Randy Fuller

9.5

This extremely dark wine is indigo in color. The nose features black fruit aromas, like blackberry, fig and plum. There are a ton of spices at work here, too, but in a very subtle way. Cinnamon, allspice, thyme and sage notes appear. The palate has some very firm tannins at work, while the black fruit shows itself again. The dark flavors align with the smells on the nose. This wine is a perfect mate for a juicy rib eye steak, or a nice pork chop hot off the grill. — 7 months ago

Tree Kilpatrick

9.0

63% Temp, 17% Petite Verdot, 10% Graciano, 9% Tannat. Dark color. Almost black in low light. Aromas of smoke, cherry cobbler and licorice root. Maybe slight petrichor. Flavors are nice. Dense and fruit driven. Cherry pits and licorice chews (the Dutch salty, fruit flavored kind). Hint of herbal backbone (sage and basil meet mint and marjoram). For its fairly low price (think this was $12.99) this is a great CA wine. Restrained but big. Fruity but balanced. Fun but elegant. And it’s from just up da road! Nice work neighbors. — 2 years ago

Shawn Thompson

9.2

If this Cabernet Franc were a person, he would be your salt-of-the-earth uncle who works all day in his barn and then comes over for dinner in a tweed jacket and rustic plaid bow tie. The wine pours a dark purple colour and lands heavy in the glass. We decanted for 2 hours and the nose opens slowly, first with a hint of violets and damp forest floor and then more expressively with bramble berries and the faint scent of eucalyptus. The palate is assertive with juicy black berry, and Saskatoon berry and as it finishes we experienced notes of raisin, cacao and pencil lead - we paired it with pan seared chops done in a garlic, sage and Masala glaze set a top a warm Braeburn apple and radicchio salad. — 3 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

I get why people who generally always review this producer as just good consuming it young. This is ten years from birth, eight years in bottle and it is still not at its peak. it has ten years and perhaps more properly stored. Very good tonight but better things ahead. It takes this long and longer for WS Pinots to shine.

The palate is, juicy, ripe, rich, a bit lush; blackberries, dark cherries, black plum, black raspberries, purple fruits, hues of blueberries, plum and ripe to dry strawberries with a pomegranate overlay. Then, dry earthiness, top soil, crushed rocks & powdery limestone & chalkiness, dark spices, some black pepper, dry brush, eucalyptus, tree sap, sun tea, black and red cola/licorice, drier tobacco, barrel dust to shavings, nutmeg, cinnamon stick, vanilla, touch of dry herbs-bay leaves & sage, bright red, pink, blue, purple florals framed in dark slightly withering florals, rain shower acidity, the finish is; well structured & balanced in fruit, earth & flowers, some more tension than I like but will soften & fade nicely in 3-5 years. But, wire to wire really even and stunning. Evolution & integration is good but needs 3-5 years to be its best. Coravin glass.

IMHO, one of the outstanding CA Pinot producers. Walter Hansel gives them a run for the money at their fantastic price point. — 7 months ago

Peter Sultan

9.3

Wine with roasted whole chicken part 2: I used to adore Ribera Sacra, & then moved away with the inevitable rise in price & trend towards more modern styles. Not this. A short decant (45-60) to take the wind out of the Brett sails, & we were off: dense, brambly black fruits on nose & palate, with a distant barn door left open on the nose. Medium plus acidity. It’s the length though that impressed me, along with a freshness (at 13%). Evolves in glass, as if the fruit still has layers. Like a really good chinon. At about 28$, a high end QPR. Eric Solomon imp, interestingly enough. — 2 years ago

with Owen

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

Happy Thanksgiving! 🍁🦃🍽

Not in love with the style. Glad it was only $55-$60. We’ll see if it pairs better.

For my palate, there is a lot of funk here. The extraction is much more than I prefer.

The fruits are ruby, ripe, tart, somewhat sour; blackberries, black raspberries, plum, black cherries, blueberries cranberries & pomegranate. Edgy, grey volcanics, moist forest floor, cinnamon to stick, nutmeg, pronounced clove, dark spice, tree sap with bark, dry crushed rocks, eucalyptus, mid herbaceous-sage leafing with fresh, withering & candied florals of; dark, red, purple, blue framed lavender. The acidity is ok. The finish just doesn’t seem right to me. The bottles not corked or off. Just not my style or a very off vintage for them. It also shows elevated alcohol burn.

Can’t say the turkey made it better...did get a little better with my homemade cranberry sauce.

This did come around a bit after nearly 5 hours in the decanter, 9.0 to 9.1. Who thought I should have started decanting it at noon. — 3 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.0

The 2019 Valpolicella Classico Superiore Ripasso Il Bugiardo wafts up with a darkly floral mix of crushed black cherries, sage and mocha. This is round and supple on the palate, lifted by cooling minerality as juicy acidity motivates its tart wild berry fruit. The 2019 tapers off with a bitter twang of balsamic spice yet leaves the mouth watering for more. Il Bugiardo is a Ripasso that readers could easily bring to the dinner table. (Eric Guido, Vinous, March 2023) — a year ago

Delectable Wine

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9.0

The 2017 Rosso Conero Villa Malacari smolders with a mix of black currants, smoky crushed stone and sage. It’s silky yet cool-toned, ushering in mineral-tinged red berry and violet inner florals. Grippy tannins linger as the Villa Malacari tapers off structured and almost salty in character. $16.00 (Eric Guido, Vinous, September 2022) — 2 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.6

The 2015 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva has gained significantly in richness and volume since the last time I tasted it. Sage, black cherries and camphor give way to crushed stone, mineral tones and dusty rose. This soothes the palate with silky, delicate textures, as ripe mineral-tinged red berries and savory spices cascade across a core of brisk acidity. It’s a well-muscled dancer of a wine, tapering off incredibly long and graceful with hints of violet and rose over a coating of fine tannin. The 2015 currently shows the textbook ethereal weightlessness of a classic young Poggio di Sotto Brunello, but it will require some time to reveal all of its charms. That said, a slight score upgrade is in order here. (Eric Guido, Vinous, December 2021)
— 2 years ago

Shay A

9.5

WNH Christmas in July event.

I gave this a 2hr decant and that seemed to be about right. When pouring in to the glass, the transparency caught me off guard...it was like a heavy Pinot! Ruby red with a tinge of purple. The floral and potpourri aromatics leap from the glass and can be picked up a few feet away from the glass. Violets, sage, Black Forest Cake shavings, and ripe black cherries. On the palate, it sports some oak tannin, but the profile is crazy juicy and vibrant. Great acidity. Blackberries, scorched red and black fruits, cherries jubilee, and cedar round out the palate. The juicy acidity hangs around the finish for a good 30 seconds. This does a beautiful job of highlighting cab franc from the valley floor but also letting the vineyard shine through. I called this 2012-2014 Napa merlot/CF blend.

When this came from @Carl Fischer , knowing we both love CabFranc, I secretly hoped he would send me this bottle (knowing his affinity for TOR and CabFranc). I figured there is no way he could have sent it to me knowing the price. I was elated to be wrong. What a wine, Carl! I owe you! — 4 years ago