Tom Elliot

Founder Northwest Wines

9.3

Full and peculiar captivating aromatics. I very rarely get vegetal aromas from Riesling but this one is loaded with them. First and foremost, ripe green bell peppers. On the palate it’s all upfront, delicious, yellow fruits and late summer sunshine. Second comes the flint and slate propelling the long, satisfying finish. — 7 months ago

Vanessa

9.3

We absolutely love exploring the world’s many expressions of Pinot Noir!  It’s a lifelong endeavor and we’re here for it. 😆

Tonight, we’re taking a sensory trip to South America and, more specifically, Río Negro, Patagonia 🇦🇷 – the most southerly wine-producing region of Argentina – where Antarctic currents, winds descending from the Andes, & high latitudes offer cooling influences, ideal for producing elegant Pinot Noir styles.

Bodega Chacra was established in 2003 by Tuscan Piero Incisa della Rocchetta (grandson of Sassicaia’s founding father) in search of purity and nuance in fruit expression from the terroir of Patagonia. 🍇
 
Piero now partners with esteemed Burgundian winemaker (and friend) Jean-Marc Roulot in the production process, each contributing their respective oenological “genes” to the final wine, which is first and foremost a child of the earth in Mainqué, Río Negro. 🌱
 
Paying utmost respect to the land, Bodega Chacra cares for its vineyards organically and biodynamically aided, in part, by the arid, windy conditions that naturally mitigate fungal pressure in the vineyard. Their fruit is harvested by hand, allowing for selectivity and the use of whole bunches during fermentation. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

This wine is called ‘Cincuenta Y Cinco’ (fifty five) because its fruit comes from vines first planted in 1955, carefully preserved by the team at Bodega Chacra, whose oldest vines actually date back to 1932!

This wine was fermented in cement vats using native yeast, adapted to the environment and matured 11 months (50% in concrete, 50% in French oak of various ages) before release. ⚖️

In a word this wine is ethereal.
 
We served it with a slight chill. Its pristine, berry and cherry fruit profile, complements the delicate cherry blossom, peony 🌺 and baking spice notes. It’s light on its feet w/ medium alcohol (12% ABV) and bright acidity.  It’s lovely & perfumed.

Cheers to Bodega Chacra and all of the beautiful Pinots of Patagonia! — 3 years ago

with Deked1

Daron Watson

9.7

first and foremost was NOT expecting the orange color ~ have had numerous aged botrytis bottles ranging from golden to brown but the orange really threw me

apricot, quince, orange marmalade, grilled orange & pineapple, honey, caramelized brown sugar ~ plenty of sweet severed with acidity

though went well with diver scallops & risotto the most incredible pairing was with Stilton on Égalité mini toasts ~ and not just for flavor ~ but texturally transcendental — 5 years ago

Gilbert Van Hassel

9.5

Very expressive dried fruit (raisins, cherries), medium body, oxidized style. My wife asked whether this was champagne. Indeed it is, but first and foremost it is a wonderful wine. — 5 years ago

Matt Perlman

9.2

Very dry, very savory. Viscous texture, even creamy; mineral and saline flavors first and foremost with fruit taking a back seat. Nose has dried flowers, dried herbs and wet stone / seashell and lemon, palate adds fennel, peach, grapefruit to the mix. Distinctive — 6 years ago

Andrew Schirmer

9.4

Stunning! This was misplaced alongside the “stickies” at our local purveyor (pusher?)—big mistake. This is first and foremost a great food wine. Sweetness tempered by acidity. Great nose of botrytis, wildflowers. Palate is true to type—pear, orange flower, honeysuckle, botrytis, with spicy finish. Buy buy buy... — 7 years ago

with Alsu

Matt

8.9

Hard to find a Stony Hill that I don’t connect with. A great terroir coupled with a cellar stuck in time = a unique side of Napa that very few miss. Foremost a wine of texture, fine extract that adds a powdered rock element across the palate, offering a slight grip. Melon skin, green apple, oro blanco pith, sweet tarts, starch, lemon balm, talcum, wet clay. It’s weight and power really emerges as it breathes and warms up. — 8 years ago

David Kline

9.8

Black with scant signs of bricking. Nose of forest after rain, ripe black cherry, black and blueberries, cedar, black pepper and violets. Full bodied, rich mouthfeel, with blackberry foremost, madura wrap, pepper, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, black cherry, walnut, currant, and blackened yam. This is a holiday in a bottle, at a perfect spot age wise, ridiculously resonant with a deep finish and long persistence. Open this one with family and friends and appropriate feast!


#chateaulebonpasteur #lebonpasteur #michelrolland #pomerol #2009 #grandvindebordeaux #bordeaux #rightbank #misenbouteilleauchateau #appellationpomerolcontrôlée — 2 years ago

with Courtney

Jan de Weerd

9.4

Intense. Like conversation show stopper! This wine needs all your attention to figure out what is going on. Dark, aged, dry fruit, edgy tannins and black pepper spice… I think. So much going on. Needless to say. I loved it. We made the track again 11 years from the first time we drove up to De Trafford winery and vineyards. This time the road was paved, quite a change from the two track rutted dirt road we took 11 years ago bottoming out our little rental car. Had a great vineyard tour. They first and foremost believe that the wine is made in the vineyard and minimal processing thereafter. They had to deal with a huge wild fire earlier this winter and might have lost their 45 year old top award winning Shiraz vineyard …. Great people who know how to make a great wine. — 4 years ago

with Tammy

Ted

9.3

Tar is first and foremost right out of the bottle. Clove, rose petals. Black licorice makes an appearance. Nice wine — 5 years ago

with Jeni

Randy Fuller

9.5

This wine has a nice golden color in the glass. I get a muted nose with apricot aromas foremost and citrus minerals chasing. The palate shows stone fruit and minerals galore. Acidity is nice and fresh, even zippy. The finish is medium long and carries the minerals back for a revisit. — 5 years ago

Daniel M

9.2

There is firstly apricot first and foremost. But then there are white flowers, a bit of lemon (?!) and honey and almost a petrol thing like you find in some riesling. Wow! And what a palate! It sweet, it's round, there is almost tannins in mid palate, you can have that apricot taste but the mouthfeel is almost the one of an apricot skin. 🤯🤯🤯. The finish is everlasting. These apricot notes, that dryness which could almost be tannins and it expands a little in the very end with almost a medicinal, herbal thing. Wow that's a great tasting experience. — 6 years ago

Simon Gilligan

9.3

85% Grenache (15% whole-bunch), 10% Shiraz, 5% Mataro. Great balance with the Grenache front and foremost, lovely fresh fruited, with soft tannin and a subtle spice and savoury turn to finish with. New label and new website - nice to buy direct with membership giving keen pricing. — 7 years ago

David Brown

9.1

First and foremost, Terry and Jen Hoage make fantastic wine. This vintage is still young at this time. Lighter and more fruit forward. This will change as it ages. Determining when to open a bottle Hedge depends on your palate and preference. There is absolutely nothing wrong with drinking this now, just know it won’t be a big, deep and as nuanced Syrah. — 8 years ago

Jay Kline

9.1

Breaking News: “There have been reports of the death of 2007 CdP’s. It turns out they have been greatly exaggerated.”

Double decanted and enjoyed over the course of two days. Best on Day 2. The 2007 pours a deep garnet with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with light staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is vinous with powerful notes of ripe dark bramble fruit, black pepper, leather, red flowers, stony earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium, mostly integrated tannin and medium acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long.

This was such a fun wine to drink for many reasons. First and foremost, the company was awesome. Second, I rarely drink Guigal’s CdP as there are other producers from the region that I tend to gravitate towards. And thirdly, I have largely avoided the 2007 vintage because they seemed to be fading fast after coming out of the gate with so much flash and gusto. And yet here we are, in 2024, drinking a “humble” (yet largely traditionally made) CdP from a large(r) negociant and with a lot of air, it’s showing its true quality! Call this exhibit 2007.c.D.p. of why it’s great to have an open mind and be willing to be a life long learner. A wine of surprise for sure. Drink now with extended air and through 2032. — 2 years ago

Steven Beishuizen

9.1

A funny choice to put on the wine list for a Mediterranean restaurant, but very nice for what it is... On the nose this is first an foremost honeyed... A very soft raspberry... On the palate, the raspberry is front and center but concentrated... Like really concentrated... Like fruit roll up concentrated... It burns a bit... No candied elements... This is the real deal. I like it. — 4 years ago

with Anita

Willie Carter

9.1

First and foremost, these are my all time favorite labels. Deep clear ruby color, almost Tawny. Little violet specks throughout. Traditional and classic to its core. Black truffles and moist earth initially on the nose with the customary dried cherries showing up. Menthol, dried herbs, and black tea.

Stylish and refined, as all Barolo should be. Tight at first but opens up very nicely after an hour. Bright acidity and ripe tannins. A staple of these Fontanafredda wines. A touch of old leather to go with the cherries and blackberries. More beautiful herbs on the palate to go with the star anise and cigar box. As wonderful as it is today, it’s fun thinking about what it can be down the road. — 5 years ago

Matt Perlman

9.2

Love at first sight with this pale garnet color! This is first and foremost about herbal and pine forest notes with delicate red berries, cherries, roses and a sort of earthy tempera paint and a hint of cinnamon on the nose. Not so much biting into a fresh strawberry but rather rooting around for one in the brush — 5 years ago

Dawn E.

9.2

First and Foremost my thoughts and prayers go out to everyone that has suffered loss in the California wildfires. Many wineries suffered and I was especially saddened to hear of the damage at Hourglass..it is a personal favorite and was actually the first higher end wine that I sought to purchase (per my budget).
Irony...sometimes strange. I heard about the loss at Hourglass this morning. After work I visited my local Hyvee Wine Dept and they have a lot of their SB..different Vintages..not normal in this area!

Yes! So the wine..this 2016 has evolved so amazingly! I am getting lemon..grassiness..
Honey..soft flint..kiwi..and a hint of cheese rind! Fantastic wine Hourglass! 🙏🙏🙏😪 — 6 years ago

Gavin Baum

9.4

Really extraordinary Sta. Rita Hills Chardonnay, drinking at its peak. Has started to take on wonderful secondary character, with lots of honeycomb, hazelnut, and toasty brioche showing on the nose and palate. That makes the wine sound a lot more decadent than it is, though. At its heart, like all of the Tyler Chardonnays, this wine is first and foremost a masterclass in focus and precision. Even at the ripe old age of 6, with its contours slightly softened and its flinty reduction tempered, this wine is still wonderfully, vividly alive, with copious lemony acidity and fruit that still leans more towards tangerine oil and grapefruit. That this is still so piquant and salty and mouthwatering and more-ish after 6 years in the bottle is a real testament to the quality and the substance of these wines. — 7 years ago