Big Wave Dave

9.4

Showing beautifully. Powerful but elegant. Deep dark fruit but still with a firm charge of tannin giving freshness and lift. Still so alive. — 3 years ago

Iwan

9.4

This is third or fourth vintage or this wine that I’ve tried and it keeps getting better. The passion project or top-Israeli winemaker Ido Lewinsohn, this is a blend of 90% Syrah and 0% Petite Syrah. I would like to say Northern Rhône (maybe St Joseph! In style, but actually this is as close as it gets to giving a sense of place for an Israeli wine. Plum, garrigue and some baking spice, maybe cardamom. Vibrant acidity. This will get better with age. Really excellent stuff. — 4 years ago

Jan A

9.3

Solid core, somewhat muted scent and typical cab flavors giving damp earth, cassis and nutmeg like bitters. I don't see the 96RP rating here but nevertheless a well made wine. — 4 years ago

Lee Pitofsky

9.6

An absolute monster of a wine. 4 hours in the decanter served perfectly to allow this 2001, perhaps one of the best Hommage vintages ever, to flaunt its incredibly complex aromatic array of black fruits, roasted Provençal herbs, licorice, campfire smoke and Christmas spices.

It’s still youthful with ripe tannins and a ton of muscle. Nowhere near its peak. But it’s entering its drinking window seamlessly, being incredibly giving and expressive with sufficient air. Similar to how VV Gonon differs from the regular bottling, Hommage just cranks everything up to 10 and it’s concentrated flavors come at you in waves. But it never gets heavy as there is just enough lift and precision to keep everything harmonious. A very special bottle from a very special vintage indeed. — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

So, many of you have not had the pleasure of having Dan’s wines. It is largely due to the fact he doesn’t have a US importer. He sells all his mid production level wines through his mailing list. That makes importing from his mailing list as restrictive as the import fees. They are equal to the price of the wines you order. Not something you’ll do. I didn’t. You need to find his wines on the secondary market to be cost effective.

We had the privilege of visiting his Cellar Door in the Spring of 2017. What a fantastic visit and walk of his Estate with him. The age of his Estate vines are 100 plus years old and their yield is less than a ton per acre which, does not make for a lot of wine but, instead a very concentrated wine.

Dan traveled to and worked in many of the key wine regions before settling in as Torbreck’s Winemaker and then marching to his own drum doing his own thing as “The Standish”, his way. No compromises.

The first thing you need to know about Dan’s wines is you can drink them early but, that would be a huge mistake. This 03 is sensational now but, is worthy of more cellaring. It has 10-20 years of life ahead of it...proper storage of course.

This is a second night wine for us and it is still big.

The nose reveals smokey; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum skin, black cherries, blueberries, mulberries/boysenberries, baked/poached strawberries & some raspberries, sweet tarriness, dark berry cola, black pepper, steeped tea, eucalyptus, mint, tree bark with sap, herbaceous, dry crushed rocks, nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, vanilla, moist, forest floor with dry leaves with withering; dark, red, purple flowers framed in violets & strong lavender.

The body is full, round, lush & ruby. The tannins are still big, round, tarry & meaty. The structure, tension, length & balance are just there & yet still not there. It is still a monster on day two. Smokey; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum skin, black cherries, blueberries, mulberries/boysenberries, baked/poached strawberries & some raspberries, sweet tarriness, grilled meats, dark berry cola, black pepper, steeped tea, eucalyptus, mint, tree bark with sap, herbaceous-sage & rosemary, used charcoal, graphite, dark spice with palate heat, burned ambers, incense, rubber toy, dry crushed rocks, moist clay & top soil, dry stone, nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, vanilla, moist, forest floor with dry leaves with withering; dark, red, purple flowers framed in violets & strong lavender. The acidity is round and a rushing river. The extremely long finish is, big, round, elegant, floral, well balanced, runs juicy to dry with persistence for days falling onto earthiness & dark spice on the long set.

Photos of, a plaque that hangs above my kitchen sink that speaks to me always, Dan Standish, his Cellar Door and surrounding buildings. — 6 years ago

Peter van den Besselaar

8.9

Vintage 2012 - wine from #corse #corsican local grapes #nielluciu and #sciaccarello The wine has very clear evolution, giving a rooftile brown rim. The smell of a stable, positive stinking! Also raspberries liquor, plums, a bit dusty impression in taste with a nice bitter at the end. The smell of the wine from these curious grapes reminded me a bit of Burgundy. — 8 years ago

Lee Pitofsky

9.5

Along with the majestic 2010 one of my favorite Stella vintages. So giving right off the bat, never any heat, just so fresh and clean. Amazing expression of Sangiovese. — 3 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.6

From a great looking bottle with a fill almost into the neck. Double decanted and left in the bottle for 5 hours before attacking it. Amber color. Good weight and haunting nose. Notes of old cedar, mocha, plums, cola, dark fruit, molasses and some sweet red cherry. Early on it’s all about the amazing nose. But with time the wine gains weight and you have a gorgeous old St Estephe in front of you. Still giving its all, and although the fruit is somewhat faded, this has complexity and structure that still drives the experience. And that nose is simply stunning. Great showing. — 4 years ago

Eric

9.2

Straight shooting Napa Cabernet. Fruit forward and good acidity. Medium finish. Pleasant. Eric Benoît. I drank this decanted over three days. Definitely recommend giving lots of airtime to settle down before drinking. — 5 years ago

Jan de Weerd

9.4

Exquisite! Dark earthy extracts with hints of blue berry and currant, minerally edge, tar. Smooth, round but present tannins giving it a lingering finish. — 5 years ago

with Tammy

LM Segal

9.5

Softer everywhere than the ‘07 we drank alongside. On the nose a tad more lush, nothing green. More voluptuous - zaftig? - giving it a more feminine, sexy and velvety feel. Red fruit shroomier in tones and finish just a bit longer and lusher. If the ‘07s tannins turn right, could be heading in this direction but the ‘03s can be had for ~$100 and that’s a bloody bargain. — 6 years ago

with Melissa

Jay Kline

9.2

My first impression of the just released 2018 Zinfandel. Due to climate related issues, overall Zinfandel production was down in 2018 but regardless, Rafanelli only bottles about half of what they produce with the remainder being sold off to others. Some Petite Sirah (13%) made it into the final blend. Being so young, I opened the bottle around noon and poured it into a decanter with intentions to drink later in the evening. By dinner, this was more open and ready to enjoy. Obviously primary with loads of powerful bramble fruit, pepper, red rope licorice and baking spices. I absolutely love the balance. The acid that Rafanelli achieves in their Zinfandel always seems to bring a smile to my face; so much lift which balances the lush fruit giving an impression of freshness. Long, very satisfying finish. The tannins are pretty steep right now and they seemed to build as time went on. I expect this will be a vintage that can age very well. 18mos in a combination of new, 1-year and 2-year old French oak barrels. 6,500 cases were made. — 6 years ago

Dana Thompson

9.0

Very nice Cali blend. Not too sweet while it doesn’t give the blend it’s obviously Sauv Blanc, Semillon, Viongnet and..any guesses? I like it more the Conundrum especially at dB below $12 price. — 7 years ago

Boris Mathiszik

9.2

Beautiful blend from Paso. Balanced and elegant. 60% Syrah, — 3 years ago

Paul K

9.2

Friendsgiving. Just opened. Giving time — 4 years ago

Brenda Terzich-Garland

9.3

1990, what a year for this Chateau Lafite Rothschild! A treat for sure on this Christmas Day. The color has held up beautifully—a medium red garnet. The aroma on the nose is plum, smoke, and perfume initially with notes of mint, leather and, graphite and musty forest floor.. Taste is soft and smooth - dark plum and black currants with a slight tangy raspberry and cedar hit the palate then notes of coffee, smoky cigar follow with some tannins still present giving this wine its medium long finish. Having the wine with a Waygu beef prime rib, yum! — 4 years ago

with Karin and Jill

Jan de Weerd

9.4

At first it drank more like a dry Napa Valley Merlot than a Cab. Dark fruit of blue berry with an edge of dried fig. Interestingly over time the tannins started to evolve and became more pronounced giving it a deeper layer of complexity and a grippy finish. — 5 years ago

with RoAnne and Tammy

Jane Dunkley

8.9

Bright and youthful in colour, the nose was initially closed but opened up on decanting. Sour cherry and dried mint. Medium high acidity and firm, tight tannins. Needed decanting to evolve the palate. Great food wine. Probably deserves more patience and time to be more giving. — 6 years ago

Bruce Leboff

9.2

Elegant - colour is giving way to a more brickish tone. Still good tannin and structure. A hint of cigar tobacco on the nose, perhaps a hint of coffee. Elegant and well refined - long finish. Lovely. Comparing to its 10 year younger cousin in a vertical. #beaucastel — 6 years ago

with David

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

Tried at a tasting, like it, so I bought a bottle. An interesting and unique Albariño. Medium lemon color with aromas of stone fruits, citrus, blossom and biscuit notes. This wine was fermented in oak, and kept on lees for 6 months, with occasional stirring (batonnage), giving a soft creamy yeasty tone to the wine, aging well. On the palate flavors of apple and pear with toasty oak notes and vanilla spice. Long smooth finish, good acidity balance, ending with fruit and oak character. Nice! — 6 years ago