Martin Mazner

9.7

Wow! Almost hated to drink because the bouquet was stupendous. Rich fruit, earth, leather, and a hint of spice. This wine made Napa famous! The finish just lasted and lasted. Made every thing I said after finishing the glass sound witty and profound 😄 — 25 days ago

with Naveen

David Kline

8.9

Grapefruit juice coloration with egg white foam. Shamrock to bubble font and naive gryphon lacing. Nettle and lemon nose grows sweet grapefruit-tangerine, and Meyer-key lime. Bite-y saline-citrus of lemon proper, candied grapefruit, hibiscus, white pepper and lime zest.


#sierranevadabrewing #sierranevada #hoppylittlething #hoppylittlethingipa #ipa #indiapaleale #sessionipa #beer #bier #biere #birra #cerveza — a year ago

Daniel M

9.1

The nose was very unsettled at first and showcased intense barnyard and rotten egg notes. It went away after one hour and half to show a big bright cherry, cherry liquor note along with hay and rose petals touches. This is great. The palate is next level though. There is an intense cherry note that shines through and through, along with a massive acid backbone. There is good width and some nice matter on the side, a soft mouthfeel and even a creamy thing that adds a layer of texture and complexity on top. Some fine, sandy yet subtle tannins kick in in the rear to power up a very long fruity finish that carries that creamy touch till the end. This is a great wine! Now I understand the hype around it, but I will probably not buy again because at 29 EUR, and even if it's a great wine, there is very little value to it... — 4 years ago

Jessica Knickerbocker

9.1

Night out as a couple. Very nice! — 4 years ago

Daniel M

9.3

There is an irony thing in the nose along with violet and rose petals and cherry and a bit of black pepper. This is the nose I fell in love with 10 years ago. The palate is very well designed with a strong acid backbone, a very nice round and radiating fruit, a bit of a sweet touch, some nice oily, scratchy tannins which kick things up for a rather long finish with that fruit, pepper and a long lasting floral aftertaste. So great. This is 7 Euro when you buy it from the winery directly and it's 15 kilometers from where I am right now 😍 — 6 years ago

Kimberly Jamrozek

9.3

I am in love with this Zin and will definitely join Uncommon Palette's wine club cause they offer the BEST!!! — 6 years ago

Beth Hamilton

8.9

It’s 100 degrees in Michigan today. Looking for refreshment and here it is. Gorgeous ruby color. Crisp tart red berries. Strawberries, tart cherries. Very fruity and dry with a little zing at the end. My first rosé of Carignan. 👍 — 7 years ago

with Parviz

Bill Bender

9.2

Wish I had a chance to get more of this, with less surrounding bottles and in a better state of sobriety. Lots of that garrigue, smoked bbq and all spice thing. — 7 years ago

Chris B.

9.0

Like a bagful of dried cherries (that’s a good thing). Medium ruby in color but still light, with a wonderful balance of tartness and gravelly creaminess. A touch of allspice at the end reminded me of some Pinots from Sta. Rita Hills. — 7 years ago

Jay Kline

9.4

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of an hour. The 2006 pours a deep straw color with a persistent mousse. On the nose, the wine is developing with lovely notes of slightly bruised apple, white flowers, lemon curd, brioche, slivered almond and a mix of chalk and limestone minerals. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and creamy. I wish I could drink this all night long. Alas, only a single 750mL and not a Methuselah. Drinking well now and will only be taking on more secondary and tertiary character. But if that’s your thing (and I can get down), this will deliver well past 2036. — 5 months ago

Ge Reid

9.0

Enderle & Moll Pinot Noir
Liaison 2021
Baden, Germany
12.5% ABV

German Pinot is supposed to be the next big thing, the best Pinot Noirs outside the Cote D'Or. And Enderle and Moll is reputedly its top producer , with a cult-like following in the German-speaking world. They make 3 versions, somewhat comparable to regional level , village level and grand cru, their top wine being the Buntsandstein. The Liaison is their mid-level offering from old vines up to 50 years old grown on limestone and sandstone soils. Needless to say , I've been dying to try one and see if it lives up to the hype.

On Day One , pop and pour. Very light, translucent ruby. Pretty red fruit and fresh mushroom aromas lead to a light yet intense entry on the palate with bracing , mouthwatering acidity dominating the wine at this stage. Showing more '21 Germany than Pinot character at this stage, so corked and revisited the next day.

On Day Two, this has completely transformed . The first thing noticed is that the color has become darker and deeper, and now looks like classic young burgundy. Aromas are also much more developed , with scents of Indian spices underneath the cherries , raspberries and forest floor. The tiniest hint of wood adds breadth and depth to a bouquet of classic pinosity, but with a character all its own.

On entry, this shows typical flavors of red fruit (currants , marasca cherries , cranberries ), brown spices , and sous bois in a light -bodied but incredibly intense package , with bracing acidity unlike any Pinot Noir I've ever tasted. Despite all the mid-palate energy , this has only moderate length and intensity on the finish. There's a bit of barely noticeable tannin. Built for medium term aging , it will be interesting to see if it remains balanced as it develops. Regardless , the acidity helped make it exceptionally good at the table , here paired with an herb and teriyaki roasted Salmon.

The Liaison can be found for around $30 here in the States , making it an excellent value, though California Pinot lovers might find the level of acidity shocking . While it's not going to make me think about pouring my Wilamette Valley Pinots down the drain , this is really good for the level, and really food friendly. A Pinot for Italian Wine lovers . — 3 years ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Popped and poured from my cellar. The cork was absolutely perfect. The 2005 pours a rather turbid, deep garnet at nearly 17 years old. There's quite a bit of fine sediment that clings to the edge of the glass with each swirl. Medium+ viscosity. On the nose, this was initially a bit grumpy but within minutes, it relaxed and started to show some real charm. A fully developed wine, this is becoming a bit of a Leather Daddy, full of leather (obviously), bruised and desiccated red, black and blue fruits, Christmas spice fruit cake, coffee, damp earth, and candied nuts. On the palate, the fruit remains quite stunning and confirms the mix of bruised and desiccated fruit with a sort of sherried character. Loads of salmiakki (salted licorice), spiced nuts, pepper, coffee and, you guessed it, leather. The wine was dry, technically, but almost gives the sensation of some RS with all of the over-ripe fruits and the texture was almost sappy, in some ways. However, while this was absolutely rich and well-endowed, it was not cloying. Tannins have fully integrated (though still present) and the acid was like a girdle keeping everything held together. This remains a rather large personality even if it's showing its age. Definitely in a lovely spot...but how much longer will that last? If this wasn't my last bottle, I would probably be drinking these over the next five years unless you want the full Leather Daddy experience...which is okay if that's your thing. — 4 years ago

Bill Bender

9.4

WNH Zoom tasting #3 on 4/5/20. The theme was “10 years old or more” and I opened this after what I’d call a false start with a ‘96 Dominus Napanook. The cork was a bit soggy and difficult to extract and a sour nose greeted me as I decanted to remove a fair amount of sediment. But once the air hit it this wine spread its wings. It comes off as a hypothetical Volnay/Rioja blend as if there were such a thing. Mature warm red fruit, strong notes of rhubarb, cranberry preserves and sour raspberry mash. Very slight green notes but not in a negative sense. There’s still youthful exuberance here. This isn’t one of those “it’s drinking great for its age” wines it’s straight up exceptional. Great house. Great wine. Hell yes. Happy Bicentennial 🇺🇸🍷 — 6 years ago

Bill Bender

9.5

Birth year wines are a tricky thing. We all want them to show well because we are opening them for an occasion. ‘81 North Coast is not a vaunted vintage but this is the the 3rd year in a row I’ve shared a birthday bottle with one of my all time favorite females....and each and every time the ‘81s deliver. Fully mature and delicious. The fruit is still going strong, ripe plum, tobacco, sandalwood and blackberry. Lots of length and silk on silk. — 7 years ago

Jared Walton

9.3

Half we drank, the other half went into drunken pasta — 7 months ago

"Odedi"

9.3

#AgedWineTuesday

Deep purple in color with a short, cloudy purple rim.

Strong nose of black currants, black plums, stewed cherries, dried figs, raisins, ginger, oak, eucalyptus, spices, green beans and peppercorn.

Full-bodied with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry and fruit forward on the palate with blackberries, black currants, plums, tobacco, licorice, peppercorn, chocolates, herbs, spices and coffee.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

This 16 year old Grenache from California feels like it peaked a few years ago, but still drinking beautifully. Elegant and rich.

The Syrah notes are very dominant, especially right out of the bottle.

Complex and interesting, with a beautiful nose. Extracted and fruit forward.

Robert Parker 96 points.

Needed 2 hours to open up, and delicious by itself as a sipping wine.

A blend of 84% Grenache, 11% Syrah and 5% Mourvèdre.

15.6% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$330. — 9 months ago

Paul St Clair

9.0

The Smokey caramel and vanilla from the Pappy Van Winkle barrels blends fluidly with a fruit bouquet and massive red and black berry bringing together a full bodied Grenache that is in a class of its own. — 4 years ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.4

Nose is ripe and a bit funky but will blow off. Stunning purity and freshness and so many seashells. Also a mineral liquid gum drop thing happening. Palate is ripe, treacly and racy with awesome purity and freshness. Silky and juicy. Very long. Terrific concentration, focus and energy. Very very pure. Silky and deep. Just a tremendous bottle. — 4 years ago

Carter Pelham

9.7

Shared with close friends - everyone’s first Monte Bello, and a great one at that.

Took this bottle out to share at a local fine dining establishment, to pour it blind for our friends. Wrapped neatly in foil. We get seated and explain to our waiter. “The bottle MAY be a little bit older so take care with the cork,” I said, not wanting to give away the age to our friends. He proceeds to break the cork about halfway down, right through. No big deal. He’s a younger guy and I think a little flustered, he goes off to get assistance.

Comes back with another server. As the guy walks back up, I say “Thanks for helping us with our mystery bottle”, clueing him in on the idea that there’s a reason that we have it wrapped in foil. “Would have been nice to know it was an older vintage wine,” he replied brusquely. Ok… Server 2 digs around for a bit with an ah-so before punching the cork into the drink. Oh well. None of us are really phased by this, it happens.

They grab a strainer from the bar. Server 2 starts pouring at a decanter and immediately the first glass or so just goes everywhere on the table. I start to die inside. He remains silent. Gets on target with the rest of the bottle, finishing pouring, and says “Your 2004 Ridge Cabernet”, purposefully ruining the blind tasting, I guess. Walks away without another word, leaving his mortified coworker to clean up his mess and apologize.

This actually happened. On to the wine:

Beautiful medium opacity ruby with no browning.

Smells like a Pauillac on the nose. Blackcurrants, blackberry, black licorice, slight graphite, and damp tobacco. As the night goes on it reveals dill, vanilla, buttered toast, and slight dry woodsy notes.

The wine is surprisingly light in body, very much a claret. The tannins are silky, finely woven, and extremely integrated. The main thing we notice on the palate is that the wine is so perfectly integrated it is a little difficult to pull individual notes out of it. Expansive over the palate without being weighty. The finish is forever.

A memorable evening. — 5 years ago

with Linh and Sarah

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

When in doubt, a sure bet is a well aged, good vintage Heitz. @Eric Shanks

I intended to grab an 06 but, mistakenly grabbed an 07. I’ve not had one of my 06’s yet...next weekend.

The one thing I do every time I open one of my ten year or older Heitz Napa Cabernet’s is smile & think, this was sub $35 at Costco. It’s the wine feeling/definition of stealing candy from babies.

The nose is a beautiful harmony of fruit, earth and florals. Steeped, somewhat stewed, candied fruits of; dark currants/cassis, blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, mix of purple fruits; boysenberries, ollieberries, & mulberries. Dark, sweet tarriness, anise to black licorice, touch of incense, fire ambers, dark spices with violets palate heat, chocolate pudding, vanilla, light; cinnamon, clove & nutmeg, dark chocolate, caramel, sweet, soft, dark spice, dark berry cola, dark cherry kirsch, dark, rich earth, limestone, crushed, dry rocks, dry top soil, moist clay, understated herbs & dry brush, brewed coffee, mint, some sage & bay leaf, tobacco, dry, old leather with amazing, fresh & slightly withering & candied; dark, red, blue, purple with a violet & lavender frame. The acidity is splendid. The long, ripe, ruby, lush, elegant, well crafted balance of fruit & earth is delicious and persists endlessly with a dark spice on the long set.

The body is; delightful, ripe, rich, lush & full. The structure, tension, length and balance are woven in a perfect tapestry. This 07 has another 10-15 years easily. The tannins are rounded, smooth but, still have a dark, chewy, tarriness with baby teeth. The beauty of the vintage is on full display. Steeped, somewhat stewed, candied fruits of; dark currants/cassis, blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, mix of purple fruits; boysenberries, ollieberries, & mulberries. Dark, sweet tarriness, anise to black licorice, touch of incense, fire ambers, chocolate pudding, vanilla, light; cinnamon, clove & nutmeg, dark & milk chocolate, caramel, sweet, soft, dark spice, dark berry cola, dark cherry kirsch, dark, rich earth, limestone, crushed, dry rocks, dry top soil, moist clay & dry brush, brewed coffee, mint, tobacco, dry, old leather with amazing, fresh & slightly withering & candied ; dark, red, blue, purple with a violet & lavender frame. The acidity is perfect. The finish is; rich, ripe, ruby, candied, well balanced fruit & earth, elegant and long sets into velvety, round tannins and mid dark spices.

Photos of; the winery, tasting patio, old basket press and wide shot of the winery & Estate vines. — 6 years ago