David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

Nice evolution and well integrated. 92 that pushes 93.

The other wine from the great Napa producer, Philip Togni.

The mouthfeel is supple, round, soft, yet meaty and tarry tannins. Ripe, juicy, rich; blackberries, baked plum for days, dark cherries, black raspberries, hues of raspberries & boysenberries. Black licorice, berry cola, muddy, volcanic clay, herbaceous notes, soft baking spices, slightly, melted chocolate, dark spice with a touch of heat, coffee, dry crushed, rocks, dry stem, dry tobacco, new leather, oak to cedar shavings, volcanic ash, dark, slightly withering, red, blue flowers framed in a field of endless violets, rainfall acidity, great balance, nice tension/structure and a smartly polished finish that last a full minute.

If you own, I would drink over the next 3-4 years before it starts to slide.

Photos of; Philip Togni vineyard, barrel room, vineyard soil & Philip Togni and his daughter Lisa. — 3 months ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

Our relatively new good boi Bandol is wondering when he’ll get a little treat tonight. In the meantime, this is a nice value treat for me. Think of it as the Napa version of a top-flight Cru Bourgeois. Nose has a lot going on. Vanilla, cedar, plummy fruit, graphite, dry gravel, new leather. Nicely balanced and round in the mouth. Tannins are quite soft. Not great concentration but loads of flavor. Some alcoholic pepperiness pokes through on the back half of the palate. But can’t complain at all at under $30 (except about the unnecessarily heavy bottle). — 5 months ago

Carter White

9.0

Lemon curd, butter, and nuts, absolutely ripping 🎉impressive for Chardonnay 🏅 but has some sharp edges. Maybe it will round out a bit with more age. — a year ago

Brendan Baker

9.2

Peach, pear and a spritz of lemon. Mid-weight, round texture, but still fresh 😋 — 3 months ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

This is 93-94 this young. I was a little surprised they slotted this last in the tasting. I would have led with it. However, it didn’t end up being our last wine. Leslie was kind enough to open another.

Both plums, blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, mix of dark berry cola, nice, soft baking spices-nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, vanillin, grainy limestone, wet clay, dark, rich, forest floor, some dry herbs, excellent fresh & withering florals that are a combination of; dark, red, some blue and violets, nice round acidity, a smooth, elegant finish that softly structured, balanced and wire to wire smooth and elegant with a full minute finish.

Photos of; a pano of their stunning view of Pritchard Hill, Their dual sided wall of fame of bottles the staff at the estate have enjoyed and their tasting room table. They did an excellent job curating it. — 3 months ago

Jan A

9.1

Took 45 minutes to morph from sour and astringent into a round sulpur driven chardonnay. Testing out the new fireplace... Almost done with the complete rebuild of our home, this time with a fully equipped wine cellar. More pictures of that separate project to come. — 6 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.8

Only pale to mid crimson in colour with a tawny edge at 26 years of age. Black and blue fruits with game and a coffee bean note. The medium bodied yet rich palate is savoury and earthy with blackberry and just so so silky with resolved tannins and low acid. Not sure that I agree totally with Bob Campbell MW’s description - “like getting into an old Jag on a hot day”, but I love the imagery and can see where he’s coming from. Jancis said “pure hedonism “ and gave it 19/20. The latest iteration of H of G (2017) is selling for around $950 a bottle in Brisbane. No doubt brilliant but too expensive for me. I remember paying $12.50 for the 1982 vintage on release. There is a certain H of G character that is recognisable over many vintages over the years. Must be one of the most unique Shiraz vineyards in the world with vines up to a 150 years old. A privilege to drink this wine and close to perfection with 98 points. — 2 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

This one is a 93+ at this stage with room for improvements with some more age.

The Farella showed a more savory character than the rest. It’s body thicker than the others. Ruby; blackberries, black plum, black raspberries & raspberries. Herbaceous notes, soft minerality-rock powder, limestone, volcanics and just drying top soil, dry tobacco, sandalwood, perfectly executed baking spices, dark spice, vanillin, withering dark, red, blue and violets, nice round acidity, nice tension, structure, well knitted & balanced structure with an excellent full minute finish.

Pano photo of Pritchard Hill from the estate (what a stunning view), barrel room, the estates wine collection; which given the excellent producers in it (bottles of Petrus just one of very expensive producers), I’d be a little earthquake nervous & lay some thin wire over the bottles to hold them in place and their tank room. — 3 months ago

Delectable Wine

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9.4

Wonderfully perfumed, the 2021 Chardonnay Bunker Hill opens with a cascade of dusty florals and sweet herbs, as flinty stone contrasts hints of white peach and sage. This is seductively round and textural with depths of sapid ripe stone fruits and liquid rock minerality. A lemony concentration lingers as the 2021 finishes long and lightly structured, leaving a minty freshness that punctuates the experience perfectly. The Bunker Hill is a real charmer. (Eric Guido, Vinous, January 2024)
— 3 months ago

Severn Goodwin

8.9

2001 | Riesling
Domaine Marcel Deiss; Estate
Alsace; Beblenheim, France
(88-90; Drink 2016-26)

Over the hill, but still kicking. — 8 months ago