Ray Vanderhoff

9.1

Traditional Bordeaux-Style blend. Very dark ruby color with slight hints of purple. Savory aromas of earth, baking spices, herbs and black cherries. Ripe plum and black cherry flavors with additional hints of baking spices, tobacco and dried herbs. Pleasant creamy vanilla oak note on the long finish. Dusty tannins and well balanced. Opulent, complex and still quite fresh for a ten year old wine. — a month ago

Judy Rankin

8.9

Crisp and light, a little fruity — 2 years ago

Will Stanley

9.4

My first time trying one of the wines from Cantina del Pino, an estate with greater ties to Barbaresco’s roots than most. The Vacca family were long a part of the Produttori but in 1997 branched out (yes, a pun: it was they who in the 1920s planted the now iconic pine tree on the highest point of the Ovello lieu-dit), and now produce two single vineyard Barbaresco bottlings (this, and an Albesani), as well as a generic Barbaresco and Langhe, Barbera and Dolcetto wines.

Tragically, winemaker Renato Vacca died in March last year after a yearlong battle with cancer. The 2016 vintage, just bottled, is supposed to be superb.

For now, though, the Ovello from the less lauded 2012 vintage. This is a knockout wine, still young, and with great promise. The nose is very exotic, quite heady & oaky even after a two hour decant, but opened up as the evening progressed, to give gorgeous aromas of macerated cherry, blackberry preserve, cinnamon, cedar and old leather. It screams Nebbiolo, and it’s the first Nebb I’ve had in a year or so.

The palate is very concentrated, with ripe and intense flavours of cranberry, dried cherry, cured meat and tobacco leaf. There is great tension and energy through the mouth, which only this village - or its neighbour - can achieve. The finish is long and impressive. A seductive, ageworthy wine.

94+ — 3 years ago

Jose Lorenzo

9.2

So great full to still have my allocation of these amazing Pinots every year for the holidays. Never an off vintage. Cheers — a year ago

Gilbert Van Hassel

9.6

Mencia grape from 80 year old vines on slate soil. Top wine, very aromatic, red fruit but stony undertone. Surprising, very high quality, Drinks beautifully now but has a good ten years in it. Great acidity and pure balance. — 2 years ago

Paul T HB

9.4

Nice bbq chicken 🐓 bottle Wine Advocate review & rating 92 points, be released in 2015, the 2008 San Leonardo is a wine in its infancy. The nose is immediately redolent of dark cherry, blackberry, leather, tobacco, mint and eucalyptus leaf. You will also appreciate the floral tones of pressed rose and almond blossom that lift from the glass. The harvest schedule played out on time with Carmenère coming in at the end of September and Cabernets Franc and Sauvignon towards the beginning of October. The 2008 vintage is especially marked by a duality of floral and menthol notes that rise from the glass with brilliant intensity. The 2008 vintage needs ten year or more to find its proper footing. — 3 years ago

romo

9.3

Ten-year old Chenin giving herbs and nuts, waxy with searing acid. Great find at this fantastic restaurant. — a year ago

David C

9.2

Very mild sweetness, great flavors, good value. Says bottled in 2022 on the bottom of the back label. — a year ago

Delectable Wine

Follow to learn about our favorite wines & people.

9.3

The 2012 Angélus has a fragrant bouquet: a mixture of red and black fruit, truffle, crushed stone and light wilted flower scents. Very pretty. The palate is medium-bodied with fine delineation and good acidity, quite sappy with modest depth. Fairly structured with a dash of white pepper and peppermint on the finish. This Angélus has tons of personality and is drinking well now. Tasted twice at Bordeaux Index's Ten Year-On tasting and blind at the Southwold Ten-Year On tasting. (Neal Martin, Vinous, September 2022)
— 2 years ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.5

Been over a year since I’ve had this and really dug it last time. Glorious cooling spices. Lovely mineral and earthen scents. Oolong tea. Tree bark. Perfectly ripe cherries. Just gorgeous. So complex and layered. So delicate and pure. 9.5 nose. Palate is dynamite. Full of energy, power, concentration and depth. Very Red Riesling. So sappy. Ripe, sweet and velvety tannins. Superb structure and sap. Just brilliant. — 4 years ago