James Park

9.1

Clean fresh black fruit. Ink at the end. Smooth. Dry fruit in the scent but not in taste. Light for cab but full of flavor. — 6 years ago

Isaac Pirolo

9.5

Riverain is Steve Nordhoff and Dean & Laurie Gray’s label that produces just a few hundred cases from some select vineyards in Northern California, including a Tench Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, and a Gamble Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc.

According to Dean Gray, Riverain is a historically French term meaning “local & friendly people who reside near the river.” @Greg Ballington deserves credit for the reco, and while I’ve had a handful of Syrahs from the Cardiac Hill Vineyard in Sonoma County’s Bennett Valley, this is my first that’s made by Thomas Rivers Brown.

Screams old world, particularly Northern Rhône. Loved it from the get-go, but the acceleration at 90 minutes open is significant. Campfire grilled meat, finely ground pepper, black olive, and creosote, with a core of savory black fruit, and a beautiful secondary combination of cedar and lavender. There’s a distinctive combination of balance, purity of fruit, and savory structure that’s hard not to recognize. — 8 years ago

Lewis Chester

9.6

2010 vintage. Deep ruby hue. Amazing nose of white pepper, Chinese spice, black fruits and cocoa beans. Complex despite its youth. On the palate, medium acidity, medium plus body and alcohol, medium ripe silky tannins, full concentration and long finish. Extremely promising. Drink 2022 until 2040. — 9 years ago

Lee Hamilton

8.9

Smooth, suited maybe more to Winter rather than Summer? — 9 years ago

Rebecca Fletcher

8.9

Lots of black fruit - cherry, plum, blackberry. Violet and spice. M+ acid and tannin. M body. — 9 years ago

John Howard

Harvest production at Hirsch and Cobb Wineries

9.3

Black cherry, raspberry sauce, bay leaf, pine sol, wet earth, toast. Yummm. — 10 years ago

Robert Szulc

8.9

Full of fruit low acidity on finish. Tannins medium and pleasant — 10 years ago

Andrew Stogran

9.2

Very tasty. — 11 years ago

Jimmy Smith

Director, West and North London Wine School

9.3

2012: old label but beautiful new fresh style of TH. Exceedingly aromatic, fresh ground black pepper, granite, and smoke. Not as fruity as the 2013 (to be expected) but ticking all the boxes of great Hawkes Bay Syrah. Palate is very spicy; cloves, cardamon, black pepper, blackberry, meaty with a softening edge after 2 years in bottle. Long length. Jubbly lovely. — 11 years ago

Sean Crosbie

9.5

Rediscovered in the pantry.... Left behind by my father, who always enjoys a good bourbon. — 11 years ago

Al Shikoh

8.9

plum, black cherry, violets, allspice; light to medium body, juicy, good acidity, dry tannins provide pleasant texture, only 11.5% ABV; sourced from Fox Hill Vineyard in Mendocino County — 6 years ago

Dave Schneider

9.2

Very dark purple. Nice balance between oak and black fruit. Probably at its prime but has some gas left in the tank. — 8 years ago

Colin Cahoon

9.0

These Red Rose Hill Cabs are so interesting. The older (20 year plus) vintages are beautiful and complex. Later vintages are tangy and fruity tasting more like Pinot Noir than Cabs. This 2008 seems to be transitioning from the latter to the former. Nose is barnyard funk and mulled fruit. There is still some tangy cranberry on the palate, but there is also tobacco, black tea and leather. It loses a little body post middle, but the finish is smokey, chewy and sizzles. This is headed in a Bordeaux direction, and is not a big alcohol California red (12.8%). I️ doubt this wine will hit the perfection of the early 90 vintages, but I’d sure like to try it 10 years from now to see if it ends up there. — 9 years ago

Michael Amoruso

9.3

Lovely balance, acid and power. Black olives, cocoa and some coffee along with black cherry. — 9 years ago

Al Shikoh

9.2

Fully opaque violet hue. Very aromatic with blueberry, blackberry, oak, and hints of violets on the nose as well as savory, bloody, gamey notes. Full bodied on the palate with rich, dark fruit, spice, and nice tannic structure with black pepper finish of medium length. — 9 years ago

with Drew, Lisa and 1 other

Rebecca Fletcher

9.4

Red fruit and black fruit-all berries. Soy and umami. M acid, body, tannin and finish. Light and refreshing. — 10 years ago

Rebecca Fletcher

9.6

Red cherry, savory, baking spice, ripe black plum. Wet rock and balsamic. M acid, body. M/m+ tannin. Still young but balanced and elegant. Long finish. Very unique in a good way. Beautiful wine. — 10 years ago

Ryan Mullins

9.6

Better than I remember — 10 years ago

Jason M

9.1

Jammy black fruit, black pepper, tar, dried flowers. Moderate tannins. Great concentration. Acids are medium plus, finish is long. — 11 years ago

Jenny Hemmer

9.3

Delicious balance of blackberries, black cherries, dark chocolate, cigars. Big & bold but with smooth tannins. — 11 years ago

with Brad

Scott Spangler

9.7

Deep black cherry, touch of licorice, light cedar on the nose. Medium tannins. — 13 years ago

Shari Margheim

9.0

Bold and an explosion of flavor that I wasn’t expecting. Really would be wonderful with a steak dinner. Full body with hints of blackberry and black pepper . I’m enjoying this and would buy again. — 7 years ago

"Odedi"

9.2

Dark ruby in color with a purplish rim.

Great fruity nose with black currants, blackberries, figs, cooked cherries, smoke, licorice, cedar, vanilla, alcohol, spices, cinnamon, chocolates, coffee, peppercorn and licorice.

Full bodied and big, yet smooth, with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry and fruity on the palate with blackberries, sweet plums, cherry pie, dried figs, tobacco, spices, wood, herbs, earth, leather and peppercorn.

Long finish with round tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a great Napa Bordeaux blend. Well balanced and enjoyable by itself or with food. Showing good complexity with a great mouthfeel.

The tangy finish makes it interesting, with a teeth staining color.

This 3 year old is drinking very nicely now. Good right out of the bottle and better as it opens up (one hour).

Rich and extracted. Delightful and delicious.

I paired it with a big piece of steak and grilled asparagus.

15% alcohol by volume.



$30. — 8 years ago

Matt Trader

9.4

Absolutely stunning.. Titus, you dog! Yummm! Congrats on your engagement! I wish you a happy journey ahead! Cheers! — 9 years ago

with Tais

Bill Bender

9.5

This wine is such a perfect compliment to my ribeye and mushrooms. I recall buying some of these '04s at the winery and we opened one in their picnic area surrounded by huge boulders. We brought some burgers from Taylor's Refresher (now Gott's) and enjoyed them on a perfect day. The winery family dog joined us. A big white/yellow lab. A memorable day. Ridiculously delicious burger. That bottle was tight as fu%* but now it's in an absolutely outstanding spot. Very typical ripe Pritchard Hill style but not over-ripe at all. No heat. Leather, dark chocolate and youthful but polished tannins. A little oak on the finish but not distracting in any way. I have to say the '04s and '06s I've had in the last year are distinctly superior to the more vaunted '05 and '07 Napa vintages....at least to my taste. — 9 years ago

Eric L.

9.6

Lovely. Black fruit and herbs. Lots of structure. One for the ages. — 10 years ago

Geoff Manley

9.0

Strong finish, good overall wine — 10 years ago

with Brendan

Jimmy Smith

Director, West and North London Wine School

9.1

Softened out quite nicely now, with good deep black fruit, only gentle black pepper now, exotic spice, clove and smoke. Good depth behind wine — 11 years ago

Jeremy Bacchus

9.6

This is what big bold California Cabernet is all about. Pronounced black plum and blackberries with new leather and eucalyptus on the nose. This is followed by powerful tannins, though silky smooth, and generous dollops of ripe, but sleek portions of both cassis and blueberry. Bill Hill has outdone himself again with Prime Solum, I rate it 96 points. — 11 years ago

Kellie Dolan

9.4

Deep black cheery and blackberry with pepper and oak. Nice tannins and a bold finish. — 13 years ago