Sébastien F

9.2

Beau savagnin de maceration. — 3 years ago

M. Christopher Roebuck

9.2

2015 Vintage... Already medium garnet in color. Cherry, milk chocolate, vanilla, mulch nose. Medium+ acidity, Nutty cherry initial palate, not a lot more unfortunately. Medium+ bodied. High alcohol (14.5 ABV). Of course this will improve, but unsure as to how much.

92+ points — 5 years ago

Al Shikoh

9.8

intense aromatics, blackberry, milk chocolate, vanilla bean, licorice, pencil shavings, menthol; dark fruit and sweet fine grained tannins with incredible concentration, density, and persistence; 14.6% ABV; 100% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from Farella Vineyard planted in red volcanic soils, fruit used to go to Opus One; in a fantastic place right now; $150 — 5 years ago

Tom Garland

9.2

Decant for sediment. A brilliant medium ruby red color. On the nose: muted notes of milk chocolate, leather, floral, some red fruit. Taste: cedar, earthy, strawberry, plum, still some slight grippy tannins...nice long finish on this only 14.1% alcohol beauty. — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.6

The 15 is starting to round out and show even more elegance.

Look up smooth in the dictionary and you’ll find this label.

The beauty of this lush, ripe fruit stuns. Blackberries, dark cherries, strawberries, caramel, milk chocolate, layered baking spices, soft, dark spice with a shade of heat, nice dry earth, soft leather, dry stones, fresh tobacco with a hint of ash, mint, dry herbs, bright red & dark florals. Great acidity and length/polish for days.

Nice seeing Micheal (GM left photo again). — 6 years ago

Eric L.

9.6

This is really delicious. Plush blackberries and mulberries with milk chocolate and hints of cinnamon. Perfectly balanced. — 6 years ago

Evan Kennedy/Caroline Kielar

9.3

Surprisingly chocolatey. Taste is reminiscent of a spiked chocolate milk — 7 years ago

John Han

9.5

The best creamy beer I've ever had. — 8 years ago

Steven Richardson

9.2

Very Soft apple cider. Maple wood, the “milk” in milk chocolate, not the “lavender” in lavender, but the “milk” of lavender? Whatever it is, there is like a floral or herbal substance or spirit animating the flavour that’s carried by the “milk chocolate”. Some kind of cucumberism?

Lots of complexities to this despite being a red blend. I guess, maybe that explains the encompassing or hard-to-nail flavours. It’s an archetype or an ensemble rather than something singular. That said it’s got plenty of personality. — 3 years ago

"Odedi"

9.2

Time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday. Here's a delicious one from Israel.

Inky in color with a short reddish/brick rim.

Fruity nose with blackberries, blueberries, black plums, cooked cherries, vanilla, light cedar, spices, cola, tobacco leaf, black tea, alcohol, coffee, milk chocolates, light herbs and black pepper.

Full bodied and bold with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry and fruity on the palate with cooked plums, black currants, coffee, cedar, vanilla, spices, earth, milk chocolates, tobacco, peppercorn and light vinaigrette.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a wonderful Merlot blend from Israel. Showing nice complexity and well balanced with a great mouthfeel. Really enjoyed the nose here, even after a few minutes out of the bottle.

This four year old is already yummy right out of the bottle, but better after a couple of hours in a decanter.

I've had this before, and this time I decided to give it a slight chill, and boy it was delicious.

Nice buttery mouthfeel, even looks buttery when poured. Drinking very nicely now.

Very tasty and fruit forward. Dark, extracted and rich. Feels like a Napa Bordeaux blend.

A blend of 42% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 12% Petit verdot and 26% Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged for 18 months in French Oak barrels. Unfiltered and Kosher. Mevushal.

15.5% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$65. — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Merry Christmas Eve-Eve everyone! 🎄🎅🤶⛄️❄️🎁🍷

On the nose, leap dark currants & cassis with bright red, dark, blue & purple florals at pop & pour. Ripe; blackberries, dark cherry kirsch, plum, mulberries, blueberries, poached & strawberries, black raspberries & raspberries. Black licorice, star anise, dark chocolate bar, volcanic & limestone, steeped fruit teas, dark cola, sweet tarry notes, black, rich, turned earth, mid, dark spices, cinnamon stick, clove, nutmeg, vanilla, barrel shavings with char, dry brush, leather, fresh tobacco, granite, some eucalyptus, mint notes, light, dry herbs with fresh & some withering red, dark, purple and blue, fresh and slightly candied florals.

The body is; round, ripe, & rich. The tension, structure, length and balance are just beginning their sweet spot. The tannins are; rounding, tarry & still chewy. Plenty of life left in the 09...8-10 years. Dark currants & cassis. Ripe; blackberries, dark cherry kirsch, plum, mulberries, blueberries, poached & strawberries, cherries, black raspberries & raspberries. Black licorice, star anise, dark chocolate bar, volcanic & limestone, dry, crushed rocks, dry stems, steeped fruit teas, dark cola, sweet tarry notes, black, rich, turned earth, mid, dark spices, cinnamon stick, clove, nutmeg, vanilla, milk chocolate, mocha, caramel, barrel shavings with char, dry brush, leather, fresh tobacco, granite, some eucalyptus, mint notes, light, dry herbs with fresh & some withering red, dark, purple and blue, fresh and slightly candied florals. The acidity is round & spot on. The ripe, rich, ruby, elegant, balanced & polished finish is splendid and persists nicely on the palate with mid, dark spice on the long set. So much better with this much age. Really delicious tonight!

A steal now at under $35 upon release at Costco.

This wine is close to its peak and will hover there 3-4 years.

Photos of; the Estate, old large oak vats and David Heitz.
— 6 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.4

This wine has a lot of things going on. Immediately after cork pop, this bottle seems to be a little flat with a muted nose, modest (at best) acidity, and next to no tannin. Well, 30 minutes later and this Merlot is completely different. This wine is a little more weighted than the 2011. Not calling the 2011 'thin' by any means, but this one has some torque no doubt. Pours a dusty violet to the glass. The nose is baked cherries and some darker milk chocolate. The entry of this wine has sharp acidity, dark chocolate cherry cordials with some pretty damn good liqueur here. For a split second, a little bit sweet in the middle. Finish is acidic. Tannin seems to be there, but not significantly. Allows for a beautiful finish. — 7 years ago

Pooneet K

9.1

Delicious sake, excellent for the price. Cloudy. Malted milk, Asian pear, bit of sweetness, perfumed and a bit delicate. Excellent with spicier Asian fare. — 8 years ago

J Chechik

9.3

Besides having a great, cool label - Herman Story wines are so spectacular. This is not your standard “red blend” & the Tempranillo/Petit Verdot give a great complexity. Easily paired w/ a huge range of food. — 4 years ago

Jordan Yu

9.2

Slippery milk butter with sushi, with lemon tastes — 5 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

Very dark crimson, almost black. Opulent aromas of cassis, mulberry, herbs and earth. Same opulence on the lush rich full bodied palate with notes of milk chocolate and black currant finishing with fine resolved and polished tannins. This to me is a typical high quality Napa Valley Cabernet - so fluid, generous and velvety in my limited experience with the genre. — 5 years ago

Michael Phillips

9.3

Luscious carmelized still quite sweet great with milk chocolate mousse — 6 years ago

with Matt and Grant

Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.5

The 2016 Long Shadows 'Saggi' is a thrilling blend of Sangiovese (Boushey and Candy Mountain Vineyards) with 29% Cabernet Sauvignon (Weinbau Vineyard) and the remainder Syrah (Den Hoed Dutchman and Bacchus Vineyards). The nose is drop-dead gorgeous with bacon fat, black olive tapenade, mocha and fennel. The stunning range of aromas bring you back to the glass for more. Revealing a silky texture and a wonderfully ripe mouthfeel, this slowly unveils smoked meat, black tea, milk chocolate covered cherry and roasted fig flavors. Decadent, layered and downright delicious, this beautiful wine will enjoy an exceedingly long life in the cellar. Drink 20-9-2033- 95 — 6 years ago

Alexis M

10

Mom and Dad’s. Great flavor, medium to heavy body. Raspberry, milk chocolate, mocha, soft tannins. — 7 years ago

Martijn

9.2

2005 vintage on 28.2.18
Nice purple red transparant. Showing some age at the edge. Great nose with fruit, balsamic tones, cherries, wood. In the mouth smooth well balanced nice acids. During the night it became lush, milk chocolate, strawberries, silky!! — 7 years ago