Brenda Terzich-Garland

9.5

Bond 2001 Cab. The color shows little age —a bright dark red crimson. Nose floats with dark black and red berries, wet earth cedar and sweet honey spices; a minty menthol lingers filling the senses with utter satisfaction. OMG! a very sensual experience in the mouth —full body flavors coat every corner of the tongue with raspberry and blackberry flavors. A minerally, pencil lead, caramel mocha sweetness follows ending with a grippy tannin long finish. Can definitely age another 10-15 years. What can I say, WOW! — 5 years ago

with Karin and Jill

Marshall Todd Herron DPM

9.2

Cacique Maravilla Pipeno Pais 2016. These grapes are 100% organic wine. The soil has never been contaminated with pesticides. When I poured it from my coravin it bubbled in the glass. The color is almost like a pink sparkling wine. And the bouquet is sparkly fizzy fun on my nose. The initial bouquet is not far behind with a light tingle on my tongue. However this is a dry wine. It is very light with cherry and cranberry fruit. It is a very simple wine. The mid-palate loses all the fizz and flows into a nice semi dry finish. There are Earth tones and oak on the mid palate as well!!!!! This would be awesome slightly chilled to about 52 degrees on a hot day. — 7 years ago

Imani Williams

9.5

Found on sale for $8 at buschs.Black cherry and plum, one of the more tart reds I’ve had. High tannin, long grit on tongue but not in a bad way. Tobacco leather smoke flavors. Smells reminiscent of slim jims. Very interesting wine well worth the price. — 7 years ago

David Shaw

9.3

Freedom Hill vineyard. Bought at winery. Light yellow in color. Floral and stone fruit notes in nose and yes, matchstick. Lemon, underripe nectarine flavors with a hint of kiwi in the mouth. Good acidity, delicately flavored, mild tongue-coating astringency. A gem of a Chardonnay — 8 years ago

mitch connell

9.3

2014. Very young but beautiful oak balance and craft in purification. The wine is excellent with instant oak on the tongue but then a fantastic body. Its mass produced but tastes special. It tastes like a bourgone in the mid 40s range. — 9 years ago

Brandon T

9.5

The best Pinot I've had in '16! Was a crowd pleaser. Big, bold and delicious. Nicely done! — 9 years ago

Frank Soldano

9.3

Drinking the 2010 in 2016. Ruby red color with excellent clarity. Leather bouquet with a surprisingly big nose. Light, smooth flavor with low acidity. Earthy with leather and currants on the tongue. — 9 years ago

brando cox

9.1

Amazing aromas of candied berry crumble, undergrowth, vanilla, dried plum, and a hint of leather. On the tongue its full or flavours with balanced dark berries, tobacco and cassis dominating. The unique austere and grippy texture signifies a cold vintage year. 9.0 /4.1

Aging: typical of a gran rioja, this spends 26m in oak barrels. 3 years in bottle. Drinking 12 years post vintage in 2020. Drink now through 2024. Decant for 1 hr before drinking (taste in segments of 30 min to judge how its opening up) — 6 years ago

Gerry San Pedro

9.4

Intensely red in the glass. Plums & dark cherries on the nose. Plums & sweet berries along with spice & earth notes in the tongue - after an hour in the decanter. Short-to-medium finish, with soft tannins. Happy birthday to me!! — 7 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.4

Chocolate covered black cherry cordial. Went really well with our dinner, but when drinking this wine with Blue Bell cherry vanilla ice cream, it was otherworldly. The wind starts off with more black cherry and cola, picks up the chocolate notes in the middle. Finishes medium-plus body and just sits there on the tongue. 30 to 40 second finish. Compared to the 2011, this one has a little more structure, definitely more polished. Per the last email, this one was held back a year, and now I understand why. Crazy thing is, it doesn't score as well as the 2012 or 2013. If that is the case, I can't wait to get to those! — 7 years ago

Paul Weil

9.0

A young Cabernet which really opens up after an hour in the decanter, this is a slightly sweeter take on the varietal. It still has the best features of Napa Cab: thick chewy tannins, bright cherry and rich mocha flavors, and a pleasant lingering finish that tingles on the tongue. The extra residual sugars would make it an ideal accompaniment to Asian-style meat dishes, but if you don't mind a splash of sweetness, it makes a great cocktail wine and probably a good gateway wine to the big reds for less experienced wine tasters. — 9 years ago

Andrew Lam

9.7

This was ridiculously good. Had it with our Chinese New Year dinner of chicken, duck, seafood, etc and it went well with everything. Full bodied, well integrated, just really rich and wonderful. Might be the best NZ wine I've ever had. — 9 years ago

Richard Lewis

9.8

For us, this is the greatest vintage of this wine, a real bait and switch between the sweet almost Sauternes-like nose and the vanilla sherry on the tongue. I recall Abe mentioning this might be peaking a few years back, but i theorize it's got a very long way to go. — 9 years ago

with Lynne

Michael Ma

9.0

Balanced but fruit is front and center through to the finish with a soft velvety tongue. The bourbon barrels come through with a deliciously harmonious, and unique surprise. — 7 years ago

Donald Patz

Owner/Winemaker Patz & Hall

9.8

Stupendous. Creamy, lemon meringue and apricot nectar caramel. Nice balancing act that included enough acidity to keep in dancing on the tongue. It’s crazy expensive to make these wines. I’m always glad when I share one. Different from d’Yquem but every bit as great. — 7 years ago

with Jack

Jay Kline

9.3

Popped and poured; consumed over two days. Day 1 this was precocious. The nose was wild with the smell of tandoori chicken (tell me I’m wrong!), brambles, and garrigue. Like the 2015 I had a few weeks back, this was a little out of sorts on the palate but there’s loads of undeniably deliciously pure fruit. Tongue smacking tannin. Day 2 showed very little in the way of evolution. The tandoori had relaxed and left a more generic spiced meat character in its wake with brambles and Herbs de Provence. Looooooooong finish; well over a minute. The tannin is even more pronounced today but there’s so much stuffing that it kinda works now and I’m certain it will be firing on all cylinders and everything is more integrated down the road. IMHO, this is performing just a step behind the 2015 at the moment but both vintages are outstanding and will be for many years to come. — 7 years ago

David Shaw

9.2

Bought at winery. Light to moderate extraction, purple red. Mixed berry fruit leather, menthol-mint, barrel smoke and mushroom notes in nose. Blackberry, cherry, mint, cola and anise flavors, slightly tart, moderate seed bitterness, skin astringency on tip of tongue on finish. Great complexity and varietal character, even from first pour out of the bottle with no decanting — 8 years ago

Joni Murray

9.0

Buttery, creamy, bright acidity, tropical fruits, toasted nuts, coats the tongue in butter. Lovely for the style, not as flabby as some chards can be. Very nice — 9 years ago

Paul Marchesano

9.4

Beautiful rich dark velvet on the tongue. Rich finish. Plum and berries are forward. We decanted and let breathe for 3 hours. This is a beautiful wine that grows in complexity as you drink it. — 9 years ago

Frank Soldano

9.5

Drinking the 2013 in 2016. Golden color with long lasting legs. Oaky aroma with light floral notes. Smooth on the tongue with toasted oak. Mellow lactic acids. Smooth but not a big wine. — 9 years ago