Tyler Stephens

9.0

Doesn’t suck, higher profile similar of Santa Lucia Highlands / Rita Hills. Much great — 5 years ago

Andy Baker

9.3

Fantastic Bordeaux Blend. Loved it — 6 years ago

with Adiba

Ned Clark

9.1

Tight and young. Hold — 7 years ago

Steven Beishuizen

9.3

Super herbal with jaggies of frothy deep cherry. I really like this one. Outstanding. — 7 years ago

with Anita

Christopher Welch

10

The Talking Bull — 7 years ago

Todd Curtis

9.0

Drinking the 2009, tasting great. Very old world feel to it. — 8 years ago

Joe Lucca

9.4

Black and red currants on the nose along with pine cones and autumn leaves. The black and red berries continue on the palate along with eucalyptus, bay leaf, capsicum, ceylon, and a faint note of white pepper. Popped and drank. Should have decanted for a few hours, as this is very nuanced, revealing new flavors with each return to the glass. The finish is clean and balanced, lingering and evolving over a few minutes. Tannins are almost fully integrated; yet the structure remains firm. For me, this seems to be the peak drinking window. Only two of these remain in the cellar! Will definitely try another bottle with a few hours of decanting soon. A very cerebral, thought provoking wine. Pair with John Coltrane, Miles Davis, perhaps even better with Wax Tailor. — 8 years ago

with Diana

Pga

9.7

Joe Davis makes one of the finest Cali pilots. — 9 years ago

Lisa Arzt

9.5

2011 exceptional. — 9 years ago

Nelson Fitch

9.3

'04. Great. Might have thought it was Burgundy. Mature, really strong. Medium weight and wild aromatics. Herbaceous, funky, tar, raspberry. Lean, firm. — 9 years ago

John Kemper

9.1

The final wine poured was the '06 Davis Family Syrah 'Guyzer Block'. Lacking sufficient decanter time, the toasty oak flavors were not as integrated as I remember from previous bottles. However, subtle blackberry, pepper and floral aromas did finally surface. This concentrated wine had nice zesty acidity and a long creamy finish. — 11 years ago

Keith Eddleman

10

Omg the bomb. — 5 years ago

with Jill

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

On the nose, ripe, ruby, fruits of; mulberry, blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, plum, black cherries, blueberries & creamy raspberries. Vanilla, hints of sweet tarriness, black licorice, whiff of spice, soft understated limestone minerals & crushed rock powder, fruity black tea, hint of fresh herbaceousness, rich, black turned earth, fresh dark floral bouquet and fields of lavender & violets.

The body is rich, ripe & full. The tannins are a little sticky but well softened, round and a touch chewy. The structure, tension, length, balance, tension and balance are very close to perfect and harmonious. Fruits are; mulberry, huckleberry, blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, plum, black cherries & creamy raspberries. Vanilla, hints of sweet tarriness, black licorice, whiff of spice, soft understated limestone minerals & crushed rock powder, fruity black tea, hint of fresh herbaceousness, rich, black turned earth, fresh dark floral bouquet and fields of lavender & violets. The acidity is round and rains like a waterfall perfectly over the palate. The very long, ruby, rich, well balance lasts minutes and is absolutely heavenly. Gorgeous, elegant, stunning wine.

Photos of; the vertical tasting we attended of all Hendricks Cabernets; 04, 05, 09 & 12 at the time w/ one of our favorite paintings in the background, Charles Hendricks working in the cellar, very old rootstock from the Stag’s Leap Vineyard where the fruit to make this wine normally comes from and a wide shot of the Stag’s Leap Vineyard.

Producer notes and history...Hendricks Cabernet Sauvignon is consistently sourced from a few of Napa Valley’s finest vineyards. In those near perfect vintages, Charles only makes a small production wine of around 250-300 cases. Charles only produces it when he has exception fruit. He’s made Hendricks Cabernet in; 2004, 2005, 2009, 2012 & 2014. Notice he didn’t make Hendricks Cabernet in a great vintage year like 2013. He wasn’t happy enough with his fruit in 2013 to put his name on it. That says a lot and maybe all you need to know about his standard for quality. I do know what wine his 13 fruit made as I’ve had and it’s an unbelievable wine for far less money.

Charles also makes a fantastic Pinot Noir from the Santa Lucia Highlands that is really quite amazing. Especially, if you give it 5 or 6 years in bottle. All his wines are sold exclusively through the Hope & Grace tasting room in Yountville as he is also the Hope & Grace Winemaker.

Charles graduated in 1982 from UC Davis in viticulture. He was also able to tailor his own curriculum and was one of the earliest to integrate winemaking and viticulture course work. Having knowledge of both viticulture and enology forms the basis for his well-rounded winemaking.

Over the years Charles has worked in both Napa and Sonoma Counties, gaining hands on experience in all aspects of winemaking. He has a strong reputation for excellence. In his career, he’s been a consulting winemaker for many wineries; Viader, Barnett Vineyards, Paoletti Vineyards, Regusci Winery, James Cole, T-Vine and Tamayo family Vineyard.

I asked Charles, “how does he make wines that are amazingly good in their youth but will age effortlessly for 15-20 years?” His answer was simply this, “its not that hard, you just have to know the perfect time to harvest fruit.” I would agree with that to a degree. But, you also have to know how to gently guide fruit onto it’s path into the barrel and not get in the wine’s way or overwork the process. — 6 years ago

Eric Gardner

9.1

I agree with Davis Smith. Would like to taste this with age from a big bottle, but I guess that would require patience, or a time machine. Sadly, I have neither. — 8 years ago

J Mcconeg

9.2

Very nice. Smooth, full, lush. — 8 years ago

Ed Lehrman

8.9

1999--Showing maturity but also some solid fruit still. Nice wine with meat on a Monday! — 9 years ago

Laura Valensisi

9.3

Light and crisp. Good wine to have with dinner. Definitely a people pleaser. — 9 years ago

Tim Burgess

9.2

Really good balance. Nose & mouth of mango, papaya, pear, apricot & grapefruit with a bit of clove & cinnamon. — 9 years ago

Kapyrick Wine

9.3

What more can you ask for-well made, as this is a v2010, crispy ( don't serve too chilled), creamy, oaky ( not too bad, French barrels, so nice and rounded mouth feel). Nice wine! — 10 years ago

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.
— 6 years ago

Keith Eddleman

9.5

Crazy good blend. Finally here. Cheers! — 6 years ago

with Jill

Jody Scharf

9.2

Rich deep fruit forward wine. Berries cherries and love — 7 years ago

Laura Mursch

9.3

Nice cherry flavor. — 7 years ago

with Devin

Rob Wilder

9.0

Unique 501c3 wine... Nice balance restrained style and a pleasure — 8 years ago

Mark Mewissen

9.1

Burgendy style — 8 years ago

with Kelley and Laith

Michael Murphy

9.5

Great pairing with Turducken! — 8 years ago

Marc Stubblefield

Wine Sales at Vino Carta and Kogod Wine Merchant

9.3

Original bottling, and worth the time on the cellar. More understated and seamless than it was in its youth, now quietly complex and richly complicated. — 9 years ago

Nagib Nasr

9.3

Davis Family Pinot Noir!! My new love — 9 years ago

Rebecca Fletcher

10

Rich and jammy! Fantastic petit Verdot — 9 years ago

Dan Raposo

9.7

Another delicious wine from the Davis Family — 11 years ago