Ben Edwards

9.2

A replacement for the Pairing as a Marry Edwards regular bottle. Definitely sharper and less pronounced stone fruit, but nicely balanced and went well with all dinner courses. Bottles went too fast to see how they opened, so questionable still as a stand-alone (probably great); high marks for elevating the usual crisp white wine dishes. — 7 years ago

Randy Fuller

9.4

Aged for 16 months in 25% new oak barrels, this wine displays all the right notes of that exposure and is not overblown. Only three barrels of this wine were made - some 60 barrels - and it hits 12.9% abv. It is praised as an elegant wine, the kind Pinot Noir lovers love to love. Medium dark, this medium weight wine shows a nose of cola, black tea, orange peel and spices. The palate is smooth and almost silky. The tannins are just enough and the acidity is perfect. Tart berries, tea notes and spice flavors all play in harmony. The wine is smooth without laying down, exciting without being boorish. — 8 years ago

Ross Cobb

Owner/Winemaker Cobb Wines, Winemaker Hirsch Vineyards, Claypool Cellars, Banshee Wines

9.0

Still fresh and tasty — 10 years ago

Alison Story

TexaCali Ali - Owner of www.texacaliwine.com & Co-Owner of the upcoming www.smithstorywinecellars.com

9.0

steady complexity after 5 months in bottle, on the brighter side of the Chardonnay wheel for sure. — 10 years ago

Pablo Kovacs

9.0

Love this wine, love the story more. — 11 years ago

Martí Rogalski

9.0

Cheesy scent, delicate taste, not too@sulohuric — 11 years ago

Greg Ovalle

9.6

This vineyard had their entire crop destroyed by hail so 35+ local vineyards all chipped in and contributed grapes for this vintage -- great story and great dry rose — 12 years ago

Jake Rubash

9.4

This might be my favorite Grenache to date! Such a complete wine. 1hr decant — 8 years ago

Eric Naslund

9.4

High alcohol yes but spectacular. Is it possible to be robust and delicate at once? Russel Fromme proves yes! — 9 years ago

Tree Kilpatrick

9.7

Everything I love in Amador Zin. Fruit is beyond the standard berry jam of some. Tastes of Marion berries and Bing cherry. Chewy and zingy too. Nice stuff. — 10 years ago

Grant Henry

8.9

Interesting wine, interesting story, interesting label. Closest I'll get to Pappy Van Winkle . . . . — 10 years ago

Michael Herzog

9.0

Dense. Great with a ribeye. Fruit explosion... — 11 years ago

Terral Graybill

9.5

Good love the story of the name, — 11 years ago

Shay A

9.2

Ali Story, of Smith-Story Wines, was in town and did a nice tasting at Classic today. A pleasure to meet and very unique and enjoyable wines.

This is an elegant style Pinot...lots of brambly notes, kirsch, and cedar bark. All red and black fruits here. Ali said that the barrels this pinot is done in comes from Russell Bevan. Quite the opposite style! — 8 years ago

Steve S

9.1

Roses and tobacco on the nose, riper style, awesome family story for the Vietti's — 9 years ago

Sarah Stierch

Food & Wine Editor Sonoma Valley Sun

9.6

Best rose of the year — 9 years ago

Dorrie Wortley

9.0

Great wine at a good price, and enjoyed the story, so much that I'ld like to see what the 18 other crimes are. — 10 years ago

with Jayme

Dawn Beatty

9.3

Dinner on the waterfront. — 10 years ago

with Kayode

Chip Forsythe

10

The story on the back is what sold me, and the wine is amazing! — 11 years ago

Aaron Means

9.5

A great wine should have a great story and "The Black Chicken" has both. Superb Zin, one of the top Bottlings of Zin in America. — 11 years ago