Sally Neal

9.1

Excellent. I want more. — a month ago

Jeroen Koenen

9.2

Shifting to a more feminine and elegant profile, after almost 20 years this still has a lot to offer. Complex fruity and umami notes of cherry, currants, pepper, spice, cured meat, tossed earth and truffle.
Great effort, year after year. — 2 years ago

Thijs Hendriks

9.8

Seductive, lychee, soapstone, white pepper. Harmonious, papaya, orange zest and salty minerality. Ultimately balanced. Umami in excelcis. 98+ — 3 years ago

Iwona Olsson

9.5

Great red wine for meat dishes. Bold but with smoothness to your umami. — 4 years ago

David Shaw

9.1

Purple-red, moderately extracted pigment, good clarity with minor residue (it is unfiltered). Hints of butter, wood and cola in nose. Bright acidity, a touch of soy-umami in the flavors. Slightly gritty aftertaste on initial pour (it’s unfiltered!) Still assessing as it opens up... Cola flavor emerges after ten minutes, barrel tar aroma after thirty. — 6 years ago

Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.5

The 2017 ‘The Funk Estate’ Syrah is a sensational follow up to the downright scintillating 2016 bottling by Richard Funk. The nose captivates the senses with Umami and seaweed character that meld with charcuterie, green olive tapenade and suggestions of blackberry cobbler. The palate is wonderfully textured with layers of huckleberry and blackberry compote that march with black tea, exotic spices, meat drippings and Umami. Soft, generous and showing outstanding length, this is simply a complete wine that has amazing elegance, texture and true Rocks terroir. This is truly remarkable in its youth, so why wait? Drink 2020-2028- 95 — 6 years ago

Big Wave Dave

9.3

Deep ruby. There is deep red fruit on the nose, combined with a strong umami, toffee, and mealy note. Strawberry shortcake? Med bodied, with crystal clear fruit clarity. Strawberry all day, with some mushroom. Well balanced, so well integrated. Not for the long haul but singing now. Fabulous. — 7 years ago

with Racquel

Her Mir Tage

9.7

1955 Giacomo Conterno Barolo (Ditta) – The "Great Emperor"

Appearance: The wine unfurls in the glass with a majestic, deep garnet core that gracefully fades into a wide brick-orange rim—the unmistakable heraldry of seven decades of life. It is perfectly clear and luminous, promising a profound experience.

Nose (Aroma): The aromatic profile is a walk through an ancient, sacred forest after the rain. It opens with a deep sense of humid earth, fungal truffle, and a subtle, refined smoked leather. As it opens, a beautiful core of blueberry compote and dried dark fruits emerges, intertwined with a complex tapestry of Chinese medicinal herbs and dried florals. It is both powerful and hauntingly ethereal.

Palate (Taste): The palate is a breathtaking journey into umami and complexity. True to the legend, the fruit has transformed into an intense medley of sweet preserved fruit (dried apricot, date). This is immediately met with a profound savory depth: a distinct salted Chinese preserved plum character provides a mouthwatering salinity, while a fine dusting of astragalus root powder and angelica root brings an authentic, warming medicinal bitterness that defines the wine’s regal structure. A hint of spicy dried ginger soda lingers on the mid-palate, adding a lift of unexpected freshness.

Acidity & Structure: The acidity is the heartbeat of this wine—sustained, mellow, and incredibly refined. It does not jab but rather flows continuously, carrying the dense, dried flavors across the palate with remarkable energy. The tannins have fully resolved into a silken, powdery texture, leaving nothing but harmony.

Finish: The finish is eternal, echoing with notes of dried citrus peel, forest floor, and a final whisper of sweet tobacco and herbs. A truly humbling experience; this is not merely a wine, but a living artifact of time, worthy of the title "Great Emperor." — 4 months ago

Jakub Kalinowski

9.2

Needs a bit of time to open up, but then… wow!!
So aromatic & enticing, dusty, red fruit galore, with some minty undergrowth,
On the palate this is plush, yet fresh, dusty, super fine tannins, juicy acidity, a hint of Balsamico umami.
Nice depth, great length. Delicious stuff!! — 3 years ago

Brenda Reyes

9.6

Jan. 30 Drinking at home with caviar. Purchased from@Vincents in Beaune, Fr $100 — 5 years ago

Sophia Griffith

9.4

The nose on this is more complex than my cheap wines, which I love. There’s an underlying scent (stone? Mineral?) and then this really fruity melody that hits a bunch of sweet notes at once. It’s layered like a good perfume. Swirling totally brings out a different nose that’s more balanced, like a mix of the two notes from before. The legs fit the flavor profile - they are viscous and slow, which reflects the sweetness of the wine. The taste is a punch of fruity umami, which is different from the much more sweetness-forward sip I got when I first uncorked it. This is such a fun wine and I’ve been able to successfully pair it with a wide variety of foods. Sommelier’s suggestion of sushi was an outstanding pairing, too. — 6 years ago

Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.5

The R. Lopez Heredia ‘Vina Tondonia Reserva’ Rioja was sourced from what was generally a challenging, low-yielding vintage in Rioja, that was somehow rated ‘very good.’ The wine is a gorgeous blend of Tempranillo (75%), Garnacho (15%), Graciano and Mazuelo (10%) that was aged for six years before bottling. Needing an hour in the decanter to fully evolve, the ‘Vina Tondonia Reserva’ shows pretty red cherry cordial and wild blackberry tones that are woven together with dark licorice, pencil shavings and suggestions of wild mushroom that all take shape in the glass. The palate is round and generous, showing really good range from menthol to black cherry compote, Umami and suggestions of red bell pepper with Mandarin orange rind undertones that sing in unison. The freshness and verve of the wine that combine with the weight seriously impresses. Every bit outstanding, this is amongst the best of the vintage. Drink 2020-2038- 95 — 6 years ago

James Webb

9.3

Dried mandarin orange and honey suckle with these big mushroom notes that give it a sweet umami nose. And bread, of course. Palette is rich, with a, dare I say, slight dustiness?Almost tannic, like some skin action. It was round with a lemon rind character. Not sweet, but also not bitter, right in the middle. Finishes slightly hot it feels but that could be me. Definitely a more modern version but way better than the 09’ but doesn’t come close to holding a candle to the 08’ — 7 years ago

Jay Kline

9.5

It’s been a couple of years since I last encountered the 2001 vintage of Chave’s Hermitage. That bottle was a library release from the domaine and so is this example. Splash decanted directly before service. The 2001 pours a garnet color with a translucent core; medium viscosity with significant staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is vinous and a total umami bomb: Koji beef broth, dried and baked brambles, dried purple flowers, black pepper, Kalamata olive, organic and inorganic earth along with fine warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. Looking back on my notes from 2024, there’s a common theme: the 2001 is all about dat bass. Drink now with some patience and through 2041. — 5 months ago

Peter Sultan

8.9

Whoa, Nelly. Pedro Jimenez, grown under flor, an “orange wine”….. so, essentially a sherry still wine. It’s pretty in your face, explosive in tangerine & umami notes. It’s delicious when on the colder side. I could see it paring well with spicy Schezuan or something fatty, like a burger. — 2 years ago

Christoffer Hjelm

9.3

‘18 4 lyfe — 4 years ago

Byron Hewett

9.2

Incredible value. This a complex and layered wine with nice earthy umami. — 6 years ago

Tim Hinck

9.3

2017 - $28
Some wines knock you off your feet with oddity or innovation, others are so simply well-made, so unabashedly true, and so germain that they come close to perfectly encapsulating an entire genre. To me, this is exactly what American Riesling can and should be. Perfectly poised between power and good style. This balances a smoky, intense, Alsace influence with good ol’ American fruit and the best that we can offer in response to European funk: umami in spades. I adore this wine. — 6 years ago

Mike Evans

9.2

Lovely blend of richness and minerality, with some floral notes and umami on the palate for good measure. — 7 years ago

Martijn

9.1

Not your standard C9. Hints of almond paste, eucalyptus and some fresh lavender. Spicy and sweet almost like some Aussie syrah. Good with umami fingerfood. Thanks Eric for the treats! — 7 years ago

with Eric