Alan Hense

9.6

Outstanding! Cocoa, cooked black cherry, cooked black plum, liquorice, raspberry sauce, leather, deli meat, and much more. Integrated oak with notes of vanilla and toast. Ripe tannins and long, long finish. Delicious. I wonder how much further it could go!? — 4 years ago

with Andrea and Heather

Ian Hamel

9.2

2020 fall. Sometimes I wonder why I bother with more expensive bottles when de Villaine is around. Of course, prices are creeping up and they now have a range of more expensive bottlings too... — 6 years ago

Ian Hamel

9.3

202 spring / summer. I wonder if my ratings are suffering from inflation, but the truth is often I would be happy doing all of my drinking from de Villaine’s range. This particular Fortune was notably more developed than the 2017 or 18, in a good way - lots of woodsy complexity over the brighter berry fruit. — 6 years ago

Jennifer Doucette

9.0

I wish I would’ve drank the whole bottle but I let about half go to waste :( — 6 years ago

Gil Krakowsky

9.3

Just a really enjoyable wine that is both hearty and even “ big” but still refreshing.
Clearly some Brett and some effervescent feel like may hint at VA, but I find both to be well integrated and enjoyable. A deep darker-side-of-red fruit profile: red and damson plum, dried red cherry, Black licorice, olive. Has a floral sense to it, and some exotic woody undertones as well earth - like a forest after the rain . A full bodied and almost lush wine that might recall the mouthfeel if a Napa cab, but with much more refreshing a acidity coming through - never the least bit cloying or overwrought. Simply a great wine with a broad food pairing potential. That said, I do wonder if it would taste dramatically different at the source. With zero sulphur amidst a long boat ride, life in distributor warehouses, a wine shop and ultimately my euro cave, whether the original intent is preserved in its entirety. Drinking fantastically but also wondering if peak drinking is 2-3 years ahead. Again, the sulphur thing... — 7 years ago

Connor Smith

9.8

I believe Ridge is the greatest winery in America. My long-form case is at leduwines.com/blogs/connor/ridge 🇺🇸🍷

Full disclosure: they’re my home team! I’ve been hiking on Monte Bello ridge since I was a child, and took every opportunity I could do drive Skyline Boulevard while living in the Bay. It’s no wonder to me that these vines are so happy.

With the retirement of the great Paul Draper in 2016, three men - Eric Baugher, John Olney, and David Gates - have taken up stewardship of the legendary estate. All three have been with Ridge at least twenty years.

There is no doubt: the principles instilled by David Bennion and perfected by Paul Draper are alive and well. If anything, Ridge is entering yet another golden era, and will continue leading American wine toward its most authentic self.

Signature: Eric Baugher — 7 years ago

Charles Garrison

9.3

We have one or 2 left; and I hope each shows as well; teeth staining, palate coating black cherry and raspberry wonder that left us fighting over the last drops — 4 years ago

David Walser

9.3

I think this is my favorite bottle of the Majestique that I have ever had. I wonder if is that I have allowed this to age more than previous bottles? I’ll have to try another bottle to check out my theory. — 5 years ago

Joseph Barsky

9.2

2011 Vintage. 15.1% Alcohol. 65% Syrah, 35% Grenache. — 6 years ago

Sameer Singh

9.5

Cork intact. Excellent condition. 45second finish wonder how long these bottles can be held for — 6 years ago

Yury Glazkov

9.2

2009 bottle is still too young in 2019, but nevertheless very enjoyable. Bites a bit with tannins but wonderful warm spicy aftertaste and the start of the palette is just a wonder juice, sweet and elegant — 6 years ago

Bhuvana Husain

9.0

Nice dry red with a good value — 7 years ago

Gil Krakowsky

9.1

An incredibly expressive and terroir-driven wine that might be one of the world’s best wine values. Volcanic microclimate shines clearly through a heady nose whose first bite is not just smoke but...smoking volcano. Along that sweet dark fruit, grilled lavender, flowers. In the palate more primary with black cherries (grilled black cherries???) exotic spices, cooked black pepper, bay leaf, sage, that sanguine element that screamed high-iron volcanic soil, all held together by a very sitinctive salty spine. Finishes with a long note of those herbs and some drying tannins. Very juicy but with good structure and medium acidity avoiding any sense of being cloying. A really unique, transparent and well made wine that is an astounding value. I wonder whether it improves with age or is at its best here... — 7 years ago

Allison Lyzenga

8.9

Deep ruby/purple; pronounced intensity aromas of blueberry jam, dried black plum, juicy blackberry, vanilla, cream, toast; dry, medium acid, medium ripe tannins, high alcohol, full body, pronounced intensity flavors consistent with aromas; a big jammy wine but well balanced with structure and oak, very hot — 5 years ago

MRM

9.5

It’s spectacular, but I wonder if Double Magnums shouldn’t be a protected species. Bit of pepper. — 5 years ago

Nooka Jones

9.4

Major slurp alert 🚨
She’s a beautiful bubbly nasty rosé. Hints of plum and apricot. Tart and dry divine. — 6 years ago

with Andrea

Stephen Redenbaugh

9.4

Ok... I admit it... this straggler Spanish Albariño lost it’s way in my cellar. 10 years old for a grape not altogether known for longevity... what do I expect? Medium gold in the glass... clear...broken cork. Amazing aroma of pineapple, lychee, and peach. The wine is still alive.. still offering up bright acidity and round weighted fruit. Poured too cold, the aromas intensify as it warms. The wine is rich, round and complex...playing with your palate. I was prepared to dump, had a lessor wine at the ready. But... hell no. This wine rocks. Mr. Perez is often referred to as a trail-blazing maverick...what do I know. The wine is a wonder! — 6 years ago

Fredybeans

9.0

Robe jaune claire
Nez sur le fruit avec des arômes fermentaires au début puis de fruit jaune
Bouche fraîche et grasse
Gourmande et finale fraîche et plutôt tendue
Beau vin à laisser encore dormir qq temps — 7 years ago

Dmitry Teytelman

9.9

A knockout, for sure. Nose is a bit misleading, seems over the hill, with strong raisin. But the palate is a wonder, smooth and well integrated, mild tannins, long aftertaste. — 7 years ago

Alicia Cypress

9.1

It’s been a bit since I’ve had a Sonoma Coast Pinot, and glad my entry back included this Cobb Jack Hill. Super pretty dark ruby fruit with a hint of blueberry and some stems on the backside. Needs a few years to show its true wonder, but I’m quite satisfied to be drinking after a dreary day in one of my favorite cafes. — 7 years ago