Sipping Fine Wine

9.3

From Westside Farms and Rochioli Allen Vineyard sites, medium lemon color, aromas of stone and citrus fruits with floral and nutty notes. On the palate flavors of peach, apricot and pears with honeysuckle, smooth with a nutty creamy texture, lively acidity. Medium+ finish ending with fruit toasty notes and savory citrus mineral character. Nice! — 3 years ago

Jim Maynard

9.4

2012 vintage. Really good; developed some additional notes beyond the big youth. Someone noted they smelled it 6 feet away. Indeed fragrant. — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Tonight’s sipper is really beautiful. I found the 06 Walter Hansel Cahill after pairing & pouring their 08 a few weeks ago at Hedy’s Plate & Bottle dinner here at the house.

The 08 was really good but, this is even better. Much brighter, not as dark. A wine to pair or enjoy on its own. While the 08 shined better with food.

On the nose; bright, ripe cherries, raspberries, poached strawberries, softened blackberries, blue floral fruits, hint of rhubarb with a touch of brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, clove, touch of nutmeg, medium dark spice, wood shavings, limestone, dry clay mixed with dry, powdery top soil, just a whiff of dry herbs, fresh red flowers & roses.

The palate is medium full and nicely resolved. It’s just a shade the other side of its top peak. Beautiful texture and mouthfeel. The wine is completely seamless wire to wire. Bright, ripe cherries, raspberries, poached strawberries, blackberries reduced, blue floral fruits, hint of rhubarb & pomegranate extract. Slightly burnt brown sugar, red vines, cherry cola, vanilla, cinnamon, clove, touch of nutmeg, medium dark spice, wood shavings, dry stems, limestone, dry clay mixed with dry, powdery top soil, just a whiff of dry herbs, fresh red flowers & roses. The acidity rains on the palate. The structure, length, tension and balance are in perfect harmony. The long, elegant, well balanced finish is beautiful and lasts minutes.

Photos of; Walter Hansel winery restaurant, Pinot freshly harvested and headed to the WH winery, Stephen Hansel in the vineyard and one of beautiful Sonoma vineyards.

One producer note, Stephen was mentored by Tom Rochioli, who helped him in the early years of his winemaking, which began out of a garage! — 8 years ago

Michael Martinez

9.4

Excellent balance with apple and subtle oak. Very smooth long finish. — 9 years ago

Ryo Hayashi

9.6

Williams Selyem Rochioli Riverblock Vineyard Pinot Noir - Vintage 2000
熟成感と香りが別格！後味のタンニンが気になったが開くと柔らかくなって行くので問題なし。 — 9 years ago

Nathaniel DiMaggio

9.1

Started green and opened up beautifully! — 10 years ago

with Stacey, Todd and 1 other

Barb

9.3

2012 tasting great. Solid dark fruits, nice balance. — 5 years ago

Jim Maynard

9.6

2013 vintage in January 2021. Just wow, at least for my taste. Really well balanced with good body, some tropical fruit and fully integrated oak. Every sip says “I want another”. So satisfying. Wish I had 10 more. Plenty of backbone for 2 more years. Won’t get better but will hold if you are lucky enough to have it. — 5 years ago

Scott Melvin

9.5

Ethereal; this is why great Pinot is in a class by itself. — 6 years ago

John Landis

9.5

Gorgeous color and aromas of black cherry and blackberries. Entry is rich and smooth with lingering aftertaste. Extremely enjoyable wine which unfortunately is no longer available from this vineyard plot. — 8 years ago

Flavio Menezes

9.1

At peak, round and integrated. — 9 years ago

Paresh Patel

9.4

I would drink this all day long — 9 years ago

Corey Reis

9.4

Special day; pulled this one out of the cellar — 10 years ago

Lee Lightfoot

9.4

Truly stunning. After a weekend of exceptional burgundy and old rochioli this is a revelation. Dark fruit hay and a finish for days...so unexpected — 10 years ago

Shay A

9.3

WNH virtual tasting with Gary Farrell wines. 2015 Ritchie chard, 2014 Fort Ross Pinot and 2015 Rochioli Pinot were the library choices.

I’m between a 93 and 94 here. This caught me totally by surprise. Flexing an ABV of 13.7, it has so much balanced richness and never comes across as lean. In fact, with the whole cluster usage here, it’s not green/stemmy. Gorgeous translucent purple in the glass with big aromatics of juniper, sage, high toned red and black berries, and cedar. Nimble on the palate with some herbal notes, and a really pretty red/black fruit sweetness (like really ripe rhubarb mixed with blackberries). Has both nice acidity and some tannic bite. I’d argue this was possibly even better in day two. Beautiful wine. — 5 years ago

Arden Barnett

9.6

My wine of the night. Wild blackberries strawberry jam, Weird but the scent of Abita Purple Haze beer in the nose. Bing Cherries, gooseberries ,fresh cracked pepper, balsamic macerated blackberries. The structure of this wine is absolutely unbelievable. Medium plus acidity and tannins. One of those wines that gives you chills after every sip. Unbelievable lineup. — 7 years ago

Chad Nichols

9.2

Pommard clone. Moderately dark reddish-purple color and clear in the glass. Notes of black cherry cola, mocha, star anise and spice. And a hint of green. Possible stem inclusion? Well balanced with both finesse and power. Very good. — 9 years ago

with Kristina

Ken Rogers

9.3

Supple, balanced, delicious! Nose of peaches and apricots, palate is fruit-forward with very balanced acidity, tropical fruit, soft, silky mouthfeel. — 9 years ago

with Michael

Steve Bozich

8.9

K&L out of Rochioli, and Gary Farrell does a number of wines with their grapes, so K&L suggested this generic Russian River Chard. No, it is not Rochioli. Grapefruit, started lush, but quickly moved to a little drier and more minerally. Not a bad wine, nice for sharing with a large group at dinner or on the porch this Summer. By it is not Rochioli. I would like to try one of GF's wines where he uses their grapes,compare that. 2014, 13.8 ABV. — 9 years ago

Charlie Beatty

Buyer wineworksonline.com

9.8

Wow is initial impression! Massive tannin structure that opened after 1 hour in the glass. Beautifull black fruit component , great mouth feel. Probably the wine of the night, even with the Aubert and J Rochioli Pinots and the Maya 92... I give this a Commanding 98+ Rating in my book! Thanks Mr Larry! — 10 years ago

with Fred, larry and 1 other