Kirk Webber

9.1

Nice; from Paso Robles trip. $45+ — 4 years ago

Roy Nichol

9.1

Nice for us — 6 years ago

Aaron Tan

9.3

Been a fan of this cuvee since it's inception. To me, this is about as close as Aussie riesling gets to its German counterpart. Neither a good or bad thing, but I love that link between two countries I adore in this wine. That said, this was one of the best Aussie rieslings I've had all year.

German inspired methods on Western Australian fruit. From Frankland Estate's website:

All riesling grapes are harvested as cool as possible and pressed immediately, slow press cycles allow for soft and long extraction. Blocks and picks are kept separate and some juice from most blocks is fermented in barrel format for interest and comparison purposes. Picking decisions are made on ripeness and fruitfulness, with the main aim of working with natural balance yet intentionally look for greater ripeness with this wine and as a result greater degree of phenolic influence and texture. Juice is sent to tank to settle overnight (without enzyme or any additions). A cloudy juice is run to a combination of 1000ltr and 500ltr barrels. Fermentation is spontaneous and temperature controlled to some degree but temperature range is generally higher than tank fermentations. Post fermentation barrels are topped and left un-sulphured through to spring time quite often if residual sugars are high fermentation will be left to start again in spring as juice warms. Sulphur will be introduced when a decision is made on the vitality/fruitfulness of the wine and residual sugar is seen to be in balanced with the wine. Wine was left in barrel for 10 months (January).

The resulting wine is textural, spicy, and generous. Doesn't quite have the extract of German rieslings, but there's length, balance, and most importantly, it's uniquely its own wine. I feel that the provenance of the fruit shines through all that winemaking - that crunchy fruit-first with more green apple/citrus than stone fruits, steeliness, and light whiff of smoke/petrol. It's also remarkably clean for a barrel-treated wine (say compared to Koehler-Ruprecht or JB Becker). Enough with the rant because the takeaway is that it's delicious! — 6 years ago

Isaac Pirolo

9.2

The flagship wine from Burn Cottage, a Central Otago, New Zealand producer focused on Pinot Noir. Husband and wife owners Dianne & Marquis Sauvage sought out Ted Lemon of Littorai, and SF Chronicle's winemaker of the year for 2010 (Jon Bonné: "The simple version of Ted Lemon's story: Young American goes to Burgundy. Becomes first American to run a Burgundian wine estate. Comes back and stays true to Pinot's motherland."). Lemon oversaw the planting of the vineyards, along with all aspects of vineyard management and winemaking, chief of which being Biodynamic from inception. The label is a derivative of a 1795 fairy tale called “The Green Snake and the Beautiful Lily” which represents the ideal intersection of people and the land reflected in Biodynamics. Black cherry, citrus, and lavender pastille, with some secondary loam and herbs. — 8 years ago

Cathy Corison

Owner/Winemaker Corison Winery

9.4

Organically grown from inception! Barrel fermented. Faint autolysis, bright — 8 years ago

with William

Christian Bronstein

9.2

Halloween tradition since inception and has delivered each year. Although 2013 showed the balance of the growing year for the better with toned down notes — 9 years ago

Gladys Xiques

9.3

Slight berry notes at inception but then it settles into this elegance and structured Pinot. Easy to drink. Just so smooth. — 4 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.0

At the Annual Yalumba tasting at the Downs Club. A quick note - minty for a Shiraz Fairly Oaky with Oak Tannins showing through and Espresso on the nose. A good wine with great potential but for value I prefer the Paradox at about a third of the price. Have bought Octavius since inception when as Wine Committee Chairman the Downs Club hosted Yalumba CEO Robert Hill-Smith (still the boss) for the launch of the inaugural Octavius which strangely was a Cabernet to begin with (1987) and a Shiraz ever since. Still have my last 2002 in the cellar at home. — 6 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

8.9

Cambria is a private, family-owned estate winery that produces, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah since its inception in 1987. Dark red almost purple with aromas of tart berry fruits. On the palate raspberry and cranberry with citrus notes with oak tones. Fine tannins on lingering finish ending with a mineral edge. — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Out of magnum and a direct purchase from the Chateau. What a pleasure to drink older Bordeaux. Whenever I have a wine like this, I like to ask, what were you doing in 1978? Langoa is the 2nd wine of Leoville Barton. This bottle is just past it’s prime but still drinking excellently. Nose of plumy fruit, used leather, saddle-wood, leaner but still bright blackberries, black plum, dark cherries, black raspberries, rhubarb, dry cranberries, dry soil, dry stems, dry rocks & stones and dry/decayed florals. The tannins are completely resolved. The body is lean to medium and flat out elegant. There is still beautiful; structure, tension, length and balance. The fruits are leaner; blackberries, black plum, dark cherries, black raspberries, rhubarb, dry figs & dates, strawberries haunt here and there with dry cranberries. Used leather, saddle-wood, dry underbrush, sharp light spice, dry top soil, dry rocks & stone, anise, black cherry licorice/cola, fresh & dry red florals, fresh violets, acidity like a waterfall and a long, very balanced and elegant finish. 39 years from inception! Wow what wine and value! Merry Christmas all! 🎄⛄️❄️🎅🥗🍷What a pair with Hedy’s harvest vegetable soup and Prime Rib. Definitely needed “The Durand” corkscrew for this 78. — 7 years ago

David Newland

9.0

Surprised! Very nice cab blend from the Texas panhandle region. Deep purple color. Nose has dark fruits and berries. Maybe a hint of zin pepper on the palate with a nice long finish of cab and oak. — 8 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

Since its inception in 1993, Archery Summit has been crafting Pinot Noir from its 120 acres across 5 estate vineyards. Ruby with red fruits and a bouquet of floral spice. On the palate blackberry, plum and cherry flavors with rustic notes of espresso, cacao and licorice. Fine tannins with juicy acidity leading into a lingering finish. — 8 years ago

aj puccia

9.2

ESP fun to finish with after reading the history of the original estate from inception through today | wine is massive, if not overdone, happy to have more in the fridge to chill for many more years. — 10 years ago

Alec Jeffery

9.0

Just right, balanced and a medium length finish. — 6 years ago

Jeff Orlowski

8.9

Full body, dry, nice tannins. Sangiovese (90%), Cab Franc (7%), and Cabernet Sauvignon (3%). Oak, tobacco, and cranberries. — 6 years ago

with Michael and Joe

Bob McDonald

8.9

Probably best to drink these Giant Steps Chardonnays from inception to 6 or 7 years. A touch of oxidation amongst the citrus and stone fruit notes. Best QPR of any producer in Australia IMO. — 6 years ago

Chris England

9.4

2️⃣0️⃣1️⃣0️⃣

🗞 Vuvuzela, iPad, Deepwater Horizon, 🇨🇱 Miners, WikiLeaks
🎵 Tik Tok, OMG, Only Girl
🎥 Inception, Despicable Me, 👑 Speech
🗣 It's so fluffy I'm gonna die
🌍 6.86B

A £65 Gem 👍

🍷 Opaque ruby

👃 Spiced & herby blackberry in olive tapenade w/ blueberry, liquorice, cocoa, mineral, smoked cold meats & floral cherry tones

👄 Med+ smooth body of ripe blackberry w/ a blackcurrant touch bathed in creamy cocoa & liquorice w/ minerals

🎯 Long mineral driven liquorice, mocha & black fruit boom — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

On the nose, liqueured dark cherries, cherries, poached strawberries, dark raisins, plums, dates, figs, baking spices, chocolate, dark rich soils, light spice and decayed dark florals. The mouthfeel is thick, rich and nicely resolved. Although it's nearly 20 years from inception, it's quite fresh and somewhere just the other side of it's peak. Dark cherries, plum, raisins, figs, dates, prunes, cherries, poached strawberries, somewhere between black raspberries & raspberries, dark & milk chocolate, light spice, rich, dark, moist soil, dry loamy top soil, violets, decayed, dark florals, light baking spices and caramel with nice round acidity. The finish is thick, rich 50-50 fruit and earth and lasts nearly a minute. This 98 is drinking nicely tonight with our Burrata, olive oil, Tondo balsamic, roasted garlic, garden cherries tomatoes and pesto sauce. Photos of; their beautiful villa estate, straw mats in warm rooms for drying the grapes to make this wine, Owner/Ambassador-Marilisa Allegrini, one of their vineyards and our charcuterie. Producer history & notes...Allegrini is one of the most acclaimed wineries in Veneto and a benchmark producer of Amarone. Their owner Marilisa Allegrini is a global ambassador for the region and internationally. Many in the industry considered her, "the voice of Amarone.” The Allegrini legacy spans six generations of wine growers. The Allegrinis have played a leading role in Valpolicella since the 16th century. Giovanni Allegrini is the patriarch of the modern estate. Today, his children, led by owner Marilisa, carry his legacy forward as one of the Veneto’s most acclaimed estates. Marilisa is the Ambassador for the estate while her brother, Franco, is internationally praised as one of Italy’s finest winemakers. They have 247 acres of vineyards in the Valpolicella Classico, the Allegrinis nurture a collection of remarkable sites. Each with its own personality, soils and focused microclimate. All seven vineyards range from the steep hillsides of La Grola to the plateau of La Poja and offer uniquely special expressions that make up their truly amazing wines. Allegrini has earned many accolades. In 2016, they were named Winery of the Year by Gambero Rosso, Italy’s definitive wine and food magazine. Parker called Allegrini the “reference point for fine Amarone.” Tonight this 98 was a nice example of those accolades.
— 8 years ago

Trae Apodaca

9.2

Wow, from Central Coast. — 8 years ago

Vino Kaela

9.3

Impressive wine! Decanted it for 30 min. Checked it at opening again at 30 min but it opened up around 50 min. Full and complex with strong black fruit, cocoa, and oak spice. This is still a baby in terms of maturity. As always Insignia delivers as true as a Bordeaux first growth would, which was their model from inception. — 10 years ago