Victor Hsu

9.3

Delightfully complicated California Chard masquerading as a White Burgundy. French nose and French finish. Minerals, flint, stone and fruit—apple, pear, peach and nectarine, with an obvious but restrained layer of oak. Not overly fruity or oaky; no pineapple or butterscotch here. Paired well with the Seafood Tower, Swordfish and Black Cod at the Water Grill Santa Monica. This was a juvenile 2021 vintage, tasted in 2024. Eager to try this gem after another half decade. — 2 years ago

Mark

9.3

At Pasta Moon in Half Moon Bay. Great earth and depth. — 5 years ago

Paul T, Missing My Beautiful Wife 24/7

9.5

Not an easy vintage to find.
Ridge says it’s a 15 year bottle, half way there and its already in tip top shape. — 5 years ago

Kai Wright

8.9

Funky like NY. — 6 years ago

with Jedd

John Willison

9.1

From half bottle...crushed cherries, licorice root, rose petal, slight cola notes. Smooth. — 7 years ago

Maren

9.6

Distinctly fruity flavor, but it doesn’t carry to sweetly to the taste. Crisp and refreshing — 7 years ago

Junkyu Ahn

8.9

@The Conservatory, The Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay
Bought it at USD 64 — 8 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.2

2018 vintage. Lighter in body but good length of cola, bay leaf and black pepper flavors on the finish. So youthful. A half-decade would do wonders. — 3 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.4

2018 vintage. Enveloping, deep French oak nose. Light-medium/medium body. Hammer drops of tangerine, lanolin, Persian lime and guava flavor wise. The 2017 vintage had a little more acidity and is/was showing fantastic but this vintage seems to have a little more “personality.” Obvs super-youthful and needs some space and time. If you can lay off it for a year or two, kudos. For the rest of us mere mortals, this is world-class Chardonnay at a seventh of the comparable French white burg pricing and half/a third of many of the high-end California Chard producers. QPR in spades. — 4 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.2

See previous notes from November 2020. Herbaceous is the word together with plum and blackberry - some earthiness with a note of mushroom. In summary - Herbal, Mineral, Bay leaf. Not the complete package like it’s more illustrious Wilyabrup neighbours like Woodlands, Moss Wood, Vasse Felix, Cullen etc but also half the price so good QPR. Tasted again 60 weeks later on 6th September 2022 with similar results A good wine that drinks to its price point. Not quite the standard of its illustrious neighbours. Not as much maritime influence? — 5 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.4

The 1970 Trotanoy is a wine that I have encountered several times and – caveat emptor – it is variable and prone to TCA issues. This bottle initially sports a metallic note on the nose, although it dissipates to reveal engaging scents of dark berry fruit, undergrowth and the hint of traditional Japanese green tea that I have noted before. Perhaps it does not quite deliver the precision of the best bottles I have come across. The palate is structured and tannic – a “serious” Trotanoy that is determined to impress despite a touch of rusticity. This is a broad-shouldered, rather stocky Trotanoy with impressive depth and just a hint of black olive on the long finish. It will not improve with cellaring but it remains a great Pomerol that has tasted so well for almost half a century. Tasted at Fook Lam Moon in Hong Kong. (Neal Martin, Vinous, December 2019)
— 7 years ago

Melissa McRae

9.3

NYE weekend Half Moon Bay — 7 years ago

ie

9.0

Sour mashed red berries, rose hip, bruyère, dirt, light funk; mellow medium body, vivid, vibrant, rounded up at this age (2014 on 01/06/18). Juicy pulp, some flesh, linear and bright. Half moon weight. — 8 years ago

Tree Kilpatrick

8.9

Nice simple label and screw-top ease. Deep, dark color. Herbal and lovely aroma. Olive and fresh bay leaves to go with the mixed berry. Flavors are nice. Very much Rhône flavored. Balanced. Avoids the Aussie 🍉 🍎 💣 trappings. — 4 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.4

Shimmering red. Smoke- and spice-accented cherry, raspberry and blueberry scents are complemented by suggestions of savory herbs and pungent flowers. Shows very good depth as well as energy to bitter cherry, black raspberry and espresso flavors that take a sweeter turn through the back half. Dusty tannins frame the persistent finish, which leaves cherry pit and fresh bay notes behind. (Josh Raynolds, Vinous, February 2022)
— 4 years ago

Graham

9.0

Love these in half bottles. — 5 years ago

Victor Hsu

9.0

Baby Monte Bello, with big California Cab oomph and gripping tannins. This dark red also featured the typical fruit, earth and mineral notes that you would expect, but I just can’t get past those big, bruising tannins. Improved considerably after an hour of decanting. This 2017 vintage probably needs another half decade at least to soften and mature. Paired well with prime ribeye steak, cutting through the richness like a battle ax. — 5 years ago

CA Haynam

9.5

Simply wonderful. Inky purple, fruity nose, jammy and smooth. The last half glass goes well with dark chocolate. — 7 years ago

Madeline Ell

10

Half moon bay either Armando — 7 years ago

Stewart Ben

9.0

So good. Top three winery for me in NC. A lot of funk in the aroma. Maybe some Brett but doesn’t come through in the taste. — 8 years ago