Shay A

9.3

This was my bottle, and it was opened alongside a ‘15 for comparison sake. Aromatics were similar to the ‘15 (red and black fruit) but less candied. More dirty, but not off putting. However, the finish on this was very unique...it turned very umami/earthy/herbal. Maybe an odd phase as it wakes up? Structure was still very solid (as expected for mountain fruit) so this may hold a while...

Almost two hours later: Better with air. Became more dark chocolate covered. Wow. The savory notes have faded and it’s showing a more rich and dark cocoa type finish. Very enjoyable. — 7 years ago

with Dan, Mark and 2 others

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.3

Umami City here. Nose of grilled meats, berry fruits and limestone. Minty, menthol. So aromatic. Lifting aromas. Unique. Sweet and savory at same time with groovy grippy acids and such depth. Greasy yet high acid with terrific sap and purity. The purity is insane. — 8 years ago

Deborah Parker Wong

10

Umami, tea leaves, leather, bright and focused mid palate of umeboshi plum, celery salt and sweet pipe tobacco. Looong and memorable. — 9 years ago

Matt Perlman

9.0

A little bit tawny on the rim. Dried red fruit, leather, earth on the nose, lots of umami flavors going on. Very good, very typical, somewhat evolved so might not have the longevity of some other vintages e.g. '01 — 9 years ago

Matt

9.4

A little hot on the nose and palate but still freaking delicious. Nose carries through with red fruit compote, licorice whips, leather, balsam, lavender, roasted herbs, moss, funk, and meat. Palate plays more on compote, licorice, and balsam with kicks of spice and leather. There's that savoriness coming through on the palate as well. Despite some alc. poking out this is really beginning to show well. Expecting more organic earth, black tea, and umami notes in the future but still a brilliant perfume right now. Tannin still has a little edge that keeps the wine balanced. Humbled to try wines like this when I can. 375 ml — 10 years ago

Rebecca Fletcher

9.3

Black fruit, slight soy, plum, baking spice, savory, umami, truffle, dill, little Brett. M- acid, m + body, tannin, balance, complexity. — 10 years ago

Matté

Manager The Wine Cellars

9.5

Great, lifted nose of wild strawberry, light soy, mushroom yet with a freshness of lifted floral notes of Rose bud and petal that you may find in good Barolo, bright, fresh yet with the intensity of balsamic notes. In the mouth this wine is beautifully resolved with dried (but still fresh) black berry, fresh herbal with an umami finish. Uber! — 11 years ago

Greg Sorensen

9.0

Pungent aromatic nose. Savory fruits, pears, herbs, orange umami, good acidity. — 11 years ago

JohnQ Boxler

Sales Berkeley Wine Company

9.9

Glad I held on to a couple. Damned fine fino! Salty, umami, savory goodness. Wow. — 12 years ago

Jordan Wardlaw

9.2

Perhaps even a tad brighter and more fruit-focused than the lovely 2015. Florals, bing cherry, blood orange and rhubarb pie seem to be the hallmark aromatic expressions of this vineyard. There’s still the soy/beef jerky umami mid palate component although not as pronounced as the previous vintage. I would still stack this up against a mature Chambolle. Such a superb value. The ideal companion with poke salad and a fairly broad range of other Japanese flavors. — 7 years ago

Matt

9.3

Lovely! Game, bacon, mixed red berry compote, lavender pastille, bitter cocoa, smoke and licorice. Common theme of tonight is this leathery fruit, and here it is all umami-like, with stones and warm earth behind it all. Tannins are suave, sleek and integrated, classic CNDP from a year that has been a little varied in my experience. — 8 years ago

Portia Vliet

9.6

Smoked meat, umami, tobacco, cassis - what's not to love? This wine rocks! — 9 years ago

Libbi Odessa

9.3

What a seductive Pinot! Your nose is hit with a smoke and forest floor. On the palate there is a vibrant tomato, dark cherry and prune combo. The finish is elusive: you are hit with a spicy note that wisps away quickly, leaving you with a faint umami flavor, like fresh picked mushrooms (you still smell the forest floor where you picked them but there is a sweeter and milder juiciness to it). — 9 years ago

Rick Pitcher

9.5

Oh doctor, this '89 VCC is insane. The length, the aromatics of pepper, graphite and this umami note that is intoxicating. Incredible Pomerol. #thankful — 10 years ago

Anna Twee Nguyen

9.4

Quirky and umami rich. On the nose eucalyptus and fennel. High acid, rich mouthfeel, textural. Versatile. — 10 years ago

Gillian Robb

9.6

Black fruit, umami, smoke. Everything I like in a new world Syrah. — 10 years ago

Jean-Marc Troadec

9.3

Salty nutty umami yummyness and killer bright acidity.... Went great with squid ink paella! — 11 years ago

Charlie Abbott

Sommelier Casa Mono

9.1

Same as Solera 1822, but no PX added. Intensely umami — 11 years ago

with Rachel

Mark Bright

Partner/Wine Director Saison Restaurant

9.6

Structure and grip, so much umami — 12 years ago

Sam Bilbro

Owner/Vineyardist Idlewild Wines

9.5

Savory times a few. Tasty, umami, yet still an underlying freshness. — 13 years ago

Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.5

The 2011 ‘En Chamberlin’ Syrah by Cayuse is stunning at this age. Gorgeous dark fruits connect with wet rocks and charcuterie and Mandarin orange rind aromatics, which all come together in the glass. The silky texture borders ethereal as gorgeous flavors of black cherry cough syrup, wet rocks, umami, salted meats, black tea and blood orange flavors continue to impress. This remarkable Syrah is a sensational wine made by superstar vigneron Christophe Baron. — 7 years ago

Nniccolò Contenta

9.7

Extremely enjoyable from first pour. Intense minerality and Umami flavours pouring out. Great food wine. Loveee — 8 years ago

Tobin Spratte

9.2

Tasted in 2015: Umami and balsamic notes that give way to flavors of cocoa, dark chocolate, garrigue, baked cane sugar, and boysenberries. Velvety chocolate finish. Delicious. — 8 years ago

POLLUX

9.5

Small percentage of SB for brightness and longevity. Perfectly aged to balance the umami/scallion combination of black bean sauce crab, with the years in bottle highlighting textural components to contrast with the sweet crabmeat. Yum! — 9 years ago

Lucas Wittmann

9.3

Gorgeous, umami depth. Needs about 1 hr air. — 10 years ago

Ed Lehrman

9.5

This is not even Sauvignon-- a flavor combo all its own. Dry stone and umami up front followed by lip-smacking lemony flavor all on a fairly light frame. Need to buy more of this. — 10 years ago

Judd Blair

9.3

Fantastic northern Rhone flavor meets California fruit - pepper, deep rich umami but plenty of juicy berry too. A fantastic surprise. — 10 years ago

Mason Balistreri

Sommelier, International Wine Guild; Balistreri Vineyard; Sales, Joy Wine and Spirits

9.2

I’ve said it before and I will say it again now. Out of all the hipster winemakers out there, Broc is by far the best and most interesting. This could have turned out to be a linear, acidic with classic pinot flavor, but instead we get this strange mix of umami tomato, cherry juice, and some wild acidity (even a touch volatile). This wine is so fun and weird. The food pairing possibilities are endless. #hipster #organic #gamay — 10 years ago

Jamie Graves

9.3

One of the best aged sake I've tried. Cocoa, umami but not too heavy, super drinkable. — 11 years ago

Ian Blackburn

9.3

I have tasted many 1961 over the years, this continues to be one of my favorite wines...The strange thing is that this bottle with its high necklinewas the youngest 1961 that I had ever tried, wine had an great Providence - One owner and one incredible cellar.

1961 was a magical year on the right bank; now over 50 years of age it has lost some weight but picked up elegance on the nose - wet clay, graphite/lead pencil, umami/truffle - nose candy for sure. — 11 years ago