David Koenen

9.1

Pencil lead, black cherries, tobacco, sun dried tomatoes, grilled paprika. Perfectly balanced, delicate and pronounced. Impressive length and depth. Layer upon layer. A perfect blend of ripe, seductive winemaking and classic, old school Bordeaux. Me likes. — 8 years ago

Shawn R

9.1

Had a different wine in mind yet pulled this one. Just a baby but o' so good! Black jam in the glass. Nose of cold smoked meat, minerals and spice. Light, yet full bodied mouthfeel leads to a sip that has bright red fruits, minerals and spice. That same spice, Chinese Five Spice rolls on the palate with smoke for a long finish that goes on... — 9 years ago

.:;2):’kicndnebxhjd

9.2

Very juicy red fruit and fertile soil flavors. Potting soil, cedar wood flavored cigar, a bit of rock dust, some sun dried tomato, blackberries. Could age for another 7-10 years, still very young — 9 years ago

Mitchell Krieger

9.4

I must be a sherry man, because I fucking love this. Not overpoweringly sweet, and it's got some heat. I picked up notes of hazelnuts, almonds, and sun dried grapes. I'm about to go buy another bottle, and start using it as an aperitif. — 9 years ago

Chuck Iwanusa

9.3

Wonderful plums and dark fruits with a hint of leather on the palate and nose. Enjoyed it with an eggplant-sun dried tomato pasta and chicken sautéed in an Italian odori base. Fabuloso! — 9 years ago

Welby Altidor

9.3

A wine that has something to say. Full, opinionated, it leaves you no chance to say no. Beautiful with accents of sun dry tomatoes and dark cherry. — 10 years ago

Welby Altidor

8.9

Unexpected personality! Determined and full like no rosé I ever tasted before, while still offering the complex lightness of a night of great food in Venice. Notes of roses and even sun filled liquorice pepper supports this aerial yet substantive rosé. A great summer contender when the consensus at the table can't rest on a red. — 10 years ago

with Kat

Carolyn Burke

8.9

Perfect for cutting through a mackerel salad (and lying in the spring time sun in the garden to relax it off). Can't think of any notes, fruits or olfactory sensations as we drank it too quickly. — 10 years ago

Morgan Harris

Head Sommelier Aureole New York

9.4

2011. Blanc. No one drinks enough of this. That's because there are so few things to which its a good partner, but it would be an incredible cheese-and-charcuterie wine. Broad and oily, there's just enough acid to keep you coming back for more. Sun-baked yellow orchard fruits dominate, but there's more exotic fruits too (mango and dried pineapple) yellow flowers, tons of almond husk bitterness, green olives, bay leaf, oregano, tarragon, white cheddar. Oak is assertively present but not overwhelming. Place dominates over grapes here, as it's a mix of Clairette and Grenache Blanc and a hodge-podge of other things. — 10 years ago

Scott T

VP/Senior Wine Specialist Christie's

9.4

Adventures in pulling corks: provenance check. A fantastic 61, still alive, sun sweet, smoky red fruits, modest maderization. One of the best non-1er Cru or Left Bank I have tried. Excellent storage is the reason. Level was top shoulder, excellent for age. — 12 years ago

Doctor No

9.0

Lovely, elegant, slightly sun-kissed red fruit, modest but present structure, middleweight mouthfeel. Well-fruited with a touch of spice and earth. Better than an average Bourgogne Rouge to be certain. — 8 years ago

Katherine Blatz

9.2

2011 vintage. Opened December 16, 2016. Howell Mountain Cab. Sav. Riva di Ponente apparently translates to "steep bank where the sun sets". The black volcanic rock soil on this 1.4 acre block comes through....fullness, smokey, a bit of pepper notes. Still soft enough to drink without food but it is A great steak wine! — 8 years ago

Sabina Colombeau

9.2

What a trip. So many weird words came up: burnt caramel, raisins, bourbon, nutty, dried mangos, Sherry, bananas foster, plum liquor, orange blossom. Paired amazing with fleur du maquis cheese. — 9 years ago

Garret Nagle

9.2

Aromatic, but a little too much oak and alcohol coming through. Fresh and racy, coming out of Castelnuovo del Abate, one of the hotter subzones of Montalcino climate wise. All the way down at the bottom of southern Montalcino. South facing slopes and lots of sun. Maybe too much. — 9 years ago

Ellen Clifford

9.1

Oh heck. I wish I had more. I don't know Aussie wine but don't think that would make a big diff in how to interpret this oner. It is an individual and a nice one at that.
It is smooth and merlot Berry then POW there are your Gewurtztraminer spices and whoa. Despite my hatred of the color of yellow I can dig it. Yowza. — 9 years ago

Christine Havens

9.0

The 2011 Palazzo della Torre is loaded with roasted figs (is this because I was just roasting figs? Maybe.) and sun baked plums. There is too, a beautiful earthy note, like dust in high summer, that echoes on the palate, lending complexity to high acidity and firm, ripe tannin along with an appealing touch of underbrush growing along a stony, arid hillside. Dried herbs on the finish and a touch of anise. Thyme, oregano. Definitely a food wine. Sample — 9 years ago

Dock Hooks

9.4

Crazy good paired with dipping into gamba al ajillo (emphasis added), at Napa's groovy/real Zuzu, catching a classic deeply dirty nose while still sporting sun-drenched fruit that initially reworks one's first blush front mouth with an iodine edge that morfs into red and black fruit edgy with acid/tannin slow dancing to the depths and begging for another pinch of broth soaked chewy freshly baked bread and the associated next swig of this sweet juice...rhythmically stellar by day or by night😎🌌👣🍷🌀🎼

PS hit Zuzu (friendly, delicious and real...

— 10 years ago

Mike Davila

9.1

My first time with this wine, big nose of cherries, dark color, bigger fuller style, has a great acid component on finish to balance the fruit — 10 years ago

George Leon

9.3

Great, great bouquet of minerality, jumps at you with a remarkable mouth feel with texture and energy. Acidity and structure burgundian yet without the sun deficiency seen in some french wines (survival of fruit) — 11 years ago

Aron Hegyi

9.2

Fresh, super aromatic, spring! Want to drink this in the sun at a farm dinner. — 11 years ago

Diane Withrow

9.2

Pear, stone, oak, more spring than autumn. A breezy spring day with a few dry leaves still blowing down the walkway. Buds on the branches. Glad I'm wearing a sweater. Here comes the sun. Another sip... take a deep clean breath. The grille comes out of the shed for that lovely white fleshed fish with lemon and olive oil. Crusty bread. Asparagus. Jazz or just the birds? Me humming? — 8 years ago

Audrey Goodridge

9.0

Beautiful yellow gold colour. Fine mousse. Lots of Chardonnay character. Peach, honey on the nose, refined acidity. Round, creamy body. Complex mouth with honeyed peach and pastry and a long aftertaste. Matured on oak 15months then matured on the lees for 3 years. Happy memories of sipping this on their terrace on the Ave de Champagne in the warm summer sun. — 9 years ago

Sarah Milsow-Guenther

9.2

This is one of my favorite Pinots. So incredibly flavorful and a crazy dark color. Wish I had more of this wine. — 9 years ago

Tara Abernethy

9.4

A clear, luminous, golden, sun color with brilliant reflections of gold glitter. This vintage is developing well with some age and old vines. A clean, bouquet with some mature aromas of truffle and mineral earthiness. Well balanced with a medium intensity and finish while hanging on to a fair bit of freshness. — 9 years ago

Michael Horkay

9.2

This wine is always special. From a plot of land that sits low and tucked away in a corner the first sun dies not touch the vines until 10am. Mineral driven and the most chablis like of Paul's wines this bottling is all meyer lemon and minerality. Rock on. — 9 years ago

Rob Guimaraes

9.2

Fantastic structure (big acid, firm medium tannin) on this wine; has plenty of years to develop. Jumps out with a tart red berry wave before the sun-dried tomato profile rises from underneath. Savory, sweet herbs throughout. Lovely. — 9 years ago

with Jiby

Ellen Shaughnessy

9.3

Reminds me of a crispy sun-setting eve overlooking Sonoma vineyards: ahhhhh — 10 years ago

with Edward

Jimmy Smith

Director, West and North London Wine School

9.5

The 2011 is not ready so there on the 2012 in June. Gorgeous deep fruit, 10 was a hot year. Deep sweet cherry. Post ferment max station gives more savoury notes. Hint of green, herbaceous note. Minerally, earthy. Wowzers. Textured, complete, powerful. earthy, smoky, probably the best PN in Marlborough. Meaty, animal length. Wow! — 10 years ago

Sybaritewino C.Lawrence

9.2

savoury key lime tart with buttery crust and hints of fresh rain on hot mountain rock and that comforting whiff of petrol. palate is clean crisp limey and bright as the sun on a fresh spring morning. Yum! — 11 years ago

Toby Beevers

10

Great white, needs to be very chilled. 12%
Sitting outside in the sun, fantastic flavours of passion fruit, citrus and sweet. 1-10 sweet, this is a good 4/5 — 11 years ago