Joe Gillies

9.0

Juicy black fruit leather and tobacco flavors. This is the model wine, when people say that CdR wines are the perfect food friendly wines. — 5 years ago

Ian Hamel

9.3

This year’s model is as wonderful as ever, notably meaty and rich but still classical and balanced — 6 years ago

Susan Hanners

9.1

This is what all pinots should model, inviting on the nose, light but full of delight! Dark, tangy, strong lasting finish — 6 years ago

Daniel M

9.0

Very delicate and complex nose of strawberry, rose petals, cherry, earth and vanilla. The palate is a model of acid backbone around which a nice red fruit and some secondary aromas play their part. More on the length than the width but with a nice velvety texture. Finish with vanilla and cherry. A nice example of oak aged Pinot. — 7 years ago

Daniel M

8.9

Gun powder, cat piss, lemon, crushed rocks, chalk... what a complex nose ! The palate is a model of balance and tension. Lemon at first, a sheer acid backbone that is backed by fruit and matter with a nice density around the end of the palate. The finish is fresh, thirst quenching and lovely with flowery notes. Very good Sancerre ! — 8 years ago

Isaac Pirolo

9.4

Super-sappy and sinewy, and loaded with cherry and lavender. If there was a forest floor flavor of hard candy, this wine would be the model. I love how Beaux Freres manages to be both crowd-pleasing and wine nerd stimulating. Also, Wine Spectator scored this wine 89 points, which is kind of sad and makes me embarrassed for them. — 8 years ago

Martin G Rivard

10

What a beautiful person inside and out! I'm blessed beyond measure to be able to call him "Dad". Words can't adequately express how much I Love him. We opened a few bottles last night that I will hold near and dear to my heart forever. We are celebrating his completion of 6 rounds of chemo therapy in his battle against Prostate cancer. This is his 3rd time in the ring against this opponent and it appears that he's won with a unanimous decision by knockout at this time!!!!!! Love you dad!!!!! So proud of your strength through this process. My Father was born in 1940. A difficult year to say the least:
Germans entered Bordeaux in June of 1940. As dictated by Hitler himself, it was the sworn duty of each and every commander to search and seize whatever could be used for the advancement of the German cause. Bedlam broke out. Chateaux' were ransacked, wine cellars were looted if not used for target practice. The Chateauxs were forced to continue producing wines. It's poetic justice that Mother Nature provided the Germans with the worst growing season from 1940 to 1944!!!! The Germans left Bordeaux in 1944 to the cheers of the residents "Au Revoir Les Allemands"!!!! The 1940 bottle that we enjoyed this evening survived World War II. It Survived the ransacking, pillaging & plunder of countless German soldiers. It's outer capsule showed evident signs of its struggle but it's inner beauty was unblemished and glorious. I've had many, many vintages of Latour from 1928 and on but none have ever tasted as perfect as the one we enjoyed tonight. This 1940 was perfect. It was a fighter, it never gave up, it never relinquished in the face of adversity. That's my Father, that my role model. He's a beautiful person inside & out. I think 1940 is the best vintage that I have ever had the privilege to enjoy. Special thanks to my good friends Michael Troise whom provided me with much of the insights in regards to the incredibly difficult vintage and David Page whom gifted this bottle to me for our celebration this evening. I will never forget your generosity. It was a glorious evening to say the least!!! Wine has a way of bringing people together and encapsulating an evening and event. I couldn't think of a better way to rejoice in his victory than to open a Father & Son birth year wine. — 8 years ago

with Ryan, Christine and 1 other

Jim Wagonfeld

9.2

Luis Seabra makes statement wines. This Albariño is med yellow in color with a nose of apple, pear almond and citrus. The creamy palate adds pineapple and peach. The wine is focused and a model of precision that offers a protracted finish. Not your quaffing vinho verde. His Xisto Cru blanco is even better. — 5 years ago

with Judy

Eric

9.4

Enjoying this jam bomb while cursing this model rocket build. — 6 years ago

Daniel M

8.9

Herbal nose with a hint of lemon, some mineral thing going on too like crushed oyster shell. The palate is a model of balance with a sheer acid backbone and some layers of fruits, grip and a salty touch too. Good grip before a long finish with salt and lemon. 2nd take of the same vintage in 2 days. Killer value! — 6 years ago

Isaac Pirolo

9.7

It’s usually a good sign when the winemaker can articulate what the wine is about like this: “Ceras is Botanica’s counterpoint. Its color is more purple than red. It is more about minerals and herbs than fruit and flowers. It is a focused and elegant distillation of rock rather than an opulent cascade of fruit. It is an expression of the geology that lays beneath our land, the tart blue fruits of the coast range and the tender herbs that one finds amongst the trees and mushrooms of the Northwest forest.”

Her 2013 Ceras is yet another example of Maggie Harrison’s sorcery over the vines at Antica Terra. The focus and intensity of flavor is off the charts, yet it maintains an almost ethereal weightlessness, only emphasizing the layer of silk that separates you from the wine. The pungent rock is so on point and distinctive it instantly reminded me of the scent of lichen growing on rocks, which I experienced in Colorado when I was 7 or 8 years old. This sets the stage for the level of complexity exhibited. The fruit has both an extraordinarily high level of purity and yet the woven tapestry of herbs and spices and even fruit blending are impossible not to notice. The key being that nothing is forced.

The nuance of complexity only being noticed when desired is nearly an impossible feat. I can’t help but recall James Conaway quoting Andy Beckstoffer in his recently released book: Napa at Last Light: America’s Eden in an Age of Calamity. “If a wine was a model with a chipped tooth, you’d have to give her something to compensate with. If she needs better shoulders, better breasts, give her some. But her real charm is in how she carries the defect.”

After reading his book, I can tell you I’m definitely not certain whether you can accept his quotes verbatim. One thing is certain, though, Maggie Harrison’s Antica Terra wines carry the defect like no other. — 7 years ago

Daniel M

9.2

GPS stands for gamay blanc (which is actually chardonnay's local name) poulsard savagnin. It's a white made partly with red grapes processed as white ones. The nose is very joyful and soulful: white flowers, white fruits, grape. The palate is a model of balance between the fruits (white fruits, white flowers, grape, lime) and the acid backbone that takes every single other element of the palate on tour. The finish is long , refreshing, fruity. You don't want it to end anyway! — 8 years ago

Tom Kobylarz

9.3

White Port and an exceptional one that comes across like a Madeira as this 100% Malvasia is dry, a touch sweet, with salty caramel, lightly roasted nuts and plenty of orange citrus in the form of fruit, peel and zest. This is a model of where white Port can stand on its own. — 9 years ago

Daniel M

8.9

Almond, cherry, and a bit of a mineral thing I can't place. A rather typical nose, rather intense. The palate is a model of balance: a wonderful sour cherry radiates throughout the entire palate. A good width with a thick matter, especially on the sides. A very smooth mouthfeel which reminds me of velvet. Some sweetness too, especially in mid palate, just before some drying yet gentle tannins which kick off a very fruity finish with those almond and sour cherry notes. A slight bitterness can be found in the end too. This is a good effort, I like it! — 5 years ago

Ron R

9.6

Another stellar wine from Mike and Rhonda.
A lovely surprise. Not your typical bombastic cab. A model of balance and restraint. Moderate sweetness combines with subtle acidity. Subtle sweetness combines with coffee and tobacco notes. Finish is like sinking into a black hole. This will cellar for donkeys years. — 6 years ago

with Mike and Anne-marie

Daniel M

9.0

Nose of blackberry, garrigue, olive, Provence dry herbs, fig... so many layers. The palate is a model of balance with a strong acid backbone that plays along a lovely red and black Forrest fruit. Some tannins to kick off a bright and persistent finish with fruits. I love it — 7 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.8

The 2015 Proprietary Red is a model of total elegance and finesse. Lifted and aromatically expressive, but also quite deep, the 2015 is another wine that is surprisingly fresh and vibrant. Aromatically expressive and nuanced, the 2015 is silky and plush on the palate, yet also remains remarkably tight on its feet. This is one of the most exquisitely beautiful, riveting wines I have tasted from Claude and Katherine Blankiet. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, March 2018) — 8 years ago

Ellen Clifford

9.0

Well today it’s a day after being on set with gorgeous drag ladies and an insta-model so I’m making myself feel better with the bottom level of my favorite grocery store wine. I fucking love Ravenswood. So this is entry level...but it is more than most top level grocery wines in my opinion. Less than ten bucks and so light for a zin which makes me like it because I don’t love over-oaked or over-ripe zins. It is not nuanced but has berries--and cherries!-- and dried cranberry and a whiff of black pepper. And a hint of raisin. Damn I love Ravenswood. I need to investigate if they have a wine club—oh! And I found out another Cali winemaker I love (Bedrock) was started by the son of Joel Peterson aka Ravenswood. The wine rocks on. — 8 years ago

Matt Duncan

8.9

Light color. Lacking attack. Black licorice. — 8 years ago

Jason Gallo-Gaffner

9.3

Outstanding! The homie Harley acting as a Riesling model lol — 9 years ago