Nelson Javier Aviles

10

Very Good well recommended! — 4 years ago

Jim McCusker

9.6

Can’t afford to buy Realm anymore - their prices went through the roof right after their scores did the same a number of years ago - but as one of their original customers from the 2002 vintage I still have quite a few of the earlier vintages in my cellar. This 2009 Beckstoffer is absolutely fantastic. Classic Napa cabernet with great aromatics, great fruit along with some secondary flavors, and impeccable balance leading to a long, lingering finish. Just brilliant. — 5 years ago

with Vanessa

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

I bought 3 or 4 bottles of the 06 Heitz Napa. I think this is my first bottle. I either have none or one left. Better gets notes tonight! I think I gave others away. What was I thinking? Wine is meant to be shared.

What is better than paying around $33 for a bottle of wine, forgetting about it for twelve years and having it blossom on your palate the way it is tonight? This is a prime example of two things; you don’t need to spend a hundred(s) for a really good bottle of wine and their is absolutely no substitution for appropriate cellaring time.

The nose reveals; steeped, dark fruit wading in fruits of ripe/ruby; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, baked, black plum & strawberries, hovering raspberries with pomegranate, light liqueur notes. Mild alcohol vapors, black licorice, sweet tarriness, mixed dark fruit cola/licorice, mid, dark spices, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanilla, saddle-wood, graphite, dark rich souls, forest floor with dry leaves, dry crushed rocks, dry twigs, tree sap, mint/eucalyptus, soft leather, dry tobacco with ruby, brilliant, fresh & withering, candied; dark, red, purple florals with a field of violets.

The body is, rich, ruby and creamy with fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, baked, black plum & strawberries, hovering raspberries with pomegranate that shows light liqueur notes. Mild alcohol vapors, black licorice, dark, steeped, black , assorted fruit teas, sweet tarriness, mixed dark fruit cola/licorice, mid, dark spices, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanilla, caramel, mocha, saddle-wood, graphite, savory grilled meats, dark rich souls, forest floor with dry leaves, moist clay & top soil, dry crushed rocks, dry twigs, tree sap, mint/eucalyptus, hints of Provence herbs, soft leather, dry tobacco with ruby, brilliant, fresh & withering, candied; dark, red, purple florals with a field of violets. The acidy is like a cool waterfall on a warm day. The beautiful, elegant, extremely well knitted balance is in the realm of “forget about it”. Sometimes the right wine, when it’s right, moves the entire body. Such as it is tonight.

The tension, structure, length and balance have just hit their high point and will remain there for another five years into a slow decline over the next 10-15 years, stored impeccably.

This might be the best Napa Heitz I’ve bought & stored. It’s stunning and way over delivering its price point. One complex wine!!!

Photos of; Heitz Winery, tasting bar, tasting room garden patio and the Hwy 29 signage for the tasting room with the valley floor vines that surround their tasting room. — 6 years ago

Lee Pitofsky

9.4

Finessed, terrific complexity, bruised white peach, petrol, wet stone and a bit nutty along with tea leaves on the finish. Such a brilliant expression of Wachau. — 8 years ago

Lance E. Farman

9.5

Double brilliant. — 8 years ago

Larry Frierson

9.6

Lime and limestone. So savory. Brilliant acidity. Great with petrale sole. — 9 years ago

Matt Perlman

9.5

Brilliant. No notes but more of a PSA to age your cru bojo — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

So, many of you have not had the pleasure of having Dan’s wines. It is largely due to the fact he doesn’t have a US importer. He sells all his mid production level wines through his mailing list. That makes importing from his mailing list as restrictive as the import fees. They are equal to the price of the wines you order. Not something you’ll do. I didn’t. You need to find his wines on the secondary market to be cost effective.

We had the privilege of visiting his Cellar Door in the Spring of 2017. What a fantastic visit and walk of his Estate with him. The age of his Estate vines are 100 plus years old and their yield is less than a ton per acre which, does not make for a lot of wine but, instead a very concentrated wine.

Dan traveled to and worked in many of the key wine regions before settling in as Torbreck’s Winemaker and then marching to his own drum doing his own thing as “The Standish”, his way. No compromises.

The first thing you need to know about Dan’s wines is you can drink them early but, that would be a huge mistake. This 03 is sensational now but, is worthy of more cellaring. It has 10-20 years of life ahead of it...proper storage of course.

This is a second night wine for us and it is still big.

The nose reveals smokey; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum skin, black cherries, blueberries, mulberries/boysenberries, baked/poached strawberries & some raspberries, sweet tarriness, dark berry cola, black pepper, steeped tea, eucalyptus, mint, tree bark with sap, herbaceous, dry crushed rocks, nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, vanilla, moist, forest floor with dry leaves with withering; dark, red, purple flowers framed in violets & strong lavender.

The body is full, round, lush & ruby. The tannins are still big, round, tarry & meaty. The structure, tension, length & balance are just there & yet still not there. It is still a monster on day two. Smokey; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum skin, black cherries, blueberries, mulberries/boysenberries, baked/poached strawberries & some raspberries, sweet tarriness, grilled meats, dark berry cola, black pepper, steeped tea, eucalyptus, mint, tree bark with sap, herbaceous-sage & rosemary, used charcoal, graphite, dark spice with palate heat, burned ambers, incense, rubber toy, dry crushed rocks, moist clay & top soil, dry stone, nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, vanilla, moist, forest floor with dry leaves with withering; dark, red, purple flowers framed in violets & strong lavender. The acidity is round and a rushing river. The extremely long finish is, big, round, elegant, floral, well balanced, runs juicy to dry with persistence for days falling onto earthiness & dark spice on the long set.

Photos of, a plaque that hangs above my kitchen sink that speaks to me always, Dan Standish, his Cellar Door and surrounding buildings. — 5 years ago

Gregory Spock

9.1

Cherry, cassis, slight herbaceous nose with brilliant light mouthed lingering finish. — 7 years ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.6

WOW!!! Incredible new vintage of this outstanding wine! Herbs, Leather, smoke, vanilla with a hint of barnyard on the nose. That said, lots of blue and black fruit flavors on the pallet. Full bodied and luscious. Long and lingering finish. This is a wine of the year candidate! Revisited during Christmas week 2019. Noted the blend is 30% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre, 10% Syrah. 10% Counoise with the balance being made up of some of the other 10 permitted CDP grapes. Just brilliant! Revisited in August 2021. Improving with age! Revisited again in December 2023. Tannins are starting to mellow. Drinking beautifully! Revisited again in January 2025. Hitting the sweet spot. — 7 years ago

Ron R

9.5

Tight like a coiled spring. Pnp - disgracefully decadent 😃
Medicinal notes on the palate, intermingled with wood and cinnamon. A brilliant effort. — 8 years ago

with Mike, Joe and 5 others

Jeff Loo

9.8

Barrel Sample. Absolutely stunning this vintage. Brilliant 2016, one of the top of the vintage. 97-99pts — 9 years ago

David Shaw

9.0

828 cases made, 50/21/20 blend of Grenache, Mourvèdre, Sangiovese plus minor additions of Counoise, Petite Sirah and Barbera. Medium extracted pigment, very good clarity. Fruity nose, lightly tannic, cherryish flavors with notes of tangerine, mint, spearmint and white pepper. Pioneers of wine growing in Cochise County AZ. Paired it with grilled chicken and red mole, and also grilled salmon. Artisanal yet tasty — 5 years ago

Ron R

9.3

Current vintage from BM. The 18 is more approachable. Sherbet nose with urgency and tension on the palate. Let this rest a year before approaching.
Wifey’s donut holes. First time making these, and they were top drawer. — 6 years ago

with Benny, James and 1 other

Will Stanley

9.2

First time drinking Viña Ardanza. Chose this 2009 to try before the highly anticipated 2010 Reserva Especial. This is so youthful at the moment and will doutbless improve with age (and plenty of it). There’s a prominence of oak & tannin now that sets it up well for the long haul. Medium bodied with plenty of acidity and a lasting finish. Was brilliant with a fatty sirloin. A great example of modern Rioja that should age well - and a promising forerunner to the 2010. — 6 years ago

Joshua Chan

9.3

My first ever Dom that I’ve ever purchased or rather gifted to me. Birthday champs. Brilliant bouquet. Super soft tiny bubbles. 20 years of cellaring and this would be bloody amazing. — 7 years ago

Joe D'Angelo

9.7

The 2016 Saint-Joseph from Pierre Gonon is utterly brilliant. This dazzling wine instantly bursts open with vivid aromas of fresh blackberries and red berries along with violets, salted meat, black olives, pepper, smoke and dried savory herbs. On the palate this is full-bodied, backed by beautiful polished tannins that surround a juicy core of fresh dark berries laced with pepper and spice flavors. On the palate this displays remarkable balance and concentration as well as striking freshness and purity all the way through the long expansive finish. Showing incredible youthful energy and vibrancy, this also displays serious aging potential. — 7 years ago

Matt Perlman

9.4

So silky, whiff of Brett blows off quickly to reveal pure and bright black cherry fruit. Brilliant — 8 years ago

Max Kelly

9.4

Brilliant wine. Leesy and rich, with ripe pear and marzipan leavened by beautiful, vivid acidity. A great balance of age, ripe fruit, and freshness. Longs, lingering finish too. Excellent with pan-roasted halibut. — 8 years ago

Kevin Ortzman

9.4

The second year of this great wine. '14 yielded twice the production of '13 and expanded from Stags Leap to Rutherford. This resulted in a RP rating of 94 pt. Congratulations John and Stacey. Dark berries with hints of cocoa, tobacco and cinnamon. Adding to my collection! — 9 years ago

with Frank, ADAM and 2 others