Scott E. Becker

9.0

[Tasted on August 2, 2022 at Aldo Sohm Wine Bar in New York]

Black cherry, underbrush, mushroom, spice, earth, hint of menthol. Bigger style. — 3 years ago

E S

9.5

Great eco Syrah blend — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Merry Christmas Eve-Eve everyone! 🎄🎅🤶⛄️❄️🎁🍷

On the nose, leap dark currants & cassis with bright red, dark, blue & purple florals at pop & pour. Ripe; blackberries, dark cherry kirsch, plum, mulberries, blueberries, poached & strawberries, black raspberries & raspberries. Black licorice, star anise, dark chocolate bar, volcanic & limestone, steeped fruit teas, dark cola, sweet tarry notes, black, rich, turned earth, mid, dark spices, cinnamon stick, clove, nutmeg, vanilla, barrel shavings with char, dry brush, leather, fresh tobacco, granite, some eucalyptus, mint notes, light, dry herbs with fresh & some withering red, dark, purple and blue, fresh and slightly candied florals.

The body is; round, ripe, & rich. The tension, structure, length and balance are just beginning their sweet spot. The tannins are; rounding, tarry & still chewy. Plenty of life left in the 09...8-10 years. Dark currants & cassis. Ripe; blackberries, dark cherry kirsch, plum, mulberries, blueberries, poached & strawberries, cherries, black raspberries & raspberries. Black licorice, star anise, dark chocolate bar, volcanic & limestone, dry, crushed rocks, dry stems, steeped fruit teas, dark cola, sweet tarry notes, black, rich, turned earth, mid, dark spices, cinnamon stick, clove, nutmeg, vanilla, milk chocolate, mocha, caramel, barrel shavings with char, dry brush, leather, fresh tobacco, granite, some eucalyptus, mint notes, light, dry herbs with fresh & some withering red, dark, purple and blue, fresh and slightly candied florals. The acidity is round & spot on. The ripe, rich, ruby, elegant, balanced & polished finish is splendid and persists nicely on the palate with mid, dark spice on the long set. So much better with this much age. Really delicious tonight!

A steal now at under $35 upon release at Costco.

This wine is close to its peak and will hover there 3-4 years.

Photos of; the Estate, old large oak vats and David Heitz.
— 6 years ago

Craig Otten

9.3

Happy Birthday Doug W. — 7 years ago

with Felisse

Rob Camp

9.1

Lovely full bodied Woody yumm — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

Barrel taste of the 2016 Insignia.

The nose shows bright red floral fruits. Ripe; dark cherries, blackberries, creamed black raspberries, strawberries, blueberries and a touch of pomegranate. Vanillin, light cinnamon, dark rich soils, dark chocolate bar, soft understated volcanic minerals, violets, red and dark florals.

The wine is still extremely fresh. The body medium full. Tannins are round & slight tarry. The fruits are very ripe and bright. Ripe; dark cherries, blackberries, creamed black raspberries, strawberries, blueberries and a touch of pomegranate. Vanillin, light cinnamon, dark rich soils, dark chocolate bar, soft understated volcanic minerals, limestone, violets, red and dark florals. The acidity is fresh and waterfallish. The fruit is beautiful. The wine has a long way to go in barrel but, it shows great promise. The finish is already well polished with great structure, length and balance.

Photos of; their Napa Estate vines, logo woven into the carpet, futures offering area and long shot of their visitor center building and terrace. — 7 years ago

Ichiro Kawachi

9.2

I never seen IPA cask before. Actually the taste is predominantly mizunara barrel. @Ginger whisky bar Hong Kong — 8 years ago

Konrad Ziegler

9.3

Dark and oak. At Barcelona Wine Bar- outside and socially distanced — 5 years ago

Mike Foley

9.4

One of the best chards I’ve tasted and I’m a Pinot fan of Brewer Clifton. I am going back for more. — 5 years ago

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

Jan de Weerd

9.9

Can’t get better than this. Intense red color and earthy aroma. Dominant tannins, with a firm grip drenched in deep dark dry fruit with hints of burned earth, fall leaves and earthy compost. Intense, complex, deep but narrow on the pallet. Grippy finish that kept lingering for minutes. Set the bar very high for our old versus new country Bordeaux wine comparison with the Jacksons. — 7 years ago

with Tammy

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Happy birthday to my wife Sofia! She wanted to go have a birthday lunch in Big Sur at Nepenthe. With these views, who wouldn’t want to go celebrate there? Great vistas, good food and an even better wine list. Krug by the glass and so much more! Good warm up for lunch.

It’s a combination of reductive and oxidized style on the nose. Bruised apple, bruised Bosc pear, well overripe pineapple, marmalade, touch of caramel, creamed cider, understated honey notes, chalkiness, seashells, some oysters, volcanic minerals w/ fruit blossoms & withering yellow lilies.

The palate shows more reductive style than oxidized. Less pronounced bruised apple, bruised Bosc pear, well overripe pineapple, white citrus, marmalade, touch caramel, creamed soda, apple cider, understated honey notes, chalkiness, seashells, some oysters, volcanic minerals with fruit blossoms & withering yellow lilies. The acidy is quite nice. Very good; structure, length & balance. The long, beautiful, rich, finish is just what you’d expect from Krug.

Photos of, the outdoor bar with that view, whew, Nepenthe pumpkin, with the cell tower signal so bad & no wi-fi, they need a antique phone booth and the outdoor lounge/waiting area, complete with a ping pong table.

@Nepenthe Big Sur — 7 years ago

Lindsey Kelley

9.4

Soooo sweet and so much strawberry flavor for National Strawberry Day 🍓🍷 — 5 years ago

Thomas Pellerite

9.0

Good value. Crisp green apple 🍏 — 6 years ago

Andrew Kienle

8.9

Phenomenal balance even if not terribly complex. — 6 years ago

Eric Stec

9.0

2017 on 9/25/19. — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

In the ski chalet or in this case, the bar- Salmontini that overlooks Ski Dubai inside The Mall of the Emirates. Sofía is skiing and I’m having a glass Laurent-Perrier. Two bad discs don’t make for enjoyable skiing. Perhaps, the worst thing I could do for them. I’m getting the better end of the deal! 😋

We already spent a half-hour playing with King Penguins! 🐧 What fun!

As for the champagne, the nose reveals, green apple, lemon lime, pineapple, some hints of green melon and honey, vanilla, cream soda, beautiful soft chalkiness, sea shells, gentle volcanic minerals, spring flowers, Jasmine and yellow lilies.

The body is nice and glides easily over the palate. Nice mousse and mouthfeel. Green apple, lemon lime, pineapple, some hints of green melon and honey, vanilla, cream soda, notes of ginger, baguette crust, beautiful soft chalkiness, sea shells, more pronounced volcanic minerals than the nose and penetrate into the palate, spring flowers, Jasmine and yellow lilies. Really nice soft acidity and micro bubbles. The finish is rich, elegant, nicely polished and persists minutes.

Happy Good Friday and Easter weekend!
🐣 🐰 — 7 years ago

Merritt Santino Raül Gilé

9.0

DNWC pick of the month. Probably 3-4 years past peak, but still drinkin’ reeeeaaaallll nice. — 7 years ago

Bernat Jaume

8.9

Me ratifico en lo dicho en Julio. Gran vino mallorquín. — 7 years ago

with Ana and Sebastià

Chris Paul

Wine Educator Copain Wines

9.1

Balanced and showing both medicinal and herbal notes in its development. Exhibits classic signs of VA, but at a level that’s pleasant and intriguing. Drink up! — 8 years ago