Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.5

I love this site. It’s so distinct and in the right hands makes 1er quality wine that’s like a mini Perrieres as it has the same super rocky poor soil. Meyer lemon, butter, grilled nuts, mineral, tree bark, so earthy and mineral. Palate is so elegant and just beautiful. Wow. Hauntingly elegant. So mineral with some buttery fruit but man this is wow. This has really caught me off guard. Fuck. What a beautiful wine. — 7 years ago

Thomas Brenner

9.3

Maliciously magnificent and majestically magical with it's masterful maelstrom of mature marjoram and fruit marmalade...among the best man may make. Stellar. Just a straight up stupendous stabber with it's stupefyingly sturdy structure, stand-alone stone fruit and St. Steven ordained staginesses right out of the stable. — 8 years ago

Carol Sigman

9.1

Silky smooth sweet cherries and vanilla with a hint of espresso. One of the oldest vineyards in Saint Emilion. Call out to the man, lovingly called “The Boogeyman”, for the great Left Bank/Right Bank 2012 horizontal tasting recommendation this evening. — 8 years ago

Rick Zywotko

9.5

Last bottle purchased at the winery 14 years ago! Our 39th today, celebrating at Gianni! Terri bought us some champagne to open the evening while the wine decant. Man ...its FANTASTIC right now, leather, black fruits, and very deep color......deep dark ruby! Outstanding, and enjoying with me bride! — 9 years ago

with Mike and Michael

Kim Stanbro

9.1

Excellent for price. Helped stir the creative juices with planning our next Baltimore Rock Opera Society fundraiser. Cheers to our favorite local wine store for offering to donate! — 9 years ago

Kyle Harvey

8.9

Warming up the palette for the trip to the motherland this week...more fruit than savory but man, without the shipping costs, the price is right #qprpiemonte — 10 years ago

Meg

9.7

Friday 5pm. Take off the heels, take on the wine! I had the pleasure of catching up with Jeff Shifflett this week, on the heels 😜 of sending one of my customers to see him. (He actually has wine for sale right now for those interested) Love this guy. If you are visiting Napa and you want the ultimate personal experience, he is your man. Passionate about his process -- from the soil to the bottle -- he is basically a one man show and does it so well. So talented, but yet completely down to earth. All of his wines are ridiculous. People are catching on -- he has a Merlot JV with Nickel & Nickel launching soon. #shifflett #winedown #heelsyes — 10 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.4

Gooseberry, bramble, violets, hint of sage. This is a full-bodied Merlot. However, the middle picks up a cola note but doesn't really go to a chocolate like the 2010 and 2012 had more of a tendency to do. This one really did not have a ton of acidity nor did it really have a ton of tannin to resolve. There was definitely enough tartrate in the bottle though! I really look for this one to continue aging quite nicely for another 10 to 15 years. But oh man, this one is drinking pretty darn nice right now. — 8 years ago

Roman Sukley

9.7

2010 Greer Cabernet Sauvignon from Rutherford, Napa Valley. 4 hour decant, deep crimson hued, this wine has a killer explosive nose of dark fruits, cinnamon, baking spices, menthol and flint. Chocolate covered cherries, cocoa and espresso mid palate, with a touch of nutmeg. Moderate trademark Rutherford dusty tannins in just the right proportion. Dense and concentrated. Beautifully layered with a silky mouth feel, and a lingering finish. In this age of $400-$500+ Napa Cabs, this wine takes a back seat to none of them. I’m a fan. You da man Rob Greer! — 8 years ago

UGAWineDawg

9.6

Man o man did this wine bring it. Dark inky color with a nose that told me spring is right around the corner, I could see the fruit clearly hanging under the canopy - flavors of dark fruits, touch of graphite and South Georgia fat blackberries. That dude Austin Peterson waved the wand on this one and created one fine Syrah - my go-to for date night with the smoking hot wifey. — 8 years ago

Dock Hooks

8.9

Kicking back letting the local tunes adjust my attitude with wine:30 showing on the clock she strolls in my direction digging the slow roll Hendrix spinning left then twisting right dressed in deep purple clinging and flowing interestingly crimson along her rim and edges back to casually claret whispering that she's from a small chateau hanging on the right bank of the Gironde near Arveyres. Offering her hand, I accept pulling her in close then a slow spin and a slower twirl she comes close bathed in the essence of blackberry and spice, young but ripe, wet earthy slowly working her way to a first kiss dripping then gripping, pulling tightly then going soft and silky still clinging while working her way deeper. I close my eyes, Hendrix stops and she's gone. A distant guitar string bends an unknown player. I spot her by the bar, her colors waving in the breeze of a lazy fan I reach out take her firmly by the neck, then lower bending her gently back then spinning her my way, she again engages, her essence lingering in my memory, we dance on as the tunes continue their spin. Later, when we are both done I figure she's likely a fine Merlot brightened by Cab Franc having found her way through new French oak nestled by the river, intelligently nuanced well worth the dance and cost is not an issue...

Hanging at Promise' Land Market where the tunes are always righteous, the people are cool, the conversation is groovy and wines dance from the walls... — 9 years ago

Joe Loughran

9.3

If I could drink Sandlands chenin every day I'd be a happy man. This just hits all the right spots and at only 12% abv! #winning — 9 years ago

"Odedi"

8.9

Ok. It's Friday, isn't it? Time for some Napa Cabernet...

Dark ruby/Inky in color with a thin, dark ruby rim.

Tight on the nose, with blackberries, blueberries, cherries, licorice, figs, cloves, earth, leather, cherries, oak, smoke, eucalyptus, chocolates, vanilla, herbs, spices and black pepper.

Full bodied with medium plus acidity and long legs.

Bone dry on the palate with blackberries, black currants, plums, cooked cherries, oak, vanilla, licorice, cloves, earth, leather, black tea, coffee, tobacco, heavy cola and peppercorn.

Medium plus in finish with firm, bold tannins and spices.

This is a good quality Cabernet Sauvignon, Single Vineyard, from Mt. Veeder in Napa Valley.

Still young, and wouldn't open up even after 3 hours. Needs a few more years in the bottle.
Not fully balanced yet, but complex and definitely drinkable.

I wish the nose would give out some, but the palate was pleasant. Better with food right now, but I'm sure that in a few years, this would be a great sipping wine.

I Paired it with filet mignon and roasted potatoes.

Grapes are grown in Mount Vedder, on gravely soil, and are hand harvested.

14.5 % alcohol by volume. — 10 years ago

Keith Levenberg

9.2

This bottling has never excited me as much as the other reds in the lineup. This one is solid, actually pretty impressive considering the vintage, though not really in the realm of exciting. It starts out very claret-like, red-fruited and a bit boxy, but got more distinctive and more in line with the expected Loire cabernet franc personality with air. The effect was like if someone had, metaphorically, kneaded and hand-stretched the wine like a sheet of noodles, so that it got more tensile and transparent as it came into form. The fruit is crimson hued, not primary tasting but not mature tasting either. It really benefits from picking up that extra snap, which has just the right amount of pleasant bitterness without crossing the line into pyrazine or other greenness. — 10 years ago

Dave Wismer

9.3

Loving this wine. Pairs well with cigars and chocolate and Kim dancing 💃 on the deck. Hay on the nose. Good earthy flavors. The surgeon general tells me I shouldn’t operate a crane after drinking thus but I really fell that I could crane like a mad man right now. — 8 years ago

with Kim

Matt

9.1

Oh man. Gimme mo! Big, rich, savory as all hell but balanced by that deep pure fruit one expects from a name like Graillot. I love the purity Maxime gathers with increased de stemming, perhaps a longer soak?? Black olive, beef blood, venison, fur, smoke, plump black cherry and plum, smoke, melange of herbs; sage, tarragon, thyme. Licorice and violet too. Very gravelly mineral notes throughout. This will be so good in 5+ years but who can resist a 2015 thats this promising right now. — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

On the nose; ripe, syrupy dark currants, blackberries, sweet slightly liqueured dark cherries, black plum, black raspberries, blue fruits, dark fruit gummy bears, tarry notes, black pepper, soft leather, dry brush, black licorice, caramel, dry crushed rocks, loamy dry top soil, violets, lilacs and lavender. The body is warm, thick, ultra rich, lush & elegant. The tannins are round & velvety but still have strength...50% resolved. It has another 10-12 years of good drinking ahead. The fruits are gorgeous & ripe; blackberries, sweet slightly liqueured dark cherries, black plum, black raspberries & lots of blue fruits & strawberries that paint the palate on the long set. A fair amount of tarry notes, black pepper, dry herbaceous notes (bay leaf), dry black olive, medium dark spice, dark chocolate, caramel, vanilla, clove, soft leather, dry brush, black licorice, dry crushed rocks, loamy dry top soil, violets, lilacs and lavender. The acidity is round & excellent. The long fruit driven finish is beautifully lush, elegant, well structured with near perfect balance. Photos of; Owner/Winemaker Roman Bratasiuk, their old gnarly 80-90 year old and low yielding vines and two of their vineyards. Producer history and notes...Clarendon Hills was founded in 1990 by Biochemist Roman Bratasiuks. Roman sought to further his passion for great wine by making some himself. Roman never trained as a winemaker. He planned on using his insight as a wine taster and scientist alike to dictate decisions. Roman sought to make a version of the wines he loved. The beginnings of Clarendon Hills effectively started in 1989 when he knocked on the door a local grower whose fruit he liked. A great friendship grew from from this by chance knock on the door. A handshake ensued and it became the first Clarendon Hills vineyard. On Saturday 24 February in 1990, Roman with just a bucket and secateurs arrived. Much to the growers shock, he began picking fruit himself. Roman started at 6 am and finished at 9 pm that evening; he picked half the entire vineyard himself and returned on Sunday the 25th to finish it. This process was repeated in a Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard which formed the 3 single site wines produced in 1990. Crushing was performed by Roman using empty bottles to squash the fruit in a bucket, then transferred by that bucket, to one of the 3 small ex-dairy tanks all bought for $100 and a quick, non-temperature controlled wild-yeast fermentation ensued. The wines were pressed in a borrowed basket press and matured in 3 separate third-hand barrels. The vintage was finished in 11 days. Much to Roman’s delight the wines were superb and they sold. With the money he bought more buckets, three more barrels and rent for a shed to house wines. The process was repeated the next year and the year after that. Clarendon Hills grew from his determination. This one man had to make wine after work and on the weekends after his 9-to-5 job. A local news paper even ran a story "Tin shed wines take on the world"; which made Roman cringe but slowly Clarendon Hills grew, it afforded him more equipment to make the process less labour-intensive and slowly grow his vineyard repertoire. In 1994, Roman left the Australian Government laboratories and devoted himself to Clarendon Hills 100%. In the 1994 vintage, Roman hired his first employee and rebranded his $30 Clarendon Hills Shiraz as 1994 Clarendon Hills Astralis. It was the first bottle in Australia to be priced at $100. It sold out. Roman went on for many years, making and selling the wines himself. Travelling the world over to show people the wines he made. Roman figured since he made the wine, he was the most logical choice to sell and represent his wine. This worked out so well, he continues to show the wines himself. Clarendon Hills produces; 8 Syrah, 6 Grenache, 3 Cabernet Sauvignon, a Merlot and Mourvedre wine. They are all single vineyards single varietal wines, produced from low yielding, dry grown old vines which are hand pruned and hand picked. All his wines are aged in high-quality French oak barriques. Quite a brilliant success story. This is also another wine I acquired on the secondary market for much less it’s release price and far less than their current release prices. It starts as a 9.3 with a half-hour decant. However, as it gets to an hour and half decant plus, it just gets better & better. Works it’s way to a 9.5 in a hour decant. — 9 years ago

Alan

8.9

Citrus notes, more lemon flowers man woman. Some minerality underneath it, not a great deal of acid. Citrus goes right to the roof of your mouth. Search cooler to keep the lemon under control and allow the minerality to come out. — 10 years ago

Jonathan Wall

9.3

Wow. So happy to find this in Hong Kong. Within 10 minutes of opening I called and ordered more. So well balanced, smooth, deep, savoury... And so well made. Not heavy, not light... Just right. Momma Bear wine. Happy Mother's Day. — 10 years ago

Matt Austin

Owner/Winemaker, Grosgrain Vineyards, Walla Walla, WA

9.4

This is the version with an "N" on the back label, which indicates that no sulfur was added. Wish I had a bottle of the other version on hand to compare. In any event, this is fantastic and shows that in the right hands the "natural wine" thing can be done pretty well. Brighter fruit than I recall from the other bottling. Would be curious to see if this can age. — 10 years ago