Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Thank you to our friends Jeff & Hedy for bringing this 2011 Rochioli Rosé of Pinot Noir.

Dark for a Rosé and has developed really nice in bottle. The body round and full vs. most Rosé wines. Really nice layered textures. The fruits were deep and ripe, dark cherries, strawberries, cherries and pomegranate, excellent medium spice & bright red florals.

Photos of; Rochioli Vineyard with an amazing sunset, Winemaker Tom Rochioli, the entrance to their tasting and tasting room patio. — 7 years ago

Pekka Holma

9.6

Exquisite Brunello di Montalcino. Artisan organic winery. My first Brunello ever was 2004 vintage in Firenze on my birthday five years ago. Great notes of earth and ripe cherry. Tipica comes clearly on the nose.
Full body, medium plus acidity and dusty tannins.
Absolutely gorgeuous! Happy 100th birthday Finland! — 8 years ago

with Nina

Greg Ballington

Co-Founder of Millennial Drinkers Wine Blog

9.6

Tasted after the 2011 Oakville with Tom. Dark and deep purplish ruby red. Velvety feel on the nose, perfumey and floral with dark red berries. Heavy tannins (8/10) with a beautiful structure. Tons of fruit in the attack, fuller in the mid palate. Black raspberries and black cherries. Strong undertones of dark cocoa. Full bodied and super long finish. Drink till 2042. (96+)

Around 2/3 of the fruit is from the Oakville Vineyard while the other third comes from the quarry section of the Stags Leap District Vineyard. Bordeaux blend made of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 8% Petit Verdot. — 9 years ago

with Sean and India

Gary Grose

8.9

I'm generally not a fan of California Sav Blanc, but this was refined and had character. Another value at at $20. Who knew Al had a brother who could make wine? 😄 — 9 years ago

Shil Kothari

9.4

The 2008 Barn Burner is a beautiful, well-constructed and integrated wine. The nose has the intense blueberry blackberry, nectarine, honey, vanilla and spiced pear that are married with wood aromas in the form of cedar and oak. The long creamy, velvety palates ones on forever and has intense Dried blueberry black currant and apricot flavors layered softly with intense dark chocolate and a hint of clove (indicative of a little petite verdot) and is finishing with black cherry and a touch of medium toasted oak. This wine is drinking amazing now and all the layers really shine through. I only wish I had more.
— 10 years ago

with Kim

Adam Lechmere

Wine writer Wine Searcher, Decanter, World of Fine Wine, Food & Travel, Meininger's

9.7

Natural! Update: had this last night with bbq chicken marinaded in yoghurt-garlic-chili- ginger etc. Lovely stink of river mud, briar fruit and fine acidity. No fining or filtration? — 11 years ago

Kyle Buchanan

9.2

Really tasty merlot !!great job naked wines. Lots of fruit with mild tannins. Nice aromas — 11 years ago

Ivo Daniele

9.6

This was such a wonderful surprise! Best thing to come out of Vermont since grade A maple syrup! A true sipping gin - absurdly smooth - spice, juniper and honey. This is the Pappy of gin. — 11 years ago

J C

10

Love it. From bin 104. Nice start (Tom says reminds him vaguely of grape juice but I don't think so) and smooth throughout, and nice finish. Doesn't seem as high as 15% alcohol! — 11 years ago

Peter Heidt

8.9

Was going to bring this to Tom and Caroline's for the barbaque... Brought a 2009 Cakebread Cab and one of my recent favorites a 2004 Bran Caia... The Bran Caia just ROCKS; 50% Sangiovese, 45% Merlot and 5% Cab... You barely recognize it to be Italian... It is yummy!!! — 12 years ago

Matthew Marcino

9.4

Very approachable. Evolution of this bottle was over a 4 hour decant. First taste at opening, was tight dense gorgeous fruit, cassis, cigar, stone, and crisp Howell air. Second taste an hour later was bigger, bold, strong ruby fruit, less cigar but tobacco was still there. The fruit became longer on the finish and the density was so sexy. Taste like how you encounter sexiness tasting. Rudy, Tom, Michael and Red Cap Fam doing it really really well! — 8 years ago

Jay Kline

9.0

Popped and poured; consumed over the course of a couple of hours. Lean and mean. This was high toned red fruits, gravel, black tea and underbrush on the nose. Tart red berries on the palate. Thanks for sharing Tom! — 8 years ago

with Tom

Mike Mayer

9.4

Another example of how great the wines being made by Dakota Shy are. Todd Newman and Tom Garrett have a knack for making great wines. This Cabernet, even very young, sends a message to every other iconic Napa cabernet they have something to contend with. Lots of black fruit and blue fruit on the nose with incredible flavors of blackberries, plums, and currants. I love this wine. — 8 years ago

with Lisa

Curtis Berlinguette

10

Best victory beer in the history of victory beer!!!!! Tom is a real life super hero!!! — 9 years ago

with Chris

Daniel Wendell

9.1

Tom is a great wine maker. One of my favorites — 9 years ago

Gail Briguglio

9.5

Just delicious, so soft, with just enough of the dirty French tom your tongue — 10 years ago

Tom Ockenden

9.0

I just opened a 2007 Mas Sainte Berthe Le Baux de Provence varietal, purchased in that village in 2009. It is a blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Cabernet. Excellent medium bodied, very smooth to palate. Accompanied a halibut fish dish. Tom and Dorie Ockenden — 10 years ago

Stacey Davis

9.0

Sunshine in Dallas courtesy of Tom Gamble! — 11 years ago

Carol Holt

9.3

Enjoyed with Laura Lang, Roma & Tom Steffanacci and my husband during Blizzard of 2015 — 11 years ago

Scott Carroll

Managing Partner Acme Wine Company

9.3

Tom Calder introduced me to this wine 7 months ago and I have been thinking about ever since. One of the best dry Chenins I've ever drunk, will be in heavy rotation at my house for the foreseeable future. — 11 years ago

Jason Kreizenbeck

9.6

Clean citrus flavor of grapefruit with smooth vodka of Finland. A greyhound without the pulp. — 12 years ago

Shay A

9.4

During the month of January, the Wednesday Wine Committee has a unique format...the sparkler, whites and dessert wines can be from any vintage and any location, but the reds must be from the 2007 vintage. It was my first time providing a wine for a lunch, so I was excited to see how it showed. As always, all wines were served blind.

This was a treat for me to be able to serve. Tom Farella only produces this Alta bottle in special years. The ‘07 was his last one before he brought it back in ‘14. Cabernet dominated blend complimented by a bit of merlot from the famed Farella vineyard. Supremely balanced. Raspberries, plums and blackberries on the nose and palate, but the finish was plush. This is about at its peak and will stay here for another 3 or so years. Oak was almost fully integrated. Very happy to have two of these still sleeping. This was the group’s consensus “wine of the day”. — 8 years ago

Greg Ballington

Co-Founder of Millennial Drinkers Wine Blog

9.2

Fourth of the blind red wines at this quarter's S&E Wine Club, which for red was either Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc or Merlot from either Rutherford or Stags Leap District. Thanks Tom and Andrea!

Deep purplish red. Layered nose with anise, licorice and dark fruits. HEavy tannins (7.5/10) and full bodied. Lots of minerality, dark berries, twigs, cinnamon, anise, spices and some great structure. Long and lingering finish. Have only briefly heard of this wine before and quite impressed. Drink till 2028. — 8 years ago

with Sean and India

Greg Ballington

Co-Founder of Millennial Drinkers Wine Blog

9.4

Thanks Tom for bringing this over. Deep ruby red with purplish hues. Super tight and dark nose with notes of blackberries, dark cocoa, and baking spices. Very young on the palate and rich. Moderate plus tannins (7.5/10) and full bodied. Long and lingering finish with a slight spicy bite with lots of baking spices like nutmeg and cinnamon. Even vanilla too. Coated in dark berries but needs more time to fully open up. Drink till 2028. — 9 years ago

with Sean and India

Ben de Vin

9.4

One of my highlights from Rootstock Sydney (2015) — 10 years ago

Roger Ebanks

8.9

Full purple color and a great nose if cherry, licorice and smoke. On the palate was full of rich red fruits with a mineral undertone. — 10 years ago

Brian Mast

Partner/Winemaker Waits-Mast

9.4

Earthy savory - reminds me of old Mirassou Pinot, naturally. Great winemaking by Tom Stutz. — 11 years ago

Erich Broksas

Early Mountain Vineyards

9.1

Fun to try Hall of Famer Tom Seaver's wine. Been curious since that great @WineSpectator article — 11 years ago

Ron Krantzman

9.3

Enjoyed this with Tom and R. At Corners.
This 2012 Prisoner held us hostage with captivating fruit velvety tannins, and lush finishes. I'm an inmate for this wine, as I have followed this felon for years now.
Last nights bonus, the wine was picked by the table next to us...happen to be one of the heads of... U guessed it....the winery. Pay it forward! Ron — 11 years ago

Kevin Reid

9.6

signed bottle of NZ SB @tomeddywines — 11 years ago