R.m. Piccinini

Vine Hill Ranch

Baker & Hamilton Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

David T
9.3

My first wine after a two-month hiatus. I ended up buying a case of this in increments at Costco for a price not even close to what I’ve seen anywhere else for their 2021. Since I think highly of this producer and the vintage, I didn’t bat an eye acquiring w/o tasting first. Also, I was aware that every major wine critic gave the 2021 VHR flagship Cabernet a score of 98 w/ Lisa @ TWI a 💯.

Only coravined a glass & let it stand for 30-40 minutes and consumed over the next half-hour detailing my notes.

Baker & Hamilton is the other or second wine of VHR depending on how you see it. If you didn’t know this was another or second wine, you would never know it. Both bottling's come front the same vineyard in Oakville.

When I first put the glass to my nose, I almost thought for a few seconds & wanted to say that’s Coombsville it’s that dark & brooding, but make no mistake it’s Oakville fruit.

The nose is full & brooding. Dark currants & cassis and inky as is the color. Candied violets leap out of the glass. Ripe rich; blackberries, black raspberries & black plum, dark cherries wrapped in dark chocolate. Sandalwood, sweet tarriness, fresh tobacco, crushed limestone, volcanics, dark spices with aromatic heat, clove oil w/ withering dark flowers, sweet lavender & endless lift of candied, lush violets.

The body is full, lush, ripe & brooding. It drinks rather well for such a young wine baring a bit of alcohol throat burn. 14.8% ABV. Cellaring time will tame it. The 21 is a two decade and more wine. It needs 7-8 years to integrate everything in this full & packed Cabernet. Lush, ripe; blackberries (almost pie), black raspberries, dark cherries, black plum & raspberries around the edges. Melted dark chocolate, anise into black licorice, dark spices w/ heat, clove oil, nutmeg, cinnamon stick hovers, vanillin, fresh & dry tobacco, dry top soil with limestone mixed in, crushed rock & stone, strong sandalwood to cedar, light rain on clay, dry herbs-bay leaf & a hint of ground sage, notes of iron pan, dark withering flowers, lavender & candied violets for days, round acidity-maybe a bit to high for today’s consumption, huge length & structure, not quite in balance but it will get there, well made/knitted with a full elegant finish that lasts minutes & lands on spice & earthiness. It’s a huge wine that will end up adding two points as it evolves & integrates.

A few things about the producer & this wine. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Vine Hill Ranch Vineyard aged 23 months in French oak, 85% of which was new. Most of the Vine Hill Ranch fruit from 71-acre Oakville vineyard is sold off. What they keep, 40% of that fruit goes into their VHR flagship wine and 60% makes the Baker & Hamilton. The label of Baker & Hamilton is an homage to the hardware and agricultural implements of the company co-founded by third-generation grape grower Bruce Phillips’ great, great grandfather R.M. Hamilton, who emigrated from Scotland to California in 1849 hoping to make his fortune in gold.

Photo’s of, VHR vineyard, Bruce Phillips-Managing Partner and Winemaker-Francoise Peschon.
— 10 days ago

Shay, Andrew and 11 others liked this
leon egozi

leon egozi

Nice I never knew they had a second wine. I will definitely look to acquire some.
Severn Goodwin

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Welcome to March!
David T

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@Severn Goodwin Thank you my friend.

Piccinini

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Had again in 2024 . No good. Flat kind of. Not a good wine. Avoid.
— 4 years ago

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Piccinini

Chianti 2010

David T
9.0

A nice Chianti to pair with our build your own pizza night.

I pulled this out of one of my EuroCaves but, can’t for the life of me remember how it came to be in my possession. 🤔

From a good vintage that showed nice, ripe sweet & sour dark cherries, some darker berries, a fair amount of baking spices; cinnamon, vanilla, clove and a touch of nutmeg, dark spice, gravely crushed minerals, red & dark fresh florals, nice, round acidity with a good finish but lacked complexity throughout.

Photos of, Tenute Piccinini, one of their vineyards, harvested Sangiovese grapes and the Estate wall with branding.
— 6 years ago

Arden, Ryan and 17 others liked this

R.M. Piccinini

33 Percento 2011

Takes the edge off a Giants extra innings game in Philly — 9 years ago