Chris Zitzman

9.2

2023 Bedrock Wine Co.
Riesling
Wirz Vineyard
Cienega Valley
Central Coast, CA

T-hued to the eye, the nose is an absolutely elegant combination of the soils this Riesling was lucky enough to grow up in, and the age of the vines, planted by a legend named Pat Wirz, in the Cienega Valley of California, in 1963.

The palate of this Riesling is of a remarkable, Alsatian style that has the balance to satisfy & then some. Before it moves to the finish, a gorgeous feel of melon presents itself, as the finish makes its way not only onto the palate but quietly into the memory.

We paired it with some of Beth’s shrimp for and grits- and the pair was better than the sum of its parts.

…as good as those parts were. — a month ago

with Beth and

Ellen Clifford

9.4

Palmer turned my head in general at a recent tasting—if you can get your hands on the 1996 vintage my gosh…but for exceptional Champagne at (if not everyday) more frequently do-able prices lean in. Toasty white bread with these citrus notes that…can I be honest? It reminds me when as a teen vegetarian in St Louis I’d do late night runs to Steak and Shake where my friends got burgers but I’d order toast and butter with a lime freeze. Those toasty but piquant and refreshing notes. Expect like that on a platter with even more nuance. Obvi it doesnt taste like that precisely but its toast and citrus vibes don’t let go and cream and apple butter are backup singers. Do drink Palmer. — 3 years ago

David Kline

9.0

Chalky grape and balsa, blackberry, and plum nose with soft smoke and jasmine with a sweet petrol gloss. Soft mouthfeel turns bing cherry and underripe blueberries bordering green. Chewy. Big fruit tannins. A spicy pepper that always turns piquant-fruit. Young in every way, would love to see this chrysalis emerge.


#lajotavineyardco #laJotahowellmountainestate #lajota #howellmountain #merlot #napa #napavalley — 3 years ago

Michelle M

8.9

Blackberry bramble, hints of mint and pine needles, vanilla, and char on the nose. Chewy cherries, blueberries, kirsch and cooked down plum, vanilla extract with a medium body and soft tannins that linger on a medium-long finish. Great crowd pleaser and solid value. — 5 years ago

Ned Gray Creed

9.4

That’s sausage and peppers in the background. And onions. And shallots. And mushrooms. I had some zucchini too, gotta throw that in there. I had a croissant as well. That’s what 70 miles on a bike will do to your appetite. — 7 years ago

Stephen Redenbaugh

9.1

Soft, aromatic, fruit driven... a fieldblend of Valdigue and 8 other grapes. ABV of 12.5 that is eminently crushable on a warm summer eve. I can’t smell or sip without cracking a smile... the wine is fun to drink with a capital “F”. Aromas of dark cherries, brown sugar, cinammon, and baking spices. — 7 years ago

Tree Kilpatrick

9.0

Very hipster tattoo styled label. 52% Petite Verdot, 25% Cab Sauv, 23% Malbec. Dark, dark maroon color. Aroma is gravel and molasses. Maybe a hint of berry. Flavors are beefy and big. Lots of dried black cherry. Some molasses. Tannins are well represented. Has that classic Matchbook herbal streak. This went well with the lamb and mushroom dish I made. A great blend. Lots of zip and zing. Delicious. — 5 months ago

Bruce Dunbar

9.1

A beautiful blend that somehow shows each element while being nicely integrated. Rich, round, Semillon and bright, floral and citrusy Sauvignon Blanc. Highly age-worthy — 9 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.3

2022 vintage. Tasted with the winemaker Matt Brady. Nearly equal (and maybe better) to the 2021 vintage. Jumped at the 2021 effort so no room for this one but absolutely delicious follow-up. Spice, tannins, fruit all in balance and verry harmonious. It’s Pinots like this that keep me sold on the Santa Rita Hills as dayumed likely the best pinot-producing area in CA. 03.12.25 — a year ago

Ned Gray Creed

9.7

Haven’t posted in years, but was doing some cellar work with Freund and this was supposed to an open to get rid of it bottle. Nope. It’s just that hammer. It’s going to keep on getting better and better as the night goes on, and I don’t think that is the dessert talking. Surprise, you didn’t know I was awesome until I hit the glass. — 3 years ago

with Mark

Timothy Lynch

9.3

My father (a man of very humble beginnings) suggested to me that if you need to ask how much it costs you probably can’t afford it. Thank heavens I can. Absolutely terrific commune effort. — 4 years ago

Amarachi Miller

9.9

Immediate floral bloom that dissipates into a burnt caramel aftertaste; delightful. — 6 years ago

Steve Anderson

9.4

Extra time has done this one well, taming the original 200% new oak. One of the three Bedrock expressions from the Hudson Vineyard. For ‘08. With all previous bottles from that group consumed five or more years ago, glad I saved this one. Loved it. — 6 years ago

Joshua Griffith

9.4

Great legs, wonderful taste. Was that coconut? Good job guys. — 7 years ago

Doug Powers

9.1

I’ve waxed (eloquent? Well, at least waxed!! 🤔) about the virtues and quality of this excellent 2020 Zinfandel multiple times, but this wine is still punching well above its weight (the so-called “leftovers” that didn’t make the single vineyard cut), long finish, lovely!! Going to the Bedrock pickup party in Sonoma tomorrow to get some of the 2024s I’ve already purchased, so this is a great warmup!! — 9 months ago

with Jim

Tom Casagrande

9.2

To me, this smells and tastes like a late-70s, old school Napa Cab. Very dark color. Nose charges out of the gates with cassis, olives, dark green pungent herbs, gravel, and a little iodine. Approachable (and enjoyable) already on the palate. Sure, it’s a bit tannic but they’re soft, with mouth-coating savory flavors. None of that damn chocolateyness I don’t like (which seems near-ubiquitous now in Napa Cabs), and zero jamminess. What a value (I got it for $39) for a very tasty and true-to-type Napa Cab. — 10 months ago

Bruce Dunbar

8.9

I heard Bill Murray on a podcast recently raving about the bramble-berry pie he had the night before, describing the many berries that went into making it so delicious. It’s a fitting description for the current release of Bedrock’s Dolinsek Heritage red too, which is loaded with a rainbow of berry flavors and all their sweetness and bright acidity captured in a bottle instead of a crust. There’s an added bonus of a long, peppery finish thanks to the 70+% Zin in the field blend and some firm, drying tannins that signal a great future ahead. — a year ago

Lauren Goetz

9.6

The 2021 Bedrock Heritage Wine is a great expression of this site. Black cherry, chocolate, spice, leather and tobacco are front and center. This dark, virile Zinfandel-based field blend packs a serious punch. There's plenty of detail and nuance behind all of that intensity. The 2021 is a big wine, but also less monolithic than some previous editions. There's a bit more whole cluster in the 2021 than in the past, so perhaps that explains the wine's nuance. The 2021 is one of the best wines I have ever tasted from the Bedrock vineyard, and I say that as someone who is not yet fully convinced of the potential here. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, January 2023) — 3 years ago

Bruce Dunbar

8.9

Another strong showing from Bedrock benefitting from the vintage’s low crop yields and drawing from the Ubaldi, Judge and Bedrock estate vineyards. Pale gold, huge aromatics that are grassy, lemony and maybe a bit of melon; big mouthfeel with a nice jolt of acidity, a hint of oak, and some nice citrus and saline flavors. — 4 years ago

Will Stanley

9.2

Fully deserving of a picture and review is this tiny glass-and-a-half bottle of Heidsieck’s popular Blue Top that I enjoyed - really enjoyed - last week. Bought a bulk of these over a year ago when a supermarket were clearly trying to get rid of them, and it’s sat in my cellar since (on a shelf, not a rack - it’d fall through...). Hence, this NV has had a bit of time in bottle, and it shows - in all the right ways. Deep golden in colour, it was vivacious, enticing and had a surprisingly long finish. Loved it (loved it all the more at £4!). — 6 years ago