Ely Cohn

9.2

A less wild, thicker, charismatic version of Liaison. More filled out. Still with that E&M corduroy murk, more glow for par.

Candy coat with cherry, raspberry, and acetone.

— 4 hours ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.4

Primarily Cabernet Sauvignon (77%) with the balance being a blend of Petite Verdot (12%), Malbec (8%) and Merlot (3%). Aromas of blueberries, kirsch, violets, forest floor and cedar wood. Well integrated flavors of blackberry, blueberry, black cherry, chocolate, tobacco, and graphite. Beautiful notes of vanilla, wild herbs and clay on the long and earthy finish. Amazing complexity and balance! Medium-plus bodied. Beautiful creamy texture and velvety tannins. So good for being so young. Looking forward to trying this wine again in a few years. Thank you so much for sharing this one, Keith S! — 3 months ago

William

9.1

A good rioja kind of expensive $45 — 5 months ago

Shay A

9.4

94-95

My first Gonon StJo…unfortunately, I loved it. Wish these were easier to find at good prices!

At 8yrs, this was so perfumed out of the glass. At 90% whole cluster, it shows typical green/stemmy aromatics but it’s not the dominant note, trending toward green peppercorns, violets/potpurri, olive, and black cherries. Mineral notes, pepper, mix of red and black fruits, mocha, and so much verve on the palate, absolutely buzzing both days. This wine is floral and herbal but with so much power and balanced fruit…kind of a wild-ness to it that I loved. What a beautiful expression of Syrah. Killer.

Day two showed the whole cluster aromatics fade a bit, but it also showed the palate bulk up. So good. — 6 months ago

Jay Kline

9.0

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of 90 minutes. The 2017 San Valentino pours a slightly hazy, ruby color with medium+ viscosity and light staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of tart, red fruit: sour Montmorency cherry, wood varnish, horse blanket, black licorice, old wood, and stony earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and zippy. One of the more wild vintages of San Valentino I’ve ever had and this bottle wasn’t quite as good as the one I had a couple years back. Drink now and enjoy what nature gave to Paolo and Giampiero. — 14 days ago

Ely Cohn

9.1

Has some fight, bite, and spice. Dark persona, firmly structured with a core of sandy salinity, a little weight and tannic tension. Wild sour green strawberries, unripe raspberries, cedar lining.

Reserved, but punchy. — 3 months ago

Pinotman /// Andreas

9.1

Quite Chablis like. Just 600 bottles made. Not super complex. More on the subtle side. Lemon and touch herbs 🌿. 12.8%. One of the the producers which are on the burgh side of the spectrum. — 5 months ago

Austin Hohnke

9.1

Wine 1, with rack of lamb. As my drinking history shows, Raffault is a perennial favorite. 2017 is easy access with medium weight, wild red berry fruit, tomato leaf, and earth. Drink over the next five years. Holding ‘09, ‘14, ‘15, and ‘18 with patience. — 24 days ago

Ericsson

9.6

The closest thing to true Bordeaux style red blend from Napa. This wine really accentuates the vintage and the terroir, along with fruit and soil. The Dominus Estate manages the vineyard via dry farming, relying on nature for water, making a profound difference on great vintages such as 2016. Find a good vintage Dominus and you’re bound to have one of kind. Cheers. — 2 months ago

"Odedi"

9.1

Dark ruby/Inky in color with a wide reddish rim.

Stinky nose, as expected, and dry on the palate with nice complexity.

Full-bodied and smooth, with medium acidity and long legs.

Showing black fruits with wood, earth, vegetables, spices, barnyard, dark chocolates, tobacco leaf, tar, black tea and bitter herbs.

Medium finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

This is a unique Syrah from Walla Walla Valley. Rich and extracted. Soft and elegant. Very much 'in your face' kind of wine.

This 7 year old is still young, and needs a few hours to open up properly. Will continue to age nicely in the next 5 to 7 years.

This Single Vineyard is nicely balanced and complex with a nice mouthfeel. Not my usual style, but very tasty.

I've had a few vintages of this wine and it always delivers.

Wine Spectator 94 points. Wine Advocate 96 points.

Good by itself as a sipping wine.

A blend of Syrah with a touch of Viognier. Only 859 cases produced.

13.8% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$120. — 4 months ago