Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Just love this wine, great value, can’t get enough! Belle Pente (bell-pont') means "beautiful slope" - for their 70 acre hillside vineyard & winery site in Willamette Valley. Bright Ruby red with aromas of red fruits, herb spices and hints of blossom notes. On the palate strawberry and cherry flavors, slight sweet undertones, herb notes and smooth tannins. Well balanced on a long finish ending with mineral herb notes. Nice!! Great value. — 4 years ago

Ming L

8.9

Pretty bottle, beautiful wine. Slightly ripe black fruits, cedar, bacon, cocoa, green tea, and hint of vanilla. Compact but soft. Juicy finish. 518 cases made.
One Acre. One Man. One Wine. The story of Acre wines and One Acre wines is quite interesting. — 5 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

8.9

Family-owned and operated since 1985, from a small, 30-acre plot of grapes to the present 20 estate vineyards, Don and Rhonda Carano's success is based on their commitment to quality. Tried this about a test ago, consistent notes. Dark fruit aromas with cedar and spice notes. On the palate, Blueberry and Plum flavors, a bit jammy, with espresso and cacao tones. Medium body, soft tannins, nice balance on lingering finish. Great value! — 5 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Located just east of St. Helena in Napa where Conn Creek flows out of Howell Mountain. Their 26 acres of vineyards are in the heart of this 40-acre grape-growing paradise. Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with a touch of Petit Verdot. A big wine with complex fruit and spice aromas. Juicy black berry fruits, with underlying smooth sweetness combined with smoke, spice and oak. Well structured, tannins still tight, gave in after 90 minutes, ending with earthy pepper character. Enjoyable now but let it sit in cellar. — 6 years ago

Sarah Oettel

8.9

Star anise. — 6 years ago

Dani Muñoz

9.6

I’m not a Chardonnay person but I loved this one! Less oaky. My favorite Chardonnay so far. — 6 years ago

Steven Gullo

9.1

Ripe, almost jammy red cherry. High extraction, and generous use of new oak. — 7 years ago

Charles Antin

Senior Wine Specialist/Auctioneer Zachys

8.9

One of the more bizarre wines I've had. It's good, I guess, but I just don't see a place for it. I'd rather drink port. — 7 years ago

with Zachys

O Wong

9.0

Super smooth — 8 years ago

Nurseblondie

9.0

Liquor depot. Very good for the price! — 9 years ago

Gene Super

9.4

Yummy Zin — 10 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

Had another bottle, aged well. Steve & Paula Black pursued a dream in 2003 and purchased a 110-acre vineyard located in the Red Hills of Dundee creating The Four Graces, named after their four daughters. Medium Ruby with surprisingly complex aromas of red fruits, herb and spice. On the palate cherry and raspberry flavors with tea and espresso notes adding a bit of pepper spice. Well balanced acidity with fine tannins, medium(+) length, ending with earthy notes. Nice value! Tasting Sample! — 4 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Est. in 1987, belongs to Champagne Taittinger (personal favorite) considered the concept in 1947 in the mind of Claude Taittinger. 138 acre estate is situated in the Carneros appellation of CA. A blend (changes ea year) of 35% Chard, 62% Pinot Noir & 3% Pinot Gris, aged 3 1/2 years in the bottle. Aromas of stone fruit and toasty spice. Raspberry and peach flavors, complex, with citrus notes in a fine mousse with good bubble flow. Well structured, vibrant lingering finish ending with mineral tones. Will benefit from some aging. — 5 years ago

E & K G

9.3

5 years ago I proposed to my wife at this beautiful estate high up in St. Helena and luckily she said yes! The views were absolutely stunning and the wines have been up to par as well. Although some tertiary notes are kicking in the high 15.1% alc keeps the wine young and fresh as well. The higher altitude of the vines likely works in the wines favor for sure. #happyanniversary — 5 years ago

Paul T HB

9.6

Last 07, pop & pour beauty
Jack in the box Fridays rule! — 6 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

Founded in 1988 by Dave Miner, along with his wife Emily and his parents, Ed and Norma. Aged for 15 months on French oak (60% new), from a 50-acre vineyard planted in 1995 by Gary Franscioni and Gary Pisoni along the terraces of the Santa Lucia mountains. Aromas of fresh dark berry fruit and wonderful baking spice. On the palate flavors of blackberry, cranberry and cola with toasty notes, well balanced. Fine tannins on lingering finish ending with a burst of fruit. Very nice. — 6 years ago

Ashley Johnson

9.0

Saved since 2013 - opened as Anniversary treat and it was a pleasure. Crisp, yet buttery; refreshing, yet woodsy. Had it served extra chilled. Choice! Worth the price. — 7 years ago

Daron Watson

9.7

the most concentrated, rich and intense of the lineup ~ impressive but not something I'd want to drink regularly #deeptime — 7 years ago

Shawn R

9.2

Love this wine and what Michael Zardo is doing over at Ten Acre/Bella. Exceptional bottle that shows a true Cali PN. Full bouquet of lilac, violets, caramel and musk. Beautiful nose. Sip shows spice, smoke, black fruits, black tea with subtle tones of mole bitters. That same spice returns for a lingering finish flashing its soft round tannins one more time. — 8 years ago

Michael Park

10

2005 - I think the best cab I have ever had — 9 years ago

Shay A

9.3

Last week was a combo of 4th Friday and Open That Bottle Night on back to back nights. Needless to say, the lineup between both days was full of heavy hitters, so I’m only posting standout bottles.

These can be polarizing wines due to their massive and rich profile, but they are certainly decadent, delicious and approachable young. That being said, this was probably at peak 3-5yrs ago. It didn’t seem tired, but the fruit has started to show some sappy qualities, as well as baked fig and cherry liqueur. Stewed black cherries, dark chocolate dipped blueberries and ripe blackberries. It drinks with good acidity and tannin, as well as cinnamon, graham cracker and more liqueur type notes at the finish. Still hedonistic in style. — 4 years ago

Josh

8.9

Nice sweet red with a quick dry finish. Notes of black cherry. — 5 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.6

This wine is made by Dan Standish who started his career by traveling all over the world learning the skill of winemaking. He returned to Australia to make wine at Torbreck. After making Torbreck, he starting his own project. This wine is produced from a vineyard with 100 year old vines with a yield of only a 1/2 ton on fruit per acre. In comparison to quality Napa producers, their yields are 2-3 tons per acre. Dan is absolutely one of the very best producers in Barossa.

On the nose, mulberries, olallieberries, blueberries, blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, plum, blackberries, black cherries, dark berry cola, vanilla, dark spice, black pepper, dry crushed rocks, limestone minerals, soft leather, saddle-wood, coffee grounds, black licorice, dark, rich soil, lavender and violets.

The body is full, rich, ruby, lush and very inky. The texture is elegantly sexy. The 06 is still youthful & fresh. It still needs more time but, it’s delicious tonight. The length, tension, structure and balance are just coming into it own. mulberries, Olallieberries, Boysenberries, blueberries, blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, plum, raisins, blackberries, black cherries, dark berry cola, vanilla, dark spice, black pepper, dry crushed rocks, limestone minerals, soft leather, saddle-wood, coffee grounds, black licorice, dark, rich soil, purple flowers, lavender and violets. The acidity is round and beautiful. The finish is long, thick, ruby, lush, elegant, well balanced with deep heat penetrating dark spices that rise off the palate and lasts several minutes. The 06 is still 5 years from it peak.

Photos of; The Standish Cellar Door, Owner/Winemaker Dan Standish, beautiful Barossa Vineyards and the old tasting room — 6 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

Had this in a recent blind tasting. 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 CA Pinot’s I have tasted. Soft tannins lingering ending with a mineral tang. Nice, from their 1500 acre Grace Benoit Ranch in Carneros. Consistent quality from recent tastings. — 6 years ago

Cynthia Watson

10

This wine has a lot of depth and fun tour! — 6 years ago

Antoine Pin

Wine Buyer Kroger/QFC

8.9

This is a really good wine, but it's hard to drop 25 bones into it. — 7 years ago

Jon Paul Coppersmith

9.1

Stoller event. — 7 years ago

Chris

9.7

Wonderfull great beer — 8 years ago

Michael Coats

10

Ten year old Pinot held up wonderfully — 9 years ago

Nicholas Keeler

9.4

Black cherry, bacon , dark backing spice something cooling with floral undertones palate perfectly ripe red cherry I love the lifted aspect with dried herbs long so perfectly juicy fruit without being over ripe or overly tart good job PV — 9 years ago

with Lauren