Diederick Swagemakers

9.3

Still very fresh — 2 months ago

John Howard

Harvest production at Hirsch and Cobb Wineries

9.7

Prob our fave Anthill wine yet. Phenomenal! — 2 months ago

Brandon Boesch

9.7

Really great. Needs about 3 hours of air. So well balanced. A lot of cocoa, blackberry, garden dirt, some tree bark, some chocolate cherries, but very dark, some menthol in the background, long finish, almost coffee and cocoa, some fruits as well. Outstanding! — 3 months ago

Joe DAscoli

9.3

This wine hits with massive brightness and blueberry flavors. But it also has excellent acidity to avoid it being sweet or fruit bomb like.

Pretty good with some age on it. — 3 months ago

Tom Garland

9.4

The Winemaker Dinner: Francoise Peschon

5 WINES FROM HER NAPA PORTFOLIO:
2023 Accendo Laurea Sav Blanc
2021 Baker & Hamilton cab
2019 Cornell cab
2019 Heimark cab
2019 Vine Hill cab

FOOD:
Blufin tuna Tostada
Pepper crusted Elk tartare
Venison smash
Braised wild Boar leg
Bison NY strip steak
Mocha passionfruit opera cake — 3 months ago

with Brenda

Barry Shailes

10

Oops... Opened this in error, thinking it was $18.99. it isn't. 2018 absolutely delicious Rosē. Was perfect with Toblerone. — 6 months ago

Joe Flo

9.4

Very nice still very young. — 7 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

92 today but will pick up a point w/ some bottle age.

I am not much of a CA Chardonnay drinker, but this producer vineyard has gotten my attention over the yrs. Not over oaked. CA burgundy for the most part. Good value at $39.99. — 2 months ago

Robert Swart

9.2

Incredible vintage! Great to drink now or give more time in the bottle. — 2 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.6

2018 vintage. Last tasted 04.08.23 (9.5), 12.01.22 from a 375ml (9.5) and upon release 06.07.21 (9.5). Decanted and tasted after 45 minutes. Mysterious, dark-fruited and dusty nose. Medium body with excellent darkness of night color. Previous baby-fat overtures approximately 90% gonzo. Slimming down and getting more toned. In a state of transition with undeniable tension that can easily be misconstrued as underperforming. Last wine I tasted that was under this sort of metamorphosis at this level was the 1996 Pichon-Lalande about 1.5 years ago. Such a privilege to experience world-class wines in such a vulnerable moment. Everything is laid out bare/naked before you and you can see where the wine is headed and whether it will be following a trajectory that agrees with you. Definitely unusual to find this occurring in a wine this youthful but the 21st Century is smashing the old 20th Century clay tablets and digitizing. For most wine enthusiasts sampling this wine now, expecting some disappointment in the scoring. For myself, this is currently in the perfect symmetry of past, present and future. Will it show critically better in the future according to the accepted trials, palates, judges and juries? Probably. Will they experience the potential, doubts, insecurities and questions? Doubtful. This kid stays in this exact picture for another 2-4 years imho before striking another pose and I would love to taste this again during that time frame. An above and beyond thank you to FLB (Friday Lunch Bunch) regular Todd. 08.15.25. — 3 months ago

Tom Garland

9.4

1 hour decant(some fine/cloudy sediment). A striking still dark magenta color with a little bricking. On the nose: Captivating savory notes of stewed dark fruit, mushroom, worn leather, charcoal, stewed meat, and touch of cinnamon. Taste: powerful, bold, structured wine with dark plum, dark chocolate, green bell pepper, earth, and a dusty, baking spice-cedar long finish with maybe a touch of heat and just slightly grippy tannins YUM! Drinking well with time to go. — 4 months ago

with Brenda

Ericsson

9.8

Great vintage. Great first growth producer. Maybe one of the best I’ve ever had. — 6 months ago

Rob van Kalmthout

9.2

Still fresh with dominant scent of Sauvignon. Needs to balance out in dur time. Lovely with seefood — 6 months ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.1

A nice way to toast my daughter’s 33rd Birthday! Blend of Chardonnay (42%), Pinot Noir (39%) and Meunier (18%). Straw gold color. Ripe apple hits both the nose and palate immediately with additional notes of pie and bread dough, lemon, apricot, white flowers and fresh herbs. Distinct chalky/nutty note on the finish. Rich and full bodied. Acidity was a bit lighter than expected. Quite dry but extremely fruit forward. A bit lacking in effervescence and mousse but still quite enjoyable. Thank you for sharing and Happy Birthday, Kase! — 7 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.5

Lemon gold color with aromas of stone and tropical fruits with citrus, sweet floral and complex spice, no MLF. On the palate flavors of ripe melon, pineapple, apricot and honeysuckle notes with lemon zest and biscuit notes, delicate, complex and well balanced, big and full Chardonnay. Long finish, savory, ending with mineral tones and fresh finish. Will age well. Outstanding! While I usually do not decant whites, this one will benefit to breathe a bit! — 2 months ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.4

Opus One 2011
Napa Valley, California, USA 🇺🇸

Overview
A Bordeaux-style blend from one of Napa’s most iconic estates, co-founded by Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe de Rothschild. The 2011 vintage was a challenging, cool year in Napa, producing wines of lower alcohol, more restraint, and higher acidity compared to the opulent, sun-soaked vintages before and after. Blend typically centers on Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec.

Aromas & Flavors
Opens with blackcurrant, cassis, and dried cherry layered with graphite, violets, tobacco leaf, and hints of cedar and espresso. As it evolves in the glass, notes of leather, savory herbs, and cocoa powder emerge.

Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied compared to more powerful Opus vintages, with fresh acidity and fine-grained tannins. Elegant and balanced, showing more finesse and structure than richness. The finish lingers with red and black fruits, spice, and a touch of earth.

Winemaking Notes
Aged in French oak for 18 months. The cooler season resulted in smaller yields, but a style closer to classic Bordeaux restraint rather than plush Napa ripeness.

Food Pairing
Beautiful with herb-crusted lamb, grilled duck breast, wild mushroom risotto, or aged cheeses like Comté.

Verdict
A vintage that divided critics due to its lighter profile, but for those who enjoy elegance and classical structure, the 2011 Opus One is a refreshing outlier. Drink now, though it still has a few years of graceful life ahead. Cheers!
— 2 months ago

Brandon Boesch

9.7

50th wedding anniversary! Tasting great. I’m shocked at the cherry fruit that is still vibrant, a lot of raisin, wood, caramel, vanilla, tobacco leaf. So surprised at how good this is tasting — 3 months ago

with Randy

Jay Kline

9.2

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of an hour. The 2021 Pagani Ranch pours a deep ruby color with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with light staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of ripe and tart black and red fruits: mixed bramble fruit, black cherry, black pepper, red flowers, tobacco, warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. Yum. — 4 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.1

This was actually the first wine we had at the Bordeaux first growth lunch last Saturday (which wasn’t a First Growth). No notes taken but it did show the quality of the 1982 vintage particularly from Paulliac, and was still going strong. — 6 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.3

Pale lemon color with aromas of ripe fruits, citrus, vanilla and nutty scents. On the palate complex flavors of apple, peach, pineapple and lemon citrus, well balanced with acidity on a nice mouthfeel. Long finish ending with oak, vanilla, mineral and citrus notes, will continue to age. A beautiful Chardonnay. — 7 months ago