George Doolan

9.5

From half bottle. Birth year wine. Excellent surprise, this wine is quite precise on the nose with a saline minerality, yellow flowers, orange marmalade, some wax although the wine is quote fresh and not really tasting tired or oxidized in any way. Palette is unfortunately defined by an alcoholic weight (10% on the label) which detracts from the wine’s otherwise great elegance and ethereal nature. Not overly sweet with sufficient though not especially racy acidity. Overall very fun to drink and in a great spot from 375.
— 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

On the nose, sweet & slightly baked; blackberries, black plum, plum, black raspberries, raspberries & dark cherries. Raspberry cola, perfect intensity of baking spices, soft & savory grilled meats, touch of fresh herbs, just a whiff of pepper, lavender, lilacs and liquid violets. The palate is full bodied, round & lush. The M-M+ tannins are soft and round and about 60% resolved. Gorgeous in the mouth. The fruits are creamy in style. Ripe; blackberries, black plum, plum, black raspberries, raspberries, dark cherries and ripe strawberries. Raspberry cola, vanilla, understated spice, pepper, savoy grilled meats, dry herbs, dry crushed rock powder, a little underbrush, iron pan, loamy dry top soil, some black moist earth, hint of mocha powder, milk chocolate, cigar ash, suede style leather, lavender, lilacs & liquid violets, perfect, round, mouthwatering acidity, great; balance, structure, tension and length. The very long finish is round, lush and has sex appeal. It's drinking really well with a hour/hour & half decant. Better in 1-2 years and has another 4-7 years of really good drinking ahead of it. Great pair with the grilled Kentucky Bourbon marinated chicken skewers and seasoned wild rice. Photos of; Eric Jensen (Owner/Winemaker), tasting room bar, Eric working harvest and the Booker vineyard. Producer notes and history...Booker gets it's name from the two orphan brothers, Claude and Dick Booker, who had purchased the land in the late 1920’s. By the turn of the century, the Booker brothers acquired over 1,200 acres on Paso's westside. The Booker brothers dedicated their lives to being great farmers and humanitarians. Aside from lending their farming knowledge and manual labor to neighbors, they were the area's biggest philanthropists, leaving 100% of their estate to charity when they passed, Dick in 1990 and Claude in 2000. Eric and Lisa Jensen purchased 100 acres of the property in 2001. After making wine with Justin Smith (Saxum) for five years and Stephan Asseo (L'Aventure Wines) for two years, the Jensen's started Booker Vineyard. The 2005 vintage was Eric Jensen first release. Booker produces about 4,500 cases a year depending on what Mother-nature gives them. Booker is located on the westside of Paso Robles, immediately joining the famous Stephan Vineyards that produce L'Aventure Wines. The high-density vineyard is mostly Rhone varieties planted on steep hillsides of calcareous shale. They farm organically, sustainable and biodynamic and treat the entire vineyard as a living organism. Booker uses animals (normally sheep) for weed control and solar panels are placed at the house and winery. The Jensen's are definitely doing things right. If you haven't tried Booker, it's worth your effort. — 8 years ago

with Ronald

Timur Sherif

9.7

Gasoline. Perfect. American pharaoh. Racy as fuck — 9 years ago

Tom Elliot

Founder Northwest Wines

9.2

Drinks great now. — 10 years ago

Fabien Lainé

Blogger VinDeling.com

9.0

Another great example of great value for money Riesling and that you dont need to rip off your wallet to drink well — 10 years ago

Stephan Kahl

10

The 07 Vintage is just perfect balance of fruit, freshness and creamy yeast aromatics — 10 years ago

Scott Atkinson

9.3

I'm constantly baffled as to how Calera makes such good wine year after year. Kudos to Mr. Jensen — 11 years ago

with Gia

Clayton Bahr

9.7

This is ridiculous — 12 years ago

Sebastien Sillon

9.6

I love this wine' — 12 years ago

Chris Donahue

9.3

A little tart but otherwise fantastic — 7 years ago

Beau Carson

9.2

This was a fucking beast. 15.5% abv, but it didn't drink like it. Classic Barossa. — 8 years ago

Jonatan Dereke

8.9

Lots of honey, lemon juice and elderflower. With increasing temperature comes camomile. Very fresh and intense — 8 years ago

with Oscar, Evelina and 3 others

Drew Childers

8.9

Lemons, limes, minerality, tennis balls. — 9 years ago

with Megan

Stefan Dolhain

9.2

Mills vineyard in the Mt. Harlan AVA in San Benito County. Transparent ruby turning orange at the rim. Unmistakeably Pinot Noir in the nose (the French would say "ça pinote") with morello cherries and a subtle earthy spiciness that I associate with a very good Nuits-Saint-Georges. Gains complexity in the glass, very nice smell. Medium-bodied, very balanced with fruit, spices, and present, but well-tamed tannin, fine acidity, perfectly integrated oak and a long spicy finish. Great value too. Josh Jensen never lets you down!
Love the detailed information on the back label too. 2010 vintage, abv 13,8 %. 45 euro. — 9 years ago

WC Fields

8.9

Grass, lime, grapefruit and wet stones. Crackling acidity. — 10 years ago

Jörgen Lindström Carlvik

Owner, Brix Wine Consultants

9.3

Beautifully evolved aromas of candied peaches, orange rind and slatey minerality, this is still vivid and sports great and lush fruit on the palate, finishing with positive drive and strong presence. From Magnum. — 10 years ago

Daniel Andersson

9.1

Very fine dry riesling, Grape typical — 11 years ago

Kristen Phelan

9.0

I know we are not actually drinking together but this one is for you James. Happy Birthday! Also this wine is awesome. So clean yet creamy in a good way. — 11 years ago

with Sarah

Layne Albert

9.7

Will Kitson - wine maker for domaine Rafael. — 12 years ago

Jordan Wardlaw

9.0

Fresh and lean ripper with clean fruit, intense smoky slate and unrelenting minerality. Very austere but also very appealing. — 8 years ago

Greg Wright

9.3

Dark sensual Pinot. Notes of raspberries, licorice, Indian spices and orange peel. The wine had more “Zinfandel-like “ notes. Fascinating wine to follow over and hour or so. — 8 years ago

Thorsten Staack

8.9

Nachlese Südtirol. — 9 years ago

Adam Nelson

9.5

One of the best I've had and had a lot — 9 years ago

Takeo Fujiwara

9.5

with soshi — 9 years ago

Bo Hemian

9.2

Everything I like about Riesling at a remarkable price point. Yes. — 9 years ago

Jimmy Hayes

Estate Director Mayacamas Vineyard

9.2

Doug Banks getting his sniff on in the Rhone room. This Riesling was very solid and delicious but relatively simple. Petrol, apricot, lemon tart. — 10 years ago

with Doug

andrew cook

9.8

Wow. Full, rich, light...pow! Love Calera pinots; this was my first of the Ryan bottlings. It will not be my last. Elegant and structured, but excellent, full (yet subdued?), fruit from the outset. A delight for all palates.

I've never been disappointed with a Josh Jensen wine, but this is another level. My goodness, thanks for sharing! Wow. — 10 years ago

Tim Herrmann

9.2

Huge quality-for-price here. Pure, intense, and juicy dark cherries, cinnamon-y spice, and just a wisp of evergreen and some flowers when I look for them. Under $20 pinot that will please crowds and critics alike: ✔️. Plus this was still delicious the 2nd day. — 11 years ago

Denis Roudenko

9.1

17.5/20 (95/100) — 12 years ago

Matt Wright

9.7

Very light, almost juicy, but not sweet. Really nice. — 12 years ago