Martinez

9.7

Lean, minimalist. 100% Cariñena (Carignan) from vines planted in 1902, some of the first vineyards planted after phylloxera. Austere nose, with some hints of dark chocolate. Superb structure and incredible minerality (it tastes like rock, in fact roots go as deep as 50-60 ft into the llicorella soils). Vertical, very light mouthfeel. Very long, subtle spicy finish.


— 6 years ago

Coco Quinn

9.5

So light and lovely! I’m a fan.

Tasting notes of green apple, honeysuckle, lychee, rose petal.

A California-fresh spin on the unique Gewürztraminer grape, the 2019 vintage has notes of tropical fruit and white flowers.

Kenny Likitprakong, the winemaking partner who created our Brethren of the Road brand, is a wanderlust-driven, self-professed “hobo winemaker” whose stint in France sparked his allegiance to minimalist, non-interventionist methods. This lively Gewürztraminer is no exception. A grape that originally hails from Italy (not Germany, surprisingly), Gewürtz is known for producing a highly aromatic wine with exuberant fruit, floral and spice notes. The grapes for this bottling were sourced from the cool climate of Monterey and fermented in stainless steel to achieve a clean, pure, early-drinking wine. Soft and light on the palate, it’s a dry wine balanced with vibrant minerality and a little spice. — 6 years ago

Anthony Lombardi

9.1

2012 Breton Nuits D’Iveresse and Terry Riley’s masterpiece. This wine is bottles without sulfur and is recommended to be consumed quickly after release. Here we are 7 years from vintage and it is in a magical spot. Smoky cherries & firm grippy texture. Aromatics are perfumed & elegant. It pairs beautifully with the minimalist piece as these types of wines and this style of music are so misunderstood. The need to classify & quantify doesn’t fit in either place here. Simply great Cabernet Franc and great music. — 7 years ago

Mike Swann

9.4

Pearl necklace and earrings. Very modest and minimalist. Those cheeks. Family money. Ready to pair with a feast. I have been eyeing her since 2007. — 8 years ago

with KBM

mattswineworld

9.1

Minimalist label. Dark, tannic, with incredibly pure red and black fruits, and very Italian. — 9 years ago

Matt Sterr

8.9

Natural. Minimalist. — 9 years ago

Dan R

9.1

Young winemakers making serious noise in the area. I’m following. There’s some funk that blows off quickly and underneath is a chunky, complex and chiseled expression. The terroir really comes through on the edges, slate and mineral. Crushed red fruit and herbs on the mid palate. Could use some time. Very interesting and provocative. Falls somewhere in between old school rusticity and the energy you find in good examples of new school minimalist winemaking. — 6 years ago

JKT

9.1

Bold yet balanced with wild berries and earth on nose. Lively texture and bit of funk giving it a sense of wildness, even hints of sweetness. Good finish. A biodynamic minimalist wine. Aged perfectly. Excellent AA10. — 6 years ago

Simone Pizzi

9.3

Excellent wine, the style is minimalist but very focussed. The sensation is that of a natural but elegant wine, some sort of a gentleman farmer style, I love it. The nose starts with some leathery hints and with some air it gets quite fruit forward with an accent on black currant and small red fruits. The mouth shows very youthful with firm tannins and a vibrant acidity. I'll buy again. — 6 years ago

Alex Lallos

Owner No Limit Fine Wines, Private Wine Consultant

9.4

I adore this wine in every way. It takes a while to open up but when it does wowie!!!!. It’s hard to believe that this is a ‘second wine’ or sorts to chateau gracia (albeit it does come from a completely separate parcel and is not a barrel selection)... loaded with dark fruits, leather, coffee (fresh ground), and earth. Limestone backbone provides freshness for days. Fresh but massively built on the palate. Silky and soft up front with some grip towards the back. This is just starting to hit its stride and I suspect it will evolve nicely for at least another 15 years. Side note: I tasted this wine in 2011 in Bordeaux at their micro chateau. The owner was charming and his wines are sublime. This place could not be more minimalist. The guy makes a minuscule amount of wine but he is turning out the best stuff imaginable. — 7 years ago

Brandon Boesch

10

This is perfect for July 4th. Zin that tastes like zin but without the chocolate and oak. Could smell it for days. Palate is strawberry jam with stone, forest, and bright acidic fruit. If you like the minimalist wine movement, you must try this. Especially the 2016. — 8 years ago

Scott Rowe

9.6

Incredibly minimalist but so deep.
#oxymoron — 9 years ago

Stephen Redenbaugh

9.3

Ripe aromas of cassis, tobacco and old leather jacket.. vibrant purple color with beautiful acid/fruit balance on the mid-palate... the finish is all about pin-point soft tannins and vibrant, almost tart acidity.... beautiful 2012 that differs from the opulent cola candy fruitbombs that so many cab makers gave you. Brilliant example of minimalist winemaking! — 9 years ago

Sybaritewino C.Lawrence

9.5

Stone fruits prancing upon my nose & mouth with a ripping line of “drink heaps more of me” acid underpinning a generously textured mid-palate. Lengthy finish. Yum! A dexterously crafted Chardonnay of minimalist intervention leanings. Super beautiful. — 6 years ago

with Kn

Ellen Clifford

9.1

This could use the additional information of being from the Viñedo Valle Hermoso, just to add that in. It’s all herbs and asparagus served on a plate of chalk and all that just sounds like...too much. But? They pull it off with aplomb. I’ve always been a minimalist but somehow this wine is maximalist and minimalist? I don’t know how they do it but it’s very good. — 6 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.1

Brought to RH on Yountville. At first it has high pitched nose, almost strawberry. But with air this settles in to show more of an earthy core of fruit and dark berries that was balanced with a minimalist structure. Representative of the vintage, and a serviceable Syrah. — 7 years ago

Lindsay Corrigan

9.5

Nearly perfect wine! Nose raspberry and roses. Great colour of thick rich burgundy and silk mouth feel🤩 This was smooth and approachable with a great backbone. Flavour of red currants to a minimalist raisin sweetness before saddle leather, bit of oak and lenghtttty finish pipe smoke with hit of herbal menthol🤤
Not to mention this is a bargain when found on sale at $16 vs $19...I’d pay more for this flavour consistency 🍷🥳 — 7 years ago

Amy F

9.4

We talked about buying a case of this. So delicious, easy, but interesting. Love supporting local wineries. — 8 years ago

Michael Piaker

8.9

30 May 2017. Rouge Tomate, New York, NY. — 9 years ago

David Shaw

8.9

Very pale yellow in color. Good head on pour and good carbonation with medium to large sized bubbles. Delicate aroma. Lightly flavored in mouth with some bitterness, followed by slight malic and lactic acid tastes on finish, followed by a slight astringency with pulp-flavored aftertaste. If you like fruit forward ciders, this is not one of them; this is austere, dry to off-dry, bare-bone, minimalist cider. A worthy exercise in creative or alternative cider making styles but it won't be to everyone's taste. I enjoyed it, so it's worth a try if you can approach it with an open mind. — 9 years ago