Brett Vanderbrook

9.3

Back in May of 2014 Serge and Gaston Hochar came to New York City and led a tasting at my local wine store. I wasn’t familiar with their winery or family at the time, but I understood it was a big deal. At this tasting we got to try both red and white wines dating back to the 1970s. Serge was enigmatic and passionate, and it was one of the most unique wine experiences I’ve ever had. My girlfriend and I splurged and paid (at the time) the most we had ever spent on a bottle of wine for the 1999 flagship red. We had really liked the 1994, but it was beyond our price point, and we figured if we held onto the ‘99 for a few more years it might start to take on characteristics of the ‘94.

Tonight, almost 6 years later, while in week 3 of quarantine here in Brooklyn we decided it was time to get dressed up, make a fancy dinner and open that bottle. So we pan seared some duck breasts, oven roasted some asparagus, and made a celery root and potato purée.

In my brief experience with Serge, I learned he wasn’t much for tasting notes. He didn’t care to hear what the wine smelled or tasted like but more about the esoteric way it made you *feel.* So in honor of the late, great Serge Hochar I won’t tell you that the wine poured a translucent brick red or that its nose was an intoxicating perfume of red fruit, spices, leather, and barnyard. That it was still vibrant and bright on the palate with cherry and baking spice, and without even a whisper of tannins. Instead I’ll just tell you it made me feel not cooped up for a few hours. That I was actually sitting down in a restaurant and enjoying a meal and conversation with my partner, and not locked down for the foreseeable future. It made us feel normal again, at least for one meal. — 5 years ago

with Raina

Trent Fletcher

9.2

Over a 3.5 hour period on May 29, my wife and I (along with three kids in tow) had the pleasure of sitting down with Will Segui of Rivers-Marie and winemaker of his personal label William & Mary at the Mending Wall facilities in St. Helena to taste through seven wines from bottle. Will also graciously provided tastings of his 2016 and 2017 William & Mary varietals from barrel.

Deep, dark purple in color; nose is definitely Pinot, but one of darker and richer fruit; palate exhibits a dark fruit, with mostly blue but even some black fruits (maybe that's actually more cola); rich and intense, but not overly sweet or candied like some Cali Pinots (that I don't much care for); floral undertones; good representation of the vineyard; long finish; structured for aging; delicious — 7 years ago

Kyle Harvey

9.4

For me, and at this price point (may be a different story in the states) this is simply Etna at is best - you would never know it’s a natural wine because it’s not an emphasis or an excuse from the wine maker. Old vines of Alicante and Mascalese handled with care and love. Simply said this is drinking lapilli 🌋🍷#volcanicfunk @Delectable Wine this is SRC not SRV — 7 years ago

Chad Culley

9.2

Bomb Bomb Bomb Bomb Bomb! Franc, but graphite smokey edge that may be Barrel char, but I don't care. It's delicious — 8 years ago

Jeff Mastin

9.0

Great free run wine with mild tannins especially for a 2014 that blends well with the acidity and cherry fruit - traditional cab drinkers looking for that tannin grip may not care for this but this a style that I really like — 9 years ago

markus gould

9.0

smooth as smooth can, a luscious vintage with excellent drinkability presenting blackberry and herbs (including eucalyptus and mint) at first, followed by leather, underwood and dark red fruits, fading out with hints of smoke and broken pencil in a really, really appropriate lenght...

a problem of the 2000 vintage is the MASSIVE and fine-grained deposit - you may decant it in two steps and take extra care, otherwise be disappointed by a dusty, sandy mouthfeel and edged green pepper impact.

for the knights of grape varietys: the péby's a 100% merlot. — 10 years ago

Justin Hansohn

8.9

One may get the idea that these grapes have the potential at any moment in time in the winemaker's hands to come out as a monstrous beast. I come from the area this was grown in and for the most part contra costa is no great wine growing region and especially not near the delta. It's easy to see the meticulous care and winemaking being expressed here in perfect balance. I can't say this wine is too interesting or blooming with nuance but I can say bravo for setting a benchmark and showing that a hot desert environment with old vines and a lot of consciousness can make something drinkable in the daytime. 🙏 these ancient vines are getting taken care of and let's be honest, the people at bedrock are turning trash into treasure by doing this service. — 10 years ago

Justin Hart

9.5

Wow! This pinot is amazing!! It can easily go 3-6 more years, if you care to age it. The oak profile is perfect, vanilla notes subtle and supportive of the cranberry and red currant of the wine. I will say that if you prefer Sonoma Pinot this may not be your bag, but I find the subtle flavor notes intoxicating. Yum! — 5 years ago

with Cherish and Jen

Martin G Rivard

9.7

Absolutely, mind blowing good. This is THE gem that we discovered during the William Cole tasting. It Instantaneously grabbed all of our attention. It was that good. All of our necks snapped up quickly as we said unanimously “what’s the name of this gorgeous beast!”
It was by far Christine’s favorite & my favorite. I immediately asked if it was for sale since this is a new release from February and may have been sold out already. Limited supplies were available and I picked up a case. I’ll put this up against any Howell cab out there right now. this stuff is 150% legit greatness! It blew all of us away at the tasting. Thank you so much Emily for the corking this beauty for us to try! I know it was a special treat in we were extremely grateful for your generosity. @David L @Mike R @Ron R @Shawn R @Carl Fischer @Bill Bender @Eric LaMasters @Kirk Alexander @Howard Greenfield
No bullshit guys. You’ve got to look this up. This is a glorious example of phenomenal Howell Mountain fruit. Deep, dark brooding blue fruit which is what i adore!!! Front, mid and back palate are all in play and a finish which the energizer bunny would be proud of!!! 🙌👏👏👏🙌 Call Emily and she’ll take great care of you.@Emily Davies — 7 years ago

with Emily, Christine and 1 other

Marla Frederick

9.1

I really love this -- truly unique. A Von Stiehl sparkling viognier and chenin blanc blend from Algoma, WI. Ripe peach, doughy bread, some minerals and some brine. A perfect Summer to Fall transition wine, a hybrid of seasons, a reason to rejoice the changing weather. I regret that I only bought one bottle, and that they don't ship to my state. This would be a perfect sparkling for the days I want to reminisce about Wisconsin and its devil-may-care levity. — 8 years ago

Randy Fuller

9.1

The blend of grape varieties sorts out this way: 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Petit Verdot, 22% Tannat, 9% Syrah, 7% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petite Sirah.
Bonny Doon wines always carry a note of sophisticated savoriness, unlike any Brand X you may care to compare. This blend adds a violet sense to the nose, possibly as a result of the healthy drop of Petit Verdot. Blackberry and leather aromas also decorate the scene. On the palate, it shows a Pinotesque restraint and even a little tartness reminiscent of Pinot Noir. Savory cuts a wide swath through the abundant dark fruit, with black olives, dried tomatoes and smoked meat making appearances. The finish is rather long and the savory stuff stays longest. — 8 years ago

Keith Levenberg

9.4

Really enjoyed this. The last Eminence Road pinot I had (2012 Elizabeth) was excellent too, and yet I can't seem to get a good bottle of cabernet franc from them. Weird. Anyway, this was a very different profile than the Elizabeth, very polished and not at all rustic. The hue in the glass is a very pale rusty red, barely deeper than a poulsard, but again there is absolutely none of the raspiness or funk I've gotten from some of the other wines here. There is a slight buzz of CO2, but very slight and a decant and swirl takes care of most of it. The fruit is past the primary, but still has plenty of sheen and gloss and conveys an essence of fresh wild berry flavors in a presentation that's less about the flesh of the fruit and more about the perfume, with sort of a mulled baking spice succulence. This may come from a cool climate but it has plenty of warmth. It's a truly unique expression of pinot noir that doesn't have an analogue to any other region I can think of. This is the point where I am expected to add a disclaimer of the sort that it is "not for everyone," but I honestly can't think of a single reason why. It isn't rustic, it isn't green, it is just a smooth and super-satisfying comfort wine of a pinot. — 9 years ago

Mitchell Mulder

8.9

This is a hard one to place, first of all it is NOT A TRUE IPA, there is a lot going on in this brew that you may like or dislike. It is bitter sweet, fruit is overwhelmed by its spices, clove and nutmeg, so I have to say it really takes time to work out if this something you like, I have had a few, and find it better each time, first time did not really care for it. Different and hard to put it some sort of class, but worth trying and enjoying something unique — 11 years ago

Pooneet K

8.9

Not sure I’d had this grape before trying it in a tasting, quite a nice crisp Italian white. Lemon herbs on the nose. Medium minus body with a lot of acid on the finish, in a way that I love but some may not care for. — 5 years ago

Chris England

9.3

😇 I looked up to the sky & the Purple Angel came down upon me filling my glass with light blocking purple ruby rain that oozed aromas of black & blue berries w/ thick chocolate, vanilla, dates, heavenly minerals & smokey oak - “drink this godly juice” she said in a booming voice🍷

I dared embrace the heavenly nectar & succumbed to a full on palate explosion of ripe dark concentrated blackcurrant/berry bathed in raspberry cocoa and minerals💥

My mouth was left open in awe as my purple stained teeth yielded to the long silky fruit loaded intense finish & I myself turned into a naughty purple devil - spank me angel, spank me 😈

🎵 “And through it all she offers me protection l, A lot of love and affection” you’re gonna be singing this all day now 🤣 “And down the waterfall wherever it may take me .. “

📍 Montes Purple Angel 2013

🏵 93 points

🍇 92% Carmenere & 8% Petit Verdot

💥 14.5% ABV

✅ For £32 this is a cracking wine 😍 some may say even Angelic 😁
— 6 years ago

James Forsyth

9.4

Our next bottle during our delicious dinner at Scampi is a 2004 Carignane from Santadi in Sardinia, which is utterly appropriate given we are in a Southern Italian restaurant. Santadi is a cooperative that has many of the best vineyard sites in Sardinia and takes meticulous care to make the best wines from those sites. Produttori del Barbaresco in Piedmont and CVNE in Rioja are two such peers in this regard, such is my understanding, which may be limited.

The Carignane del Sulcis Superiore Terre Brune from 2004 was a wonder with the cuisine. The wine is at once powerful with plums and cherries, and graceful with a lovely silky texture. This is reference point Sardinian quality. I'd like to try more. — 7 years ago

with Cara

Kyle Groombridge

9.0

Man, I'm convinced that Spier doesn't make bad wine - at least not under the vintage collection. While the Pinotage has long been a favorite sub-$20 bottle of mine, I've never tried the Shiraz.. but I must say, I am pleasantly surprised.

Definite tobacco, cedar, and charcoal on the nose. Lovely red fruit, vanillin, textured mouthfeel, with loads of pepper and spice on the finish. I usually don't care for Shiraz, but this one is more restrained than Aussie Shiraz, which may be why I like it so much. Balanced, finesseful, but with enough density and character to turn a few heads. Very nice effort. — 8 years ago

Ceccherini Cristiano

9.7

Had it May 2009, it was a farewell night for someone✌️, lots of wines, they got all swept away by this one. Super elegant, powerful, fresh, queffable at the same time. Not super complex, but not disappointing. Bottle found in a shop without super care, I thought it was cooked😂 — 9 years ago

R. Addison Wehrfritz

8.9

When compared side by side with Liparita's less expensive Rutherford Cab release, V Block can be likened to a parent's favorite offspring. Although both wines may share similar genetic material and upbringing, V Block has gained more dimension and self confidence through increased care and attention from infancy. #ridiculous :p — 10 years ago

Karla Alfred

9.0

I don't care what my father-in-law says about Bogle, this Zinfandel stands up. Strong and jammy, with raspberry notes and just a hint of oak, it went well with our beef stew dinner, both while cooking and eating. I may have started early when my husband told me he was running late and my kids were dancing on my last nerve. — 10 years ago

with Daniel