Jay Conway

9.3

Beautiful wine, good value — a month ago

Jay Kline

9.3

As a wine professional, there are few greater pleasures than a bottle that surprises. All too often, our prejudices influence the experience which is why it’s so important to taste wines in double-blind fashion, and often. This bottle of 2005 Terlato Family Vineyards, “Cardinal’s Peak” blew me away. I don’t know anything about the wine making or fruit source but what was in the glass was simply beautiful.

Poured into a decanter about 90 minutes prior to service and then enjoyed over the course of a couple of hours. The 2005 pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and some light signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of mostly ripe, but also some dried black and red fruits: blackberries, black cherry, black plum, raspberry, pipe tobacco, the purple Now and Laters®️, oiled leather, purple flowers, dark chocolate, coffee, dried forest floor, and soft baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and overwhelmingly satisfying. A somewhat, no scratch that, remarkable wine. End stop. Drinking so well right now and absolutely in its prime. Don’t think twice to drink now to enjoy at its very best, but this will continue to drink well through 2030 if you must. 13.8% ABV. — 3 months ago

Jeffrey Liegl

9.4

Very smooth and full flavored — 4 months ago

Lorenzo Hernandez

9.4

Excellent with crab — a month ago

Colin Cahoon

9.3

Huge nose of menthol, cedar, white pepper, clove, and spiced red and black fruit. On the palate plumb, cinnamon, dark cherry, oak, and hints of pencil lead. High alcohol, high acid, medium plus tannin, medium plus body, with long finish. — 3 months ago

Joshua Figg

9.5

Fruit forward and very jammy. Silky and velvety smooth. Full bodied. Rich, excellent! — 4 months ago

K Brooks

8.9

Appropriate accompaniment to ham and rosemary white bean, onion, tomato dish. ($22) — 5 months ago

Brad Jensen

9.1

At first I found this medium bodied, slightly creamy, with prominent stone fruits, white peach and cumquat, with a prominent minerality and slight notes of cheesecake on the nose. Now it’s emerging much more dry with air, still a long, mineral driven palate, still medium bodied, but beautifully balanced and definitely a contract to many California white wines when it comes to complexity and nuance. — 2 months ago

Walter Fahr

8.9

If one likes a toasted oak Chardonnay, this is your wine. Long lingering taste of oak, with stone fruits. Paired well with fish and chicken. Drank in August 2021. — 4 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.3

A tribute to the crest called Rattlesnake Hill, highest point of Monte Rosso Vineyard, famous for rattlesnakes living among the vines, seeking sunshine by day and coiling around the vines at night. Dark Ruby with aromas of berry fruits, tangy herb, pepper and sweet spice. On the palate flavors of blackberry and ripe cherry with black pepper spice, vanilla and earthy sweet herbs. Soft chewy tannins, medium+ finish ending with fruit, spice and earthy oak. Nice! — 4 months ago