Mark S.

9.1

Good choice. Ready to drink just at opening. Oak. Fruity, chocolate nuance. Blue black fruits flavor. Enough spiciness. 2012 @1280, Ascent, 201224-210102 — 4 years ago

Ron from VA

9.1

A bit of surprise - Josh’s first effort at the Meritage. Nice Herbal/spice ascent with juice dark fruit - good length and balance :) — 6 years ago

Jon Hanlon

9.4

Fantastic bottle! Buy more of this one — 6 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.3

At Grace Ft Worth -- What a great wine tonight that went with a huge variety of dishes. Had just enough time for acidity to die down. This one was RATHER nice straight from the cork pop. Nose of dried raspberries, herbs, a little mushroom. The dirt and soil that this wine comes from really shows through in the nose here. The entry is sweeter dried raspberry, hint of cola, hint of mint. In the middle this one exploded to everything from dehydrated berries to tobacco to mushroom with a nice herbal balance. The finish was soft, silky but a tiny bit of dirt and funk and pepper. What incredible structure, although I do believe this one is probably nearing the top of the ascent and would look for it to start showing more funk and less fruit over the next few years. — 7 years ago

Trevor Maskell

9.0

Quite rich and worked on the nose but delicious on the palate. Brûlée, peach, oak and good youthful acid. Quite focused. — 9 years ago

Jesus Beltran

9.0

I am not a great fan of Malbec, but this specimen explodes with strong scents of red fruit and lots of character. There is a strong undertone of ascent I can't quite place, but I am leaning towards vanilla. Full bodied, with medium tannins, the red fruits continue on the palate, with tangy aftertaste and long finish. — 9 years ago

Ned Gray Creed

8.9

Post Stelvio ascent. Quaffer for Bormio après. Delish. — 10 years ago

with Peter and Mark

Mark S.

9.0

Necessary to decant, but ok. Mushroom. 2015 @1100(880), Ascent, 201113 — 4 years ago

Robert Evans Jr

9.0

Giants Packers. — 5 years ago

Stan

9.1

Creamy mouthfeel with floral ascent and balanced oak. Lasting finish with lemon zest and Meyer lemon. — 7 years ago

Sandra Larson

9.3

Loved this spicy full bodied wine. Soft nose with great long finish that just sits on palate. — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

On the nose; sweet liqueur style dark, dry cherries. The fruits are dry; blackberries, dark cherries, dry cranberries, black raspberries and raspberries. Violets, red roses, vanilla, crushed rocks and dry top soil. The palate is lush, rich & elegant. M body with well resolved round tannins. The fruits on the palate have a dry character just like the nose, but the body is ruby & lush; blackberries, dark cherries, dry cranberries, black raspberries and raspberries. Black fruit tea, raspberry cola, caramel, powdery limestone, volcanic minerals, vanilla, violets, red roses with a touch of pink roses, nice round acidity and a lush, ruby finish that has gorgeous sex appeal. Photos of; Kosta Browne winery, Kosta Browne Winery founders Dan Kosta, Chris Costello and Michael Browne, their beautiful Pinot grapes ready for harvest and one of their amazing Sonoma vineyards. Producer notes and history...if I remember my historical reading, Dan, Chris & Micheal were waiters in a former life. They saved tips, bought a ton or two of Pinot grapes and made their first vintage of Kosta Browne. It took with critics and they started their winery ascent. After several years of success, they sold Kosta Browne to Vincraft in 2009 for nearly 40 million dollars. One of the more amazing winery success stories in Napa/Sonoma. Try building that kind of success today from saving your tips for a few years. — 8 years ago

Paul Costigan

Founder Courtier Wines

9.1

2002: Packed with concentrated fruit, not jammy, but strong core of fruit. Still in ascent, with a nervy licorice bite on the finish. Happy to revisit over the years. — 10 years ago

with Michael

Jordan Kerner

8.9

Had the 2004 a little past its date. Still a lovely Shiraz. — 10 years ago

Delectable Wine

Follow to learn about our favorite wines & people.

9.5

The 2016 Barbaresco Ronchi, the estate’s top selection, marries elegance with power so well. Freshly cut flowers, mint, sweet red berries, anise and blood orange confer freshness that plays off the wine’s dense, expansive fruit. A rush of sweet raspberry, cherry and rose petal punctuates the exuberant finish. The 2016 is a fabulous wine from a property that has been on the ascent in recent years. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, October 2020) — 5 years ago

MaJ CappS

9.0

Smells like canned green Chile’s from New Mexico, and slow roasted portabello mushroom juice.

Delightful on the tongue with blue/black berry, hint of dragonfruit, pine. A Minerality that is a great accompanying back beat. Love the way the zing on this wine lifts the tannin from the tongue in an ethereal way and carries it, for a long,long finish.
Kevin Zraly would approve.
Another great wine at a great price. Perfect recovery from my 4000 ft worth of cycling ascent today. — 6 years ago

Philip Dobrin

9.2

Delicious and still on its ascent. Seems to be just starting to show its stuff. — 7 years ago

Shay A

9.4

This has got to be the most intricate and detailed label I have ever seen. The back label gives so much information on the vineyard, down to the soil type and composition! I believe Jeff Ames (of Tor & Rudius) is the winemaker here.

@Mark Flesher opened this beauty and it had us thinking the entire time we enjoyed it (only a glass or two before needing to leave). I'll be honest...I'm not sure I've had a Las Piedras wine before. This had a lot more red fruit to it than I expected. At 7 years old, this hasn't even begun its ascent to its peak. The nose on this was gorgeous...that sweet/candied liqueur note alongside dusty blackberries. Almost a bit more pine than cedar here. Rhubarb. The mid palate here is very elegant. Mark mentioned that the nose and entry reminded him of a Caymus SS. The finish seemed like it couldn't make up its mind. Currant, red licorice and faint nutmeg. I feel like this probably revealed much more on day 2...Mark, let me know how it evolved! — 8 years ago

with Mark

Paul Costigan

Founder Courtier Wines

9.3

1985: Rich texture on palette. Very good condition, also presented at Quince during white truffle dinner. Paired well with truffle lathered over risotto. Still on the ascent, showing with some force while balanced. This would be a vintage to pick up and enjoy, or to put away for later. Hints of licorice with solid presence of sweet cherry fruit. — 9 years ago

with Michael

James deJulio

9.2

Nice Sakura and earth. Glassy soft tannins. Could be starting its ascent, fast — 10 years ago