Isaac Pirolo

9.6

Proof that, indeed, there is truth in wine.

While Heidi Barrett makes her only Chardonnay and Spring Mountain Cabernet for Fantesca, my understanding is she will not make Pinot Noir. That responsibility falls on Fantesca’s Associate Winemaker Tony Arcudi, who also makes wine under his eponymous label in addition to consulting for Kapcsandy.

Fantesca’s 2014 King Richard’s Reserve is sourced from a selection of prime vineyards in Russian River Valley including Bacigalupi, Ulises Valdez, and Martinelli. Reminiscent of my experiences with Williams Selyem Pinot Noir. A rich, yet beautiful expression of Pinot Noir that juxtaposes lush raspberry and black cherry against a backdrop of herbs, flowers, and forest floor. The balance between opulence and restraint is where the beauty lies. — 5 years ago

Isaac Pirolo

9.6

Friday night vibes... The Hossfeld’s aptly named Coliseum Vineyard was planted by the late Henry Hossfeld during the 1980s. The rock is so solid at this terraced vineyard that he literally had to frack the vine holes with dynamite. Late last year, the Hossfeld’s suffered significant damage from the Atlas Fire, including their homes and 15 of the 20 acres under vine, not to mention most of their 2017 crop. I knew this bottle would be special, but had no idea of the impact of the fires on this family.
Mark Carter founded his eponymous label in 1998 with the help of Nils Venge. Mike Smith would later become winemaker after Thomas Rivers Brown introduced him to Carter. Carter’s 2015 Hossfeld Coliseum is a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and easily rivals Duckhorn’s 2014 Three Palms. Decadent black fruit leads the way, but it’s loaded with dates, fig, clove, spice cake, baking spice, and just the right edge of underbrush. This is best described as a gravy train of hedonism. — 6 years ago

Andrew Schirmer

9.4

Scintillating purity. Tannins and acid in harmony. Gently perfumed of earth and eucalyptus. On the palate--black cherry, wild berry, slate, singing acidity and tannic finish. A multifaceted wine, quenching at one glance, serious and structured at another. Changes character depending on what you're looking st. Like that woman Jerry Seinfeld dates on his eponymous show. Only this is beautiful all the time. — 7 years ago

with Alsu

Andrew Davidoff

9.1

Good but not great. Clearly a well made cab, bold and chewy. If you think this would be BF Lite you would be mistaken. It is a different wine entirely. Closer in style and substance to other good quality Napa Cabs than it is to the eponymous BF. — 8 years ago

with Jens

N M

9.2

Silky smooth...good value. — 9 years ago

Anna Tyack

9.3

One of the best pinot I've had from Down Under so far | William Downie spent some time in Burgundy, having worked at Domaine Fourrier in Gevrey Chambertin and Hubert Lignier in Morey St Denis. In 2003 he started his eponymous label in Victoria | 2012 William Downie Gippsland — 9 years ago

Sabrina Corella

9.7

Sooo good — 11 years ago

Jay Kline

9.1

This was a rather pleasant affirmation. I used to drink and enjoy the Peter Franus Zinfandels from Brandlin Vineyard with great regularity when I was just getting into wine about 15 years ago. The fruit quality in this eponymous Cabernet Sauvignon is still very obvious. What’s not to like...really tasty stuff. — 5 years ago

Bryce Wiatrak

9.3

Bringing an old world stylistic ethos, Moray Tawse, who also owns Marchand-Tawse in Burgundy, founded his eponymous winery in 2000. Tawse yields some of Niagara's most finely focused, cool climate wines, in particular their Chardonnays. Cultivated from Tawse's certified biodynamic vineyard on Vinemount Ridge, the Quarry Road Chardonnay bursts with high-velocity swaths of saline energy. Painting swift strokes of taut, smoky stone flavors matched by cold, concentrated apple character, the wine recalls the great Chardonnays of Chablis - Montée de Tonnerre coming to mind for me. — 6 years ago

Daniel Argandona

8.9

Eponymous wine from Basque country . Slightly effervescent bracing minerality/peaches/green apple/underripe pear. Delicious and should be great counterpoint to light basque stew with chorizo and clams tonight....so I'm told — 7 years ago

with Alexandre

Isaac Pirolo

9.5

From the young vines of Kent Ritchie's eponymous vineyard. The Ritchie Vineyard produces some of California's best chardonnay, from the likes of Aubert, Ramey, Bevan, and Paul Hobbs. This needed 45 minutes to really get going, but once it did it was stunning. Lemon custard, white peach, and wet stone, with some secondary orange marmalade. The oak is present, but well concealed. Absolutely beautiful chardonnay. — 8 years ago

Shane M. Nicholson

9.4

Fiddle me this Batman.......Kathy Joseph and her eponymous Santa Rta Hills sweet spot flexing all kinda muscle. Layers of fuzzy grippy damson plum, blistered black cherry, RC Cola, candlewood, sandelwood, falsetto acidiTIE , brown spice and then a symphony of chewy woodsy funk meets anise meets clove meets youthful unripe boysenberry.....and they all had a love child. Your welcome!! — 9 years ago

Rx Wine Lab

9.0

Meaning "Boatman's Hill" this Bordeaux style blend from South Africa is grown on 50 acres on the slopes of its eponymous hill. Lots of Cabernet flavored at first with funk and spice notes that fades to ripe and juicy blackberry and plums. — 9 years ago

with Fred

Leah InParis

9.0

Arianna Occhipinti's eponymous natural Sicilian red. Aromatic, earthy and fruit-driven. Paired with a small mountain of roast lamb and new potatoes at Yard, the fabulous Parisian restaurant of chefs Shaun Kelly and Eleni Sapera. — 10 years ago

Isaac Pirolo

9.4

Bart and Daphne Araujo sold their eponymous Estate and its jewel, the Eisele Vineyard, to François Pinault of Château Latour five years ago. The offer from Pinault “came out of the blue,” according to Bart, but it was one the Araujos couldn’t refuse. Not being ready to retire, work started immediately on their next project, Accendo.
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The focus at Accendo (pronounced “akkendo” and meaning: to kindle, illuminate, inflame, arouse) is almost clichéd if not on trend for a new Napa project - restraint and reverence to the wines of the 1960s and 70s. Sourced from vineyards in St. Helena and Oakville, they produce Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc. The team includes Françoise Peschon, Michel Rolland, and Steve Matthiasson, as well as the Araujo’s children Jaime and Greg.
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Extraordinarily mineral driven. My first thought was this is what Napa SB would taste like if it was made by Weingut Keller, mouthwatering, layered minerality with lime and citrus blossom accents. Yasss! — 6 years ago

Isaac Pirolo

9.7

My father: There is nothing wrong with this wine. (This means somewhere between 96-98 points... shoulder shrug = 93 points). Me: This is borderline epic (also means somewhere between 96-98 points...)
From Beckstoffer To Kalon, on the Oakville Bench, and widely considered the greatest vineyard in Napa Valley. Everything comes with such ease and gracefulness, yet it’s one of the most powerful wines I’ve ever tasted. Extraordinary balance and a wine that could serve as the definition of Cabernet Sauvignon. Currant, cassis, cranberry, pine, loam, chocolate, clove, cardamom, and cedar. Luc Morlet was the winemaker at Peter Michael in the early 2000s before creating his eponymous label in 2006. — 6 years ago

Matt Austin

Owner/Winemaker, Grosgrain Vineyards, Walla Walla, WA

9.4

Charles Woods was the original owner of Napa Cellars. There isn't a lot of information out there about his eponymous label, but this was pretty outstanding. Still a bit of tannin remaining and plenty of fruit to go with the well developed tertiary notes. Very pleasant surprise. — 8 years ago

Mark Buckley

9.0

Blend of Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris. #deliciousness @quintwines shared by @Tristan Fairbanks — 9 years ago

with Tristan

Angelo Casagrande

9.2

This terrific cab and a grilled rib- eye was by far the best part of my week — 9 years ago

Fletcher Elkins

9.4

"Hip Hop Eponymous"
full bodied, inky, lingering fine grained tannins. Smokey, dark fruit, lavender. craves grilled meat drippings. — 9 years ago