Drew Bublitz

9.5

2015 vintage. Absolutely delectable — pun intended for my first post ;) it has the depth that I love with the super smooth finish. No imperfections of sourness or jammyness. This is delicious and makes we want to figure out why — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Some friends of ours brought this to our backyard dinner last night. This is not a producer I buy. So, it was nice to revisit and nice of them to share.

The first thing I would say, is this is a well made Pinot Noir. Having said that, I don’t buy it due to its pricing. If you are buying this from the winery, its price point is still too high for it’s quality and gets worse yet when you go to the secondary markets which, many do, due to its limited production & wait on their list.

I say this because I have had countless examples of Sonoma & CA Pinot Noirs that are as good for $75 or around that price point give or take a little. The Hendricks Pinot from Santa Lucia is a similar style and for me, is better than this Marcassin. The Hendricks is $75 on futures buying.

Our friends that brought it, whom we share a mutual friendship with another Sommelier. He told them they had to drink this as it was getting old. I can tell you that is simply not the case. This wine has another 7-10 years of fine drinking ahead. These statements happen when your consuming wine regiment is based on a steady stream of always drinking wines young...It just happens.

The wine shows beautiful mid & dark candied, floral fruits, heavy baking spices and too much cinnamon stick for me. Beautiful, dark, red, blue and purple florals. It is well balanced, lush, elegant, polished with nice round acidity.

A very nice wine just overpriced IMHO. You can do just as well for less and you would only lose out on the fact you are feeling good about opening a cult name Pinot for yourself or to impress others. Not a dig, just the wine psychology that experience has led me to through the devotion of studying wine and consumers feedback. Not all, but enough to call it what it is. I myself have fallen prey to those emotions & I’m sure will again.

Photo of, Marciassin Winery, Helen Turley-Co Owner, Ryan O'Donnell-Winemaker and a Sonoma vineyard they source fruit. — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Merry Christmas Eve-Eve everyone! 🎄🎅🤶⛄️❄️🎁🍷

On the nose, leap dark currants & cassis with bright red, dark, blue & purple florals at pop & pour. Ripe; blackberries, dark cherry kirsch, plum, mulberries, blueberries, poached & strawberries, black raspberries & raspberries. Black licorice, star anise, dark chocolate bar, volcanic & limestone, steeped fruit teas, dark cola, sweet tarry notes, black, rich, turned earth, mid, dark spices, cinnamon stick, clove, nutmeg, vanilla, barrel shavings with char, dry brush, leather, fresh tobacco, granite, some eucalyptus, mint notes, light, dry herbs with fresh & some withering red, dark, purple and blue, fresh and slightly candied florals.

The body is; round, ripe, & rich. The tension, structure, length and balance are just beginning their sweet spot. The tannins are; rounding, tarry & still chewy. Plenty of life left in the 09...8-10 years. Dark currants & cassis. Ripe; blackberries, dark cherry kirsch, plum, mulberries, blueberries, poached & strawberries, cherries, black raspberries & raspberries. Black licorice, star anise, dark chocolate bar, volcanic & limestone, dry, crushed rocks, dry stems, steeped fruit teas, dark cola, sweet tarry notes, black, rich, turned earth, mid, dark spices, cinnamon stick, clove, nutmeg, vanilla, milk chocolate, mocha, caramel, barrel shavings with char, dry brush, leather, fresh tobacco, granite, some eucalyptus, mint notes, light, dry herbs with fresh & some withering red, dark, purple and blue, fresh and slightly candied florals. The acidity is round & spot on. The ripe, rich, ruby, elegant, balanced & polished finish is splendid and persists nicely on the palate with mid, dark spice on the long set. So much better with this much age. Really delicious tonight!

A steal now at under $35 upon release at Costco.

This wine is close to its peak and will hover there 3-4 years.

Photos of; the Estate, old large oak vats and David Heitz.
— 6 years ago

Ron R

9.3

Happy new year, peeps 😃🎈🎊
Stick a fork in us 😐 — 7 years ago

with Anne-marie

Jeff Gower

9.4

Velvety, big nose & stick to your gums! — 8 years ago

with Bill and Lee

Robyn Becker

9.8

At Friends giving. The wine with the stick — 9 years ago

Paul K

9.3

Champagne is great. Trying to figure out how to leverage my kids water bottle to take to work... Happy New Years to you all. May 2021 bring each of you great wine! — 5 years ago

Kristen Beavers Haynes

9.6

Full bodied and high alcohol. Medium tannins and berry notes — 6 years ago

Kurtis Epp

9.3

Quite different to a traditional Cabernet, but very nice nonetheless. Quite a woody bouquet, but oak is subdued upon tasting and fruit really shines. A bit of cherry on the finish. — 6 years ago

TJ Maxwell

9.0

Iapetus figure 3 2018 vintage.
100% Marquette (Rose). Ruby color, berry nose, fresh berry flavors too. Lambrusco-ish. Very fun wine. Great w pizza — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

The nose reveals; brambly, blackberries, dark cherries, stewed strawberries, blueberries, hints of slightly cooked rhubarb, mix of black plum & plum, creamed raspberries, vanilla, touch of cinnamon, clove and even less nutmeg, dark spice, underbrush, soft leather, fresh tobacco, limestone minerals, dry herbs-bay leaf, mid, mixed, berry cola, crushed, dry rock, steeped fruit tea, cherry kirsch, slight liqueur notes, candied; violets, fresh dark & red florals with hints of lavender.

The body is full, still youthful and lush. The palate & tannins are rounded but, teethe, tarry & a touch austere. The tension, structure, length and balance are very nice but, still have 7–10 years good drinking ahead. Brambly, blackberries, dark cherries, stewed strawberries, blueberries, hints of slightly cooked rhubarb, mix of black plum & plum, creamed raspberries, vanilla, touch of cinnamon stick, clove and even less nutmeg, dark spice, black licorice, underbrush, old, soft leather, fresh tobacco, limestone minerals, dry herbs-bay leaf, mid, mixed, berry cola, tarry notes, crushed, dry rock, dry top soil, steeped fruit tea, cherry kirsch, slight liqueur notes, candied; violets, fresh dark & red florals with hints of lavender.

One flaw, the first glass showed a little to much alcohol heat but, dissipated after. 14.5 ABV...seemed more like 15.5.

Photos of; our visit to Larkmead’s tasting room, the back courtyard and two aspects of their tasting patio. — 7 years ago

Chris England

9.5

Fabulous relaxed & reasonably priced meal at “Blanc” in the Mandarin Oriental with Chef Carme Ruscalleda, whose restaurants have won 7 Michelin stars! ⏩ Scroll for delish city’s food pics on Instagram ⏩

A truly unique wine that’s €112 in restaurant & €56 from winery that went with all the foods shown perfectly 😍

📍 Terroir Al Limit Pedra de Guix 2014

🏵 95 points

🍇 Pedro Ximénez, Macabeo & Garnatxa Blanca

🍷 Amber honey w/ a bronze orange tone

👃 Light burnt marmalade, stick toffee pudding foam, old sherry cask, fallen green apple & vanilla custard

👄 Med refreshing body of brown green apple in torched brown sugar w/ honey, citrus zest & baked orange w/ soft sherry tickles

🎯 Long aged tortured toffee old apple in honey & brown sugar - a sherry but elegant & subtle

💭 Mrs E says “Nowhere near as heavy as it looks”

— 8 years ago

Jae Kim

9.2

Aroma of plum and cherry, light, medium body, long lasting with some pepper. — 8 years ago

Severn G

9.5

Leather, dried cherry, still a little bright acidity...go figure, with this bottle age. Long finish, absolutely spectacular, a stand out bottle for the vintage. Ullage was high shoulder. — 9 years ago

Jake Hajer

9.1

Lighter bodied. Fruity of strawberry, hickory and a little funky woodsy, mushroom. Yum! — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

Charles strikes again.

I said weeks ago, I’d rather drink Charles Hendricks Pinot in futures @ $75 vs. the 09 Marcassin we had two weeks back @ $150+ winery or $225+ on the secondary market. This 14, while still young, proves that point and will only continue to get better.

It’s about as luxurious as Ca Pinot gets. Just supple, soft & elegant as body gets. Candied, floral fruits of ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, blue fruits, lean purple fruits, dry cranberries, strawberries, plums, delicate but darks spices, cinnamon stick, vanillin, nutmeg & touch clove, salted caramel, mocha powder, limestone & grey volcanics, dry crushed rocks hints of peppered grilled meats, fresh & dry tobacco, dry stems/twigs, sage dominated dry Provence herbs, splash of mint/eucalyptus, tree sap with bright candied, fresh & slightly withering florals of; dark, red, purple, blue set in a field of violets & some lavender. The acidity is perfect. The long finish is; extremely well balanced & polished, elegant, fresh, just the right amount of candied with a long, dark spice finish in the long set.

The 14 really started to excel after an hour plus in the decanter.

Photos of; the outside of the Hope & Grace tasting room in downtown Yountville where you will find Charles Hendricks wines. He makes Hope & Grace wines as well. One of my favorite paintings that used to sit behind their tasting bar but, is now in Charles house. It is very Pollock like! Winemaker/Co-owner Charles Hendricks and a vineyard in region of the Santa Lucia Highlands. — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

A longtime friend visited us today at our rental property. We have an annual Christmas tradition of me giving him a bottle of Pinot and a coffee cake (homage to my mother’s Christmas coffee cake) and he shares his allocation of Sea Smoke. He gave us this bottle awhile back and a 2015 Southing today. In honor of our tradition, we are enjoying this 2010 tonight.

The nose reveals; mulberries, boysenberries, plum, dark cherries, blueberries, fresh & dry cranberries, poached strawberries, raspberries hovering on the edge of the glass, steeped fruit teas, touch smoke & soft grilled meats, subtle, sweet, tarry notes, dark, rich soils, dark chocolate, limestone, crush, dry rocks, understated caramel/mocha notes, bay leaf, soft sage, dry stems, dark, fruit licorice, light, dark spice, clove, nutmeg, hints of vanillin, barrel char with fresh & withering, slightly candied, dark, red, blue & purple flowers.

The body is round, full, lush and velvety. It glides beautifully over the palate. The 2010 is around its peak with 5-8 years of good drinking ahead. She is an elegant beauty. The tension, structure, length and balance are in a great place for many but, I think even better in 2-3 years. Mulberries, boysenberries, plum, dark cherries, blackberries, blueberries, fresh & dry cranberries, poached strawberries, raspberries haunting the secondary fruits, steeped fruit teas, touch smoke & soft grilled meats, subtle, sweet, tarry notes, dark, rich soils, dark chocolate, limestone, crush, dry rocks, understated caramel/mocha notes, bay leaf, soft sage, menthol, dry stems, dark, fruit licorice, perfect, dark spice with just the right amount of palate heat, clove, cinnamon stick, nutmeg, hints of vanillin, barrel char with fresh & withering, slightly candied, dark, red, blue & purple flowers. The acidity is nearly perfect & holds back the slightly higher ABV. The long finish is a darling, elegant, sexy, beauty with great balance & polish polish for days that slides into a spicy, round & drier, tarry, tannin presence that persists minutes.

Photos of; two of their single vineyard Pinot’s, branded barrel and Winemaker- Victor Gallegos. — 6 years ago

Jody Scharf

8.9

This is Lot 36. Easy drinking chard. — 8 years ago

Joseph Barsky

9.3

2007 Vintage. Nice acidity and that burnt match stick note. Enough umph to stand up to spicy Thai food. — 8 years ago

Andrej Simcenko

9.5

Highly recommended wine with very rich and round taste. — 8 years ago