Mary H

9.0

Well-made single varietal cabernet grown near Monte Bello. Smooth blackberry and graphite. Round and medium weight mouthfeel. Less complexity given the single varietal but made with finesse. — a year ago

Neal Ferry

8.9

Lots of Fruit — 4 years ago

with TwiLea

Jennifer Liu

9.2

39.97 from new season. Balanced. Round. Worth the price. Would buy again — 7 years ago

Rebecca Hamlin

9.2

Great from Trader Joe's! — 8 years ago

Ned Clark

9.6

Really excellent zin. — 8 years ago

Michael Washabaugh

9.1

Paired well with a lamb, eggplant purée, fava beans, piquolo pepper. Would also pair with a medium rare magret duck or other game. — 11 years ago

Paul Mason

10

Our go to summer wine — 13 years ago

Bill Mowry

8.9

Vanilla nose with some acid and minerality. Lemon and citrus flavors paired well with salmon. — a year ago

with Cristian, Lou and 1 other

Hugh O'Riordan

9.1

Dark and rich earth flavors. Very well balanced with good finish. It’s from Livermore not Australia! — 4 years ago

John Osgood

9.0

Good Cali blend — 7 years ago

Randy Fuller

9.0

This yellow-gold wine rings the “old-style Cali” bell in all the right ways. A nose of apricots, mangoes and apples is helped along with the smell of buttered popcorn. Oak treats the palate as well, draping over the tropical fruit like a sunshade. The acidity is zesty, yet the mouthfeel tends toward creaminess due to the wine sitting on the lees for five months. The oak is a definite part of the wine, but the effect is softened enough so that it's a pleasure, not a pain. — 7 years ago

Nico J. Snyman

9.6

Tried the '90 recently, spoke of how amazing a producer of Californian Cabernet it is, but just needed a little more time, this '85 is well & truly on point, everything is in balance, there's fruit intensity yes, but the development/complexity/layers are really shining through, outstanding stuff. — 9 years ago

Rachael Ryan

Sommelier Quince Restaurant

9.8

Always surprised by these wines. Incredible concentration and still lively. — 12 years ago

Michael Shonblom

9.3

Sweet, fruity, mild spices that sustain. Holds its own — 13 years ago

Jay Kline

9.2

Popped and poured; consumed over two days and there was little in way of development over the course of those two days. The 2019 Sandlands Carignane “CCC” is packed with character…but there is a catch: it needs considerable more time to really deliver all the goods. The wine pours a deep ruby with a purple hue. Medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. No signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is drop dead gorgeous with notes of fresh, ripe dark fruits, a bouquet of red flowers, cumin, spiced meats, and crushed gravel. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium(+?) tannins and medium(+?) acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium with a somewhat austere, mineral finish. Honestly, I feel like the structure is “dominating the room” at this point and needs more time to settle in. But when it does…and it will…folks who have been patient will be duly rewarded. Hold. If I had more, I wouldn’t touch until after 2027. — 3 years ago

Tom Inners

9.4

Still young for my tastes but checking in on a go-to producer. Killer with King Crab Salad sandwiches 🥪

This bottle was a bit slow out the gate and needed some air to reveal the magic inside. This bottle was a pick up from Corti Bros when passing through Sacramento via Tahoe.
Finesse, and beautifully prolific white wine structure all the way throughout.

Santa Cruz Mts represent! — 5 years ago

Patrick Derdeyn

9.2

Another last of its kind wine as the San Mateo moved to Alesia label after this vintage. This young blend is really singing right now with bright red fruit and cedar spice and well balanced acidity. A candidate for short term aging, but the freshness of the fruit really shines now. — 7 years ago

Jay Root

9.1

Peppery, acid, lighter on the fruit. This would pair really well with chili or a similar dish — 8 years ago

Gerhard Ziemer

9.2

An amazingly Burg-like CA Chard; aging wonderfully, layered and complex.... — 10 years ago

Petra Thieriot

Owner/Importer Dee Vine Wines

10

Ernie, the genie, prepared the entire 5+ course meal for 18 guests and convinced all of us that South African Pinot can taste like premium Burgundy! — 13 years ago

with Andrew, Dade and 2 others