On the nose; leaner, ripe fruits of; dark cherries, cherries, plum, blueberries, raspberries, lightly spiced plums, light vanilla, whiff of herbal notes, light dark turned earth and perfume purple florals.
On the palate; dark cherries, cherries, strawberries, floral blueberries, plum, herbal notes, light soft spice, dark rich soils, grainy and powdery minerals. Good round waterfall acidity with a well balanced, polished, elegant finish.
Photos of; landscaping around the property, second year planted Pinot Noir vines (had to replant as pests ate the rootstock) and a retaining wall with a waterfall type pond character. — 6 years ago
They should have called the Winery Floral Springs based on the nose. Beautiful; blackberry, black raspberries, dark cherries, strawberries, dry cranberries and plum floral fruits. Nice spice, vanilla, touch of clove & cinnamon, used leather, dark rich soil, crushed volcanic minerals, black fruit tea, black raspberry cola and dark fresh florals with violets. The tannins are 95% resolved. The body is lush & ripe. The length, tension & structure are nearing the end. Just a few years left of being worthwhile. However, the balance is stereo tuned. The fruit on the palate shows even more elegant & ripe floral fruits than the nose. Blackberry, black raspberries, dark cherries, strawberries, dry cranberries and plum floral fruits. Nice spice, vanilla, light clove & cinnamon, used leather, dark rich soil, crushed volcanic minerals, black fruit tea, black raspberry cola and dark fresh florals with violets for days. The acidity is like a waterfall. The beautiful, long, elegant finish is a little lean yet has a nice richness. Beautiful wine that just missed 9.2. Photos top to bottom and left to right. The Winery; which is separate from the other tasting room only on Hwy 29. The tasting room on Hwy 29 in St. Helena, Flora Spring caves and the front of their tasting room along Hwy 29. Producer notes and history...the stone winery on the grounds were built in 1885 by two immigrant brothers from Scotland, James and William Rennie. They were in construction, built the winery and planted 60 acres of grapes. The brothers had some bad fortune when phylloxera consumed the vines, and then a fire in 1900 destroyed their wine press and cooperage. In 1904, they sold the winery and fifteen years later Prohibition started. The winery was then closed until 1933. That year, Louis Martini, looked into their magic eight-ball and saw Prohibition collapsing and bought the Rennie property. They built a new stone house and also made a reserve wine from the hillside vineyards. However, the old winery remained empty until the Komes family bought the property, 325 acres, the old farm house, the newer stone house and 60 acres of vineyards. The son thought he’d persuade his dad to restore the old winery and proposed to call it Chateau Jerome. Although it had been designed by Hamden McIntyre an architect of several other classic 19th-century Napa wineries, by 1977, the place was a wreck. The tin roof of the building had so many holes in it. They called it the starlight roof. His father looked at it and stated, “I’ve worked all my life for my good name. I don’t want to squander it now.” John’s mother, Flora, however, sided with her son on the potential of the property. Carrie Komes suggested they could name the winery for her mother-in-law. Combined with the abundant springs on the land, they decided the name would be Flora Springs. It was a sure way to their mom’s heart and father’s wallet. Komes put his construction expertise to work on renovating the old winery, which still had scorch marks on the walls. So skeptical was his father about his son’s wine-making project, they divided the winery building. John rented half where he put his first fermenting tank, which he named R2D2. He invited a couple of friends from his wine-making class to help make wine at the new place. He also hired Mary Ann Graf, who in 1965 had been the first woman to graduate from the viticulture and enology department at UC Davis to help manage the project. She told John, “if you don’t hire a winemaker, I’ll quit.” He did and the 1979 Flora Springs chardonnay won a gold medal at the Los Angeles County Fair. In those days, it was fairs, not ratings. This was his first lesson in marketing as they sadly sold all the wine before they won the medal. Fairs were the big news instead of ratings as Parker had not yet risen to fame as he was the only one to call the grand 1982 Bordeaux vintage correctly. They submitted their 1981 Cabernet to eight fairs and won seven gold medals. From there, the winery just kept growing. They were the 67th winery in the county. Over the years, they had their ups and downs, but kept growing. One of their highlights was the creation this wine, Trilogy. It was one of the first Meritage blends in the valley. By 1984, they planted all the Bordeaux varietals; Malbec, Merlot, Cab Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. They wanted to create a blend “by taste”, not by formula for a nice smooth wine that goes deep into the palate. They worked with a little of this and little of that. The first Trilogy was Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cab Franc. It was dubbed as velvet in the mouth. A lot of what they do is taming the tannins. One man who bought Trilogy by the case said, “it’s the only red wine his wife would drink young.” From the leftovers, they began making single-varietal estate wines. Another highlight was the discovery of a unique clone of Sauvignon Blanc in vineyards his father bought in Oakville. UC Davis could identify nothing like it in their vast library of clones. They were a bit ahead of the times, but this clone showed Flora Springs how different in that time period what Sauvignon Blanc could be like as it took all the grassiness out of Sauvignon Blanc. — 6 years ago
This is a beautiful and luscious wine. European style, adroitly done by a winemaker who has the finesse and ability to make this wine shine. Pros who have not rated this wine are missing out. The style and character of this wine are exactly what Napa needs. Find it, try it, and you too will be impressed. — 7 years ago
Excellent £34 Grand Cru from my fav Chablis producer 😍 that's perfect in ☀️
🍷 Light straw yellow
👃 A misty citrus waterfall crashing over broken mineral rocks crushing green apple w/ white flowers in the wind & buzzy bee honey
👄 Med creamy punchy zesty rich & ripe honeyed green apples, citrus curd & minerals in med acidity w/ dry grapefruit twist
🎯 Long zingy citric, green apple, honey & grapefruit mineral dry refreshment — 7 years ago
💥 Superb Aussie Chardonnay @ £51 & well worth it as a treat 👍
🍷Pale apple white & straw yellow
👃 Soft lemon & lime in a naked waterfall crashing over mineral stones with green apple Adam & Eve hints - bite me bite me 🍎
👄 Creamy, but not syrupy, refreshing silky balanced med acidity in med body of tart green apple, pear & citrus
🎯 Med+ Granny Smith & pear with citrus & dry finish but no evil 🐍
🧀 Perfect with Roquefort 😍 — 7 years ago
I am cheating. Had this a few months back and just wanted to try it again. That is a pure waterfall of Chenin delight. I'll probably go buy another bottle and restock the fridge. It's just a gotta have go to bottle. — 8 years ago
Base of a tropical waterfall, wet rocks, mineral, nice aromatics and stone fruit. — 9 years ago
Fantastic funky cab franc from what to me is always one of the best $20 drops money can buy. 2011 isn't as glorious as 2010 but it's different and lovely just the same. Real earthy, brambly, and foresty, with great cleansing acidity and delightful flavor concentration for price. Superbly balanced, this didn't miss a beat open 5 days. How many $100 wines could you say that about?? Like a trip through the forest to find a waterfall. Great stuff. — 9 years ago
Smell takes me to a beautiful waterfall, wet rock, crisp bright acidity, peaches, pear. — 10 years ago
On the nose, fresh, ripe floral; blackberries, black raspberries, blueberries & plum. Black raspberries cola, big vanilla, cinnamon, some clove & nutmeg, caramel, black licorice, dark rich soils, soft, dry, powdery minerals and lots of purple flowers & violets.
On the palate; the body is medium. The tannins are dark, slightly tarry and gently sticky. The fruits are ripe & juicy; blackberries, mulberries, plum, blue fruits & black raspberries with strawberries coming on late as it opens. Black raspberry & raspberry cola, soft baking spices of; vanilla, cinnamon, clove & nutmeg in that order of intensity, soft, black licorice, dark spice, soft powdery minerals and fine, dusty, dry rock powder, some rich, moist, dark semi-sweet earth, some leather, fresh, bright, purple flowers & violets, waterfall acidity and ripe, ruby, elegant, juicy, fruit finish with notes of earth. Delicious & very easy to drink.
Photos of, an amazing shot of Rioja. Ondarre barrel room. The library cellar at Ondarre. Bodega Ondarre.
@Delta One — 6 years ago
On the nose, ripe, ruby, fruits of; mulberry, blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, plum, black cherries, blueberries & creamy raspberries. Vanilla, hints of sweet tarriness, black licorice, whiff of spice, soft understated limestone minerals & crushed rock powder, fruity black tea, hint of fresh herbaceousness, rich, black turned earth, fresh dark floral bouquet and fields of lavender & violets.
The body is rich, ripe & full. The tannins are a little sticky but well softened, round and a touch chewy. The structure, tension, length, balance, tension and balance are very close to perfect and harmonious. Fruits are; mulberry, huckleberry, blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, plum, black cherries & creamy raspberries. Vanilla, hints of sweet tarriness, black licorice, whiff of spice, soft understated limestone minerals & crushed rock powder, fruity black tea, hint of fresh herbaceousness, rich, black turned earth, fresh dark floral bouquet and fields of lavender & violets. The acidity is round and rains like a waterfall perfectly over the palate. The very long, ruby, rich, well balance lasts minutes and is absolutely heavenly. Gorgeous, elegant, stunning wine.
Photos of; the vertical tasting we attended of all Hendricks Cabernets; 04, 05, 09 & 12 at the time w/ one of our favorite paintings in the background, Charles Hendricks working in the cellar, very old rootstock from the Stag’s Leap Vineyard where the fruit to make this wine normally comes from and a wide shot of the Stag’s Leap Vineyard.
Producer notes and history...Hendricks Cabernet Sauvignon is consistently sourced from a few of Napa Valley’s finest vineyards. In those near perfect vintages, Charles only makes a small production wine of around 250-300 cases. Charles only produces it when he has exception fruit. He’s made Hendricks Cabernet in; 2004, 2005, 2009, 2012 & 2014. Notice he didn’t make Hendricks Cabernet in a great vintage year like 2013. He wasn’t happy enough with his fruit in 2013 to put his name on it. That says a lot and maybe all you need to know about his standard for quality. I do know what wine his 13 fruit made as I’ve had and it’s an unbelievable wine for far less money.
Charles also makes a fantastic Pinot Noir from the Santa Lucia Highlands that is really quite amazing. Especially, if you give it 5 or 6 years in bottle. All his wines are sold exclusively through the Hope & Grace tasting room in Yountville as he is also the Hope & Grace Winemaker.
Charles graduated in 1982 from UC Davis in viticulture. He was also able to tailor his own curriculum and was one of the earliest to integrate winemaking and viticulture course work. Having knowledge of both viticulture and enology forms the basis for his well-rounded winemaking.
Over the years Charles has worked in both Napa and Sonoma Counties, gaining hands on experience in all aspects of winemaking. He has a strong reputation for excellence. In his career, he’s been a consulting winemaker for many wineries; Viader, Barnett Vineyards, Paoletti Vineyards, Regusci Winery, James Cole, T-Vine and Tamayo family Vineyard.
I asked Charles, “how does he make wines that are amazingly good in their youth but will age effortlessly for 15-20 years?” His answer was simply this, “its not that hard, you just have to know the perfect time to harvest fruit.” I would agree with that to a degree. But, you also have to know how to gently guide fruit onto it’s path into the barrel and not get in the wine’s way or overwork the process. — 6 years ago
The is from Morlet Families inaugural vintage of 2006. I must say it’s beautiful with a fair amount more of life ahead. The nose reveals dark cassis and a good presence of cinnamon stick. Blackberries, liqueured dark cherries, plum, poached strawberries, pomegranate extract, black raspberries float through, blueberries, vanilla, light clove & cinnamon, dark fresh florals and violets. The nose is intoxicating! The body is round, ripe and rich. The tannins nicely resolved. The structure, balance, tension and length are in an excellent spot. Mmmmm! Blackberries, liqueured dark cherries, plum, poached strawberries, dry cranberries, pomegranate extract, black raspberries float through, blueberries, vanilla, a touch of bramble, light clove & cinnamon stick, dark rich soils, dry crushed rocks, a little leather, dark fresh florals & violets. The acidity is a waterfall on the palate. The finish is; spectacular elegance, richness, balance and lasts two minutes. One of the best CA Pinot’s we’ve had in a very long time. It deserves an amen & a hallelujah! I paid $65 for this amazing wine 9 years after it’s release (the 2015 released at $115); which brings me back around to a repetitive point of mine. Look for great wines on the secondary market and pay less than producers current release pricing. That is to say, it will aid in keeping you from drinking your new releases too young that are not nearly ready to enjoy! If you are not doing this, you are doing a disservice to your palate and your wine budget. Photos of; their old historical brick building they’ve converted into their winery, interior tasting area, Luc Morlet and their Estate vines. Producer notes and history...Winemaker Luc Morlet is a fifth-generation of a French winemaking family. Growing up in Avenay-Val d’Or, he spent all his spare time working on his family’s estate. His university studies of viticulture and winemaking were put into practice during years of work in vineyards and wineries in Burgundy, Bordeaux, and the south of France. Luc left France in 1996 to join his wife Jodie in her native California. Starting in 2006, Luc Morlet began handcrafting Morlet vineyard designated wines and cuvées of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc in the Napa Valley. As well as; Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah, a white Bordeaux-style blend and a Late Harvest Sémillon from Sonoma County. Luc is also the brother of Nicolas Morlet the Winemaker of Peter Michael fame. Luc is another producer I respect for his meticulous farming and low intervention winemaking techniques. While his roots are based out of France, he has adapted his skills well to the Napa Valley soils and climate. Morlet styles his wines in a harmonious and refined fashion. Their logo is based upon 19th century French artist Mathurin Moreau’s sculpture entitled, ‘L’Harmonie.’ In August 2010, Luc and and his wife Jodie purchased an estate, just north of the town of St. Helena. Since then, they have converted the historic stone building, built in 1880, into their family winery. The building was originally the Castner Winery that closed during Prohibition. Morlet is located St. Helena Appellation. The estate is planted with Cabernet Sauvignon and is the exclusive fruit source for their ‘Morlet Estate’ label. The Morlet’s ‘Mon Chevalier’ vineyard is located on the hillsides of Knights Valley, overlooking the western slopes of Mount St. Helena. The vineyard benefits from their proximity to the mountain. Warm and windy climate is ideal for the long ripening of the red Bordeaux varietals Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot. They recently planted the 20 acre ‘Cœur de Vallée’ vineyard. These Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc vines are located on the Oakville Bench, If one such exists. I read a quote from a grower who has been growing in Oakville for many years. He said, “the only bench in Oakville is the one in front of the Oakville Grocery Store.” While it may or may not be true, it’s certainly a funny quote. In addition to these family acres, they buy from farmers under long-term contracts in Fort Ross-Seaview, Russian River Valley, Bennett Valley, Dry Creek and Napa Valley. All of the Morlet’s wines are handcrafted using classical Burgundy and Bordeaux winemaking techniques and are matured in 100% French oak barrels. — 7 years ago
My go to William Fevre Premier Cru @ £19-£27 but 2013 has a slight edge as that vintage is more punchy & this is more mellow 👍
🍷 Light straw yellow
👃 Fresh flinty mineral driven soft lemon & lime waterfall with tropical, green apple & smokey white flowers
👄 Crisp medium body of buttery creamy, but not syrup, slight sweet citrus, melon & green apple in med acidity
🎯 Long washed citrus over mineral dry & slight sweat finish with soft green fruits
Fab for ☀️ yippee 😎 — 7 years ago
😎 £34 bargain Grand Cru from my fav Chablis producer 😍that's fab now in ☀️ but will go on for many years 👍
🍷 Light straw yellow
👃 A refreshing citrus waterfall crashing over mineral rocks splashing green apple skins & white flowers at ya 💥
👄 Med creamy, but not syrup, punchy zingy zesty zap injection to the saliva glands invoking a mineral monster mash in med+ acidity w/ grapefruit tiny tickle
🎯 Long citric w/ touch green apple & grapefruit mineral dribble 💦
Drink slightly warmer to release 💥 — 7 years ago
This is the best white wine I have ever had. I usually do not like white wine and find that it tastes like a fish bowl but this wine has a hint of peach and fruit. It doesn't leave your mouth dry and is a wonderful refreshing drink. Especially in the summertime. — 9 years ago
Once again so delicious I had a hard time sharing the pleasure of this beautiful lady. Acidity came through like a refreshing waterfall to wash away any possibility that something else is out of balance in this concoction. I love french pink bubbles and any opportunity to drink the stuff usually lasts but a short moment, this case being no exception, especially when the minerals of Champagne are missing. This considerable effort is obvious and deserves respect. Any day would i spend contemplating the length as to which this attacks my palette and quenches my thirst in perfect harmony. Helping a friend spend $50 on wine purchasing 3 bottles minimum can go a long way with this kind of pleasure involved. His favorite...easily could be predicted in this case. I fear that he just told me we need to be drinking more pink bubbles...another love affair has been struck and soon another bank account will be liquidated. — 9 years ago
One of my sweetest coworkers n the world gave this to me n 1993. Brandied Fruit Wine. She called her line of wines made The Waterfall Winery. Very Smooth — 12 years ago
Clear yellow, Meyer lemon, bruised apple, ripe peach and tons of tropical notes. Subdued white pepper, prominent mushroom/forest floor/clay and white rocks by waterfall... Vegetal and herbal undertone: celery, parsley, thyme, and sage. Dry with perceptible residual sugar. Medium (plus) acid. Phenolic bitterness on the medium finish. 13% abv. — 6 years ago
It was a real treat when they poured this 1989 for us.
On the nose, cognac & brandy quality, eucalyptus, mint, just a little vegetal character, some prune notes, cooked; blackberries, dark cherries, plums, fig & dates, light caramel taffy, notes of saline, vanilla, and fresh and withered red florals.
The body is leaner medium. The palate shows; bright cherries. Black cherries, blackberries, black plum, soft powdery minerals & chalkiness, old tobacco leaf, black cherry cola, herbal notes, mint, eucalyptus used leather, dry crushed rocks, some rich dark soil, touch of cedar, waterfall acidity and leaner, long, ripe, elegant finish.
Photos of; the new modern cellar, the waterfall built into the stairs as walk through their modern cellar, another view of their Estate property and a wide shot of their beautiful old tasting room. — 6 years ago
12th bottle of this beauty we can't stop drinking as so good young! @£50 - reviewed before & was a quick bottle last night so I think what I said before captures it well 😁
A proper good Margaux! Dark plummy blackened red. Aroma of plum, blackcurrant & wet stones. Thick intensive balanced smooth jammy blackcurrant, cocoa & plums on palate with med body. Long back fruit finish with little acidity.
Mrs E suggested it's like "bare breasted maidens under a blackberry waterfall!" Who am I to argue 😎😍 — 6 years ago
Baby, it’s cold outside. Falling near 70! The stouts are out! This sleek black beauty has it all! Thick, even lacing in two tone cafe shades, a cumulus attitude. Clean almond and cacao pod with a lemon pith aura. Bee pollen, waterfall rocks and northern oyster shell, including a light brine. Medium mouthfeel and soft minerality prevailas sips reduce the lace to alphabet soup fonts and ultimately horror forests. Unexpectedly clean, with coffee-cola notes and caramelized onion minus the burn. Crispy vanilla that turns creamy with agitation. Steely, smoky, pepper crackers, and bitter violets. #boulevardbrewing #darktruth #kcbeer #stout #dankdark — 6 years ago
On the nose; a bit of a brett bomb to start. Even after 11 years in the bottle, it needed a good 2 hour decant. Stewed fruits of; huckleberry, boysenberries, blueberries, plums, black raspberries, dark & liqueured cherries. Black raspberry cola, figs & dates, black & white pepper, touch of smoke & grilled meats, menthol, used leather, dry stems, dark minerals, loamy dry top soil, right amount of baking spices, lilacs & liquid violets. The body is full, round & lush. Tannins perfectly resolved. They still have a little baby teeth. The structure, length, tension and balance are near perfect. Stewed fruits of; huckleberry, boysenberries, blueberries, plums, black raspberries, dark liqueured cherries & strawberries haunting the palate here and there. Black raspberry cola, figs & dates, black & white pepper, a touch of smoke & grilled meats, menthol, used leather, dry stems, dark minerals, loamy dry top soil, right amount & mix of baking spices, lilacs, liquid violets & red florals. The acidity is perfect and acts like a waterfall over the palate. The fruit floral, lightly spiced finish goes on and on and on. Standish does not have a U.S. importer as his wines are small productions and he has no issues selling nearly all of them down under. You can order from his mailing list but, the shipping costs from Australia are stupid. Look for bottles on the secondary markets. You’ll be glad you did. If you have or had reservations about Australian wine or Shiraz vs. Syrah, Dan’s wines will end those thoughts. We tasted with Dan at his winery in April. He is extremely knowledgeable and a very talented Winemaker. He made Torbreck for years before starting his own winery. Photos of; his Estate, Dan and his low yield vines. His yield was an extremely low half ton per acre on this vintage. — 7 years ago
On the nose, dark, slightly baked/stewed; cherries, blackberries, strawberries, rhubarb, cherries and raspberries. Soft spices, vanilla, black cherry licorice and bright dark florals. On the palate; dark, slightly baked/stewed; cherries, blackberries, strawberries, rhubarb, cherries and raspberries, more pronounced spices on the palate, cinnamon, vanilla, clove, black cherry licorice, dry & fresh dark florals, chalky fine minerals, dry powdery earthiness, soft leather, touch underbrush, the acidity is like a waterfall, body is medium lean, dusty to grainy tannins are 75% resolved, showing brown tinge on the edges, the finish is in a really good place, round, lush and last a full minute. It's around its peak with 5-8 years of good drinking left. Newly acquired bottle (3-4 weeks ago) from a pristine Atherton cellar via my friend Alex at"No Limit Wines." The bottles that I received looked brand new from the winery 20 years removed and were reasonably priced. Photos of; the estate, the Lisini family, barrel room and my Veal Bolognese to pair with the wine. It's stunning and amazingly very fresh. Takes us right back to our lunch in Montalcino with another 97 or 98 with great Bolognese 5 or 6 years ago. Amazing lunch. 13.5% which is slightly above perfect. — 7 years ago
Like a waterfall of silk on the naked body of my tongue 👅 I will forever dance with the perfectly balanced fruit forward first round impression, and enjoy the lingering whispers of the smoky finish. Happy 26th birthday to my sweet sweet gir! — 7 years ago
Waterfall of flavor sits on tongue — 9 years ago
A proverbial glass of megaton, the silkiness and purity of its massive tannin/acid structure is something to behold in wonder. Extreme depth of black cherry fruit, married to a waterfall of roses and frames with orange, tar and dashes of cocoa on the nose; this is top drawer nebbiolo. Nowhere near ready, and not much complexity yet but it will acquire spades of it over the next 30 years. Find a special place in your cellar. 2008 vintage. — 9 years ago
Not dry or too sweet — 10 years ago
A favorite! Discovered with chef Jonathon at Waterfall wine tasting — 11 years ago
Chris England
Super Fume @ £16 that’s just goes down too easy 🤪 & is incredibly well balanced 👍 buy this bugger for summer 🌞
🍷 Light straw
👃 Smokey infused lemon honey & gooseberry in wet rock minerals w/ a lemongrass waterfall & pineapple crush
👄 Med crisp smooth creamy body of citrus, green fruits in med acidity balanced lovely w/ an exotic fruit touch
🎯 Long touch dry mineral infused lemon & lime citrus fruits w/ a chalky lime smooth kicker
🧀 Paired perfectly with goats cheese — 6 years ago