FabianG

8.9

#winesccess — 3 months ago

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9.2

Medium in body, fresh and driven, the 2022 Pinot Noir (Santa Lucia Highlands) is pretty forward in its red-fruited profile, but it also possesses a core of stern, rocky minerality. An enticing air of highlands herbs and sweet lavender adds further intrigue. Juicy, sweet raspberry, clove and a kick of toasty French oak sweetness make the 2022 an inviting choice for drinking over the next several years. (Billy Norris, Vinous, August 2024)
— 2 years ago

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9.5

Harvested all at once from multiple blocks across this pedigreed site, the 2019 Pinot Noir Garys’ shows a clear juxtaposition of Old World and New World in the way it pits savory, earthy tones against lush SLH berry fruit. There’s such charm to its character. Black raspberry, marionberry, black olive, bitter cherry, thyme and lavender build intensity and depth with air, stacking consecutive layers on layers on layers. Believe it or not, I think this will continue to improve, as the tannins are not yet completely integrated. Either way, this is a beautiful effort from Adam Lee. (Billy Norris, Vinous, August 2024)
— 2 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.2

The 2023 Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo is a finessed, tenderly fruited, delicate wine. Raspberry coulis, mint, sweet lavender, crushed rocks and round, ripe red berry fruit run through to the core. Refined and polished, the Villa Gemma is reflective of the beauty that can be achieved in this style. $24.00 (Billy Norris, Vinous, June 2024) — 2 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.2

The 2023 Rosé is deep, complex and layered, with ripe nectarine, rose garden and sweet cherry fruit notes. Beautifully expressive and floral on the nose, savory, salty mineral tones meet red berry freshness and an undercurrent of spice in the mouth. A touch of almond bitterness grabs at the edges of the tongue toward the close, striking great harmony with a rounded sweetness. Bravo. (Billy Norris, Vinous, May 2024)
— 2 years ago

Kapyrick Wine

9.2

v15. Very nice! Smokey, black cherry licorice nose. Rich. , black cherry fruit. Dry, smooth, slightly astringent, earthy finish. Enjoyable!! — 4 years ago

Jeff Proctor

9.1

Big with a berry finish. Drinks like a $40 bottle of wine. Norris Lake — 9 years ago

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9.2

The 2022 Chardonnay Sleepy Hollow Vineyard is a richer, more forward style of Chardonnay. A lovely hug of spicy French oak wraps around a sweet, ripe pear fruit core. Textural intensity is the order of the day—this wine spent much of its maturation period on the lees, which softened its edges in a really pleasant fashion. A forgivable tick of heat emerges on the finish, but this is attractive enough to look past that. (Billy Norris, Vinous, August 2024)
— 2 years ago

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9.6

Hailing from one of the premier sites in the Santa Lucia Highlands, planted in 1996, the 2022 Pinot Noir Garys' Vineyard is flat-out gorgeous. Beautifully rendered, it boasts generous fruit density, crystal-clear delineation of flavors and bracing structure. Fully destemmed, the 2022 finishes with a ton of persistence in its dark berry flavors, even darker cherry, black licorice and black sage. The 2022 leaves behind a fine web of powdery tannins, neatly wrapped up with a little bow on top, concentrated, effusive, and ready to rock. What a complete package. This may be the red wine of the vintage in the SLH. (Billy Norris, Vinous, August 2024)
— 2 years ago

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9.4

Harvested about a week later than the others in the 2018 lineup, the 2018 Pinot Noir Rosella’s Vineyard opens with generous red fruit, grilled herbs, iodine and a hint of iron. Resolved and settled in, the 80% new oak here is perfectly integrated, presenting only a touch of spicy grip on the finish. Very classy. (Billy Norris, Vinous, August 2024)
— 2 years ago

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9.1

The 2023 Rosato is incredibly energetic like a horse waiting to bolt out of the starting gate. Ripe pineapple, pear and spiced citrus provide a foundation upon which the sparkling, lively acidity flutters. The balance here is admirable and nicely rounded and displays a lovely inner sweetness. This bottle could empty quickly. (Billy Norris, Vinous, May 2024)
— 2 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.0

The 2023 Rosé Sabine is ripe, vibrant and structured. Spiced red fruit and almonds rush across the palate, supported by energetic acidity and a bit of grip that pleasantly tugs at the cheeks. This is a fine example of classically styled Provençal Rosé. (Billy Norris, Vinous, May 2024)
— 2 years ago

Bryan Maygers

9.0

Chuck Norris is an a**hole, but this wine is good — 6 years ago

Seba Stian

8.9

Yummy! Super Sardinian :) 50/50 Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cannonau - hmmm it's delicious, garnet color and medium body - pomegranate, plums, raisins and liquor cherries (Grenache higher alcohol) with ripe but medium+ tannins . It fruity, but with acidity "Chuck Norris" kick from Cabernet. — 9 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.1

The 2022 Chardonnay (Santa Lucia Highlands) boasts terrific weight and concentration. Viscous and opulent, it possesses a lovely inner sweetness. Yellow apple, golden mango and hazelnut notes are neatly delineated and clear as day. The 2022 delivers a touch of oak spice on the long, tender, driven finish. It’s a big wine—I would prefer just a hair more energy, but it’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser for lovers of large-scale Chardonnay. (Billy Norris, Vinous, August 2024)
— 2 years ago

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9.3

Fresh and buoyant, the 2022 Pinot Noir Estate Cuvée shoots a vibrant array of sweet cherry, black raspberry and clove from the glass. Neatly structured yet enthusiastic, the stem inclusion adds lift and spiciness but doesn’t distract. The 2022 finishes with a linear drive. I admire the concentration of fruit here. Vineyard sites are Pisoni, Garys’ and Soberanes—a blend that really works. (Billy Norris, Vinous, August 2024)
— 2 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.3

The 2018 Pinot Noir (Santa Lucia Highlands) is fresh as a daisy, demonstrating how seamlessly the stems (78% in this case) and tannins integrate into Adam Lee’s wines over time. Lifted and expressive, this is such a polished package. It's a bit quiet on the nose, but there’s finesse and complexity to burn. Spiced macerated cherry, potpourri, incense and crushed rocks lead to a resolved, rounded finish. This is well executed and nowhere near peak. (Billy Norris, Vinous, August 2024)
— 2 years ago

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9.1

Tangerine peel, grapefruit, kiwi fruit and grass clippings rush forth as the 2023 Rosato Ali unfurls in the glass. Expressive, cheerful and open for business, the Ali is light on its feet but neatly framed. Just the right amount of spice-inflected bitterness wraps up the finish. $20.00 (Billy Norris, Vinous, June 2024) — 2 years ago

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9.1

Vajra's NV Extra Brut Rosé N.S. Della Neve is incredibly characterful, sizzling out of the glass with leather, mesquite smoke, blackberry and white pepper. A blend of 50% Nebbiolo and 50% Pinot Noir, the structure of the former comes through loud and clear through bright acids and firm, powdery tannins. Sour berry fruit and mentholated herbs meet with salty stoniness in the mouth, elevated by a lively, fine mousse. It's not the most finessed sparkling wine you'll taste, but it's certainly charming. (Billy Norris, Vinous, May 2024)
— 2 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.1

Impenetrable Colour - dense deep Ruby - opaque. Black fruits of blackberry and plums verging on pruney on the nose. A full bodied palate - rich and fleshy needing more complexity which will come with bottle age. Winery says drink to 2030. Try the next one in a few years. This winery on Kangaroo Island is owned by Jacques Lurton (Cheval Blanc and other wineries in South America). The winemaker is Yale Norris who is from Colorado. I think I incorrectly said Canadian in a previous note. Barb and I had a private tour of The Islander with Yale back in 2016. These grapes are fermented in upright square concrete vats where he does several pump overs of the skins - then matured for almost 2 years in French Oak in the next size up from a Barrique. At $35 great value for the time and effort that goes into this boutique production. Sadly ravaged in the bush fires earlier this year. Tasted another bottle 31 weeks later on December 30, 2020, with consistent notes - certain persistent tannins - went well with Porterhouse steaks at Paros. The BBQ worked a treat. Tasted a bottle 90 weeks later on 12th February 2022 with consistent notes. Balanced, full bodied and excellent. Went well with Home made meatballs - made by daughter Georgie home from Copenhagen after 3 years. — 6 years ago