Dario Scimeca

9.3

This is going to be fantastic in 10 years. Pitch black and complex, it projects as a high 90’s wine. — 7 years ago

with Tom

Shai Boe

9.2

Sweet for chard- company does cool environmental projects/ donations — 8 years ago

andrew spresser

9.2

Light and dry. Very good! Date of wine Sept 10 2016. — 9 years ago

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.
— 9 years ago

Geoffrey Turnbull

9.1

First Reasonable Projects summer hours event at 714 L3 patio, with oysters. — 10 years ago

with David and Melanie

Drew Summers

Sales Northampton Wines

9.2

7,000 Bottles, 4 Hectares, Recently Renovated Facilities & New Administration -- Unfiltered, Unfined Old Vine Chenin that's Tense & Tropic...I Dig it... — 10 years ago

Adam Knoerzer

9.2

South African Nebbiolo that would make some Italians blush. — 7 years ago

Shawn R

9.8

One of the most complex wines I have had. Rich mahogany, cool cellar nose maybe a hint of sweet black fruit. Again, projects this soft texture yet has so many layers on the palate. Madero leaf, toffee and milk chocolate blanket the palate. On the finish I get the return of the black fruits and smoke. Beautiful- — 8 years ago

Vino Kaela

8.9

Alain Graillot I love you and all your projects! — 9 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 🍷🍷.
— 9 years ago

with Acumen and Kurt-Inge

Andrew Schirmer

9.5

We decided to go for a 'uuuuuge wine for debate no.3. Decanted one hour--thin and hot on initial tasting, fascinating to see how the elements come together clicking and whirring. Deep purple with some gradation at the rim. Herbal/slate/cherry nose. Flavor profile holds true with the nose, herbal approach, plum, stones, amazingly astringent tannic finish, all imbued with heat. Perfect with lamb. This should drink well through the first Hillary Clinton administration and beyond. — 10 years ago

with Alsu

Hank Didier

8.9

An Ethos Projects dinner at Groove Park - solid cab to compliment good friends — 10 years ago

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. — 10 years ago

Tom Elliot

Founder Northwest Wines

9.3

After a decade of bottle age and an hour of aeration, projects iron minerality, organic-matter earthiness and dark blue fruit, within a fine acid-etched silky texture. — 8 years ago

Matt Trader

9.4

The Struie is also a 100% Shiraz, but what makes this one different and quite interesting is that it comes from the quarter of Eden Valley, from old vines growing at high elevation. This gives the wine more powerful fruit, muscular textures, elegant tannins, and juicy dark black and blue fruit character. Umame soy on the nose, along with aromas of blueberry cobbler, crushed rock, red apple skins, milk chocolate, tar, and grilled meat. Fairly muscular texture but the tannins fall off like silk - black plum jam, lavender, vanilla, cocoa nibs, and a less grippy finish than the other Shiraz wines I tried. Outstanding wine for value, considering this one comes in at half the price of the Descendant and The Factor.

What is most amazing in my opinion is that oddly he started us off with one of the most expensive and best wines they make, RunRig, and descended the price spectrum finishing with their $20 Shiraz, and even weirder the $17 Semillon to end the tasting. What is amazing about that is that the wines did not once degrade in quality or complexity. They ALL performed as great as the more expensive RunRig. That truly shows they only make wine that exceeds their standards, and if it doesn't, it is declassified for other projects. — 8 years ago

Laura Ess

9.0

Obsessed with all Pinot project projects! Noir, Grigio, and rose! All 💯✨🙏🏽! — 9 years ago

with Steve

Antonio Flores

10

Just great — 9 years ago

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! — 10 years ago

Max Jewell

9.0

Boutinot Rhone is simply one of the best projects. Stunning Village Rhone red ❤️ — 10 years ago

Cason Love

9.0

Already showing secondaries. More fruit on the palate than the nose projects. Light tannins and firm acidity. — 10 years ago