Avery Plank

9.4

67% Zinfandel - 33% Petite Sirah. 100 cases produced. 15.9% alcohol. Great drinking wine, crowd pleaser. Didn’t taste like it was that high of alcohol percentage. Dark berry, cassis, with a very “thick” mouthfeel. If you like the old Prisoner or Venge’s Scout’s Honor then you will love this wine. I would either aerate it or decanter it for at least 30 minutes. Lots of life yet. Great QPR, especially coming from a small higher end Napa producer. — 5 years ago

"Odedi"

9.1

Time for #MerlotThursday! Here is a great one from Rutherford.

Dark dirty ruby in color with a short brick rim.

Still fruity on the nose with black plums, black cherries, black currants, cooked cherries, raisins, earth, leather, vanilla, light cedar, spices, vinaigrette, light alcohol, pencil lead, dark chocolates, dark coffee and peppercorn. I loved the nose, so complex.

Medium plus in body with medium plus acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with plums, black currants, wood, vanilla, vegetables, dark coffee, bitter herbs, leather, licorice, earth, black pepper, chocolates and spices.

Long finish with persistent yet fine tannins, and tangy raspberries.

This 8 year old Merlot from Napa Valley is drinking very nicely now, with an awesome nose that I just kept on smelling, for a long while.

This Single Vineyard is nicely balanced with nice complexity and a great mouthfeel. Will get even better in the next few years as it gets smoother.

This is a great sipping wine, to drink all by itself and talk about.

100% Merlot grapes were aged for 20 months in French Oak barrels (45% new).

14.2% alcohol by volume.

91 points.

$39. — 6 years ago

Greg Ballington

Co-Founder of Millennial Drinkers Wine Blog

9.4

First winery on day two in Sonoma was Donelan Family Wines in Santa Rosa with Meredith. The next Rhone varietal red was the Cuvée Keltie Syrah. Made up of 100% Syrah from four vineyards in Sonoma County; Kobler Family, Steiner Ranch, Obsidian and Richard Family vineyards. This bottling is 100% whole cluster fermented in small batches then aged for 21 months in neutral French oak. Only 301 cases produced.

Dark ruby red with some violet hues. Complex and layered nose with leather, twigs, sweet spices, touch floral and dark red berries. Medium plus tannins (7.5/10) and full bodied. Rich palate with vanilla, cinnamon, smokiness, baking spices, dark cocoa, dark berries and a touch of light petrol. Long finish. Drink till 2030.

$$$ - Tasted at the winery. Retail price is $90.00. — 6 years ago

with India

Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

History begins in 1885, when Osea Perrone, a doctor in San Francisco's Italian community, bought 180 acres near the top of Monte Bello Ridge in the Santa Cruz Mountains. This is 100% Zin! Deep red almost purple. Aromas of cherry fruit and unmistakable Zin spice! In the palate, blackberry and cherry flavors with peppery herb spice integrated with dusty tannins. Lively acidity shows up in the medium finish ending with a big fruit finish. Nice! — 6 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

A wine I’ve enjoyed mostly upon release or near it. I vowed to wait six years and nearly made it. At least it is 2018...just! It’s worth waiting this/that long for it to develop. On the nose; sweetly, baked fruits of; dark cherries, strawberries, black plum, plums, blackberries, and notes of blue fruits. Cinnamon, vanilla, very light clove & nutmeg, caramel, soft, medium, beautiful spice, black fruit tea, limestone minerals, loamy, dry, brown top soil, fresh dark florals and violets. The mouthfeel is full, rich & lush. The tannins are round, still have some teeth and possess velvety round edges. It’s fruit driven but not a bomb and showing elegance & grace. Fruits are perfectly ripe; dark cherries, strawberries, black plum, plums, blackberries, notes of blue fruits and dry cranberries dip in and out. Cinnamon, vanilla, very light clove & nutmeg, caramel, soft, medium beautiful spice that is more pronounced on the palate, black fruit tea, touch of melted brown sugar/molasses, limestone minerals, touch of rich dark sweet turned soil, loamy dry brown top soil, soft understated eucalyptus/mint, dry fresh florals and violets. The round acidity is just right, just a slight very small alcohol burn, the length, structure, tension and beautifully balanced finish are in a very good place. Even better in 2-3 more years in bottle; which is when I’ll have my next one. Photos of; the winemaking duo of Gary Franscioni (left) and Gary Pisoni, Rosella’s Vineyard on the right. As well as, Garys’ Vineyard at the bottom. Producer notes and history...The Santa Lucia Highlands appellation is known for its rich, vibrant Pinot Noirs. However, that wasn’t always the case. The first Pinot was planted in 1973, but results weren’t all that great. Chardonnay was the appellation’s early star. Much of the area’s current fame for Pinot Noir arguably can be traced to Gary Pisoni, a free-spirited wine enthusiast who grew up in a Salinas Valley vegetable farming family. Pisoni decided to plant a few acres of Pinot Noir in 1982 on his family’s horse ranch, at the southern end of what was to become the Santa Lucia Highlands appellation but his horses started eating the grapes. So, they had to go. His initial planting were limited by a lack of water until he dug a well on the property. Pisoni started planting even more Pinot Noir. The vineyard is now around 45 acres and nearly all of it Pinot. By the late 1990s, word had spread about the success of his vineyard, and a number of Pinot specialists from around California had started lining up to buy his grapes. He started producing his own wine in 1998. Pisoni isn’t the only Gary who has become a force in the Santa Lucia Highlands. Gary Franscioni, a childhood friend, followed Pisoni’s lead by planting grapes and started Roar Wines in 2001. The two of them now have five vineyards between them...all farmed meticulously with the same crew. They are best of friends...sort of a Mutt & Jeff. They have become a formidable presence in the Highlands, attracting interest from top winemakers and Pinot Noir lovers from all over. Franscioni is also from a vegetable farming family; Pisoni figures they’ve known each other since they were 3 or 4. Franscioni saw his friend’s success and once he got some money together, decided to plant grapes of his own. Franscioni’s property is farther north and cooler as it’s closer to the Monterey Bay. He was going to plant Chardonnay. He woke up and Franscioni recalls imitating Pisoni, and shouted, “plant Pinot!” Franscioni planted what became Rosella’s Vineyard, named for his wife, in 1996. He took Pisoni’s advice and planted four acres of Pinot Noir, although he still planted 12 acres of Chardonnay. It’s now a total of around 50 acres with three-quarters of it Pinot Noir. The next year, they decided to become partners and planted Garys’ Vineyard, a 50 acre parcel where they grow Pinot and a little Syrah. Since then, Franscioni has developed Sierra Mar, 38 acres of Pinot, Chardonnay, Syrah and a tiny amount of Viognier. The two teamed up again to establish Soberanes Vineyard, 35 acres of mostly Pinot Noir, with a little bit of Chardonnay and Syrah. That last vineyard was developed by Pisoni’s son Mark. The Garys might seem an unlikely pair. Pisoni is colorful character to say the least and has an outspoken manner. Franscioni comes across as more serious- minded. However, the collaboration between the two, who often address each other as “partner,” clearly works well. The two are good on their own, but better together. Pisoni being more gregarious acts as the frontman. He is the Ambassador. He’s a check on the rest to keep the quality high. Franscioni and Mark Pisoni run the farming on their own vineyards and work together on the joint ventures. The family involvement doesn’t stop there. Jeff Pisoni makes his family’s wines, which are under the Pisoni and Lucia brands. Franscioni’s son, Adam, joined the family business in time for the 2011 harvest. He handles sales for Roar and helps his father manage the vineyards. The grapes from all five vineyards are in huge demand, because the two families are such careful farmers, constantly tweaking and improving. Prominent customers include; Testarossa, Siduri, Kosta Browne, Copain and Bernardus. When a new vintner approaches them about buying grapes, the partners examine the winery’s track record and the Winemaker. If they like what they see, the winery is put on a waiting list. There’s not very much movement in their vineyards. When Franscioni planted Sierra Mar, he and Pisoni had 62 wineries waiting to buy fruit. Soberanes was developed with the idea of working with some new winemakers. There was some concern, even among the two families, that quality might suffer as the vineyard operations grew. However, there’s no indication that’s the case. In fact, with each new venture, they build on what they’ve learned in their older vineyards. Eventually, there will be even more vineyards. The Pisonis and Franscionis have purchased a 100 acre cactus farm in the Santa Lucia Highlands. There’s still a lease on the property. So, prickly pear cactus will continue to be grown for five more years. But at some point, the land will be planted with vines. Both families understand the importance of continuing to build for the future. The Garys looking back tell a story of being in the same spot some years ago and looking at a field of broccoli out back. He told Franscioni that the field would look a lot better with Pinot Noir vines. Now that parcel is part of Rosella’s Vineyard, and it’s planted with Pinot. Everybody thought he was crazy...most people usually think that when someone makes a bold decision. He’s a person who has always had vision and creativeness. He also has tremendous passion. Good things only happen when a person possesses all three of these qualities. Their wines are primarily available by mailing list. However, Nepenthe in Big Sur, CA acts as a quasi tasting room for some of their wines. — 6 years ago

Heather Venard

9.1

I love this. Beautiful nose, baking spices, warmth, dark fruit and vanilla. Would 100% buy again. 2016 vintage. — 5 years ago

Stanislav Lobanov

9.3

17/20 (93/100) Третий раз возвращаюсь к этому вину, теперь спустя почти два года. Танины вина стали заметно мягче, теперь они совершенно готовы. По-прежнему комплексный аромат. Однако, фруктовые ароматы стали слабее, немного уступив третичке. Сейчас это джем из черники и черешни, настойка женьшеня, чёрный перец и ваниль. Тельное с довольно высокой кислотностью. Красиво, элегантно, но пару лет назад, оно было интереснее. Определенно, вино не для выдержки. — 5 years ago

"Odedi"

9.0

It is time for my #FridayCabernetfix. This time it's a delightful Cabernet from Sonoma County.

Dark ruby in color with a short purple rim.

Strong nose with blackberries, blackcurrants, plums, cherries, light vanilla, eucalyptus, earth, licorice, mint, cloves, spices, dark chocolates and black pepper.

Full bodied and smooth with medium acidity and nice legs.

Dry and fruity on the palate with blackberries, cherries, sweet raspberries, tobacco, spices, peppercorn, leather, chocolates and earth.

Medium plus on the finish with soft tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a great Cabernet Sauvignon from knights Valley in Sonoma County. Well balanced with nice complexity and a very soft and smooth mouthfeel.

Good by itself or with food. Fruit forward, spicy and elegant. This is a good wine to sip on by the porch.

Needs an hour to open up properly and balance itself out.
At this point the high alcohol is not noticeable, which is always nice.

This Single Vineyard Cabernet is very approachable now, and will be good in the next 10 years.

I paired it with a cheese plate and crackers.

Aged for 20 months in 100% new French oak barrels.

14.9% alcohol by volume.

90 points.

$70. — 6 years ago

JJ Lumia

9.0

Lemon, lime, melon, and toasty oak flavors. Fuller bodied. The finish is LONG. Got for $23, which was a steal, but I wouldn’t buy if more than that. There are better quality wines that cost less. A WS Top 100. — 6 years ago

Shay A

9.2

Bottle number two of the night. Don’t think I’ve ever had anything from St Suprey, though I’ve seen their bottles around/passed by the winery. Dark chocolate covered strawberries and nutmeg on the nose, also some smoke. The palate was smooth, but not overly complex. Cherry liqueur, blackberry pie on the finish. A nice wine, but not sure it’s worth the $100 price tag. — 6 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.2

SBRAGIA!! This was opened tonight. Cork bleed through about 20% of the cork. Initially the nose was quite amazing, and really showed signs of herb and mature black fruit. The palate didn't match the nose. On the palate, initially there was a LOT of smoke, green herb and bitter tobacco, pungent finish which was rather "shroomy." But, the structure of this wine was rather good, with tannin just about 100% resolved. This wine improved SUBSTANTIALLY over the next hour. Front was blackberry, herb, black tea and fig. The middle still showed some tobacco and a bit of green pepper, but it was in check, and allowed the blackberry and black pepper to finish the job. — 7 years ago

Al Shikoh

9.0

medium ruby; raspberry, baking spices, vanilla, hints of caramel; plush, dark fruit, finish is a bit hot and of medium length; medium body, medium acidity, light fine grained tannin, 14.3% ABV; made from 100% Pinot Noir from the Rancho Santa Rosa Estate Vineyard, gently destemmed, not pressed, all free run juice, aged 18 months in 50% new French oak; $55 — 5 years ago

Stanislav Lobanov

9.1

16.5+/20 (91+/100) Травянисто-овощные тона в первом носе; в развитии - спелая чёрная смородина, слива, яблоко, шоколад. Тельное с высокой кислотностью и интенсивными, вяжущими танинами. Очень молодо, под выдержку, минимум 5 лет. #dfwe2018 — 5 years ago

Delectable Wine

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10

The 2016 Syrah Sonoma-Hillsides has been nothing less than stunning on the three occasions I have tasted it so far. A wine of extraordinary purity and depth, the 2016 dazzles from the very first taste. The richness and power are simply breathtaking. Bacon fat, smoke, grilled herb and lavender are woven into a graceful, seamless core of inky blue/purplish fruit. Even with all of its intensity, the 2016 remains remarkably light on its feet. The Sonoma-Hillsides is a blend of fruit from Castelli-Knight Ranch, Griffin's Lair and Walker Vine Hill, done with 100% whole clusters and aged in a combination of concrete and neutral oak, with no SO2. I am not sure how the 2016 will age, but I am also not sure it will matter, as most bottles will be long gone before that is an issue. Quite simply, the Sonoma-Hillsides is a total pleasure bomb and a modern-day benchmark for Syrah in California. Don't miss it! (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, April 2018) — 6 years ago

Charlie Evans

9.3

Abe’s wines are often hit or miss for me. This one was absolutely, 100% a hit. Singing. — 6 years ago

Boxer Briefs

9.8

Planted in 2007, big wine in a big vintage. Cooler site, on the west side of the AVA out by elk cove and BTF. Another stunner, 15’s have fruit for days, maybe years. This wine is 100% whole cluster, the only in the lineup, all of the wines are ticking up in percentage every year but this one tops the chart and is distinctly different on the nose and has a silkier texture than the other bottlings — 6 years ago

Michael Genn

9.6

First vintage on 100% new oak. Very excited to see this one age! — 6 years ago

suresh venkatesan

10

Absolutely fantastic value. Drinks like a $100 wine. Drank in 2017. — 7 years ago

Rhonely Boy

9.1

Dried strawberries, baked cranberries, baked red apple skins, used tea bag, Med+ acidity, tannin and soil in the finish. Nice autumn wine. 100% Counoise 13% ABV. Fun to see it go from bright red fruit and aggressive, to more mature, in about one year of holding. — 7 years ago

Matt Trader

9.6

First off, delectable has no rating frome anyone on this specific skew, and I forgot to take a picture. This was the Oakville Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon 2012, 100 case production. This was wine of the night. So much flavor, aroma, and most importantly balance. One of the best Oakville Cabs I've had in some time. I need more wine like this in my life! — 7 years ago