Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Certainly a very good Napa producer that still largely flies under the radar. This is delicious.

The nose is a 95. Ruby currants & cassis, dark chocolate wrapped in bright & withering dark, purple, red flowers laid on violets with baking & dark Middle Eastern spices dashed on top. Boysenberries, mulberries, slightly, candied & ruby raspberries, black raspberries, baked, black plum, strawberries on the high nose, star anise, black licorice, mocha, caramel, limestone, dry sage, thyme, touch of rosemary, dry top soil, black, rich earth, slightly moist clay with light notes of dark berry cola & dark fruit roll-ups.

The palate is; round, ripe, lush, juicy and simply delicious. The round tannins are; slightly tarry, meaty with cocoa powder. This is a good check on the 12 which, is still ascending. The structure & tension are just get to their good drinking point. The length & balance are really good with better things ahead. She is an elegant beauty. This has another 15 plus years of good drinking ahead of it. However, the 12 vintage has always drunk well young. Dark cassis & currants, boysenberries, mulberries, slightly, candied & ruby raspberries, black raspberries, baked, black plum, strawberries, star anise, black licorice, mocha, melted caramel, dark spices with lots of palate heat, vanillin, clove, nutmeg, light cinnamon, limestone, dry sage, thyme, touch of rosemary, dry tobacco, wood shavings, graphite, dry underbrush, dry top soil, black, rich earth, slightly moist clay with light notes of dark berry cola & dark fruit roll-ups. The acidity is round, voluptuous & holds the slightly elevated alcohol level. The finish is all you want in a wine; ripe, ruby, juicy, balanced with warm earthiness that slides into spices that persist endlessly.

Photos of; the rotating waterfall/ball as viewed from their amazing terrace patio, the Estate with their signature windmill, tasting room and kitchen and their patio with views of the Estate and valley floor. — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

Chardonnay pairing with Saffron Fettucine with Saffron Cream, Pancetta,
Summer Corn, Parsley and Pecorino Romano.

Green apple, juicy pineapple flesh, green melon, cream, butter, light honey notes, some lime candy, rich, waxy and well polished. One of a handful of CA Chardonnay’s I enjoy because of their light wood influence. At steal at $36 member price.

Not the best pair I’ve had but, it worked ok.

Photos of, their terrace view, Saffron Fettucine with Saffron Cream, Pancetta, Summer Corn, Parsley and Pecorino Romano, the rotating ball waterfall and hand blown glass that decorated their cellar halls.
— 8 years ago

Hema Reddy

9.0

Much smoother and heavier than expected. Highly recommend! — 8 years ago

Jared

9.1

@Matt B this was a gift from you 😘😘 — 9 years ago

with Laurel

Scott C

Founder / Co-director SR Wine imports

9.0

Great acidity , oak is there but in the background . Fruit is still the main focus . Very well made — 9 years ago

Oliver Brown

8.9

I think ball bag birr(!), is a wine innuendo too far for a classy wine producer. However, Château Potensac, does intrinsically have a certain 'potency' and 'hardihood' to it.

Many say 2003 is oft-over extracted. With much already passed its peak even, by the very nature of the year's excessive heat. But I found this bottle to be in a good (midlife) state. With the vintage's, most criticised, low acidity, still lively... a solid backbone as such, very much still on display; for many a fine wine for that matter, especially a Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel.

Its primary and secondary aromas are very much alive too and its tertiary ones just hinting at what hands they will ultimately show. It benefitted from a good 1/2 hour decant too #wine — 9 years ago

Scott Petrus

8.9

Hugely underrated. Soft and elegant this is the belle of the ball. — 7 years ago

Chantelle M

9.0

Drank with Alma and Chris and Ken and Selena. 15.99 from Ball Square. — 7 years ago

Sylvain Rhainds

9.1

2015. Direct du producteur. Un Riesling très différent des normes. — 8 years ago

M F

8.9

Tasted at TW wine tasting. Delicious. Smooth Nicely blended and aged.
Good accompanying beef dill cutlets and cucumber arugula dill salad. — 8 years ago

The Chimp

9.5

Dry perfect rose. Love it. Small tennis ball poof at the end. Drank with Jackie and Jeremy at Wilde on the night before Thanksgiving. Great 🌹! — 9 years ago

Philip Eastburn

9.0

Great Shiraz 2004. Sweet red fruits balanced by a lovely savouriness. Plush mouthfeel and still some life ahead — 9 years ago

with megs

Brash Higgins

9.3

Chablis like, lemon ball at the core, racy as hell — 9 years ago

Scott Rowe

9.3

Solid Friday option!!
Picked it all but dropped the ball on vintage calling 09. — 10 years ago

Jeremy Shanker

Sommelier at RN74

9.4

A spicy meat a ball — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

One thing I enjoy about Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars is their style. They make much better wines than a number of years back. After changing Winemakers, they continue to excel. However, their style has remained intact despite changes.

Chase Creek is normally a member only allocated wine but, I imagine some members have purchased a few bottles.

The nose reveals; used expresso grounds, dark currants, blackberries, dark slightly sour cherries, black plum, black raspberries, plum, haunting blue fruits, steeped tea, limestone minerals, anise, leather, fresh tobacco, cedar, pronounced herbaceous notes, rich, black turned, earth with dry leaves, cinnamon stick, clove, nutmeg, vanilla, dark withering flowers, fresh blue florals with violets.

The body is full and rich. The tannins just getting to nicely resolved with gritty, dusty and tarry stickiness. The big structure, good tension, length and nice balance are just nudging towards its peak. Used expresso grounds, dark currants, blackberries, dark slightly sour cherries, black plum, black raspberries, plum, a little more blue fruits than the nose, steeped tea, limestone minerals, dry underbrush, anise, dark sweet tarriness, leather, fresh tobacco, cedar, pronounced herbaceous notes, dark asian spices, rich, black, turned, earth with dry leaves, cinnamon stick, clove, nutmeg, vanilla, mocha powder, caramel, dark withering flowers, fresh blue florals with violets. The acidity is good but, not great. The long finish is big, bold, dark, elegant, well balanced fruit & earth and persistent for several minutes.

This will continue to improve over the next 7–10 years.

Photos of, their newer tasting room and Estate vines, their spotless cellar with the swinging pendulum ball that doesn’t stop, newer tasting room and their Fay Vineyard.
— 7 years ago

Allison Lyzenga

9.4

Medium garnet; medium intensity aromas of cherry, red currant, pomegranate, hot spring, beach ball; developing; dry, medium plus acid, medium plus tannins, medium alcohol, medium body, medium intensity flavors of bitter cherry stone, red currant, black plum skin, very little fruit, mostly mineral, medium plus finish; excellent — 8 years ago

Erik Helms

Sommelier/Wine & Beer Buyer Whole Foods Oakland

9.1

Acid galore. Bell pepper, gooseberry, wet grass, tennis ball. Lemon juice, cantaloupe, jasmine. Tasty and with length — 9 years ago

David From The 504

9.4

Color shows the age, nose is like a fruity air freshener ( hate the tennis ball can adj. but you smell it off the bat) this wine just produces joy every time I sip it, it really is balance in a glass with a side of sexiness. Love this stuff — 9 years ago

Maya Seeney

9.0

Dry, earthy, tart plum, raspberry, slight herbal & longer finish than expected, med + acid

Aged 15 months in neutral FR oak — 9 years ago