Conrad Green

9.7

Wonderful deep and rich wine. This is in great shape. Dark plum and blakcurrant with iron and bloody intensity. Great tension and complexity. So fresh. This is great — 3 months ago

with Bex and David

Dave Moench

9.2

Winestules bottle. Very vibrant and deep — 5 months ago

Tony Machi

9.0

Riserva 2011 Baron’ Ugo Monteraponi Chianti Classico, better 2017-2019 — 5 months ago

Ivor

9.1

Great wine combining southern burgundy richness, use of luxurious oak, great acidity and low alc levels. Wonder how this ages.. Tx @Jan A for pointing this one out!. — 5 months ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.0

Barón de Ley – Varietales Tempranillo – 2014
Rioja DOCa – Spain 🇪🇸

Overview
A 100% Tempranillo from Rioja’s esteemed Barón de Ley Varietales Collection, crafted to highlight the noble face of the region’s flagship grape. Although structured in a crianza style with a projected drinking window of 10–12 years, opening it in 2025 revealed the wine perched right on the twilight edge of maturity. This is bottle #04400, now showing the soulful evolution that Rioja Tempranillo is famed for.

Aromas & Flavors
Initially faint cherry fruit, now firmly in the tertiary spectrum: leather satchel, dried rosemary, forest floor, and faint cigar box. Gentle hints of balsamic and dried fig linger in the background.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied with softened, polymerized tannins. Acidity remains fresh enough to carry the wine, but fruit presence has largely faded, leaving savory and earthy notes to dominate.

Food Pairings
A fine match for aged Manchego cheese, braised lamb shank, mushroom-stuffed peppers, or even a rustic stew where earthy and herbal notes harmonize.

Verdict
This Tempranillo no longer plays its youthful cherry trumpet but rather resonates like the old violin sound of Rioja—mellow, textured, and contemplative. A fascinating study in maturity, best enjoyed with reflection rather than exuberance.

Did You Know?
Rioja wines are often classified not just by grape but by aging designations (Crianza, Reserva, Gran Reserva). This bottle leaned into crianza timing, showing beautifully at first but demonstrating how Tempranillo gracefully transitions from fruit-driven vibrancy to complex tertiary elegance. — 7 months ago

Joy Hammons

9.7

Excellent! It took very little time to breathe which was unexpected for a 2011. We will be buying more of this if we can find it. — 2 years ago

Jeremy Shanker

Sommelier at RN74

9.6

2014 is lights out!!!! One of the great unsung white wines of the world - and ages magnificently well. — 4 months ago

Joe DAscoli

9.3

2nd of the Barolo trio for our truffle dinner party

This wine has good grip and good flavor. Somewhere in the middle of classic and modern Barolo

Overall very enjoyable. — 5 months ago

William Lauder

9.5

One of the best Sauvignon Blancs I’ve ever had. — 5 months ago

Doug Powers

9.2

Lovely aged red Rhone, this wine has 15 varietals (red and white) co-fermented and aged 12 months in oak barriques, 14% ABV, though no hint of too much, great balance and complexity, lingering finish, very fine and Special!! — 5 months ago

with Jim

Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

Dark Ruby color with aromas of berry fruit with earthy spice tones. On the palate cherry and blackberry flavors with pepper spice, tobacco and cacao on fine dusty tannins. Medium+ finish, nice mouthfeel, ending with fruit and an oak mineral character. — 8 months ago

Ebi Obaidi

10

10 is all i can say — 2 years ago

Eoin Danaher

9.0

Stephens day tipple... Beautiful — 5 years ago

Miguel Silva

9.2

Full body, berries mild tannins. Go well with game or lamb. Delicious for a Friday night for 2 — 4 months ago

Nicole

9.3

Light, mineral, oak, berries. Perfect with any food. — 4 months ago

Ed Chin

9.2

A nice comparison to the Baron though it fell short in complexity and ease to drink. — 5 months ago

James symons

9.4

Deliciously smooth and creamy, pairs perfectly with comte — 5 months ago

J Greene

9.3

Beautiful nose on this, remembering why I bought this while in the tasting room in Sta. Rita Hills (nice little spot in Los Olivos, highly recommend). Med+ intensity on the nose with bright cherry and strawberry. A bit of cedar/vanilla, but not much. Floral notes that almost turn to candy or runts. Nice on the palate too with a big pop of red fruit, med+ acidity and nice fine, integrated tannins. Long finish that sort of turns from sweet to tart cherry. Just a really nice wine. I scored a 93 but guessing this will improve and become a bit more elegant with a few more years. — 7 months ago

Roberto Carli

9.3

Great bang for the buck. Yeasty savory bread, macerated peach, overripe/candied pineapple, and a long creamy mouthfeel with fine perlage. An expressive ripe style that is very well executed for the price point  — a year ago

Damon Lee Carter

9.0

Lovely soft flavours with rich grape overtones — 6 years ago