Lee Pitofsky

9.4

The first couple times I tried 08 I was definitely too quick to judge. It needs a ton of air, and it’s different from the rich, oxidative, nutty house style of the past, particularly the warm and ultra forward 2006, the previous release. 2008 is indeed young, tightly wound with a pulsating core of energy.

The first glass offers very little. Subdued, austere and youthfully reserved. But ensuing pours eventually unleash its core of powerful clean orchard fruit, coffee bean and grilled nuts. On the palate it continues to become so much more textural with crazy gains in weight, depth and fruit intensity as the night goes on. It really fills the mouth, saturating the palate with a satin-like texture, ripping citrusy acids and saline laced minerals that follow deep into its finish. Enjoyable now with enough air (needs 2 hours), but no doubt one to hold. To live forever. — 3 years ago

Peter van den Besselaar

9.3

Vintage 2015 | Multi blend from Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Chenin Blanc. Lovely effort! I gave the wine 4 hours in decanter and afterwards it had a velvety taste. Good concentration, berries in smell. Paired with Côte de Boeuf from the grill, morels and sweet potato. The only point that I don’t like is high alcohol. With the food the wine gets a nice impression of chocolate and cacao. — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Happy Friday!

Been having a lot of Blanc Brut lately. Sooo good to get back to one of our favorite N/V Rosé Champagne’s.

Numerous, numerous notes stand.

Tonight; Blood orange, pink grapefruit covered in an ice cream creamsicle, volcanic, powdery chalkiness, sea fossils, pink roses, excellent acidity and balance, elegance and polish for days.

Photos of; amazing sunset shot of one of Billecart’s Grand Cru vineyards, two shots inside the House of Billecart and the grounds of Billecart. — 5 years ago

Andrew Schirmer

9.2

I first drank this wine in 2004 as a 22 year-old wine neophyte—with duck confit & spaetzle at the late great Earth & Ocean in Seattle—it blew my mind. As Swift said, “I drink no memories” so how does it hold up?

Quite respectably. Opening palate is fresh, mouthwatering, the memories of great Beaujolais crus past. Mid-palate with currant & slate. Excellent acid-tannin accord, cherry liqueur finish. Glorious with roast chicken & black trumpets. — 6 years ago

with Alsu

JKT

9.1

In Dublin hotel dinner brought by Hsing. Well made new world Aussie Shiraz with fruity well balanced nose of red fruits and cherry. Silky smooth texture for this style and long finish. — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

Quite delicious for its price point. I would say it slightly over delivers. Just misses 92.

Nice mousse, green apple, golden apple, lemon, lime zest, grapefruit, pineapple, guava, lychees, cream soda, bread dough, soft, moist chalkiness and powdery, soft chalkiness, jasmine, white spring flowers, nice acidity and a rich, polished and well balanced finish.

Good pair with our Brie and goats cheese.

Photos of; the House of Laurent Perrier, branded iron gates, their storage caves with bottles on A-frames and one of their Grand Cru vineyards. — 6 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

Grabbed a bottle to close the Summer on Labor Day weekend. Blend of 40% Chardonnay and 60% Pinot Noir this wine was rich and complex. Pale yellow, vibrant bubbles, Crisp fruit aromas, apples and pears. Palate shows generous mineral and toasty oak notes integrated with the fruit. Absolute a must on your list, a true house staple for me. Great Champagne value. Overall nice summer, a tad wet back east! — 7 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

8.9

Post House Cellars derives its name from the small Post Office used to serve the local missionary community of Raithby, now a winery office and residence. Name Missing Virgin refers to printing error on Virgin Island stamp, virgin figure was omitted. Blend of 70% Pinotage & 30% Petit Verdot, deep Ruby with purple hues, aromas of fruit and sweet spice. On the palate flavors of blueberry and cinnamon with notes of wet earth. Medium+ finish, dusty fine tannins, ending with fruit, spice and earthy notes. — 3 years ago

Andy Hall

9.4

Terrific. Opened this to make sure it wasn’t baked from a shipping issue. Obviously it wasn’t but I am amazed how approachable this wine is at such a tender age. 5 more years of bottle age and this will be a stunner! — 4 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.1

Tuesday the 26th of January was Australia Day and a public holiday. What better way to celebrate than Australia’s best fizz Arras Grand Vintage from Tasmania. Quite light lemon in colour. Very citrussy and mineral on the nose. 7 years on Lees showing in the complexity of the palate which still shows tension and refreshment. See previous notes for the 2007 which was slightly better and Champion Wine of the Royal Brisbane Show. — 5 years ago

Josh Morgenthau

8.9

Some nice oxidative appley aromas. Palate is deep and hits the right notes. Well made, if not much verve.

After being spoiled by great grower champagne all through quarantine, it’s actually surprising to try a bottle of big house bubbles I used to love and find it enjoyable but kinda boring. — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

I kid you not, Charles Hendricks is likely the most underrated & under known Winemaker in Napa Valley.

If you have not had his wines, you are missing out on great wines & relative real value for Napa. He makes his own private higher end label-Hendricks, Hope & Grace and midway through the 14 vintage for; James Cole, Regusci & T-Vine.

There are few Winemakers that can make wines that drink well young & some that will age two decades plus stored correctly.

This Santa Lucia Doctor’s Vineyard is really good but, his private label Hendricks Pinot from Santa Lucia is off the charts. His 2008 Hendricks Pinot Noir is the highest rating I have ever given a Ca Pinot Noir, 98.

The 13 Doctor’s Vineyard is better than his 12 & is still a little early right now. It will improve over the next 5 years & hold there a couple of years before its gentle decline.

The nose reveals, ripe, well extracted & slightly baked; blackberries, stewed, deep, dark, black plum, black cherries, black raspberries, baked strawberries, dry pomegranate & cranberries with shades of blueberries. Dark spices, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanilla, touch of savory meats, anise to black licorice, black tea, wet clay, steeped black tea, touch of herbs dominated with Rosemary, rich, black, earth, dry stones, dry crushed rocks, fresh tobacco, leather notes, volcanic minerals, limestone with bright, fresh & withering florals that are; dark, red, purple, blue mixed in violets and lavender.

The body is full, rich, lush and gorgeous. The structure, tension, length and balance are just hitting their good phase. It is simply a beautiful & complex Pinot Noir. Nicely extracted & slightly baked; blackberries, stewed, deep, dark, black plum, black cherries, black raspberries, baked strawberries, dry pomegranate & cranberries with more blueberries than the nose. Dark spices that bring palate heat, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon stick & vanilla, touch of savory meats, peppery notes, anise to black licorice, black tea, wet clay, steeped black tea, touch of herbs dominated with Rosemary, rich, black, earth, dry stones, dry crushed rocks, fresh tobacco, leather notes, volcanic minerals, limestone with bright, fresh & withering florals that are; dark, red, purple, blue mixed in violets and lavender. The acidity is very good & excellent at containing the slightly higher ABV. The long, complex finish is, well balanced fruit & earth, polished and will persist until dawn.

Photos of; Their Doctor’s Vineyard, one of my favorite paintings that used to hang behind the bar in their tasting room & now hangs in Charles’ house (it reminds me of a Jackson Pollock), Winemaker-Charles Hendricks and the front of their tasting room in downtown Yountville.
— 6 years ago

Eric W Brown

9.3

Delicious wine to watch a spring snow storm.
Lots of cherries. Very smooth — 7 years ago

"Odedi"

9.2

Ruby in color with a wide reddish/brick rim.

Pretty nose of black currants, black cherries, raspberries, spices, light earth, light oak, wild flowers, tobacco leaf and black pepper.

Medium bodied and elegant with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with cherries, sweet raspberries, earth, light oak, spices, tobacco leaf, dark chocolates and black pepper.

Long finish with very little tannins and sour cranberries.

This 12 year old Pinot Noir from Napa Valley is delicious now. Showing nice complexity with a soft mouthfeel.

Actually, it feels more like a Burgundy Pinot Noir. Interesting stuff.

Easy drinking and good right out of the bottle. Nicely balanced and good by itself.

This Single Vineyard Pinot Noir is peaking now. A great sipping wine.

Thank you Scott for sharing this with me.

I had the 2014 a year ago, and this is even better. Delicious wine.

100% Pinot Noir grapes were aged in French oak barrels for 18 months. Unfiltered and unfined.

13.4% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$210. ($65 current vintage). — 3 years ago

with Scott

Will Stanley

9.2

This is a superb NV Champagne, really quite dry, with flavours of butterscotch, shortbread, lemon pith, white grapefruit, all cut along a savoury and chalky profile with firm acidity, great texture and satisfying length. For a house wine, this is a real success. — 5 years ago

Diederick Swagemakers

9.0

Even geduld — 5 years ago

Angelo Casagrande

9.0

Threw a ton of sediment. A lighter colored zin- not a big alcoholic fruit bomb. This has finesse and character. Some minerally component. This is the tailback, not the tackle. Loved it. Thanks bro. — 6 years ago

Roger Ray

9.1

"displays aromas of berries, spiced and cocoa. it shows complexity on the palette of plum and mature red fruits balanced with subtle tannins intense blackberry flavors and spice offset by ripe fruit characteristics". A wonderful wine by a beautiful, great new Texas Hill Country vineyard. — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

@Plate & Bottle Dinner

Dessert Course, Warm Berry Cobbler, House Made Vanilla, Lemon Verbena Ice Cream.

Amazing dessert. Pairing the cobbler with the Ruinart Rosé and the Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve as well. Both good/appropriate for the dual aspects of the cobbler.

Dessert has blackberries and raspberries with lemon and crumble on top (tiny bit of cinnamon) and vanilla lemon verbena ice cream. There are flavors here that call for Rosé & Blanc de Blanc Champange.

Photos of, the dinner & our friends Jeff & Hedy beautiful backyard. — 6 years ago

Bill Wynne

9.2

My current FAVORITE table red. Fruity with adequate tannins and excellent finish. Pairs with everything from steaks to Italian. — 7 years ago