Reviews

Bevan Cellars Pinot Noir Rita's Crown Vineyard Sta. Rita Hills

I really need to leave this wine alone for another year. Same notes as before. Hot, sweet, and jammy. The stuffing is there to hopefully drive this home at some point, but certainly not yet. Hold!

Flowers Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

I wish my friends would stop bringing this wine... zzzzzz...

Neyers Pinot Noir Roberts Road Vineyard

Diluted red berry, cinnamon, and faint earth. Tasted like licking a Christmas pine cone and then drinking a gulp of dirty rag water. Pass.

Switchback Ridge Petite Sirah Peterson Family Vineyard

It's been about 6 months since my last bottle. Previous notes still apply. An intense, deep, black PS that is drinking really well with a bit of a decant.

Carter Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Three Kings Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard

Jiminy H. Christmas on a popsicle stick! This wine took quite the journey before it turned into something worth consuming. I honestly don't know what in God's name happened to it initially. I opened…

Beringer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve

Flat, dead, and barely a wine I'd even remember trying the next day. Little-to-no acid, almost no frame to speak of, and a "core" of fruit that maybe resembled diluted black and red currant. 100%…

Lewis Cellars Syrah

Same as my notes 8 months ago. Developed some really nice dark chocolate, earth, black olive, and deep black raspberry notes to frame out the core blackberry fruit flavors.

Myriad Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Three Twins Vineyard

Same as my notes from March except that this showed more finesse and a little less intensity this go-around. Beautiful dark black, blue, and purple fruits, black licorice, and a nice subtle hint of a…

Hall Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap District

I was a HUGE fan of this wine. The first sip totally grabbed my attention, and this was after having all of Hall's previous other Cabernets (including the Bergfeld and Kathryn). This was the clearly…

Hall Cabernet Sauvignon Kathryn Hall Napa Valley

Same as previous notes. I'm really liking this wine at the moment. Well crafted, dark, mocha-laced core fruit, with a finesse that is most notable. Beautiful is the word I would use, with a depth and…

Hall Cabernet Sauvignon Bergfeld

Previous notes from two months ago apply, except that I dropped this down a bit because of its seemingly rushed PnP service? I was unable to determine how long this had actually been open, but it…

Hall Cabernet Sauvignon Jack's Masterpiece

A bit more user-friendly than the Eighteen-Seventy-Three, but this time the Jack's masterpiece was really flaunting its small Merlot component in a very noticeable way. It initially presented itself…

Hall Cabernet Sauvignon Eighteen Seventy-Three Napa Valley

Same as last month and the month before that, except that I did like the energy this wine was kicking out. Still a bit high-toned for me, but my other half really loved it. As previously mentioned,…

Hall Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

Same as 2 months ago. An "Is what it is" type of wine. Akin to the Sauvignon Blanc in terms of its seemingly humdrum delivery. It was "ok," "fine," "not bad," "pretty good"... with that little…

Hall Sauvignon Blanc T-Bar-T Ranch

Same as last month and the month before that. A good palate kick-starter, but amongst other local SBs in similar price-points, this is simply "ok." Well made, well balanced, and well...forgettable.

Bevan Cellars Chardonnay Ritchie Vineyard

I totally agree with Peter's note on this wine. This Bevan Ritchie was a big, rich CA Chardonnay (which I can usually tolerate and even crave every so often), but this was way too much of a "good"…

Salinia Pinot Gris PG Windsor Oaks Vineyard

I really struggled with this wine. I understand its intent, but this version was so dry it sucked all of the life out of my palate. Its texture was like a deadened/still brut Champagne that had been…

Sine Qua Non Syrah Five Shooter

Drinking even better than it did back in April. Previous notes are the same. A little smoother and a little more depth it seemed. Went down very easy. Came off a little old world, like a "cleaner"…

Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Gap's Crown Vineyard

Same as my previous notes. A fairly decent showing. Time seems to be helping out this wine significantly. Some nice evergreen notes to back up the core berry and fruit and cola flavors.

Littorai Chardonnay Charles Heintz Vineyard

This gained points more because it was an absolutely phenomenal pairing with the turkey dinner (compared to a 2012 Tor Torchiana it went head-to-head with). The Tor was good, but the Littorai was a…

TOR Chardonnay Cuvée Torchiana

Exact same as my notes from 2/3/16. Was tied with a 2012 Littorai Heintz Chardonnay until we served the turkey...the Littorai really complimented the bird much better. The Tor had a bit of a tropical…

Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Williams Selyem Estate Vineyard

Although opinions varied and seemed to change throughout the night as all of the wines took in more air, the Williams Selyem pretty much ended up as WOTN among 4 pinots. The others were also very…

Rivers-Marie Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

Same notes as before. Stood strong with a 2009 Williams Selyem Estate RRV, a 2012 Talley Rosemary's, and a 2013 Eric Kent Sascha Marie. Considering price, the RM destroyed the others QPR-wise. It was…

Eric Kent Wine Cellars Pinot Noir Sascha Marie

Previous notes apply. All this needs is a little more time. Approximately 4 total hours in a decanter allowed this wine to stretch it legs a bit and fatten up. Final sips were the best. As previously…

Talley Vineyards Pinot Noir Rosemary's Vineyard

Same as all of my previous notes on this wine. This went head-to-head against a 2009 Williams Selyem RRV, 2013 Rivers Marie Sonoma Coast, and 2013 Eric Kent Sascha Marie. In actuality, all of the…