Pooneet K

9.1

Nice but not amazing. For $40 would probably skip. Decanted 5 hours. Air was necessary - can believe this would be better in a few years but meh. Tannins are quite balanced, surprisingly so. Overall the nose is a bit muted but air helped. Nice dark fruit. Could use a smidge more acid. Nice pairing with a delicious wagyu tomahawk. — a year ago

Chris Haywood

10

Banana and strawberry compote nose, lovely brioche and red fruit fun in the mouth. Smidge pricey at Le Clos in DBX but a total crowd pleaser. Complex and tasty. — 3 years ago

Steven Wood

8.9

A smidge too acidic, but otherwise fantastic flavor / bouquet — 4 years ago

with Natalie

Nicole Ruiz Hudson

9.0

N: dried cherries, warm bricks, mixed herbs, and a smidge of tomato paste
P: + sour cherries, as well a black, raspberry, but overall impression is savory. Lots of acidity. Good balance of fruit, acidity, and minerality. Yum! — 5 years ago

Jeff Hasmann

8.9

Fourth wine of the week. Very good second wine - 60 Cabernet / 40 Merlot from younger vines. Brambly blackberry, cranberry, olives with tobacco notes and a smidge of graphite. Tannins are ripe and smooth. Lacks the concentration and layered complexity of the grand vin, but still very good. 2016 vintage on April 19, 2020 — 6 years ago

Katie Stamas

9.1

Very interesting and delightful wine with lots of acidity. Light bodied but full of character. On the nose, I got lots of candied/baked yellow fruit and molasses and botrytis qualities, but it was surprisingly fresh and saline and slightly herbal on the palate. Baked apple, lemon pith, oregano, white pepper. It got more candied flavors as it warmed up and I can imagine that it’s lovely in a sweeter form as well. Just a smidge of effervescence. I could drink a lot of this. — 7 years ago

Paul B.

8.9

Super funky nose. Earth, moss, even a smidge of hard boiled egg. Not super sweet red fruit shines here after the first sip which frankly had me concerned it resembled grape juice. But then the true flavor profile was revealed and its complex enough mixture of raspberry, funky wood, herb and even a hint of dark chocolate at the end was rewarding. Steely but light tannic dry aftertaste was a pleaser too. Clean. Med light body and med acid. — 7 years ago

Anne Richardson

9.0

A very pleasant Syrah! Not as peppery as some, but with enough spicy notes to retain its character. Notes of cherry, pepper and a smidge earthy. — 2 years ago

Spencer Dodd

9.3

Excellent. Raspberry and cranberries with a soft velvet ness and a bit of body without heavy ness. A very fine wine especially for the price. With air or cellaring this will probably bloom more but it is still lovely. Interestingly I don’t pick up green peppers on this even though it definitely feels cab franc. Highly recommended. Second best cab franc I’ve had so far.
Edit after about an hour in decanter: still very nice but perhaps a little larger of a wine than I initially noticed. Not huge but more fruit and a bit of spice on the taste. A smidge tart on the aftertaste. Still I don’t find the green pepper here. Quite fine and still recommend. But the fruit is a bit more prominent. Maybe some bottle she would bring up more interesting secondary characteristics. — 3 years ago

Ellen Clifford

9.0

It is a shy violet or rather there are shy notes of violet? It smells of jam and chocolate liqueur and the body…it is like hi alcohol but keep it in mind and the ripeness of blue and black amd also so (little) red so this is heady with balance.
If we could only.
Really though there is a chocolate and MULTI-FRUIT thing happening. So fun. I should add more now but I’m a smidge intoxicated with this elixir — 5 years ago

Pooneet K

9.1

Not quite the Graham 1970 but still an excellent reminder of why good vintage port can be...very good. Lots of red fruit with perfect level of sweetness. Maybe a smidge hot at this time. But the acid is excellent and holds this all together. — 6 years ago

Michal Rosenn

9.1

spice, dark cherry, and a little smoke and gaminess. super smooth and elegant. could use a smidge more acid but beautiful — 6 years ago

Bill Bender

9.3

Front loaded with viscosity and richness with a smidge of clove...it maintains tension and lift throughout. Lemon rind, honeysuckle and kiwi. 🍋 🍯 🥝 👌🏽 — 7 years ago

Ellen Clifford

9.3

I was lucky enough to lunch with Karin Wärnelius-Miller, who, along with her husband Justin Miller, tends the fields and makes the wines. “I’m doing what I love, and I’m doing it alongside the man I love,” she stated—the two grew up in wine country and returned to Alexander Valley in their twenties—and the rest is history, AND they make EXCEPTIONAL, elegant wines. This Chard was (if forced to pick one) my favorite. Honeyed (but not sweet) with hints of beeswax, something herbal, almost a lemongrass vibe, is in the mix. Light on the palate for a wine with a smidge of age and vitality! Almost effervescent in spirit. — 2 years ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

Needs a little air, but develops quite nicely. Nose has deep rich cherry fruit, almost pungently deep, and intense granitic minerality. The minerality is quite saline in the mouth, and is accompanied by intense dry fruit extract. If the acidity were just a smidge higher, this would be off the charts. As is, however, it’s really good. Will actually be better in another year or three. — 3 years ago

MaJ CappS

9.0

A touch of forest floor amid a nose.

Bright fruits - cranberry, apple skin, mandarin orange, a lovely medium body, great bright mouthfeel, tangerine peel acidity, a smidge pf tannin.
Long lingering finish, a happy and high acidity to carry on.
A lovely wine from Brazil. — 5 years ago

Hayden Beard

9.7

Blackberry, plum, fresh sweet mint (subtle), dark forest fruit and a smidge of graphite. Velvety smooth, and really easy to drink. 2012 drink well in 2021. Beautiful. — 5 years ago

Jayna Fontenot

9.6

Bright ripe color, legs 7/10. Bright cherry and currant and vanilla on the nose. Smooth, supple taste, if a smidge sweet. Going to pair with something like spicy chicken next time. Will definitely buy again. — 6 years ago

Heidi Taylor

9.0

A smidge sweater than the other one but still so perfect for an afternoon out at the sidewalk cafe — 7 years ago

Scott Rowe

9.7

Oh baby!
Time alone is a wonderful thing.
12 months on since last taste, house is built, has become a home, baby son due in a few weeks and life is good.
This wine sums that up.
Cheers crew!!
Life can skew wine ratings 😉❤️
— 7 years ago