Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

On the nose; liqueur style blackberries, dark cherries, black plum, plum, blueberries, baked strawberries, sweet spice, vanilla, wood shavings, dark, rich, moist soil, crushed, dry rocks, violets and fragrant, fresh, dark florals. The palate is medium bodied and the tannins are nicely resolved and round. The fruits are also liqueur is style. Blackberries, dark cherries, black plum, plum, blueberries, boysenberries, raspberries, baked strawberries and a touch of dry cranberries. Sweet, soft leather, lead pencil, cola, vanilla, cinnamon, soft spice-box, understated herbal notes, rich, moist, dark soil, crushed rocks, a touch of bramble, crumbled volcanic minerals, nice, soft, round acidity and a long, lush, fresh, elegant fruit finish that is 75% fruit and 25% earth. The 06 has plenty of life ahead of it...at least 10 years. I'm pretty sure this bottle was around $35 at Costco upon release. Photos of, the view from their tasting terrace, the legend/Napa maverick Joseph Phelps, terrace seating and interior shot of the remodeled estate. Producer notes...the winery was founded in 1973 by Napa wine pioneer, Joseph Phelps. Like a number of other vintners in the valley, Joseph came to wine from another industry. In the 1960’s he ran one of the largest construction companies based in the USA, Hensel Phelps Construction One of his projects was to work on building the BART system in the San Francisco Bay Area (Bay Area Rapid Transit). Joseph's transition into the winery business started with a banker informing him of several potential winery projects in Napa and Sonoma. One of the projects was to build Souverain Winery in Napa (now Rutherford Hill Winery). After that project Joseph became interested in purchasing his own property in the valley. He acquired 600+ acres. His first vintage of Insignia was 1974. Joseph Phelps began planting grapes – varieties such as Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Pinot Noir. They ultimately discovered these grapes were not suited to the particular climate of this part of the valley and they changed over to other varietals...namely Bordeaux based red varieties.The first vintage of Joseph Phelps was made at Heitz Cellars. Sadly, Bill passed away in April 2015 at 87...may he rest in peace with a glass that never empties. All and all a good life I'd say. Today his son Bill Phelps is President of winery. Not that long after Joseph's passing, Joseph Phelps opened their remolded hospitality center (photos above) located in what was the original winery building. It's sad that Joseph did not live to see it's full completion and opening. The last 1/4 of glass or less from the bottom of the bottle which; is called "The Truth" was so rich, concentrated & beautiful, I was tempted to push the rating to 9.3/9.4.
— 8 years ago

Keith Kitaji

9.5

Jacques Lardiere (great winemaker of Louis Jadot) came by with Youngs Market...both projects where great! This is the perfect middle of great Oregon Pinot on the front end and a smooth, elegant and earthy finish...buying a few bottles! — 9 years ago

Claire Oswald Schultz

9.5

Cluster Riesling, 12% alc., $14.99: Another one of Sean’s special projects, and my favorite of the CGT Rieslings, this pale straw colored wine was made from hand selected grape clusters pressed whole without destemming or crushing, which then underwent a very cool (42º F) fermentation to draw the process out. Off dry, at under 1% residual sugar, it dishes out rich, generous red and green apple flavors and aromas shaded with a hint o’ lime and good minerality; it’s a bit more than medium bodied, with good weight and beautiful concentration. I love this wine. Find this wine — 9 years ago

Evelyn Marin

9.1

Really nice high altitude Pinot from Argentina. Tons of cranberry and tart red fruit with high acidity. The Michellini bros are crushing it with all their different projects in and around Mendoza. — 9 years ago

Robert Cunningham

Wine Educator DeVinimus, Wine Workshop

8.9

2005 Raveneau Mont Mains. moderate yellow color; delicate honeyed nose; projects well; palate is nice, rice one the palate and moderately long finish though a bit drying on the palate and lacking acid cleaned on the palate — 10 years ago

Boxer Briefs

9.4

75 cases, a beast that unraveled in the glass. Smokey. My favorite of the Lynn Penner Ash side projects. Great Worden Hill aromatics buried under layers of spice and herbal notes — 10 years ago

Bob Halifax

9.4

Never heard of Vindication before. Will need to watch for it a little more now. Gotta love winemaker side projects. — 11 years ago

Francis Wilden

Director Francis Wilden Food & Wine Consulting

9.2

Great start at Press Club Projects. From Santorini — 11 years ago

Laura Ess

9.0

Obsessed with all Pinot project projects! Noir, Grigio, and rose! All 💯✨🙏🏽! — 8 years ago

with Steve

Antonio Flores

10

Just great — 8 years ago

Hank Didier

8.9

An Ethos Projects dinner at Groove Park - solid cab to compliment good friends — 9 years ago

Geoffrey Turnbull

9.1

First Reasonable Projects summer hours event at 714 L3 patio, with oysters. — 9 years ago

with David and Melanie

SV

9.4

Ay, this is good. Loire with a twist. Blue fruit and rhubarb and hibiscus. A lot of funk in the nose. These Portland wine projects are really stepping up. — 9 years ago

Catherine Portie

10

This is so good to sip on — 9 years ago

Kierandecanted

9.2

The 2013 David Arthur Chardonnay Napa Valley is a slight green-golden hue offers bright and illuminated aromas of kiwi, Asian pear and Golden delicious apple, followed by white peach, citrus blossom and light hints of toasted almonds. The palate is soft, plush and full throttle with layers of citrus, candied apple, poached pear. The finish projects a subtle minerality. #davidarthur #chardonnay #napa #winelover #winespectrum #wine #wino #vino #cheers #instawine — 9 years ago

Matt Forester

9.2

2012 WPA Wine Projects Administration Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills. Strawberry, raspberry, and cherry cola in a balanced, lighter style. Very good and easy to drink. — 10 years ago

Will Brajnikoff

Sommelier Chai Consulting

9.5

Thanks @Jared Heber!!! — 10 years ago

Rich Reader

9.2

Unions Grands Crus de Bordeaux very much in favor of the Sauternes and Barzac in the moment, & voting for Lichines, planning new wine projects and partnerships.. — 10 years ago

with Chelli, Fred and 3 others

Michaiah Alford

9.5

This was the second bottle enjoyed on a Sunday afternoon with a great friend ... seeing away on our quilting projects! $10 at Kroger. — 11 years ago

Paul Klein

9.2

One of Luca's personal favorites and pet projects. Opens up nicely. Notes of olives and sea salt. — 12 years ago

Henrik Poulsen

9.4

13.8% alc.
So it can be done in Napa!

Grateful to have known/worked with Denis on several projects his gifted implementation of various French oak coopers leaves me very impressed.

A toast to a dear friend who left us way to young 🍷🍷.
— 8 years ago

with Acumen and Kurt-Inge

Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

Took a trip to CA to visit my daughter & taste some great wines I cannot readily get back east. We visited AuBonClimat, and I was introduced to some of Jim Clendenen’s, projects of passion, his CFV 2014 Aligoté. Straw yellow with stone fruit and light floral aromas. The wine was aged for 10 months on older French oak. On the palate, pear and peach flavors with lemony nuances, slightly tart with a mineral elegance. On the medium finish slight oak tones are present ending with liberal minerality. Very nice! — 9 years ago

Max Jewell

9.0

Boutinot Rhone is simply one of the best projects. Stunning Village Rhone red ❤️ — 9 years ago

David E

9.0

Day Two: this has softened somewhat but it still projects such a massive and brooding intensity that I feel it needs a few more years. Raspberry-laced cassis is center stage with notes of oak, leather and earth sequenced on the very long finish. This is not for fans of soft, sweet cabs. It's like Lumberjack cab. — 9 years ago

Cason Love

9.0

Already showing secondaries. More fruit on the palate than the nose projects. Light tannins and firm acidity. — 9 years ago

Trent Fletcher

9.5

Happy New Year! And congrats to @Mike Smith for the excellent scores from Mr. Parker on his 2013 projects! — 9 years ago

Alex Alan

Wine Director Hotel Delmano

9.4

2010. Els Jelepins. Easily one of the most exciting projects in Spain. Usually these wines are whacked out with tons of VA (this vintage the VA is mostly under control), but this year it is way more polished and pretty. Still hazy and unfiltered. But it'll age well and will be fun to drink over the next decade and, although I won't have any left by then, probably beyond. — 10 years ago

Lyn Farmer

9.0

Pretty medium cherry red. The bouquet really projects from this wine with a complex array of forest floor, sappy blackberry and just a hint of gaminess. There is an appealing softness to this wine that comes without sacrificing complexity - delicious and just enough acidity to pair well with a diverse array of foods. Medium body, Elegant, long finish. This is a marvelous, user-friendly wine — 10 years ago

Robert Cunningham

Wine Educator DeVinimus, Wine Workshop

9.5

A rare Prager Achleiten rom Prager. Extremely well made wine with intensity and depth of aromatics. Projects 4 inches from the glass. Long rich finish. Some residual sweetness layered over intense minerality Profound — 11 years ago

Joe D'Angelo

9.4

Very tasty 07 Spring Mountain Cabernet. Aaron Potts own label, you may also know some of his other consulting projects like Quintessa, Blackbird, Bello. This is dense and concentrated, loaded with dark fruits, spices, coffee and chocolate. Rich and Voluptuous all the way through. — 11 years ago