Ellen Clifford

9.1

Decant this bad boy for at least a half hour, give it a big swirl and you’ll get a wine that has an earthy backdrop that lays down in your mouth and plants delicate tannin roots and sprouts blackberries and purple flowers and maybe a red rose. When I finish this bottle, mayhaps I’ll put a rose in it too. — 6 years ago

Peter Heidt

9.0

Argentinian blend that absolutely rocked. Second pallet not as intense as that first swirl; but I’m thinking I found my next good everyday $20 wine... Maybe $17... Italian place in Miami had it on the menu for $55... — 8 years ago

Daniel P. Drake

9.3

This afternoon at lunch we had open the 2011 Chateau Lynch Bages. 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot. A very productive and enjoyable lunch.

At open the nose was quite muted. We had to vigorously swirl in order to get the notes of dark fruit, dark cherry, chocolate, tobacco, herbal notes, and a minerality.

On the palate the dark cherry comes through nicely with dark plum following to the mid palate, blackberry, black currant, tobacco, a fine licorice and mocha.

This is a full bodied wine with medium + acidity, medium + chewy tannins which leads to a long enjoyable finish. It all worked together well with the New York Strip Steak that was a true delight.

Continue having a wonderful week and please, nothing is more important then your safety. Nostrovia! 🍷🍷🍷🍷 — 8 years ago

Daniel P. Drake

9.0

Last night I had dinner at Harry & Izzys Steakhouse in Indianapolis, IN and had the 2014 Penner Ash Willamette Valley Pinot Noir.
I had this with the 20oz Bone in Ribeye, grilled asparagus, French Onion Soup, redskined potatoes and creme brulee. This wine went very well with the meal.

The wine had a very tight nose and I had to swirl a lot in order to get it to open up. Once I did there were black berries, black cherry, cranberry, strawberry, cherry cola, anise, spice, tobacco and some smoke.

On the palate there was strawberry, raspberry, red plum, spice, cherry, mushroom and some forest floor.

This wine is medium bodied, medium to medium + acidity, medium silky tannins with a clean long finish.

A nice wine with enjoyable company makes for a wonderful evening. Nostrovia! 🍷🍷🍷. — 8 years ago

Evan Bienstock

9.1

Pop and pour. Second wine of an epic Clos L'Eglise vintage. Cherries and vanilla fill your senses with a swift swirl of the glass. The wine is smooth but with enough tightness that shows the vintage and its length. The finish contains evident heat and its fruit lingers. This is a great wine for the money and for 100% merlot to boot. — 9 years ago

Tiffany Perry

9.0

Love this wine! This may sound weird, but it looks really great in the glass lol. It's a beautiful ruby color and has legs for days when you swirl it around the glass it take a sip. It has a great fruity smell with smell. You can get a feel for the dryness of the wine when you put your nose in the glass. And don't even get me started on the taste! The fruit comes through on the palette along with an amazing caramel flavor. Dry, but not too dry. And to top it off, it's only $12! This is a great buy! — 9 years ago

Thomas Brenner

9.3

This brawny Rutherford SB is much like that kid that joined the marines just for fun. Bronzed pear color. Fat legs coat the glass upon initial swirl. Robust, rich and perhaps almost pine-tinged flavors of lime and kiwi. Bold, with a nice, weighty mouthfeel. Has body and bite. Was very lucky to find this wine indeed. Yellow flowers and a slight honeyed essence from the Semillion with a present minerality. I think zesty is a great adjective for this Rutherford SB — 9 years ago

Dock Hooks

9.2

Maroon to burgundy with a deeper burgundy rim, spin it around and dampened earth and last night's smoldering fire hits but mellows to spice interestingly accenting camomile and a way far-off Play-Doh fantasy then back to the smoldering ember blueberries and strawberries unctuously coating, clinging front to back, then the tannins squeeze the acid and fruit just enough to slow the flow for a lazy decent into a skinny-dipping swim, swirl and, hell yes, another swig, which at a mere 12% I want to dance all night! Don't know about you, but I plan to snag a couple of cases of this seductive stuff with the sunrise. For now, "a glass of red and the sunset..." — 10 years ago

Ariana Preece

9.7

"Our" wine from Oliver. From Swirl or Steamworks only. — 11 years ago

with Bart

Martin Bergo

9.3

Light ruby with some brick hue and a viscous swirl; earthy nose, spices like thyme and sage; more complex taste with finer tannins, darker fruit, and longer finish than the Pieve. Around 12.000 bottles produced; large botti used. — 6 years ago

Ryan Frank

8.9

2014 vintage — 7 years ago

Robert Lott

9.1

This is really delicious stuff! Deep flavor! Zin+Petite Sirah blend!!! — 8 years ago

with Lori, Shane and 4 others

Larry Wildy

9.0

Cool vanilla notes, from Sip and Swirl during their 4th of July pairings theme. — 8 years ago

Derich

9.3

Goat barn notes, tweed, a swirl of classic BMW 750 brats, hardcover must, lingonberry. I love it. — 8 years ago

DAL 9000

9.1

Quick mild plums. Soft dark fruit middle with a long finish. A hint of cherries if you swirl it. — 9 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

Light & mid red fruits, smoke, grilled meats & dry red roses on the nose. The fruits are; dark cherries, cherries, cooked strawberries, dry cranberries, black cherry cola, reductive pomegranate, grilled meats, smoke, baking spices (vanilla & nutmeg), brown crushed volcanic rocks, dry roses, light oak, nice acidity and an elegant swirl of all of the above on the long beautiful finish. Nice work Toby. For those reading, a Pinot to acquire and a winery to follow going forward. Great pair with pork loin w/ fruit. https://www.google.com/amp/s/johnonwine.com/2015/06/11/spotlight-winery-phillips-hill-winery/amp/
— 9 years ago

Roman Sukley

9.4

This is the '05 so-called "Blue Label" which isn't very blue, but I digress. I was a little rough on the last Lillian I opened, which I believe was the '06 regular bottling. It was a might underwhelming. This bottle has more highs than lows. Inky black color. Swirl the wine and you can't count the legs in the glass. Absolute knockout nose of licorice, spice and Dr Pepper. Best part of the experience for me. SO inviting. The downside is that the fruit is a little muted. Still some black fruit essence, however. And a bit hot on the finish. I guess I would still say it's best days are in the rear view mirror, but I'll hang on to a few to revisit somewhere down the road. Apologies to @Bill Bender for the absence of breasts in the photo. — 9 years ago

Lyle Coffield

Sommelier Kokkari, Evvia Estatorios

9.1

Out of the bottle into the glass. A suspiciously translucent and raisiny brown. This wine suffers from progeria... not a bad thing if your a 2011 Barolo sitting open on my counter but extremely unfortunate if your lying around in some cellar doing nothing. The clock is ticking on this one. A quick swirl and a whiff meh... Smells like Nebbiolo. Cheap Nebbiolo. First taste mere seconds in the glass.... Flat and watery... Watery, the key sign of an oxygen starved bottle... Some wines need to breathe... Some don't. This one does. Just a little... A baby's breath... Well actually, I dipped an aero latte in it and gave it a whirl until it developed a rich creamy head and Wow! This little wrinkly, raisinated tot matured into Barolo! With roses and tar and terra cotta earthiness and a palate to match. What a surprise! — 9 years ago

Martin Bergo

9.0

Pale yellow with green tint, tearstaining mouthwatering swirl; sweet delicious citric nose; rich and robust bone-dry taste with fairly high alcohol, and long finish dominated by acid and tart green apple and some 3iery aromas. Nice message in this bottle from Wittman. Want to try Morstein next. — 10 years ago

Erin Ferraro

9.5

Great inexpensive Rioja, bought from Swirl and Sip — 10 years ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.5

Still ruby centre and pink watery rim , quite youthful considering it’s from 2003. Out of the bottle is quite aromatic though feel that there is a lot held back . Quite youthful again , showing ripe , but no overripe black fruits . Lots of large tears , high in glycerin . There is also a floral, violet quality . Lots hidden and appear with each swirl of the glass. Chocolate and coffee also. On the palate lovely ripe dark fruits , ripe but not overly so, acidity is balanced and the wine certainly feels balanced . Probably slightly more masculine and full bodied than normal . Tannin is present and sweet , quite high alcohol but it doesn’t detract from what is a real success for the vintage . Lovely now but can age really quite well I suspect. — 7 years ago

Mike Mayer

9.4

An incredibly complex wine with multiple layers of tastes. As soon as I swirl my glass I think of that great smell of a wine cave loaded up with barrels of aging Cabernet. On the palate I get lots of dark mocha, currants, licorice and spice. Perfectly balanced with sleek tannins, great fruit and excellent acidity. The finish is fantastic. A really beautiful wine. . — 8 years ago

with Lisa

Dominus Halfpap

9.1

Sniffy Sniff: Raspberry, black fruit and spicy notes. Swirl: Smooth as silk, ripe red berries and a spicy tinge on the back end. This is really good Pinot for my palate. Wow. P.S. Somehow I found the stash on my porch today without signing. I will use this wine shop again for sure eh! 🇨🇦 — 8 years ago

Nate Wilson

9.1

Beginning to really appreciate this blend. A tad sweeter than most, but easy to drink as an aperitif and it goes well with anything off the grill. — 8 years ago

Evan Bienstock

9.2

Maybe Baxter doesn't like this bc he's British (@Ron R) and this is French, but we love it. Pears and peach coming through as I swirl the glass. In the mouth it's delicate and sweet. No bite. So French. 🇫🇷 — 9 years ago

Ryan M

9.5

It has been a ☔️️☔️️🍂🍂 weekend here in Chicago and I couldn't let this gift from @David A Lentine stare at me anymore. Time to pop some good stuff. Plus we have to celebrate a 💪🏻💪🏻 showing by 🇺🇸 at the Ryder Cup, right @Mike Rowe ⛳️?

I'm excited to try some of @Celia Welch wines that all you post so much of and rave about. 2011 was a difficult harvest but the initial swirl indicates no impact of that!

Once again @David A Lentine thanks for the generous gift and feeding my #napacab addiction!! #100percentcab #napavalleyforever

Happy Sunday drinking: @Martin G Rivard @Ron R @David A Lentine @Mike Rowe @TheSkip @Rochelle @Paul T @Jim Trobaugh @Daryl Calhoun @Mike Smith @David Trumper @Bill Bender @Shawn G. Rose @Dustin Soiseth — 9 years ago

with Larissa

Ron R

9.0

A very good Rioja, which was a pleasant surprise. Notes of prunes, sweet berries and black olives swirl in the glass. The palette is glossy, with polished tannins and very bright acidity. Finishes sweet, with a long tail. Excellent value for a $15 wine. — 9 years ago

with Anne-marie

Rosie Macdonald

9.0

Dark dark fruit, cinnamon swirl, nutmeg and liquorice. Slightly briny with minuscule spritz. Well balanced mid length — 10 years ago

Jim Walsh

9.0

2010 Vintage. Pleasantly surprised. Clean, fruity and full bodied. Let this wine swirl around in your mouth. Smooth tannins, crisp finish. — 10 years ago

with Christopher

Matt Kiessling

9.2

Bananas!!!! (And not the fruit-crazy, yeasty, brilliant) We couldn't sniff, swirl, and sip enough it seemed. If you enjoy esoteric wines it needs to be on your list. — 10 years ago