Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

On the nose, extremely delicate & soft notes of citrus, fragrant flowers and soft minerality. On the palate, soft, lean lemon, lime juice, grapefruit, underripe green melon, citrus blossoms & beautiful soft minerals. The long finish is a lean but rich mellowed citrus. — 8 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.3

Very pale. From Martinborough. Aromas of Talc and Citrus with slate and mineral chiming in on the palate. A little residual sweetness - only 10% Alc. Great match with fresh boiled baby clams in a mustard sauce. — 8 years ago

Colin Cahoon

9.3

Cranberry, cedar, and dark fruit nose. Baked blueberry, clove, cedar, cherry pie and white pepper on the palate. Medium plus tannins and medium acid. A little brash now, but I suspect it will mellow beautifully. Fine example of mid-price range CDP. — 9 years ago

Jeffrey Long

9.3

Canned on 1/11/16. As usual, MUCH better enjoyed from a glass than from the can. I've had a number of these here now and have encountered quite a wide variation in the degree of juiciness and hop complexity, resulting in ratings in the range 9.1-9.6. Must have to do with freshness, as by far the best version has been on draft. — 9 years ago

Jason Gomez

9.4

Wonderful citrus profile. Mineral notes on the nose. Great with the seafood dishes we ordered. Will order again. — 10 years ago

with jennfer

Ray Isle

Executive Wine Editor Food & Wine Magazine

8.9

Very Asian-spice (cumin-y) NZ Pinot. VG at first, started to get a little disjointed as dinner went on. — 11 years ago

Henri Schock

9.3

Holy Nebby! Super fine offering from Produttori. This wine offers an amazing range of complexities - plentiful fruit, floral notes, cola, spice, iron...goes on and on. Such a steal at $25! — 11 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.0

Bordeaux blend from a quality Hawke's Bay producer. Good time to open a 2010 but it still has another 5-10 years of good life ahead. Nose of blackberries, blueberries, black raspberries, black plum, dark cherries and strawberries...they are in a preserves style, dry fresh & dry florals with black licorice. The fruits on the nose match the palate and are ruby ripe. Touch of black tea, black licorice, soft baking spices; cinnamon & vanilla, soft understated leather, rich turned black earth, dry stones, fresh violets, lavender & nice mellow acidity. The structure, length, balance and tension have developed nicely in the bottle. The long finish is fresh, lush, rich fruits with light earthiness. It would warrant a higher score if it had a little more complexity. Still an enjoyable wine. @ Mangapapa with a real Picasso in the photo. — 8 years ago

Jackson Ellisor

9.3

Wonderful crisp, citrus/not too sweet, summertime/on the beach SavBlanc. One of my faves in this price range ($12). — 9 years ago

George Chen

9.0

Have a few cases as overpaid when released! 😣 but the 08 maiden vintage was still the best...they tried to take on SE but never got traction. Layers with lots of glycerine...structured and deep fruit. Hope it develops well as I can't sell it! — 9 years ago

Trevor Miller

9.0

Nice drinking Pinot. On the Delicate side and nicely balanced. Would buy. — 10 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

A brilliant wine. 1 of the top 10 wines this year for me. A plum infused minerality...... Rain on a hot bitumen road". A powerful persistent yet balanced palate showing great ripeness but not overdone. Most tasters would not pick this as NZ - more probably Australian. This wine would compete favourably in any International Shiraz competition. 18.5+. — 10 years ago

Ivan London

9.0

WS90 bold white: This takes a broad approach, offering a wide range of dark plum, steeped currant and warm black cherry compote notes inlaid with espresso, ganache and dark tobacco, with a buried briary edge on the finish. Needs short-term cellaring to unwind fully. Rock-solid. — 11 years ago

Geoff Troup

Sales Eder Brothers, Cellar Fine Wines

8.9

Sweet fruit with band aid and medicinal Alsace reminders. Quite the range on the palate. Takes you on a journey. — 8 years ago

Lauren S

9.0

A lot of alcohol on the nose. Fruit hits the palate immediately. Nice and smoky after the ham. Quaint. — 8 years ago

Sean K McNeely

Viticulture and Viniculture Assistant at Viña Vik Vineyard, Winery and Hotel

9.0

Incredible value at around $15. Juicy ripe strawberries and spicy raspberry with vibrant acidity. I'm partial to the Loire, but this is truly a perfectly versatile wine you could sip poolside or serve with a wide range of cuisine. Try it with some pulled pork on a steamy summer day or a light summer salad with fresh chèvre. — 9 years ago

Rajiv Ayyangar

9.5

Slightly low acid for Riesling, but it glows from an almost excruciating level of mineral energy. Slight botrytis, well-integrated with petrol and a range of lower-intensity florals. Light on its feet. ~40g/l RS and tastes like it. — 9 years ago

with Tim, Will and 1 other

Christian Bronstein

9.0

Good price point and expression of citrus, medium bodied pleasant grouch range slight find bitterness on the end — 9 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.9

Stunning! Heaven on the palate. Sweet cherries, blackberries, rhubarb, sweet leather, tobacco leaf, earthy in the way you dream about. So resolved and integrated. It still shinning after 30 years. The one thing I love about 80's Bordeaux is the lower alcohol level. You simply do no need to be in the 14-15% range. — 10 years ago

Patrick Hu

9.0

Pine, menthol, and vanilla on the nose. A bit medicinal. Tannins too subtle. — 11 years ago