Marshall Todd Herron DPM

10

Okay my friends. I have finally released my own wine! This rating is for Dr Todd Vineyards cabernet sauvignon from Herron Family Wines. I had to put Papillon in the pic to get this spot. Ive been working on this since 2014!!!!! It is finally ready. Of coarse it is opaque in color. The legs are thick and slow to fall. The bouquet is my favorite blackberry pie fresh out of the oven with a hint of black licorice. The initial palate is exploding with dark fruit: blackberry, black current, dark cherries. The mid palate is exactly what I hoped for, chocolate and spice with a splash of oak! The finish is very long with minimal tannins and moderate dryness. I am very proud if this wine. I want to thank my growers in NAPA. I blended two vines of 100% cabernet , one from Oakville and one from the Silverado trail area near lake Hennessey. We aged it three years in American Oak. I am so proud of my team!!!!! Thank you my Herron Family Wine Crew! This is an awesome cabernet sauvignon. Next is a pinot noir... stay tuned... — 7 years ago

Seth Bechis

9.0

A little fruity like a dry gewurtz — 9 years ago

Gilbert Van Hassel

9.3

2005 vintage extremely tasty. Tastes great and this wine has another 20 years of life. No doubt a superb effort but I am very worried. Just like Bordeaux is no longer claret, rayas is no longer a delicate wine. Rayas was a delicate, subtle, light colored, feminine wine. It has become high alcohol, big color, masculine wine. Very good but I miss the elegance. Has Emanuelle Reynaud listened too much to RP. We don't need another Pegau. Rayas was just fine as it was. — 10 years ago

Jonathan Patch

9.2

Friendliest wine out there — 10 years ago

John Kanellopoulos

9.1

I am not in agreement with what has been posted on this label: good body, darker than usual left bank Bordeaux, perfect oak derived smokiness and very little tannin for a young bottle. One of the best I have had at an amazing price - paid for it about 30 euro at the Carrefur grocery store in Sallanches, France!
Merry Xmas to all — 10 years ago

Greg Scoville

8.9

This is a big Central Coast Pinot. 2013 Las Alturas Santa Lucia Highland. Dark Cherry fruit. Silky with balance front to finish. Its drinkable now but I would hold on to it for another 3-4 years. Because its big and fruit forward, not my favorite style Pinot, I wouldn't hold over 6 years. This is my first from the Las Alturas. I paired it with Alaskan Salmon but it would pair much better with duck, game hen or quail. You could even enjoy this big boy with grilled steak and veggies. One of the darkest Pinots I have experienced from this region.

After letting this wine sit and open up I am getting blackberry and some currants and spice. Still a very rich and big Pinot. I will say it is enjoyable on its own.

Enjoy, drink what you like and like what you drink! — 11 years ago

Saman Hosseini

Writer Maison Abattoir

9.2

Concentrated, precise, critrus ("gooseberry, blood orange"), with dried rose and delicate mineral mineral notes, immaculate tension and finesse. — 11 years ago

Colette Alexander

9.3

I volunteer to do the Raffault vertical. (I am so brave) — 12 years ago

James Parker Huston, CWE

Sommelier Charlie Palmer

9.9

God is wonderful. I am a lucky man. This wine is in my top ten of all time. — 12 years ago

Michael Falk

9.2

Lemon cest, dried apricots, pencil shaves, medium body, quite long saline finish... — 7 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.5

Youthful, yet starting to show a bit of age. Nose is youthful blackberry with pepper.... not a lot of sign of age just by the nose alone. Entry is a black cherry that has been dusted in sweeter tobacco. Iodine. A hint of mint to the middle and finish. I am amazed at the amount of tannin that is still on this bottle. This is a very nice balance of old and young. In a very good spot. Top 3. — 7 years ago

with Dan and Shay

Pete Turley

9.1

Cherries and nice acidity... Served it with Nona's homemade ravioli and was delicious! — 9 years ago

Emily Kresie-Harrington

9.2

2014 vintage. Honeycomb, green pear, yellow apple, honeysuckle, wet rocks. High acid at first, as is typical of the vintage, but mellows out a bit the next day. Good Merkelbach typicity. Always love these guys and their elegantly restrained style. — 10 years ago

Uri Belkind

9.0

Who am I to criticize a bottle of Mouton Rothschild? Amazing, no doubt. But didn't feel balanced. Great funk on the nose. High acidity and overall mild. — 10 years ago

Grenfel Calheiros

9.4

6 ano that was bottled at 1974 or a bit earlier. My companion during El Clasico over the weekend. I am just not sure as to who was better -- the game or the wine. It was just incredible. — 10 years ago

Jay Svoboda

8.9

I'm going to come clean, I'm not a huge Caymus fan. It's by no means a bad wine - far from it - but I've always felt they blend their Cab with too much Zin. I could be wrong on that account, but I don't think I am. Still, a nice brooding nose of dark red and blue fruit, with a touch of candied fruit and wet earth. — 11 years ago

Jonathan Bluman

9.5

Wow. This is fantastic with the BBQ chicken and hot dogs I am eating right now. This is surprisingly refined for a Cali Syrah — 11 years ago

Marshall Parrish

10

Wine Spectator #1 bottle and a 40th birthday. I am so happy!!! Chocolate, built for 10 more, and a finish that never stops!!! — 12 years ago

Collin-Peter Casey

Northern California Sales Manager Weygandt-Metzler Importing

9.8

In a great place. Overwhelmingly savory, salty, white peppery and dense as fuck. Vines planted in '56 and farmed bio-d. Mind blowing gruner. — 12 years ago

J Ferrugia

9.2

Not as big as the ‘90 but a beautiful wine. The nose was very earthy when uncorked. Open after 40 minutes of decanting, cedar & spice emerged with cherry. This is a balanced, full wine that still has plenty of life. I am happy to have several more bottles! — 7 years ago

Irene Anderson

9.2

Nice structure, crisp with some spice notes, very good!! — 8 years ago

Nico Lindfors

9.2

Raikas, hedelmäinen ja sitruksinen. Erittäin mainio viini kanalle ja seurusteluun. — 8 years ago

Matthew Cohen

9.0

Very nice but not special. Well made but not much going on. Some nice sour apple on the finish. — 10 years ago

with Lyle

Michael Horkay

9.4

Chave does not suck and this vintage is no different. The wine was rich and powerful but after airating the wine for a few minutes the wine opened and revealed great depth and that wonderful purity that this region is known for. The granite soils certainly influence this effort and I for one am glad chave exists. — 10 years ago

Nate Miles

9.0

An electric laser shot of green fruit/citrus goodness. — 10 years ago

John Doe

8.9

One of my favorites. I always keep a bottle on hand for when I am invited to a dinner party. — 11 years ago

Fred Dex

Master Sommelier

9.0

Beethoven conducted his 9th Symphony here. Or at least I was told! Smoky Pinot from Austria @rxwinelab — 11 years ago

Yohji Saint Laurent

10

Clear, medium intensity and gold appearance. Clean, pronounced intensity, passion fruit, nectarine, floral, melon, strawberry, creme brûlée, acetone to the nose. Complex, well balanced, with a long finish. — 12 years ago

Robert Stelmachuk

9.6

Brilliant! Violet, hazelnut & Morello cherry pie! Valpolicella meets Pinot noir 'Battle Flo-Rell'! — 12 years ago

Erin Brooks

Wine Blogger Brooksonwine

9.2

My heart sings — 13 years ago