Sipping Fine Wine

9.3

1 of CA's oldest wineries, Far Niente, founded 1885 by John Benson. Winery flourished until Prohibition, when it was abandoned & fell into complete disrepair. Stately stone shell of a winery purchased in 1979 by Gil Nickel. A big wine! Tropical and stone fruit aromas with complex spice and oak notes. On the palate apple, peach and citrus flavors, creamy, with buttery toasty oak, fig/honey tones. Long finish ending with vibrant acidity & mineral character. Consistent. — 9 days ago

barak heller hayun

8.9

fresh salty acidic trocken Riesling.
blind tasting i was lost and guessing very good entry level chablis, but it's too rich, probably.

chamomile, honeysuckle, whole lime, lemon juice and some green 🍎 with white pepper and sea salt sprinkled on it.

cold it's delicious, warming up complexity arrives.

long pleasant 🎯

drinks lovely on it's own chilling and watching the dead sea. salty enough... — 3 years ago

Will Stanley

9.3

In many ways a baby Tondonia, this ‘Crianza’* from López de Heredia is a great entry point to the wines of one of Rioja’s oldest wineries, and in many ways mimics the styles of its more upmarket reds. Not dissimilar in style to Viña Tondonia, this medium-bodied red cuts a leaner profile with dried red fruit, bags of vanilla and characteristically fierce orange zest acidity. The aroma is intoxicating and packs the leathery, savoury punch that is the hallmark of classical Rioja. It lacks the purity and depth of fruit of its bigger brother, and finishes slightly shorter, but for the price (£17/btl) it’s an exceptional - and of course traditional - Rioja that any lover of the region should seek out, and one which should provide ample enjoyment over the coming decade or more.

*this wine spent enough time in barrel and bottle to easily qualify for Gran Reserva status, but of López de Heredia’s wines it is always the ‘youngest’. — 5 years ago

Iwan

9.0

Fun, easy drinker. — a month ago

Byron C Mayes

9.1

Bright pale gold with a wee bit of haze (unfiltered?). Strong mineral and green apple on the inviting nose. Brisk acidity leads the medium palate which yields layers of ripe green apple, grapefruit rind, wet stone, Melba toast, and others. Finish is stony and lingering. Amazing example of GG Riesling from a premium VDP producer. Ready for a wide range of foods from fish to pork. Upscale of course. Drink now through 2040. — a year ago

Boris Mathiszik

8.9

Nice cab. I found it lacking a bit of refinement considering we were at one of the best wineries in the Valle de Guadalupe. But solid wine, and amazing winery. Syrah leading the way in this region I strongly believe. — 4 years ago

Peter Falk

9.1

Riktigt god Riesling i högform. En favorit — 5 years ago

with Annika Lindh

Jessica Cansler

9.0

Great dry Riesling. Drank during Hurricane Helene with pierogies! — 7 months ago

Byron C Mayes

9.0

Dark transparent amethyst. Abundant nose of black cherry and wet stone. Medium palate confirms the nose adding a bit more black fruit supported by sturdy, medium acidity. Soft tannins assert toward back palate and on the lengthy finish. A solid intro to German PN with equally solid Rhein earmarks, this food-friendly red is a perfect companion to most fare and a great counterpart for Germany's universal white: Riesling. Drink now through 2026. — 2 years ago

Eric

9.1

Really well balanced zin. Pagani ranch is a Sonoma producer of berries to several wineries. Indigenous yeast. Well made. 14.8 ABV. Cheers my friends!!! — 4 years ago