Andy@andyberke.com

9.1

A lot of terroir. Great finish — 3 months ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.0

Growers by Isabel Estate “Common Vine” Single Vineyard Pinot Noir 2022
Omaka Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand 🇳🇿

Overview
100% Pinot Noir from Isabel Estate’s Raupo Vineyard in the Omaka Valley. This is an estate-bottled, vegan-friendly wine that showcases Marlborough’s lighter, more elegant side of Pinot Noir — fresh, juicy, and delicately structured.

Aromas & Flavors
Bright red fruits dominate with wild strawberry, cranberry, and red cherry, lifted by subtle floral tones and gentle spice. A youthful profile that emphasizes freshness over power.

Mouthfeel
Light-bodied, silky, and refreshing with a balanced acidity that keeps the palate lively. Smooth tannins and a clean finish make it easy to drink yet still refined.

Winemaking Notes
Estate-bottled and produced exclusively from a single site (Raupo Vineyard). Vegan-friendly winemaking with gentle handling to preserve delicacy and terroir transparency.

Food Pairing
Pairs beautifully with seared salmon, mushroom risotto, charcuterie, or herb-roasted chicken. Works equally well as a versatile, casual red for lighter fare.

Verdict
A charming, fresh, and juicy Pinot Noir that reflects both the Raupo Vineyard and Isabel Estate’s thoughtful craftsmanship. A delicate Marlborough expression with a modern, clean edge.
Cheers! — a year ago

Frank Lin

8.9

Amazing rich aromas. Great balance of fruit and structure. Wonderful recommendations at Chapeu. Should look for it. — 3 years ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Popped and poured. Isabel’s Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc is a bit of an outlier when compared to most CdP Blancs. While others tend to work with Grenache Blanc, she has instead focused her attention on Clairette which makes up 80% of the blend with Roussane rounding (no pun intended) out the balance. Fermented in stainless steel and aged in a mix of glass demi-john and old foudre, the 2021 Blanc pours a very light straw color. The nose is a fascinating and luxuriously perfumed blend of peach, yellow flowers, fresh asparagus, and pastilles. The fruit is confirmed on the palate with some added minerals for good measure. Acid is medium and quite lovely, giving a very nice lift to everything. The finish is long and savory. Drink now through 2031 with ease. Could go beyond that…but why? — 3 years ago

Henry Luiker

9.1

$250 at Buon Ricordo w Luis & Isabel. 2011. A good Amarone. — 6 years ago

Ken Powell

9.1

Had with Penny in our first lunch after boarding the Queen Isabel cruise on Douro River. We’re in Porto. Brendan arranged for it; nice surprise! — 7 years ago

Brian Tuite

9.2

Loaded with dark blue fruit, menthol, bacon and crushed stone. — 8 years ago

Andrew Liguori

9.2

New age CDP with high acidity and burst red fruits, background of light herbs/garrigue and velvet tannins. Fun stuff. — 8 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.5

2021 vintage. Above the average, non lieu-dit expressions of of CDP rouge in terms of pricing. As for the performance? Bad-*ss spicy Grenache riding hard to set the tone. Big spice finish. Light-medium body. Needs air time but for those relatively unfazed/unafraid of tannins, PNP and rock on. Love this producer and the authenticity that shines through in the effort. 02.26.25. — a year ago

Eric Urbani

9.3

We tasted nine Minervois Red Blends (Languedoc region of France), an unknown AOC to our group. This was designated a “vin de table” because as a single-varietal, it did not conform to the Minervois arcane AOC rules. I loved it anyways — 2 years ago

Robert Stackowiak

9.1

Beautiful fragrance. Light cherry, vanilla on the palate. April 2023. — 3 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Founded in 1932 by Isaac Muga Martínez, now run by children Manuel, Isabel & Isaac Muga Caño. Deep Ruby, aromas of sweet red and black fruits with pepper spice, unmistakable Muga. 4 grape blend from the Haro district (70% Tempranillo, rest Garnacha, Mazuelo & Graciano), palate shows cherry and currant flavors with espresso, vanilla & toasty oak tones. Soft full tannins, lively acidity on a medium+ finish ending with an earthy mineral character. Nice value! Great vintage! — 6 years ago

Sander Donze

9.5

Great well bodied pinot noir — 7 years ago

Arden Barnett

9.0

Another interesting wine. The one thing that I recognized on the nose was the smell of a light, soft blue cheese. Weird but everyone else at the table agreed. Extremely light wine with notes of pear, nectarine, grapefruit. Almost clear in color but the finish was very nice. Super long finish with a slight spice — 8 years ago

Freddy R. Troya

8.9

Growers by Isabel Estate “Common Vine” Sauvignon Blanc 2023
Waihopai Valley, Marlborough, New Zealand 🇳🇿

Overview
100% Sauvignon Blanc from Isabel Estate, one of Marlborough’s pioneering producers. This single-vineyard bottling comes from the Waihopai Valley — a subregion known for being more mineral-driven and restrained than the punchy, tropical-forward styles of the neighboring Wairau and Awatere Valleys. A showcase of precision and purity.

Aromas & Flavors
Zesty citrus, lime peel, and gooseberry meet tropical notes of passionfruit and pineapple, layered with fresh herbs and a subtle stony edge. A vivid expression that balances fruit intensity with chalky minerality.

Mouthfeel
Crisp, energetic acidity cuts through with sharp precision. Light to medium-bodied, refreshingly clean, with a saline, mineral-tinged finish that lingers brightly.

Winemaking Notes
Cold fermentation in stainless steel to lock in aromatics, followed by lees contact for added textural complexity without compromising freshness.

Food Pairing
Excellent with oysters, green-lipped mussels, ceviche, and goat cheese. Also shines with grilled asparagus, sushi, or a simple tomato-and-basil salad.

Verdict
A brilliant single-vineyard Sauvignon Blanc that highlights Waihopai Valley’s distinctive terroir — mineral, sharp, and refreshingly pure. More refined than fruit-bomb styles, yet every bit as compelling. Cheers! — 10 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Founded in 1932 by Isaac Muga Martínez, now run by Manuel, Isabel & Isaac Muga Caño. Deep Ruby, aromas of sweet red and black fruits with pepper spice, unmistakable Muga. 4 grape blend from the Haro district (70% Tempranillo, rest Garnacha, Mazuelo & Graciano), palate shows cherry and currant flavors with espresso, vanilla & toasty oak tones. Soft full tannins, lively acidity on a medium+ finish ending with an earthy mineral character. Nice value! Great vintage! — 2 years ago

Christopher Jacobs

9.1

Had with Isabel during lunch at home. Strong with a spicy start, but not burning. Excellent. From San Antonio Chile! — 3 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.3

Just opened another bottle! Founded in 1932 by Isaac Muga Martínez, now run by children Manuel, Isabel & Isaac Muga Caño. Deep Ruby, aromas of sweet red and black fruits with pepper spice and oak. 4 grape blend from the Haro district (70% Tempranillo, rest Garnacha, Mazuelo & Graciano), 36 months in oak, palate shows elegant flavors of cherry and currant with espresso, vanilla & toasty oak tones. Soft full ripe tannins, lively acidity on a long finish ending with an earthy mineral character. Great vintage! — 5 years ago

Jan de Weerd

9.1

Ahhhhh. Yum. So vibrantly refreshing. Clean and crisp. Drinking on our back patio watching the sun set on a beautiful Spring day. — 6 years ago

with RoAnne and Tammy

John Giaquinta

9.5

Isabel Ferrando makes wine from the southern reaches of Châteauneuf. Ripe and silky. — 8 years ago

with MG