Peg Hanssen

9.8

Preparing for our adventure to Portugal Surdyks’ Recommendation:
(Douro) Portugal is a prolific wine country, best known for its sweet dessert wine - Port. World famous in its many styles, Port is sweet and fortified, prized for its rich flavors and lush texture. Portugal also has fabulous dry red wine. Dow’s “Vale do Bomfim” is made with the same grapes and sourced from the same historic Douro Valley that produces Dow’s great Ports. Portugal’s indigenous grapes – Tinta Barroca, Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, and Tinto Cão – are names that should pique your interest and draw you to this imported discovery. Picked by hand and manually sorted with great care, the grapes are fermented in small vats. The resulting wine has complexity and style. Portugal’s Douro Valley has consistently good climate and growing conditions almost every year. The flavors are dynamic and the tannic structure is soft and silky. This is a really good wine for all occasions, with an affordable price and value.
$8.49 Spring 2017 ($14.49) — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Yup...that's Neil Patrick Harris on their Label. Sleight of Hand Cellars got involved in a charity that NPH was apart. They got to talking and found he not only had a love of Magic, but wine as well. The relationship evolved well enough, they asked him if he would be on one of their labels and Neil agreed. The "Sleight of Hand Cellars" label has been seen a few times on "How I Met Your Mother." NPH is also is a club member. The Conjurer is blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Cabernet Franc, 8% Merlot and a splash of Petit Verdot from the Columbia Valley. Nice, fresh nose of; ripe dark currants, blackberries, black plum, dark cherries, black raspberries, black licorice, dark chocolate, soft spice, wood shavings and fresh dark florals. The palate is M+ body & soft M+ tannins with a thick, round mouthfeel. Dark spice, eucalyptus, mint, herb notes, cinnamon, vanilla, clove, chocolate, caramel apple, black licorice, crushed rocks, soft leather, nice, round, acidity and a very well polish finish. This is very easy to drink young and will cellar 10 years. — 8 years ago

Stas Medvedev

9.1

Deep garnet red. Intense nose of fruits, leather and licorice. Rich on the palate with good tannins. Grapes: 65% Cabernet, 30% Merlot, 5%. The wine is ready to drink and should keep well for years ahead. Hand-picked grapes. Barrel aged 16-20 months (35% new oak), bâtonnage 4 months. Domaine de Chevalier classified Grand Cru Classé de Graves. Belongs to Bernard Family (#1 in in France on the spirits market) since 1983. Pessac-Leognan is important Bordeaux red and dry white wine appellation. — 9 years ago

Bill Forsyth

9.3

About as good as it gets for a Washington Cab. We opened the 2008 for New Year's Eve several hours in advance to let it oxidize, and the result was fantastic. — 10 years ago

Christine Havens

9.1

The 2014 Mattaison Napa Valley Rosé is a blend of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, and Counoise from the Windmill Vineyard. I love this wine because what it communicates is restraint and tensile minerality as one would find in a good Provence rosé. Delicate floral aromas, slightly underripe white peaches, and white hand soap lend dimension to a lithe frame that has a subtle and demure touch of creaminess in the background. White plum skins and pie cherries crescendo before slowly unwinding. 11.2% ABV | Sample — 10 years ago

John Davidson

9.1

Hi octane, nutty, a bit heady and coffee bitterness in the long finish. Pour hard or else this is a rough swallow. — 11 years ago

"Odedi"

9.4

Ruby golden in color with Brown notes (Looks like a port).

On the nose, brandy, sherry, red fruits, figs and raisins. Smells like a port too.

Bold and buttery on the pallet. Really nice and extremely sweet with citrus, honey, blackberries, blueberries, figs, raisins, brandy and lemon.

Long, sweet finish, With cinnamon and lemon.
This winery still uses traditional methods to produce their premium Moscatos. The vineyard is not irrigated, grapes are hand picked and crushed without machinery. The wine is aged in larger oak barrels and blended in a Solera system.

Very Nice Australian Moscato.

375 ml bottle.18% alcohol by volume. — 11 years ago

Francis Wilden

Director Francis Wilden Food & Wine Consulting

9.1

07 raveneau drinking beautifully and probably at its best now. Other Rav 07s have time in hand — 12 years ago

Julie Northshield

9.0

Great taste of summer, but great wine any meal. Try with a winning hand in poker or take to share on the top of a hill with a great view. Balanced , smooth — 13 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

Patz and Hall Wine Company founded in 1988 by Donald Patz, James Hall, Anne Moses and Heather Patz, with a mission of producing hand-crafted wines. Dark Ruby with complex aromas of black and red fruits with herb and floral scents. From Dijon clones, on the palate sweet cherry and strawberry with cacao, earthy spice and notes of smoke. Aged on French Oak, this wine was well balanced, savory, round tannins, lingering nicely ending with some earthy mineral tones. Has room to age. Excellent!! Tasting Sample! — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Sleight of Hand Cellars gets it's name from Winemaker/Co-owner Trey Busch’s favorite Pearl Jam song, Sleight of Hand. He started the winery with partners Jerry and Sandy Solomon in 2007 after meeting at an auction. Since then, Sleight of Hand has become somewhat of a cult winery in Washington. The tasting room is decorated with an old jukebox and hipster inspired by rock albums. You only need to walk into the winery to see their love of Rock n' Roll. The winery also has a magic theme; which grew out of their name. All of their bottles have imagery of vintage magic posters that inspired their labels and names. It’s easy to see that the tasting room has great music and good vibe. While they make serious wines, the owners are fun, humble and only wish to make the best wine in Washington. They're on a good track. Photos of; a wide shot of the main tasting area, Trey Busch-Co-owner/Winemaker, the cover of the Pearl Jam album "Binaural"...the album that the song "Sleight of Hand" is on and the sitting area of their private tasting room. On the nose; a touch of funk, dark currants, tarry notes, savory grilled meats, pepper, iodine, blood, herbs & dark, candied, floral with violets. The palate has M+ body & tannins. Black currants, black plum, blackberries, blue fruits, dark cherries, black raspberries & raspberries. Pepper, blood, iodine, grilled meats, black licorice, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, clove, black cherry cola, fresh, red florals & violets, crushed rocks, loamy soils and big, round acidity with a beautiful, rich, elegant finish.

— 8 years ago

Jim Miller

9.0

Light, in Malbec terms. Long legs. Very good. — 9 years ago

Jeremy Pollard

9.4

If I'd known then what I know now. I find cab sav is most often a purchase based on speculation - they're frequently released far too young and are pretty much undrinkable in their youth. All overpowering tannin and intensity. This is an example of one very much worth the wait. Cool climate elegance combined with concentrated fruit and all sorts of complex notes layered throughout: menthol, cedar, blackcurrant, spice, hints of dusty chocolate and gently perfumed oak. Still has years ahead of it. Can't wait for dinner to finish cooking so I can sock it back with a rump steak. Should have bought more way back when! — 10 years ago

Liberty Cramer

8.9

Medium bodied, tiny touch on the sweeter side but still dry. It is a rosé. — 10 years ago

Adam Knoerzer

9.0

This is a gorgeous blend. The body of the Chardonnay is felt in a light and enjoyable way, Chenin is still the star. — 10 years ago

Jeremy Pollard

9.1

Needed a couple of hours to properly open up but then came the pepper and spicy blackberry. Great stuff. Still plenty of life in it. — 11 years ago

Justin Fetridge

9.0

I can't put my hand in it but I love these delicate structured wines. A real revelation in what wine can and should deliver — 11 years ago

Rob Landsness

Brand Ambassador/Agent Jeffrey Davis Signature Selections

9.2

Rolland's hand in this merlot is evident! WA fruit, Pomerol style — 11 years ago

Lindley Maglio

9.4

The MacIntosh in Charleston — 13 years ago

Alan Evans

9.2

Great winery. Great wine. Lovely balance. — 8 years ago

Bret Barker

9.5

Hand me down flip-flops, hand me down socks. Hand me down drug dealers hand me down rocks.. love Ludacris and I love the dirty socks of Bordeaux. 96 pichon is in a great spot. Silky, fruit, great balance, long finish.. no complaints. Get involved! — 8 years ago

with Adam

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

100% Old Vine Chardonnay sourced from the French Creek Vineyard in Yakima Valley. On the nose; lemon, lime, green apple, underripe green melon, cream, buttered popcorn, notes of herbs and yellow & white lilies. Nice mouthfeel...slightly creamy. Fresh fruits of; lemon, lime, green apple, underripe green melon, notes of buttered popcorn, grassy notes, crisp minerality, nice acidity and round, rich finish. — 8 years ago

Mo Hassankhani

9.2

An absolute gem. It was great initially but just kept on getting better and better as it opened up. Definitely a wine that I need to keep on hand at home. Especially since it comes in half bottles. Tastes like it's in its prime. — 10 years ago

Dave Wood

9.3

Hell yes! Muscular fruit driven goodness. Still with plenty of grip suggesting lots left in the tank. — 10 years ago

Roel van der Burg

Sommelier at Restaurant Entrepot

9.4

You can indicate a Côte Rotie of Jamet as 'Burgundian', but can you indicate a Georges Mugneret as 'Jametian' too? A real "iron hand in a velvet glove". Powerful elegance, spices/herbs and a little meaty. Great wine. — 10 years ago

with Théo, Alessandro and 1 other

Robbie Ward

9.3

In an amazing place. Rich and layered. Showing its hand a little but with plenty left to give. So good — 10 years ago

Susan Valverde

9.5

Great weekday malbec - nice reminder of del angel in Mendoza — 11 years ago

John Trinidad

Wine Blogger SFWineBlog

9.0

2013 gam gam to pair with thanksgiving bird. Wo needs cranberry sauce when you've got this scrumptious was in your glass? — 11 years ago

Gary Westby

Champagne & Sherry buyer K&L Wines

9.2

A subtle Corton-Charlemagne with a lot of time in hand. Very long and intriguing. — 12 years ago