Stefan Dolhain

9.3

2018 vintage. Co-owned by Stephan von Neipperg (La Mondotte and Canon La Gaffelière in Saint-Emilion). A blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Merlot. Very attractive nose with black cherries, blackberries and strawberry marmelade, mixed with smokey oak and Provence herbs. Medium to full-bodied, with concentrated black fruit, smooth tannin and great spicy length. Super sexy hedonistic Bordeaux. Amazing value too. Highly recommended. — 4 years ago

Al Shikoh

9.3

medium golden yellow, prominent tearing; quince, white peach, pear, white flowers, buttered brioche; stone fruits, mineral notes, waxy mouthfeel; full bodied, good acidity, 14.8% ABV; made from predominantly Roussanne with a touch of Viognier and small amounts of Chardonnay, Clairette Blanche, Genache Blanc, and Marsanne fermented and aged in a combination of concrete tank and new and used French oak barrels, the only white Booker makes, winemakers Eric and Lisa Jensen worked with Justin Smith at Saxum and Stephan Asseo of L’Aventure before starting their own label in 2005; $50 — 5 years ago

Ken Z

9.7

Drank 1/18/19 at the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux event in Miami.  All wines from the 2016 Vintage.

Tasting pour, no formal notes taken.  Most of these wines are very tight, and will require 5-15 years to really come together.  Many will likely improve a few points with time.

Loads of red and black fruit with all the complexity you would expect. A close runner up for Right Bank WOTN for me. Always a favorite.

Count Stephan von Neipperg was pouring wine from his estate, and was happy to chat about the current vintage and other wines in his portfolio. A true gentleman. — 6 years ago

Jordan Wardlaw

9.0

Ehlen’s Sonnenuhr parcel is designated for Spätlese and it’s easy to see why. It delivers the fruit intensity and power of the vintage but with balance and dignity. The prices in the US market continue to be some of the best for serious Mosel Riesling. — 7 years ago

Guthrie Raimondo

9.2

Honey and peaches. 8% but incredibly balanced. Great acid on the back — 8 years ago

Benjamin Hickey

8.9

Zero sulphur, black olive, touch of pepper. Very drinkable. — 8 years ago

Chris Chambers

9.4

Every time I drink Stephan Walker I realize why I am a member. The taste of their wine is unlike others. Fruitful and delicious. — 8 years ago

Stephen Redenbaugh

9.2

Strawberry, cranberry, tart pie cherry notes on the nose. Real depth and structure turns serious snd weighty as it warms in the glass. Stephan Asseo, from vintage to vintage makes my favorite domestic pink wine. I find so many Roses boring and soul numbing in their sameness… never a L’Aventure. Perfect accompaniment to spicy cold peanut noodles, sautéed baby zucchini with aged balsamic and pignoli nuts with charcoal grilled burgers. 6 Bottles is never enough! — 4 years ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.1

Stellar Krazor nose but sadly JM Stephan could not over come the warmth of the vintage as he was not as good a winemaker as he is today. Palate was hot, and a bit all over the place but man that nose. — 5 years ago

Aaron Tan

9.5

Couldn't ask for a better first red for 2019. I think Stephan Tanzer's 2010 tasting notes for this wine sums up mine pretty well, so I'm just gonna leave this here:

"Bright medium red. High-toned aromas of sweet red fruits, mint and spices; the most detailed and delicate nose among the 2007s today. Wonderfully sweet without being exaggerated in any way, conveying lightly saline, soil-driven flavors of cherry, raspberry, minerals and flowers. Here the terroir speaks more loudly than the vintage. A 2007 of uncanny energy, finishing with fine-grained tannins and enticing lingering perfume."

Arguably, the producer spoke stronger than terrior even here. And just to add, the nose was indeed a great seducer - in that perfect lightly savoury yet fruity-spicy point. It seems like this wine hasn't moved much since 2010, so I can imagine this would stand the test of time. It is drinking so well right now though, so why wait 😉 — 6 years ago

Paul Chung

9.2

Soft and sweet on the nose, velvety texture, drinks mildly sweet with balanced clean finish — 7 years ago

jon hooten

9.2

Wow! Lemon oil and a whiff of white peach or nectarine still comes through, along with that characteristic aroma if petrol. Great acid. Just a little bit of almond on the end, suggesting "some age". The color is still bright and youthful. Made by Stephan Bedford. — 8 years ago

Will Burkholder

Owner Fine Wine Dump

9.5

One of my favorite Paso blends. Thx Stephan! L'Aventure always delivers... — 8 years ago

Nihal Ramchandani

9.2

Green apple brown noise — 8 years ago

with g and Sélections

Jeroen Koenen

9.1

Well done, bro!
Thanks a lot. — 4 years ago

Stephen Redenbaugh

9.2

Cold November date night at home...2 inch med-rare filets, fully dressed bakers, and roast butternut....Stephan’s MGS is a brut at 15.8–but Paso blends hide the ABV with some age. Beautiful full purple with no noticeable jamminess.. med-weight, a touch of pencil, leather, tobacco oak but lovely dark, black fruit/stem fruit. Nice acid/fruit/tannin balance and a long warming finish. I’ve loved these wines and valued Stephan Assao since he walked into my retail workplace 25 years ago and tried to sell his wines. Perfect...no...but they taste so fucking good and I love them and their vision! — 4 years ago

Mason Balistreri

Sommelier, International Wine Guild; Balistreri Vineyard; Sales, Joy Wine and Spirits

9.4

This really reminds me of some of the more natural Cote Rotie producers I've tasted (especially Jean Michel Stephan). Mint, eucyliptus leads the nose with white pepper and subtle bloody meat notes. On the palate, very subtle tropical fruit notes (almost like pineapple and strawberry) but subtle. Plenty of meatiness and herbal quality on the palate too. Ideal wine for lamb. In a really good, soft and easy drinking stage for the 2011 vintage. — 6 years ago

Andrew Keenan

8.9

Moores. 2017. $19. Nice fresh young wine. — 7 years ago

Barny

9.1

Cabernet Sauvignon von Stephan — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

On the nose, sweet & slightly baked; blackberries, black plum, plum, black raspberries, raspberries & dark cherries. Raspberry cola, perfect intensity of baking spices, soft & savory grilled meats, touch of fresh herbs, just a whiff of pepper, lavender, lilacs and liquid violets. The palate is full bodied, round & lush. The M-M+ tannins are soft and round and about 60% resolved. Gorgeous in the mouth. The fruits are creamy in style. Ripe; blackberries, black plum, plum, black raspberries, raspberries, dark cherries and ripe strawberries. Raspberry cola, vanilla, understated spice, pepper, savoy grilled meats, dry herbs, dry crushed rock powder, a little underbrush, iron pan, loamy dry top soil, some black moist earth, hint of mocha powder, milk chocolate, cigar ash, suede style leather, lavender, lilacs & liquid violets, perfect, round, mouthwatering acidity, great; balance, structure, tension and length. The very long finish is round, lush and has sex appeal. It's drinking really well with a hour/hour & half decant. Better in 1-2 years and has another 4-7 years of really good drinking ahead of it. Great pair with the grilled Kentucky Bourbon marinated chicken skewers and seasoned wild rice. Photos of; Eric Jensen (Owner/Winemaker), tasting room bar, Eric working harvest and the Booker vineyard. Producer notes and history...Booker gets it's name from the two orphan brothers, Claude and Dick Booker, who had purchased the land in the late 1920’s. By the turn of the century, the Booker brothers acquired over 1,200 acres on Paso's westside. The Booker brothers dedicated their lives to being great farmers and humanitarians. Aside from lending their farming knowledge and manual labor to neighbors, they were the area's biggest philanthropists, leaving 100% of their estate to charity when they passed, Dick in 1990 and Claude in 2000. Eric and Lisa Jensen purchased 100 acres of the property in 2001. After making wine with Justin Smith (Saxum) for five years and Stephan Asseo (L'Aventure Wines) for two years, the Jensen's started Booker Vineyard. The 2005 vintage was Eric Jensen first release. Booker produces about 4,500 cases a year depending on what Mother-nature gives them. Booker is located on the westside of Paso Robles, immediately joining the famous Stephan Vineyards that produce L'Aventure Wines. The high-density vineyard is mostly Rhone varieties planted on steep hillsides of calcareous shale. They farm organically, sustainable and biodynamic and treat the entire vineyard as a living organism. Booker uses animals (normally sheep) for weed control and solar panels are placed at the house and winery. The Jensen's are definitely doing things right. If you haven't tried Booker, it's worth your effort. — 8 years ago

with Ronald