Eric Urbani

9.2

My favorite Paso winery. One of the OG Rhône Rangers coming over from France in the 1970s. This is his entry level wine and even it is sublime. 2011 vintage and still going strong. 50% Syrah, 33% Cab, 17% Petit Verdot. ABV 15.1%. — 4 months ago

Raul Puga

9.6

Ridiculously good — 8 months ago

Ellen Clifford

9.1

Both earthy and elegant. Goldilocks garrigue. — 4 years ago

Miriam De Lyon

9.5

Actually 2018 Inspiracion... — 4 years ago

with Nikki

Pete Talala

9.5

Solid and improving since last time a bit over year back. — 5 years ago

Chris Nowakowski

9.5

Drinking beautifully with some bottle age. Really fun to open this up — 7 years ago

with Brigid

Mj

9.1

2014 tasty!!!! — 8 years ago

Karilyn Lesassier-Van Oosten

9.2

Excelente balance. Great alone or with Brie, walnuts or cherries — 5 months ago

Chuck Walker

9.3

Delicious Paso GSM. Light and crisp with lots of red fruit and minerals. Lovely crisp tannins. A little tight out of the bottle that opens up nicely after about 15 to 20 minutes. — 6 months ago

Willie Carter

9.0

Crisp and fresh from the very jump. Fine perlage with tiny little bubbles. The nose features lemon zest and wonderful minerality up front, with a blast of citrus. There’s some apple and butter, along with almonds and the barest hint of cherries. Very pretty.

Chardonnay from Avize, Cramant, and Cuis and the terroir sings here. Very open and inviting instantly. There’s a touch of maturity here that surprised me. The balance is very nice and everything is just so perky. The attack on the palate has intense citrus on the tongue with a little touch of dried herbs and white tea. Long and enjoyable from the first sip to the last. — a year ago

Chris Nowakowski

8.9

First night the bottle was well enjoyed. There was a glass+ left at night’s end, so we corked it and poured a glass on day 2 to find the wine had changed quite a bit and not nearly enjoyable as day 1. — 5 years ago

with Brigid

Eric Urbani

9.4

Still young - would let it ride for a few more years but still fine to drink now if impatient. — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

On the nose, sweet & slightly baked; blackberries, black plum, plum, black raspberries, raspberries & dark cherries. Raspberry cola, perfect intensity of baking spices, soft & savory grilled meats, touch of fresh herbs, just a whiff of pepper, lavender, lilacs and liquid violets. The palate is full bodied, round & lush. The M-M+ tannins are soft and round and about 60% resolved. Gorgeous in the mouth. The fruits are creamy in style. Ripe; blackberries, black plum, plum, black raspberries, raspberries, dark cherries and ripe strawberries. Raspberry cola, vanilla, understated spice, pepper, savoy grilled meats, dry herbs, dry crushed rock powder, a little underbrush, iron pan, loamy dry top soil, some black moist earth, hint of mocha powder, milk chocolate, cigar ash, suede style leather, lavender, lilacs & liquid violets, perfect, round, mouthwatering acidity, great; balance, structure, tension and length. The very long finish is round, lush and has sex appeal. It's drinking really well with a hour/hour & half decant. Better in 1-2 years and has another 4-7 years of really good drinking ahead of it. Great pair with the grilled Kentucky Bourbon marinated chicken skewers and seasoned wild rice. Photos of; Eric Jensen (Owner/Winemaker), tasting room bar, Eric working harvest and the Booker vineyard. Producer notes and history...Booker gets it's name from the two orphan brothers, Claude and Dick Booker, who had purchased the land in the late 1920’s. By the turn of the century, the Booker brothers acquired over 1,200 acres on Paso's westside. The Booker brothers dedicated their lives to being great farmers and humanitarians. Aside from lending their farming knowledge and manual labor to neighbors, they were the area's biggest philanthropists, leaving 100% of their estate to charity when they passed, Dick in 1990 and Claude in 2000. Eric and Lisa Jensen purchased 100 acres of the property in 2001. After making wine with Justin Smith (Saxum) for five years and Stephan Asseo (L'Aventure Wines) for two years, the Jensen's started Booker Vineyard. The 2005 vintage was Eric Jensen first release. Booker produces about 4,500 cases a year depending on what Mother-nature gives them. Booker is located on the westside of Paso Robles, immediately joining the famous Stephan Vineyards that produce L'Aventure Wines. The high-density vineyard is mostly Rhone varieties planted on steep hillsides of calcareous shale. They farm organically, sustainable and biodynamic and treat the entire vineyard as a living organism. Booker uses animals (normally sheep) for weed control and solar panels are placed at the house and winery. The Jensen's are definitely doing things right. If you haven't tried Booker, it's worth your effort. — 8 years ago

with Ronald

Raul Puga

9.3

Beautiful color and well balanced. Long delicious finish — 5 months ago

Daniel Andersen

9.8

Greg brought to Hinsdale Prime — 6 months ago

Raul Puga

9.5

Omg 😱 so amazing — 8 months ago

Stan Lee

9.3

Black cherry and ripe flavors of other red fruits, for me cranberry and strawberry. Delicious but not quite as elegant as I enjoyed in the 2017 vintage — 5 years ago

Bob Schroeck

9.3

Vintage 2010; Enjoyed with Andy on 1/11/2020 — 5 years ago

Pekka Holma

9.3

Impressive and terroir driven 100% merlot. Medium to full body. Absolutely gorgeous! — 7 years ago

with Nina

Susie Kuess

9.0

Good berries and dry. Had wth kp in manhattan beach — 8 years ago