Cameron Etezadi

9.2

Again another super vintage of this wine. Refreshing crisp melon notes and slight mineral aftertones. — 5 years ago

David Shaw

8.9

Label says Homestead Cider, Dry, 8% ABV, produced and bottled in Port Townsend WA, but “crafted from heirloom apples grown in homestead orchards in Washington’s Olympic Peninsula”. Pale yellow with green tinge, hazy clarity with pinpoint bubbles. Slight head after pour, ring of foam and bubbles persists on edge of glass. Funk and complex apple profile in nose. Rich dry complex flavors, difficult to pull apart but my initial reaction was “Wow”. Style is consistent with a farmhouse or craft style production, but very well done. Good stuff, rich, fruity and at times it does taste like applesauce (Gravensteins?), with an interesting combination of acidity, flavors and aromas, but definitely dry. It does seems pricey given the simple package and label, and the bottle is elegant with a resealable closure so it’s also reusable but yes, there is really great cider inside. Worth seeking out, and worth every penny spent. — 7 years ago

Michael Seely

9.4

Enjoy the cool yrs, this 2011 is well structured — 7 years ago

with Joe

Roman Sukley

9.5

2013 Cayuse "God Only Knows" Grenache. James Brown would have loved this wine because it has more funk than his 1967 hit, "Cold Sweat." I wish I could add it as background music to this post. A huge masculine profile wine, this Grenache really stands alone. Difficult to think of a comparison. Maybe Châteauneuf du Pape on steroids? Framboise, sage, lavender and some black olives intertwined on the nose just below that funk. On the palate, Unami and shiitake mushrooms olive tapenade and roasted game with some pomegranate and boysenberry jam mixed in. When I read that, it doesn't sound very enticing, but believe me, its spectacular. Flirts with perfection structurally. Tremendously rich. Beautifully long finish. Maybe not up to the 12, just different. Love all things Christophe Baron. — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Williams Selyem is one of the most consistent producers of Pinot in Sonoma. They must be farmers at heart because the fruit they grow is always generally very good to excellent. The raspberry flavors in their Pinots always stand out to me when I have them. Not that I'm a points person by any stretch of the imagination, but I've always felt like their wines are under scored by critics. Maybe, because they only score them young and for the most part don't revisit them much later as when I enjoy them. That said, this Russian River is drinking beautifully tonight. Certainly, one of the better 02 Pinots I've had and 02 was a very good year for Pinots generally speaking. The fruits in this 02 are singing after 12years in the bottle. Dark cherries, black raspberries, raspberries, dark cherries, strawberry preserves, dry cranberries, concentrated pomegranate juice, pronounced spices, sprinkle of light herbs, nutmeg, vanilla, cinnamon, dark fresh & dry florals, gritty chalkiness, grey volcanic minerals & dry stems. The structure is still very sound as is the tension, length and balance. Acidity is near perfect and the round, lush, polished finish doesn't end. — 9 years ago

Scotti Wilson

8.9

A nice dry red — 10 years ago

romo

9.0

A touch of VA but sound. Bright. — 10 years ago

with Matthew and Max

Jeremy Giesbrecht

9.5

Um yeah... #BOOM status granted for this at the #yulwinethrowdown . 81 not the best of vintages and wines are reportedly past peak but this first growth was not. Very interesting flavour profile, certainly secondary characteristics but structurally still pretty sound. I was glad to find it still alive and in my opinion had many more years left before the big decline. Awesome privilege to have tasted. — 11 years ago

Craiggy Weggs

9.1

Soft. Not sharp. Not too sweet. — 11 years ago

Jay Kline

9.4

Recent reviews by some on CT had me curious about how these were evolving so I had to check in myself and personally assess, you know, for science. Popped and poured; consumed over three days. The first day was OTT with red fruit and spices...but mostly the fruit. The spices, really sort of a one-note black pepper bomb, pricking the tongue, perhaps giving a glimpse of something more interesting if patience was exercised. Super clean with no signs of brett. I was almost taken aback because this was coming across rather ham fisted and definitely an outlier for Pegaü. I say almost. Two days later, I revisited the remaining half of the bottle and that’s when things really started to show off. Chewy red and black fruits were still very much in abundance but they were now more delineated and showing somewhat grainy tannins which seems much more pronounced now than they were on the first night. Think the texture of eating a mouthful of brambles. The spices that were teasing on the first night were stepping up to play a more pronounced role taking on more of a black licorice character with some lovely garrigue. Sound structure...though perhaps not as impressive as the 2016 Cuvée Réservée. Long, lip smacking finish though...and really delivering the goods! Based off this experience, I would imagine the best is yet to come for the 2015 Pegaü. If you’re drinking on the pop and pour, prepare for disappointment. These could use some time. I look forward to revisiting in 2025 and beyond. — 6 years ago

Sean Wallner - WSET II

9.0

Delicious! Actually has a lot of similarity to Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Blanc. I’m not an expert, yet... but if I blind tasted this I would have guessed a New Zealand Sauv Blanc. Notes of Grapefruit, Lemon, Lime, Mandarin Orange, Green Apple, Lychee, Pear, Nectarine with hints of Slate and some Salinity. Low alcohol at 11% and good acidity with a medium finish. — 7 years ago

Kathleen Masters

9.4

Like it a lot — 8 years ago

Isaac Pirolo

9.0

The Caymus of the Central Coast. Inky with massively extracted red and black fruit, and in a mode not unlike pie filling. Not to be denied, it's loaded with vanilla, baking spice, fig, and a few drops of root beer extract. The aura of charcoal and new leather weave throughout, all with an edge of tilled earth. Translating this from taste and smell to sight and sound, this is walking into a brand new casino. — 8 years ago

Brandon Jamieson

Tasting room Lead/Wine Educator/Sommelier at The Winemakers Studio at Wente Vineyards

9.1

Aromas of leather and dried dark fruit. Structurally sound after 17 years👍 — 9 years ago

Chris Anton

9.3

You almost need a sixties sound track when sipping. Nice, earthy smell and taste, like Woodstock. — 10 years ago

Crazy Tanya

9.2

Love this one! — 10 years ago

Dave Kluz

9.2

Dusky cherry and red berries. Forest floor, cedar, leather and macerated berries. Great length and richness. — 10 years ago

Evan Roberts

9.0

Yep another one, apparently a cellar full of working for wine is up for drinking. The 2002, What can I say this split, was sound and solid. Great balance and elegance. Might have to open up a full bottle next time. Thanks Jim! — 11 years ago

Chris DeBarr

9.0

Really pretty, almost honeyed, aromatic pure quince cider from San Juan Islands. Would be great w pork or curries. Think Gewürz or Albariño as wine cognates... — 11 years ago

CS

Sales Amy Atwood Imports

9.3

Bear claw (Aran's call!) in a glass with fried little fishes. What does that mean?? It smells like sweet bread with cake frosting and almonds with notes of briny fried fish skin. That may not sound good to some, but it's fucking worthy bubbly made from Prie Blanc. — 12 years ago

with Aran and John

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Joseph Phelps Party and the 83 Insignia from magnum.

The nose reveals; floral liqueur notes, more mid red fruits; strawberries, cherries & dark cherries. Blackberries, black raspberries, rhubarb, soft, volcanic minerals, limestone, steeped fruit tea, cedar, old leather & tobacco, dry crushed rocks, dark spices, dry herbal notes, eucalyptus, dry stems with dry & withering dark, red florals.

The body is medium full with a fair amount of tannins in a wine with this age. The structure, tension, length and balance are still quite sound with harmony. Floral liqueur notes, more mid red fruits, strawberries, cherries & dark cherries. Blackberries, black raspberries, rhubarb, soft, volcanic minerals, limestone, steeped fruit tea, dark spice with some heat, cedar, old leather & tobacco, cedar, dry crushed rocks, dark spices, dry herbal notes, eucalyptus, dry stems with some funkiness. withering dark, red florals. The acidity is nice. The long finish still show ripeness, good balance but, has leaned and shows nice persistence. — 6 years ago

Ely Cohn

9.4

Ovum makes “quiet wines of place.” This is a wine that really sang for me and reminded me just how much I find inspiration from aromatic white wines. It’s old world and new world. It’s expressive but not heavy. It’s supremely unpretentious. Perfumed lychee and wasps of smokey tangerine. Full bodied. Neither oily nor fat. — 7 years ago

Drew Miller

9.4

So solid. A little dry and a little mineral. Some interesting slight sweet flavor. Damn. Drank like water. — 7 years ago

TJ Maxwell

9.4

The cork appeared slightly dried out, but bottle was sound. Dusty and delicate aromas of dried rose petals and cedar. The tannins have softened and the black cherry, cracked pepper, gravel flavors give a very classic flavor profile. The alcohol seemed touch on “hot” side (13%). Good bottle, in good drinking spot — 8 years ago

Beau Carufel

Winemaker/Owner Random Wine Company

9.0

I suspect this wine had the best night of it's life. Excellent balance and structurally sound. Well integrated tannins mixed with black fruit and only a touch of oak. — 9 years ago

Stuart Robinson

9.1

Smokey, dusky, smouldering red fruit

Light, lithe, possesses volcanicity - that sense of a wine that is airy like a pumice stone; Fine texture, it opens up to reveal a loose and fine structure.  — 9 years ago

M

8.9

20060302 Cru w25062w to w24462w
Drank 20170101
Pair with Vietnamese pork, butter lettuce, Spain 5j ham cubes, truffle cheese, black olive, beef ri.

Nose: from little to rich plum and licorice
Taste: from little to rich plum and licorice, dark plum, yummy. Licorice comes out in an hour and accompanies well.
Color: dark
Good after 1 hour, finally finish in 2 hours, good

The 2007 Zippy's Block Shiraz is a sound effort indeed and displays the characteristics of a premium Barossa Valley red. Two Hands Wines have created a single vineyard series, of which Zippy's Block Shiraz is a major player, and this particular vintage, although tough, still resulted in a top notch wine.
EXPERT REVIEWS

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - 93 pts - The 2007 Shiraz Zippy's Block from Roennfeldt Road in the Marananga sub region of Barossa Valley, is a brooding, burly wine with a splendid nose of plum, tar, licorice, smoke, game, and blueberry. On the palate it is surprisingly restrained, bordering on elegant. Savory, ripe, and medium-long, it will be approachable in 1-2 years and drink well for a decade thereafter. - Dec 2009

James Halliday's Wine Companion - 92 pts - More life here, with some red fruit providing lift to the concentrated fruitcake and chocolate beneath; the oak and fruit work in tandem and provide a rich, but not overwhelming level of interest on the finish; chewy with some nerve to conclude. Date tasted 26 Feb 2009, drink by 2020.

Wine Spectator - 91 pts - This spicy red is distinctive for its star anise and cigar box overtones around a plump, chewy core of blackberry, plum and dried blueberry flavors, persisting through a solid frame of fine tannins. Best from 2011 through 2019. 750 cases made. -HS, Oct 2009 — 10 years ago

Belinda Heard

9.8

Taste semi dry, hints of minerals, grass and citrus fruit. Love it. — 10 years ago

Christanna Honer

9.0

My jam. Varietally sound with a little more depth of fruit. — 11 years ago

Max Kogod

Owner Kogod Wine Merchant

9.0

More sound than last bottle. A violet-bomb if there ever was one. — 11 years ago