Matt

9.2

Great showing, perfect cork, completely alive, complex, beguiling mix of dried petals, exotic spices and deeply alluring black fruit character, crushed to roasted. Tannins have integrated and made for a supple but postured sip. ‘05 still has my attention but this was showing very well. — 3 years ago

Delectable Wine

Follow to learn about our favorite wines & people.

9.5

Dark, youthful purple. Powerful, smoke- and mineral-accented aromas of ripe dark berries, licorice, olive and a hint of incense on the deeply perfumed nose. Juicy and sharply delineated in the mouth, offering concentrated, spice-laced blackberry, bitter cherry and fruitcake flavors that take on a smoky aspect as the wine opens up. In an ample but lively style, finishing juicy and extremely long, with building tannins adding framework and youthful grip. (Josh Raynolds, Vinous, April 2020)
— 4 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

The nose reveals, black & bing sour cherries, blackberries, slightly baked strawberries, blueberries, some black raspberries, pomegranate extract and hint of plum, a fair amount of vanillin, soft limestone, whiffs of other baking spices, black tea, rich dark soils, faint crushed rocks, beautiful, fragrant, bright, blue, red and dark red florals.

The body is round & full. The tannins just starting to hit a good point of softening and rounding, yet have 10 plus years ahead. The structure, tension are hitting their stride. The length and balance are just getting to near perfect form. Two years ago, this wine was not ready and is now at the place I was hoping to get. I have two bottles left and I will have another in five years. Based on that performance, another in three to five plus years more. It’s the evolution that is so much fun to follow.

Black & bing sour cherries, blackberries show more on the palate and the pork pasta bring them out more deeply, slightly baked strawberries, blueberries, some black raspberries, pomegranate extract, cranberries and hint of plum, a fair amount of vanillin, soft limestone, nuances of volcanic minerals, soft baking spices, dark medium intensity of spice, black tea, rich dark soils, faint crushed rocks, beautiful, fragrant, bright, blue, red and dark red florals. The acidy is like a fresh water river. The long finish is unbelievably elegant, well balanced with a touch more fruit than earth, polished and persists seamlessly for several minutes.

I look forward to trying this wine again as it continues to evolve and improve over the next five to ten years...should be stunning! Well made Brunello’s simply take more than ten years in bottle to even begin to amaze.

Photos of, a wide hilltop shot of Casanuova, field hand harvesting their Sangiovese, large oak fermentation cask so there is less noticeable oak influence on the wine and their sloping vines on a sunny beautiful day.

@Oenotri Napa — 5 years ago

Tom Kobylarz

9.2

I have tasted many of the top wines made on the east coast, these guys while new have made a tremendous impact in such a short time period.

This bottle was better than the last, especially getting time to savor it over a few hours.

If you are in the DC area or traveling through head an hour west and check out @rdvvineyards in the Middleburg AVA of northern Virginia.

More Merlot in the blend here offers an earlier approachability for a superb wine that has a plush core of deep red fruits, plum, graphite, purple florals, cocao and toast. A refined structure that frames the plush and pleasing fruit component well, it then transitions well into a contrast of energetic and persistence on the elegant, but deeply finish. The mid palate on this is insane, so deep and pure!
#rdv #vawines #middleburg @vawine — 8 years ago

Delectable Wine

Follow to learn about our favorite wines & people.

9.5

Deep, lurid ruby. Powerful, smoke-accented aromas of black currant, cherry liqueur, vanilla and candied licorice; a suave floral nuance builds in the glass. Alluringly sweet and broad on the palate, offering deeply concentrated black and blue fruit, mocha and floral pastille flavors and a touch of spicecake. Shows excellent delineation and solid punch on an impressively long, dark berry-driven finish framed by slow-building, harmonious tannins. (Josh Raynolds, Vinous, February 2021)
— 3 years ago

Angelo Casagrande

9.0

Delicious fanatic- still had that candy quality, but this was a much more robust and deeply flavored gamay than most to use baseball analogy, this gamay wouldn’t bat first, it’s not light and fast. Maybe third? — 4 years ago

Hickoryburger

9.6

Deeply satisfying, closest thing to Coche I've had the pleasure to try — 5 years ago

Stephen Osgood

9.1

From own rooted vines planted in 1955.... — 6 years ago

Ron Siegel

9.5

Dark cherry, plum, licorice & dried herbs that is rich, full bodied, seductive, deeply layered in a velvety texture. — 6 years ago

Maggie Harrison

8.9

black fruits- dried - w/meaty, savory notes on the nose. rich, complex, deeply flavored. Funky in the best way possible. medium acid and tannin. native yeast. — 7 years ago

David Barker

9.5

Incredible. Minerals. Sweet red cherries, black currants, bit of mint and Flowers. Lots of energy. single vineyard Pinot. Deeply complex - like a top of line burgundy. — 7 years ago

with Eliot and Andrea

Mark Lindzy

9.5

Single parcel field blend of very old own-rooted vines, on volcanic rock overlooking the Atlantic. Bruised pear skin, smoky volcanic ash, briny, wild herbs. One of 600ish bottles produced. All I need now is a few dozen oysters and some uni nigiri! — 8 years ago

Iwan

9.3

Incredible wine. Deeply refined, yet rustic. Comforting and elevated. Classic Norhern Rhône Syrah notes of blue fruit, meatiness, olive, sage, not forward but restrained. Very enjoyable! — 4 years ago

Jan-Willem van der Hek

9.5

Super sensual and exciting Grenache. 140yrs old own rooted Grenache from sandy soils, from the Vine Vale Barossa Valley. Made like Rayas, so pure, clean, delicate but with a lovely old Vine Grenache punch! — 4 years ago

Deanna Urciuoli

9.6

In love with this red blend from the Columbia Valley! The juicy flavor is deeply satisfying and highly drinkable. And it’s soft, earthy aroma embraces you like a warm hug. — 5 years ago

Delectable Wine

Follow to learn about our favorite wines & people.

9.7

The 2014 Pluribus is stellar. Once again, I am deeply impressed with the Pluribus. Inky blue/purplish fruit, lavender, mint, plum and licorice infuse this super-expressive, resonant Spring Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon. Pluribus is the most improved Bond wine. This flight of 2014 makes that quite evident. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, March 2018)
— 6 years ago

Pooneet K

9.3

Awesome Riesling. Per other notes decanted for 1.5 hours and had on the warmer side of cellar temp which was a good decision. Deeply aromatic, loads of honeysuckle and white fruit, excellent acid and minerality. — 6 years ago

Andrew Holod

National Sales Grapes of Spain

9.1

So very 'Raul' for me. Deeply colored, still purple. Nose of dark cherries, savoury wood, bitter chocolate. On the palate this is firm, drying, quite long and what I would call nobly bitter. Not for everyone as the texture of this wine seems more important that the aromas. I believe this will repay time in the cellar. — 7 years ago

Steve Anderson

9.2

I love @Angela Osborne 's Grenache, but was a bit skeptical on this one. The story was intriguing, pre-prohibition own-rooted vines planted in sand..and growing in the shadow of Ontario Airport east of Los Angeles. Did I mention Cucamonga Valley? But I should have known that Angela wouldn't have picked it if it wasn't special. Greatly exceeded expectations. Color was lighter than some Rosès, but this was no lightweight. Fragrant nose, nice acidity, a bit of earth and stems, but strawberry and just a nice purity to it. Best at cellar temp. Easy quaffer and a joy to drink. — 8 years ago

Carlos Césarman

9.0

Super interesting flavored. Deeply profound fruits. Chery — 8 years ago