Vincent Wang

8.9

Candy like, intense cherry — a day ago

Timothy Lynch

9.0

Last tried in March of ‘18 at 8.9...with note of “early stage of drinking window...touch of modernity.” Forty-five months in we are definitely within the wine’s drinking window; don’t foresee further development. Typical CCR tasting notes but atypical added richness. Pairing it with homemade pizza. — 6 months ago

Jake Hajer

9.1

Drippings= the last five gallons of each estate Pinot barrel blended into one, with a little more oak aging. I like their leaner pinots even more. — a year ago

Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.2

My friend graciously shared his 1979 Robert Mondavi Winery ‘Reserve’ Cabernet Sauvignon(WWB, 92), a wine I had not visited since I was at the winery several years back. The nose is highly Bordelaise with layers of red currents and red bell pepper with shades of dusty terroir that all mingle in the glass. The wine still has a good degree of freshness and a core of dark fruits with red bell pepper, damp earth and sandalwood tones. This now forty one year old wine has aged very gracefully. While not in its prime, it will provide drinking enjoyment over the next five to ten years — yet another resounding success from this Oakville estate. Drink 2020-2025- 92 — 2 years ago

John Bratincevic

9.4

Dark, beautiful color. Decanted for an hour and forty five minutes or so.

Nose: Pencil shavings/graphite, cassis, orange peel, coffee, earth, raisin, milk chocolate, dried flowers, oak, dried herbs, dark berries. Oh boy!

Taste: the milk chocolate and cocoa really come through - along with a lot of herbs Mulberry (think a blackberry with a much more mineral taste.). Medium weight. Silky, elegant. Very, very good. You can tell it’s young (some vegetal tannins on the finish), but still a treat. Of the three excellent, high-er-end-ish (for me) red wines that I’ve had recently, I think this is the one I would be most likely to come back to. 94-95.

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY! — 9 days ago

Daniel

9.7

Fruity nose. Low in tannins and acidity. Slightly sweet with a kick of spice. Very smooth and drinkable with great finish. $40 — 6 months ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Simply one of the best Northern California Pinot Noirs for the money.

It takes four or five sips to get what this wine is meant to be when switching from the white burgundy.

This is another producer like Williams Selyem is good young but, amazes in 10-15 years.

The nose shows, ruby, candied & floral; blackberries, dark sweet & sour cherries, dry cranberries, poached strawberries, touch of baked rhubarb, mix of blackberries & raspberries, cinnamon stick, nutmeg, clove, vanilla, dark spices, black licorice, mix dark & mid fruit cola, dark rich, black earth, steeped fruit tea, dry twig, tree sap, underbrush, dry crushed rocks, limestone, volcanics with dry, withering & candied: red, dark, blue florals set in a field of violets.

The palate & body are elegant and sexy. Fantastic, glorious mouthfeel. Ripe, ruby, candied & floral; blackberries, dark sweet & sour cherries, dry cranberries, pomegranate, poached strawberries, touch of baked rhubarb, blackberries & raspberries, burnt rhubarb, cinnamon stick, nutmeg, clove, vanilla, dark spices, black licorice, mix dark & mid fruit cola, anise to black licorice, sweet tarriness, dark rich, black earth, steeped fruit tea, dry twig, tree sap, underbrush, savory meats, touch fresh & dry tobacco, suede leather, dry crushed rocks, limestone, sandstone, volcanics with dry, withering & candied: red, dark, blue florals set in a field of violets with hints of lavender. The acidity is like a gentle, cool, stream. The long finish is just flat out amazing. It’s; candied, florals, well knitted & balanced, floral and is endlessly persistent.

Still has 5-8 years of good drinking ahead.

Photos of; Walter Hansel tasting room & bistro, beautifully harvested Pinot Noir bunches & vineyard. — 2 years ago

"Odedi"

9.1

It's time for my #FridayCabernetfix. Here is a nice one from Red Hills.

Dark purple in color with a purplish rim.

Fruity nose of blackberries, raspberries, black plums, oak, light vanilla, licorice, herbs, tobacco leaf, earth, spices, chocolates, dark coffee and black pepper.

Full bodied and smooth with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with plums, cherries, black currants, oak, tobacco, licorice, peppercorn, coffee, cinnamon, earth, spices, light vegetables and herbs.

Medium plus on the finish with round tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a very tasty Cabernet Sauvignon from Lake County in California. Fruit forward with lots of coffee and chocolates notes.

Needs a few hours of airtime to open up, but drinkable right out of the bottle too. Big tannins come out after a couple of hours of air.

Showing nice complexity with a nice mouthfeel, but still very young, and needs five years in the bottle to mature properly. Would be nice to revisit it in 3 years. Will age nicely in the next 10 years.

I had the 2017 vintage a year ago and it is very consistent.

Easy drinking and good by itself or with food. Will pair nicely with BBQ Meats.

14.3% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$75. — a month ago

Scott Spitzer

9.3

Tons of ripe Bing cherry aromas, laced with soft baking spice notes and a hint of almond. The nose reminds me of a freshly baked, homemade cherry pie. At five years old, it's well-integrated on the palate and the ripe cherry very much comes through, followed by a bit of dusty earth and a pleasing oak character. Very enjoyable! — a year ago

Karl Nichols

9.0

Nice nose. Five spice with added richness of bacon fat, and high alcohol. Tart taste, cranberry, hibiscus, orange rind with French oak backing the structure. The 2011 still needs to age and mellow. — 2 years ago