Shay A

9.4

During the month of January, the Wednesday Wine Committee has a unique format...the sparkler, whites and dessert wines can be from any vintage and any location, but the reds must be from the 2007 vintage. It was my first time providing a wine for a lunch, so I was excited to see how it showed. As always, all wines were served blind.

This was a treat for me to be able to serve. Tom Farella only produces this Alta bottle in special years. The ‘07 was his last one before he brought it back in ‘14. Cabernet dominated blend complimented by a bit of merlot from the famed Farella vineyard. Supremely balanced. Raspberries, plums and blackberries on the nose and palate, but the finish was plush. This is about at its peak and will stay here for another 3 or so years. Oak was almost fully integrated. Very happy to have two of these still sleeping. This was the group’s consensus “wine of the day”. — 8 years ago

Shay A

9.2

Finally able to lock down reservations at Magdalena's. They have a unique set up in that they have a set menu that changes every week, and you are notified the week before if there are spots available...they sell out within 5mins! We were lucky to get on the list for their most recent "Supper Club" as they call it.

Based on the menu, we figured 1 white and 1 red was appropriate. After enjoying my favorite Sauv Blanc (the Addax SB), my buddy Luke (who is a big Pinot fan) brought this to expand our knowledge on pinots and see what Oregon has cooking. At pop and pour, this was delicious. Lots of cherries, leather and dates on the nose. The taste was very different than the aromatics. More leather, Bing cherry, cedar and a touch of rhubarb. A very "dusty" Pinot. — 9 years ago

with Luke

Emmy Zhang

Sales Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant

10

Emmy had this 10 years ago

Lewis Chester

9.2

2003 vintage. From Jay. Very nice. Much better than expected. Goes down all together way too easily when you're surrounded by snow! Deep ruby core washing out towards the edges. No bricking...yet. Nose is a preponderance of dark fruits together with blueberries and ripe cassis with slight under tones of cloves and a hint of graphite. This is a very fruity affair- takes me back to Christmas. The wine expresses on the palate as it does on the nose. Layers of rich fruit with traces of brown spice. There's a lovely sweetness here that makes the wine a pleasure to drink despite the relatively modest acidity. The tannins are soft and lush. The finish is good with a continued preponderance of fruit right to the very end although it is moderate in length. This is a very quaff able wine...could be at this all night with pleasure just sit me down in front of an open fire and hand me a Montecristo! 92+/100. Drink now to 2028. NB - no need to decant. This wine can happily be poured from bottle post opening and allowed to open in the glass. — 10 years ago

Thomas Hughes

9.4

I've had every vintage of this bottle from 2001 to 2008 (with the exception of 2002, which I'm not sure if they were able to produce). I've even sampled their 2010, which may rival their best vintages (1997, 2001, 2004, 2006). After an hour of decanting the deep cherry and blackberry fruit dominate this graceful glass. Sweet but not tart, the finish lingers with a subtle smile. By the vineyards standard, 2008 is a wonderful bottle. Cheers!! — 11 years ago

Adam Shobert

9.3

Well, what can you say? It's kind of an unfair fight whenever Hillside is involved. Beautiful fruit, incredibly rich, lots of chocolate and integrated oak and tannins. I'm very happy I've been able to taste this wine multiple times. A Napa classic. — 11 years ago

Zak Helmerich

9.6

Love an age able wine that's barrel fermented. Plus the winemaker is the absolute man! — 12 years ago

Carolyn Pursell

9.6

My dad and grandpa each bought a case of this wine 20ish years ago and this is the last bottle. So ridiculously delicious it's not even funny. Feel lucky to be able drink such good wine! — 12 years ago

Steve Haro

8.9

20 bucks at Trader Joe’s. Not going to be able to buy a Barolo at this price/quality. Drink with food. Lots of earth and mushrooms. — 8 years ago

Shay A

9.5

4th Friday of the month means Classic Wine Storage happy hour! Great wines, as always, today!

This was my contribution as I needed to make space for the revered ‘15s. My first time having the ‘14, and I’m glad I was able to wait a year. Still needed every bit of the 2hrs it was open. Incredibly plush...difference between that and silky. It coated every bit of the mouth, but had a softness to it. Blackberries, licorice, wet stone, graphite, and a finishing note of nutmeg. Impressive. — 9 years ago

with Mark

Paras Maniar

9.6

Still love it. So glad I was able to find a bottle earlier today. — 9 years ago

Ian Blackburn

10

I believe this to be a perfect wine. Cliché to enjoy something so celebrated, I believe it's the reason it is celebrated. 96 was a great vintage specially for Pinot Noir this wine is so balanced and pure around texture but the long and the linear and it's Percision and focus. Kudos to the winemaking team able to taste this youthful high acid fruit bottled flawlessly not masked by wood or oxidation but focused on purity and drinkability. This wine won the popular vote which isn't always the critical vote but in this case I cannot be critical of something so perfect. — 9 years ago

Lewis Chester

9.3

2004 vintage. At Harry's Bar with Jay. Medium lemon hue. Toasty with rounded citrus fruits, still very youthful and a touch closed in my glass. On the palate, medium plus acidity, refined bubbles - small and crisp. There's a slight creamy coffee note, some punch and concentration and great length. Quite approachable. Very enjoyable. Able to drink now - acidity profile makes this a Salon that I don't think will age as well as the 2002. — 10 years ago

Dan Kim

9.5

Was fortunate to be able to taste for the first time. Felt like I needed more delicate palate! — 11 years ago

Janet Alvarez

10

I love this wine!! So smooth and delicate with a lot of flavor. Purchased it at Trader Joe's but have not been able to find it again :( — 11 years ago

Robbie Ward

9.3

Joyous! Deep and a bit gritty, but fragrant and wonderfully smash it back able — 11 years ago

Stephanie Rodricks

10

Cherry notes. Everyone has loves this wine. My cousin who suffers from chronic migraines was able to drink this wine without a problem. — 11 years ago

Frank Chounet

9.5

Old world, age-able, great with food - easy drinking med tannins — 12 years ago

David W Henion

9.0

A Kermit lynch selection that's really like able — 13 years ago

Rick K

9.6

Really nice. Perfect condition. Tobacco, graphite, cranberries and a little bell pepper on the finish. 50% Cab, 30% Merlot and 20% Cab Franc. 13.8% ABV. Able to go another 5 yrs easily. — 9 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.5

REALLY nice bottle of wine. This wine has a lot going on. Sourced from a 2.2 acre plot that is right across the street from Diamond Creek, the Dyers put love into everything they make. And it shows. This wine has a blackberry and floral perfume that is intoxicating. The nose was very reminiscent of Cab Franc and in a blind tasting that would have been my guess. The entry of this wine is delicately powerful. It has the blackberry power, the cassis of a younger wine, but the finesse in the middle with notes of graham cracker, grilled meats, herbs, pie spice, cola, and BRAMBLE....just a LOT going on here!! This wine is still very locked up, and takes a BUNCH of coaxing to get it out of its shell. Once it does, it does NOT disappoint. Very pumped about being able to spend some time with Dawnine and Bill in the next couple of weeks! — 9 years ago

Barny

9.2

Hades-Version, geiler, fleischiger Lemberger, sehr lecker — 9 years ago

Chip Krotee

9.6

First off, fantastic label. We were able to drink the wine at its peak and it was fantastic. Exactly how I always thought a Chardonnay would taste. Citrus at the start. Deep honey and peach in the middle. Full bodied and a rich finish. Will exceed expectations as evidenced by the price to acquire such a gem! — 10 years ago

June

9.1

Sweet and light and down able — 10 years ago

Ira Schwartz

9.3

Open for business on the nose and the palate but very much able to age.
Waves of concentrated red fruit, a slight toast and acid. — 11 years ago

Gerry Schwartz

9.7

Liquid gold absolutely wonderful bottle everyone should be able to drink it at least once — 11 years ago

Nate Redner

9.7

Elegance. Power and structure meet finesse. Great please to be able to taste but would love to see again in two decades. — 11 years ago

Tom Elliot

Founder Northwest Wines

9.0

If you like good Graves you might like this. Hades but not oaky. — 11 years ago

Anthony Lynch

9.1

Down able. No, bad spell check. Downable. — 12 years ago

Eric Dellinger

8.9

Full body, balanced, able to age further. — 13 years ago