Wulf Losee

9.7

Even in the Rhone Valley, Rhone blends don’t get any better than this. Heck, very few California wines get better than this! Sitting on a thousand foot deep (at least!) layer cake of limestone and Miocene sea sediments, the Law vineyards produce some of the most deliciously calcaire wines I’ve ever tasted. Absolute bliss to drink.

On the nose: oregano, mint, and 300-year-old books bound in old leather on the nose. Thick cassis fruit and a hint of eucalyptus on the front. Fruity but not jammy! After the foretaste, this wine is held together with soft limestone tannins. The mid-palate is full of mineral high notes underlaid by fifty-million years of plate tectonics. You’re drinking geologic history here as selectively interpreted by Syrah and Grenache grapes! It’s as if you’re tasting what the grape roots are tasting! Not a particularly long finish, but all the same it’s extremely satisfying. Again with the mineral high notes plus eucalyptus, but they’re all balanced by a cool minty soothingness at the back of the throat. Absolutely lovely! — 4 years ago

Ely Cohn

9.4

Spectacular. A thousand layers of caramel toffee, date, hazelnut, and acorn. Nutty and smells like sweets, but relatively dry and winey with salty accents. — 5 years ago

R. S. Douglass

9.1

Absolutely exactly like the wonderful black wine we enjoyed as we travelled thru Cahors last fall. Don’t miss this one, it will save you a ‘couple thousand in airfare:) — 6 years ago

Amber Archer

9.0

$32 @bdwinecenter •
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From what I understand after translation, this blend’s contents were produced between Riomaggiore and Volastra (of and around Cinque Terre). In my travels through Italy this past summer, I actually had the chance to visit Riomaggiore. In this seaside town of Cinque Terre, I learned that the wines produced there are very hardy. Not only are the majority of these Cinque Terre vineyards constructed into the side of the cliffs/mountains/hills (whatever you’d like to label them, they’re featured on the bottle), they are also mere meters from the sea in some cases. I remember one of the local ladies of one of the five seaside towns telling me of one vineyard (can’t remember which one, probablyyy had too much wine that day) that was only 60 meters away from the surf. With this info in mind, you know that salt water will be absorbed through the grape vines, influencing the grapes’ taste. This results in a very light, delicate brine. It almost reminds me of a sea urchin, and on a lighter note, Haruno’s seaweed salad. 😂 I really dig this wine. A very translucent gold, almost a straw. Definitely let this one warm up a tad, from drinking it completely chilled to room temp, it’s an amazing change. Definitely prefer it after some warmth has reached it. And can we talk about how amazing it is that this wine had the chance to come to the US from like 5,000 miles away where the populations probably don’t exceed a couple of thousand people—and a select few of those choosing to devote their entire lives to cultivating these grape vines? Cheers to finally getting off work 🍻#cinqueterre #manarola #riomaggiore #wine #winetasting #photooftheday #instagood #italy #blend #white #travel #love #bisson #rosenthalwines — 6 years ago

Robert Agans

9.1

Very good. Paired this with Bison beef meatloaf mixed with onions, topped with Smokey Burbs BBQ sauce and sautéed kale. My power went out during nor'easter right when I put this in the oven... so after getting everyone situated and candles lit I cooked this on in my gas grill on 350 for 25 minutes came out perfect. Nice dinner under candlelight and the wine was a great pairing for a hearty dish (without being to big of a wine I don't drink them often) — 7 years ago

Kelly

9.3

Valentines Day 2017- smooth — 8 years ago

R Guzman

9.1

light and airy, pairs great with candles! this wine is IT! — 9 years ago

with Chloe

Peg Hanssen

9.0

Deep and juicy. From Donna H — 4 years ago

Kasey Ragan

9.9

First rum I’ve ever liked, I’m 40 years old and whenever i drank rum I always gagged and felt the burning from the sins of a thousand years of hell burning inside my face, throat, and chess. This rum, however, felt like a hot cup of tea during a fall thunder storm. Perfection! — 5 years ago

with Shelley

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

It is really not fair to have their 06 after their 09. It’s good but, all you can think about is the 09.

The nose reveals, slightly stewed to cooked fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, strawberries, rhubarb and bright cherries. Steeped tea, limestone, licorice, dry crushed rocks, cedar, dry tobacco, soft, used leather, dry crushed rocks, dry stones, underbrush, dry stems, dry top soil, understated baking spices, light graphite, dry herbs, light, dark spice and withering red & dark florals.

The body is lean, not quite full. The structure, tension, length and and balance are just ok to good and reveal the shortcomings of the 06 vintage. slightly stewed to cooked fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, strawberries, rhubarb and bright cherries. Steeped tea, limestone, licorice, dry crushed rocks, cedar, dry tobacco, soft, used leather, dry crushed rocks, dry stones, underbrush, dry stems, dry top soil, understated baking spices, some v/a or bandaid, light graphite, dry herbs, light, dark spice with some heat across the palate and withering red & dark florals. The finish is nice and elegant but, lack the fullness and beauty of most really good vintage Palmer’s. It finishes with nice persistent dark spice on the long set. Just give me another taste of the 09. 😜

Photos of; Chateau Palmer, their barrel room, a photo of their vineyard soil structure-if you didn’t know where all that earthiness comes from, a picture is worth a thousand words and their tasting room. — 6 years ago

Isaac Pirolo

9.1

I’ve had the hardest time remembering my new zip code even despite having written it a thousand times in the last few weeks... maybe I’m still dreaming... anyway...

It was still 90° at 7:30 so I went in search of Sauvignon Blanc. Sunshine Foods is the local grocery and has exactly the surprisingly very good selection that should be expected from a specialty local grocer in the heart of Napa Valley. I’m not going to lie, I bought this wine so that I would finally learn my zip code (even if I did let somebody ahead of me at checkout so I could finish researching it).

The winemaker is Sam Baxter of Terra Valentine and it’s sourced from the San Mateo Ranch Vineyard in Rutherford. At $19 that was good enough for me. Loaded with ripe pear and fresh, almost underripe melon, lime zest, and stony minerality, with just a tinge of honeysuckle that softens the corners. The acid is relatively toned down but still present enough to satisfy most purists. — 7 years ago

Michael Teitz

8.9

Rubin is a Bulgarian variety made of crossing Nebbiolo and Shiraz. Funny nose with unexpectedly great taste. Less then 10 thousand bottles made. Check uniquato for more experimental products (e.g. Ruen and more). — 8 years ago

with Janna and Tania

Mac Hofeditz

9.3

A m a z I n g S a k e — 8 years ago

Meagan Noranbrock

9.1

Pretty good for a discounted wine. — 5 years ago

MICHAEL COOPER DipWSET

Owner TomeVinos wine shops, WSET Level 3, Blogger www.spanishwinesandmore.com, blog.tomevinos.com

9.1

What a difference with #coravin and #uncorked it is a thousand times better opened. deep garnet. Black fruit ground pepper and thyme and lavender. #saintjulien #bordeaux — 5 years ago

with Rosario

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

The nose is beautiful. Ruby; plum, black cherries, creamy black raspberries, dark spice, dark expresso roast, dark, rich soils, dry & fresh tobacco, leather, amazing, slightly candied, fresh, bright florals of; red, blue and purple.

The body is full and shows the beauty of the vintage, silky & velvety. Ruby; cherries, plum, black cherries, creamy black raspberries & strawberries, dark spice, dark expresso roast, dark, rich soils, dry stones, dry & fresh tobacco, leather, amazing, slightly candied, fresh, bright florals of; red, blue and purple. The acidity is round and gorgeous. The lush, ruby, ripe, well balanced finish persists a long while with heated spices on the long set. Another wine that will increase by 2-3 points with proper cellaring, 10-25 years.

Photos of; Chateau Palmer, their barrel room, a photo of their vineyard soil structure-if you didn’t know where all that earthiness comes from, a picture is worth a thousand words and their tasting room. — 6 years ago

Josh Hoen

9.0

Funky and tart! Apple cider vinegar — 7 years ago

James Forsyth

9.2

My wife and I went to Cyprus last week. My mum's family is from there and it had been a decade since I had last visited. I was excited to try this wine because. Richard II called it the "wine of kings and king of wines", and it is so named after crusaders. Apparently the wine making process has scarcely changed in a thousand years and the grapes are still sourced from the same mountainous slopes of Troodos.
This bottling is $20 or so and widely available. And it is so delicious. Walnut and spice with a rich, persistent midpalate and long evolution through the finish. It tastes like a Vin Santo but less sweet or a very decent young Madeira.
In recent years higher end, vintage versions have been released. I'm eager to try them. — 7 years ago

Jessica Fisher

9.5

Super good — 8 years ago

James Farmer

9.4

good carbonated wine. gets me drunk REAL fast like one sip and I'm fucking DRUBK

But I don't drive while I'm drunk, and neither should you. In 2015 alone, over ten thousand people died in a drunk driving related accident. Please, if you are thinking about driving drunk, just remember that in California drunk driving is punishable by $1,000 fine and/or six months imprisonment (not to mention thousands of dollars in legal fees). Just remember: Stay Alive, Don't Drink And Drive.

but yea, good wine tho — 8 years ago