Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

Charles strikes again.

I said weeks ago, I’d rather drink Charles Hendricks Pinot in futures @ $75 vs. the 09 Marcassin we had two weeks back @ $150+ winery or $225+ on the secondary market. This 14, while still young, proves that point and will only continue to get better.

It’s about as luxurious as Ca Pinot gets. Just supple, soft & elegant as body gets. Candied, floral fruits of ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, blue fruits, lean purple fruits, dry cranberries, strawberries, plums, delicate but darks spices, cinnamon stick, vanillin, nutmeg & touch clove, salted caramel, mocha powder, limestone & grey volcanics, dry crushed rocks hints of peppered grilled meats, fresh & dry tobacco, dry stems/twigs, sage dominated dry Provence herbs, splash of mint/eucalyptus, tree sap with bright candied, fresh & slightly withering florals of; dark, red, purple, blue set in a field of violets & some lavender. The acidity is perfect. The long finish is; extremely well balanced & polished, elegant, fresh, just the right amount of candied with a long, dark spice finish in the long set.

The 14 really started to excel after an hour plus in the decanter.

Photos of; the outside of the Hope & Grace tasting room in downtown Yountville where you will find Charles Hendricks wines. He makes Hope & Grace wines as well. One of my favorite paintings that used to sit behind their tasting bar but, is now in Charles house. It is very Pollock like! Winemaker/Co-owner Charles Hendricks and a vineyard in region of the Santa Lucia Highlands. — 5 years ago

Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.5

The ‘Grace Vineyard’ Pinot Noir is a barrel selection from this exceptional site in the Dundee Hills AVA. The aromas are intoxicating right out of the gate, as this warm vintage Pinot Noir is not needing a long decant. Rose water, ripe red plums, strawberry puree and guava aromas all combine with lovely earthy and wet rock nuances that all are woven together in the beautifully glass. Exuding sheer class on the palate, this gorgoeus Pinot Noir slowly unveils ripe red fruits that mingle with minerals, potpourri, exotic spices and shades of wild blackberry jam. The silky texture entices and adds to this wonderful drinking experience. Fantastic in its youth, the Grace Vineyard Pinot Noir will shows wonderful promise for an exceedingly long evoloution ahead. Drink 2020-2040 — 6 years ago

Pablo Cetlinski

9.5

Pretty heavy for a Sonoma wine. Loaded with dark berries and spices. Addition of Temporanillo and Petit Verdot add to the complexity of the wine — 7 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Enjoyed this so much a few months ago, I just had to try another bottle. Aged for 12 months, very pleasant light berry fruit aromas with slight undertones of earthiness. On the palate cherry and currants with subtle spice. I would consider this one of the lighter bodied Pinot’s I have tasted. Soft tannins lingering ending with a mineral tang. Nice, from their 1500 acre Grace Benoit Ranch in Carneros. As good as previous bottle. — 8 years ago

Andrew Lam

9.0

Well integrated fruit and nice spice. Had with a variety of food from octopus to porchetta. — 8 years ago

with Jeremy and Graciela

Jody Roberts

9.9

Undeniably divine start to finish. This is a wow wine. Power and grace. Rich yet delicate. The stuff that dreams are made of — 9 years ago

Los Olivos Wine Merchant & Cafe

9.6

Loving this tribute to white burgundy! The perfect balance of richness and fruit, this is a beautifully elegant chardonnay and an industry favorite! — 9 years ago

Paige Worthy

9.3

Beautiful. And what a perfect tribute to a life. — 10 years ago

Conrad Green

9.6

A very lucid and delicious nose. Typically DRC. On the palate fresh, complex and settled. Great to drink now- the mix of lightness yet power, grace yet depth you hope for in wines of this level. Still very savory and alive. — 10 years ago

with Rajat and Larry

Jon Edwards

9.0

After allowing this wine to breathe for a while, you will be amazed. Smooth, and especially flavourful for an Italian wine. — 10 years ago

Victor Hwang

9.4

Very Californian Cabernet but so enjoyable. Seductive perfume, lots of red fruit, casis, sweet, great harmony of acidity to counter the fruit and very soft tannins. Great juice for a "second label — 11 years ago

with David

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

I kid you not, Charles Hendricks is likely the most underrated & under known Winemaker in Napa Valley.

If you have not had his wines, you are missing out on great wines & relative real value for Napa. He makes his own private higher end label-Hendricks, Hope & Grace and midway through the 14 vintage for; James Cole, Regusci & T-Vine.

There are few Winemakers that can make wines that drink well young & some that will age two decades plus stored correctly.

This Santa Lucia Doctor’s Vineyard is really good but, his private label Hendricks Pinot from Santa Lucia is off the charts. His 2008 Hendricks Pinot Noir is the highest rating I have ever given a Ca Pinot Noir, 98.

The 13 Doctor’s Vineyard is better than his 12 & is still a little early right now. It will improve over the next 5 years & hold there a couple of years before its gentle decline.

The nose reveals, ripe, well extracted & slightly baked; blackberries, stewed, deep, dark, black plum, black cherries, black raspberries, baked strawberries, dry pomegranate & cranberries with shades of blueberries. Dark spices, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanilla, touch of savory meats, anise to black licorice, black tea, wet clay, steeped black tea, touch of herbs dominated with Rosemary, rich, black, earth, dry stones, dry crushed rocks, fresh tobacco, leather notes, volcanic minerals, limestone with bright, fresh & withering florals that are; dark, red, purple, blue mixed in violets and lavender.

The body is full, rich, lush and gorgeous. The structure, tension, length and balance are just hitting their good phase. It is simply a beautiful & complex Pinot Noir. Nicely extracted & slightly baked; blackberries, stewed, deep, dark, black plum, black cherries, black raspberries, baked strawberries, dry pomegranate & cranberries with more blueberries than the nose. Dark spices that bring palate heat, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon stick & vanilla, touch of savory meats, peppery notes, anise to black licorice, black tea, wet clay, steeped black tea, touch of herbs dominated with Rosemary, rich, black, earth, dry stones, dry crushed rocks, fresh tobacco, leather notes, volcanic minerals, limestone with bright, fresh & withering florals that are; dark, red, purple, blue mixed in violets and lavender. The acidity is very good & excellent at containing the slightly higher ABV. The long, complex finish is, well balanced fruit & earth, polished and will persist until dawn.

Photos of; Their Doctor’s Vineyard, one of my favorite paintings that used to hang behind the bar in their tasting room & now hangs in Charles’ house (it reminds me of a Jackson Pollock), Winemaker-Charles Hendricks and the front of their tasting room in downtown Yountville.
— 6 years ago

Theo Shu

9.1

Like picking and eating blackberries on a dusty road. With overalls. Wait, no to the overalls. — 7 years ago

with Dominique

Michael Meyer

9.2

Tribute refers to the first Keenan Cab made 30 years prior. A very low production best barrel cuvée, informally known at the winery as Secret Wines since they don’t appear on any menus or price lists. This is Cali Cab pure and simple (ok, a smidge of Cab Franc too). Smoke, anise, currants, aromatic wood, huge tannins (still). Fantastic power and structure. Just approaching it’s best years. — 8 years ago

G

9.2

This $24.99 wine has multiple Pro ratings of 95. Great wine doesn't have to be expensive. This is a balanced Columbia Valley wine with a very "French", old style taste. — 8 years ago

Mike R

9.2

As a tribute to hawks I declare this WA wine night @Jim Trobaugh join me - good and starting my Saturday night smile exercises — 9 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

8.9

Juicy. There's a sense of blackberry/black cherry gum. Black cherry cola, black licorice anise, olallieberry pie, dark moist earth, chocolate cake with fruit & fudge frosting, dark fine minerality, shades of a port like character, liquid violets, crushed rocks, dry pebbles and very large round juicy to dry dark fruit finish. Reminds me of a very dark berry Gamay. — 9 years ago

Tim Herrmann

9.0

Transcendant table Tuscan! Red fruit all the way with sour cherries and tomato leaf. Structure bright with acid and only medium tannin. After half an hour it opened to show sweeter fruit and some ripe strawberry notes...takes me back to lunch at a trattoria! — 10 years ago

Felix Huang

9.2

Very young. Wine is beginning to shut down. Opened a little after 45 minutes but still not giving much. Interestingly, smelled and tasted like a French left bank Bordeaux. Cellar for another 5 years before trying again. — 10 years ago

Stacy Larsen

9.1

Ah-mazing! A definite go to. — 10 years ago

Matt Rollins

9.2

2013- Wow! Full of huge fruit then comes to a nice finish with the oak, mushroom, alcohol. EXTREMELY well balanced.... Fantastic pinot. — 10 years ago

Fabien Lainé

Blogger VinDeling.com

9.0

A well done wine with maybe a bit of little grip wild finish, a nice discovery, a pure and fresh wine - Karasì, is a tribute to the 6100 year wine tradition of Armenia and to its Areni Noir grape, which has created the authentic spirit of this wine. Its name is a reference to its long aging in traditional large, clay, amphorae (karasì being the Armenian translation “from amphora”). — 11 years ago

Anthony Lombardi

9.0

I really like this producer. This bottling definitely needs a bit more time. The components are there, but aren’t completely in harmony at this stage. The acidity is crisp & the oak treatment adds some textural complexity. I look forward to seeing where this goes over time. — 6 years ago

Shay A

9.4

Never thought I’d see the day I’d give a Napa malbec a score this high. Though age is a factor, this is the best Napa valley Malbec I’ve had. Everything in balance. I poured blind for a few people and Aussie Shiraz, Cabernet, and Napa Petit sirah were the guesses. On the nose, it shows ripe blackberries, currant, licorice (but not an overload like many Malbecs), dark chocolate shavings, mocha and some cedar. What separates this from other Malbecs is the complexity on the palate...not just a licorice and inky profile. Candied black cherries, ripe blackberries, baking spices, melted chocolate, and a hint of black pepper spice. Nothing flabby, dense or overly tannic about this. Smooth and in the zone. My thanks to @David T who opened my eyes to this wine (and producer)! And props to Mark who called H&G as a possible producer when he tasted this blind! — 6 years ago

with Mark and Dan

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

On the nose, ripe, ruby, fruits of; mulberry, blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, plum, black cherries, blueberries & creamy raspberries. Vanilla, hints of sweet tarriness, black licorice, whiff of spice, soft understated limestone minerals & crushed rock powder, fruity black tea, hint of fresh herbaceousness, rich, black turned earth, fresh dark floral bouquet and fields of lavender & violets.

The body is rich, ripe & full. The tannins are a little sticky but well softened, round and a touch chewy. The structure, tension, length, balance, tension and balance are very close to perfect and harmonious. Fruits are; mulberry, huckleberry, blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, plum, black cherries & creamy raspberries. Vanilla, hints of sweet tarriness, black licorice, whiff of spice, soft understated limestone minerals & crushed rock powder, fruity black tea, hint of fresh herbaceousness, rich, black turned earth, fresh dark floral bouquet and fields of lavender & violets. The acidity is round and rains like a waterfall perfectly over the palate. The very long, ruby, rich, well balance lasts minutes and is absolutely heavenly. Gorgeous, elegant, stunning wine.

Photos of; the vertical tasting we attended of all Hendricks Cabernets; 04, 05, 09 & 12 at the time w/ one of our favorite paintings in the background, Charles Hendricks working in the cellar, very old rootstock from the Stag’s Leap Vineyard where the fruit to make this wine normally comes from and a wide shot of the Stag’s Leap Vineyard.

Producer notes and history...Hendricks Cabernet Sauvignon is consistently sourced from a few of Napa Valley’s finest vineyards. In those near perfect vintages, Charles only makes a small production wine of around 250-300 cases. Charles only produces it when he has exception fruit. He’s made Hendricks Cabernet in; 2004, 2005, 2009, 2012 & 2014. Notice he didn’t make Hendricks Cabernet in a great vintage year like 2013. He wasn’t happy enough with his fruit in 2013 to put his name on it. That says a lot and maybe all you need to know about his standard for quality. I do know what wine his 13 fruit made as I’ve had and it’s an unbelievable wine for far less money.

Charles also makes a fantastic Pinot Noir from the Santa Lucia Highlands that is really quite amazing. Especially, if you give it 5 or 6 years in bottle. All his wines are sold exclusively through the Hope & Grace tasting room in Yountville as he is also the Hope & Grace Winemaker.

Charles graduated in 1982 from UC Davis in viticulture. He was also able to tailor his own curriculum and was one of the earliest to integrate winemaking and viticulture course work. Having knowledge of both viticulture and enology forms the basis for his well-rounded winemaking.

Over the years Charles has worked in both Napa and Sonoma Counties, gaining hands on experience in all aspects of winemaking. He has a strong reputation for excellence. In his career, he’s been a consulting winemaker for many wineries; Viader, Barnett Vineyards, Paoletti Vineyards, Regusci Winery, James Cole, T-Vine and Tamayo family Vineyard.

I asked Charles, “how does he make wines that are amazingly good in their youth but will age effortlessly for 15-20 years?” His answer was simply this, “its not that hard, you just have to know the perfect time to harvest fruit.” I would agree with that to a degree. But, you also have to know how to gently guide fruit onto it’s path into the barrel and not get in the wine’s way or overwork the process. — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

I am not the biggest fan of most Malbec's. The Mendoza's just aren't all that interesting. There generally quite simple and lack beauty & elegance! However, Chuck Hendrick's Malbec's impress. He makes the Hope & Grace and did until recently make the James Cole. You will be hard press to find another as elegant, smooth and fruit so ripe. One could sip this all night. Ripe black cherries, raspberries, cherries, touch of blue fruit, liquid violets, melted milk chocolate, the dark minerality is round & sweet, there's a faint presence of used wood shavings, touch of lite pepper on the tip of your tongue and a round mix of rich ripe fruit blend on the finish. Acidity is spot on! This will only continue to improve over the next 4-5 years +. — 9 years ago

Ron R

9.0

As far as rosé goes, this is a good un. Almost no perfume to discuss, although we did detect metals and very soft strawberries. It's soft and round on the palette, which is our style of rosé. Finishes with red fruits and mild acidity. Should have drunk this last year. Oh well... — 10 years ago

with Anne-marie

Andrew Notarfrancesco

9.2

Hope and grace is a great go to. This bottle did not disappoint. — 10 years ago

Christian Laur

10

Besser geht's nicht. — 11 years ago

Hawk Wakawaka

Wine Blogger WakawakaWineReviews

9.1

Light bodied, delicate though still fully present Grenache. Refuses extraction and knows who she is in comfortable fashion at the same time. Wonderful red earth plus red fruit ease. — 13 years ago

with Katherine and Angela