Jay Kline

9.2

Splash decanted and then poured back into the bottle about 5 hours prior to dinner. This is my first impression of the 2021 Zinfandel which is even more exciting than usual because the 2020 vintage was skipped due to the LNU Lightning Complex fires which rendered that crop a write-off. The wine pours a deep ruby color with a translucent core moving towards a magenta edge and a slightly watery rim. Medium+ viscosity and moderate staining of the tears. There seems to be some sediment already, however this is not uncommon with bottles of Rafanelli both young and old. On the nose, the wine is clean although I do detect some VA, well within the “charming” range. Very expressive fresh red and black fruits, primarily brambles: Marionberry, ripe blackberry fruit, and raspberries. These are accompanied by white pepper and soft baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. Alcohol is medium+ but not out of balance. Finish is medium. As usual, these wines upon release tend to be super primary but I like what I’m experiencing! Personally, I would recommend some patience when drinking these young. While they are no-doubt good, they tend to fill out with some time on their side in the cellar. Best after 2024 and should drink well through 2035. Oh…and this was an awesome pairing with grilled rack of lamb. — a year ago

John Dykstra

9.2

Fun wine. Spicy. Burnt wood. Brewers are tied 4-4 in game 4. Life’s not bad — 3 years ago

Zack Hall

9.2

Alcohol a little out of balance, not uncommon. But great aromas. Very interesting. — 4 years ago

Shay A

9.5

After visiting here last Fall, and leaving with more wine than any other visit (mostly due to their incredible white wines), this has been a fun wine to follow. This is my second to enjoy, and I think I have one left. For a 2014, this was pretty tightly coiled.

76 cab/24 cab franc. Love those percentages, especially from To Kalon. It certainly sports the classical powerful To Kalon flair with dominant black cherry and plenty of fragrant aromatics of violets and potpourri. Even after a few hours of bottle air, this remained tannic and slightly unyielding (very uncommon for 2014 valley floor Napa). At the end of the evening, it gave way to sweet pipe tobacco, black currant, dark spiced red fruits, and savory herbs. Hard to deny the powerful black cherry core that To Kalon normally sports. I’d hold for another 5yrs or decant 3+ hrs. — 2 years ago

John Dykstra

9.4

Smooth silky complex. Pairs well with a Brewers NLDS game one win — 3 years ago

Austin Locke

9.4

Quite nice. Great value. Uncommon grape for California. — 4 years ago

S. Schie

9.2

Very nice and rather smooth Grüner Veltliner. 9 points because I line it, not because it is a typical wine. On the contrary, the wine is not „peppery“ at all and only shows comparably low acidity. 14 % alcohol are also rather uncommon and perhaps the reason I really enjoyed drinking the 2020 vintage. — 2 years ago

Ely Cohn

9.0

Unfamiliar grape from uncommon place. Best described (by me) as remixed Nebbiolo with twist of cherry mint. Powerful and lucid at once, high alcohol, big boy tannin. Light and the color of ruby cherry juice with notes of pine and foresty cherry lozenge. — 2 years ago

Jake Hajer

9.0

Cedar, brewers yeast, dried roses, concrete. -very dry. You can sense it’s dryness on the nose. Slightly muted blue and red fruit. Gets better with air. Think this would be great with age. In 10 years, smoke and more roses. — 3 years ago

Connor Smith

9.5

#Nebbiolo is a surprisingly rare grape. Even in its native Piedmont, it accounts for only 8% of vineyard land. There are fewer than 100 hectares planted in the United States. 🕵️‍♂️🍇
Over 80% of prewar Italian immigrants came from Sicily and Southern Italy. Piedmont was the wealthiest and most politically dominant region. But if fortunes were reversed, could Nebbiolo have taken Primitivo/Zinfandel’s place as a grape relatively uncommon on the boot but dominant in California? 🤔🇮🇹🇺🇸
Probably not. The Nebbiolo vine is *not* for beginners. It flowers early and ripens late, making it susceptible to both spring and autumn frosts. It loves the occasional fog bath (some say the name is derived from ‘nebbia’, Italian for fog ☁️☁️☁️) but is prone to the mildew that may result from such humid conditions. Its fussiness would make Pinot Noir blush: it demands southwesterly exposure, a proper gradient, constant sun above, and fog licking at its toes. #diva
Sound anything like California’s Central Coast? 🌅
In the Santa Maria Valley, where the East-West Transverse Range bends back into the North-South Coastal Range, it’s possible. Vineyard selection still requires extreme discretion - an eye like @JimClendenen’s, perhaps.
Jim began the Nebbiolo program at the legendary #BienNacido vineyard in 1994. Production is small, but if you track down his “The Pip” Nebbiolo, it will only run you about $30. You’ll believe anything is possible when you have real California Nebbiolo of this quality come wafting out of the glass at you! 🙌🙌
🏞.“The Pip” is named after Jim’s old cellar dog Pip, a border collie. So it only seemed right to include one of our own pips! 🐈 — 5 years ago