Christian Fischer

9.3

Usually not a huge fan of Italian wines, but yeah, have been buying some Sassicaia over the years. As I put away some wines I stumble across this 2012 that should be ready to drink, so I bring it upstairs to decant it. Great nose and typical flavor profiles emerge. Nice acidity and a some background menthol flavors that remind me of some great Chateau Musar vintages. This is a vibrant wine with tannins still strong, but integrated; better on day 2.
Not one of my favorite wines, no surprise, but a solid well-made enjoyable Bordeaux blend — 6 months ago

Palmer Emmitt

Owner/Winemaker Judge Palmer

9.4

The nose is pleasant but a bit musty and tired, like I’ve rented a 150 year-old farmhouse on the coast of Ireland for a quiet weekend away. Upstairs, in an old sock drawer, is an ancient bag of potpourri containing dried herbs, crusty rose petals, and lumpy brittle strawberries that mingle with the peat and damp hay drifting through the air. The palate is fresher, brighter, the same but somehow newer, like the proprietor of the old house, a 30-ish strawberry blond named Fiona, whose great-great-grandfather built this place with his bare hands, has burst through the front door to greet me with a wink and wry smile. Like her, this wine is feminine but not delicate, stout but not burly, complex but not ostentatious. I’ll spare you any further indulgence of this tortured metaphor, but this wine is nearly everything you want in a mature Barolo – the acid is bracing in a good way, the tannin fully resolved, the balance exquisite, the length prodigious. — 5 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

The nose has nice ruby, ripe, dark, floral currants/cassis. Fruits are slightly candied. Blackberries, black raspberries, black plums, dark cherries, blue & purple fruits with faint raspberries & strawberries. Dark chocolate, mocha, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, black turned earth, steep tea, soft leather, saddle-wood, fresh tobacco, eucalyptus/mint, dry brush with dark, red, blue and violet flowers.

The body is full. Tannins are robust, dry, dusty, meaty, tarry, chewy and sticky. The fruits on the palate are slightly candied & floral. Blackberries, black raspberries, black plums, dark cherries, blue & purple fruits with faint raspberries & strawberries. Dark chocolate, mocha, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, black turned earth, steep tea, soft leather, wood plank, dry tobacco with ash, dry crushed granite minerals, eucalyptus/mint, dry brush with dark, red, blue and violet flowers. The acidy is really nice. The finish is ripe, ruby, juicy leading to dry sticky tannins & minerals. Needs some more time but delicious now.

Photos of; the view from their tasting room, lots of beautiful original artworks from famous local artists...a few of them the Uncle of our host, examples of some of the soil structures around their tasting room vines and their upstairs tasting room.

@Shay A Same here. — 6 years ago

Brian Hearty

9.2

2022. Had it at the winery when it was released on 5 March and was hoping to enjoy some all summer. Well, I probably shouldn’t have put the bottle I bought in the upstairs fridge instead of cellar. Getting another in this month’s allocation, but may need a few more. Goes great with the goat cheese stuffed piquillo peppers and roasted olives I’m snacking on. — 2 years ago

Lucy Roper

9.8

We had at Louise's upstairs. Very nice - would have again — 3 years ago

Elissa Norris

10

Costco repeat buy. Love/ definite a fav cab ( bold, smooth, good finish)

(enjoyed w Jenny @ her house while kids played upstairs ) — 5 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

The Raats 2016 Cabernet Franc shows ripe, lush and beautifully floral fruits. Blackberries, dark plum, black raspberries, dark cherries, strawberries dark chocolate, mocha, caramel, vanilla, light; cinnamon, clove & nutmeg, herbaceous notes, tobacco, dry crushed minerals, saddle-wood, black, dark, rich soils and fresh, red, dark and blue florals. Beautiful acidity. Elegant, ripe, well polished, rich finish.

Photos of; the view from their tasting room, lots of beautiful original artworks from famous local artists...a few of them the Uncle of our host, examples of some of the soil structures around their tasting room vines and their upstairs tasting room.

@Shay A I think you would like their Cabernet Franc and appreciate the QPR as well if you can find them in TX or another state that can ship to you. — 6 years ago

Benjamin Hall Jr

9.1

A few years ago I tried one bottle of this central coast Bordeaux blend anticipating it would be very fruit forward and typical of the Cabernet-based wines from that area. Instead of getting the overwhelming fruit, I got a very well structured and balanced young wine that I could tell was made with great restraint and care. I guess the rest of the half case that I bought from Last Bottle Wines for very short money as best as I can recall was misplaced and ended up hidden in the back corner of my basement. Clearing out a few things for the holidays, My significant other brought a bottle Upstairs for us to try. Just upon cracking the bottle I could smell the tremendous aroma of a new world highly crafted wine that one would expect to come from one of the renowned vineyards in Napa. We decanted the wine as there was a fair amount of sediment indicating the winemaker was an originalist and did not filter nor did he or she fine the wine. On the first sip I was shocked that this Appellation with with the finesse of a artisanal wine maker with could produce a Stags Leap or Rutherford quality Bordeaux blend! Amazing! Congratulations to the growers, and makers of this excellent bottle! — 2 years ago

B K

9.5

Fuller bodied glou from Violette. Drank on lionels first bday upstairs in 56 with MarDav — 5 years ago

Tyler Schlater

9.0

Glass at wine bistro upstairs at urban space manhattan. Sweetest reisling she had, though I thought it had nice balance. Paid 14 for glass for a bottle that cost 16 — 5 years ago