Carter White

9.4

Juicy res fruit with bits of roasted spice and herbs, electric ⚡️ — 6 months ago

Ming L

9.3

My first Falanghina and I absolutely adore this bottle.

Aromatic nose of peach, pineapple, start fruits, fresh herbs, and orange blossom. Elegant medium body with lovely round acidity and smooth texture. The palate is clean, fresh with mineral undertone yet has the feel of richness. Very impressive.

Via del Campo is planted entirely with Falanghina. Fermentation in 70/30 stainless steel/new French oak barrel. — 3 years ago

Shengli Hu

9.0

Butter, yellow delicious apple, stone fruits, fresh mango, pineapple, sweet baking spices, med+ acidity, lovely long finish. 42 year old vines, 415-810 elevation, 92% Hanzell clone, 94% St George, 27% new barrel, 73% stainless steel fermentation. Full malo. 18 months’ aging. — 4 years ago

Kyra Williams

9.8

Rich bc it’s aged in oak; smells like fruity perfume (to me it smelled like gummy bears); no malo fermentation; easy to drink; LOVE THIS; dosage 8 but not sweet at all. Perfectly balanced.
Cru grower champagne class. — 5 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Just tried another ‘18. Cakebread wine offerings are among my Favs, Chard is no exception, consistent quality year/year. 95% of grapes sourced from Carneros, ‘18 saw 8 months on 1/3 new oak with about 20% of wine going through malolactic fermentation. Aromas of stone fruits, slight & honey scents. On palate complex flavors of apple, peach & lemon zest, balanced with good acidity & great mouthfeel. Long finish ending with fruit, wet stone and toasty character. Very nice, aging well. — 5 years ago

P A

9.4

The label says that this Okanagan red blend is “..,Complex, rich, elegant and balanced..,”. I say with its intoxicating aromas, tastes of black berry, currants, smooth full bodied mouth feel and intriguing hints of spice this wine is simply “Damn Good” Cheers 🍷🇨🇦🇨🇦 — 6 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.4

Pale Lemon in colour. A little leaner than the lush Woodlands Chloe we had on the weekend from Margaret River. This was more citrus fruits and citric acid with judicious use of French Oak. More Chablis than Meursault. Technical Details: Grapes are all hand picked, whole bunch pressed, and fermented in French Oak Barriques of which one third were new. The wine spent 8 months in barrel with gentle stirring as required, then a further 2 months in tank on lees prior to bottling. Minimal malolactic fermentation. A good cellaring future well into the mid 2020s. — 7 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

After pressing dried grapes from making Amarone, Valpolicella wine is passed over the still warm skins of Amarone for 2nd alcoholic fermentation, increasing the alcoholic content, aromas and color. Blend of 85% Corvina, 10% Rondinella, 5% Oseleta. Deep Ruby with aromas of sweet dried berry fruits and pepper spice. On the palate ripe blackberry, currants and sweet cherry with complex spice. Well balanced with acidity and alcohol, full-body with soft tannins on long finish. Nice value. — 7 months ago

Carter White

9.4

See earlier review. — 4 years ago

Jack Hasten

9.0

Nice with Sushi — 4 years ago

John Bratincevic

9.0

Nice dark color. Nose: earthy (earthworm!), something distinctly plant like or vegetal, almost a little seaweed (?), chlorine (???!?), soft cheese / ammonia - herbs - light/bright wood - a little currant. Taste: good! Good mouthfeel, nice drying tannins, dark skinned berries, herbs, all comes together in a nice weighty way. 90! Great deal for $11 on sale, $10 after discount! Definitely need to buy more. EDIT: wife strongly dislikes it, she says it tastes and smells “like a cheap hotel pool.” I know what flavor(s) she is talking about (the chlorine/earth/soft cheese element), but it worked for me. YMMV. — 4 years ago

Matt Sterr

9.0

Dense and chewy. Good heft, especially w/no oak save old founder. Whole cluster fermentation. Dark blue and black fruit, garrigue. — 5 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

A solid Chard! Only 15 acres planted with grapes grown in Rutherford (warmer with rich ripe fruit) & Oak Knoll (cooler with fresh acidity in grapes). Pale lemon, with fresh & crisp citrus & stone fruit aromas, no malolactic fermentation. Palate shows peach, apple & Asian pear flavors, with lemony & toasty notes, lively acidity & balance with touch of vanilla oak (9 months of French oak aging (25% new & 1-year old, remainder neutral oak). Long finish ending with fruit, spice & biscuit notes. Very Nice Value! — 6 years ago

Rebecca Solow

9.3

The most striking thing about this wine was the very creamy, buttery brioche flavors, along with lemon and pear. Apparently achieved through natural malolactic fermentation, along with extended lees contact. No oak (yay!). Well balanced with nice crisp acidity. Age maybe accounts for the lovely gold hints in the color? All around delish! — 7 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.4

I haven’t had a lot of experience with Napa Valley Chardonnay but this was most enjoyable. Rich and mouth filling, creamy. Stone fruit and almonds. Barb said white flowers on the nose. Apparently this was picked early and malolactic fermentation was blocked. Oak influence is totally integrated - balanced. I paid $147 AUD in Brisbane in September 2021. A lot dearer than what you might pay in the States I would guess. — 2 years ago

Vanessa

9.0

Robert Sinskey Vineyards
Abraxas Vin de Terroir Scintilla Sonoma Vineyard Los Carneros 2017

Certified organic, whole cluster pressed, neutral fermentation vessels to preserve the primary aromas and flavors of the Riesling, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Gewürztraminer.

Medium lemon hue, medium(+) aromas of lemon peel, lime, crisp pear, white peach, citrus blossom, honeysuckle, lemongrass, ginger, and crushed stone. — 4 years ago

with Deked1

Carolyn Jane

9.8

Delicious. Complex but smooth. Medium tannin. — 5 years ago

John Howard

Harvest production at Hirsch and Cobb Wineries

9.8

Truly near perfect. I remember watching this fermentation and doing punch downs and pump overs on it on this vintage. It smelled amazing the whole time and still smells incredible. Lots of secondary notes. Absolutely blew our minds last night. — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Follow up to the Clos Fourtet and to close out the Allen Brothers Ribcap.

The nose reveals, dark, ripe & slightly stewed fruits of; blackberries strawberries, black raspberries, black cherries, dry cranberries & blueberries. Steeped fruit tea, anise to black licorice, dark, fruit liqueur, dry crushed rocks, dry herbs, dry twigs, cinnamon, light nutmeg, clove and vanilla, leather, cedar, graphite, dry tobacco to cigar ash, dark spice, sweet tarriness, eucalyptus with candied mixed in with withering, dark florals & red, blue, purple flowers that are set in lavender.

The palate is, rich, ruby and round. The mouthfeel is glorious. This is a perfect window for a first bottle of the 08 Dunn Howell Mountain. The dusty tannins are round and about 50% resolved. This 04 has another 15-20 years of good drinking ahead of it...properly stored of course. Dark, ripe & slightly stewed fruits of; blackberries strawberries, black raspberries, black cherries, dry cranberries & blueberries. Steeped fruit tea, anise to black licorice, dark, fruit liqueur, dry crushed rocks, slightly, moist clay, dry herbs-sage, dry twigs, cinnamon, light nutmeg, clove and vanilla, lots of dark melted chocolate, mocha powder, leather, cedar, graphite, dry tobacco to cigar ash, dark spice, sweet tarriness, dry, dark earth, limestone minerals, slightly, moist clay, volcanics, eucalyptus with florals that are candied mixed in with withering. They are dark, red, purple, blue & violets that are set in lavender. The acidity is round and near perfection...Colorado rushing river like. The long, well knitted, balanced, elegant finish lasts minutes.

Just misses 95. It will be there in another 5-7 years and could stretch to 96 at its peak.

The advantage Howell Mountain has is it sits above the fog line (more sunlight hours) and benefits from cool nights giving it slightly longer vine fruit ripening & better acidity.

Photos of; the legend, Owner-Winemaker Randy Dunn, an aerial view of his Howell Mountain Vineyard, barrel room and landing pad to process fruit for fermentation. — 6 years ago

with Christina and James

Jose Otero

9.2

Smooth and silky. Buenísima. — 8 years ago