Tree Kilpatrick

9.0

Looks like a nice Columbia Valley Cab. Dark color. Heady and dense nose. Maybe a herbal and earthy streak in with the plum sauce on the nose. Flavors are chewy and vicious. Horehound meets berry cobbler and a bit of flint. Plenty bittersweet like a good Cab should be. Has a big style, but holds a bit of elegance as well. Will be great with the grilled steak I’m going to have with it later. A nice find at the grocery outlet 20% off wine sale. — 7 months ago

Verity King

9.5

Extremely drinkable, rich and bold flavors, strong jam, smooth finish. Love this! — 8 years ago

Willie Geiser

9.0

Good, clean crisp Chard. Light like a Pinot Grigio. Pear flavors. — 11 years ago

Audrey Irvine

9.4

Wine Shoe wine club. Feed good red and drank over holidays — 5 years ago

Fernando Torres Sanchez

9.0

Great if you like buttery Chardonnay — 8 years ago

Lou Sab

8.9

Okey smokey
Opens up to velvety smooth with nice berry and some vanilla — 10 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

I’ve been staring at this vintage in my collection for some time now. Decided it was time even though further benefits would come with more years in bottle. That’s not to say, we are not throughly enjoying this on a lazy sunny evening.

The nose reveals; lemon custard to meringue, green apple, lime zest, pineapple, grapefruit with pith, amazing honeysuckle, fruit blossoms, honey, flinty notes, some dry herbs, nuts, hints of butterscotch & toffee, some very light vanillin, crushed limestone minerals, jasmine and white spring flowers.

The body is round and voluptuous. The mouthfeel is incredible and creamy. Flat out gorgeous and sexy. lemon custard to meringue that falls into lemon sourness, green apple, lime zest, pineapple, grapefruit with pith, stone fruits, amazing honeysuckle, fruit blossoms, honey, steely & flinty notes, some dry herbs, nuts, more butterscotch toffee than the nose, some very light vanillin, more white spice with a little heat than the nose, crushed limestone minerals, powdery chalkiness jasmine and white spring flowers with greens. The acidity is amazing pure and simple. The long, round, voluptuous, gorgeous, elegant, incredibly well balanced and persists several minutes. Such a great producer! Believe the hype.

Excellent with Brie & white crackers with a drizzle of honey. As well, with the dry white Grand Queso which, has some nice nuttiness that plays well into the wine.

Notes on their vinification. Their viticulture is largely natural, with the old vines severely pruned in winter to reduce yields. After hand-harvesting, the fruit is pressed immediately and settled for half a day. Fermentation is largely in cuve, and the malolactic proceeds at its own pace, followed by a year’s aging in small oak barrels called feuillettes.

The feuillettes, about half the size of a barrique, are one of the keys to the expressiveness of Raveneaus wines. Averaging seven to eight years in age, they don’t contribute new oak aromas and flavors, but serve to gently open the wine during the élevage. This enhances the wonderful perfume and creamy texture that are the hallmarks of these wines, particularly when they are mature.

Their Foret Vineyard is only .67 ha. and the vines are roughly 15 years of age.

Photos of; Owner-Son and half of the winemaking team Jean-Marie Raveneau, Isabelle Ravenea in the cellar and the metal work sign that hangs above their facilities. If not for that sign, you would never know they were there on a quiet back street not far from the center of town. — 6 years ago

Paul Tilton

9.9

Good and local — 13 years ago