, apricot, white clay, cardamom and powdered stone. Rich and fat. Has the stuffing for many years of future enjoyment. — 7 years ago

Kris Kow

9.5

Very smooth, easy to drink, fruity notes, delish! — 8 years ago

Eric Godin

9.4

About damn time I had a cote rotie, and this was a damn good place to start. An impeccably balanced wine with less meatiness than I expected. A bright ripeness of raspberries keeps it from a burgeoning doom overripe plummy wild berry darkness. A good amount of pepper makes a showing on the nose as well and as it oxidizes our raspberries gain an intriguing caramel quality. Along with the slightest whiff of VA are duck fat, dark cocoa and organic earth. A solid medium body makes this a wine to sit an enjoy with a friend as the bottle opens and evolves. — 8 years ago

Jay Kline

9.4

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of dinner. The 2018 pours a slightly hazy purple color with an opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and signs of some fine sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with gorgeous notes of mixed brambles, figs, lavender, animale, bacon fat, black pepper, black olive brine, a touch of smoke and a winsome mix of cool and warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. Brilliant stuff from this overlooked producer and a delicious pairing with lamb and mendi rice. Drink now through 2043. Thanks for the assist @Lyle Fass — 2 months ago

Erica Wiggins

9.5

Great Chardonnay! Enjoy every sip. — 4 months ago

Ruben Cirugeda

9.0

Dry red.
Has depth… I enjoyed. — 2 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.2

Recently tasted 9.8.21, 7.28.21 and 6.1.21. Like the old Van Morrison album...a period of transition. Mid-palate a tad dumbed-down but the nose is clearer and airy with spearmint and tobacco. Some new cinnamon/clove infiltrating the bouquet and palate now. Still a little richness/baby fat/smoke lurking about but said intensities increasing less every time tasted. Really need to lock and key this until 2030. Good luck. — 5 years ago

John B

9.4

Drinking perfectly right now. Smoked game meat, bacon fat, forest floor and light sour cherry. So balanced. — 7 years ago

Deni

9.1

Nice amber beer. Nice and malty. Reminded me of Yuengling. — 7 years ago

JJ Lumia

9.3

The 2016 is out - and it doesn’t disappoint!!!Medium-bodied but mouth filling showing freshly picked cherries, leather and bacon fat. A memorable finish. One of my favorite wines, one of the most reliable. Huge QPR and one you should always have on hand. A little pricey for an everyday house wine, but it’s always worth it. On the downside it went up $1 and is now $21...... — 8 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.3

The nose shows rich black and blue fruits. A full bodied Barossa Shiraz. A thick and luscious mouthfeel - a product of ancient vines planted in 1893. Blackberries finishing with fine tannins. I had a double magnum of this wine at my 70th birthday 3 years ago. Two Old Bastards in the one room!! Also one of the best Wine Labels going around. — 2 months ago

Benjamin Hickey

9.1

Bright and fun — 3 months ago

Lee Pitofsky

9.4

Great vintage for the La La’s. But it’s not ready. The nose is stunning, captivatingly aromatic after a few hours in the decanter, layered with Northern Rhône classicism of blackberry, camphor and bacon fat. The palate is massively concentrated but oaky and stiff. Needs more time to integrate but all the pieces are there! — 2 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.5

Reddish tawny, Translucent. Medicinal nose. Slate, bacon fat, cherries some menthol. Rich and powerful. Silky. Long finish. Everything you want in a Cote-Rotie. At peak and in a perfect drinking window. — 5 years ago

Tom Garland

9.5

1st wine of 2021....had to pop something fun....jumped in the pond with the frog tonight!!

1.5 hour decant(little cloudy sediment). An alluring purplish magenta color. On the nose: expressive nose of dark cherry, campfire smoke, little Cayuse funk (luv it), vanilla toast, meaty, plum, floral. Taste: Wow! elegant, rich, juicy wine with mouth coating dark plum, bacon fat, soil, iron, and a smokey minerally cherry long finish. YUM, great start to the new year. — 6 years ago

with Brenda

Loren Grossman

Vintner Wilde Farm Wines

9.7

Beyond. Just in an amazing place right now. Bacon fat, black olive, sage, oregano, fresh tobacco and black fruit. Balanced and linear, not really palate coating. Very clean and energetic. Lots of length. — 8 years ago