Victor Hsu

9.1

This IS Santa Barbara County Pinot! First taste was a big burst of fruit. Not too sweet, not simple and unsophisticated, not a jammy Zin bomb, mind you. Instead, more like a zing of bright, pure, winey fruit. Remarkable and memorable. We had the 2022 vintage in a magnum bottle so perhaps that helped preserve its freshness and purity. We enjoyed this Big Mama at the Palm Restaurant in downtown LA, celebrating my daughter Rachel’s graduation from UCLA Law School. Congratulations, Rachel! — 5 days ago

Ed Chin

9.1

Tasted blind and the herb note I detected had me dumbfounded. It never crossed my mind it being a syrah. Nice balance and still vibrant. — 10 months ago

Rob Brobst III

10

2018 Materium comes from the Weitz Vineyard in Oakville and is all Cabernet Sauvignon brought up in mostly new barrels. It's a very different wine than the Amoenus release and has more elegant, seamless aromas and flavors of crème de cassis, black raspberries, tobacco leaf, flowery incense, and sandalwood. Château Margaux-like in its elegance and complexity, this brilliant wine has loads of sweet fruit, flawless integration of its tannins and acidity, flawless balance, and just a heavenly overall profile that I wish every reader could taste. This extraordinary effort can be drunk today or cellared for 30 years or more. — 3 years ago

Georgia Nasseh

9.1

A v interesting, opulent Pinot Gris. The word ‘ripe’ comes to mind. Quince on the palette but, more prominently, vanilla. Keen to explore other Greywacke wines. — 24 days ago

Da Gabe's

10

Mind blowing. Legs for days. So complex and sophisticated, elegant, velvet, super sexy, knocked my socks off at the same time! — 7 months ago

Alex Lallos

Owner No Limit Fine Wines, Private Wine Consultant

9.2

Stunningly good at 22 years old. Deep and dense. Soil’y with aromas of black currant and bittersweet chocolate. I’ve been enjoying a lot of 00-05 medoc wines lately. While not mind blowing they are wonderful all alone or with the right food. Shows what a $30 bottle from a great terroir / producer is capable of. Not every wine needs to cost hundreds of dollars to be enjoyable — 2 years ago

Joshua Sadono

9.4

Light sparkle, crushable — 3 years ago

carmen

10

omg. what a fun little glass! it’s very tannic even grainy. it’s lush with red fruit - cherry, raspberry, strawberry. it’s not a piquette - it’s 50% riesling / 50% carnigan grapes.

i had with steamed pork bao at maketto. great pairing. — 2 months ago

LM Segal

9.8

Needed about an hour of air, but then simply mind-blowing. Cassis and dark leathery notes, blueberry reduction, round and nicely resolved at this point. Years to go but no need to wait if you have access to a decanter… Superb. — 8 months ago

Alex Lallos

Owner No Limit Fine Wines, Private Wine Consultant

9.6

My last bottle of 1980 Yquem. Don’t mind the label (I broke another bottle in the case a few years back). Showing beautifully. Lovely golden color. Aromatically explosive. Typically Yquem. Buzzing with sweetness and minerality. Excellent bottle of wine!!! — 3 years ago

with Lee