Sipping Fine Wine

9.3

‘Las Alturas' Spanish for 'the heights', a fitting name, this vineyard located on one of the highest grape-growing benches in the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA. 4th gen Winemaker Joseph J. Wagner from family with farming & winemaking roots in Napa since 1906. Met Joe several times. Deep Ruby (darkest Pinot I have come across). Nice berry and floral spice aromas. Rich cherry/plum flavors with oak, spice and vanilla. Long finish, bold ending with sweet oak notes. Very Nice! A Fav! — 4 months ago

Adriana Fabbro

9.2

Grower bubbles from the Santa Lucia Highlands. Still can’t compete with top tier grower champagne (we don’t get that phenolic maturity at low brix etc) BUT excellent none the less. The rosé from Caraccioli especially stands out. The 1-2% SLH Pinot brings an element of coastal Cali terroir to this wine (the tiniest hint of that strawberry, herbal quality) which blends so perfectly with the lemon juice and marzipan/vanilla/lanolin leesy quality. Fine persistent mousse. One of the best examples of domestic sparkling I’ve had. — 5 months ago

Delectable Wine

Follow to learn about our favorite wines & people.

9.3

The 2021 Pinot Noir Sierra Mar Vineyard is a wild wine. Strong mineral and savory notes are front and center, while the fruit is more pushed into the background. This potent, driving Pinot will need a year or two to soften, but I expect it will always be rather forbidding. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, November 2023)
— 6 months ago

Thiago Lins

9.5

Perfectly balanced, well-rounded tannins, blackberries — 6 months ago

with Anne

Ellen Clifford

9.4

Sunshine in a glass. All the balance from texture to flavor to spirit you could ask for. — 8 months ago

Jorge Rodriguez

9.0

Full bodied for a Pinot, robust and smooth. — 10 months ago

with Akira

Rob Brobst III

9.3

A highly perfumed nose evokes fresh honeydew melon Meyer lemon pear nectar and white flowers and a smoky mineral nuance builds as the wine opens up. Sappy concentrated and incisive on the palate offering intense citrus and orchard fruit flavors and chamomile and saffron flourishes. A dusty mineral element adds vibrant lift and cut to the impressively long sharply delineated finish which leaves behind a suave floral note. — 3 years ago

Kate Parkerson

9.4

Smooth, a little spicy, very nice pinot — 4 months ago

Billy L.

9.5

Another Christmas wine🎄🎅🏻🍇🍷👍🏻 — 5 months ago

Jay Kline

9.2

Popped and poured; enjoyed over three days and brought the business all three days. The 2021 Syrah SLH pours a deep ruby/purple with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with significant staining of the tears. On the nose, soaring black and blue fruits (can smell from 4’ away!): blackberries and blueberries, lavender pastilles, black olive brine, lardons, a touch of black pepper and rounded out by some warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannins and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+ and flush with tart black and blue fruits. Fresh and full of character, this Sandlands Syrah will enjoy a long life. Really fresh, vibrant and enjoyable now but, to my palate, I think this will be even more enjoyable after 2026 and drink well through 2036. #gbr #punchedourtickettotampa — 5 months ago

Turd Ferguson

9.3

375. Feminine. Nice length. Good purity. Has a candied/confectionary note that’s surprisingly pleasant. Fruit forward and pretty. Best at cellar temp. // Edit: paired this with roasted beets and fancy balsamic and GOTTDAMN — 6 months ago

Xista

9.2

Delightful — 8 months ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Love Charles Pinots. I do like the Doctors Vineyard from Santa Lucia slightly over the Russian River.

I hold these 5-6 years from bottling, not vintage before I start drinking his Pinots. Excellent Floral fruits, strawberries, pomegranate, dry cranberries, some blackberries, haunting raspberries, cherries, red cola/licorice, dry crushed rocks, fresh to dryish herbs, mid dark spice, vanillin, nutmeg, soft cinnamon, limestone marl, hints of fresh tobacco, wood shavings, red, dark, blue flowers framed in violets. Rainfall acidity with excellent tension, well balanced, nicely structured, floral and polished finish. — 10 months ago

Dennis Hogenkamp

9.1

Subtle aromatics, tertiary color changes. Very nice for a 2011, although past it’s prime. Cork almost totally crumbled with the use of a corkscrew. — 5 months ago

Brett Banfield

9.5

May be my favorite wine of 2023. Long nose of cherry and a long finish is baking slices. Still some acidity…. great bottle of wine. — 5 months ago

with Darby and Bobbi

Delectable Wine

Follow to learn about our favorite wines & people.

9.1

The 2021 Pinot Noir (Santa Lucia Highlands) is a lovely appellation-level wine. Crushed flowers, sweet red cherry fruit, cedar and cinnamon are all nicely lifted. Soft, silky tannins grace the long, delineated finish, with pretty floral top notes that linger. Delicious. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, November 2023)
— 6 months ago

Grace smith

9.0

Fuller bodied Pinot with silky tannins and good mouthfeel. Picked up at recommendation of Tony at the grocery store in Leschi. Good value Pinot at $24. — 6 months ago

Austin Moberg

8.9

A good quality Pinot noir — 7 months ago

Kate

9.6

Delightful — 9 months ago

Joe Roth

9.3

Aging beautifully — 3 years ago

with Jeff and Michael