ESF

9.0

Loved this - another local craft beer that delivers tons of flavor without being over the top: generous coffee & toffee, chocolate & vanilla - I mean, this is liquid dessert but not cloyingly sweet. Can’t drink this all the time, but it’s a beautiful aromatic & delicious sipper from time to time. — 4 years ago

Brian Hearty

8.9

2016 printed on the wine shop label but I cannot find on the bottle label. Bruised apple and funk aromas carry through to the flavors. Minimal frizzante. I drink a lot of sour ales and craft cider and this fits right with them. The tartness and funk mellowed after a bit in the glass and I enjoyed it more than my wife and daughter. — 5 years ago

Jay Quarantello

9.2

This bottle of Chateau Cissac from the Haut Medoc region of Bordeaux is excellent. I think this is my first true dive into the Bordeaux appellation. This wine was highly recommended from the folks at Craft and Cru in Milton. This is a true well-balanced drink with a smoked cedar flavor, complimenting the richness of blueberry and plum flavors. This bottle of Bordeaux is rich and has a great finish that lingers well after each sip. — 5 years ago

Mike R

9.6

Welcome to the party - bam 💥- not a roller coaster at all but none the less an exciting brilliant craft oriented bottle of Napa Cabernet Sauvignon - omg so good - love the color - simply amazing/ the nose is beyond balance and intoxicating but so powerful/ the finish is every bit of a full minute - my favorite unCult Napa cab - drink or hold — 6 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.2

I never knew that Carlsberg was founded by the Jacobsen Family and there is a range of craft beers made under that label. This Weissbier was excellent and I would drink it more frequently if it was available in Australia. — 7 years ago

with Hugh

Bryce Wiatrak

8.9

A featherweight sparkling Assyrtiko made in the Champagne method. A fine mousse with a slight leesy character - it tastes of sea foam, almond dust and white rose petal. Clean, fresh and very easy to drink. 100% Assyrtiko, Santo is the first Santorini producer to craft a sparkling rendition of this grape variety. — 7 years ago

Mike R

9.6

Oh yeah - expectations were subdued even though I really like Kirk Venge (winemaker) and Justin Stephens who learned his craft from one of my favorite wineries DR Stephens

That said, this blew me away - like a spectator at gran prix race as race flies by at 200+ mph and you say wow

what is there not to like

Just beautiful deep purplish red color - rich deep with texture you tell is there but cannot really see - decanted for two hours but seriously great first sip - really tasty - made your entire mouth feel special - later the taste just got better and better - just taste and you say awe - full of supple bright cherries and blueberries which go from front to mid palate with tannins that just balance the fruit nicely - nice structure and balance - the finish was special and loooooong

Then let's not forget the smell - I really need to describe as best I can - notes of berries and dark cassis dance all in the glass with layers of complexities that my nose was smiling as well as my mouth - but make no mistake - there a big bold beautiful beast within this bottle

Drink now and for 10 plus years as it will get better - end of bottle smiles were noticeable and not hard to see - really think this is special and highly recommended — 8 years ago

Rob Brobst III

9.5

What a perfume... Martha McClellan and Wesley Steffens worked in tandem to craft this inaugural release. The fruit is sourced from two estate vineyards farmed on top of Spring Mountain, as well as the Beckstoffer Melrose Vineyard in Rutherford, CA. The resulting wine shows very focused yet fresh and vibrant aromatics, polished tannins with great tension, smooth texture throughout the wine ending with a very pleasing and lengthy finish. This wine will drink very well upon release, as well will continue to reward with aging in the cellar for many years to come. — 4 years ago

Riccardo L.

9.6

Fantastic beer. If I could only drink one more for the rest of my life it would be this. Craft beers these days are so hoppy, but this one has a really nicely balanced creaminess to it. Beautiful stuff. — 5 years ago

David Shaw

9.0

Katun, Batch No. 54. Distilled with molasses, barrel aged. Made in small lots at a micro distillery. Coco nutty, grassy and buttery nose. Strong, clean, no fake flavors. Spice in mouth, dry, but no added natural or artificial anything. I drink it neat in a snifter or added to my daily coffee. Yes, I’d rather be drinking wine or hard cider, but if I’m going to do craft distilled beverages, this is a quality choice. — 5 years ago

Peter Sultan

9.0

After listening to a @Levi Dalton on I’ll Drink To That, I was reminded that Portuguese wine still exists (outside of Port!) is crazily priced& this bottle by a woman vintner intrigued. 80% Touriga Nacional & multiple varieties including a “5% other”. The intrigue continued with a lovely spice & herbal nose, w some dark red fruit compote. Body is decidedly smooth, no hard edges, medium framed but robust, & with a lovely grip & dark red/black fruits. At 13$& change, a year in used French Oak & another 6 months in bottle, that’s a lot of wine & craft for your dollar. Didn’t find the oak monster intrusive at all, very integrated & subtle — 6 years ago

Bobby Gilbane

9.2

There’s this girl
Let’s call her Tanya
She’s got a heart of gold
She don’t cook like Buddy Holly
But she knows how to rock n roll
Confidence is frightening, struck by lightning
she'll never let her heart go cold
Gonna be a thunderstorm
She can feel it hours before
She sits down with a drink at the piano

Starts playing freaky
Freaky (freaky) freaky feedback blues (feedback blues)
Freaky (freaky) freaky freaky feedback blues (feedback blues)

“Freaky Feedback Blues” Benji Hughes — 7 years ago

Mark Seeber

9.1

I’m not sure there is a better option at this level. Ed clearly enjoys his craft and knows what he is doing. Fruity, spicy, serious and fun. Was a great pair with a simple wood grilled chicken, roasted sweet potatoes and a winter salad. Food friendly but don’t feel bad if you don’t have dinner planned as it is a pleasure to drink in its own. — 7 years ago

Adam Hoogeveen

9.3

Hall's ability to craft both deliciously tasting and priced wines is quite incredible, and this wine is a shining example. Enough body and complexity to sit in the bottle a while, but certainly a great drink right now. — 8 years ago

Matt Taylor

9.0

Andrew likes this wine. Slightly fruity. Easy to drink. — 4 years ago

Donald Patz

Owner/Winemaker Patz & Hall

9.8

Wine of the Year – 2020. What a year. Maybe it should be “Wine of the Apocalypse” 1976 MOUNT VEEDER WINERY “Niebaum-Coppola Vineyards” Napa Valley Cabernet Franc. Yes, I love old California wines and every wine I have declared “WOTY” has been from the 1970’s so far, but I believe it’s time to leave the 1970’s behind and move on so 2020 – we go with an obscure variety especially in 1976, Cabernet Franc. I’ve had this wine three times with the last one being this week. Mount Veeder wines from the 1970’s and early 1980’s still sport what may be my favorite label design ever. The David Lance Goines’ label (he also did Ravenswood) just rocks. Oh yeah, the wine...
From a low neck/high shoulder bottle with an intact cork the wine poured out with a delicate aroma of dried roses, light pipe tobacco, and even a hint of cherries. The texture was edgy and tart but nothing to panic about – just a bit of oxidation which would have been surprising if it was absent from a 44 year old wine! I sat with friend Jodi @jojosommface for a couple of hours at lunch and watched as this wine slowly unwound and displayed its full panoply of exotic flavors. At about opening +2 hours it was really stroking – now the aromas had morphed into anise, blackberry, that smell from first grade when you cleaned the pencil sharpener – sort of, cedar and graphite but more complex, some fig and date notes lingering. It was extraordinary in every way and a delight to drink and share.
The 1976 was the third vintage released by the winery started by Michael and Arlene Bernstein and I have no idea how many cases of the Cabernet Franc were made. There was also a Cabernet Sauvignon (I’ve also had), probably a Chardonnay. I’d never seen this wine until it started coming up on wine auctions about ten years ago. I miss wines like this and certainly in my own way craft the Secret Door wines to perform like this over time.
I hope that you and your family get to enjoy wonderful wines together this Holiday Season. If you share one of my wines please feel free to post with your comments! — 5 years ago

David Shaw

9.1

32/23/23/22 blend of Vermentino, Marsanne, Rousanne and Grenache Blanc. Pale white, excellent clarity. Floral and stone fruit notes in nose. Lemon, lime, tangerine pith and stone fruit flavors, lime and mineral in finish, almost dry, robust level of acidity with a variety of acids - tartaric, citric, malic. Slight carbonation in the mouth - tactile-wise, not visually. Good food wine but Vermentino character makes it suitable as an aperitif. Grenache Blanc gives it a moderate skin astringency on finish along with an herbal (dill) and slight white pepper aftertaste. Overnight, a ripe black plum skin flavor emerges in the finish, accompanied by a tart, slightly chalky flavor, maybe from lees contact. Complex flavor profile; the varietal blend and proportions largely work here. Fun wine but still easy to drink despite the apparent complexity of its components. Creative but successful wine craft overall. — 6 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.6

The 35 acre Eisele Vineyard has an interesting history, named after its original owners. Originally planted in the 19th Century, the Vineyard became recognised as a special terroir when Ridge and then Joseph Phelps purchased grapes to craft rich complex wines. In 1990 Bart and Daphne Araujo purchased the Vineyard located southeast of Calistoga st the foot of the Palisades Mountains. The wine is 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Cabernet Franc aged in 100% new French Oak barrels for 22 months. The wine is very dark crimson - amazing for its age. Aromas of Cassis Blackberry with touch of mint which became more apparent with time in Decanter. On the palate Rich profound and concentrated but held in balance finishing with silky supple Tannins. The oak has melded seamlessly. I see from the label they have used Bordeaux based Oenologist Michel Rolland who consults to wineries around the world. Not unlike Quilceda Creek in my limited USA experience. A joy to drink with 5 to 8 more years of great drinking left in it. — 7 years ago

Sherwin Taghdiri

8.9

Fragrance of dark cherry/berry. Very smooth on the palate with more cherry/berry/strawberry and vanilla flavors with a hint of spice. Very easy to drink! — 8 years ago

with Anne

Ashlee Howarth

9.1

Light-bodied, apple and caramel flavours. I could definitely drink this all night. — 9 years ago