Ian Hamel

9.1

2021/4/9-10 with Yuko’s nori bento and delivery yakitori. I gave this a try because they had it at a local wine shop who use taste matches mine (generally a good strategy), and this was just what you’d hope for - light and juicy but characterful, with sneaky stuffing. I’d definitely buy it again. — 5 years ago

Hamza

9.4

The rock is primal. Earth elemental with fresh cut. Hint of pineapple and triumphant tannins coat your tongue with flavor. Minerals like a mine shaft. — 5 years ago

Ted

9.4

Much different from last nights cuvée. Raspberry chocolate. Quickly becoming a favorite winemaker of mine. — 5 years ago

with Jeni

Jay Kline

9.4

The opportunity to enjoy a small glass of this came rather unexpectedly yesterday afternoon and I’m still trying to wrap my head around the experience. I was looking over a collection of wines that needed a new home and a friend of mine who was the collection’s custodian, mentioned that he had something he had been meaning to share with me and without any fanfare, he walks back into the room with two small glasses and this ancient bottle. I hardly had any time to react before he poured me a small glass....as I looked three times to confirm that I was, in fact, drinking from a pre-war bottle of Madeira. The nose was stunning. A massive wave of confected fruit like candied citron. You know those beautiful syrup glazed orange (and other fruit) slices you’ll often see in European chocolate shops? Yeah...it smelled like that. Just a touch of VA. On the palate, this was totally mind bending. It’s almost all hazelnuts; remarkably dry; and there is pronounced acidity. The finish lasted for minutes. I can categorically state that this wine is very much alive and well but it’s a nerd’s wine as it’s super rustic and best served as an aperitif. — 6 years ago

Rhonely Boy

9.2

Very nice Roussanne. Honey & floral, mineral, stone fruit. — 8 years ago

R. Addison Wehrfritz

9.2

funky nose, great acidity, balanced tannin and fruit — 9 years ago

with John and Melissa

Chris Plance

9.0

Tart and little and heavy on merlot. It's like the little cutest girl in school. Definitely a type...just not mine.
To be fair, this is a well put together wine. — 9 years ago

Blair Campomizzi

9.3

A favorite of mine. Fruit forward with easy going plum, black cherry and blueberry supported with the standard Caymus vanilla back. — 5 years ago

with Marilea and Arthur

Byron Hewett

9.4

This is a wine that a buddy of mine and I had made at Crushpad. This is the To-Kalon Vineyard. Absolutely gorgeous. — 5 years ago

LM Segal

9.4

Stony black fruit on the nose preceded dark cherry extract, mine rally and so structured with dark vanilla oak. Shocking how young this drank, the layers of red fruit and spice really only came out on the last delicious sips... — 5 years ago

Jay Kline

9.2

Last night, a buddy of mine who’s a Disabled Veteran and Registered Architect, announced that he was assuming control of a SDVOSB Architecture firm. He had spent the better part of a year of trying to reach a purchase agreement. So it was an evening of celebration. He’s been a Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars fan for some time and he planned to pull the cork on a few bottles. We had a couple of rando bottles too but all were California Cabernet Sauvignon. I brought this bottle. It was part of my most recent delivery from Seavey and I was curious to try it out. Well...it was clearly infanticide. This was reductive at first and most of that blew off after about fifteen minutes. This was just so wound up. Delicious, fresh and almost crunchy fruit with a lot of structure. This was very bright compared to the Heart of Fay that preceded and just fell a touch short due to it being somewhat reticent. That being said, cellar time will be very kind to these and I would imagine this will show better down the road or with a lot of air, which this didn’t get. — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

@Plate & Bottle Summer Dinner.

Main Course, Beef Skirt Steak, Roasted Tomato, Artichoke, Potato Mousseline. Steak has mash potato, roasted tomato relish, lemony artichoke purée with a smokey component.

Hedy is an amazingly, creative Chef.

Superb food & the wine pairing doesn’t suck as a friend of mine is famous for saying.

Photos of the evening at our friends Jeff & Hedy.

— 6 years ago

Bill Bender

8.9

Shafer HS is an all time favorite of mine but I don't typically open a bottle within 10 years of release. This bottle illustrated why. It's still in its chrysalis--developing and building and gaining weight and shedding tannin. Just not ready even after hours in the decanter. — 8 years ago

Steve Mitchell

9.4

A favorite of mine from the folks at Miner. Crisp Chardonnay that is consistently very well done. — 9 years ago

with Jo

Nicolas Duchesneau

9.1

Super beau en ce moment. Au nez, tabac, cafe, epices et fruits noirs. Dans le verre le vin montre une légère évolution, en bouche c’est tres bien l’elevage est bien assimile, tabac, cuir, eucalyptus, mine de crayon. Tres proche du profil bordelais mais un petit coté vanillé qui nous dit clairement que nous sommes à Napa... — 5 years ago

Brenda Terzich-Garland

9.5

Another favorite on mine! Color - a purplish red magenta. Nose - Blue fruit, crushed rock and vanilla burst in scent from the glass—a stewed meat, spice, cedar menthol lingers. Taste - dark blueberry fruit with a dark tart cherry following. A silky feel as it coats the mouth—cream brûlée notes float giving the wine a subtle sweetness. At the mid-pallet pepper dry herbs and cedar-spice give it a long dry finish. A great evening to celebrate national wine and cheese day—yum yum. — 5 years ago

with Karin and Jill

Barry Ballan

9.0

Great wine for a fun birthday — 6 years ago

with Shelli

Phil Mikhaylov

9.3

This wine is a Banger. Napoleons favorite and mine as well — 6 years ago

Chris England

9.7

I lost my virginity 💗 I’ve been looking for this wine for soooo long so when I found this 2015 top vintage @ £135 I thought I’ll take one for the community 😁 Drinking amazingly already 👍

📍 Montevertine Le Pergole Torte 2015

🐮 Paired with Mrs Es Roast Beef & Yorkshire Pud w/ Dauphinoise Potato 😍

🏵 97-98 points 👏

🍇 Sangiovese

🍷 Deep dark ruby

👃 Beautifully elegant floral morello & red cherry through soft smoked oak w/ subtle black berry fruits, raspberry chocolate, light herb & fine mineral - Black Forest gateaux 😋

👄 Mee body of rich creamy velvet deep cherry, raspberry & cocoa w/ dark berry & mineral in perfect harmony

🎯 Med+ slight mineral dry dark, red cherry & blackcurrant explosion of balanced joy

🍒 Talking of cherry - I’ve popped mine 🤣
— 7 years ago

Howard Greenfield

9.5

2011- Over the top and faired quite well in crazy lineup. I was accused of going in cellar ( not mine) and pulling out older Scarecrow- — 9 years ago