Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Been awhile since I pulled out an Insigna.

The 03 Pichon Lalande is the better wine and steak pairing. However, Napa Cabernet is the choice to finish steak and enjoy on its own after. You never want to do Napa before Bordeaux IMHO. It’s much harder to adjust from sweeter to something more earthy.

Enjoyed the 05 as my score reflects. I don’t remember it being as sweet as it was in previous tastings. Still quite good. It just tipped my sweet scale a little too much.

The body is, rich, lush & round. It’s achieved good evolution after 13 years in bottle and will continue to improve over the next 6-8 years and last another 15 years. As I mentioned, the fruit was ripe & sweet. Blackberries, black plum, black raspberries, plums, hints of blueberries and strawberries haunting the backend. Rich, dark earth, Rutherford dusty tannins and dry soils, purple cola, touch of fresh tobacco & graphite, light baking spices of; cinnamon, dash of clove, nutmeg and vanillin, anise to black licorice, saddle-wood, used leather, dry stems, some dry, crushed rocks/limestone with red, dark, purple and blue florals. The acidity round and nicely executed. The finish was similar wire to wire. It’s, lush, rich, elegant, touch too sweet, polished, well balanced & knitted with a soft, persistent, dark spice on the long set. Very enjoyable second bottle.

Photos of; Joseph Phelps Winery & sloping estate vines, inside lounge are with views of the back side, tasting terrace and front lobby/salon area upon entering past check in. — 5 years ago

with Christina and James

Hamilton Schwartz

9.5

Passover 2019 — 6 years ago

Sagee Aran

9.2

2014 vintage. Flowery notes. Crisp and balnaced. Has a personality of it's own. — 7 years ago

James Webb

8.9

Great lemon filled expression of Pinot Blanc. Dry and full of life. — 8 years ago

Roman Ochocki

9.5

Excellent! Israeli wines - you will never be dissapointed. — 8 years ago

Luis Arguero (@winefromAtoZ)

9.0

Sweet. Nectar. Apricot. Rich with a floral nose. Israeli ice wine....simply lovely! — 8 years ago

Keith Crump

9.0

Good well made Martinborough Pinot — 9 years ago

Robert Cunningham

Wine Educator DeVinimus, Wine Workshop

9.5

Big, concentrated wine showing softness and Grace on the palate and nose. Balanced and rich. A delicious wine combining elegance and power — 9 years ago

Flip Lower

9.8

Still young, needs a few years of bottle time — 10 years ago

Austin Beeman

8.9

A solid adult professional Zin. On a big frame. $37.99 — 11 years ago

with David, Kristie and 2 others

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

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 a family with farming and winemaking roots in Napa since 1906. Met Joe several times. Deep Ruby (darkest Pinot I have come across, almost looks like a Cab). Rich berry flavors with cedar, spice and vanilla. Lingering ending with sweet oak notes. Consistent quality Nice! A Fav! — 5 years ago

Joe Weinberger

8.9

First time trying a wine from Israel. This was pretty nice—lots of autolytic notes and it was nice to try one that was vintage dated and with some bottle age. — 6 years ago

Big Wave Dave

9.4

Such a contrast to 2016! 2014 was warmer and with 2 more years of bottle age, the wine is more fruit forward, more opulent and more balanced against the brooding, spicy character of Gibbston. Fabulous! — 7 years ago

with Rocket

Mark Flesher

9.1

Made an impromptu stop at Stonestreet the last time we were in Napa/Sonoma. Had a little unexpected time between tastings. Man it was sure HOT when we were there in September. I remember the estate was in great condition. Beautiful scenery and some of the views from eastern Healdsburg and Geyserville are hard to beat. It was about 95 degrees AT THE WINERY in the middle of a Napa heat wave. This wine hit the spot. A nice, crisp, lighter bodied wine with a crisp side to it, yet didn't feel as though your tongue was burning. Edges on this one were rounded even from the start. More of a lemon curd, but also some lime and honeysuckle. Middle had good weight, a little silkier than I had anticipated. The finish is lighter, mostly lemon and lime. Not a powerhouse, but was really nice on that 95 degree September "summer" day in Healdsburg, and pretty darn good tonight. — 7 years ago

Lindsay

9.0

Had it in Israel and brought a bottle back — 8 years ago

Carol Kellett

9.1

better than OK :) — 8 years ago

Eric

9.0

Funky mountain nose. Nicely concentrated blackberry palate, with plenty of spice and tannin left. Good QPR at 50 bones. Probably even better in a few years. — 9 years ago

R Bl

9.2

2003. Purple fruit and maybe cranberry, a bit of cedar, touch of herbs, a little leather, a whiff of lavender. At 12 years maturity very nice indeed. Even better with 2 hrs breathing. — 9 years ago

Kassia Schodroski

9.5

Tastes like apples! — 10 years ago

Tom Elliot

Founder Northwest Wines

9.0

Nice July 4 wine w/ grilled fresh, wild Sockeye. — 12 years ago

David Tesaker

9.0

Had it with cheese and biscuits. Liked it. — 5 years ago

David Shaw

8.9

Revisiting vintage, last bottle, Oregon-based winemaker, wine from his “offseason” making wines in New Zealand — 5 years ago

Ellen Clifford

8.9

In my quest to compare old v new world kicking it off with olld world. I was worried this would be an oak bomb based on some previous vintages but there is restraint here. Golden vanilla and somehow green on the nose. The palate is bordering on rich but not. Cool climate fun that is balanced by baking spice and sass. I like this. If you want kosher for Passover (albeit not mevushal) this is for you. I’m neither of those things but finding it a pleasant Chard that flirts with oak just enough to keep enjoying. — 6 years ago

Melinda Ruch

9.4

Awesome dry white wine, smooth finish w no bite aftertaste — 7 years ago

Kate Sitarz

10

👍🏼👍🏼 worked well with an Asian noodle dish with lamb. Little spice & everything nice. — 8 years ago

Solomon O. Lopez

9.6

A great introduction to wine from the Holy Land. The high elevation gives a balanced tannin structure. With a dark cherry, and hint of pepper finish, this wine can handle any type of meat or cheese. — 8 years ago

Narun P

9.0

Floral and exotic. A bit herbaceous and medicinal but in a good way. It's like smell of an old apothecary. Most interesting wine of the night! — 9 years ago

Eric Smith

9.3

2002 vintage. Held up well. Amazing Pinot musk on the nose. This wine was a very pleasant surprise. — 9 years ago

with Christopher

Rick Phillips

9.3

Excellent Flavor. Smooth! — 9 years ago

with Letha

David Kline

9.3

Soon good. — 10 years ago