Bob McDonald

9.6

Aromatics of Talc, white flowers a little peach and grapefruit. On the palate citrus and peach with diminishing acid. Just a fabulous mature Riesling with just a hint of petro chemical developing in the form of paraffin. It stamps the Great Southern in Western Australia as one of the premium Riesling districts in Australia. One of the 1001 wines and deserves to be. James Halliday wrote “year in, year out, one of Australia’s best Rieslings”. — 4 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Haut-Bailly Dinner in SF with Veronique Sanders of Haut-Bailly.

The 2012 is living up to its reviews. It’s good & well priced. The dark fruits are ripe, juicy, cola notes, menthol, dark, moist, turned earth. Drinking nicely now but, still a hold for another 5 years plus.

Served with Coq au Vin. Baby Carrots, Mushrooms, Pearl Onions & Red Wine Sauce. Mathilde French Bistro

Photos of; Clyde Beffa Owner of K&L Wine Merchants & Veronique Sanders, dinner menu & pairing & dinner guests. — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

Pontet Canet tasting and dinner with Alfred Tesseron.

2016 is such a beautifully, ripe and elegant vintage. The 16 stands tall from the other vintages we tasted.

The body is rich, bold and thick. Beautiful dark fruits of ripe, ruby; blackberries, plum, dark cherries, strawberries and amazing blue fruits shine as it sit on the palate. There is more balance in the 16...fruits and earth. Saddle-wood, tobacco, leather, dry soil, dry & moist clay, dry stone, rich dark earth, lead pencil, bright, fresh, red, blue, dark flowers with violets. Very nice acidity with a beautiful finish.

Don’t even touch a bottle for 15 plus years. This nice now but, you will only be cheating yourself out of a very special wine 15 plus years from now.

Photos of; Clyde and Alfred at the bar, their Amphora style cement tanks they ferment part of each vintage now, road signs of the good neighbors they keep and Chateau Pontet Canet. — 6 years ago

Pat Carroll

9.7

A new favorite. Great tobacco and spice flavors play off the blackberry. Medium body, very low acid. — 7 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.7

Howard Park also showed how well their Cabernet ages by showing this wine from the excellent 1999 vintage. At the Langtons Classification tasting 17 weeks ago. — 7 years ago

Jeanette Hrnyak

9.1

Another one from my kitchen display. Small production and an excellent Sonoma Syrah! — 9 years ago

Sarah Petrosky

9.9

Fruity nose, light mouth feel but a dry finish. Not too dry though. Definitely get again — 5 years ago

Frank Kuo

9.2

Color of dull ruby with shades of purple and brown on the rim, a bit cloudy. Nose of cocoa, spice, burning sensation in the nose, fermented cabbage, carbonated water, and a bit berries. Taste basically follows the nose with quite good tannins and slightly sweet, some tobacco leaves, and some bitter tangerine zest. Aftertaste is medium with some more sweet ripe grape and peppery note. A bit light yet on par. — 5 years ago

Emily

8.9

Fun and surprising bubbly red. — 6 years ago

with Jess, Chad and 2 others

Kimberly

9.0

Tasty just sipping by itself — 7 years ago

Joe Estrada

9.5

A PERFECT Chenin Blanc, enjoying with a cheese & charcuterie board — 7 years ago

with Brad and Greg

Ira Schwartz

9.0

A grab bag of floral and citrus aromatics. Given how young this wine is the palate does not have the same openness that the nose has. Bright acidity and excellent balance. — 7 years ago

Luke Stanko

9.2

Merlot the way it’s supposed to be made. Fruit with balanced structure — 8 years ago

Ryan Stewart

8.9

Golden amber color. Briny, diluted iodine, smoky, red fruit, floral and herbal notes on the nose. Warm mouthfeel. Hints of sherry and stewed fruits on the palate. — 5 years ago

Rhonely Boy

9.1

The mineral is amazing, fruit is bump’n. Recommend multi-bottle purchase. It takes a while to start deciphering the complexities, then it runs out. — 6 years ago

Mike R

9.0

Drink them if you got them — 6 years ago

James Webb

9.1

Lemon and apple crisp. Great full smooth body with enough acid holding everything in the right spot. — 7 years ago

Amanda Thomas

9.1

Mineral and floral notes. Not very much fruit. Super refreshing! — 7 years ago

with Tim

Austin Tabbone

9.0

A solid cab, ripe fruit, hints of green herbal and vegetal notes. I ain’t mad at it. — 7 years ago

Matt Garven

9.5

Varietal characteristics. Dark fruits, some spice and pepper. Strong tannins, but still smooth. Drinking well now but could happily sit another few years. — 8 years ago