David Gobberdiel

9.0

Evocative of place- rich body, golden patina — 4 years ago

with Tyler

Bryce Wiatrak

9.1

What a pleasure it is to taste this three decade old Tuscan icon. Vino da Tavola at the time, Coltassala is now Volpaia’s Gran Selezione bottling. Fully mature with a distinctive patina, it still captivates with a dusty, figgy aroma and classic Sangiovese elegant rusticity. — 6 years ago

Bryce Wiatrak

9.4

It’s an anomaly to me why we don’t remember to cellar Zinfandel more often. This Turley from Lodi reminds me why we should. The aroma offers a distinctive patina - antique shop and dried roses, sage and thyme. At 21 years, the alcohol is still full throttle, but offers a very gratifying warmth. Thanks for bringing, Esther :) — 6 years ago

James Gourley

9.8

This had just about the perfect amount of age on it. Smoothest mouthfeel I've ever experienced in a cab. Everything was so well-integrated and seamless. The slightly dried red fruit had a perfect patina of vanilla. The tannins started dusty and then just melted to provide a deliciously viscous finish that went on and on... — 6 years ago

with Michael

Mark N Ricca Jr

9.3

Big, generous blue fruit with a fine patina of dried prune in the front. Muscular but well integrated tannins and medium + acidity make this still a young'un. — 8 years ago

Brice Cunningham

9.1

The heavy California fruit went to bed and left the place for the adults tannins... Excellent structure, (it's worth the wait she says!!!...) leathery... With patina that feels familiar.. Too bad Cali cabs get drunk too early... — 9 years ago

Alder Yarrow

Wine Blogger Vinography

9.5

Can I tell you how much I love this wine? Sooooooo much. Rich, saline, lemony kissed with oak, and now a patina of age. Stunning — 9 years ago

Jay Kline

9.4

Oh...wow. This is my first experience with Lapideus which is actually labeled as Giampiero Bea (Paolo’s son). This is old vine Trebbiano Spoletino (80+ years) that has seen 22 days of skin contact and 95 days on its lees. Popped and poured. The most brilliant burnished gold color; slightly hazy. In fact, there is a sediment “patina” on the inside of the bottle! On the nose, this is remarkably fresh with pears and stone fruits dominating. Not really funky at all! On the palate this is fresh and unbelievably quaffable for such an unusual wine. Again, the stone fruits dominate but almost taking on a dried fruit quality (dried apricots and dried mango). Sort of a Juicy Fruit thing too? So dry though and so, so good. Impeccable balance. Fantastic acid. For being so unusual, this is crazy accessible. A sublime pairing with cedar plank, wild caught salmon. Bottle No. 480/999. Brilliant stuff. — 4 years ago

Bryce Wiatrak

9.2

I don’t get to taste aged dry Portuguese wines all too often, and this bottle makes me believe that’s a shame. Soft red currant flavors meet a more savory patina in this nearly three decade old Baga. Game, rose, smoke, and cherry. — 6 years ago

Isaac Pirolo

9.3

While the 2012 was impressive last week, it also had me nervous that the 2014 might need some time. This is not the case. Immediately approachable, with generous crème de cassis and blackberry ganache, and stopping just short of being a fruit bomb. Sourced from several small Napa vineyards, each vineyard lot is fermented separately and then spends a year in American oak before blending and then another year in barrel. The lush, ripe fruit is ever so lightly tinged with a pyrazine patina, reining-in the otherwise boundless fruit. ZD’s 2014 has received numerous gold medals at such competitions as the San Francisco Chronicle Int’l, San Diego Int’l, and TEXSOM, but if I’m really being honest, most of my attention is on the Curling tonight. 🥌 🥌 🥌 🥌 — 6 years ago

Alex Crangle

Assistant Winemaker Balo Vineyards

9.8

One of my best experiences with Napa Cab to date. Perfectly aged with an authentic patina. Outstanding! — 7 years ago

Dock Hooks

9.1

Surely the patina among the pennies, this thing is anything but green. It pours deeply dark, but brightens with first light (a flickering candle) to a crimson going burgundy. As I hit it and breath in, its natural yet well-earned elegance and light forest musk coupling blueberry mash speaks softly as she pirouettes onboard like a post-show back-stage ballet (think Dan Fogelberg's Dancing Shoes; if you haven't take a listen) danced just for the moment, while I measure this fine wild flower, or is it the wine measuring me...? Like the dance, the tannins are firm but other than overbearing, instead holding, not tightly, but convincingly "dazzling, dancing, half enchanted..." The wine slow dances blueberries and Bing cherries down my throat whispering that she wants to go all night... I'm a little low on jam and she could use some some acid, but damn, dance on...🍷🕶👣🌀 — 8 years ago

Courtney Walker

9.5

A heavy charcuterie silver platter is served with baked honey ham, cured Spanish jamon, blood red chorizo, and smoked maple bacon. Hints of cinnamon, sweet paprika, basil leaf, gunpowder pepper, and cloves simmer on moist tobacco coloring zesty notes of ruby grapefruit, mandarin orange peel, soft kiwi hair, and peach fuzzed suede ~ buttered leather and flint coos as baby's breath on your nose.
Sandalwood and cedar patina the long legs of this elegant Blue Crane of a wine as it slowly grazes the river waters of the Indian Ocean. Nursed and balanced by the terroir of South African trade winds this purple warrior has flawless camouflage. Formal enough to serve the Master of War yet humble enough to grace the tongue of seraphim. The glass illuminates a select spectrum of mollusk purples and violets that have to be seen with the naked eye alone. Sublime in deed and grape. — 9 years ago

Marshall Todd Herron DPM

10

Wow!!! All I have to say is it is worth every penny!!!!The perfect opaque patina against the glass. The bouquet is exquisite. Lavendar and black licorice. The initial palate is delivering explosions of blackberry , dark currant, and black cherry. Just like the color of the wine. And my senses are going wild. Sight, smell, taste : this is a true indulgence. This is what I love about the St Helena area of California. In the middle comes the chocolate and the graphite soil not to mention tobacco and the sensation of brown moss on a giant oak. You can almost crunch this wine in your mouth. The finish is pure butter with a tingle on the tip of my tongue that makes me crazy for more. If you’re tired of the same old same old wine like I am, you must splurge for this amazing 2016, yes I said 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon from Boich family cellars. I promise it is worth every penny and you will not be disappointed. No, I have no affiliation with the winery but boy I wish I did! MASTERPIECE! Great job Boich family!!! I’m coming to California to visit your winery! — 5 years ago

Thomas Ng

9.1

Dry and crisp, full bodied, perfect level of sweetness. Best rose I've had in a long while — 6 years ago

Bryce Wiatrak

9.4

Herbal and still rather tannic and youthful. Leather, mushroom, tobacco, thyme, rosemary, dusted plum. Some redder tones emerge from the black fruit core - strawberry even. A pleasant rusty patina with some gentle, welcome bitterness on the finish. — 6 years ago

Harry Chandler

10

2016 went great with lobster at Patina — 7 years ago

Keith Levenberg

9.0

There are not many places where young nebbiolo gets as supple as this. There is the Valtellina, and... and... well, there may be one or two others. This is fully resolved in texture and offers flavors that, despite the relative youth, are more winy than fruity, somewhat in the fashion of a traditional Rioja but with a cooler-climate feel. It's got a patina of cherries and red apples and a slight rustling of cooling herbs - not to the point of tinging it green, but adding a nice freshness to a profile that shows the flavor characteristics and textural integration of something more aged. — 8 years ago

Jennifer DiDomizio

9.4

Forget applesauce; pork chops and my favorite Apple cider. — 9 years ago

Brett Jones

8.9

Mid ruby, smoky tar, hint of incense, dry, mature tannins, lean elegant spicy reminding me of a small, elegant Japanese lacquer box - with the fine patina of age. — 9 years ago