Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.6

I have mentioned my admiration for this producer when Charles Hendricks was their Winemaker through 2013. 2013 is a great Napa vintage for a swan song. My last Regusci post was their Patriarch and is my second favorite Regusci vineyard. Angelo’s, I mentioned was my favorite and this didn’t disappoint.

Not many well stored Angelo’s or Patriarch Regusci’s made by Charles left on the secondary market. This one was well stored with next to no wine running down the cork.

The nose is inviting. Ripe, ruby fruits of, blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, black plum, strawberries, raspberries & cherries. Dark chocolate to pudding, anise, malted milk balls, mid berry to red cola, beautiful, nicely layered baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon stick & vanilla, moist sage, black olive, dry stem & top soils, baking powder, tree bark with red & dark florals for days.

The tannins are still M+ but rounded & velvety. Ripe, ruby fruits of, blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, black plum, strawberries, raspberries & cherries. Dark chocolate cake to pudding, anise, malted milk balls, mid berry to red cola, dark, fruit liqueur notes beautiful, nicely layered baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon stick & vanilla, moist sage, black olive, dry stem & top soils, limestone, dry crushed rocks, baking powder, tree bark, dark, pronounced spice w/ heat, dryish tobacco w/ ash, leather, lead pencil with red & dark florals for days and liquid violets, beautiful acidity with tall structure/tension, great length & balance and elegance that lasts minutes and long sets on dry earth & spice.

Outstanding.Tasted many Napa Cabernets last weekend at Pebble Beach Food & Wine. Holds its own in all of them except the Harlan tasting; 94, 04, 07, 13, 16 & 20. Even Grace Family. — 4 months ago

Fernando Frontera

9.2

Frank Family Tasting - 4/5
Benjamin. Amazing Blend. Still prefer the Winston and Patriarch over it. — 2 years ago

Anjanette Pelletier

9.2

Lovely with deep berry flavors. Still retains tannins. Will age the next bottle another 5 years and see how it changes. Yum! — 6 years ago

with Myke

Rob Sonogan

9.4

Not normally a fan of Hunter reds but this was exceptional. Lots of berries and oak but well balanced. Would drink again. — 7 years ago

David Schiraldi

9.2

Better than their madrone, not quite up to patriarch. 2013, would last a long time. — 9 years ago

Rob Sonogan

9.4

This was amazing and should not be missed for a wine at that price point. The high quality is evident in the first sip through to the last. Honestly get on it now. just order dozens of various vintages. — 10 years ago

Kim Stanbro

9.0

Pinot with pie and the patriarch. — 10 years ago

with Dave

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

I will sound like a broken record, but this is a Charles Hendricks made wine. As I have stated, in my opinion, a very underestimated Napa Cabernet Winemaker.

Patriarch is my second favorite Regusci red wine made by him. The first is Angelo’s.

I love Napa & Bordeaux history. This family were farmers before they made wine. The farmstead cart pictured is their homage to that family history. You’ll see it every late summer as you walk up to their tasting room. Definitely buy some of their homegrown vegetables when there.

The nose reveals a dark core of currants, blackberries, black raspberries, black plum with skin aplenty, plum to pudding, black cherries, baked strawberries, baked blueberries and circular raspberries, dark chocolate to cake, baking spices-cinnamon stick, nutmeg, clove, vanillin, dark spice, mocha, caramel, dry leather, oldish tobacco, graphite, crush rocks/limestone, dry top soil, dark, red, withering flowers, red roses framed in lavender & violets.

The palate entry is round, ripe, lush fruits with rounded, velvety M+ dryish tannins. There is, like the nose, a dark core of currants, blackberries, black raspberries, black plum with skin aplenty, plum to pudding, black cherries, baked strawberries, baked blueberries and circular raspberries, dark chocolate to cake, mocha powder, caramel, baking spices-cinnamon stick, nutmeg, clove, vanillin, pronounced dark spice, anise to black licorice, mocha, caramel, dry leather, oldish tobacco, graphite, crush rocks/limestone/sandstone, dry, grey volcanic clay, dry herbs, dry top soil, mint notes, dark, red, withering flowers, red roses framed in lavender & violets, beautiful, round acidity, still has nice, evolved tension/structure, excellent balance with a flowing, elegant finish that last two-minutes and long sets on clays, earth and spice.

A coravined bottle and relaid in storage from last weekend. Cork perfect with plenty of sediment. Will hold another 2-3 yrs and drink well an additional 5-6 yrs. — 6 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

While 2011 followed 2010, which is not a fair comparison, this is still amazing with seasoned Pork Rack. Tonight, this is in prime form with & without Pork Rack. It is presenting its best self.

My notes are written from the bottom of the bottle. I leave 2-4 inches in bottle after decanting, depending on how many pours. It forms an expression, “The Truth is Inside.” It is the expression of the very best in the bottle. Wine never lies. Everything that you tasted earlier, tastes more. Tannin soaked.

The evolution is just short of its prime…another 3-5 years before it starts its decent. Excellent with the seasoned Pork Rack. A better pairing than the 2010 Kosta Browne.

Ripe & lush; blackberries, sour dark cherries, black raspberries, black plum skin, hints of strawberries, cherries, dark chocolate, limestone/sandstone, leather, dry tobacco w/ ash, some graphite, grilled meats, charcoal, dry stone, nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, spices, barrel toast, dry, black licorice, dry herbs, stems, well done toast, moist volcanic clays, withering dark, red flowers w/ red roses, nice acidity with an elegant, balanced, nice tensioned finish that fall onto spice & dry earthiness and lasts two-minutes.

The Fossacolle family winery lies in the village of Tavernelle in the south of Montalcino.  Owner and patriarch Sergio Marchetti has familial roots that date to the 18th century,  but Fossacolle is a mere baby in relation to Brunello, having only released their first vintage, 1997,  in January 2002.

Photos of; Fossacolle, founder-Sergio Marchetti, their fruit & vineyards. — a year ago

Bradford H. Sanders

9.4

Delicious - 2012 vintage — 7 years ago

David Schiraldi

9.3

Continuing the tour de Regusci. 2012 is classic Stags Leap. The Patriarch still is winning the competition, but this is close. — 9 years ago

Kristin the Wine Girl

9.0

Cherry nose, intense ruby color, cherry plum vanilla palate. High acidity, lingering tannic finish. Pairs well with tomato based spicy pasta sauce. — 9 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.5

Light translucent old reddish ruby. Huge nose of sour cherries, Asian spice, rhubarb, red fruit. Silky in the mouth. Nice but thin finish. Needed 5 hours of air to hit its stride. Great experience to taste an old vintage of this great vineyard from the patriarch vigneron. — 10 years ago

Joe Estrada

9.1

Paired with Pappardelle w/Sausage Marinara — 10 years ago

with Sue

Bob Boyle

9.1

Quite good — 6 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

I have posted on a number of occasions that Charles Hendricks is the most underrated Napa Winemaker. It happens in every world region. He made Regusci’s wines through 2013. The relationship ended midway through the 2014 vintage. Patriarch & Angelo’s are their best cuvées when he made them. 2013 an amazing vintage.

I scour the secondary markets for his James Cole and Regusci vintages. Recently, there were many and I bought them all. They are harder and harder to find. Becoming very rare.

This 2013 in fine shape. The cork perfect as is the state of the wine.

Charles’s magic is he makes wines that are elegant young and will age effortlessly & get better.

This 2013 is still in its ascending phrase and will drink well for another 5-10 yrs.

The entry is lush-juicy-ripe; blackberries, black raspberries, black cherries, black plum skin, plum, poached-baked strawberries w/ hues of raspberries-blueberries-pomegranate. Dark chocolate to cake, mocha powder, caramel, mid berry cola, softly layered baking spices-clove, nutmeg-cinnamon-vanillin, dark, mid tensioned spices, dry twig, limestone powder, dry stone, grilled meats, moist volcanic clays, mostly sandalwood to soft cedar notes, dry tobacco, old leather, hues of graphite, dark rich earth topped with dry earth & leaves, notes of mint-eucalyptus, dry to withering dark, red, blue flowers framed in fading red roses, excellent acidity with a finish that shows firmness, balance, beautiful structure-tension with elegance, lasts minutes and falls on spice & earthiness on the long set.

This will work its way towards 96-97 in the next few yrs. — 8 months ago

Jason Brater

9.2

Round fruit forward with cherry, red raspberry, and a touch of plum. Just when you think it’s gonna be a fruit bomb, it Fades into an acid and cocoa powder punch. Then the tannins wash over you. And it finishes with a nice Italian herbal kick w some oak. — 5 years ago

with Heather

Luciana Barros

10

Dark fruit, spice and long and elegant tannins. — 6 years ago

David Schiraldi

9.1

Good. Not as good as the patriarch — 9 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

On the nose, liqueured dark cherries, cherries, poached strawberries, dark raisins, plums, dates, figs, baking spices, chocolate, dark rich soils, light spice and decayed dark florals. The mouthfeel is thick, rich and nicely resolved. Although it's nearly 20 years from inception, it's quite fresh and somewhere just the other side of it's peak. Dark cherries, plum, raisins, figs, dates, prunes, cherries, poached strawberries, somewhere between black raspberries & raspberries, dark & milk chocolate, light spice, rich, dark, moist soil, dry loamy top soil, violets, decayed, dark florals, light baking spices and caramel with nice round acidity. The finish is thick, rich 50-50 fruit and earth and lasts nearly a minute. This 98 is drinking nicely tonight with our Burrata, olive oil, Tondo balsamic, roasted garlic, garden cherries tomatoes and pesto sauce. Photos of; their beautiful villa estate, straw mats in warm rooms for drying the grapes to make this wine, Owner/Ambassador-Marilisa Allegrini, one of their vineyards and our charcuterie. Producer history & notes...Allegrini is one of the most acclaimed wineries in Veneto and a benchmark producer of Amarone. Their owner Marilisa Allegrini is a global ambassador for the region and internationally. Many in the industry considered her, "the voice of Amarone.” The Allegrini legacy spans six generations of wine growers. The Allegrinis have played a leading role in Valpolicella since the 16th century. Giovanni Allegrini is the patriarch of the modern estate. Today, his children, led by owner Marilisa, carry his legacy forward as one of the Veneto’s most acclaimed estates. Marilisa is the Ambassador for the estate while her brother, Franco, is internationally praised as one of Italy’s finest winemakers. They have 247 acres of vineyards in the Valpolicella Classico, the Allegrinis nurture a collection of remarkable sites. Each with its own personality, soils and focused microclimate. All seven vineyards range from the steep hillsides of La Grola to the plateau of La Poja and offer uniquely special expressions that make up their truly amazing wines. Allegrini has earned many accolades. In 2016, they were named Winery of the Year by Gambero Rosso, Italy’s definitive wine and food magazine. Parker called Allegrini the “reference point for fine Amarone.” Tonight this 98 was a nice example of those accolades.
— 9 years ago