Liz O'Neal

9.0

So much yes!!! Partial skin fermentation (25% of grapes, for 3 months) - notes of local honey, beeswax, chamomile, persimmon, orange peel and spice — 6 years ago

with Shannon

Dan Michael

9.5

Yep all that and a bag of money. Rarely does it live up to the hype, but yes this lives up to all the hype. Intoxicating nose, Rich and full on the palate. Very long and satisfying. Worth the investment, well at least once. — 6 years ago

Gilbert Van Hassel

9.5

I very much dislike cabarnet franc but this wine is the exception. Yes there is a vegetal, grassy nose but this wine is complex, peppery and a true joy to drink. Plenty of good acidity, full in the mouth, long finish. Fresh — 6 years ago

Patrick Derdeyn

9.4

When Cristal is on it is ON. Loved the purity of fruit and the minerality (yes, I know that's not a real thing) of this wine. Gorgeous. — 7 years ago

Julia Weinberg

10

One of those "holy fuck yes!" wine & pairing moments. Stoney, saline, citrus perfection with squid ink/summer veg/persevered lemon pasta.

Officially on my list of world's greatest white wines. — 8 years ago

with Karina and Kelli

David Lieberman

9.2

A business lunch with Jonathan and Gillian at one of the great Italian restaurants of Los Angeles. Recent commentary implying that the 97 was a bit wobbly and on the downslope required I pull the cork on one of my small stash of Le Pergole Torte. Happy to say the reports of a deteriorating state seem exaggerated. Mature, yes - decrepit, no! A beautifully developed berry richness with a hint of tea rose in the nose. Supporting tannins are gentle, but firm. Not PC to buy this wine any longer, a pity, as I imagine later vintages will develop into something as inviting as this one in time. With Gino's fantastic array of pastas; lamb ragu, limonate, seafood. Loved the wine loved the food. — 8 years ago

Neil Schlecht

9.3

We drank a 98 Pingus on election night when Obama was elected in 2008; so we're having its little sister, Flor de Pingus (02) on the occasion of his final State of the Union. yes, we mix wine and politics. — 8 years ago

with Sharon

Jeffrey Lew

9.7

From a very generous guest. Yes that's a cheese burger, and yes I think the paring worked! Awesome stuff but oh soooo young. Incredible texture of fruit and spice..very multidimensional wine. Took all of a few hours to get going to really see what's there. Would love to have another shot in 5yrs but this will last 3x that. Truly exceptional. — 9 years ago

Grant Henry

9.6

Should I have waited? Yes? No? It was the last one of my 6 pack of this vintage. We drank one per year since '09. Happy anniversary to us! — 9 years ago

Morgan Harris

Head Sommelier Aureole New York

9.5

Crunchy, stem-y, spicy with a kiss of California sunshine, as it should be. Yes, please! Really admire the bravery in making this wine. — 10 years ago

Matt Trader

9.5

Yes, I have Hirsch San Andreas Fault Pinot in the glass, which was part of a 3 year blind tasting event for Coravin. The objective was to see if you could actually guess how many of the 4 samples were Coravin accessed 3 years ago, and how many were freshly poured that evening. Could not tell what do ever. Gotta love Coravin - owner Greg Lambrecht in the photo - the guy is awesome, and insanely knowledgeable about wine.

About Hirsch - absolutely gorgeous, dried herbs, anise, cranberry, raspberry, allspice, and balanced acidity. 2010 had so much youth in it that it still needs several more years in my opinion. Not classic to the full level of fruit forward Cali can deliver - even a little tightly wound. What a treat! — 6 years ago

LM Segal

9.4

Yes, Virginia, there is a reason Gaja is...well, Gaja. And I ain’t Santa Claus, but the kind somm who brought this by as a gift gets that moniker. Ethereal nose of dried, dirty mushrooms, light tar and asphalt. Meticulous layers of cherry tea, dried strawberry and old leather. Despite a few angles this was silky, sensual. Years to go. — 6 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

Artesa (ahr TESS uh) means "craftsman" and connotes "handcrafted" in Catalan, language of Barcelona and their owner, Codorníu, one of the world's largest and oldest wineries. Ruby with sweet berry fruit aromas and floral notes. On the palate cranberry and cherry flavors with spice. Fine savory tannins medium finish ending with mineral notes, nice value. — 6 years ago

Caleb Schiff

9.3

Yes. Lovely blend of Schioppettino and Refosco. Aging in used oak for 22 months. Freshness of Refosco remains and pepper notes of Schioppettino on the finish. — 8 years ago

Brian Thompson

Sales & Marketing Krupp Brothers Winery, Stagecoach Vineyard

9.4

Yes, you can get elegance and balance for $30. What a find! Gorgeous floral and mineral notes with a touch of cranberry. Delicate and lively on the palate. Will be seeking out more Cru Beaujolais! — 8 years ago

Matt Trader

8.9

Papillon, meaning 'butterfly' in French, is a good representation of this bottle. Elegant, smooth, and fluttering tannin. It is a Bordeaux style blend, all 5 Bordeaux varietals to be specific, and mostly Cabernet Sauvignon. The nose is full of fragrant sweet cherries, creme-de-casis, and cocoa powder. The pallet, although slightly thin, exhibits blackberries, tart blueberries, brown spices, and yes..chocolate milk, surrounded in sweet, well integrated, yet soft tannin, and a smooth finish. Not a bad wine, much better quality than the stuff under that bottle, however I feel it is a touch overpriced. Not as big as you expect Orin Swift to be. — 8 years ago

WC Fields

9.1

Rich and opulent but surprisingly balanced. Good stuff during and tail end of a great meal. Mocha, cherry, pencil shavings, new leather and Some herbs...what happened during 2012 anniversary addition? Yes, I said that. — 9 years ago

Carly Streeter

9.9

YES. I love this. just the right amount of oak — 9 years ago

with Meeghan, Sean and 1 other

Jessica Garcia

10

Oh I love this! Balanced, subtle but there- aromatics of peach blossoms, banana, pineapple. I said "oh hell yes!" when I tasted this one. — 9 years ago

Drew DiMatteo

9.3

Dark chocolate and a bit of cayenne pepper, definitely some backbone here. Long sassy plum finish. @BedrockWineCo YES! — 10 years ago

Kyle Groombridge

9.1

Wow, this is an orange that needs some air, but when its’ aggressive tannins calm down - watch out. After an hour of air and a bit warmer temp, beautiful notes of lily, orange blossom, and stones waft from the glass. The palate is rich, moreso than most oranges I’ve had to this point. As previously mentioned, loads of tannin and a seductively powerful mouthfeel. This is pure joy for the red wine drinker wanting something a tad more refreshing in summer. Surprisingly, this wine paired beautifully with toast with peanut butter and honey (yes, you read that correctly, and yes, I tried it, and yes, it worked.) — 6 years ago

Bob Yoon

9.4

Now this is more like it! Starts out with lychee, a little bit of gewürztraminer soapiness, some Brett and then... good God, is that TANNIN’s music?!?!? After decanting for about an hour (yes, fucking do it!), the lychee slowly turns into pineapple, peach and even tarragon. Just fantastic! — 6 years ago

with Jessica

Ryan Vento

9.0

Dare I say we went back to Seasons 52 for another round of $10/glass Caymus? Yes...we did, and it won't be the last round, I can tell you that. — 7 years ago

with Krystal

Ryan Carey

Founder Wine Confidential

9.5

Drinking by myself tonight. This should do the trick. Yes, individual notes to follow, but wanted a pic of these two beauties next to each other first — 8 years ago

David Beck

9.0

Yes! More please. Really well balanced from start to finish. Just the right amount of dark cherry tart. Clean finish. Would definitely drink again...and again — 8 years ago

Benjamin Keator

9.9

Wine of the year so far (yes, it's barely February). Coffee, chocolate, white and black pepper. The nose is incredible. The La Mouline may edge this out, but just barely. Worth every penny. — 8 years ago

with Will and Weston

Jörgen Lindström Carlvik

Owner, Brix Wine Consultants

10

Best Chardonnay of my life? Yes, I believe so. Astonishing purity and structured for the long haul, this has a tiny tannic grip, amazing acidity and waves of tart fruit, fluffy herbaceous additions and a nervy feeling. Layered and complex. — 9 years ago

Sasha Agapov

9.1

Nice Barbaresco for $35? Yes, please. Aromatic, intense rich dark fruit aromas — I get plum, cherry, meat, a bit of metallic and lots of earthy tones. Not decanting this one should be a crime. — 9 years ago

Courtney Cochran

Sommelier/Host hiptastes.com

9.6

Tres Beautiful nose 👃👃👃
Caramel apple-banana brûlée top notes, pear and spice underneath, still-pert lemon zest and peach custard, too. Palate delivers that Cali-leonine body -ie big! - but with enough brisk acidity to keep things more than decent. Long, with flavors that echo the nose and all around beautiful balance. Drinking super well at moment, near its peak and rewarding this bit of bottle age with plenty of secondary characteristics. PLUS:: #winebling (yes, there are some tartrate crystals, folks - all just adding to the allure - game on!) — 9 years ago

Russell Shearer

9.7

Yes, it was one of those kind of nights. — 10 years ago