Ben Madonna

9.5

Super rich and smooth. Still great fruit for a wine this old. Dark purple color and lingers on the palate. — 7 years ago

Michael Mathews

9.3

Absolute chocolate. This is one of the finest noses on a wine. The dark berries and chocolate are seductive and alluring. The mouth feel of this wine is huge. Long finish, amazing complexity and texture. You taste the sun and soil of warm Napa days that the hillsides are filled with..... — 8 years ago

with Brad, Mike and 2 others

Matthew Davison

9.2

Dark and spicy on the nose. Dark fruit and spice on the palette. Super tasty!!! — 9 years ago

Eric

9.4

Lead on the nose and palate. Delicate as a MF. Clean finish. Stunning! — 10 years ago

with S.R.Alexander

Emily Kresie-Harrington

9.1

BIG wine. Black currant, baked blackberry, black fig, kirsch, cedar, sandalwood, coffee, big on structure and acid. Wish that all back labels were so informative! — 10 years ago

Noble Cloche

9.5

Spectacular. Perfect example of Howell Mountain CS. Velvety smooth on the palate with an exquisite finish. Brilliantly integrated oak perfectly compliments the fruit. If you see this on market for a good price, snap it up! — 11 years ago

Anita Krutel Colburn

9.6

We bought this at Pride on our anniversary trip in 2011. Soooooo gooood! — 12 years ago

Mathew Iestyn Parry

8.9

2015 vintage on 12 Jan 2018. Not as remarkable as the 92 points label would have you believe, but still deliciously drinkable. Could not taste the promised “hints of almond and walnuts.” Am imbecile. — 8 years ago

Jon Ruyle

9.5

Blueberries on the beautiful nose, the distinctive Howell Mountain fruit gives way to briar, minerals, and graphite over an hour in the decanter. Hard not to love this! — 8 years ago

with Eugene

Felisha Amjad

9.5

Had the 2012 on July 29, 2016. This was perfection! — 9 years ago

Sarah Milsow-Guenther

9.4

Wow. This does not taste like an 04, lots of dark fruit still left on this one. A little tartness to it almost. Could still age this one for a bit. Decanted this for about 6 hours. — 10 years ago

Michael Schamis

8.9

Deep, brooding aromas of black fruits and forest floor. Surprisingly light on the palate. Juicy flavors of plum and blueberry with only a hint of earth and herbs. Soft, round tannins lead the easy, medium finish. — 10 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Blue fruits, plum and violets on the nose. Dark blue and black fruit, minerals and fleshy soft finish. — 10 years ago

Ali Shirazinia

10

UNREAL! Something I picked up a few years ago on our trip to Napa. — 11 years ago

Sean Genn

9.6

So aromatic and complex with great weight on the palate — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

On the nose; huckleberry, olallieberries, plums, blueberries, baking spices and fresh violets in dark floral bouquet. The body and tannins are M+ Huckleberry, ollieberries, plums, blueberries, black raspberries, raspberries, baking spices, spice, cedar, leather, pipe tobacco, crushed dry rocks, powdery volcanic minerals, good round acidity and nicely polished finish. Nice wine with potential for more as it bottle ages. — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

This Sauvignon Blanc spends a year in some new oak but mostly used oak and a 1/3 of it in concrete eggs. They also hold it back in bottle for another 1-1 1/2 years before they release it. On nose, great tropicals; melons, passionfruit, pineapple, banana peel, green apple, underripe Bosc pear with skin, citrus, citrus blossoms, jasmine and yellow florals. The mouthfeel is creamy & oily. It's very clean, pure, has precision and high mellow acidity. Green apple, green melon, citrus candy, peach, white peach, pineapple, guava, passion fruit, subtle light spice, delicate refined soft chalkiness with amazing body, texture and finish. Photos of their owner Ron leading the tasting. The concrete eggs used to ferment this Sauvignon Blanc. Their metal frog band adorning their grounds and those beautiful Howell Mountain vines sprung back to life. — 9 years ago

Eric Guido

9.4

The nose showed crush black cherry with minerals, floral tones and a distinct savory richness. On the palate it was truly intense yet smooth with notes of cherry, sweet herbs and dark chocolate. The finish showed more of its youthful tannin, giving the fruit a dry yet still wonderfully concentrated persona. The 2012 Ciel du Cheval should spend a couple of years in the cellar for the best experience, as I am quite excited to see where it’s going. — 10 years ago

Martin Redmond

9.1

Very pale slightly green tinged straw color with appealing petrol, stone fruit, lime, wet stone, and a hint of lychee aromas. On the palate it approaches medium-bodied and is dry, clean, focused, and well-structured with peach, lime, passion fruit and mineral flavors. Long persistent finish. 12.5% alcohol. Made from 40 year old vines. SRP - $27 — 11 years ago

Joseph LaPanna

9.0

Bright ruby color with dark brambley fruit, toasted oak and graphite on the nose. Ripe dark fruit, black currant, blackberry, cedar and an undercurrent of black truffles. The finish is long and soft with hints of toffee, vanilla and white pepper. Balanced acidity and great tannin structure. — 11 years ago