Steven Richardson

9.2

Very Soft apple cider. Maple wood, the “milk” in milk chocolate, not the “lavender” in lavender, but the “milk” of lavender? Whatever it is, there is like a floral or herbal substance or spirit animating the flavour that’s carried by the “milk chocolate”. Some kind of cucumberism?

Lots of complexities to this despite being a red blend. I guess, maybe that explains the encompassing or hard-to-nail flavours. It’s an archetype or an ensemble rather than something singular. That said it’s got plenty of personality. — 3 years ago

L Bram

9.8

So delicious. Coffee, chocolate, cherries, beautifully complex. Doesn't need anything with it, although some ginger chocolate is a killer combo. The perfect wine for curling up in front of the fire if you're looking for interest and doing what it says on the bottle! — 5 years ago

Patrick Devine

9.2

Great for dessert, chocolate. Somewhat sweet. — 6 years ago

Chris England

9.4

I 💗 Shafer 1.5 & @ £95-£130 this will definitely improve to reward given time but drinking great already 😉

📍 Shafer One Point Five 2013

🏵 94 points w/ more potential

🍇 99% Cabernet Sauvignon & 1% Petit Verdot

🍷 Deep opaque ruby w/ purple tint

👃 Mineral infused blackcurrant & chocolate covered blueberries w/ lavender, raspberry, liquorice & dark plum jam

👄 Med creamy body of blackcurrant & blackberry in cracked rock minerals w/ melted mocha, blueberry & raspberry liquorice

🎯 Med+ bitter mocha through dark berries w/ liquorice & sweet blueberries
— 7 years ago

Andrew Allen

9.1

Really digging these Santa Barbara Chardonnays...I got underripe melon, pineapple, honeysuckle and white flowers...maybe white peper...med/+ butta.. mid + oak..med- alc/med+ acid...ate with shrimps. Pretty good, but would go with another grow site(ones that had more overripe melon) — 7 years ago

Pierre Arneaux

9.2

Wow. More flavor, much better than their regular cab. Silky, velvet, smooth. Chocolate. Rich fruit. Big, full flavor, lots of flavor. Not old world style for sure, not subtle. It's a big bomb. We would pay up to $75 for this so a bit overpriced to us.
— 9 years ago

Nicholas Stoeberl

10

A Birthday Delicacy — 10 years ago

Monica Lo

9.1

Like drinking chocolate — 10 years ago

Miguel Banuelos

9.5

Jenny & Francois natural wine event — 10 years ago

with Emilie

Miranda Morris

9.5

This is my go to red blend, that's very affordable! It's rich, velvety, with a chocolate undertone. A tad sweet, but very delicious! — 11 years ago

Nick Brandon

9.1

Deep, but undiscernable fruity characteristics on the nose.
Plummy, jammy notes and very drinkable. Full-bodied and spicy. Some dark chocolate notes, too.

Paired with wild grains, sauteéd greens, and baked salmon filets. — 4 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Part of their "Blue Series," Isabelle, named after the birth of Jim’s daughter in 1995, was first top end Pinot Noir that was a blend from different locations, 6 in 2015. Ruby, Aromas of berry fruits with citrus, herbs & floral notes, aged for 2 years in new French Oak. On the palate layers of gentle ripe fruit flavors of raspberry and cherry with citrus and oak wrapped in gentle spice. Wine has great depth, soft tannins, well integrated, savory, long ending with a nice mouthfeel. Very Nice! Last bottle! — 5 years ago

Dan Cobb

9.5

Decanted 1 hr. 2001 vintage. Still had decent fruit. Dark chocolate on the nose. Had lost some of its structure and tannins. Very good pairing with the steaks tonight. w Michelle Carr — 5 years ago

Ming L

8.9

The Clark & Telephone Vineyard PN gave me a long lasting impression, and this Las Alturas is very similar in style in its richness and intensity.

Ripe plum, blackberry jam, eucalyptus, fig, black tea, and Chinese medicinal herbs bursting on the nose. Palate has more texture and a more elegant feel with dark chocolate and spice. Firm and a bit dusty tannins. This tastes more like a blend of Zinfandel and Cab. Nice! But again this is not the type of PN I like. — 7 years ago

Conrad Green

9.8

A treat. Dark in color, slightly cloudy. A powerful nose with dark, very mouton fruit. Incredibly aromatic, blackcurrant, mint,graphite, dried herbs, eucalyptus. The palate is extraordinary. So dense and powerful for a wine of almost 70 years. Dark fruit with a savory undertow- leather, thyme, sour cherry, dark chocolate. Really precise flavors and long. After an hour or two in glass there’s notes of coconut and soft wood. Extraordinary. Clearly there’s a lot of age on this but the sheer quality makes for a really dynamic wine. An exceptional bottle, and a teal treat. — 7 years ago

with Howard, Tony and 1 other

Phjosephson

9.0

Crisp and clean, with lots of pear and apple flavor. No butter or oak. Great for $13. — 9 years ago

Craig Mitchell

9.4

Amazing structure. Some floral red fruit on the nose, then a wonderfully structured dark chocolate and cocoa notes. Ripper super-Tuscan! — 10 years ago

with Johnno and Troy

Mike Anderson

Owner/Winemaker for MTGA Wines

9.5

As soon as I write a blog post about why I'm not the biggest fan of Napa Cab I start finding a few I love. Coincidence? I think not. — 10 years ago

Ryan Key

9.5

Earth and chocolate. Smooth well balanced Cab. WBA — 11 years ago

Andrew Goldstein

9.8

Black berries, plum, light, chocolate, spicy finish. — 12 years ago

Ron R

9.3

Wonderful example.
Nose displays hazelnut, brioche and beeswax. Palate is perfectly balanced and weighted. Honied white fruits combine with moderate acidity, and subtle oak. Whether it’s chard or pinot, ABC has a great wine portfolio, at a modest price.
And yes, drinking mid-week - we broke down like old deck chairs - guilty as charged 😔 — 5 years ago

with Anne-marie

Guillermo Gonzalez

9.1

Blue fruits, touch of cedar on nose. Big with plums and dark chocolate. Bordeaux on steroids, 15.3% ABV! Had with rib eye and wedge salad. — 5 years ago

Gordon Smouther

9.1

December 1 annual NJ Cork Dorks dinner. Paired with chilled shrimp appetizer. One of favorite wines of the evening. — 6 years ago

Joe Weinberger

9.2

2015 bottling. I don’t really drink stuff like this much anymore but this was very well made and delicious. — 7 years ago

Michael Tao

8.9

Nice Pinot - fruity and enjoying with friends — 9 years ago

Patrick Younkins

9.2

Sweet and a good mouth feel. You can taste the berries and chocolate. — 9 years ago

Benoit Duhamel

9.2

Problème avec le bouchon à l'ouverture... Qui a terminé au fond de la bouteille. Peu d'attente, superbe bouteille. Phase tertiaire, très champignons, animal, cuir. — 10 years ago

Carl B

9.1

Smooth and silky. Great Cab. Chocolate and vanilla. Not overly complex or oaky. — 10 years ago

Christine Havens

9.5

The 1995 Shafer Hillside Select is still youthful, and would benefit from further another 10-20 years of cellaring. Saturating aromas of burnt brown sugar, toffee, cherry liqueur, blackberries, blueberries, graphite and dark chocolate round out the nose. In the mouth, its big and brawny, endowed with firm, ripe tannins, and vibrant acidity—that narrowly prevents a total plunge into velvety darkness. The intensity and concentration of fruit is over the top. A powerhouse from start to finish. 14.1% ABV — 10 years ago

Steve Hahn

9.5

Big and chewy. If you appreciate a full load of tannins this is your choice. The fruit is not the main feature. Lots of chocolate and some sweeter vanilla notes. — 11 years ago