Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.4

2006 was a challenge for most in Rioja but the 2006 Vina Tondonia ‘Reserva’ is truly one of the wines of the vintage. The wine is a highly compelling blend of Tempranillo (75%), Garnacho (15%), Graciano and Mazuelo (10%), which was sourced from their estate vineyards and aged for six years prior to bottling. Needing a two hour decant to fully express itself, the wine offers an aromatic profile of cranberry, orange, red currants, red cherry candy and toasty oak aromatics. The palate is plush once in the attack as the wine effortlessly dances across the mid-palate, producing a seamless effect. Red currants, blood orange zest, pipe tobacco flavors and shades of pomegranate seed all beautifully weave their way through the palate. Showing wonderful ageing potential, this is drinking marvelously right now and has another fifteen years to go. Drink 2020-2035- 94 — 6 years ago

Ian Staub

9.1

Notes for the ‘N’ (no sulfur/zero zero) bottling. About 18 months since my last bottle, I really like how things have progressed and mellowed. There is some funk up front that blows off in less than 30 minutes in a decanter. Displays vibrant lively fresh fruit - pomegranate, cranberry, strawberry, Valencia orange - with sweet fresh fennel and mint. Low tannins, up front juicy acid. Length and depth. Awesome showing, and while this certainly could age, I love the vibrancy and freshness. Not sure holding on to the last bottle for more than a year is going to necessarily improve it for me personally. — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

I’ve had a a fair amount of older Williams Selyem Pinot Noirs, this one is the most different. It seems more extracted and darker than the bright; cherries, strawberries & pomegranate Pinots from them that we’ve had a run on over several years.

The noses reveals, deep, dark, ripe; currants, blackberries, black cherries with liqueur notes, baked black plum, black raspberries with hints of blue fruit. Touch of smokiness, cinnamon, clove, vanillin, black licorice, mid intensity, sweet tarriness, herbaceous notes, mint/eucalyptus character, touch of tree sap, black, rich earth, steeped fruit tea, limestone, dry rock powder, dark chocolate bar, mocha notes with fresh, withering & dry, dark, red florals and just a hint of violets.

The body is medium full. It has gorgeous mouthfeel. There are still round, softened, teethe & tarry tannins here. Tannins were in the bottle neck which, is not always traditional even in older Pinot’s. The structure, tension, length and balance are really nice with another three to five years of good drinking ahead. It’s right around its peak. Perhaps, just the other side of the bell curve. Dark, ripe; currants/cassis, blackberries, black cherries with liqueur notes, baked black plum, black raspberries, cooked rhubarb, raisins with more blue fruit showing vs. the nose. Touch of smokiness, cinnamon, clove, light nutmeg, vanillin, black licorice, mid intensity sweet tarriness, herbaceous notes, mint/eucalyptus character, touch of tree sap, black, rich earth, steeped fruit tea, limestone, dry rock powder, dark chocolate bar, mocha notes with fresh, withering & dry, dark, red florals and violets beaming on the finish. The acidity is excellent. The long finish is; ruby, ripe, elegant, gorgeous, extremely well balanced and persists on the palate with warm, dark spice.

IMHO, Williams Selyem Pinot Noirs do not score well early and really shine at 10 years plus in many vintages. They are a Sonoma Pinot pioneer and a gold standard comparison for other producers and Pinot lovers to take note.

Photos of; Williams Selyem winery, Sofia’s great handy work with flowers and one of our two raised garden boxes. 💐 🌸 🌺 🌹🌼🥀 🌽 🥒🥬 🍅

Happy Memorial Day weekend all! Hope you are grilling & enjoying some of your favorite wines. — 7 years ago

Marshall Todd Herron DPM

9.8

2014 Barbaresco Produttori del Barbaresco- what can I say? She’s the queen! Strawberry jelly on toast is the bouquet! The palate has lots of cherry and pomegranate. Then comes the earth tones such as leather and tobacco but not strong the tannins are so mild due to the delicious mild fruit in this wine. The finish is mildly dry. Overall somewhat less acidic than the Barolo. Long live the Queen. — 8 years ago

Elizabeth Rice

9.0

Difficult vintage which only 45 barrels were made, half of what normally is made. Luckily they picked before the massive rains. Mossy pomegranate with balanced acids. Tasting next to 2014 which was a better vintage comparatively. — 8 years ago

with Pierre

C. Cole

9.2

Cherries, pomegranate and minerals. A great way to end the weekend. — 9 years ago

LM Segal

9.2

Giusto hits another one outta the park. Sicilian take on new world Pinot Noir, made in clay amphorae buried in the ground, light, pure pomegranate and red berry. Love how the clay and the red earth come through. Very long. Seek this out, decant a bit. — 10 years ago

Stacy Markow

9.1

Pomegranate and star anise. Alpine wine makes me happy. — 10 years ago

Mark Quezada

8.9

Tart pomegranate. Currants. Metallic — 11 years ago

Kgfgg Caroin

10

Cherries plums and pomegranate oh my! And a dark fizzy wine too? All I can say is wow. 4th anniversary sexy drink check! — 12 years ago

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

Willie Carter

8.9

A deep ruby color with a wide brim. A huge burst of fruit on the nose consisting of raspberries, wild strawberries, and pomegranate with cedar notes bringing up the rear. This is a very deliberate Pinot. Showing a consistent profile through the vintages, it’s a really nice juxtaposition of delicate fruit and a full body with firm tannins. A bit of elegance on the palate with more nice red fruit, baking spice, toasted cedar, and lavender. This is such a nice representation of this style of Pinot, it really is quite well done. — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

With each vintage, their Pinot’s get better & better.

On the nose, liqueured cherries, black cherries, strawberries, dry cranberries, touch of baked rhubarb, dark rich soils, limestone minerals, red licorice/cola, steep fruit tea. Dry brush, vanilla, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, Provence herbs, warm toast, fresh red & dark florals with violets.

The body is medium, rich & lush. Liqueured cherries, black cherries, strawberries, dry cranberries, pomegranate, touch of baked rhubarb, blueberries, dark rich soils, limestone minerals, red licorice/cola, steep fruit tea. Dry brush, vanilla, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, Provence herbs, warm toast, fresh red & dark florals with violets. Even though this wine was stored well, it wasn’t stored in my best storage. It might be two years ahead of schedule. However, the structure, tension, length and balance are about two years from its peak. The acidity is round and like a gentle rain shower. The long finish is well balanced, elegant, lush, rich and lasts minutes.

Photos of, the Estate vines as viewed from their patio, the old oak vats inside their tasting room that were once used for winemaking, event tasting room, and their tasting patio. — 7 years ago

with James and Christina

James Rowell

9.8

Pomegranate juice. Slight funk. Great for a Saturday afternoon. — 8 years ago

Migue Gustavo

9.5

Aromas of red cherry, raspberry, pomegranate and sweet tobacco.  Multi-layered flavors of red, blue and black berry fruit, plums, cherries and a hint of blood orange underpin subtle layers of exotic spice and toast.  Fine tannins and balanced acidity drive a long finish. Very Good. — 8 years ago

Weston Kim

9.0

Best to let breathe for a bit. Pomegranate and paint thinner in a good way. Dryish with a slightly sour finish. Great, reasonably priced wine. — 9 years ago

RazorHater

9.5

Amazing structure with a generous pomegranate, mineral profile. — 10 years ago

Mvon Higgins

9.3

Deep ruby glass with translucent ruby rim. Medium nose of anise, caramel, black cherry, plum, vanilla and tobacco. Medium full body and medium acid to the palate with dark cocoa, raspberry and pomegranate. Small tannins leads to a lingering finish of cocoa and black pepper. Very well balanced with excellent structure for a fairly valued $36.99 USD. Recommended for your special dinner when a smooth wine is needed. — 10 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Sweet & sour/dry cherries, cranberry, pomegranate, red licorice, cola, cinnamon, hint of vanilla. Long finish with a hint of brown baking spices at the very end. Drink now and not more than 2-3 years more. — 11 years ago

Nik Weinberg-Lynn

9.1

Not much left on the nose - a little whiff of pomegranate. Super savory and saline notes on the palate. Interesting. — 6 years ago

Shengli Hu

9.1

Smoke, lavender, violet, juicy cranberry and pomegranate concentrate, tomato juice, fresh red cherry. High acidity, medium+ tannins, sweet baking spices. Elevated body. Medium+ intensity, and finish. 13% — 7 years ago

Eric L.

9.3

Delicious and perfectly balanced. Lovely, pure pomegranate fruit with a hint of orange zest and vanilla. Very well made and an excellent value. — 7 years ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.3

Terrific nose out of the gates. Sour cherry, floral, pine resin, pine needles, lilacs, gorgeous florals. Cranberry as well. Even pomegranate. Stunning nose. Palate is s refined and ultra elegant with gorgeously sweet fruit. Silky and sweet with unreal fruit and lovely acidity. So silky and sweet with a gossamer like texture. Terrific and ridiculous. What a showing. — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

8.9

For me, the Joseph Phelps Pinots have improved over the last 5 years. The 2011 vintage overall in Sonoma/Napa is far from my favorite. The growning season was simply not that good (too cool) and Joseph Phelps was still finding their way with their Pinots. This drinks easy and smooth but, nothing about it really stands out on the palate.

On the nose, sweet, dark cherries, strawberries, cherries, black cherries, touch of blackberries and wafting blueberry notes. Light vanilla & cinnamon, black cherry cola. dark, rich sweet soil, hint of smoke/savory meat, limestone, dry crushed rock powder, black tea and dark fresh & withering flowers.

The body is medium edging toward full. It’s round, ripe and lush. It’s a good time to open your 11 JP Pinots and drink up. Their 11 Pinots aren’t waning but, not going to improve. The mid palate also leans a bit. Sweet, dark cherries, strawberries, cherries, black cherries, touch of blackberries, pomegranate,, dry cranberries and wafting blueberry notes. Light vanilla & cinnamon, light medium intensity dark spice, black cherry cola. dark, rich sweet soil, hint of smoke/savory meat, limestone, dry crushed rock powder, black tea and dark fresh & withering flowers. The acidity is beautiful due to the cool climate. The finish is good, balanced, smooth, dances with elegance but doesn’t dazzle. Finishes a little short.

Photos of; their Sonoma Pinot vineyard, Sonoma Visitor Center which, is now closed and a couple shots of their Rutherford tasting room.

Each year since 12, the quality of their Pinots has inched up in quality and are more cellar worthy. — 8 years ago

Jae Cho

9.0

Farmhouse funk followed by tart pomegranate. Polished — 8 years ago

with Diana

Kevin Ortzman

9.0

A potpourri of red fruit (cherries, pomegranate, raspberry) with floral notes. — 9 years ago

with Rick

Marissa A. Ross

Wine Editor, Bon Appétit

9.0

Sour patch kids and butter popcorn nose. The palate is velvety with pomegranate, a touch of chocolate and a figgy finish. Not as weird as its previous vintages, but still very enjoyable. Miss the massive funk though. — 10 years ago

Raymond Domenico

9.3

Delicious spices with pomegranate and cherry, tobacco throughout, dynamic Pinot. — 11 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

The 02 Sonoma is not quite the 02 Yorkville from a couple of weeks ago but none the less a very nice wine. Cranberries, raspberries and ripping pomegranate. Almost pie filling like. A touch of baking spices, smoked meats and a chalky finish. Drinking beautifully around it's peak! — 11 years ago

Tom Kobylarz

9.8

Really nice change of pace domestic Pinot Noir. More masculine in character, yet elegant, medium grain tannins, with good earth tones and acidity. Black cherry, sandalwood, spice, and pomegranate aromas and flavors persist through to the long and fresh finish. — 13 years ago