Paul J

9.4

1 hour plus decant. Dark purple color. Nose and wine were a mix of Bordeaux and Napa. Wine was fruit forward with dark cherry. Very young wine that coats your teeth. Little bit of a rough finish with some tartness and pepper. Probably needs 7+ yrs. — 6 years ago

with Brooke

Chris England

9.4

A new upcoming Chilean icon blend @ £100-£120 that’s becoming a favourite of mine 😍 Did you know they play relaxing music to the wine in the barrel whilst it develops 💗 I reviewed the 2012 a few weeks back 😉 and can’t wait for 2013 to come out! I’ve still not tried their first 2010 release ... yet

📍 Vina VIK 2011

🏵 94 points w/ much more potential 👍

🍇 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Carmenere, 7% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot & 4% Syrah 😍

🍷Opaque blackened ruby

👃 Chocolatey spicy rich blackcurrant & dark plum w/ soft oak, vanilla, blackberry, raspberry, dark cherry, wet leaves, herbs, a hint of purple flower, blueberry & minerals

👄 Full body of rich silky intense but balanced black fruits in oozy melted chocolate & creamy blueberry w/ a raspberry liquorice backbone in fine rock minerals

🎯 Long black fruit, raspberry, touch dry mineral & cocoa linger w/ a lasting purple teeth stain 😁 — 7 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.2

Paired with 96 and 85 LB for fun. Dark, opaque and purple. Over the top with its fruit and teeth chattering tannins. Great to see what these start like and where they go in 20-40 years. — 8 years ago

Carly Kendrick

9.1

Classic comfort cab without kicking out my teeth.

Trader Joe’s $10 — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

On the nose, sweet tarry notes, dark chocolate bar, sweet blue fruit cassis, baking spices, boysenberries, huckleberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, black plum, whiff of white pepper, smoke & a touch of bacon fat, spice-box, dark fruit Eau de vie brandy, a touch of soy, dark rich soils, dry top soil/clay, spearmint and fresh & dark red florals. The body is full, rich & round. The M+ tannins are velvety & round but still have nice teeth. The palate is very similar to the nose. Sweet tarry notes, dark chocolate bar, sweet blue fruit cassis, baking spices, boysenberries, huckleberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, black plum, smoke & a touch of bacon fat, whiff of white pepper, menthol, spice-box, dark fruit Eau de vie brandy, a touch of soy, dark rich soils, dry top soil/clay, spearmint and fresh & dark red florals. The finish is big, full, balanced in fruit, earth & spice, elegant and lasts and lasts. Photos of; their new facility opened in April of this year. Tasting bar, my lovely wife in our private tasting area, those beautiful red clay Barossa soils and their vines as viewed front exiting their front door. — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.6

On the nose; a bit of a brett bomb to start. Even after 11 years in the bottle, it needed a good 2 hour decant. Stewed fruits of; huckleberry, boysenberries, blueberries, plums, black raspberries, dark & liqueured cherries. Black raspberry cola, figs & dates, black & white pepper, touch of smoke & grilled meats, menthol, used leather, dry stems, dark minerals, loamy dry top soil, right amount of baking spices, lilacs & liquid violets. The body is full, round & lush. Tannins perfectly resolved. They still have a little baby teeth. The structure, length, tension and balance are near perfect. Stewed fruits of; huckleberry, boysenberries, blueberries, plums, black raspberries, dark liqueured cherries & strawberries haunting the palate here and there. Black raspberry cola, figs & dates, black & white pepper, a touch of smoke & grilled meats, menthol, used leather, dry stems, dark minerals, loamy dry top soil, right amount & mix of baking spices, lilacs, liquid violets & red florals. The acidity is perfect and acts like a waterfall over the palate. The fruit floral, lightly spiced finish goes on and on and on. Standish does not have a U.S. importer as his wines are small productions and he has no issues selling nearly all of them down under. You can order from his mailing list but, the shipping costs from Australia are stupid. Look for bottles on the secondary markets. You’ll be glad you did. If you have or had reservations about Australian wine or Shiraz vs. Syrah, Dan’s wines will end those thoughts. We tasted with Dan at his winery in April. He is extremely knowledgeable and a very talented Winemaker. He made Torbreck for years before starting his own winery. Photos of; his Estate, Dan and his low yield vines. His yield was an extremely low half ton per acre on this vintage. — 8 years ago

Greg Ballington

Co-Founder of Millennial Drinkers Wine Blog

9.2

A real teeth stainer, deep garnet red. Nice nose with lots of layers; earthy, dusty, hint of tomatoes, dark cocoa, dark cassis and dried dark cherries. Moderate tannins (7/10) and well integrated. Rounded and full bodied with black currants, spices herbs, strawberries and a hint of unsweetened cocoa. Very dry and long finish. Fine sediment in the glass and decanted for three hours. Drink till 2020. — 9 years ago

with Sean and India

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

When in doubt, a sure bet is a well aged, good vintage Heitz. @Eric Shanks

I intended to grab an 06 but, mistakenly grabbed an 07. I’ve not had one of my 06’s yet...next weekend.

The one thing I do every time I open one of my ten year or older Heitz Napa Cabernet’s is smile & think, this was sub $35 at Costco. It’s the wine feeling/definition of stealing candy from babies.

The nose is a beautiful harmony of fruit, earth and florals. Steeped, somewhat stewed, candied fruits of; dark currants/cassis, blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, mix of purple fruits; boysenberries, ollieberries, & mulberries. Dark, sweet tarriness, anise to black licorice, touch of incense, fire ambers, dark spices with violets palate heat, chocolate pudding, vanilla, light; cinnamon, clove & nutmeg, dark chocolate, caramel, sweet, soft, dark spice, dark berry cola, dark cherry kirsch, dark, rich earth, limestone, crushed, dry rocks, dry top soil, moist clay, understated herbs & dry brush, brewed coffee, mint, some sage & bay leaf, tobacco, dry, old leather with amazing, fresh & slightly withering & candied; dark, red, blue, purple with a violet & lavender frame. The acidity is splendid. The long, ripe, ruby, lush, elegant, well crafted balance of fruit & earth is delicious and persists endlessly with a dark spice on the long set.

The body is; delightful, ripe, rich, lush & full. The structure, tension, length and balance are woven in a perfect tapestry. This 07 has another 10-15 years easily. The tannins are rounded, smooth but, still have a dark, chewy, tarriness with baby teeth. The beauty of the vintage is on full display. Steeped, somewhat stewed, candied fruits of; dark currants/cassis, blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, mix of purple fruits; boysenberries, ollieberries, & mulberries. Dark, sweet tarriness, anise to black licorice, touch of incense, fire ambers, chocolate pudding, vanilla, light; cinnamon, clove & nutmeg, dark & milk chocolate, caramel, sweet, soft, dark spice, dark berry cola, dark cherry kirsch, dark, rich earth, limestone, crushed, dry rocks, dry top soil, moist clay & dry brush, brewed coffee, mint, tobacco, dry, old leather with amazing, fresh & slightly withering & candied ; dark, red, blue, purple with a violet & lavender frame. The acidity is perfect. The finish is; rich, ripe, ruby, candied, well balanced fruit & earth, elegant and long sets into velvety, round tannins and mid dark spices.

Photos of; the winery, tasting patio, old basket press and wide shot of the winery & Estate vines. — 6 years ago

Billy L.

9.5

PNP
2012 Myriad Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard
Big wine. Lot’s of structure & built to last.
Really well made @Mike Smith
Kudos!
The words are “look at the legs on that”!
Gobs of glycerin, teeth smacking dry tannins that are seamlessly integrated right now. Great expression of the Dr. Crane Vineyard.
If you have this wine in your cellar enjoy now & for at least another decade.
Cheers 🍇🍷👍🏻👏🏻 — 8 years ago

Meg Herring

8.9

Cherries and baking spices. 🍒 Super inky — not for someone who minds stained teeth! 🙊 — 8 years ago

Linda Costlow

9.4

Read bad reviews of this wine when it was new. It has matured nicely in 2017. Nice smooth, big red. Tannins are way in the background and don’t make my teeth feel furry. — 8 years ago

Randy Fuller

9.6

2004 Mendocino Petite Sirah
This wine is indigo-black. No light is getting through the glass. A whiff shows some black fruit and some serious tar and forest floor. Smoke and leather play a role as well, with a hint of oak spice. As for the palate, don't tell me this is a 13-year-old wine. You can't kid a kidder. The wine is drinking extremely young, and showing its teeth in the tannins. These are jawbreaker tannins that could probably melt a steak by just pouring it on the meat. They do settle down a bit as the glass sits, but don't wait for this do become a “sipper.” Black currant and plums come through vividly, and the finish is long. — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

2009, when Caymus still made wine in their traditional style. Starting with their 12 vintage, they started to let their fruit hang on the vine much longer...just before the grapes begin a shriveled phase. This raises the sugar levels(Brixs) and produces a much sweeter grape/wine. Too sweet for me. This 09 is beginning to see nice evolution but has many years ahead of it before it hits it's peak. The tannins are still very present but beginning to lose their teeth. It's classic in their old style. Dark cassis; of dry and juicy blackberries, dark cherries, black plum, black raspberries, blueberries, olallieberries, Asian spices, touch of herbs, lots of baking spices; cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, caramel, vanilla, black tea, black licorice, dry dark florals, dry crushed volcanic rocks, dark turned soil, stems, leathery, tobacco, nice acidity, strong structure & length, good balance & length. The finish is dry & juicy fruit with loads of spice and baking spices, it sticks on your palate, is round, full bodied and lasts over a minute. Two hours in the decanter and it's still improving. — 9 years ago

Severn G

9.3

Nose has very dark chocolate, roasted coffee bean, blackberry-blueberry mash, rose petals, slight mint, crushed black cherry and wet slate.

Palate has warmed plum, chocolate cake, vanilla tobacco, light cedar and light oak. Surprisingly the tannins are quite mellow, easily approachable in a very, very youthful state.

A very heavy bottle, you could easily knock someone into tomorrow with a well timed swing.

We paired with delightfully thick bone-in ribeye's on the grill, actually a great pair with a nice sear/char from a wicked hot grill (+600°F). Delicious, local grass fed cattle.

Suckling, 99 points...Really? No one should be this drinking this before 2025, at least. I guess I have at least a baseline on what he thinks is the greatest Purple Angel to date. I agree, it is very good, but needs a lot of time, we have several, older vintages in the cellar just waiting for the right time.

I will certainly need to brush my teeth at least 2x after enjoying this wine. I'll have a 24hr check-in tomorrow, we're not finishing this on day one.

24hr Update: Mint has dropped out on the nose, palate is a wonderful blackberry-cedar jam, delicious, still not 99 points. — 6 years ago

Chris England

9.5

I’m a real fan of @vik_wine since trying the 2011 so have been keen to try the 2012 @ £100 & it sure is another winner from 🇨🇱 Drinking superb now & will improve 👍 If you like a big bold but well balanced wine you will love this 😉

📍 Vina VIK 2012

🏵 95-96 points (I’m bemused why pro critics say 91-92 🤔 flopdoodles)

💥 14% ABV

🍇 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Carménère, 6% Cabernet Franc, 4% Merlot & 2% Syrah

🍷 Opaque deep blackened ruby

👃 A heady nose of rich ripe blackcurrant, damson plum & blueberry bathed in cocoa w/ sweet date jam, minerals, soggy earth, cracked pencil, vanilla, raspberry, black cherry, violet, soft oak & balsamic

👄 Med+ bodied rich creamy opulent blackcurrant jam, raspberry compote & cocoa cream w/ balsamic, minerals, black cherry & spiced blackberry

🎯 Long explosion of plump bursting dark fruits w/ a raspberry, big bold blueberry & cocoa mineral slap staining your teeth purple 😈

💭 If the 2013 of this wine is at the level Sena 13 was at it could be an epic buy on release as it will be stratoswinic 😍
— 7 years ago

Derrick Kelley

9.0

Teeth aching acid. Great stone fruit and citrus aromatics. — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.8

I can’t pour enough praise on Dan and his talents. I don’t give many wines near perfect scores, but this merits one. The nose is a beautifully balanced mix of floral fruits, earth and spice. Blackberries, huckleberries, boysenberries, black plum, black raspberries, plum, black raspberries, poached strawberries, dark moist soils, loamy dry soil/clay, raspberry cola, smoked meats, medium dark spice, vanilla, clove, nutmeg, lilacs, violets and lavender. The balance is incredible...one of the most balanced wines I’ve had. The structure, tension and length are so close to perfect. It’s in the OMG realm. The tannins are nicely resolved but still have teeth. It’s gorgeously lush and rich. Blackberries, huckleberries, boysenberries, black plum, black raspberries, plum, black raspberries, poached strawberries, hues of blue fruits haunt the palate, dark moist soils, loamy dry soil/clay, raspberry cola, black licorice, touch herbaceous, smoked meats, medium dark spice, vanilla, clove, nutmeg, black & white pepper, dry crushed rocks, stones, lilacs, violets and lavender. The finish is heaven all the way around. To borrow Bordeaux terminology, this is First Growth Shiraz. If you don’t seek out Dan’s wines on the secondary market, you are missing something special. Not at all meant to be enjoyed young. This wine is in a very good spot and has another 10 years of life going forward. — 8 years ago

Edmond Bordelon

9.1

Midnight black wine that stains your teeth and tongue immediately. So much going on in the glass that it is hard to know where to start. All I know is I only have one more bottle left, and a long time before the next allocation. — 8 years ago

with Joe and Katherine

Tom Limongello

10

Imagine. Bumping down a cobblestone street on a wrought iron bicycle. Thump, thump...thump.

Thrill seekers of the past called this kind of ride a Boneshaker. Your teeth rattled & your bones shook. You felt it.

This is our BONESHAKER. A full bodied Zin. With full-tilt flavors of blackberry, dark chocolate & vanilla. — 9 years ago

Krysten Marshall

9.8

One of my favorite wines of the year! Sweet Syrah. Stains teeth, love the dark purple color. Smooth, blackberry flavor. Not a strong smell. — 9 years ago