Aaron Tan

9.3

KP likes to say that he makes pino for fun. However, if this wine is of any indication, KP's pino's are as serious as any of his rieslings. The 11' Burgel would easily give the Burgundies of the vintage a run for their money. In fact, it's apt to say that the wine was very Burgundian, given how most placed it in the region in our blind.

The wine's in a great spot for drinking at the moment. No greeness or lady bug. Bouquet of red and black cherries, sous bois, floral spice, mushroom, soy. The palate's energetic and tangy, fruit's a little more dried out with a more profound spice element, and a touch of creaminess. Silky texture, with tannins and oak fully resolved. There's a sort of balancing VA, which also brings savouriness - I feel this is what makes it quite Burgundian. Up for discussion of course.

It's good to see a pino from when KP still bottled them in riesling bottles - perhaps from when he still thought of them as "fun". This is the oldest pino that I've drank from Keller (would have been the 07' Burgel Felix last year if it wasn't corked. FU cork!) and I think it's safe to say he never did treat his pino's lightly. I mean, it's arguably even crazier now - we did spend four days just sorting the Morstein pino grapes, berry-by-berry, in 2017.

Unpopular opinion: KP's spatburgunder's are not value buys anymore (heck! The 2015 Morstein had a hammer price of 610€ in last year's VDP auction). For me, there's still better wines to be found in Burgundy at the prices that the Keller pino's go for. That said, with the rising prices of the latter, this opinion may soon be invalid. — 6 years ago

Kelly Vooris Turner

9.5

Hints of peach and apricot. Good amount of effervescence. Will go flat in the matter of a few days if you don’t finish the bottle. Very fresh and lightly sweet moscato d asti. — 7 years ago

Ryan Cuthriell

9.2

This is so good. Lemon, citrus, grapefruit, pineapple... found my go to summer wine. Lightly sweet up front but somewhat dry but lasting finish. — 9 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

On the nose, candied ripe fruits of; black plum, blueberries, blackberries, dark currants, mint and fresh & dry dark florals. Palate is; meaty dark currant tannins, anise, mocha powder, dark chocolate, blackberries, black plum, dark cherries, black raspberries, mint, lightly understated baking spices, crushed rocks, leathery, fresh acidity, round, lush, huge tannins, big dark fruits & violets on the long beautiful finish. Photos of the driveway entrance and vines that in good vintages go into "Grange." — 9 years ago

Christy Canterbury MW

Master of Wine

8.9

Raisins and black figs. Go for pairings with caramelized figs or bread pudding. Delicious and lightly tannic to cut through any rich dish, whether sweet or savory! — 9 years ago

Eric

9.2

You will not be disappointed. Must have it at 55 degrees, classic taste, color, flavor and finish. If this veneto was a girl; she's one to hold onto and never let go. — 9 years ago

Dock Hooks

9.0

Occhipinti Siccagno Nero d'Avola 2013

She came on dark turning rubyesque, a spin and first kiss, dripping red from my lip to my white linen cuff, not unlike the juicy explosion of a ripe blackberry, her color and allure dancing in the decanter, then leaning closer, more warmly spilling into my glass, she dips and turns, another spin, I breathe her in and her earthen essence laced lightly but luxuriously in red and black fruit lingers and lures me to drink, her acid does a balancing act with a purple plum preponderance her tannins squeeze holding the moment, we go deeper, darker until she dives disrobing as she rolls, slides, sideslips and seduces another dance, another turn, another twist - "and the band plays on..." For the love of the juice🍷🕶🌀

PS: kale salad @ Il Palio, in Chapel Hill is brilliant! Don't miss that place when there, or, make it a destination - digging their grilled octopus, too🍷🕶🌀 — 10 years ago

Libbi Odessa

9.0

Teaching my mom about Italian wine before we go to Italy. Red cherries, underripe blackberries, red currants, tomatoes, fresh rolling tobacco (peter stokeby), lightly charred steak — 7 years ago

Natassia

9.5

Honey, raspberry, and French toast on the nose. Licorice, lightly tainted with blackberries, acidity that coats the your tonsils. Woody and lightly smoked to perfection. Bring me back to Mike’s amazing tour. You go Mike! — 7 years ago

with Nick and nachobiz

Brennan Roy

8.9

Surprising. The creamy, buttery mouth feel with pineapple and apricot leads you to expect a simple Chardonnay blend, but the layers go deep. In comes the Viognier with vanilla, then a lightly acidic finish with just enough toasty oak to bring you full circle. Except there are subtleties in between. Nice work. — 7 years ago

Cameron Etezadi

8.9

Surprisingly drinkable lightly sweet Pinot. — 9 years ago

Steve Bozich

9.0

The first winery I bought direct from, and still doing so. They go low on the ABV, 13.2 here. Low tannin, lightly dry, dried cherries and a hint of smoke. Doesn't overwhelm you, but makes you smile. — 9 years ago

Anthony Lombardi

9.8

We can throw around the idea of a classical wine or producer, but there are precious few that are true classics. This is one. If lightly peppered red berries were made of liquid silk, that would be almost as smooth as the palate of this. Aromatically, this is a fresh summer bouquet of florals & herbs. Just a stunner & showstopper. Will go a bit longer, but in an excellent place to enjoy right now. @Matthew Bigby you are a gentleman & a scholar for sharing this. — 9 years ago

with Robert and Matthew

Stuart Pollack

9.2

Strong but excellent Aglianico, perfect with steak. Very peppery wine: it is not a wine that can be consumed on its own without food, and will not go well with lightly flavored foods. But with steak, veal, or lamb (but not pasta on its own) this is a great choice. — 7 years ago

Severn G

9.3

Nothing better than a well aged Chardonnay and fatty, cold water fish. This bottle is our go to pairing for grilled steelhead trout.

Nose is evolving since my prior post, oxidized green apple peel and cold caramel.

Palate is lightly sweet lemon curd/custard, baked red apple, cooked lemon, warm granite dust and a zing of acidity on the close.

Our feline house managers pestered for comfortable portions on the trout, they are good boys and girls, generally, so we endulge.

Great night listening to Hugh Masekela and Mongo Santamaria on the HiFi, everything complimented!

One bottle left, then we move along to the next vintage. — 7 years ago

Andrea jawor

9.7

My go to. Sweet, but lightly so with rich berry tones. Smooth like silk. Great for a winter’s night. — 7 years ago

Saeed Richardson

10

I'm a 43 year old man who must be a teenage girl on the inside. I absolutely love this stuff. Just know that this tastes more like a raspberry sparkling cider than a Belgian beer. But on those days when no one is around, and the six foot, rugby playing guy wants to get his sweet drink fix, this is where you go. — 9 years ago

Nathan Schmidt

9.9

Our go to budget rosé bubbly. Dry, lightly floral, hints of rose petal and strawberry, tiny persistent bubbles but not aggressively bubbly. Excellent and reliable with a sub $20 price point. — 9 years ago

Michael Latzko

9.1

Very light. Notes of young fruits that lightly float off the palate. With a little bit of time in the decanter the tannins in the finish round out to match the lightness of the nose. Not a robust wine with a lot of features for a refined palate to pick out. But if you want a bottle to open and drink on the porch at sunset this is your go to. Don't pay more than 25-30 dollars, but at $17 which is what I pay at my local cellar it's more than worth it. — 9 years ago

Riki Taylor

9.5

An easy go to. Lightly sweet with minimal linger — 9 years ago