Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.2

2022 vintage. The curious case of the pinot noir where the mid-palate remarkably remained as if on command. Bright as a bell. Would not transition to the finish. Just stood there, in the middle of the tongue, blocking the traffic. Curious enough to buy two cases at $35 a bottle. 3.11.26. — 4 months ago

Willie Carter

9.6

Pure passion. I keep these well supplied simply because they’re so damn good. A very pretty light golden color in the glass. The nose is magnificent with chalk and floral aromas. A burst of honeysuckle, orange peel, and quince. Beautiful brioche notes with a streak of honey. Just divine.

Bottled at a lower pressure than other champagnes which produces a softer wine. Creamy and complex, it’s a magisterial Blanc de Blancs. Primarily from the 2016 vintage with 30% of the blend coming from 2014. Elegant and generous with a real sense of place.

Slight hints of grapefruit and apples on the palate. Herbal essence and white fruits for days and days and days. Really striking on the tongue. Long, persistent finish. But ignore all of that, this is really about emotions. There’s passion and love and romance here. And isn’t that what it’s all about anyway?
— 3 years ago

Nick Petras

9.3

Nice Zen blend that is very dry and has a bite of alcohol on the back of the tongue. Really enjoyed — 5 years ago

John Hagood

9.3

Louis Barrouol 2009. From Schneider’s $40 ca 2012 has 2009 on 10/12/20 as third day birthday and in memory of the spring 2011 pilgrimage there. Rainy fall day. Mashed blueberries, pomegranate nose,in background of smoke and farm hayrides over clay. Big rich bold on front of mouth. Black cherry juice. Slight pomegranate chalkiness. Smooth overall but broad tannins settled down —mostly strike front “shoulder” of tongue. Vanilla at finish. Bucchal astringency. Better a little below 55 degrees. Oak barrels? — 6 years ago

brando cox

9.1

Amazing aromas of candied berry crumble, undergrowth, vanilla, dried plum, and a hint of leather. On the tongue its full or flavours with balanced dark berries, tobacco and cassis dominating. The unique austere and grippy texture signifies a cold vintage year. 9.0 /4.1

Aging: typical of a gran rioja, this spends 26m in oak barrels. 3 years in bottle. Drinking 12 years post vintage in 2020. Drink now through 2024. Decant for 1 hr before drinking (taste in segments of 30 min to judge how its opening up) — 6 years ago

Marshall Todd Herron DPM

9.2

Cacique Maravilla Pipeno Pais 2016. These grapes are 100% organic wine. The soil has never been contaminated with pesticides. When I poured it from my coravin it bubbled in the glass. The color is almost like a pink sparkling wine. And the bouquet is sparkly fizzy fun on my nose. The initial bouquet is not far behind with a light tingle on my tongue. However this is a dry wine. It is very light with cherry and cranberry fruit. It is a very simple wine. The mid-palate loses all the fizz and flows into a nice semi dry finish. There are Earth tones and oak on the mid palate as well!!!!! This would be awesome slightly chilled to about 52 degrees on a hot day. — 8 years ago

Nicholas Lauf

9.6

Hot wine, tingles the tongue. Juicy, nutmeg, acidic, dandelion, and all in balance. One of my favorite whites ever. — 9 years ago

with Alyssa

Norman

9.5

This reminds me of a Kistler Dutton Ranch in the early 2000. Little less acidity but for sure that same delicious nose and bite on the tongue. Really delicious and I’m pretty sure someone in this app put me onto it. Forget who but thanks! — 2 years ago

Ellen Clifford

9.0

Fun fact (for me anyway): Rombauer makes Sauvignon Blanc under screw cap and it’s good. I’ve been drowning in a wave of SB recently (spoiler alert I’m writing an article) and this shiznit stands up. A very ripe orgy of citrus congregates on the wet river stone nose. Gooseberry crashes the party on the tongue as one does along with a whisper of green apple Jolly Rancher, but in a good way. It’s quite light and gauzy but that gauze has a bit of grip and texture—I’m guessing a small percentage of used barrel showing it’s face? Any which way I like this. — 3 years ago

Max Schector

10

A-ma-zing. So smokey and peppery on the nose, the taste completely back it up. With bold and bright red cherry, oak and pepper on the back of the tongue. It sits and grows in flavor. The body really keeps giving. — 5 years ago

Brenda Terzich-Garland

9.5

Bond 2001 Cab. The color shows little age —a bright dark red crimson. Nose floats with dark black and red berries, wet earth cedar and sweet honey spices; a minty menthol lingers filling the senses with utter satisfaction. OMG! a very sensual experience in the mouth —full body flavors coat every corner of the tongue with raspberry and blackberry flavors. A minerally, pencil lead, caramel mocha sweetness follows ending with a grippy tannin long finish. Can definitely age another 10-15 years. What can I say, WOW! — 6 years ago

with Karin and Jill

Donald Patz

Owner/Winemaker Patz & Hall

9.8

Stupendous. Creamy, lemon meringue and apricot nectar caramel. Nice balancing act that included enough acidity to keep in dancing on the tongue. It’s crazy expensive to make these wines. I’m always glad when I share one. Different from d’Yquem but every bit as great. — 8 years ago

with Jack

Mark Flesher

9.4

Chocolate covered black cherry cordial. Went really well with our dinner, but when drinking this wine with Blue Bell cherry vanilla ice cream, it was otherworldly. The wind starts off with more black cherry and cola, picks up the chocolate notes in the middle. Finishes medium-plus body and just sits there on the tongue. 30 to 40 second finish. Compared to the 2011, this one has a little more structure, definitely more polished. Per the last email, this one was held back a year, and now I understand why. Crazy thing is, it doesn't score as well as the 2012 or 2013. If that is the case, I can't wait to get to those! — 8 years ago

Ely Cohn

9.2

Big boy MAGNUS big like a freakin' baseball bat. Big like 13% ABV and 1,000 volts of electricity in silvery gray green shades. Hovers indecisively for a second, then settles into intense sour citrus.

Delicate soft aromas of grapefruit, lime leaf and sage become crazy intense with tip of tongue acid, thick edges that suck your cheeks in tight. — 3 years ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.2

1983 vintage. Had the requisite BDX "funk" in the nose upon opening. Coming hard with the Pompey/Crassus/Caesar triumvirate of cherry, cedar and earth in both the nose and flavor profile. Light-medium body. Decanted (mega-sed!) and tasted over the course of two hours. Not improving but slotted into this groove a few years ago and can see it performing these same dance moves for another 7-10 years. 7.22.23. — 3 years ago

Jay Griffin

9.1

Fruity blossomy fragrances as it's full flavor touches your tongue! The balance in acidity is a welcome to that a tempranillo should always be...superbly just a very refreshing finish with taste I can only compare it as a continuous dark chocolate dark cherry cordell from start to finish with the fruit down the center of the palate and the dark chocolate around it in a continuity that's just plain delicious! — 4 years ago

Brenda Terzich-Garland

9.1

Double decant 1 hour. Color — brilliant garnet red! An aroma of dark cherry, vanilla and cedar strikes the nose with floating essence of floral and spices and a subtle barn yard funk lingering at the end. Taste— Honey-vanilla spice notes rest on the tip of the tongue leading to the dark cherry tart flavors on the mid-pallet giving it a juicy luscious feel in the mouth. The medium plus finish lingers with a cedar barnyard funk where you can still taste the presence of the tannins. Needs to age longer so the tannins and flavors are more integrated, but enjoying this Pinot on a rainy evening; definitely need here in CA! — 6 years ago

with Jill and Karin

Michael Ma

9.0

Balanced but fruit is front and center through to the finish with a soft velvety tongue. The bourbon barrels come through with a deliciously harmonious, and unique surprise. — 7 years ago

Gerry San Pedro

9.4

Intensely red in the glass. Plums & dark cherries on the nose. Plums & sweet berries along with spice & earth notes in the tongue - after an hour in the decanter. Short-to-medium finish, with soft tannins. Happy birthday to me!! — 8 years ago

David Shaw

9.2

Bought at winery. Light to moderate extraction, purple red. Mixed berry fruit leather, menthol-mint, barrel smoke and mushroom notes in nose. Blackberry, cherry, mint, cola and anise flavors, slightly tart, moderate seed bitterness, skin astringency on tip of tongue on finish. Great complexity and varietal character, even from first pour out of the bottle with no decanting — 8 years ago