Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

A wine I’ve enjoyed mostly upon release or near it. I vowed to wait six years and nearly made it. At least it is 2018...just! It’s worth waiting this/that long for it to develop. On the nose; sweetly, baked fruits of; dark cherries, strawberries, black plum, plums, blackberries, and notes of blue fruits. Cinnamon, vanilla, very light clove & nutmeg, caramel, soft, medium, beautiful spice, black fruit tea, limestone minerals, loamy, dry, brown top soil, fresh dark florals and violets. The mouthfeel is full, rich & lush. The tannins are round, still have some teeth and possess velvety round edges. It’s fruit driven but not a bomb and showing elegance & grace. Fruits are perfectly ripe; dark cherries, strawberries, black plum, plums, blackberries, notes of blue fruits and dry cranberries dip in and out. Cinnamon, vanilla, very light clove & nutmeg, caramel, soft, medium beautiful spice that is more pronounced on the palate, black fruit tea, touch of melted brown sugar/molasses, limestone minerals, touch of rich dark sweet turned soil, loamy dry brown top soil, soft understated eucalyptus/mint, dry fresh florals and violets. The round acidity is just right, just a slight very small alcohol burn, the length, structure, tension and beautifully balanced finish are in a very good place. Even better in 2-3 more years in bottle; which is when I’ll have my next one. Photos of; the winemaking duo of Gary Franscioni (left) and Gary Pisoni, Rosella’s Vineyard on the right. As well as, Garys’ Vineyard at the bottom. Producer notes and history...The Santa Lucia Highlands appellation is known for its rich, vibrant Pinot Noirs. However, that wasn’t always the case. The first Pinot was planted in 1973, but results weren’t all that great. Chardonnay was the appellation’s early star. Much of the area’s current fame for Pinot Noir arguably can be traced to Gary Pisoni, a free-spirited wine enthusiast who grew up in a Salinas Valley vegetable farming family. Pisoni decided to plant a few acres of Pinot Noir in 1982 on his family’s horse ranch, at the southern end of what was to become the Santa Lucia Highlands appellation but his horses started eating the grapes. So, they had to go. His initial planting were limited by a lack of water until he dug a well on the property. Pisoni started planting even more Pinot Noir. The vineyard is now around 45 acres and nearly all of it Pinot. By the late 1990s, word had spread about the success of his vineyard, and a number of Pinot specialists from around California had started lining up to buy his grapes. He started producing his own wine in 1998. Pisoni isn’t the only Gary who has become a force in the Santa Lucia Highlands. Gary Franscioni, a childhood friend, followed Pisoni’s lead by planting grapes and started Roar Wines in 2001. The two of them now have five vineyards between them...all farmed meticulously with the same crew. They are best of friends...sort of a Mutt & Jeff. They have become a formidable presence in the Highlands, attracting interest from top winemakers and Pinot Noir lovers from all over. Franscioni is also from a vegetable farming family; Pisoni figures they’ve known each other since they were 3 or 4. Franscioni saw his friend’s success and once he got some money together, decided to plant grapes of his own. Franscioni’s property is farther north and cooler as it’s closer to the Monterey Bay. He was going to plant Chardonnay. He woke up and Franscioni recalls imitating Pisoni, and shouted, “plant Pinot!” Franscioni planted what became Rosella’s Vineyard, named for his wife, in 1996. He took Pisoni’s advice and planted four acres of Pinot Noir, although he still planted 12 acres of Chardonnay. It’s now a total of around 50 acres with three-quarters of it Pinot Noir. The next year, they decided to become partners and planted Garys’ Vineyard, a 50 acre parcel where they grow Pinot and a little Syrah. Since then, Franscioni has developed Sierra Mar, 38 acres of Pinot, Chardonnay, Syrah and a tiny amount of Viognier. The two teamed up again to establish Soberanes Vineyard, 35 acres of mostly Pinot Noir, with a little bit of Chardonnay and Syrah. That last vineyard was developed by Pisoni’s son Mark. The Garys might seem an unlikely pair. Pisoni is colorful character to say the least and has an outspoken manner. Franscioni comes across as more serious- minded. However, the collaboration between the two, who often address each other as “partner,” clearly works well. The two are good on their own, but better together. Pisoni being more gregarious acts as the frontman. He is the Ambassador. He’s a check on the rest to keep the quality high. Franscioni and Mark Pisoni run the farming on their own vineyards and work together on the joint ventures. The family involvement doesn’t stop there. Jeff Pisoni makes his family’s wines, which are under the Pisoni and Lucia brands. Franscioni’s son, Adam, joined the family business in time for the 2011 harvest. He handles sales for Roar and helps his father manage the vineyards. The grapes from all five vineyards are in huge demand, because the two families are such careful farmers, constantly tweaking and improving. Prominent customers include; Testarossa, Siduri, Kosta Browne, Copain and Bernardus. When a new vintner approaches them about buying grapes, the partners examine the winery’s track record and the Winemaker. If they like what they see, the winery is put on a waiting list. There’s not very much movement in their vineyards. When Franscioni planted Sierra Mar, he and Pisoni had 62 wineries waiting to buy fruit. Soberanes was developed with the idea of working with some new winemakers. There was some concern, even among the two families, that quality might suffer as the vineyard operations grew. However, there’s no indication that’s the case. In fact, with each new venture, they build on what they’ve learned in their older vineyards. Eventually, there will be even more vineyards. The Pisonis and Franscionis have purchased a 100 acre cactus farm in the Santa Lucia Highlands. There’s still a lease on the property. So, prickly pear cactus will continue to be grown for five more years. But at some point, the land will be planted with vines. Both families understand the importance of continuing to build for the future. The Garys looking back tell a story of being in the same spot some years ago and looking at a field of broccoli out back. He told Franscioni that the field would look a lot better with Pinot Noir vines. Now that parcel is part of Rosella’s Vineyard, and it’s planted with Pinot. Everybody thought he was crazy...most people usually think that when someone makes a bold decision. He’s a person who has always had vision and creativeness. He also has tremendous passion. Good things only happen when a person possesses all three of these qualities. Their wines are primarily available by mailing list. However, Nepenthe in Big Sur, CA acts as a quasi tasting room for some of their wines. — 8 years ago

Drew Summers

Sales Northampton Wines

9.2

Single-Vineyard Free Run Chardonnay ; Bright & Focused with Yellow, White and Orange Fruits...Neither Sweet nor Dry — 10 years ago

Dock Hooks

8.9

Damp spice intermingled with 25 meter blueberry patch in a meadow-like clearing on an early morning run through a higher elevation forest with a slow flowing river view below and the hint of a hickory heavy fireplace way off in the distance encouraging the first blush front mouth touch of a distant vanilla mellowing the blue and black berry with its cherry finish that you will hope lingers, but, unfortunately, takes an ethereal plunge with only a single hand on rock before free falling the throaty cliff into oblivion. A bit of a frontside tease, but just enough backside attraction to encourage another hit, swig, gurgle and a sideways smile. Get some...
PS if you haven't done djon's, in Melbourne Beach, FL, then do! Piano dude singing some ballad Paul Mc, with ballerina, Beth, behind the bar, and their perfectly prurient snails offering themselves for a sacrificial lead to their Margaux drenched demise😎 — 10 years ago

Scott Barber

Wine Educator Meadowood Napa Valley

9.0

Solid wine from a vineyard that is cracking out good juice! — 11 years ago

Mark Lindzy

9.2

First vintage of this wine, from Damien's Les Genets vines, but pressed instead of free-run juice and all tank. Zippy! — 11 years ago

Cheryl Weaver

9.7

A very smooth, great wine with dinner. Paired with prime rib and it complimented well. Hated to see the bottle empty! — 12 years ago

Tsuyoshi Enoki

Sake Specialist Hasegawa Sake Shop Tokyo

9.1

Sake name:"Hakugakusen"/ brewery: Yasumoto shuzou/ region: Fukui prefecture/ category: junmaiginjo "arabashiri( unpressed free run sake) unpasturised/comment: fresh, pineapple, apricot, juicy, and vivid. — 12 years ago

Solomon Jones

8.9

free run verdelho is a lovely drop. Would happily drink with or without food. — 8 years ago

Jeroen Koenen

9.4

What a wonderful and cool Chardonnay this is!
Lemonpreserve, lime juice, smoky minerality, faint hints of spicy sweetness (hoisin?), great bitter notes in the back.
Wonderful acidity, very piquant and energetic, clearly a Cool Climate wine. Giving most village-Burgundies a run for their money. This certainly is 1er Cru-level.
Hats off! — 8 years ago

Pete

9.5

Awesome sparkling, goes well with a shrimp on the barbie! — 8 years ago

Melody Kao

9.0

Elegant cigarette blueberries copy like Bordeaux blend good juice les pivots style free blend every year — 9 years ago

Jaye Bunn

9.0

Fruity. Sweet. Easy to drink sans food. — 9 years ago

Scott Wren

9.0

Yes, a serious rose for under 20 bucks. It tastes as fresh and pure as free run juice and has some nice garrique flavors to keep my brain engaged. — 9 years ago

Mason Balistreri

Sommelier, International Wine Guild; Balistreri Vineyard; Sales, Joy Wine and Spirits

9.5

For me, Alex Sanchez's wines are tied together stylistically by their intense aromatics and lightness of extraction. This choice of using only free-run juice let's the vineyard sites really shine and express terroir. This particular vineyard is in Castiglione Falletto on 250 meters slopes of limestone. Tons of energy with dried dark fruit, and menthol cherry candies. Beautiful. — 10 years ago

Andrew Treu

9.0

Fruity and refreshing. Best with food. — 10 years ago

ESF

9.0

A lot to like about this Zin - understand they source from Napa. Generous, fruit driven style, little softer than I prefer w/nice acidity and great length — 10 years ago

Fred Smith

9.8

Just had last night the 2014. Magic! 100% Cinsault, free run only and no saignee. Superb nose of white rose petal and white pepper. Wow! Impressive. — 10 years ago

Deborah Heath

9.5

Domaine St. Diego is an impressive small vineyard run by vintner Angel Mendoza & family in Mendoza's Lujan de Cuyo appellation. This is an exuberant oak-free Malbec blend, w cab franc standing in for the wood. — 11 years ago

Andrew Lampasone

Owner Wine Watch Selections

9.0

They have a unique process which they toast the oak giving it a caramel nuance. 60,000 cases produced most if the juice comes from mum and if free run press — 12 years ago

Andrew Holod

National Sales Grapes of Spain

9.0

Monastrell dominant blend, only free run juice. Ripe aromas, but beginning to edge into oxidation. Drier than the nose leads one to believe. Savoury, dried herbs etc. should be good with a meaty chili Mac. — 12 years ago

Alexandra Chughtai-Harvey

9.0

Smooth and velvety, fruit-forward with very little tannins. Ripe stone fruits and long finish with a hint of cinnamon and tobacco. Excellent wine! — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

This Archimage is a blend of; Cabernet Franc 56%, Merlot 38% and 6%Cabernet Sauvignon from the Columbia Valley. It's 100% free run juice. Amazing nose of; dark currants, caramel, baking spices, black licorice and brilliant florals that are dominated by purple flowers with other fresh dark flowers. The palate has; ruby, ripe, floral, black currants, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, vanilla, spice, mocha & milk chocolate. Sweet & candied fruits of; blackberries, black cherries, black plum, black raspberries & raspberries. Leather, cigar, tobacco, underbrush, black licorice, big, round, mouthwatering acidity and a long, expressive, beautiful, elegant finish that is; 50% fruit, 30% spice & 20% earth. Photos of their winery signage, beautiful fruit ready for harvest and artwork on their Psychedelic wine label done by one of their friends that plays music and is a graphic artist. — 8 years ago

Shay A

8.9

Mark and I agreed to meet up at Classic this afternoon for some quick wine drinking, but it eventually turned in to a small wine gathering! Wine is great, but sharing it with others is so enjoyable.

Funny thing about this wine is we have no idea who opened it. Didn't necessarily fit the theme of what we were drinking, but turning down free wine isn't in my blood! Very simple. Not complex at all. Reminded me of Welch's grape juice, BUT, that was due to the Bordeaux's we were drinking and after some time, this became a decent, quaffable drinker. Lots of dark fruits and a ridiculous amount of Oak. — 8 years ago

with Mark

kasimir bujak

9.2

nose shows pear, rot, white flowers, apricot, red apples
tastes of honey, honeysuckle, pear, white apricot, red apple, a little lemon, some pineapple. ephemeral free-run. — 9 years ago

Jeremy Doody

9.0

1 month wedding anniversary ❤️ — 10 years ago

Greg Ballington

Co-Founder of Millennial Drinkers Wine Blog

9.6

Color: Golden Yellow
Nose/Smell: Not sure how long this was open for but at least a few hours.  Lots of perfume and flowers such as acacia, lavender,  elderberry and honeysuckle.  Additional contained sweet honey.
Palate/Taste: A little bit of heat at the end of the palate.  No where close to as much as the 2009 last month. Thick body and syrupy like honey consistency.  Long finish that lingers and sweetness stays steady.
Opinion: Noted a few interesting things. If you are a big fan of Vin de Constance, Napoleon's wine,  you might have noticed that the was no 2010 vintage.  While the 2011 is still over 85% from 2011 it is blended with the very small yield from 2010. Each grape is hand picked for this wine and is not pressed.  This is made entirely of free run juice. Additionally this was agreed on 60% new french oak. This can easily be cellared until 2035+. Great structure and power. — 10 years ago

with Sean and India

Joshua Fisher

8.9

In the old testament Moses sends two men forward to scout the promised land, they go and return carrying bunches of red grapes so large and god filled that they had to transport em hung unstemmed on a long pole carried on the shoulders of the two fellows. Proof they had been and seen the Promised Land ahead. If any grapes broke and that juice ran free down the pole and they, in their thirst, drank that broken juice, Chateau Unang was what it tasted like. — 10 years ago

Ben Spicer

9.0

Free Run bottling. Black cherry mania! — 11 years ago

Tsuyoshi Enoki

Sake Specialist Hasegawa Sake Shop Tokyo

9.0

Name:" Tedorigawa"/ brewery: Yoshida shuzou/ region: Ishikawa prefecture/ category: free run daiginjo unpasturised/ — 12 years ago

Tsuyoshi Enoki

Sake Specialist Hasegawa Sake Shop Tokyo

9.1

Name:" Kikuhime"/ brewery: Kikuhime goushigaisha / region: Ishikawa prefecture/ category: traditional style yamahai, unsqueezed free run ginjo/ sweet and mellow note of custard cream, vivid and rich acid, a little sweet, mineral and smooth bitterness, complex texture. — 12 years ago