Paul T HB

9.5

Needs at least 4 hours in the decanter.
96 point review from Wine Advocate @Ron R


The impossible to pronounce 2013 He-Li-An-Thus, coming from purchased grapes, is a blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 18% Petit Verdot and the rest Cabernet Franc, bottled unfined and unfiltered. Aged in Darnajou oak, this is an elegant wine, but it has serious intensity, a blue/purple color, sweet black raspberry and blueberry fruit, some forest floor and spring flowers. It is my favorite of the three vintages to date … — 24 days ago

Dave Mayers

9.1

Lamy’s ‘14 a Criot Batard Montrachet is up there as wines of my life so I was very excited to share this bottle with Cerasulo. Started strong with his magic work he does in Saint Aubin. I was anticipating a emotional ride, but the wine evened out and the richness took over the reductive steeliness. Felt out of balance. Delicious, yes! But a walk in heaven. Not so much. — 3 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.6

Happy Valentines Day!

If you have not looked for this wine on WineSearcher.com or other, you should. Dan Standish has no American Importer. However, you can mail order off his list. Good luck with the Australian/United States import costs. Very prohibited.

Most quality Barossa wines take 15 years in bottle to show their ultimate beauty. Dan’s wines are no different. His Estate vines are 100 years old and produce 500 pounds of fruit per acre...very concentrated. Contrast that to extremely expensive & high quality Napa fruit, those Napa producers are at 2,000-2,500 pounds per acre.

We visited Standish in April 2017. We found Dan to be extremely talented & definitely marches to his own drum. He is salt of the earth and has traveled & worked in many of the world wine regions honing his craft and landing as Torbreck’s Winemaker in Barossa before starting, “The Standish Wine Company.”

As good as the 04 is tonight, it has 15 years of good life ahead...properly stored of course.

The nose is very intoxicating. It is a nice blend of purple, black & blue fruits. Mulberries, olallieberries, boysenberries, black plums, plums, blackberries, dark cherries, deeply extracted raspberries, some baked strawberries, black licorice to anise, dark fruit cola, black olive skin, medium dark spice, black pepper, charcoal, graphite, dry tobacco & underbrush, some bay leaf, alluvial soils, grey volcanic minerals/limestone with fresh & only slightly withering, purple, dark, blue florals framed in violets & lavender.

The body is full, rich, ripe, lush and creamy on the palate after a two-hour plus decant. The structure, tension, length and balance are a little short of its peak and will hold there for 5-8 years. It’s a glorious glide on the palate. The fruits are ripe & lightly baked. Mulberries, olallieberries, boysenberries, black plums, plums, blackberries, dark cherries, deeply extracted raspberries, some baked strawberries, cherry kirsch, red & black licorice to anise, dark fruit cola, black olive skin, the dark spices are heavier on the palate & bring just the right amount of heat, sweet, dark tarriness, black pepper, used, dark expresso roast grounds, charcoal, graphite, dry tobacco & underbrush, some bay leaf, alluvial soils, grey volcanic minerals/limestone, moist clay, with fresh & only slightly withering, purple, dark, blue florals framed in violets & lavender. The acidity is round, flush & perfect. The long finish is a unique even balance of; lush fruits, spice, herbs and earth that persists on the palate for minutes.

Photo on the left of Sofia’s 2 dozen long stems. Love you so much!

@Oswald — 6 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

Lime and citrus notes with saline notes. Inspired by a recent note @Ira Schwartz about a delicious Chablis he had. Oak has been thoroughly absorbed. I haven’t had many Chablis from Les Clos but lived up to its exalted status. See previous Delectable note. Great with fresh Pacific Oysters. — 4 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.3

See previous notes on March 2020 and October 2020. This tasting was even better than those two tastings. At 10 years it is peaking. Sweet and savoury ripe plum and black cherry. So mellow, earthy and delicious. A brilliant wine from a brilliant winemaker. He certainly is the master of alternative varieties in this country - Steve Pannell. A lot like cool climate Shiraz and many would pick it as that in a blind tasting. A great match with Chicken Legs. — 2 years ago

Shay A

9.3

Finally getting around to posting wines from my annual Napa trip from two weeks ago. Always goes by quick! Lots of fun new stops this year.

Really enjoyed my visiting with Will at Mending Wall where he poured Rivers-Marie as well as his personal label William & Mary.

Not quite pop and pour, but close! Will poured this as we walked around the facility and it rapidly evolved, showing baking spices (lots of cinnamon), sweet mixed berry pie, with a touch of graphite...profile had very fine grained tannins, lush and balanced, finishing more to the red fruit dominated side of the spectrum. Nice. — 6 years ago

Dave Wismer

9.4

First wine of 2020 is a banger. Decanted while we watched Star Wars. Beautiful rich red color with red cherries and mushrooms on the nose. Nice tannins with a long finish. May the force be with you. — 6 years ago

with Kim

Ira Schwartz

9.6

Tasting group meet up with many of the regulars not able to attend . I knew the organizer invited someone whom we had not tasted with in about 15 years . He certainly made an entrance bringing this, in magnum no less. When poured it showed a fine mousse but it faded quickly. A very broad nose that hinted of some age. In the mouth it was like a sports car traveling a highway. Almond , brioche and some oxidative notes sped thru my mouth. The flavors accelerated only to linger similar to when you take your foot off the accelerator. Coasted effortlessly with no need to step on the brakes — 2 years ago

Steve Anderson

9.2

Wonderful. Remembering @Alec White each time we have one of these, as he introduced the wine to us. 🙏🍷 — 4 years ago

Paul T HB

9.7

Parker 95 back in 2014, so its a couple points better with some age on it. But I don’t see this lasting 20-25 years as he stated in his review, maybe 5 more years if stored properly. — 6 years ago