Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

After pressing dried grapes from making Amarone, Valpolicella wine is passed over the still warm skins of Amarone for 2nd alcoholic fermentation, increasing the alcoholic content, aromas and color. Blend of 85% Corvina, 10% Rondinella, 5% Oseleta. Deep Ruby with aromas of sweet dried berry fruits and pepper spice. On the palate ripe blackberry, currants and sweet cherry with complex spice. Well balanced with acidity and alcohol, full-body with soft tannins on long finish. Nice value. — 6 months ago

John Bratincevic

9.1

NOSE:cassis, black cherry, leather, both baking spices and savoury herbs (like nutmeg and bay leaf). Plum and mulberry. Nutty vanilla. Smells like proper, grown-up wine - though not especially heavy.

TASTE: initially very good. Dry, bitter cassis, cherry, herbs, medium weight with nice velvety mouthfeel - but not a lot of the other fruit from the nose (more air improved). Tannins bring a long, dry, bitter finish - sticks on the tongue- burnt-plant. There’s a bitter herbaceousness that is almost like straight cassis berries (which I have in my backyard, so speaking from experience) - very elegant in its way. Went very well with steak and smoothed out with air, the dark fruit became more prominent...I think a long decant is in order. Many different impressions here … real stuff. 91-92. — 4 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

My last bottle unfortunately. See previous notes from 74 weeks ago and 130 weeks ago. Mid yellow in colour. Obvious parrafin/kerosene on the nose. On the palate ripe grapefruit, nectarine and a little chalkiness. Only 10.2%ABV but not overly sweet. Low acid. Drinking at its peak. Riesling in Tasmania is excellent and flies under the radar to an extent. — 5 years ago

Steven Beishuizen

9.1

The 2018 is once again a very herbal expression. On the nose, tomato plant is already making itself known along with pear and starfruit. Bright and alive but with a palate again showcasing that tomato plant and green fruit. Not overly acidic here. — 5 years ago

with Anita

Kristen McCabe

9.0

Tomato plant nose, cherry, well balanced. — 6 years ago

Shengli Hu

9.1

A Soave Classico cru. The vineyards in Casette Foscarin are situated to the north of the Soave Classico area. In calcareous soil of volcanic origin. Multiple passes through the vineyard for picking, soft pressing with low temperature maceration, and aging in barriques and tonneau for 6 months. The signature cherry blossom jumps out of the glass, CHERRY, CHERRY, CHERRY, stony minerality, hefty salinity, mushroom, dried herbs, cherry pith, yellow apricot, and Meyer lemon. Medium+ finish. Elevated acidity. — 6 years ago

Jim Chen

8.9

Contra Costa? By a BK, PG&E plant, and a motel? Amazing effort. — 6 years ago

Ceccherini Cristiano

9.0

Syrah made in a Sicilian style, nearly nero d'Avola like i would suggest.
Fresh, crunchy, vibrant.
Spadafora has become very much hands off in the last few years. Certified organic, wild fermentation and no sulphites added to this wine. I love the label that says 1.8kg per plant.
Great effort. — 2 years ago

Tom Casagrande

9.1

Tastes like a Syrah from somewhere in Santa Barbara County, which is not a bad thing taste-wise. But I’m always puzzled when European countries plant grapes that are indigenous to other countries. That aside, it’s very good. Nose is complex, with animal, vegetable, and mineral qualities (plus some nice fruit). There is an intense iron quality, cured salami, ripe boysenberry, and a little tobacco leaf. In the mouth it’s dark and rich, but the tannins are well integrated and unobtrusive. Acidity is a little lower than most Northern Rhônes, but enough to maintain balance. Despite my predispositions, I like it. — 4 years ago

John Howard

Harvest production at Hirsch and Cobb Wineries

8.9

Trippy. Smells like a pea plant. Good. — 4 years ago

Steven Beishuizen

9.0

I like this. A nose of restrained gooseberry and tomato plant. On the palate, it's more of that with a dry, powdery feel rather than anything cloying. We had an awesome pairing for this one which made good use of the wine's acidity... A creamy mushroom and miso spaghetti... Superb pairing here. — 5 years ago

with Anita

Rhonely Boy

9.1

2016 Sparkling Pinot Gris orange wine.

Ryan, yes, more please and thank you!
A fan of the orange Pinot Gris, geeked to of received an email regarding the release of a personal winemaker stash of sparkling orange Pinot Gris.

“To quickly explain, an “orange wine” is made from white grapes, but instead of pressing the white grapes and discarding the skins like normal white wine production, they are kept in contact (just like red wine production) with the juice for 21 days extracting the orange of color. For fun, I produced a small personal batch that was made like a traditional method champagne. Perhaps the only one of its kind.

I hope you enjoy!

Ryan”



Perfect amount of bubbles, lightly carbonated, any more and it would of been a bit rough.

— 5 years ago

Jonathan Epstein

9.4

Goes well with Italian plant based cuisine - who knew — 6 years ago

with Ellen

Paul T, Missing My Beautiful Wife 24/7

9.6

Winery notes, Sun Chase Vineyard is planted on the west-facing hillside where the cool Petaluma Gap collides with Sonoma Mountain, this site overlooks a broad sweep of the county from the San Pablo Bay to north Santa Rosa. Our Chardonnay block with an east-west row aspect sits on a sun-drenched, rocky incline at 1000' where fruit yields are naturally limited with small clusters and aromatic fruit. Technical Notes: 76 clone, Whole-cluster pressing, 100% native yeast primary fermentation, 100% wild malolactic fermentation, 11 months in low toast, air-dry 3-year-old French oak, 25% new."
My notes , Aubert style without Aubert price. — 6 years ago

Peter van den Besselaar

9.1

Vintage 2015 | Agiorgitiko old vines| matured for 18 months in oak barrels | beautiful rich spicyness in smell, forrest, oak, vanilla, tobacco, cherries also, lovely complex smell and robust taste. This is a very good effort. Paired with tenderloin and egg plant purée. — 2 years ago

Phil Kessling

9.0

I love that the vineyard is a mix of very old, middle aged and young vines. When an old one dies, they plant a young one. One of the best values in Etna Rosso. Mix of black and red fruit, little tannic, smoke and fire on the finish. — 2 years ago

John Bratincevic

8.9

Nose: dark berries, warm spices, varnish, some plant I can’t identify, plum. Some tobacco?

Taste: tasty, but not as good or as interesting as the professional reviews claimed. Seems one dimensional to me - regular inexpensive bordeaux. Medium weight, a little bitter - a little vegetal, even - perhaps it needs more air or age. Was hoping for more, given the price ($22?) and praise. Won’t bother again. 89. — 4 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

Light Ruby in colour. A gorgeous nose of dusty red and black cherry with Five spice, decayed plant matter, sous Bois. I could sniff this for hours. Tastes way more youthful than 12 years with a solid core of red and black fruits which is gradually releasing - finishing with silky tannins. A few hours later that earthy red fruited perfume just keeps on giving. Only 2 barrels made, so, about 40 dozen. — 5 years ago

M. Christopher Roebuck

9.2

More and more I will be getting out of my comfort zone. This is a single vineyard Chenin Blanc from South Africa, Stellenbosch. Hand-picked whole bunches, kept on the skins for 12 hours after harvest before gentle pressing. 12 month fermentation and maturation in 225L French oak barrels. The skin contact produces a beautiful medium gold color that's as shiny as a wedding band on a honeymoon. Indeed, honeysuckle is among the aromas that also include pear, peach, apricot, marmalade, and a twist of lime. Everything gets confirmed on the palate, with a touch of brioche. Medium plus bodied, dry (with a hint of residual sugar on the tongue), medium acidity. A great wine.

92+ points — 6 years ago

AJC

9.0

Gros Plant / Folle Blanche, Sur Lie. Pale straw color. Acidic and a little sour. Notes of grapefruit, lime and slate. — 6 years ago