Another stab at this gem yields similar results as when I last sampled it back in July, the 2024 “if and only if” is a banger of a wine. Service was a bit cold at first, making for a more muted…
A worthy follow-up to the other-worldly 2023, the 2024 “If…” immediately presents with a classicism and suave entry that is both alluring and invigorating. A touch shy as first pass, it begs for some…
Though I have admittedly been hesitant with Marcassin with what I consider to be a stylistic old school black Chardonnay-type profile of that house that I have sometimes struggled to be drawn to, I…
So, "if" you told me that I was going to get fervently missile-locked on a Chardonnay from a new producer out of Alexander Valley, who's the next-best hip and fresh thing to come to the wine scene…
The 2014 Stonestreet Upper Barn is less succulent and engaging than the 2006 Peter Michael Mon Plaisir (Upper Barn) and 2022 Sphaerics (if and only if - Upper Barn) served beside it. There is a nice…
A late harvest that does what it can to avoid becoming too clumsy or cloying. It's rich and viscous, but never heavy. Ripe, sweet peach, nectarine, and dried apricot make up the lion-share of flavors…
Apricot and honey dominate the profile here. Pleasantly viscous without coming off heavy or syrupy. A nice combination of mid-palate density/concentration and speed. A succulent and semi-chewy finish.
Currant, plum, black cherry, black soil, forest floor, mulch, and some pencil shavings. A darker, earthier profile, with medium speed across the palate; finishes a little bitter and gritty. A…
Medium-to-light all the way around. Light yellow citrus and unripe pear notes dominate. I wasn't mad at it, but it wasn't necessarily a conversation I was excited to continue once my glass was empty.…
Served as a horizontal trio of 2011 Hawkes Cabernets, to include the Red Winery, Stone Vineyard, and Pyramid Vineyard. This came off extremely high-toned, almost as if it was a young Pinot. Cranberry…
Served as a horizontal trio of 2011 Hawkes Cabernets, to include the Red Winery, Stone Vineyard, and Pyramid Vineyard. This was in the middle for me in terms of preference. It has some decent flavors…
Served as a horizontal trio of 2011 Hawkes Cabernets, to include the Red Winery, Stone Vineyard, and Pyramid Vineyard. This was my favorite of the three, with a decent push of red berry fruit. Still…
It was the throw-down "red" at the table. Cedar and red and black currant. Completely dry, like sucking on tanbark that had been marinated in balsamic vinegar and grape seed oil.
Same as all of my previous notes except I took this down a couple of ticks for just being plain 'ol boring. This most recent taste was even more blasé than I remember before. It was "fine," the way…
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.
Similar to my specific tasting notes from 9/23/2016. Nice refreshing glass of SB. Not especially enticing or noteworthy necessarily, but a decent start to the flight.
A nice start to an otherwise Cabernet Sauvignon-heavy lineup from Hall. Crisp and refreshing the way a SB should be, but not overly complex in any way. Nothing necessarily out of place, but nothing…
