Adam Quarello

9.5

tons of flavor while never seeming heavy, cumbersome or over the top. I wish more estates would make wine in this style. Fun fact: Ten is a blend of ten Pinot Noir clonal selections sourced entirely from the Sea Smoke Estate Vineyard in the Sta. Rita Hills. — 5 years ago

with Ben

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.6

This is absolutely one of my top three favorite producers from Barossa. Dan Standish marches to his own drum when it comes to his Winemaking. He doesn’t follow trends or fashion in winemaking. Before he started his own Winery, he was the Winemaker for Torbreck and also traveled to other world wine regions before settling back in Barossa. I had the privilege of spending a couple of hours last April with him. What a joy to listen, learn and laugh with him. This wine comes from 100 year old vines. While it is excellent, keeps getting better and puts on weight in the glass, its just a notch under his “Relic.” He has no US importer as he sells out to his mailing list. He’ll ship it to you, but shipping charges from Australia are simply stupid. You’ll find some of his wines on the secondary market. On the nose; smoldering ambers, black plum, black raspberries, dark cherries, olallieberries, huckleberries, blueberries, loamy dry soils, crushed rocks, spice, sour dark liqueur notes, dry stones, light baking spices, dark turned earth, well done toast, dry lavender, lilacs and fresh violets. The body is rich, lush and beautiful. The tannins are about a year or two farther along than I’m used to tasting, 80% resolved. The palate is simply and flat out amazing. The fruits are; juicy, ruby, ripe and stun the senses. Black plum, plum, black raspberries, raspberries, dark cherries, olallieberries, huckleberries, boysenberries, blueberries with a mid red fruit mix haunting the background of the palate here & there. The dark medium spices are more refined than the “Relic” and have a perfect heat lifting intensifying quality off the palate. Loamy soils, black licorice, anise, cracked pepper, crushed rocks, dark turned earth, tarry notes, dry stems, an amazing blend of baking spices-clove, nutmeg & a whiff of vanilla, dry herbaceous quality, dry lavender & lilacs and fresh violets for days. Perfect round acidity, excellent; structure, length, tension and balance. Long beautiful finish that doesn’t end. This is First Growth Shiraz! Photos of his Winery and those 100 year old vines. @Paul Treadway Huntington Beacher — 6 years ago

Raul Puga

9.0

Nice surprise. Affordable wine list choice. Great nose and good finish. Fruit forward but not over the top — 7 years ago

Casey Stringer

9.6

I know it's over the top,but damn it taste good. — 7 years ago

Martyn Etherington

9.2

Has to be one of my top 3 favorite Oregon wineries. Exquisite, ignore the pro ratings. — 7 years ago

James Weingarten

9.2

Medium body. Fruit on top of a lovely tobacco and leather. — 7 years ago

christina a love

8.9

I can't Believe there is actually a location tag for my roof top of my building.
This wine was just Average, almost flat when drinking with Kaur then put in fridge, 4 days later with Carmen was excellent! Was it the company? ! Bottle from DOC — 8 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.1

Gorgeous perfume - I could smell this for hours. Medium weight on the palate with those trade mark silky tannins. Noticeable whole bunch influence. Coal River in Tasmania is hot right now for the production of top class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Interestingly the grapes are taken in refrigerated containers to the Adelaide Hills for vinification at Shaw and Smith. — 6 years ago

Jim McCusker

9.3

Terrific wine from Maggie Harrison at Antica Terra. Absolutely classic Oregon pinot nose (which for me is a combination of cool climate pinot aromas coupled with a great earthiness - a hypothetical hybrid between a Central Coast pinot with a Premier Cru burgundy). Has integrated beautifully in the 2-3 years since we last tried it, confirming for me the notion that top-flight Oregon pinots need a few years in the cellar for them to really shine. The ample (but not overwhelming) acidity coupled with the subdued sweetness on the palate paired beautifully with the roasted butternut squash pasta we enjoyed from Chef James at Dusty’s. Great balance through a lingering but lively finish, this wine has several years of evolution left. Way to go, Maggie! — 7 years ago

with Vanessa

Aaron Means

9.7

THE. BEST. DOMESTIC. CHARD!!!!!! Yes, yes, yes. I'm blown away. This is the best domestic chard I've ever drank. This particular vintage is killer. I could poor this in a lineup of top notch Meursault and none would be the wiser, that's how good this is. Intense smoke/funk brought on by minerality that most domestic producers could only dream of. A legendary wine in my book. @June's All Day, Austin TX — 7 years ago

Karen Bergquist

9.0

Three S wine!. Silky, subtle, and sublime. Good stuff. 13.9% alcohol. Speedy. Was. top Pinot in world in vintage year. Oregon Pinot. — 7 years ago

Anthony Lombardi

9.5

Washington is great for Merlot. Seven Hills is known for being a beacon of sorts. They are generally the first to harvest. This is from their top Merlot blocks from the 37 year old vines in their estate vineyard. Seven Hills wines age like crazy and their Merlot based stuff calls more to the Right Bank in Bordeaux than the new world. Living in Washington, I think I view Seven Hills like listening to the Beatles or The Stones. Too much looking for the new thing & not listening enough to what one knows is great. This is great. — 7 years ago

Martin G Rivard

9.8

@Kirk Alexander @David A Lentine I am a big believer in the fact that wine is meant to be shared and brings people together. What better way to enjoy a bottle that was so graciously given to us by my Bud David Lentine than to uncork it with our friends Kirk & Veronica! It was a truly special Pinot. The nose was so inviting! Notes of blueberry, wild berry and strawberry., I absolutely love the earth and mineral notes on the palate. The wine has complexity and finesse. The finish is long which I adored. A truly special Pinot which is built just how I like them!!!! Not your typical over the top fruit bombs that we see in Napa these days. I'm looking this one up today to see if I can pick some more up! Thank you David! 😍🍷🍷👍 — 8 years ago

with Christine

LM Segal

9.4

There be prunes about...and rich compote, smokey and spicy beautifully integrated fruit borne of high extraction. Feels just past its apogee but delicious. Rich. Elevated. Perfect match for 45 day aged top loin made perfectly rare. Drink up. — 6 years ago

Jim McCusker

9.5

Wow. Opened this two days ago. It was stored cool with a cork in it, but no sparging or vac-u-vin. Absolutely fantastic. The wine is showing incredible aromatics of candied strawberries, hints of sour cherry, and a touch of earthiness. The palate is beautifully balanced and exhibits layers of flavor, culminating in a lingering finish. Easily among the top 10 pinots I’ve ever had from Melville. If you have this in the cellar, try opening it and leaving it for a day or two in the fridge with the cork in it. Surprising and awesome! — 6 years ago

with Vanessa

Daniel P. Drake

9.2

Welcome to the weekend! I am starting off with the 2015 Patricia Green Cellars Balcombe Vineyard Pinot Noir. The Balcombe Vineyard is located toward the top of the Dundee Hills facing south. Patricia Green Cellars believe this vineyard which is planted to the Pommard Clone is simply one of the best vineyards they work.

On the nose I am getting cranberry, raspberry, black cherry, vanilla, cinnamon, and forest floor.

Upon first sip the palate gives way to bright red fruit, tart cranberry, tart cherry, tart raspberry, vanilla, clove and forest soil with a minerality.

The wine is silky smooth to a medium body, medium acidity, medium to + smooth tannins that leads to a crisp long enjoyable finish. We are starting the weekend off right and can't wait to get into the meat of this weekend. Be safe, have fun and make it a great weekend. Nostrovia! 🍷🍷🍷🍷 — 7 years ago

Priya K Santoro

9.0

Had a red wax top, extremely elegant wine, loved it! — 7 years ago

.:;2):’kicndnebxhjd

9.1

I think it's hard to find a Chardonnay like this in the world so I stashed a bottle. It has the butterscotch fermentation element on the nose that says "California" which I love in steady doses. And it has the live, cold and ripe citrus acid element and that I find in Chablis. On top of that it's not very buttery, it has subtle minerality, stroke of vanilla.. there's a chance you drink this wine at the right day and time and can think it's a perfect 10 Chardonnay isn't in my wheelhouse of loves but this is an exception. For me tonight it's just missing... Peaches🍑 — 7 years ago

Marc Stubblefield

Wine Sales at Vino Carta and Kogod Wine Merchant

8.9

I dunno. Pretty quiet overall and specifically flat in the mid palate. Root day? Odd spot? I mean, the tart red fruit I expect is there, there's just no dynamic range. — 7 years ago

James Gourley

9.3

Great Pinot. Silky smooth with reddish/purplish fruit and that characteristic Oregon earthiness. Sadly this was my last North Valley Origins bottle. Some were better than others but this one was near the top. — 8 years ago