Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

I kid you not, Charles Hendricks is likely the most underrated & under known Winemaker in Napa Valley.

If you have not had his wines, you are missing out on great wines & relative real value for Napa. He makes his own private higher end label-Hendricks, Hope & Grace and midway through the 14 vintage for; James Cole, Regusci & T-Vine.

There are few Winemakers that can make wines that drink well young & some that will age two decades plus stored correctly.

This Santa Lucia Doctor’s Vineyard is really good but, his private label Hendricks Pinot from Santa Lucia is off the charts. His 2008 Hendricks Pinot Noir is the highest rating I have ever given a Ca Pinot Noir, 98.

The 13 Doctor’s Vineyard is better than his 12 & is still a little early right now. It will improve over the next 5 years & hold there a couple of years before its gentle decline.

The nose reveals, ripe, well extracted & slightly baked; blackberries, stewed, deep, dark, black plum, black cherries, black raspberries, baked strawberries, dry pomegranate & cranberries with shades of blueberries. Dark spices, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanilla, touch of savory meats, anise to black licorice, black tea, wet clay, steeped black tea, touch of herbs dominated with Rosemary, rich, black, earth, dry stones, dry crushed rocks, fresh tobacco, leather notes, volcanic minerals, limestone with bright, fresh & withering florals that are; dark, red, purple, blue mixed in violets and lavender.

The body is full, rich, lush and gorgeous. The structure, tension, length and balance are just hitting their good phase. It is simply a beautiful & complex Pinot Noir. Nicely extracted & slightly baked; blackberries, stewed, deep, dark, black plum, black cherries, black raspberries, baked strawberries, dry pomegranate & cranberries with more blueberries than the nose. Dark spices that bring palate heat, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon stick & vanilla, touch of savory meats, peppery notes, anise to black licorice, black tea, wet clay, steeped black tea, touch of herbs dominated with Rosemary, rich, black, earth, dry stones, dry crushed rocks, fresh tobacco, leather notes, volcanic minerals, limestone with bright, fresh & withering florals that are; dark, red, purple, blue mixed in violets and lavender. The acidity is very good & excellent at containing the slightly higher ABV. The long, complex finish is, well balanced fruit & earth, polished and will persist until dawn.

Photos of; Their Doctor’s Vineyard, one of my favorite paintings that used to hang behind the bar in their tasting room & now hangs in Charles’ house (it reminds me of a Jackson Pollock), Winemaker-Charles Hendricks and the front of their tasting room in downtown Yountville.
— 6 years ago

JKT

9.1

In Dublin hotel dinner brought by Hsing. Well made new world Aussie Shiraz with fruity well balanced nose of red fruits and cherry. Silky smooth texture for this style and long finish. — 7 years ago

Chris England

9.2

A new Blanc de Blancs champagne recommended to me in St Emilion @ £50-£60 and I was ms told “When the great Champagne house Salon choose not to produce a vintage, all the grapes go into Delamotte!” 😮

🏵 92-93 points

📍 Delamotte BdB Champagne 2008

🍷 Light golden straw yellow

👃 Fresh baked shortbread biscuit, saline over crushed rock minerals, baked whole lemon, green apples & creamy honey infused vanilla custard

👄 Med bodied fine bubbled mousse of citrus, grapefruit sours, green apple & dry minerals

🎯 Long sweet, sour & dry mineral filled citrus & tart green apple creamy refreshing finale

🌞 Suntastic 😎
— 8 years ago

Charles D Cummings

9.1

Was lucky enough to be invited over to a friends house one night for wine. Was really surprised when she brought out this bottle of wine. Her mother-in-law had passed away and had a pretty good selection of wines left over. Should have decanted but I was just happy to get a glass. Full of dark berries on the nose. Had a beautiful velvety texture. — 9 years ago

"Odedi"

9.2

Deep inky, almost black in color, with a dark purple rim.

Beautiful Fruity nose of figs, blueberries, blackberries, sweet plums, cherry pie, earth, leather, smoke, spices, chocolates, licorice, oak, vanilla, black pepper, herbs, spices and peppermint.

Full bodied, bold and jammy, with medium acidity and long legs.

Fruity and dry on the palate with blackberries, black currants, plums, cooked cherries, oak, vanilla, licorice, earth, spices, leather, smoke, chocolates, mocha, dark coffee and peppercorn.

Long finish with round tannins and spices.

A very enjoyable blend of 85% Petite Sirah and 15% Petite Verdot from the house of Michael David.

Well Balanced, bold, fruity and a great sipping wine. Good for parties and also good with food like BBQ Meats.

Good right out of the bottle, but even better after an hour.

Definitely a teeth staining red wine.

14.5 %alcohol by volume. — 10 years ago

Vic Petroff

9.0

In a good place. Very pleasant. — 11 years ago

Chris Leon

9.3

So fresh; tart red fruit, tomato skin, vibrant acidity. A welcomed glass of Spring in this cold. — 12 years ago

Christopher Strieter

Co-Founder, Senses Wines

9.3

Hookers House Bourbon aged in Pinot Noir barrels plus some Deadwood #winning — 12 years ago

Andrew Schirmer

9.2

I first drank this wine in 2004 as a 22 year-old wine neophyte—with duck confit & spaetzle at the late great Earth & Ocean in Seattle—it blew my mind. As Swift said, “I drink no memories” so how does it hold up?

Quite respectably. Opening palate is fresh, mouthwatering, the memories of great Beaujolais crus past. Mid-palate with currant & slate. Excellent acid-tannin accord, cherry liqueur finish. Glorious with roast chicken & black trumpets. — 7 years ago

with Alsu

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

It’s a 375ml double dip night.

There was a time in my life, I almost never opened Champagne. Now, can’t seem to get enough.

The Ruinart Rosé has the; deeper, darker, richer fruits over the BSR but, while the chalk, sea fossils, minerals are very good, it just not as a impressive as the BSR.

Photos of; the House of Ruinart, Dom Thierry Ruinart, their caves and one of their their Grand Cru vineyards. — 7 years ago

Peter Sultan

9.1

My new ‘ house ‘ red- mountain Nebbiolo w some Negrette(I think), a fave Carema producer- under 17$ & beautifully balanced, tart ( but check as it evolves in glass) — 8 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

About a year since I had a bottle. The largest Champagne house in France, founded in 1743 by Claude Moët. Golden straw with stone fruit aromas with citrus and honey notes. On the palate clean fresh fruit tastes BOF apple, peach and pear with lemony undertone. Great balance, good bubble bead flow, lively acidity, lingering ending with crisp mineral tones. A Fav! — 8 years ago

WineMascot

9.2

Chablis in style, a little more acid on the back would be nice. But has the right balance and hint of the pencil shaving — 9 years ago

with Erik

Fabio Priori

9.2

England, Kingston, Chloe & G's House, Dinner, Giles, Chloe & Fab. (Very Nice, Purchased In Roma At Trimani Enoteca With Marcello ), Yum. — 9 years ago

Cody Short

9.1

A favorite in our house — 10 years ago

with Suzanne and Holli

KC

9.2

Perfect with the mousse au chocolate torte my sister in law made. — 11 years ago

Tabitha Doyle

9.2

Sweet, inexpensive weekday night red. Not a serious wine. So fruity and sweet I think of it as a sangria. But it's enjoyable for what it is. Almost always have a bottle in the house. — 11 years ago

Harumph Wines

Owner Harumph Wines

9.2

Dried prune nose in the best way, dusty framboise, great acidity and tartness, nice lil funk — 12 years ago

W Antinario

9.6

Had it at the new Lunda Byerlys store in Watzata. — 12 years ago

Andy Hall

9.5

Number 2 in the wine, cigars and golf weekend. Following the ‘07 Robert Foley is not easy but Vineyard House held it’s own. — 7 years ago

with Jerry

Alex Kurze

9.1

Not fruit forward nor heavy in body or overly spicy. A well balanced nice drinking wine. — 7 years ago

Daniel M

8.9

This label cracks me up every single time😃
Violet, cherry, iron, earth. A firework of a nose and no trace of any barnyard funk lately which is good improvement on the same bottles opened one year ago. The palate is well balanced with a crazy fruit, violet exploding here and there, a strong acid frame and some matter, côte du Rhône style. Gentle tannins kick off a very playful finish with violet and cherry and a lot of fun. This wine is made out of grapes grown 10 miles from the house I grew up in near toulouse and it's always a win! (pun intended) — 7 years ago

Sam Agami

10

Wow, old school perfection! California wine from a forgotten age. Pure Italian-American greatness. Reminds me of the wine my childhood landlord would make from the vines that grew behind our house just upstate from NYC. Dark fruits abundant, soft acidity and tanins, nice touch of oak, without obscuring the graps as so many California wineries are obsessed with doing for some reason these days. Found this at a random liquor store on a road trip, will seek it out now. Even better than the Cribari Chianti or Coppola Rosso, which were my previous favorite in this genre, the wonderfully underappreciated "backyard" wine... — 8 years ago

Kim Brater

9.4

Really delicious Pinot. Burgundian style. Elegant. Cassis and muted earth. Amazing for the original price. This 2011 is long gone. Paid under $40 several years ago. Wish I had another. Hear my Dad saying in my head "Always buy two..." 😀 🍷 — 8 years ago

Lewis Chester

9.4

Krug Grande Cuvée in Double Magnum. Harry's Bar. 2004 base wine edition. Another great effort from the House of Krug. Toasty and elegant, fine bubbles, with a deepness to it that few champagnes can offer. Not at the level of the 2002 base as of yet, but delicious none the less. Acidity is balanced and works perfectly to enhance the aromas and overall long finish. Excellent as usual. I would probably hold for another 5-7 years before opening another large format from this edition. — 9 years ago

Karen DeLand

10

Enjoyed for valentine's dinner 2017. So smooth and rich in flavor. Wonderful! Purchased for a steal on closeout - $4 (regular $45)! Wish I would've purchased more! — 10 years ago

Joy Lindholm

Sales Synergy Fine Wines

9.2

Needs time to really shine but lovely after a couple hours in the decanter. — 11 years ago

Marshal White

9.3

Combines with shepherd's pie to combat winter in May — 11 years ago

Yaroslav Rogoza

9.5

Great wine. Especially good in winter — 12 years ago

Adam Baker

9.7

Amazing wine. With Elissa celebrating our new house on Yorktown and new baby Grant. We cooked at home. Sometime in early 2014. — 12 years ago

with Elissa