Ray Vanderhoff

9.1

Interesting Zinfandel (73%) based California blend. Also includes Petite Sirah (13%), Carignan (10%), Mataro (3%) and Alicante Bouchet (1%)). Dark ruby/purple color with a slight garnet rim. Pronounced aromas of ripe red and black berries, mint, violets moist earth and wet stones. Plush flavors of black berry/raspberry/plum fruit, mulberries, cola, dried herbs and sweet baking spices. Touch of smoky black pepper spice on the long and zesty finish. Medium-plus bodied and robust with a juicy profile and soft/silky tannins. Excellent picnic wine! Memorial Day 2026. — a month ago

Mark

9.4

Dark dark ruby color, very intense. Great yeast nose with crisp berry fruit flavor. The tannins are well balanced and enjoyable. Paired it with a marinated ribeye and baked potato. — a year ago

with Jeron and Jessica

Sipping Fine Wine

9.3

Fruit sourced from three young, cool vineyards, Arborina and Gattera in La Morra and Castelletto in Monforte d'Alba, Ruby red with a bouquet of dark fruit, spices, leather and licorice. On the palate flavors of sour black cherry and plum with notes of pepper, smoky tobacco, vanilla and oak. Long finish, nice balance with fine drying tannins, savory edges, ending with earthy mineral notes. Good now! — 2 years ago

Jay Kline

9.3

One of the few producers that I purchase each and every vintage. I find that Laurence Feraud’s wines are consistently some of the more interesting and enjoyable wines made in all of Chateauneuf du Pape; particularly when value comes into play. This bottle is my first experience with her 2018 vintage and the first bottle of a small tranche that I swooped up upon release. Popped and poured; consumed over 5 hours. The color is deep ruby with a near opaque core; glossy and gorgeous to behold. Medium+ viscosity. On the nose, this is classic Pegaü with loads of dark cherry and bramble fruit, a veritable hillside full of garrigue, lavender, black pepper, and something that reminds me of old books. On that palate, the fruit is equally generous, brambles and cherries, exotic spices, Herbs de Provence and a somewhat sanguine-like character to it. Substantial structure, though it seems to be a notch lower than the previous three vintages at this point in its young life. The tannins are very sneaky. Almost imperceptible for the first hour and yet, by hour four, they were very much making themselves known (in the Medium+ range). Acid is also Medium+ indicating these have an exciting life ahead. The finish lasts for well over a minute. All in all, another lovely Pegaü that will likely live in the shadow of some of the more heralded vintages in the last ten years however, that doesn’t mean this isn’t a stunner. Absolutely lovely stuff and I very much look forward to enjoying these well into the 2030’s. — 5 years ago

Meg Herring

9.3

Dark cherry, clove, sassafras, cinnamon, spice, good acidity. Dark red fruits. A lot of depth. — 6 years ago

Collier S. Wiese

8.9

Dark fruits on the nose. Leathery cherry on the front. Strong tannins. — 6 years ago

Tierney H

9.4

Big, dark, leathery, bought from the vineyard — 7 years ago

.

9.3

Always a treat. I’m a huge fan of Mike’s Three Twins cab and the 2010 continues to drink at peak - dark and delicious. — 8 years ago

Bob Rodgers

9.5

A beautiful wine by a brilliant producer. Deep purple color. Bacon fat hints with earthy and truffles on the nose that evolve into dark fruits. Soft tannins on the mouthfeel linger to a grapey finish. Excellent — 2 months ago

Doug Powers

9.2

128-year-old Mataro vines from the Spinelli Vineyard in Contra Costa County, the dark black fruit aromas and flavors seem unmistakably Californian, quite ripe, still shows lots of structure and old vine intensity, long, lingering finish, last bottle but this is another outstanding wine from Matt Cline!! — 8 months ago

with Jim

John Kuhn

9.0

Another great Lodi cab! Black fruit on the nose. Nice dark fruit on pallet. Well balanced and lingering finish. — 5 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

Dark Ruby with aromas of ripe dark berry fruits, herbs and spice, aged for 20 months in French oak (75% new). On the palate black cherry and black currant flavors with oak, vanilla and earthy notes. Well balanced, fine ripe dusty tannins, long finish ending with fruit, oak, espresso notes and pepper spice! Nice! Drinks well now, aging? check back in a year or so! — 6 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.7

Tasted blind... we're served three glasses from three brown bagged bottles. They all are similar in color: dark reddish tawny. This is rich and luscious with notes of red and black fruit, dark spices, some smoked meat, some warm earthy fruit pie and a little soy. Improved with air over the evening. By now we're on to the 1990 theme of the evening and these are clearly La La bottles, so which is this? I guess the 90 Mouline given its profile and that of the other two. For me this was the best of the three, although the La Turque was right there too. — 6 years ago

Willie Carter

9.0

Garnet in the glass with wet dirt, cherries, and floral notes. Talk about fresh. This baby is alive and kicking. Tannins providing so much excitement here that couple with the wondrous acidity and delivers a stunning package. Wet funk, subdued cherry tartness, and dark fruits on the palate. This isn’t anything like the other New World Tempranillos I’ve had before. Head and shoulders above the rest. — 7 years ago

Jeff Miller

9.6

Thank you to my good friend Andy Bunch for bringing this beer to try tonight. A rare treat for sure. Took a while to open up, bit man, it’s hitting its stride a couple hours later with notes of semi sweet chocolate, espresso liquor, brownie batter, vanilla, toasted nuts and almond oil. A rich brew with a 15%+ ABV. Black as old motor oil and super mouth coating. Yum yum yum. — 8 years ago

Joel Lara

9.1

I had high expectations for this wine. Had the 2017 San Lorenzo a few months back, and it was at a really good place, so I was thinking this wine would show well too. Unfortunately, the Monvigliero is really disjointed right now. I decanted for three hours, and after the decant it was closed off. After a lot of air in the glass, it did seem to open a bit. The flavor profile reminded me of the San Lorenzo, with nice dark cherry, spice, and balsamic flavors coming through. It had good depth on the palate with a nice, autumn spice finish. But then the tannin monster decided it wanted to ruin the party. After a while the tannins seemed to completely dominate the palate and finish. Perhaps if it was paired with a more robust dish the tannins would soften a bit? I had it with a traditional bolognese, and the tannins were over the top. I saw glimpses of tastiness, so rating this at a 9.1, and I’m thinking the tannins will soften further in a few years. I left a glass worth in bottle for day 2 to see how it develops. At day 1 though it’s definitely not at a good place. Day 2 update: Had the final glass, which I had kept in the bottle rather than decant. Some interesting new notes of violets and white pepper that I didn’t notice yesterday. After the first few sips all seemed good, except perhaps the wine was somewhat closed. Then the tannins took over, and they started to completely dominate. There were also some mineral/iron notes that seemed to exacerbate the bitter astringency. — 3 months ago

"Odedi"

9.2

It's time for my #FridayCabernetfix. Here is a delicious one from California.

Dark ruby in color with a reddish rim.

Nice nose of blackberries, sweet plums, cooked cherries, cedar, leather, vanilla, spices, tobacco, chocolates, coffee, light earth, liquorice and black pepper.

Full bodied with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry and very fruity on the palate with blackberries, black plums, cooked cherries, figs, vanilla, cedar, licorice, chocolates, tobacco, herbs, light vegetables and peppercorn.

Medium plus on the finish with round tannins and tangy cherries.

This is delicious Cabernet Sauvignon from Lake County in California. Fruit forward with nice complexity and a soft mouthfeel.

Still young and would be better in a few years. Would be nice to revisit it in 5 years.

Good right out of the bottle, and better with airtime. I gave it 90 minutes to open up and show the tannins.

Good by itself or with food. I paired it with a nice piece of steak. Very tasty.

A blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc. Aged in French oak barrels. A small production of 150 cases.

14.3% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$60. — 5 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

8.9

An 18th century chateau, overlooking the Isle valley, facing Pomerol and the Saint-Emilion limestone hillsides, belonged to the same family for three centuries took over by Michel Rullier in 1955, and his daughter Brigitte took the helm in 2002. Dark Ruby with an array of berry aromas and smoky scents. On the palate plum and cherry flavors with cacao, tobacco and smoky cedar notes with herb spice. Firm chalky tannins, long finish ending with earthy mineral notes. Still tasting ok, but drink now! — 6 years ago

Jay Kline

9.3

“Let me tell you somethin’! Let me tell you...✋🏼. Don’t drink these now. Seriously. Just don’t. Five years from now? That’s probably okay. But not now. Unless...unless you are willing to decant for an extended period of time or slow-ox for three days. Patience will be rewarded however if you allow time to do its work. Only then do you get the classic Rafanelli of red and dark fruit with chocolate, coffee, tobacco and baking spices; executed in a most seductive fashion. Sound structure. The finish is long. This is a great vintage from Rafanelli with a long life ahead. Better after 2025. — 6 years ago

Tom Casagrande

9.0

As usual a great value. Expansive nose of dark blackberry, and a eucalyptus-tinged herbal note. Rich and broad in the mouth, but with a nice core of soft tannin and just enough acid to keep it together. — 8 years ago