Scott Cowan

8.9

Cherry jam nose. The heat wafts up with the vanilla scented jam too, and remains in nice, not over-powering, ways through first sip - mid-palate - finish such that I think the stated 14.1% alcohol under-states the actual case. I’m drinking this 2017 vintage Feb 12-13 2019 and it tastes good now with promise of tasting very good, with some potential complexity in a few years. Just now, this wine packs a punch well above it’s weight class: $18 at Berkeley Bowl. It’s far below the quality of top Paso cabs but it’s far below their sticker prices too... so, hey, why not enjoy this as a more than serviceable table wine for hearty and even some spicy fare now, cellar several bottles to taste 1-5(+ ?) later as a cheap investment that could pay off huge? One can always pull out the Justin Isosceles Reserve and Tablas Creek bad boys for special Paso-wine occasions. I do miss a longer finish ... but tiny hints of licorice, shiitake+hedgehog and maybe also portobello mushrooms, and slightly larger suggestions of smoke plus some leather lead me to believe The Fableist is working on some delicious stories to tell in coming years — and will then, perhaps, linger longer on the finish. Yeah, I do think the yummy plummy jam will give way to more flavors in time — and if this hunch/hope/faith proves true, Ill increase the rating a fair amount over 9.0 for some tip-top QPR. — 7 years ago

Colleen Wherthey Dunn

9.4

Light and fruity, with melon and citrus notes and well balanced acidity and minerality. Lovely finish, great with lighter fare or just sipping on the patio. — 8 years ago

Ted Boydston

8.9

Fruit forward, offering a pop of black fruits supported by a hint of oak and spice with, perhaps, some dark chocolate. Held up to Italian fare very well. Probably not a good pair with delicate foods. — 9 years ago

Ted Boydston

9.1

A nose of popcorn and minerals supports a deep, acidic mineral pallet with a background of green apples and lemons. The buttery mouthfeel compliments this wine's lingering finish. A fine wine by itself, but also pairs well with everyday fare such as burgers. — 9 years ago

Scott Kahn

8.9

This wine was a nice complement to both fish and beef from Peruvian fare. While somewhat young and tannic, the wine is nicely balanced with enough acidity to go extremely well with food. As a standalone I feel that more time in the bottle is required. — 10 years ago

Paul Truszkowski aka Vinophil

10

Fare well Charly — 10 years ago

Chris MacLean

9.0

Also good with Thanksgiving fare. Well-balanced, honest, and gulpable but square. — 10 years ago

with James

Lewis Chester

8.9

2006 vintage. At 34 with a hamburger. Deep ruby hue. Coffee bean, leather and earth. Blackberry (ripe), cassis. Hints of manure. On the palate, good concentration, medium plus tannins - chunky. Medium plus acidity and full bodied. Medium plus alcohol and finish. Decent fare which is drinking well now but can keep for another 5-10 years. — 11 years ago

William Allen - Two Shepherds

Owner/Winemaker Two Shepherds

9.0

amazing Rhone rosè from @garagiste_wine for $10!Would be a great one at 2x the price. Gorgeous watermelon flesh color, nose of fresh cherries, tomato Vine, strawberry. Great balance of acid and fruit with lingering finish, would pair well with a wide array of summer fare. Blend of 50% Syrah, 21% Cinsault, 18% Grenache , 6 Counoise, 5% Mourvedre. Sad I bought only 1. — 11 years ago

Ted Boydston

9.1

Nice acidity balanced with deep fruit - think passionfruit or rhubarb - that drinks well with most everyday fare. For example, goes very well with anti-Franco-chillimac :) — 11 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.2

Tropical Chardonnay with great weight and density. Went well with Greek food. Nose of pineapple and honey and a touch of basil. Entry that is also very tropical and quite dense. Mouth coating. Didn't compete with the food like I thought it would, but instead really danced around the fare. Went best with the basil pesto hummus. Finished with more acidity than it started with. Aftertaste was kind of strange, almost like a tart peach. I truly think this wine needs to sit another couple of years before trying again, but it's still a very solid wine for the price point. — 7 years ago

Erin Bell

8.9

Lovely light flavor, went well with traditional Thanksgiving fare! — 8 years ago

James Forsyth

9.4

The Polo Bar might be the most "sceney" restaurant in New York. The walls are adorned by hundreds of paintings of horses, wood paneling and leather is everywhere. The aesthetic is utterly on point and on brand.

We drank this fabulous Sonoma mountain Cab from Anakota. Deep, dark, quite dense, highly structured and with an intensity of fruit that gives the impression that this will be very long lived. Suffice to say it was perfect with the well executed, uncomplicated American fare (New York Strip Steak for me). — 8 years ago

Neil Walsh

9.2

Will go well with Good Friday fare. — 9 years ago

CynCon

9.6

Oh. My. God. A+++++! Smooth. Velvety. Light nose and mild. Goes down so easy with a nice linger (and a touch of bite at the end characteristic of a Malbec). Would pair well with lighter fare in lieu of a white; or sip solo. — 10 years ago

Krystalle

10

Day 1: Very light and fruity- I was expecting something heavy and a little bitter, based in what I'd read of the grape. But it was quite easy to drink and went well with my steak and salad. I would have picked slightly lighter fare than steak if I had known this wine would be so lively! If I can get this again, I will age it to see how it compares.

Day 2: Matured noticeably, much more body, less easy drinking but still delicious, if not moreso. I now get a slight oak(?) edge, with notes of coca. I do get a bit of fruit, but it's bow blackcurrant. So if you did not like this Tempranillo when you opened it, try it the next day. It transforms quite a bit. I liked both. A perfect wine experience.
— 10 years ago

Kevin Fulgham

9.0

This is a very drinkable blend with a great price point. Medium bodied, drinks well in it's own and likely pairs well with light fare. — 11 years ago

SF

9.2

Clarity, well balanced , dry, a perfect medium body chardoney to go with light fare like the white wine mussels I made tonight — 11 years ago

Christine Havens

9.3

2003 was a year of extremes in Burgundy, with spring frosts and crippling heatwaves later in the summer, so how did the Lucien le Moine Chambertin-Clos de Bèze fare? Extremely well. Penetrating aromas of cherry and black raspberry, dried leaves, forest floor, woodspice, and anise lead into firm structure and a brooding, sensual intensity. Mineral notes, exotic spice, and black tea add dimension. My only criticism is that the finish is slightly short, and it is a touch more advanced than expected. — 11 years ago

Lucyna Mackay

9.1

Very fruity but in a good way. Obviously well thought out and executed. Love the label. — 12 years ago

Byron C Mayes

9.1

Deep dark purple with slight garnet tinges in the glass. Abundant and bosomy nose of red currant and cherry pipe tobacco. Echoed on the full-bodied palate with plum and (as my dinner partner noted) a shade of beets. Medium plus tannins. Medium acidity. This is one big wine. As much so now as when it was young. Hearty omnivore fare will serve it well as would, frankly, a few more years laying down. No really. 2025 is not out of the question. — 7 years ago

with Jay

Ryan Vento

9.4

Alas, a final hurrah in which to say, “Fare thee well, Del Frisco’s Grille!”
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As for the wine itself, really delicious and seductively powerful with loads of potential for the coming years. A bit more feminine than the To Kalon, the MH has some finesse and sensual elegance that makes it less of a Lamborghini and more of a Ferrari. Lots of licorice, plum, blackberry, and cassis. I had the waitress pop the cork and pour me a glass for my steak, but I stopped at one glass. I’ll be taking this selection home to see how it evolves over the next day (or two).
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EDIT: Day two and this wine is on fire 🔥So delicious. Much more balanced; it’s like it knows its own identity now. — 8 years ago

with Krystal

Ellen Clifford

9.5

Oh hey wish I were writing these notes whilst sipping not in retrospect. All I can say is the mystery of what flipping grapes are in this, plus the confounding richness of the sweet and higher than expected abv PLUS the high acid lead to fun in a glass. Also that went well with kimchi deviled eggs. The sweet plus spicy...you guys hie thee to faith n flowa. Powa — 9 years ago

David Kneram

9.0

Lean Chianti pairs well with summer fare - blue apron chicken bologonese — 10 years ago

with Kathleen

Albert Campos

10

This may very well be thee best Rosé I've ever had. Light & subtle, perfect blend between dry & delicately sweet.
Glad I bought 2 bottles. — 10 years ago

Adam Sabin

9.0

Very delicious full bodied Tempranillo. Allow it to breath a little, and you'll be rewarded by a rich and smooth body that pairs well with Italian fare (I had it with pizza). Got it from Costco for $12. — 10 years ago

Jonathan S

9.0

The 2013 vintage is golden straw colour and 13.3% ABV, 100% Chenin Blanc by winemaker #andrzejlipinski This off dry white is great with spicy Mexican or Asian fare. Aromatics of candied lemon, orange blossom, Asian pear, ripe golden delicious apple, and secondary of white pepper and a hint of canned mandarin orange. This is a beautiful Chenin Blanc with lots of acidity, mouthwatering, smooth and medium-full bodied, well balanced and integrated aromatics. Paired well with Mexican chicken tortilla soup. Enjoy 2015-2018. — 11 years ago

Anne Carman

8.9

Surprisingly smooth structure starts off, blending the grape varietals well to a smooth elegant finish. With spicy southern Italian fare this wine holds up strong. 2011 vintage. — 11 years ago

Kaushik Banerjee

8.9

Lovely Cab Franc from Samaur. Great acidity balanced just right w tannin. People recommend Riesling for Indian food, but really Chinon does pretty well for itself with simple Indian fare. Awesome value at $13 — 11 years ago

Zak Kilson

9.0

Bold and rich - full of tobacco and dark fruit. Very well developed Garnacha. Drank it on its own with no, but could certainly have introduced some lighter fare to the party. — 12 years ago