Rick Phillips

9.6

Like most of Philip Tongi wines, this 20 year old is just hitting it’s stride. The nose has lush bold fruits, dark plums, blackberry with a hint of licorice. Some old leather, faint earthy tobacco. Decanted for two hours found a refined texture. Smooth with some sediment, lushness is highlighted by the boldness of the flavors. The finish lingers…
— 16 hours ago

with Letha

KA

9.5

Animae San Diego — 25 days ago

"Odedi"

9.2

It is time for my #FridayCabernetfix.

Dark ruby in color with a short reddish rim.

Earthy nose with black currants, plums, cooked cherries, oak, chocolates, Indian spices, tobacco leaf, dark coffee, earth, dark chocolates, green vegetables and herbs.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with black currants, black plums, cherries, oak, dark chocolates, coffee, spices, earth, black tea, light green vegetables and peppercorn.

Spicy finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a young Cabernet Sauvignon from Spring Mountain District in Napa Valley. Elegant and nicely balanced. Fruit forward and complex, with a soft mouthfeel. Feels like a Left Bank Bordeaux.

Needed 3 hours in the decanter to open up properly, so be patient.

Will continue to age nicely in the next 20 years. Has good potential to become a 94+ point wine.

I've had a few different vintages of this wine and this vintage seems to be more approachable at this young age.

Delicious by itself, and paired beautifully with the beef brisket.

A blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon and 18% Cabernet Franc. Aged in (50% new) French Oak barrels for 18 months.

14.2% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$70. — 2 months ago

"Odedi"

9.2

Light golden in color.


Strong nose of citrus, apples, lemons, light earth, pears, light oak and spices.


Medium plus in body with medium acidity.


Dry on the palate with red apples, lemons, limes, light wood, spices, light nuts and sea salt. 


Tangy finish with lemons and light earth notes. 


This 5 year old Chardonnay from Spring Mountain District in Napa Valley is still drinking very fresh, which I loved. Rich and smooth, nicely balanced and elegant, with a generous mouthfeel. 


I had this vintage 2 years ago and it is drinking better now. Complex, fruit forward and interesting, with a light buttery mouthfeel. 


Good right out of the bottle, easy drinking, and good by itself as a sipping wine.


100% Chardonnay grapes were handpicked and aged for 7 months, on the lees, in French and American oak barrels.


13.9% alcohol by volume.


92 points.


$40.  — 4 months ago

Peter Nyvall

8.9

Great white blend. Nice blend of tart and dry, finishes very clean. Would be better in Summer — 7 months ago

Ming L

9.4

The petrol note is pronounced, yet beautifully integrated. Citrus and tropical tones emerge on the nose, joined by a faint wisp of smoke. The palate has Viognier-like texture, lending weight and shape, while bright, clean-cut acidity is balanced by just a touch of residual sweetness.

It’s puzzling that Napa Valley can produce Riesling of this caliber! — 8 months ago

Rick Phillips

9.6

Wow! Robust fruit with mild spice but smooth texture. Complex but humble flavors. Still has some time to reach its peak! — 12 days ago

with Letha

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.4

1992 vintage. Decent fill. Perfect cork extracted with a Durand. Decanted and tasted after 30 minutes and 1 hour. Plenty of color. Wicked, durty nose. Light-medium body. A lingering dryness afoot in the complexity of flavors that just endure. Seems simple and easy but that was always this producer's calling card. True harmony, sense of place and balance without overreaching is an eternal struggle and rarely achieved. Pity this winery no longer strides the Earth in this guise. Five bottles remaining. 7.31.26. — a month ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.4

2015 vintage. Sampled from Coravin. Medium body. The monstrous tannins tamed somewhat...as they meet a decade+. Absolutely, top-notch nose. If you both respect the exuberance of youth and celebrate the wisdom of age, this is for you. A fascinating, case study currently. 6.24.26. — 2 months ago

Peter M. Heidt

9.0

Bal Harbor Pool Party…. — 3 months ago

Tom Casagrande

9.3

This had aged into something quite elegant. Only 13.3%, it’s got some fruit still but is quite “claret” like. I love how old school this is. — 7 months ago

with Dan and Angelo

Marc Melser

9.2

We had the 2017 Vintage on 1/12-13/26. A full bodied red blend. Fruit forward and well balanced. Tastes of blackberry, plum, mocha and lavender. A good one from Juslyn — 8 months ago

Mike Hudson

9.1

Good shit. — 3 years ago

James K

9.5

From a magnum. Best Elivette I’ve had. Great vintage, drinking perfect right now. — 20 days ago

Steve Bridge

9.5

Easily my favorite visit to SMV and every other one was a 10 out of 10. All the 2023s we tasted on the trip were outstanding. This was right up there with any of them. — 13 days ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 2017 Mailbox Vineyard pours a deep purple/garnet color with an opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of dark cherry, purple flowers, cocoa, pipe tobacco, a mix of organic and inorganic earth and warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. Keenan does Merlot really well and this is a prime example. Drink now through 2037+ — a month ago

"Odedi"

9.2

Dark ruby/ Inky in color, with a wide reddish rim.

Fruity nose of red fruits with light wood, spices, coffee, dark chocolates, light earth and herbs.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with raspberries, cherries, plums, light oak, spices, milk chocolates, tobacco, licorice, light herbs and peppercorn.

Nice length on the finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a delicious 10 years old Syrah from Washington State. Elegant and rich, fruit forward and smooth. Nicely balanced with a nice mouthfeel. Complex and interesting.

Very typical to the Terroir, which is nice to see. The alcohol is nicely integrated by now.

I had this vintage 5 years ago and it is drinking much better now. Drinking at its peak, and will continue to drink nicely in the next few years.

Good right out of the bottle, and better with airtime.

A great sipping wine that will also pair nicely with food.

A blend of 94% Syrah with 6% Viognier. Aged in (20% new) French Oak barrels for 19 months.

14.1% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$60. — 2 months ago

Norman

9.0

Found… perhaps a bit late. It was fine but I recall it being better younger. — 7 months ago

Turd Ferguson

9.4

Inky beast. I’m probably in the Epstein files now. 2030+ for next bottle — 7 months ago

Jody Scharf

9.3

Jammy, aging nicely, not sure when peak is but feels close. — 2 years ago