Frank had 3/17/18. Very good and rich — 7 years ago
I like this producer and the Patriarch. However, as smooth, elegant and beautiful this 11 is tonight, It's short on body, a little concentration and a fair amount of structure from what this producer does in good years. It more the 2011 vintage (bad spring fruit set, cool summer temps and October rains for those producers that waited to pick) than the winemaker. On the nose; ripe plums, blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, raspberries, strawberry liqueur notes, lots of baking spices, violets, volcanic minerals and dark & milk chocolate. The body is M with M-M+ tannins. Plums, blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, raspberries, boysenberries, strawberry liqueur notes, lots of baking spices, violets, volcanic minerals and dark & milk chocolate, mocha, light caramel, crushed dry rock powder, suede style leather, light spice, nice acidity and a good ripe fruit driven finish that simply lacks the structure & some concentration that you normally get from this producer & vineyard. 2011 is definitely not a long-term cellar. 8-15 years in most cases...a little longer with the very high-end producers. — 8 years ago
Easy sippin afternoon chard — 9 years ago
New fancy regusci. — 9 years ago
It's the 12 Zin. Delectable might correct? Ripe raspberries, touch of baking spice. — 10 years ago
Bought in napa in April 2014. Drank in Amelia island in May 2014 over Memorial Day weekend. — 11 years ago
I’ve not had a Regusci in awhile. 2011 was certainly not one of Napa’s best vintages. However, this 11 while not the best Estate bottle I’ve had from them, is just drinking really well. It might have something to do with the fact I coravined it six months ago and laid it back down in my EuroCave. It likely advanced it some. I am more & more not sold on the longterm storage (9yrs) of a coravined bottle.
On the nose, nice soft dark spice, beautiful baking spices; round full vanilla, cinnamon, clove & nutmeg. Ripe, slightly stewed; blackberries, dark cherries, black plum, black raspberries with a hint of ripe cherries & strawberries. Dark moist, soils, dry crush limestone, used leather, hints of eucalyptus/mint, tree sap, light roasted used coffee grounds with dark fresh & withering flowers.
The body is round & full. The tannins are round, velvety and about 60% resolved. The length is nice, structure not what you expect from this producer & Napa but, the balance is lovely. The fruits are ripe with no baked quality as the nose. Blackberries, dark cherries, black spiced plum, blueberries, black raspberries, creamy raspberries and more cherries & strawberries than the nose. Mixed berry cola. nice soft dark spice, beautiful, layered baking spices; round full vanilla, cinnamon, clove & nutmeg. Mocha chocolate powder, caramel, dark moist, soils, dry crush limestone, volcanic minerals, used leather, hints of eucalyptus/mint, tree sap, light roasted used coffee grounds with dark fresh & withering flowers. The acidity flows like a river. The medium finish is; rich, ripe, well balanced and lasts a minute plus.
If I hadn’t coravined this bottle, I’d tell you to drink in the next 3-5 years. However, I think it’s got another 7-8 years of good drinking ahead. Properly stored of course.
Photos of, the long view from the Silverado Trail, their tasting bar & picnic area. If you make a midday appointment, reserve a picnic table and bring lunch to enjoy after your tasting. It’s a great spot with excellent views and ambiance. Last but not least, their (buy on the honor system) fruit & vegetable cart during the right time of the year. You see, the Regusci Family were farmers long before they got into the winemaking business.
— 7 years ago
Good. Not as good as the patriarch — 8 years ago
Needs time I think — 8 years ago
With Avalon team. 2/16 — 9 years ago
Absolutely delicious. Long finish and very smooth. Tannins are soft and fruit forward. 750 cases made from the oldest cabernet vines on the property, over 30 years old. Very rich and complex wine with great balance and structure. — 10 years ago
Dirt Floor Cellars Clary Ranch Sonoma Coast Syrah 2004 1.5L
-Richard Haake, Tony Poer, & Web Bond
-75-80% Clary Ranch Syrah roughly 22.5 brix
-20-25% Cabernet Sauvignon - roughly 28 brix - from Dr. Gold's vineyard, farmed by Regusci Vineyards, East of Highway 29 directly across the road from Brassica(formerly Go Fish and Pinot Blanc)
-Ambient yeast fermentation, some stem inclusion, 3+ year used French oak — 11 years ago
On the nose, ripe, ruby, fruits of; mulberry, blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, plum, black cherries, blueberries & creamy raspberries. Vanilla, hints of sweet tarriness, black licorice, whiff of spice, soft understated limestone minerals & crushed rock powder, fruity black tea, hint of fresh herbaceousness, rich, black turned earth, fresh dark floral bouquet and fields of lavender & violets.
The body is rich, ripe & full. The tannins are a little sticky but well softened, round and a touch chewy. The structure, tension, length, balance, tension and balance are very close to perfect and harmonious. Fruits are; mulberry, huckleberry, blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, plum, black cherries & creamy raspberries. Vanilla, hints of sweet tarriness, black licorice, whiff of spice, soft understated limestone minerals & crushed rock powder, fruity black tea, hint of fresh herbaceousness, rich, black turned earth, fresh dark floral bouquet and fields of lavender & violets. The acidity is round and rains like a waterfall perfectly over the palate. The very long, ruby, rich, well balance lasts minutes and is absolutely heavenly. Gorgeous, elegant, stunning wine.
Photos of; the vertical tasting we attended of all Hendricks Cabernets; 04, 05, 09 & 12 at the time w/ one of our favorite paintings in the background, Charles Hendricks working in the cellar, very old rootstock from the Stag’s Leap Vineyard where the fruit to make this wine normally comes from and a wide shot of the Stag’s Leap Vineyard.
Producer notes and history...Hendricks Cabernet Sauvignon is consistently sourced from a few of Napa Valley’s finest vineyards. In those near perfect vintages, Charles only makes a small production wine of around 250-300 cases. Charles only produces it when he has exception fruit. He’s made Hendricks Cabernet in; 2004, 2005, 2009, 2012 & 2014. Notice he didn’t make Hendricks Cabernet in a great vintage year like 2013. He wasn’t happy enough with his fruit in 2013 to put his name on it. That says a lot and maybe all you need to know about his standard for quality. I do know what wine his 13 fruit made as I’ve had and it’s an unbelievable wine for far less money.
Charles also makes a fantastic Pinot Noir from the Santa Lucia Highlands that is really quite amazing. Especially, if you give it 5 or 6 years in bottle. All his wines are sold exclusively through the Hope & Grace tasting room in Yountville as he is also the Hope & Grace Winemaker.
Charles graduated in 1982 from UC Davis in viticulture. He was also able to tailor his own curriculum and was one of the earliest to integrate winemaking and viticulture course work. Having knowledge of both viticulture and enology forms the basis for his well-rounded winemaking.
Over the years Charles has worked in both Napa and Sonoma Counties, gaining hands on experience in all aspects of winemaking. He has a strong reputation for excellence. In his career, he’s been a consulting winemaker for many wineries; Viader, Barnett Vineyards, Paoletti Vineyards, Regusci Winery, James Cole, T-Vine and Tamayo family Vineyard.
I asked Charles, “how does he make wines that are amazingly good in their youth but will age effortlessly for 15-20 years?” His answer was simply this, “its not that hard, you just have to know the perfect time to harvest fruit.” I would agree with that to a degree. But, you also have to know how to gently guide fruit onto it’s path into the barrel and not get in the wine’s way or overwork the process. — 7 years ago
Like this one more than 13. This has more merlot and it is definitely beneficial. Tasted blind I'd probably guess this is from Rutherford. Reminds me of regusci and stags leap. — 9 years ago
This is as smooth of a Cabernet as I have ever tasted. Beautiful black fruits with solid, yet not overpowering tannins. Great cab. — 9 years ago
Not my preference in Chard, but executed incredibly well for its style. Very rich with American oak pretty evident, yet stays balanced. — 9 years ago
The wine of the night! Head to head with five other high end 2005 Cabernet Sauvignons! Absolutely beautiful expression of CS. Went with everything we ate and was the clear winner in a blind tasting with Chateau Montelena, Robert Mondavi Oakville (finished second), Regusci Angelo's Vineyard, Beringer Private Reserve, and Chateau Grand Puy Lacoste. Not too often that a group can taste this many wines blind and choose a clear winner! Way to go David Ramey, again!! — 10 years ago
Martin Sher
Fantastic effort, classic cab here done with elegance and even restraint. Made with grapes from the Regusci property if I’m not mistaken. — 7 years ago