Andrea Judt

9.0

Fruity. Not too sweet. — 4 years ago

Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.3

The 2005 ‘To The Rescue’ Grenache is a thrilling, highly novel new world dessert wine that is amongst the best of its kind that I have sampled. Aromatically, the wine immediately unveils copious red rose petals and menthol tones that combine with the intense red fruits and blood orange zest accents that all take their shape in the glass. Viscous and vibrant, with marvelous length, suggestions of red raspberry cordial, pipe tobacco and red cherry candy all thrive together on the mouth. The tension that runs through the core of the wine really impresses here. Fantastic now, this exemplary dessert wine will provide drinking enjoyment for at least another ten years. Drink 2019-2033- 93 — 4 years ago

Connor Smith

9.1

Finger. Lakes. Saperavi.

If this ain’t American winemaking in the 21st century we don’t know what is! 🇺🇸🍷🇬🇪🍇

At least, that’s what we were thinking before reading up on Standing Stone and founders Marti & Tom Macinski. They actually first planted this fascinating Georgian grape here in ***1994*** (just 3 years after Georgia left the USSR, for those keeping score at home) intended for blending.

Increasingly impressed by the quality of the grapes, they offered their first varietal Saperavi in 2010 - as “The Dark Red”, since the grape name was as yet unrecognized by the federal government. Once it was, they became the first American winery to release a wine labeled Saperavi.

Fine tuned to the cold, high mountains of Kakheti in eastern Georgia, it makes sense why it would thrive in the Finger Lakes! The name Saperavi literally means “ink”, a sensible name for a grape with pitch-dark skin AND flesh! 🖤

Marti and Tom sold the winery and retired in 2017. But their enduring legacy may just be budding. We’ve heard of Saperavi planting projects underway in New York, Virginia, and Oregon.

Saperavi’s runaway affinity for the Finger Lakes may have been a bit of a happy accident, but the Macinskis deserve every bit of credit for thinking outside the box, putting it in motion, and bringing it to fruition! 🙌🙌🙌 — 5 years ago

Rita Ernst

9.3

Thrive Wine — 5 years ago

Benjamin Hall Jr

9.3

Found this in a dark corner of my cellar... I wondered if it could still be good. I was wrong... it was great. The color almost immediately turned a deep golden color moments after we decanted it... rather than waiting we wanted to see if it had become sherry... it was still robust and had softened beautifully! The fruit was barely present but the tonal notes of this well crafted wine were all still present... still good structure but tannins played out ... it shows distinctly how a well made wine from this region handled properly by a known negociant can thrive beautifully in aging glory! — 5 years ago

Anil Saxena

9.1

Yeah this was amazing. It was full and jammy. Got it through Thrive Market and would buy it again and again. — 6 years ago

Daniel Stevenson

9.4

The 2001 Dieci Anni Vigna Rionda Barolo Reserva opened with dark fruits, cola, brown sugar, leather and dried violets. As the bottle developed the cola continued to thrive with more red fruits coming through with even a hint of heavy strawberry and cream on the end. An exceptional bottle — 7 years ago

James Leahy

10

Great producers thrive in difficult vintages. Rousseau is no exception. — 8 years ago

Foster Bachschmidt

9.4

Fantastic Aux Combottes example! Still a bit reserved with many years left to drink. Plum, black cherry, and red currant thrive on the pallet! — 9 years ago

with Lauren

Brooke Parish

9.2

Needed to pull a cork on a '05 and went with the Pomerol. A good way to ease into the vintage. No worries and should continue to thrive in the bottle but good to go now. — 9 years ago

Erika Giannarelli

9.6

the wine has an affinity for seafood, the grape seems to thrive close to the sea. Most of the vermentino wines in the tasting came from the three top sites in Italy: Sardinia, the Tuscan coast and the Ligurian coast. The Vermentino Giannarelli is produced in Liguria — 10 years ago

Mieke T

9.1

At Becky's — 4 years ago

Mia Lamanuzzi

9.5

From Thrive Market — 5 years ago

Lucy Osgood

8.9

Thrive market pick. Great with steak! — 5 years ago

Joe D'Angelo

9.5

The 2016 Beringer 'Private Reserve' Cabernet Sauvignon is absolutely fantastic and seems to be even more impressive than last years outstanding wine at this early stage. Composed of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petite Verdot sourced from vineyards in Howell Mountain (60%), St. Helena (20%), Oakville (15%), and Mount Veeder (5%), which spent 20 months in new French Nevers oak (83%), and 16 months in bottle prior to release. It instantly opens to wonderful aromas of dark currants, spiced plum, graphite, baking spices, cedar, fresh sage and dusty nuances all taking shape beautifully in the glass. On the palate this medium-plus to full-bodied, displaying remarkable overall balance with gorgeous velvety tannins and a wonderful seamless texture. It goes on to impress with excellent poise and concentration, as flavors of red and dark currants combine with exotic spices and expand gracefully through the long, polished finish. This is a sensational showing from Beringer, which is already extremely appealing, however also possesses the characteristics to thrive in the cellar over the course of the next two decades. — 5 years ago

Jocholla

9.0

Bright cherry, vanilla, aromatic herbs. Fantastic wine that could thrive a few years longer. Even better with great company. — 5 years ago

with Ryan

Barrett Myers

9.0

From Thrive. Tasty, good with chocolate! — 6 years ago

Zachary Price

8.9

Friday Night Whites. Picked up this little southern beauty from the grocery based solely on location and label - yes, that’s me, basic AF. Anyways, Southern Right is a winery based on the southwest tip of South Africa that specializes in Pinotage and Sauvignon Blanc. The 2017 SvB is a dry offering of 10% Hemel-en-Aarde Valley grapes with the rest being a blend of other Walker Bay SvB with ~14k cases produced. Most of the grapes in the area grow in a sandstone/clay soil in a maritime climate, yielding a nice old world flavor profile to the wines, (think acid and mineral). Wine has been grown in South Africa since the 1650s, but only recently with the ending of Apartheid, has the industry been able to thrive. Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Colombard are the most grown varietals. Drank this one, on its own, chilled and unpaired. Remember to drink this now - SvB is best when young. ~$16 | #sauvingnonblanc #southafricanwine #fridaynightwhites

On the eyes: Pale light yellow, clear, light stain, med tears, no gas/floc.

On the nose: Delicate gooseberry and quince, sweet lychee, some floral notes and wet slate. Med alcohol.

On the tongue: Med+ acid, light tannin, med alcohol, juicy and round. Quince, asian pear, persimmon, and lychee rounding out to a bit of leafy notes and high mineralty. Really nice, long, pleasant finish. Not your classic SvB! — 6 years ago

Darius Nouri

9.2

Spicy with hints of cedar and red meat. Fruit coming through on the back end. Legit breathe 30 mins. It should continue to thrive for another 2-3 years. Very good wine! — 7 years ago

Nathan King

9.3

Complex & luscious with lengthy finish . Notes of dark fruit and clean oak. All components of this wine thrive in harmony. Excellent product — 8 years ago

David P

9.2

Brad Tvedt made a good call on this wine. Who thought an Italian grape would thrive in Washington state? — 9 years ago

John Trader

9.6

A triumph... After all these decades the elegance is like a lullaby and the gentle touch of an angel from burgundy.... Cheers to those who thrive the test of time — 9 years ago

Rita Ernst

10

Thrive Wine — 4 years ago

Joe D'Angelo

9.5

Viña Almaviva has earned the status as one of Chile’s most prestigious wines, and the 2014 certainly possesses the qualities to live up to that esteemed reputation. This utterly captivating blend includes 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Carmenère, 8% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, which spent 18 months in new French oak. Displaying an impressive dark, inky color, this sensational red blend opens to profound aromatics of ripe blackberries and dark currants woven together with spices and cigar box, underlined by savory herbs, roasted coffee and dark chocolate nuances, which all beautifully take shape together. Full-bodied and remarkably structured this continues to impress with its remarkable depth and concentration, as layers of ripe dark fruits are framed by exotic spices. This continues to impress, as it shows excellent poise through the long multidemsional finish. While its pedigree is already quite apparent, this will demand at least a few years of bottle age before it will hit its stride. Nevertheless a sensational, age-worthy wine, which will thrive in the cellar for many years to come — 5 years ago

Joe D'Angelo

9.5

The 2012 Kapcsandy 'Estate Cuvée' begins with striking aromas of blackberries, dark cherries, spring florals, graphite and crushed stones all emerging beautifully from the glass. On the palate this displays wonderful elegance and precision. It continues to impress with remarkable overall structure, balance and purity of fruit, all leading up to the long, graceful finish that lingers effortlessly. A total beauty from Kapcsandy, which will thrive in the cellar for many years. — 5 years ago

Rita Ernst

9.1

Thrive Wine — 5 years ago

George Doolan

9.5

Loads of complexity and tension. Needs air to thrive. Mint, graphite, moderate waxy quality. Balanced, ripe acidity. — 5 years ago

Barrett Myers

9.0

Had with spicy chicken chili, yum! From Thrive — 6 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

It’s a weekend of 95’s. We had a bottle of their 96 about a year ago. Time to try the 95. On the nose; I get dark currants, a cognac/eau de vie character, ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, stewed black plum, black raspberries, blueberries, anise, cinnamon, vanilla, light spice, black tea, dark cola, light eucalyptus, bay leaf, dry top soil, crushed dry rocks, dry stems and fresh & dry dark florals. The body is medium with soft, round Rutherford dusty tannins. It’s very integrated, layered and complex. The fruits are fresh, ripe and juicy. Blackberries, dark cherries, stewed black plum, black raspberries, blueberries, strawberries paint the background, cognac/eau de vie character, mocha, caramel, dark spice, light clove, cinnamon, vanilla, suede style leather, dart crushed rocks, dry top soil, dry stems, eucalyptus, bay leaf, mint, steeped tea, violets and fresh & dry dark florals. The acidity is excellent. The structure is still rather big for a wine that’s been in the bottle 20 years. Great length and balance. The long finish is gorgeously lush and beautiful. This 95 might be a touch better than the 96 from a year ago. Still has another 7-10 years of good drinking ahead. Appreciate the 13.5% alcohol. Much more palatable than the 14.5/15-15+ in today’s Napa Cabernet’s. I am more and more convinced that not only is the Tapestry a great value, but you should wait 20 years in the right vintages to enjoy them. There’re just simply that much better! Photos of; the tasting building on Hwy 29, Founder Georges de Latour, sunset road signage and their tasting room. Since they are one of the first Napa wineries, here are their historical and producer notes. BV took its name from the French translation of the term “Beautiful Place”. BV was founded in 1904 by Georges de Latour when he obtained 40 acres of vines cultivated in the late 1870’s. His first purchase in California came when Latour bought the Ewer and Atkinson Winery. The purchase came with a vineyard first cultivated in 1880. Those purchases became larger in 1907 when he obtained the Hastings vineyard just east from Rutherford. Around the time of those purchases, Georges de Latour moved from France to California. He was no stranger to the wine industry as he was well known for selling phylloxera resistant root stock to growers in California. The vineyard started to come together in 1900, when Georges de Latour began purchasing vines in Rutherford. The initial wines released by BV were made from purchased grapes, or wines that were produced by other growers, as their vineyards were not yet productive. Georges de Latour was a person who never passed on a good opportunities. During Prohibition, he purchased vineyards at reduced prices, as they were being abandoned. BV managed to thrive during Prohibition due to their production of wine for religious services. BV was one of the first Napa Valley estates to begin using modern, French wine making techniques. They also credited for making the first wine produced from mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, BV Private Reserve. None of this could have been accomplished without the assistance of Andre Tchelistcheff. Andre was hired by Georges de Latour and moved to California from France in 1938. Andre was responsible for introducing many of the modern wine making techniques that were used in Europe. It was Andre who began thinking about frost protection during the growing season. He also pioneered the need for proper sanitation and the use of small, French oak barrels for aging of the wine. He also insisted that malolactic fermentation become part of the wine making process. Andre eliminated pasteurization and introduced the technique of cold fermentation to increase the color and concentration of the wine. As well, Andre introduced modern, viticulture practices of Europe. He began replanting the vineyards with higher levels of density, reducing the amount of sulfur used in the vineyards. More importantly, Andre focused on planting high quality French grape varietals. It was Andre that helped Cabernet Sauvignon get its start in the Napa Valley. He was also responsible for bringing Pinot Noir to Napa, but soon agreed that the cooler climates of Sonoma was better for growing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Geroges de Latour passed away in 1940. After his passing, day to day operations were taken over by his wife and daughter, with the continued aid of Andre Tchelistcheff. The company continued to grow and by the early 1960’s BV was selling nearly a 100,000 cases of wine per year. In 1969, BV was sold to Heublin. The winery was later purchased by Diageo, who in turn sold the vineyards to Australia’s Treasury Wine Estates in 2015. BV is one of the largest land owners in Napa Valley with more 1,100 acres under vine. Their best parcels are located in the Rutherford appellation. They’ve planted of all the major Bordeaux varieties, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot. Additionally some, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel and Petite Sirah. They also maintain a vineyard that is used to experiment with a wide variety of different grape varieties including; Carignane, Petite Sirah and Valdiguie. — 7 years ago

John Skupny - Lang & Reed Wine Company

9.8

At 35 this one still lives to tell a tale that balance, finesse & new world terroir can not only survive but thrive - gorgeous. — 10 years ago