Boxer Briefs

10

Monster. This is one of the single blocks that make up the Monte Bello bottling. 12.5% alcohol. Cool vintage, it’s perfect for this beast, Blackberry juice, structure, wish we would have waited. Has another 20 years, incredible acid, shows some classic Ridge wood characteristics. Decant it a day before you’re going to drink it, pair with a bone-in Rib-eye, duck fat fries, bitter greens. Fatty, fatty, fatty. — 8 years ago

.:;2):’kicndnebxhjd

8.9

I've been blinded a few times on zin lately and they've thrown me off because I'm expecting high alcohol zin versus all this sub 13.5 zin. This is old school, juicy light peppery a lot of red cherried fruit and red florals. 12.9%. It's hard for me to say whether I like the big fat zin or the primitivo-esque style more. Believe these are from his own clones as well. — 8 years ago

Henrik Poulsen

9.4

Bottle no. 04760 (of 22512).

You need to enjoy this with an open mind.
Most would probably say this is over the hill but personally I enjoy the "skeleton" of aged CA Chardonnays.
At age 22 there's naturally no baby fat, oak or alcohol to distract your palate but just the framework of a super solid and balanced wine. — 9 years ago

with Kathleen, Laura and 2 others

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Wild dark berries, blueberries, huckleberries, well done toast, dark florals and coffee grounds & bacon fat on the nose. The wine has experienced beautiful bottle evolution. The tannins are nicely softened but will continue to soften further over the next 7 or so years. It's mouthfeel is round, full and elegant. The fruits are ripe & juice but dry on the longer finish. It's a nice blend of wild dark berries and an array of blue fruits. Blackberries, black plum, plum, dark cherries, blueberries with an undertone of over pancakes, olallieberries, huckleberries, strawberries preserves, a bramble quality, anise, slight tarry notes, cinnamon, vanilla, caramel, nutmeg, dark volcanic minerals with a touch of iron, dark moist soils, dry crushed rocks, violets, lavender, violets, used coffee grounds, slightly sweetened black tea, wood shavings, graphite, acidity is spot on and the balance of fruit and earth, length and structure are beginning their harmony. The finish is long, lush, round, elegant and lasts well over a minute. Looking forward to the Nickel & Nickel Entrecote in May to see how their 16 single vineyard Cabernets are developing. — 9 years ago

Michael Horkay

9.3

I might be the only dumb ass on the planet that views this wine as surreal. This wine from three year old vines on grimms ranch is absolutely gorgeous.... Only three year old vines but holy shit good. Almost raveneau like with creamy aromatics. I remember using this wine when we put it in a ceramic egg and let it sit on its Lee's for six months. Mineral driven goodness. — 10 years ago

Ryan Carey

Founder Wine Confidential

9.3

Kick ass Sonoma Coast Pinot with a killer ground Ahi Tuna sandwich — 10 years ago

Kim Stanbro

9.2

Finally an evening on the deck not wearing a sweatshirt! Let’s begin Chardonnay week. Bright straw color, wish I could give a nose description but too many of my lovely city neighbors are grilling and all I smell is charred steak fat. Coating mouth- this is excellent. — 8 years ago

with Dave

Chris Chiapparelli

9.3

Lyle said it. This thing is fat in the ass, in the best way. — 9 years ago

Billy L.

9.3

Pop N Pour
First sip I need a knife & fork, chewy, then I get smoky bacon fat; deep concentration, fine integrated tannins. Damn, Paul Hobbs makes good wines! I don't remember this being this good early on, now with some bottle age it rocks!

I'll miss this Sonoma Kick Ranch Vineyard Syrah, as he is only making wines from his Paul Hobbs Estate Owned Vineyards. Enjoy the 2012 Kick Ranch Syrah soon, in a great place right now! Cheers, 🍇🍷👍 — 9 years ago

Benjamin Keator

9.6

Eric brigger can kiss my ass. This is good wine — 9 years ago

with Weston

Valerie Duque

10

Texas Red, really good! — 9 years ago

Sam Criste

9.4

I really enjoyed this wine. It's a sweet wine but I feel the higher alcohol content (12%) evens it out. If you like peaches and like sweet wine I'd recommend. — 10 years ago

Ronnie Sapp

8.9

Nice Texas sweet red. Love the name. If ever in Fredericksburg TX stop by the winery. — 10 years ago

Matt

9.0

Fun bottle that has shed its baby fat, moving towards a more focused, savory stage of its life. I bet the fruit on this was just gorgeous and deep 8-10 years in. Plenty of acid and the maturity of the tannin brought life to the wine. Abv is a bit intrusive on the nose, but that nice richness it brings on the palate offers a compromise. Stewed blackberry, plum and cherry notes, smoke, and iron edge, potpourri, warm spice, leather. I curious were it’s going and where’s its been. — 8 years ago

Joseph LaPanna

9.0

Inky dark purple. I concentrated aromas of cola, blackberries and sage. Intense flavors of ripe fig, leather and raspberry rounded out with licorice, roasted plum and white pepper. Texture is fat, round and soft on the finish, almost floating along the tongue. — 9 years ago

Josh Claxton

9.4

So good. So much depth to this wine; every time you come back to it there's something new that you notice. To dumb it down in words I am capable of using, I got some candied red fruit with a smoked bacon fat/graphite thing going on. Also a touch of nebbiolo-esque rose petals. Kick. Ass. — 9 years ago

Heather Gordon

9.1

Kick ass funk, grilled lemon rides covered in dried thyme, cold pressed olive oil and chunky sea salt. Overly ripe pineapple with a drizzling of Manzanilla Sherry. — 9 years ago

Rashed Chowdhury

9.1

Imagine a Syrah from Northern Rhone but it's actually from California. There is no meat fat smell or taste like you get in a northern Rhone. Also, not as spicy as what you would find in a Saint Joseph, for example. So, it's a California Syrah that is so much savory and earthy like a French northern Rhone. — 9 years ago

Ben de Vin

8.9

I bet they show this Hugel as a textbook traminer in wine school. As expected plenty of spice and pretty flowers, Turkish delight, and you can't tell it's 14% abv but damn it's oily. I matched it with a spicy dish as the label suggested and it was fine but later with some stinky blue cheese it kicked some ass, cutting right through the fat. It seemed pretty fresh after 6 years of bottle age, perhaps some extra honey notes coming through — 10 years ago

Randy Fuller

9.2

Gainey Limited Selection Chardonnay 2013. This wine uses fruit from Rancho Esperanza and Evan’s Ranch Vineyard, the Santa Ynez winery’s Sta. Rita Hills property. It is nearly fully barrel fermented - only 2% in steel - and aged in French oak for nine months, 25% of which is new oak. Alcohol hits 14.1% abv, and full malolactic and sur lie fermentation offer this wine a full and creamy feel in the mouth. It’s a big, fat chardonnay with lots of oak. coconut and tropical flavors. — 10 years ago