Jim Stehli

9.4

Ikikik - but I couldn’t wait and it’s just so good… and I have more! Woohoo! — 2 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

@delectable This is their Barolo Cannubi, not the 1752.

Another producer visit I enjoyed. They opened many older library vintages that day for us.

This example rides the fence of older & more modern styles of Barolo.

Mid exaction & tannins. Shows some restrained brawn, roundness and elegance for such a young Barolo.

WS Grand Tour Las Vegas 2025. — a year ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

One of the few CA Chardonnay I enjoy. You can spend more on one, but for under $40, this works really well.

Arnot-Robert’s rides the fence of CA Chardonnay & White Burgundy nicely. Has a bit of Ca Chardonnay backbone with the creamy body of White Burgundy.

Nose does not show much at first. Green apple, pear, lemon, lime. White peach, caramel notes, cardamom, paraffin, cream, yellow & spring flowers.

The body is creamy with nice viscosity. Green apple, pear, lemon, lime. White peach, caramel notes, cardamom, paraffin, cream, very light honey notes, sea spray, light chalkiness, yellow & spring flowers. Excellent round acidity, beautiful, soft structure, well balanced and a pleasant finish.

A couple more years in bottle add a point or two & more complexity. .

A little history from their website. Watson Ranch Vineyard is perched on a steep hillside overlooking the San Pablo Bay at the southernmost end of the Napa Valley. The ranch was named after early Napa attorney, Augustus Watson, who owned the property in the early 1900s. The adjacent property is an abandoned limestone quarry which historically employed over 300 people, mining material to make portland cement used to rebuild San Francisco after the 1906 earthquake. — 2 years ago

JM Latour

9.2

Nice. Day 1 had this with BBQ by the lake. Refreshing but a bit fizzy. My friends enjoyed it. I preferred day 2, less fizzy and just delicious, had it with an Asian inspired rice dish & salad. — 4 years ago

Jay Kline

9.0

Popped and poured; consumed over three days. Day 1 was super duper primary and “okay” but not all that interesting. Day 2 was better. Day 3? Now it had my attention. Dark cherry, Fig Newton™️, and conditioned leather. Dry. Medium tannins. Medium-plus acid. Versatile. I was on the fence with this...but I’ve come around. I dig it, but it needs time (or significant air). — 5 years ago

Dawn E.

9.4

This is one of those wines that I said I was going to wait 10 yrs before opening...🤔 No real regrets! This wine has big bold dark berries, licorice Snaps, anise, vanilla, bay leaf, eucalyptus caramel, and maple syrup! Not picking up any acidity, tannins are very nicely integrated and presents with a very long finish. I am really on the fence between a 9.1 or a 9.2 rating! — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

I really enjoy pairing wine with food. One thing I like to do when I work events like these is to offer guests wine that has achieved its perfect bottle phase and this didn’t disappoint. So often you go to a restaurant or an event and all they offer are new releases or close enough. Wine needs time in bottle to shine. This one was at its peak and for many guests was the wine of the night. I’d have trouble disagreeing with that.

Wine was seamless and elegant. Ripe, lush, ruby fruits of; dark cherries, some blackberries, plum and soft florals blueberries on the edge of the glass. Great acidity and round long finish. This was better than some $100 plus bottles of Pinot’s I’ve had for a faction of the price. It walks the fence of CA Pinot & Burgundy nicely.

The dish paired perfectly with Hedy’s, Fresh Summer Beans, Pumpernickel Crouton, Yogurt Dressing, Chive, Preserved Lemon. The perfect age on the Cahill married beautifully with the dish and excellent on its own. The food did not overpower the dish, nor did the dish overpower the wine.

The 08 Cahill was a recent direct purchase from the winery through K&L Wine Merchants. It was like stealing, it was priced so inexpensively.

Walter Hansel made his fortune in the auto business; which allowed him to pursue his other passion in wine. He and his son’s first vintage was 1996. They are located near Kistler and Dehlinger in Sonoma. The Cahill is made from a blend of three clones; 114, 115 and Rochioli.

One interesting fun fact. Walter Hansel was among the first people to drive a car into the Yosemite Valley in the early 1900’s.

Hedy on FB @Plate&Bottle — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

The first thing I would say about the bottle is if served blind, most…including me would not gravitate to St.Emilion. Some might go Napa Cabernet here it is so ripe. I think it rides the fence of 65% Napa Cabernet & 35% Pauillac.

The second thing I would say it definitely shows the beauty of the 2009 vintage. This will be even more amazing in 8-10 yrs.

This is as ripe of a Bordeaux that I’ve had since the 2003 vintage. Maybe, more so at least here.

M+ velvety yet chunky tannins. Ripe, lush, ruby; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum skin, black cherries, blueberries, boysenberries, strawberries, sweet tarriness, black licorice, baking spices, dry tobacco, lead pencil shavings. Leather, dark cola, dark chocolate baking bar, dry top soils, limestone, dark rich earth, river stone pebbles, touch of black pepper, oak barrel shavings, dry tea leaves, hint of mint, mix of fresh, candied & withering; dark, red, blue flowers framed in liquid violets & lavender, round acidity with balance, nice structure & tension, lush elegance for days and lands on fruits & earthiness lasting two-minutes.

These are not easy notes on a turbulent EK226. — 9 months ago

Randy Fuller

9.2

This wine has barely any color at all, just a very faint yellow-green tint. The nose is nice. There is a slight trace of petrol, which I always love to find in a Riesling. More dominant is a lanolin note which joins a light floral aroma. The palate straddles the fence between dry and sweet, offering up some tasty stone fruit and a savory side marked by gentle spices and a workable acidity. I would like a drier wine better, but I drank this quaff gladly and poured another. — 2 years ago

Jessica Knickerbocker

9.2

I really like this! My hubby is on the fence about it. Since this is my account, I give it a 9.2 (hubby says 8.9). Strong, dark, and… delicious. — 3 years ago

Scott Cowan

9.0

Total Rhône Ranger: 56% Syrah, 16% Mourvèdre, 13% Petite Syrah, 11% Grenache, with 2%, each, smoothing things all together, of Viognier(!) and … Alicante Bouschet. I bet the Alicante was added for color more than for flavor, though also to smooth the tiny ping of pepper notes I assume follow the teensy bit of Viognier. All in all a delightful crowd pleaser. Inoffensive to sensitive palates and yet bold+complexly layered just enough to please those who want some drama in the bowl (present 🤚 ).

Pairs well with… just about everything: mild chicken to game and lamb… also all cheeses from mildest to most piquant — it’s that kind of utility player wine!
For this reason, I give it the full 9.0 instead of the 8.9 I’d planned on mid-dinner last night. I had been straddling that fence between best of a strong platoon player who’d see 80 games a season, some starting and some pinch hitting/fielding, vs an everyday starter who could cover the infield as passably as the outfield and bat just about anywhere in the lineup, 1-8, save the super power 3 and 4 spots — though a few sips hit the spot sweet just right to serve as barely clearing the fence home runs during a brief period that this wine lingered at just-right aeration time.

Darker red pour with flecks of bear black and hues of orange highlight… Bing cherry skin color center to lighter Rainer cherry reds near glass sides. No tears to speak of from alcohol and this wine does not feel as if it’s high in alcohol at all, but the label reads 15.2%. I wonder if someone transposed those last two numbers which straddle the decimal.

Zero cherry flavors — just those colors. The mix of velvety raspberry, very mild dried laurel leaves, under-roasted coffee, and mild chocolate all muddle together more than layer over one another, as I prefer, but they do so in a way that forms a comfy soft blanket of flavors and those tiny peeps of black pepper do make that blanket more interesting. Medium finish says good-bye with a soft wave to the smell of cardboard-surrounding a delicious dark chocolate bar…if that smell could be distilled into a thick liquid that coats the top of the throat before evaporating away slowly.

This 2018 seems to be nearing peak of flavors and has the potential to drink pretty well until 2023; probably not much pizazz will be left to extend its contract after that. I’d be glad to drink this again anytime. A good wine for Justin S. and/or David M.
— 5 years ago

Simon Gilligan

9.0

Interesting - grenache flavours but with a herbal/green infusion that you might like or not. I’m a bit on the fence. Savoury finish, not candied, fresh but back to back with the Yangarra old vine Grenache ($28 Yangarra vs $20 Cirillo street price), great prices, both quality but I’ll go the Yangarra. — 8 years ago

David Kline

9.2

I know now this needs more time to integrate, but it’s down-soft in the background, so difficult to see a balanced future. Warm plum and black berry-currant, cranberry stuffing, rich chocolate, sherry trifle, all loosely sprinkled with fine graphite. Steamy jungle flora notes merge with hemp stem and black cherry skins. Hard chocolate entry bringing dried blackberry and even drier black cherry stripped naked in a sauna of chamomile and phantom eucalyptus outlines describing a swarthy shadow through steam. A recent denizen of the cedar benches, puffing sweet tobaccos? There is subtle power at play despite the fruit-forward leanings. I was initially on the fence with this. This one is enigmatic with a nod to Napa in the 1970s. #Napa #Walton #cab #cabernet #cabsauv4life #cabsav #california #egelhoff #EgelhoffWalton #Bobegelhoff #egelhoffwines #StHelena #sthelenacab — 8 years ago

with Courtney

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

I may sound like a broken record but these cuvées from Williams Selyem don’t really produce magic until they have 10 years+ in bottle. Tonight this 2009 Sonoma Coast is magic w/ the grilled marinaded “Bulgogi Pork.”

The cork like a new bottling. Nothing running down the sides.

The wine glides magnificently onto the palate. It has another 7-10 yrs stored well.

It is wine candy w/o the heavy candy. Ripe & glorious. It rides the fence of good red burgundy & Ca Pinot.

The fruits are perfectly ripe; dark cherries, black raspberries, blackberries, cooked strawberries, plum w/ subtle blueberries. Mid Asian/Indian spices w/just a touch of of heat, mild baking spices led w/ clove, nutmeg, cinnamon that is near stick, vanillin, very lightly grilled meats, mid dry tobacco, steeped tea, dry herbs, very used leather, dry brush/twigs, far crushed rocks, crumpled limestone, red roses, dark/red just candied flowers framed in violets, grand acidity, balance, well knitted, nicely tensioned/structured elegant finish that goes on and on and lasts minutes falling on dry minerals & spices. — 10 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.0

Alsace rides the fence of German & New World Rieslings.

Good with my spicy Asian Lettuce Wraps. — 2 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

This small Calistoga producer falls largely under the radar. I am thankful. The 12 vintage brings such fruit. However, this 12 Sisters rides the fence of 12 & 13. Shows dark currents, concreted mouthfeel in addition to its ripe, rich opulence.

The nose ascends with rich dark, purple, blue fruits, dark spice, violets framed in lavender for days.

The palate is ripe, ruby, lush, concentrated fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, boysenberries, very dark cherries, creamy raspberries, in & out strawberries & blueberries. Big, heated, dark spice-box, round, meaty, sweet tannins cigar ash, led pencil, tarriness, anise, moist, fresh tobacco, black licorice & cola, dark, nutmeg, cinnamon stick, vanilla, rich soil w/ dry leaves, dry, crush rocks/limestone, dry herbs-bay leaves, sage, parsley, notes of eucalyptus bark shavings, tree bark w/ hints of sap, touch of black sandalwood to barrel shavings, pepper, moist, volcanic clay, fresh & withering; dark, purple, red, blue floral bouquet framed in violets & lavender, excellent acidity with a lush, rich, big, round & meaty structure, still shows great tension, well balanced with endless polish & finish. 10 years of life ahead…properly stored. Wine post 4,600.

Such a deal at the Benchmark Bin Sale. @Paul T- Huntington Beach if you find any of this, just tell me about em, don’t buy em. 😂🤥 — 3 years ago

Ron from VA

9.2

Well, the 2016 has turned the page / it seems to be paradigm shift from the previous vintages (tighter, restrained, minimal oak). The ‘16 is quite voluminous with warm caramel brioche and baked lemon liquor. While golden and opulent, this is not a gentle and elegant food wine. Thus I am on the fence whether I want another bottle… I probably will get one because it’s still available and look for a better food pair. Day two, allowed for some beautiful sipping, though ;) edit: I will get another bottle…very nice sipper on day 2…mouthfeel is glorious! — 5 years ago

Joshua Fisher

9.3

To live in the valley is to have a winemaker as your neighbor who gifts you wine from his personal cellar and in times of great need, hand it over the fence to you! Thank you Todd Graff !
— 6 years ago

Ceccherini Cristiano

9.5

I am definitely putting out on the fence the Rockford flag🤣🤣
This is so nice
Still extraordinary fragrant fruit decorated with liquorice
Super long
Young
It doesn’t leave your palate
Key points: focused intensity in the nose and persistence that never ends 🙏🙏🙏 — 8 years ago

with Mauro

Kate Clason

10

This is what you want to be drinking at the end of April. Not too meaty, great berry fruit. A little bit of funk but funk off. Tastes like fruit leather. If you’re on the fence of white or red. Also choose rose. — 8 years ago