Michelle K

9.0

Dry and not too sweet! — 7 years ago

Isaac Pirolo

9.6

For as much ritz and glamour that is typically associated with Napa Valley, this week highlighted who the real rock stars are in their community... the farmers and firefighters. Haley Wight is the sixth generation to farm her family’s estate, the historic Lewelling Ranch in St. Helena, originally established by her great-great-great grandfather John Lewelling in 1864. She also happens to make extraordinary Cabernet Sauvignon. So extraordinary, that I’m going to skip writing a note and just tell you that Robert Parker hits the nail on the head... “The wine displays gorgeous licorice, lead pencil shavings, black currants, loamy soil undertones and a touch of barrique. Dense purple, it has a full-bodied, multi-layered mouthfeel and a stunning finish with good acidity and velvety, well-integrated tannin, alcohol and wood. This is a scrumptious, full-throttle Cabernet Sauvignon to drink over the next 15 or so years. 96 points.” — 8 years ago

Ron R

9.2

Very well done. Nose is compressed and somewhat subdued. Rich dark fruits come forward after a while.
Nice balance on the palette, with a great tannic structure and complimentary acidity. Lovely balance, and rock-solid on day two. Suggested by my friend @TheSkip , and it's a solid suggestion. But, I would argue it's a touch pricey for what it is. — 8 years ago

with Anne-marie

Robert McCall

9.0

Bright red fruit, wet rock, palate coating red berry/bramble/chalk dust, linear acid. Great stuff as usual by James at Syncline. — 9 years ago

Joe Cox

Production Assistant, Wine Writer

9.1

Wonderful paired with hot summer BBQ and fun. — 9 years ago

Bob Schroeck

8.9

Drank with dinner at Rock House Eatery in Guntersville, AL — 9 years ago

Ryan Carey

Founder Wine Confidential

9.2

March Madness and Nickel & Nickel!! Vanilla and oak. Would've guessed Del Dotto in a blind tasting. Soft tannins. Very approachable like most N&N's. And as for basketball, how did Yale and Little Rock win today?! — 9 years ago

Joe Cox

Production Assistant, Wine Writer

8.9

Blend of 5 Bordeaux varietals including the elusive petite Verdot. Dark and bold. Well balanced. — 9 years ago

Sherry Scheinman

9.9

Refreshing and not acidic like some Pinot Gris are — 10 years ago

Michael Ring

9.0

Crisp, fruit forward. And portions of the proceeds go to their light horse foundation which is cool. — 10 years ago

Julia Weinberg

9.3

The high rock ranch jero collection — 11 years ago

Katie Terwilliger

9.9

Splendidly delicious — 12 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

A wine I’ve enjoyed mostly upon release or near it. I vowed to wait six years and nearly made it. At least it is 2018...just! It’s worth waiting this/that long for it to develop. On the nose; sweetly, baked fruits of; dark cherries, strawberries, black plum, plums, blackberries, and notes of blue fruits. Cinnamon, vanilla, very light clove & nutmeg, caramel, soft, medium, beautiful spice, black fruit tea, limestone minerals, loamy, dry, brown top soil, fresh dark florals and violets. The mouthfeel is full, rich & lush. The tannins are round, still have some teeth and possess velvety round edges. It’s fruit driven but not a bomb and showing elegance & grace. Fruits are perfectly ripe; dark cherries, strawberries, black plum, plums, blackberries, notes of blue fruits and dry cranberries dip in and out. Cinnamon, vanilla, very light clove & nutmeg, caramel, soft, medium beautiful spice that is more pronounced on the palate, black fruit tea, touch of melted brown sugar/molasses, limestone minerals, touch of rich dark sweet turned soil, loamy dry brown top soil, soft understated eucalyptus/mint, dry fresh florals and violets. The round acidity is just right, just a slight very small alcohol burn, the length, structure, tension and beautifully balanced finish are in a very good place. Even better in 2-3 more years in bottle; which is when I’ll have my next one. Photos of; the winemaking duo of Gary Franscioni (left) and Gary Pisoni, Rosella’s Vineyard on the right. As well as, Garys’ Vineyard at the bottom. Producer notes and history...The Santa Lucia Highlands appellation is known for its rich, vibrant Pinot Noirs. However, that wasn’t always the case. The first Pinot was planted in 1973, but results weren’t all that great. Chardonnay was the appellation’s early star. Much of the area’s current fame for Pinot Noir arguably can be traced to Gary Pisoni, a free-spirited wine enthusiast who grew up in a Salinas Valley vegetable farming family. Pisoni decided to plant a few acres of Pinot Noir in 1982 on his family’s horse ranch, at the southern end of what was to become the Santa Lucia Highlands appellation but his horses started eating the grapes. So, they had to go. His initial planting were limited by a lack of water until he dug a well on the property. Pisoni started planting even more Pinot Noir. The vineyard is now around 45 acres and nearly all of it Pinot. By the late 1990s, word had spread about the success of his vineyard, and a number of Pinot specialists from around California had started lining up to buy his grapes. He started producing his own wine in 1998. Pisoni isn’t the only Gary who has become a force in the Santa Lucia Highlands. Gary Franscioni, a childhood friend, followed Pisoni’s lead by planting grapes and started Roar Wines in 2001. The two of them now have five vineyards between them...all farmed meticulously with the same crew. They are best of friends...sort of a Mutt & Jeff. They have become a formidable presence in the Highlands, attracting interest from top winemakers and Pinot Noir lovers from all over. Franscioni is also from a vegetable farming family; Pisoni figures they’ve known each other since they were 3 or 4. Franscioni saw his friend’s success and once he got some money together, decided to plant grapes of his own. Franscioni’s property is farther north and cooler as it’s closer to the Monterey Bay. He was going to plant Chardonnay. He woke up and Franscioni recalls imitating Pisoni, and shouted, “plant Pinot!” Franscioni planted what became Rosella’s Vineyard, named for his wife, in 1996. He took Pisoni’s advice and planted four acres of Pinot Noir, although he still planted 12 acres of Chardonnay. It’s now a total of around 50 acres with three-quarters of it Pinot Noir. The next year, they decided to become partners and planted Garys’ Vineyard, a 50 acre parcel where they grow Pinot and a little Syrah. Since then, Franscioni has developed Sierra Mar, 38 acres of Pinot, Chardonnay, Syrah and a tiny amount of Viognier. The two teamed up again to establish Soberanes Vineyard, 35 acres of mostly Pinot Noir, with a little bit of Chardonnay and Syrah. That last vineyard was developed by Pisoni’s son Mark. The Garys might seem an unlikely pair. Pisoni is colorful character to say the least and has an outspoken manner. Franscioni comes across as more serious- minded. However, the collaboration between the two, who often address each other as “partner,” clearly works well. The two are good on their own, but better together. Pisoni being more gregarious acts as the frontman. He is the Ambassador. He’s a check on the rest to keep the quality high. Franscioni and Mark Pisoni run the farming on their own vineyards and work together on the joint ventures. The family involvement doesn’t stop there. Jeff Pisoni makes his family’s wines, which are under the Pisoni and Lucia brands. Franscioni’s son, Adam, joined the family business in time for the 2011 harvest. He handles sales for Roar and helps his father manage the vineyards. The grapes from all five vineyards are in huge demand, because the two families are such careful farmers, constantly tweaking and improving. Prominent customers include; Testarossa, Siduri, Kosta Browne, Copain and Bernardus. When a new vintner approaches them about buying grapes, the partners examine the winery’s track record and the Winemaker. If they like what they see, the winery is put on a waiting list. There’s not very much movement in their vineyards. When Franscioni planted Sierra Mar, he and Pisoni had 62 wineries waiting to buy fruit. Soberanes was developed with the idea of working with some new winemakers. There was some concern, even among the two families, that quality might suffer as the vineyard operations grew. However, there’s no indication that’s the case. In fact, with each new venture, they build on what they’ve learned in their older vineyards. Eventually, there will be even more vineyards. The Pisonis and Franscionis have purchased a 100 acre cactus farm in the Santa Lucia Highlands. There’s still a lease on the property. So, prickly pear cactus will continue to be grown for five more years. But at some point, the land will be planted with vines. Both families understand the importance of continuing to build for the future. The Garys looking back tell a story of being in the same spot some years ago and looking at a field of broccoli out back. He told Franscioni that the field would look a lot better with Pinot Noir vines. Now that parcel is part of Rosella’s Vineyard, and it’s planted with Pinot. Everybody thought he was crazy...most people usually think that when someone makes a bold decision. He’s a person who has always had vision and creativeness. He also has tremendous passion. Good things only happen when a person possesses all three of these qualities. Their wines are primarily available by mailing list. However, Nepenthe in Big Sur, CA acts as a quasi tasting room for some of their wines. — 7 years ago

Deborah Heath

9.0

2004 #sonomacoast #cabernetsauvignon + #syrah grown above the fog line = warm days, cool nights. Vines grown together, co-fermented. Both bright & tannic, savory and dark fruit. Day 2 better yet. Thanks, Darek! — 9 years ago

Tom Johnson

9.7

This is my first exposure to this wine, but definitely won't be the last.....ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC!!!! Rich dark fruit, very lush and complex. From back label, "Along the western slopes of Napa Valley in Calistoga, lie 125 acres of premium vineyard. Dr. Kenefick, retired neurosurgeon has farmed these red rock filled soils for over three decades. Kenefick Ranch wines speak of the place, the man, and his vision. 100% estate grown and sustainably farmed. Aged 18 months in French barrique."

The nose was so wonderful, I had to taste before letting it breathe....it was marvelous. It continued to improve in complexity for three hours before it made the best compliment to braised lamb chops. — 9 years ago

April Wang

9.0

Yeasty, leather, stale coffee, horse ranch, yoghurt. — 10 years ago

Eric Hwang

9.1

My first Idaho wine and I have to say, this is good. Really good. Nicely perfumed nose of violets, black fruit and white pepper. Smooth and soft flavors of blackberry, ripe plum and black pepper. Only downside is the 14.8% alcohol gives a bit of heat on the finish. — 10 years ago

Peter James

9.7

Wine for the 99 - tasting with Mari, Manny & Rebecca — 10 years ago

Chris Zitzman

9.2

For the ridiculously low price; this is a luscious 'sneak peak' at Byron Kosuge's signature extraction and juicy reputation. The story of the Kingston family is a buried treasure, and the 'Tobiano' Pinot Noir (named for the family's favorite horse on the ranch) is a delicious introduction to the gold that Grandpa Kingston could never have imagined, flowing freely from the Casablanca Valley, Chile. — 12 years ago

with Beth

Kristie Tacey

9.0

Cocoa, red fruit, herbaceous, menthol, violets, wet leaves, cigar box, horse blanket, black olives — 7 years ago

Emily Shifflett

9.0

A lighter presentation without being aggressively jammy. Still presenting good fruit development and great texture. — 8 years ago

Jeff Ward

8.9

Bleu Cheese — 8 years ago

Joe Foley

9.0

Solid cab, good flavor, medium-body — 8 years ago

Jody Scharf

9.2

Grenache is fairly new to me but it's a grape I need more of. Dried strawberries, grapefruit and licorice. Tobacco flavors as well. Nose that speaks figs and prunes. Full alcohol. Grenn-osh me if you will. — 9 years ago

Martin G Rivard

9.7

A wine that I brought tonight and felt strongly about. Incredible pedigree, winemaker is from Araujo which is insane great! Beautiful 12 but I committed infanticide., should laid it down another few years but it did open up like a million bucks after a few hours. Truly opulent Napa wine which is well structured and loved by all tonight. A new rockstar on the block vs the the old rock stars that were drinking in full stride tonight. It's was awesome tonight but I can't wait for it to evolve a little and become STELLAR in the future. I highly recommend this wine. The preliminary rating is 96 to 98 and the 13 is even better if you can imagine that! — 9 years ago

with Christine, Kirk and 1 other

David Kline

9.2

The lightest pineapple wafts above lemon oils misting over light alluvial rock surfaces. There are hints of lemon pudding, but they are not the vandal scrawl of winemaking delinquency, but crowning accoutrements to this lady's natural form. Seamless. #thecalling #duttonranch #chardonnay — 9 years ago

with Courtney

Joe Cox

Production Assistant, Wine Writer

9.0

Excellent. — 10 years ago

Katie Jelicich

9.2

"Pizza cab" — 10 years ago

with Melissa

Michael Sager-Wilde

Owner Sager + Wilde

9.3

Rock solid wine @jamiekutch — 10 years ago

Kendra Oehlerich

8.9

Malbec Red Rock Argentina — 11 years ago