Jay Kline

9.3

I sort of forgot that today marked the 50th anniversary of the Judgement of Paris and this was the best I could do to celebrate in the moment; a wine from a participating producer but in the red category, instead of white. From magnum, the 2010 “Elivette” pours a deep garnet/purple with an opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and significant sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with lovely notes of black currants, blackberries, Fresno chili, dried purple flowers, purple SweeTarts, tobacco, some dried herbs and fine spices with minerals. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ viscosity and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes form the nose. The finish is long with ferrous minerals. Tasty stuff. Drink now with some patience and through 2040. Bottle No. 095/900 magnums. — 2 months ago

Jay Kline

9.4

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of one week. Consistently enjoyable throughout but it seemed to be at its very best around Day 3 through Day 7 (when I enjoyed the last pour). The 2010 pours, a deep garnet color with a near opaque core and showing some slight rim variation; medium+ viscosity and moderate staining of the tears with some sign of sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with tart and ripe notes of cassis, plums, tobacco, Fresno chilis, purple flowers, dry leaves, organic earth and faint baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The fruit is a touch more tart on the palate and there is also a sort of dry leather note that I didn’t get on the nose. The finish is medium+. A mesmerizing, dense wine that certainly has a very long road ahead. Great stuff. Drink now with patience through 2050 (assuming good cellar conditions). — 2 years ago

AKG

9.8

Salmon, buttered corn, zucchini. 🤌🏼 — 4 years ago

with Daniel

Eric Urbani

9.1

One of the most interesting rosés I’ve ever had - 140 year old vines give unexpected weight to a wine that is still light in its feet. $22 — 5 years ago

Camille Offenbach

8.9

Lots of grapey 👃.
Light red liquid.
Very fruity.
Little bit of tannin.
Round and smooth. — 7 years ago

with Giuseppe

Camille Offenbach

9.7

This is Tioga-Sequoia Brewery's Joaquin Murrieta Chili Beer. Where do I start? The terroir? (Fresno, where so many good things come from, grows the chiles, that make this beer a spicy, hot and cold phenomenon) The smog? The heat? The complicated geo-political space? The morlock valley we all are happy to disparage with one side of our mouth while stuffing it's stone fruits in the other? Sharp, hot chile flavor in the front, round, smokey, still hot chile flavor in the back. Lingers a long time on the exhale. A yeasty, wheaty nose doesn't give any of it's secrets away. I haven't seen this gracing the supermarket aisles any where else but Fresno, so if you find yourself there, grab some. 2017 — 9 years ago

Jay Kline

9.2

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of an hour. The 2015 “Soul of a Lion” pours a deep ruby/purple with an opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with powerful notes of cassis, plum, purple flowers, Fresno chili, tobacco, leather, vanilla and fine baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+ and silky. A fairly massive wine but there’s plenty of character to keep it unique and interesting. Drink now through 2035+ — 3 months ago

Jeremy Shanker

Sommelier at RN74

9.2

Delicious Napa SB. Guava, Fresno pepper, peach. — 2 years ago

Jeremy Shanker

Sommelier at RN74

8.9

Delicious Slovenian SB and also highly nuanced. Pineapple, fresno chile, passionfruit. — 2 years ago

Paul T, Missing My Beautiful Wife 24/7

9.7

Opened this time.
Not the fruit forward bottle I have come to expect 👍🏼👌🏼, definitely has a long life ahead
One off bottling for 2019

It is a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot.

The Bard Blair Edition represents the first time Realm has taken what is traditionally a component of The Bard and bottled it as a Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s fitting to branch out this way with Blair Vineyard, the Calistoga site that’s been a source of Cabernet Sauvignon for us since 2010. In 2012 and 2013, the vintages that turned Realm’s fortunes around, Blair was the backbone of The Bard. As time has gone on and The Bard has grown in production, Blair has become a lesser percentage of the wine, but no less important. Sitting in the southeast corner of the Calistoga AVA with Larkmead Vineyard to the immediate west and Three Palms Vineyard to the north, Blair is a rocky, alluvial site formed by runoff from the eastern hillsides over millions of years. Vines here struggle in the well-drained soils, and the Calistoga heat, which we have learned to manage carefully, results in a rich fruit profile.
Another reason we bottled Blair on its own is to honor Realm’s long partnership with its owners, Greg and Patricia (Pat) Johnson. The property has been in their family since the 1950s, originally owned by Greg’s Aunt Cecilia. Greg, a veteran who spent 21 years in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, helped his aunt oversee Blair Vineyard in the late 1980s and 1990s, and when she died in 1996, she left the vineyard to Greg and Pat.
For several years in the late 1990s and early 2000s Blair Vineyard was bottled on its own. Greg and Pat’s son, Chris, a Fresno State University enology graduate, replanted the vineyard to Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot, and used some of the fruit for his own small project, Blair Estate. Sadly, Chris died in 2009, and the Johnsons reverted to selling the fruit from Blair. With The Bard Blair Edition, we are excited to honor Chris’ memory and our long relationship with the Johnson family. — 4 years ago

Bill Bender

9.5

A successful court day in Fresno with my associate Tyler and we found a Fleming’s and hit up some wine after. This was decadently delicious. Much more approachable than I expected. — 8 years ago

Paul Weil

8.9

This special Fresno State Chardonnay release is from their Plano Ranch vineyard rather than the usual Duarte vineyard. It is unbaked or nearly so, with nice kiwi and pear fruits, and a touch of coconut residual sugar to the finish. — 8 years ago

gabe ulla

9.3

the madai sashimi with fresno chiles really ties it all together. life sucks. — 10 years ago

Tree Kilpatrick

9.3

I won a bet and got some wines from my friend Geoff at Fresno State. This is the first one I’ve cracked open. Has the right Zin color with a deep purple almost black hue and a perfect ruby edge. Smells like blackberry jam, creosote and hot wet rocks. Maybe just a hint of some chemical solvent or thing from paints. Flavors are on point and in the pocket for Amador style Zin. Blackberry, Cherry and Huckleberries meets mocha and smoke. This is barbque and summer pies wine. Zingy and crystalline. Not syrupy or extra dense like Old Vine Zin in Lodi can be. This is an amazing start in my Fres-Yes wine winnings! — a year ago

Jay Kline

9.1

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of a couple of hours. The 2019 “Isosceles” pours a deep ruby color with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of dark brambles, crème de cassis, tobacco, Fresno chilis, Mexican chocolate, dry earth and baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium. This is a big, powerful wine but it’s fairly balanced. I would drink now though it probably wouldn’t struggle to see past 2029. — 2 years ago

Randy Fuller

9.5

This wine is a pretty light pink in the glass and has a nose which shows ripe red strawberries and cherries. A slight savory note floats in and out on the sniff. The palate is delicious - full of bright fruit - and has a bit of heft to it, along with a good slap of minerality. The appellation is listed as “California,” and there were two vineyards given, one of which is in Fresno. — 3 years ago

Randy Fuller

9.5

Dark fruit dominates the nose while some savory notes play through. The aromas of black and blue berries, plums and cassis define the bouquet, which is shaped by shades of anise and earth. The palate is really a delight, as fruity as you want it to be while maintaining the Prince of Darkness title. Tannins are firm but not feisty. The wine drinks quite smooth, even upon recent pouring. I liked it paired with a Spencer steak seasoned with salt and pepper, and a side of chimichurri. I make mine with parsley, cilantro and a Fresno pepper cut up in it. — 5 years ago

Wendy F

9.0

Great wine with a great meal at Pismo’s in Fresno celebrating Bud’s birthday — 7 years ago

Camille Offenbach

9.0

Fruity, semi-sweet white with an awesome label. Purchased at Simonian Farms in Fresno. — 8 years ago

with Giuseppe

Jami Willard

10

Good flavor — 9 years ago