Freddy R. Troya

8.9

The Delicious Monster White Blend 2024
W.O. McGregor – South Africa 🇿🇦

Overview
A vibrant and cheerful South African white blend composed of 60% Chenin Blanc, 20% Muscat, and 20% Chardonnay. Produced in the McGregor region, this wine leans into youthful freshness, aromatic charm, and easy-drinking appeal without becoming overly sweet or simplistic. A surprisingly polished everyday white that overdelivers on pure drinkability.

Aromas & Flavors
Expressive notes of tropical fruit, ripe pear, melon, white peach, citrus blossom, and soft floral nuances jump from the glass. The Muscat adds aromatic lift and perfume, while the Chenin Blanc keeps the wine energetic and refreshing. Subtle orchard fruit and light honeyed tones round out the finish.

Mouthfeel
Light to medium-bodied with refreshing acidity and a smooth, uplifting texture. Crisp and youthful, yet balanced enough to maintain freshness through the finish. Very approachable and easy to enjoy casually.

Food Pairings
Excellent with spicy Asian dishes, summer salads, grilled chicken, shrimp tacos, light curries, fresh fruit platters, or casual patio-style sipping.

Verdict
A fun and approachable white blend that delivers far more charm and balance than expected. Bright, youthful, aromatic, and dangerously easy to drink. A great reminder that uncomplicated wines can still be genuinely enjoyable and well-crafted.

Did You Know?
South Africa is home to some of the world’s oldest Chenin Blanc vineyards, and the grape has become the country’s signature white variety, capable of styles ranging from crisp everyday wines to age-worthy masterpieces.

🍷 Personal Pick
This is the type of bottle you open casually and suddenly realize the bottle is almost gone. Bright energy, great finish, and incredibly approachable without feeling generic. Cheers! — a month ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

So, many of you have not had the pleasure of having Dan’s wines. It is largely due to the fact he doesn’t have a US importer. He sells all his mid production level wines through his mailing list. That makes importing from his mailing list as restrictive as the import fees. They are equal to the price of the wines you order. Not something you’ll do. I didn’t. You need to find his wines on the secondary market to be cost effective.

We had the privilege of visiting his Cellar Door in the Spring of 2017. What a fantastic visit and walk of his Estate with him. The age of his Estate vines are 100 plus years old and their yield is less than a ton per acre which, does not make for a lot of wine but, instead a very concentrated wine.

Dan traveled to and worked in many of the key wine regions before settling in as Torbreck’s Winemaker and then marching to his own drum doing his own thing as “The Standish”, his way. No compromises.

The first thing you need to know about Dan’s wines is you can drink them early but, that would be a huge mistake. This 03 is sensational now but, is worthy of more cellaring. It has 10-20 years of life ahead of it...proper storage of course.

This is a second night wine for us and it is still big.

The nose reveals smokey; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum skin, black cherries, blueberries, mulberries/boysenberries, baked/poached strawberries & some raspberries, sweet tarriness, dark berry cola, black pepper, steeped tea, eucalyptus, mint, tree bark with sap, herbaceous, dry crushed rocks, nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, vanilla, moist, forest floor with dry leaves with withering; dark, red, purple flowers framed in violets & strong lavender.

The body is full, round, lush & ruby. The tannins are still big, round, tarry & meaty. The structure, tension, length & balance are just there & yet still not there. It is still a monster on day two. Smokey; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum skin, black cherries, blueberries, mulberries/boysenberries, baked/poached strawberries & some raspberries, sweet tarriness, grilled meats, dark berry cola, black pepper, steeped tea, eucalyptus, mint, tree bark with sap, herbaceous-sage & rosemary, used charcoal, graphite, dark spice with palate heat, burned ambers, incense, rubber toy, dry crushed rocks, moist clay & top soil, dry stone, nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, vanilla, moist, forest floor with dry leaves with withering; dark, red, purple flowers framed in violets & strong lavender. The acidity is round and a rushing river. The extremely long finish is, big, round, elegant, floral, well balanced, runs juicy to dry with persistence for days falling onto earthiness & dark spice on the long set.

Photos of, a plaque that hangs above my kitchen sink that speaks to me always, Dan Standish, his Cellar Door and surrounding buildings. — 6 years ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

Monster vintage for LB that will need more time. — 8 years ago

David Kline

9.5

Dense red currant is ‘wrassled’ down by fennel aromas, mint and black cherry with strawberry and blackberry hidden beneath its thick canopy of fern and forrest; including moss and mushroom. Actually amazing! Not going to ever guess that this herbaceous monster with rim to rim colt density is an 11 yr old Calistoga! Meaty notes of grill and marinated fungi. Celeriac root, fennel and licorice notes define this angel with a minty coolness persisting! Blackberry and black cherry emerge in the finale to shine like young wine despite the years!#Larkmead #2007cab #Calistoga #Napa #napacab — 8 years ago

with Courtney

Cait Eslinger

8.9

Very acidic, pineapple notes but good over all — 9 years ago

Yuta Goto

9.0

Bright, well-defined acidity comes through smoothly, with a sense of weight and a satisfying, full-bodied feel on the palate. — 5 months ago

Conrad Green

9.2

Dark and sweet with dense tannic grip. Red currant, plums and violets. A bit of a monster — 4 years ago

with Paul and Ara

Lee Pitofsky

9.6

An absolute monster of a wine. 4 hours in the decanter served perfectly to allow this 2001, perhaps one of the best Hommage vintages ever, to flaunt its incredibly complex aromatic array of black fruits, roasted Provençal herbs, licorice, campfire smoke and Christmas spices.

It’s still youthful with ripe tannins and a ton of muscle. Nowhere near its peak. But it’s entering its drinking window seamlessly, being incredibly giving and expressive with sufficient air. Similar to how VV Gonon differs from the regular bottling, Hommage just cranks everything up to 10 and it’s concentrated flavors come at you in waves. But it never gets heavy as there is just enough lift and precision to keep everything harmonious. A very special bottle from a very special vintage indeed. — 5 years ago

Alanna Lucas (Nantucket Wine & Spirits)

9.0

I mean, the name alone makes you want to, at the very least, try it. And let me tell you, you’ll be happy you did! Some red fruit (cranberry mainly) and acidity with a yeasty finish. A fun change from your standard bubble options and the perfect holiday color! — 7 years ago

Ron R

9.1

Broke my mid-week alcohol fast for this...
Nose displays honey, straw and oak. First thing that hits you on the palate is honied almonds and white stone fruits. A little too much oak treatment leads to a lack of precision. It has a curvy posture, with very little acid to counterbalance the oak. Good showing, even though the oak monster showed its ass. At the right price, it’s a buy. — 7 years ago

with Anne-marie

Matthew Cohen

9.5

Wow. Monster grand cru burgundy. From Baden. Nose is licorice and cherry and spice. Palatebis Huge effing monster spicy cherry. Amazing texture. Palate coating like a paintball shot in the mouth. Internal aromatics are sick. Long clingy finish. Genius knows not of birthplace. — 8 years ago

with Lyle

Matt Perlman

9.0

Pale amber. Fresh and fruity for a skin contact wine, maybe because of carbonic. Hint of smokey peat or pine resin on the nose with toffee, plenty of zesty orange and saline on the palate. — 9 years ago

Andrew McIntyre

9.5

Massive monster of a wine that will obviously polarise. The type of wine that you drink while being fed grapes and fanned with a giant palm leaf. Opulent and luxurious with blackberry, brambles and tar. Its going to be too much for a lot of people but if you like your wines full of flavour then this is for you! — 2 years ago

Joseph Barsky

9.5

2013 Vintage. 15.8% Alcohol. Monster wine with iron, violets, blueberry . Yum! — 5 years ago

Joseph Barsky

9.4

2013 Vintage. Now throwing sediment but still a monster. — 5 years ago

Anthony Pro

9.1

Kanye West said it best... Everybody know I'm a motherfucking monster.

Birthday Brunello. — 6 years ago

Adrian Jongenelen

9.8

Great. Not too sharp tasting. — 7 years ago

Chris England

9.7

Incredible potential loaded in this top St Julien from a top year @ £145 paid now £200-235 this is a monster 😈 superb now but wow in 10-20 years juice of the gods 😍 Had eased back since a year ago as it was more full on then 😉 This wine will outlive me 😁

📍 Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou 2010

🏵 97-98 points w/ 100 potential in time 👍

🍇 90% Cabernet Sauvignon & 10% Merlot

🍷 Opaque blackened deep ruby

👃 Heady intense hit of blackcurrant, mint leaf, dark plum & violet w/ soft oak, minerals, mocha, liquorice & fresh cedar

👄 Med+ body of mocha infused creamy smooth plump blackcurrant w/ cocoa, damson compote & blackberry jam

🎯 Long mocha & liquorice blackcurrant smack in the choppers 💥 w/ a mineral & blackberry kick — 7 years ago

Bobby Gilbane

9.6

Good lord this is delicious. It’s a monster but my kind of monster. — 8 years ago

Jeffrey Long

9.0

Stumbled into the best whisk(e)y bar in the East Bay. — 9 years ago

with Chris