Justin Wade

10

Love this wine! I think it got better with age too. Great velvet mouth feel, jamminess, balanced tannins, blueberry and blackberry flavors. — 8 years ago

Greg Gibson ✔

9.3

Ok. I'm trying to refrain from hyperbole, but this (being the first Dolcetto I have tasted) was legitimately blown away by this bottle of juice!

For only $10.99 from TJs in NYC USQ, this is easily one of the best values I've had the fortune of encountering to date.

Intense notes of Black Cherry on on both nose and palate with a captivating spiciness / earthiness that helps add too the tremendous balance presented by the wine.

I've said it once, but this time I would like to reiterate:
BUY. DRINK. REPEAT. REPEAT. REPEAT. — 8 years ago

Yuri

9.0

Always I came here, when I came back from outside of Japan:) Very tasty for good fortune!! — 9 years ago

John Farrell

9.5

Incredibly smooth cab. Had the good fortune to visit the winery when I was in Sonoma. They are very good at producing this wine. Good job !!
— 10 years ago

Bernard Rethore

Owner, Fion Wines

9.1

Back in 2006, I had the good fortune to invest in a box of the Neal vineyard designated bottlings pre-release. They have been sleeping in my cellar ever since. Last night, Tony the Fish, who is a frequent contributor to these pages, arrived with a bottle of the 2010 Neal cab sav. It was a solid effort and Mrs Fish quite enjoyed it. As we finished the bottle I remembered I had some of the 2003 vineyard designated wines in the back of the cellar and figured it was time to check in on them. We started with the Second Chance from Atlas Peak. Generally I am a mountain fruit guy, and like the volcanic soil that yields low yielding structured wines. There was plenty of stuffing left after 11 years, and a nice contrast to the 2010 cab sav blend. We then moved to Chafen. Another mountain- Howell this time, slightly lower elevation vineyard. This wine was bigger than the Second Chance with mouthfuls of ripe cassis, berry fruit and coffee- almost a cocoa powder character to it. The final wine of the night - and best of show - was the Howell Mountain Estate. Dark rich tannins with intense velvety chocolate cake flavors. This was a fun night going from the 2010 blend to the all 2003 single vineyard designates. Most of us aren't patient enough or buy them as a group so you can taste them altogether at once. Everyone should do this from to time. It reminds me at least of how different climate and soil can be in the same year. It's even better with friends. Thank you Mr Fish for the inspiration. — 11 years ago

with Susan

V M

9.9

Perfect fruit. Beautiful aroma and palate of crushed berries with hints of earth, roasted meat, and flowers. Beautiful balance and silky smooth tannins. The wine continues to evolve in the glass. This is simply a stunning wine and worth the small fortune if you like California cab sav dominated blends. Wow — 12 years ago

Gene Livingston

9.6

So Im inebriated right now, drinking alone as usual. Just made a fortune in Bitcoin..so fsck it, French wine in Bangkok right? Earth, mushroom, black fruit, choc, vanilla, and a hint of vagina. Med tannin, med acid, served at 60F. La Cosa Nostra resto in Bangers, solo. Excellent Cab Sav. I fucking love France right now. — 8 years ago

Henrik Poulsen

9.3

14.9% alc.

I found a mineral note in this that somehow made the wine seem lighter than other vintages I've enjoyed.
Having had the good fortune of tasting lots of PM Chards I have high hopes and just think this was caught too early and that time will "deepen" the palate and bring more body to this.
92+ pts — 8 years ago

with Kathleen, Laura and 2 others

Scott Wren

9.0

Ah, the approachability and pleasure of youth. Deelish red-black fruit combo satisfies. Spicy bordering on tangy flavor creates interest. Good rich mouthfeel. And importantly not a fortune at retail — 9 years ago

Gary Fenstra

9.0

Only love makes us see ordinary things in extraordinary ways. At least that is what the Valentine's Day fortune cookie says at RDG in Houston. I see an "ordinary" Burgundian style wine. — 10 years ago

Erica Golden

8.9

Cava tastes a lot more like champagne than Prosecco, so if you don’t want to pay a fortune for your NYE wine, this might be your preference. Where Champagne is bread-dough yeasty, this is as well, but it is BOLD in its yeastiness. There are in yo face aromatics because this is edgy and harder than the other options here, which makes the smells bounce out of the glass. Want a big start to your new year? This is what I would toast with. Repeat after me: THIS YEAR WILL BE MY YEAR! — 11 years ago

Karen B

9.7

A fabulous wine enjoyed with friends. — 11 years ago

Jimmy Bagenstose

9.0

Dry Rose... Very delicious. You can taste the blackberry. — 12 years ago

Jens Persson

9.3

1997 vintage. Rich aromas of pineapple, buttercup, honey, praline/candied almonds. Well balanced and vibrant acidity. Rich and fruity with minerals and hint of smoke. Medium long finish. Very pleasant wine which still holds the typical Riesling freshness after 16 years. A good buy for anyone who wants to try an aged Riesling without spending a fortune. — 8 years ago

Henrik Poulsen

9.3

14% alc.
Showing amazingly "young" at 37 years.

I've had the good fortune of tasting quite a few vintages from this winery and (still having a slight preference for their 1979) all the wines from Zelma Long are simply fantastic and deserves serious attention if aged CA is your thing.
— 9 years ago

with Jeff, WineMascot and 3 others

Christine Havens

9.0

I had the good fortune to have spent time with István Szepsy Jr. while in Tokaji's Mád village, from which this wine takes its name. This is a late harvest Furmint-Hárslevelű endowed with pungent botrytisized aromas of dried mango, yellow peach, apricot, orange blossom and nougatine, it's profile on the nose mirrors that of that palate. What is perhaps defining about these wines is, aside from the stunning value of price for quality, is the cascading minerality that carves a canyon through lush layers of fruit and spice. 11.0% ABV | Sample — 9 years ago

Ellen Shaughnessy

9.3

Lovely Pinot, plus it has a wonderful story, + hand-drawn label by a passionate wine maker that we had the fortune to meet on a trip years ago. There is white pepper and super-subtle fruit: cheers! — 10 years ago

with Edward

Sina Bahram

8.9

The cherry punches you in the face, in a very good way. Also, this is definitely a wine that you want to have open for at least 30 to 45 minutes because it starts out being exceptionally closed. I had the fortune of tasting it after it had been open for a few hours before picking up a couple of bottles and could really determine the difference once I opened the ones I had purchased. Also, there's A significant earthiness to complement the fruit, mainly cherry, as well as a reasonable amount of tannin. Others that I was with thought that the tannins were a bit on the high side — 11 years ago

with Tom

Kaethe Sullivan

9.5

Mineral, lively. — 11 years ago

Cathy Corison

Owner/Winemaker Corison Winery

9.0

Arrived at Sorensen's in the Sierras in time for dinner. Great fortune to find this on the list. Perfect with ribeye and roasted potatoes. — 13 years ago