Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.7

On the nose, bold, ripe fruits of; blackberries, boysenberries, huckleberries, blueberries, dark cherries & black plum. Warm baking baking spices, mocha, light caramel, black cherry liqueur notes, rich dark soils, perfumed violets & lilacs. The body is round and full with powdery tannins. The fruits sing on the palate. There is waves of fruit, earth and florals that swirl and dance across your palette. The fruits are ripe, sweet and lush; blackberries, boysenberries, huckleberries, blueberries, dark cherries, black plum with juicy strawberries coming on strong at the mid palate. Black cherry cola/licorice, vanilla, light caramel, mocha, semi-sweet loamy dry soils, just a touch of crushed rock powder, soft spice-box, fresh tobacco leaf, perfumed violets & lilacs, round, rich, palate raining acidity and finish that is simply long, well balanced with perfect structure/length/tension and above all beautiful and elegant. It just swirls and dances endlessly & gloriously in the mouth. What mouth harmony! Photos of, vines in Stags Leap, Charles Hendricks, ripe fruit for the picking and one of mine and Charles favorite paintings. Producer notes and history...Charles Hendricks is one of the best Winemakers in Napa Valley. He is well grounded in the science of winemaking. As a 1982 UC Davis viticulture graduate, Charles was able to tailor his own curriculum, and was one of the earliest to integrate winemaking and viticulture course work. Having knowledge of both viticulture and enology forms the bases for well-rounded winemaking under varying circumstances; this is the making of a great Winemaker & consultant. His greatest gift is the ability to make wines the are elegant, beautiful and smooth young but will age effortlessly. Charles Hendricks sees himself as an assistant to the natural bounty of the vineyards. Using his knowledge and experience to guide and coax the very best from the wine grapes. Charles believes in minimal intervention in the wine cellar, but knows that if we leave nature completely on it own, we would be in the vinegar business! To quote him, “It is a wonderful game of hide and seek that we play with Mother Nature…It is natures glory to conceal, and the winemakers glory to reveal, to discover and to persuade the grapes to unveil their highest potential, It is the playfulness of guessing when and how much to step in, that is at the heart of the winemakers’ task." So true in his case. Charles makes his own label wines only when he has the very best of fruit. He is also is the Winemaker for Hope & Grace and until recently was the Winemaker for; Regusci, James Cole and T-Vine. In previous years, he's worked with; Viader, Barnett Vineyards & Paoletti Vineyards. He is truly a gifted Winemaker. If you are able, seek out and try his Henrick's Cabernet & Santa Lucia Pinot Noir, you absolutely won't regret it! @Paul Treadway Huntington Beacher — 8 years ago

jerod peitsmeyer

9.4

this to me tastes like what California cab is trying to be, but never achieves. a beauty. I feel like sometimes we compare this level of Bordeaux to wines of utter distinction and, therein, corresponding ridiculous pricing. when taken on its own merits, however, without label in mind, this wine could stand proudly with all but a few of the most beautiful blends that we common folk can ever hope experience. — 9 years ago

Matt Austin

Owner/Winemaker, Grosgrain Vineyards, Walla Walla, WA

9.2

The last vintage that Armagh made wine from their own fruit. Looks like Pax Mahle gets this syrah now for his Wind Gap label. I'd love to see what he does with this. Deep, dark, savory, funky and fruity. Remarkable stuff and aging very well. — 9 years ago

Dan Fredman

Chef Sommelier World of Pinot Noir

9.4

Silky, sultry, velvety on palate but not syrupy or overly unctious. Fruit leans to the strawberry/cranberry side of the dial, with some insistent acidity, not unlike Cru Beaujolais from a good vintage. Interesting on its own but better with food. Drinking well now but will evolve in the cellar. Fun to drink, more fun to try to read the label in Greek. — 9 years ago

Tyler Martinelli

8.9

Just as the label says, elegant and smooth. Definitely a wine to drink with dinner. Not a wine to drink on it's own. — 10 years ago

Deborah Heath

9.1

Elodie Balme launched her own label at age 23, after working with biodynamic Côtes du Rhône vintner Marcel Richaud. Delicious S. #Rhône #Grenache blend @ Vinaviva — 10 years ago

Katie Whitman

10

Label reads: ...lush flavors of tropical fruit, baked apple and citrus. Sur lie aging gives this wine it's soft, creamy style... Vanilla and creme brûlée on the finish...
An excellent sipping wine. Green apple and citrus are prominent, harder to find the specific creme brûlée finish I'm hoping for. Maybe the caramelized sugar from the top instead. Delicious on its own but probably good with a cheese and fruit board as well. — 11 years ago

Andrew Lampasone

Owner Wine Watch Selections

9.4

This is eds own label from his families vineyard — 11 years ago

Donald Patz

Owner/Winemaker Patz & Hall

10

My favorite wine label (besides my own). 1974 - a legendary wine. — 12 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

8.9

On the nose, creamy dark & mid red fruits, fresh purple florals and loamy soils. Palate of lean ripe fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, plum & raspberries. The tannins are dusty but grippy, raspberry cola, brown dusty soil, crushed rocks, fresh purple florals, leather, bramble, steeped fruit tea, good acidity but not a great finish. Astringent and dry. Wine is really tight at this point which is surprising for a 2012. Elizbeth Tangney is the Winemaker. She worked for L’Aventure in Paso Robles, Booker Vineyards, in St. Emillion and for Bryant before becoming their Winemaker. Aron Potts is their Consultanting Winemaker. He has his own label, Potts. He was previously the Assistant Winemaker at Kongsgaard and was the Winemaker at Château Troplong-Mondot in Bordeaux. Both shown in the photos as is their estate building and one of their vineyards. — 8 years ago

Brandon Boesch

9.5

Fantastic Sonoma coast Pinot. Nothing like a drc trained winemaker making his own label for 1/100th of drc price. — 8 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

On a trip to CA, tried 10 AuBonClimat wines. Jim Clendenen, owner of ABC in 2000, created his own label to explore making unique wines from his Le Bon Climat vineyard, later expanded the project to include fruit from other historic Santa Barbara County sites. Jim named this wine "The Pip" in homage to his Border Collie, former winery mascot. Aromas of stone and tropical fruits. Apple and pear flavors with lemon zest and a touch of vanilla oak. Well balanced and Crisp on the finish ending with mineral tones. — 9 years ago

Genevieve LeMarchal

9.2

The sommelier I bought my summer mixed case from was spot on. This is from a 6th generation family that just started their own label. Really good crisp Spanish white. Yummy. Better go get more before summer actually starts! — 9 years ago

Michelle Niemi

9.8

This was smooth and delicious. Low tannins and pleasant to the palate. Enjoyed this on its own with olives and cheeses. A sinful way to spend New Years night. — 9 years ago

Konstantin Rupasov

9.0

Perfectly drinkable, muscular, very Spanish wine. Not playing its own tune but will be a great accompaniment for beef and especially lamb. Love it. — 9 years ago

EdnBrenda Medvid

9.3

Drinks like water. Refreshing with slight fizz. Great summer deck wine to drink on its own. Label says refreshing, crisp, medium white that pairs with fish dishes and salads. Best well chilled. Found our bottle at local Trader Joes. — 10 years ago

Crystal Selk

9.6

Label says to drink litely chilled but I'm drinking it quite cold. It is fresh crisp & fruity just like the label says. A medium wine neither sweet or dry. No aftertaste. I'm drinking it on its own.  Will absolutely buy again. — 10 years ago

Thomas Pastuszak

Sommelier/Wine Director The NoMad

9.3

Outstanding new dry Riesling from the Finger Lakes: Johannes Reinhardt's own (new) label. Piercing acidity & minerality with lovely stone fruit character, excellent length — 11 years ago

jarred gild

Head Wine Buyer Western Market

9.2

long time fruit growers, first vintage under their own label was '09. doesn't want anything to come between the consumer and the terroir, so no destemming, no oak. 90% grenache, the rest syrah, cinsault, mourvedre, terret. — 12 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

This ones for you @Paul Treadway. We just talked about the K&L Kalinda's. This is my first 08. I will admit that it started slow. It still needed a two hour decant. Partly because it came fresh out of cool storage and it needed time to reveal all it's fruits and complexity. Kalinda's since 2002 have consistently been one of the best $12.99-$24.99 bottles of wine I've had. You see, they buy juice from from quality producers and label it under their private label "Kalinda." K&L signs non-disclosure contracts with the producers and sell it at extraordinary values under their private label. This 08 shows a lot of dark cherries, black raspberries, blackberries, cherries, strawberries, caramel, mocha, vanilla, light loamy soils, good acidity and a nice polished even finish. Better on it's own than with the skirt steak. Just buy em every year and then forget about them for 5-9 years and you'll have magical Cabernet at a very good QPR every year. Case worthy year and year out. I will add that I do not find the same consistency in their other none Kalinda Cabernet's...not that you can't find some good Kalinda Chardonnay's, Pinot's etc., I just don't find the same consistency among their other varietals. — 8 years ago

Martin Mills

9.2

Well it's a bit cheeky to give your own wines a perfect score (see the other reviews) but this is stupendous stuff. Loosely knit and full of crunchy fruit and savoury herbaceous notes, it's a splendid example of the New Zealand quality revolution. They're not giving it away at the lcbo ($52) but this would easily be $20+ more if it had a California label and exponentially more if it was from burgundy, which tasted blind you might suspect. — 8 years ago

Patrick Derdeyn

9.3

A farmer turned producer. Mary grew grapes for many of the big names before starting her own tiny little label. I keep thinking this 07 will be ready to drink but it continues to improve. Not even close to peak yet. The 94 overall rating on delectable says it all. Great pinot. — 9 years ago

Nonya Bidniz

9.0

This was like $3. Dope kalimotxo wine that stands on its own in a pinch. And great label. — 9 years ago

Andrés Solís Lira

9.0

Only after googling this wine I -oddly- came to know that terroir authority, saxophone player and owner Pedro Parra got inspiration from jazz record label Blue Note for this eye-catching wine label. But that's only the tip of the iceberg! A juicy, extremely refreshing, light-bodied red from Carignan and Malbec a.o, a multi blend that is different every year. My grandfather, a renowned local-drunk traveled every season to Cauquenes (a coastal, dry-farmed spot south of Santiago) to buy a number of demijohns for his own consumption, and I suspect that that wine tasted more or less like this. It's funny how young and iconoclasts winemakers are bringing Chile back to its roots by looking at the future. If you ever come across this wine don't think twice and buy a good number in the spirit of savvy drinkers like my grandad. @WineTraining @Dusan Bradanovich — 9 years ago

Jacqueline Cochrane

9.5

Crisp, dry finish. Great with a nice cheese and on its own definitely buying this one again. — 10 years ago

Gordon Wilkie

9.3

Better than your standard Veuve or Moet. Holds its own among the big players. Must opt for the vintage. — 10 years ago

Noah Carlson

9.1

Noah had this 10 years ago

Monica Chapman

9.0

Delicious. I agree with the label that it would be good with spicy foods, but it holds up on its own. I can definitely taste the cherry, not too dry. — 11 years ago

Joe D'Angelo

9.4

Very tasty 07 Spring Mountain Cabernet. Aaron Potts own label, you may also know some of his other consulting projects like Quintessa, Blackbird, Bello. This is dense and concentrated, loaded with dark fruits, spices, coffee and chocolate. Rich and Voluptuous all the way through. — 11 years ago

John Kemper

9.3

The '08 I Balzini Colli della Toscana 'White Label' is somewhat of a rarity - a reasonably priced Super Tuscan. However, it holds its own against more expensive examples. Pure aromas of licorice, tea, almond and red raspberry. Creamy textured with sweet oak flavors. Nice crisp acidity and a persistent finish. — 12 years ago