Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

Tried a new batch. Roederer Estate sparkling wines are crisp & fresh reflecting the cool, fog-shrouded Anderson Valley, home to estate's 600 acres of vineyards. Blend of 60% Pinot Noir & 40% Chardonnay. Light salmon color, good flow of bubbles, firm mousse, aromas of berry fruits and biscuit notes. On the palate flavors of strawberry, ripe apple and peach with a dash of pepper spice. Long finish, lively acidity ending a tad creamy with toasty yeasty tones. Very Nice! — 4 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.5

Dates back to the late 1800s, & have been owned by Solari family since 1948. The historic Estate has 145 acres. Deep Ruby with complex aromas of fruit, sweet cacao & spice for this Bordeaux blend of 42% Merlot, 35% Cab Sauv, 13% Malbec. 5% Petit Verdot & 5% Cab Franc. On the palate well structured with big fruit flavors of blackberry, raspberry & sweet cherry with espresso & cacao notes adding a bit of leather. Fine tannins, big finish, pops out of the glass ending with beautiful fruit & a bit of sweet oak. — 5 years ago

Michael Peterson

9.1

One of my favor producers of CA Chardonnay. Bright, no ML, great balance, delicious... — 7 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Located just east of St. Helena in Napa where Conn Creek flows out of Howell Mountain. Their 26 acres of vineyards are in the heart of this 40-acre grape-growing paradise. Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon with a touch of Petit Verdot. A big wine with complex fruit and spice aromas. Juicy black berry fruits, with underlying smooth sweetness combined with smoke, spice and oak. Well structured, tannins still tight, gave in after 90 minutes, ending with earthy pepper character. Enjoyable now but let it sit in cellar. — 8 years ago

Ashley Johnson

9.0

Saved since 2013 - opened as Anniversary treat and it was a pleasure. Crisp, yet buttery; refreshing, yet woodsy. Had it served extra chilled. Choice! Worth the price. — 8 years ago

Boxer Briefs

10

4th Generation Sonoma Valley site planted from 1890-1914, 85% Zin, 10 Alicante, 3 Petit Syrah, 2 Carignane. 30 acres. Ridge has been making Pagani since 1991. Interesting wine!! Slightly oxidative at open, then showing a creamy malo'y thing, but then the cedar and caramel, black cherry...Incredibly fresh, great acid. Showing age on the nose but the fruit is pure and alive. I would drink these but might stash one for a really long time like 2028 or 2033. — 8 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

Recently purchased by Bill Foley of Foley Family Wines, continuing traditions of Fred Furth who founded Chalk Hill in 1972, which encompasses 280 acres of vineyards. A blend of 84% Sauvignon Blanc, 10% Sauvignon Gris and 6% Sauvignon Musque, the latter 2 adding an interesting dynamic to the wine and distinctive aromas. One of the few SB's to see some oak giving this wine complexity. Peach, herb and earthy tones, well balanced with acidity, smooth yet robust on a lingering finish ending with citrus notes. — 9 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

Tony and his wife Herta purchased 30 acres of land in the Napa Valley with the magic ingredient - location. With a splash of Malbec added, aromas of dark berry fruit and cigar box spice. On the palate flavors of black cherry and raspberry with cacao, licorice and herb notes. Fine tannins, nice acidity, good balance on long finish ending with fruit and cedar notes. Drinking well now! — 5 years ago

K L

9.2

Lovely and aging well. Very smooth and bright with cherry notes but not overly so. Earthly and interesting but still light. — 5 years ago

with Matt

Ann Kunes

9.3

Excellent, with or without food. Smooth, slightly berry, very drinkable. Definitely repeat — 6 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

Had another chance to try this wine. Family-owned and operated growing just over ten acres of grapes and producing around 1000 cases per year. Berry, spice and floral aromas explode on the nose. Fresh fruit flavors, raspberry and cherry, citrus notes and hints of vanilla, great balance with acidity. Firm tannins, lingering finish ending with earthy tones and a bit of pepper. An enjoyable Pinot at a reasonable price. Has short term aging benefits, but why wait. Tasting Sample. — 7 years ago

David L

9.5

13' Edge Hill Chardonnay. It needs a bit of time to open up. The original 4 acres. — 8 years ago

Arnaud Namer

9.8

2014 Puissant et rond 2 bouteilles pour $30 à bevmo — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

This blend is named in honor of the butcher shop that David’s father started in San Francisco. His butcher shop(s) launched them into a 1956 Pritchard Hill land spending spree with the thought of starting a cattle ranch. When they were done buying parcels, they had amassed 984 acres in Pritchard Hill. The third most expensive fruit today at $28,000 a ton. If you sold all of that land today, it would be worth over a billion dollars. I bet they didn’t pay anything close to that in 1956.

This was opened the day before we’d had it. While I enjoyed it, it had leaned out a bit more than I would want it. It was round with softer tannins but may have given a false sense of its ability to cellar.

The fruits are nice, ripe, lush & juicy; blackberries, raspberries, dark cherries, black plum, mid baking spices-nutmeg, cinnamon, light clove, vanillin, light spice, barrel shavings, crushed rocks, savory, grilled meats, dark, red, & purple florals with very nice acidity and a wire to wire finish that was leaner but, clean. The finish was well balanced, elegant, on the leaner side, nicely polished and persisted minutes. — 5 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.3

Only 15 acres planted with grapes grown in Rutherford (warmer with rich ripe fruit) & Oak Knoll (cooler with fresh acidity in grapes). Pale lemon, with fresh & crisp citrus & stone fruit aromas, no malolactic fermentation. Palate shows peach, apple & Asian pear flavors, with lemony & toasty notes, lively acidity & balance with touch of vanilla oak (9 months of French oak aging (25% new & 1-year old, remainder neutral oak). Long finish ending with fruit, spice & biscuit notes. Very Nice! Tasting Sample. — 6 years ago

Adrian Fischer

9.1

Buttery, slight oak, not too sweet, great character develops through the whole pallet and nose — 7 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Founded in 1973 when Joe Phelps purchased a former cattle ranch near St. Helena in Napa, the winery now controls and farms nearly 375 acres of vines on 8 estate vineyards. Aromas of dried berry fruits and spice. On the palate of predominately Cab Sauvignon which sat in oak for 18 months, flavors of ripe berry, cacao and smoky nuts, firm sweet tannins on lingering finish ending soft. Will age well. — 8 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

In 2005 Marie and Frédéric Chauffray came across the perfect plot of land—25 acres on the plateau of Arboras in Terrasses du Larzac, situated in the Langeudoc. They sold the prestigious wine shop they owned outside Paris and embarked upon the dream of making wine, together founding Domaine de La Réserve d'O. Berry fruit and cacao notes. Cherry and mocha with spice and fine tannins. Lingering finish with ending with mineral notes. — 8 years ago

Julie

9.1

Really enjoyed this cheap and cheerful. 16 — 8 years ago

David Weaver

9.5

Crooked Vine is my second favorite Cab. It's been a while since I had a bottle, but it is a nice complex Cab. — 9 years ago