Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

The is uniquely a non-vintage Cuvée Amor. I have it on pretty good word that when Charles Hendricks (Winemaker for both Hope & Grace & his own Hendricks label) doesn’t make his Hendricks Cabernet, this is the wine that the Hendricks fruit goes into. @Paul T- Huntington Beach @Eric Shanks

The nose reveals, round, ripe, ruby, slightly liqueured fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, baked plum, blueberries, and black raspberries. Dark, roasted coffee, dark chocolate, coco powder, caramel, vanillin, light; clove, nutmeg & dark spice, black turned earth, dark fruit cola, burnt coconut, touch of black pepper, sandstone/limestone, light fresh & dry herbaceousness-bay leaf dominant, dry, pine twig, soft mint, cherry kirsch liqueur, moist clay and extremely dark fresh, candied & withering florals with blue flowers & violets.

The body is; ripe, rich and full. The tannins are round, velvety, chewy & slightly tarry. The structure, tension, length and balance is just hitting its stride to peak form. Round, ripe, ruby, juicy & slightly liqueured fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, baked plum, blueberries, black raspberries. Mulberries, poached strawberries and a touch of dry cranberries. Dark, roasted coffee, dark chocolate, coco powder, caramel, vanillin, light; clove, nutmeg & dark spice, black turned earth, dark fruit cola, burnt coconut, touch of black pepper, sandstone/limestone, light fresh & dry herbaceousness-bay leaf dominant, dry, pine twig, soft mint, cherry kirsch liqueur, moist clay and extremely dark fresh, candied & withering florals with blue flowers & violets. The acidity is like a cool shower on a warm day. The long, well lingering finish is; well balanced & polished ending in soft dark spice.

Photos of; exterior Hope & Grace tasting room in downtown Yountville, interior of their tasting room, Charles Hendricks & the Hendricks Santa Lucia vineyard that he sources his Pinot Noir — 5 years ago

"Odedi"

8.9

Dark Inky in color with a short reddish rim.

Fruity nose with black currants, blackberries, ripe figs, wood, spices, licorice, chocolates, mocha, caramel, light vanilla, tobacco, light alcohol and peppercorn.

Full bodied and smooth with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry and fruity on the palate with blackberries, plums, cherries, currants, oak, vanilla, licorice, spices, chocolates, coke, coffee and peppercorn.

Long finish with very soft tannins and tangy cranberries.

This California Red Blend is always enjoyable. Well balanced and enjoyable by itself or with food. Still showing nice acidity and complexity.

It's a non vintage, but I held it for a couple of years so it must be 4 or 5 years old by now.

Good right out of the bottle and better as it opens up.

14.5% alcohol by volume.



$17. — 7 years ago

Agnieszka Łukaszczyk-Jużyk

9.0

Oak and smooth. Nice! — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

Time for a light red on still a warm night. This one out of 375ml. On the nose, sweet floral mid red fruits of; dark cherries, plum, blackberries & baked strawberries. Fruit liqueur notes, cola, vanilla, black licorice anise and fresh dark florals. The M body is clean & fresh. The palate fruits are; blackberries, dark cherries, plum, strawberries and dry cranberries. Soft, light spices, rose petals, vanilla, cola, hint of black licorice anise, touch of Christmas cake, dry top soil, crushed dry rock, limestone, really nice round acidity and a well polished rich finish with notes of liqueur. It's in a good spot out of 375 with several years ahead of good drinking. Photos of the Hope & Grace tasting room in Yountville. The top photo is one of my favorite art pieces. The caption reads, "Time is a great teacher, unfortunately it kills all it's pupils." Their tasting bar, the exterior of their tasting room and another favorite painting behind the bar in their event tasting room. Charles Hendricks (Winemaker) has taken it to his house. However, he is being pestered to bring it back. It's perfect behind the bar in the event tasting room. — 8 years ago

John Riddick

9.0

Fresh, light, low alcohol. I could drink this everyday all day instead of water. You could say it's gulpable in the best way. — 9 years ago

with Lauren

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

Softer, rounded black fruits than in July. Blue fruits are starting to show a bit more. Cherry chocolate follows. Soft black earthiness with a touch of soft minerals. Light vanilla presence and medium barrel toast come out on the soft elegant finish. Good acidity is the one lacking element in their 08. It's off just a bit. 9.3-9.4 with the Ribcap steak...Michael Mina's-Bourbon Steak. — 9 years ago

Elizabeth Easterlily

9.6

Drinking with Lexi after a night out in York. No wait, she's just passed out and I'm drinking wine. Good wine. She sold 3 cases of this today! Mild tannin, full bodied tongue, great flavor. — 10 years ago

Fang

9.2

A good one. Really full flavored chard. Great drinkability. Will be buying a few more of these — 10 years ago

Sergio Licea

8.9

Raspberry jam, vanilla bean, vitamin, hibiscus. Good acidity, light bodied with touch of slight dusty tannins. — 10 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

@Plate&Bottle

Charles Hendricks Malbec night cap!!!


If you live in & around the greater Bay Area, you owe to yourself to attend one of the dinners Hedy holds 4-5 times a year. Not only is the food amongst the very best we had, the people that attend and environment are as equally good. Find Hedy @Plate&Bottle — 6 years ago

Kevin Burns

9.3

For $19 it is simply the best Cab I’ve ever tasted. I bought 2 cases. Have had 4-5 bottles. Let it breath for about 20 min and it’s amazing. Has a Isosceles taste to it. Lots of soft fruit and smooth finish. This drinks like a good $50 Cab. Have blind taste tested several friends. They have all been very impressed with it and absolutely blown away at the price. — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

On the nose, ripe, ruby, fruits of; mulberry, blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, plum, black cherries, blueberries & creamy raspberries. Vanilla, hints of sweet tarriness, black licorice, whiff of spice, soft understated limestone minerals & crushed rock powder, fruity black tea, hint of fresh herbaceousness, rich, black turned earth, fresh dark floral bouquet and fields of lavender & violets.

The body is rich, ripe & full. The tannins are a little sticky but well softened, round and a touch chewy. The structure, tension, length, balance, tension and balance are very close to perfect and harmonious. Fruits are; mulberry, huckleberry, blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, plum, black cherries & creamy raspberries. Vanilla, hints of sweet tarriness, black licorice, whiff of spice, soft understated limestone minerals & crushed rock powder, fruity black tea, hint of fresh herbaceousness, rich, black turned earth, fresh dark floral bouquet and fields of lavender & violets. The acidity is round and rains like a waterfall perfectly over the palate. The very long, ruby, rich, well balance lasts minutes and is absolutely heavenly. Gorgeous, elegant, stunning wine.

Photos of; the vertical tasting we attended of all Hendricks Cabernets; 04, 05, 09 & 12 at the time w/ one of our favorite paintings in the background, Charles Hendricks working in the cellar, very old rootstock from the Stag’s Leap Vineyard where the fruit to make this wine normally comes from and a wide shot of the Stag’s Leap Vineyard.

Producer notes and history...Hendricks Cabernet Sauvignon is consistently sourced from a few of Napa Valley’s finest vineyards. In those near perfect vintages, Charles only makes a small production wine of around 250-300 cases. Charles only produces it when he has exception fruit. He’s made Hendricks Cabernet in; 2004, 2005, 2009, 2012 & 2014. Notice he didn’t make Hendricks Cabernet in a great vintage year like 2013. He wasn’t happy enough with his fruit in 2013 to put his name on it. That says a lot and maybe all you need to know about his standard for quality. I do know what wine his 13 fruit made as I’ve had and it’s an unbelievable wine for far less money.

Charles also makes a fantastic Pinot Noir from the Santa Lucia Highlands that is really quite amazing. Especially, if you give it 5 or 6 years in bottle. All his wines are sold exclusively through the Hope & Grace tasting room in Yountville as he is also the Hope & Grace Winemaker.

Charles graduated in 1982 from UC Davis in viticulture. He was also able to tailor his own curriculum and was one of the earliest to integrate winemaking and viticulture course work. Having knowledge of both viticulture and enology forms the basis for his well-rounded winemaking.

Over the years Charles has worked in both Napa and Sonoma Counties, gaining hands on experience in all aspects of winemaking. He has a strong reputation for excellence. In his career, he’s been a consulting winemaker for many wineries; Viader, Barnett Vineyards, Paoletti Vineyards, Regusci Winery, James Cole, T-Vine and Tamayo family Vineyard.

I asked Charles, “how does he make wines that are amazingly good in their youth but will age effortlessly for 15-20 years?” His answer was simply this, “its not that hard, you just have to know the perfect time to harvest fruit.” I would agree with that to a degree. But, you also have to know how to gently guide fruit onto it’s path into the barrel and not get in the wine’s way or overwork the process. — 7 years ago

Kieran Roberts

8.9

Enjoyable blend, some of my favourite grapes. Addition of Viognier interesting — 8 years ago

Claus Bentin

9.7

Simply one of The Best overseas chardonnay's i have ever tastet.
Lot's of citrus notes and in very good shape!!
Brilliant vine!! — 9 years ago

Amy

9.1

Not your mothers chardonnay - wonderful! — 9 years ago

Sam Zavari

9.0

Wonderful and rich. Great wine. — 10 years ago

Kiki Herrero

9.0

On the bolder note. Good for dinner. — 10 years ago

Jonathan Wall

9.0

2013. Strawberry, rhubarb. Not fully balanced but Wonderful. South Africa I didn't know you had it in you for Pinot!? Keep up the good work! — 10 years ago

Meg Herring

9.0

I love good South African Chenin with a touch of oak. Emphasis on good. — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

The nose reveals, lemon curd, lime, green apple, overripe pineapple, a salted caramel, beautiful soft minerals, chalk power and yellow flowers, lilies, spring flowers with greens.

The body is full and round. Honeysuckle, fruit blossoms, lemon curd, lime, green apple, overripe pineapple, a salted caramel, beautiful soft minerals, chalk power and yellow flowers, lilies, spring flowers with greens. The acidity is round. The lush finish thick, rich and well polished.

Photos of; the view from Gabrielskloof, a different shot with more decomposed granite soil, John Seccombe of Thorne and Daughters hosting our tasting with his Japanese importer and Gabrielskloof Estate vines. — 6 years ago

Laura Ess

9.5

Chenin blanc = 💙💙💙 — 7 years ago

with Steve

Greg Ballington

Co-Founder of Millennial Drinkers Wine Blog

9.0

Deep ruby red with lighter edges. Lovely nose with notes of baking spices, dark berries, black currants, and some gravel. Medium tannins (6/10) but well integrated. Medium bodied with some anise, spices, dark plums and red ones too. Medium plus to long finish. Drink till 2025. — 7 years ago

with Sean and India

Carolyn Herlihy

8.9

Sneaky Good. Blend of Syrah, Zin and a few others. Smooth, fruity, but not sweet. Paired well with red sauce & meatballs! — 8 years ago

Al Shikoh

9.0

Fully opaque violet in the glass. Blackberry jam, cocoa, vanilla, and hints of tobacco leaf on the nose. Full bodied with very dense, concentrated black fruit on the palate rounded out by sweet tannins, medium + acidity, and good length. Crafted by winemaker Charles Hendricks from 100% Cabernet from Lewelling Ranch in St. Helena at the base of Spring Mountain aged 24 months in French oak. 14.4% alcohol. $85. — 8 years ago

with Kelly

Brash Higgins

9.2

Wow, I still have another case of this. showing some mature characters, not quite into kerosene, more lime cordial or brown lime. Great Acid keepin' It going strong. — 8 years ago

Tara Rowland

9.2

South African Chenin. Pronounced oak fresh lemon mango citrus quice high acidity medium bodied long finish. Delish! — 9 years ago

Neal Bost

10

My go-to, cheap-but-not-too-cheap Cab. Therefore one of my favorites! Just enough body, just the right spice – I doubt anyone would dislike it so long as they like a full-bodied red wine and are a good person. — 9 years ago

Jonty Van Id

9.3

Bursting with fruit and livliness — 10 years ago

with Yolandi

Charlie Frago

9.0

Nice. Good example of cab blend — 10 years ago

Kevin Yen

9.5

2013/7@Shanghai ASC — 11 years ago