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Inventory updated: Fri, Jul 24, 2026 04:02 PM cst
2020 Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello
Vintage: 2020
Region: USA Red
Color/Type: Red
Size: 750 ML
Tasting Notes:
VM 87 (11/2023): The 2020 Monte Bello opens with a burst of dark red fruit. Leather, tobacco and mocha open nicely in the glass. There's no getting past smoke taint in this wine. That's a shame, as the flavors are nicely delineated and the tannins are well balanced for the year in this small-scaled Monte Bello. The 2020 has signs of taint when I tasted it from barrel, so I can't say I am terribly surprised. (Drink between 2024-2030). Antonio Galloni.
WA 85 (4/2024): Unfortunately, the 2020 Monte Bello is a victim of this harvest's devastating wildfires. Smoke taint is evident from the first pour, after which it receded and then reappeared on and off over the two days I spent with the bottles. The palate tells the same story, with the retronasal signature of campfire smoke and hollowed-out, gritty fruit on the finish. This was only more glaring in the context of a vertical spanning 2021-2015, many of which are banner vintages for Ridge. While an otherwise technically well-made wine is there behind the smoke, albeit with noticeably less depth and concentration than is typical, due to Ridge's decision to bulk out of 90% of the pressed wine, this flaw is unavoidable. In the interest of thoroughness, a sample of the bottled 2020 Monte Bello was submitted to ETS Laboratories in St. Helena, where a series of tests to detect glycosylated smoke markers were carried out (glycosylated tests specifically separate sugar-bound markers from volatile markers that can be imparted by oak élevage). The results confirmed significantly elevated levels of 4-methylguaiacol rutinoside, cresol rutinoside, phenol rutinoside and syringol gentiobioside, all of which correspond to elevated levels of smoke exposure and heightened sensory thresholds by up to a factor of four from the 99th percentile of a non-smoke-affected vintage.'
| Producer |
Vint. |
Wine |
Price |
Qty |
Order |
| | USA Red |
| Ridge Vineyards |
2015 |
50th Anniversary Geyserville  |
$59 |
10 |
|
| |
VM 94 (8/2017): It's hard to believe that Ridge's iconic Zinfandel Geyserville celebrates its fiftieth anniversary in 2015. Today, the wine is quite deep, powerful and unyielding. Of course, the low yields of the vintage have a lot to do with that. I am not surprised winemaker Eric Baugher decided to give the 2015 a few more months in barrel, as there is a lot of stuffing here. The interplay of fruit, aromatics and acidity is compelling. Red cherry jam, pomegranate, rose petal and woodsmoke infuse the finish. The 2015 is going to need time to be at its best, but it is impressive. (Drink between 2022-2035). Antonio Galloni.
JD 92 (8/2017): Another wine from this estate that has a terrific track record for aging beautifully, the 2015 Geyserville checks in as a blend of 70% Zinfandel, 15% Carignan, 12% Petite Sirah, and the balance Alicante Bouschet. It offers elegant, lively notes of spice plums, leather, white pepper and brambly herbs in a medium-bodied, silky, charming, and undeniably elegant style. It stays fresh and lively on the palate, and like most of these 2015 Zinfandel releases, is already a joy to drink. There’s 9,000 cases. Ridge continues to produce a stacked lineup from their estate vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains, as well as numerous sites in Sonoma County. These reviews focus mostly on their 2015s, which was the earliest harvest on record for Ridge. Nevertheless, the wines show terrific purity and elegance, and it’s a rock-solid vintage for the estate. The Bordeaux blends are from the 2014 vintage, which was another hot, dry year. These are big, ripe, sexy releases that have the fruit and depth to drink nicely today, yet are going to age beautifully. (Drink between 2017-2032). |
|
|
2017 |
Boatman Ranch Vyd. Zinfandel |
$40 |
2 |
|
| |
| JD 90 (5/2020): Coming from the Alexander Valley and 92% Zinfandel and 8% Petite Sirah, the 2017 Zinfandel Boatman offers a big, powerful bouquet of candied violets, plums, sandalwood, and incense. Rich and medium-bodied, it has a light, elegant texture, and good balance. It's another charming, delicious, classic Zinfandel from this terrific estate. Drink it over the coming 7-8 years or so. (Drink between 2020-2028) |
|
|
2003 |
Dynamite Hill Petite Sirah |
$50 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2013 |
Geyserville |
$59 |
3 |
|
| |
| VM 93 (7/2014): The 2012 Zinfandel Geyserville is quite exuberant in this vintage. Savory herbs, tobacco, smoke, menthol and dark red/blackish-toned fruit burst from the glass in an exotic, juicy Zinfandel-based field blend loaded with personality. The tannins could use another year to soften, but readers will have a hard time keeping their hands off this jewel of a wine. The brisk, energetic finish is incredibly appealing. The blend is 71% Zinfandel, 19% Carignane, 7% Petite Sirah, 1% Alicante Bouschet and 1% Mataro (Mourvèdre). |
|
|
2014 |
Geyserville |
$45 |
3 |
|
| |
| WA 93 (10/2016): A classic 2014, the downright sexy, hedonistic and ready to go 2014 Geyserville Proprietary Red Wine (60% Zinfandel, 24% Carignan, 12% Petite Sirah and 4% Mourvèdre) is medium to full-bodied, perfectly balanced and loaded with notions of blackberries, plums, brambly herbs, licorice and spice. It’s relatively soft and already approachable, but it will nevertheless keep through 2024. |
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|
2019 |
Geyserville |
$54 |
6 |
|
| |
VM 94 (5/2022): The 2019 Geyserville marks a pretty huge step up in this range. What a wine! Black cherry, plum, chocolate, cloves, menthol and licorice blast across the palate. Deep and saturated, with tremendous concentration, the 2019 Geyserville is a wine to cellar for at least a few years. Today, it is positively stunning. (Drink between 2027-2039). Antonio Galloni.
JD 92 (7/2021): The 2019 Zinfandel Geyserville is 71% Zinfandel, 19% Carignan, and the rest Petite Sirah and Alicante Bouschet. This was a cooler vintage yet this wine reveals plenty of ripeness in its black and blue fruits as well as violets, cigar, and toasted spice-like aromas and flavors. Rich, medium to full-bodied, and expansive on the palate, it has some obvious minerality, building tannins, and a great finish. It's not going to match the 2018, but it’s still a complete, nuanced, complex Zinfandel that will keep for 10-15 years. (Drink between 2021-2036). |
|
|
2008 |
Lytton Springs |
$55 |
5 |
|
| |
WA 93 (2/2011): Striking, intense black cherry and blackberry fruit with some spice and earth jump from the glass of the 2008 Lytton Springs, a blend of 74% Zinfandel, 21% Petite Sirah, and 5% Carignan. Dark ruby with a nice tannic overlay, the wine was aged 15 months in American oak. Spicy, impressively rich, with good acids and loads of concentration, this is a beauty to drink over the next 5-7 years.
VM 92 (5/2011): Saturated ruby. Dark berries, cherry, sassafras and smoky Indian spices on the nose, with an intense vanilla quality and a hint of dried violet. Opulent, palate-coating blackberry and mulberry flavors show a spicy, oaky quality, with gentle acidity providing lift. Dusty tannins add grip to the vanilla-tinged finish, which clings impressively. I have no doubt that this wine will absorb its oak with a few years or so of bottle age. |
|
|
2011 |
Lytton Springs |
$55 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 89 (10/2013): The 2011 Proprietary Red Lytton Springs (82% Zinfandel, 16% Petite Sirah and 2% Carignan; 14.4% alcohol) was harvested near the end of September. A juicy, rich effort, it displays abundant notes of raspberry and black cherry fruit, medium body, excellent purity, and good weight as well as richness. The strongest effort of these Zinfandel-based wines, it should drink well for 5-6 years. |
|
|
2011 |
Lytton Springs Lightly Bin-Soiled Label |
$55 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 89 (10/2013): The 2011 Proprietary Red Lytton Springs (82% Zinfandel, 16% Petite Sirah and 2% Carignan; 14.4% alcohol) was harvested near the end of September. A juicy, rich effort, it displays abundant notes of raspberry and black cherry fruit, medium body, excellent purity, and good weight as well as richness. The strongest effort of these Zinfandel-based wines, it should drink well for 5-6 years. |
|
|
1995 |
Monte Bello (1.5 L) Lightly Scuffed Label |
$649 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 91 (12/1998): The 1995 Monte Bello is actually a Proprietary Red Wine as the blend is 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot, and 3% Cabernet Franc. It was made from an extremely severe selection of only 25% of the harvest. Paul Draper feels it is the biggest, brawniest, and most muscular Monte Bello of the 1990s, and in need of 10-15 more years of cellaring. This saturated ruby/purple-colored effort is still backward, with a closed nose of minerals, oak, and subtle black fruits. In the mouth, it is large-scaled, tannic, rich, and long, but nearly abrasive because of the wine's high tannin level. This youthful, muscular, monster Monte Bello will require significant cellaring. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2035.
VM 89+ (6/1998): Saturated dark ruby. Dusty, slightly high-toned nose shows leather and game hints; seems less primary than a sample tasted a year ago. Supple entry, then much drier in the middle palate than the above wine; the fruit is currently cut off by substantial firm tannins. Seems quite oaky, even a bit dry, on the back end. Paul Draper says this is the most tannic Monte Bello of the last several vintages at Ridge, but also potentially the richest. But showing awkwardly today. |
|
|
2002 |
Monte Bello (1.5 L) |
$859 |
2 |
|
| |
WA 94 (12/2005): The 2002 Monte Bello exhibits aromas of tar, cedar, damp earth, white chocolate, black cherries, and sweet black currants. This full-bodied, dense, tannic 2002 is even more closed this year than it was last. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2037. This impressive wine is unlikely to win many blind tastings given its current austerity.
VM 94 (8/2004): Deep, full ruby. Explosively perfumed nose combines black raspberry, violet and dark chocolate. Wonderfully layered and penetrating, with expressive flavors of raspberry, currant, bitter chocolate, spices and tobacco. Still an infant, but already offers a rare combination of sweetness and inner-mouth energy. Finishes very fresh and very long, with big, dusty tannins and great lift. This is high in alcohol for Ridge at 13.3%, but a full degree or more lower than virtually any other collectible California cabernet from this vintage. |
|
|
2008 |
Monte Bello (1.5 L) |
$450 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 97+ (8/2011): The 2008 Monte Bello is striking. It is a decidedly muscular Monte Bello endowed with layers of dark fruit. Tobacco, mint, asphalt and crushed rocks develop in the glass, adding tons of complexity and finesse. A long, saline finish rounds things out beautifully. In 2008 the cold growing season stretched into October and the wine definitely has the feel of a cool vintage. The spring frost and the second year of drought conditions lowered yields significantly. Yields were just 1.25 tons per acre on average, but some of the older vineyards came in at less than 1 ton per acre. The balance of fruit, tannin and structure is simply extraordinary, but the wine needs time, most likely lots of it. In 2008 the blend is 72% Cabernet Sauvignon and 28% Merlot. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2038.
VM 95+ (11/2011): (72% cabernet sauvignon and 28% merlot; 13.3% alcohol): Glass-staining ruby. Powerful, pungent aromas of cherry-vanilla, cassis, candied licorice and graphite, along with a suave floral oil quality that gains strength with air. Deeply pitched dark berry flavors show a liqueur-like intensity, as well as notes of smoky Indian spices, violet and vanilla. Ripe but quite vibrant, wih superb finishing clarity and persistence. This extremely young wine makes the case that high alcohol isn't a prerequisite for intensity or power in California cabernet. Josh Raynolds.
JS 95 (5/2012): I love the nose to this wine. Aromas of currants, blackberry, flowers and dried flowers. Full-bodied, with super refined tannins and a long gorgeous finish. This is all in finesse and length. Made from 72% Cabernet Sauvignon and 28% Merlot. Drink in 2015, or decant a couple hours before serving. |
|
|
2009 |
Monte Bello |
$275 |
1 |
|
| |
| VM 98 (8/2012): The 2009 Monte Bello (72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot is simply magnificent. Layers of dark red fruit, flowers, spices and licorice are all woven together in this utterly impeccable wine. The 2009 is an especially huge, intense Monte Bello, yet a sexy, silky core of fruit lies within the imposing frame. Everything comes together in this glorious, radiant wine. Baugher describes 2009 as a year with cold weather early on, followed by heat in early June and July. The fruit was brought in on October 12th, just before an intense downpour swept through the region. There is a purity and silkiness supported by structure in the 2009 that is impossible not to admire. Simply put, this is another utterly magnificent, towering masterpiece from Ridge. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2012 |
Monte Bello |
$225 |
3 |
|
| |
JS 96 (5/2017): Lead pencil, blackberry and blackcurrant aromas fill the glass. Hints of mints and dried flowers. Full body, soft and round tannins and a sweet-and-sour fruit intensity. Juicy and round-textured wine, culminating in a flavorful finish. Drink in 2020 but already a joy to taste.
WA 94+ (10/2015): Inky colored, the sensational 2012 Monte Bello comes all from the Santa Cruz Mountains and is a blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 6% Petit Verdot. It's backwards and tight, with classic black cherry, crushed violets, cassis, espresso roast and crème brulee notes all flowing seamlessly to a full-bodied, concentrated, structured and layered Bordeaux blend that has bright acidity, a stacked mid-palate and firm tannin. It needs 5-6 years of cellaring and will hold for two decades beyond that.
VM 94 (7/2015): Ridge's 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate may very well be the single finest value in California Cabernet Sauvignon in its price range. Rich and explosive, with plenty of vintage 2012 exuberance, the Estate Cabernet hits the palate with masses of dark, concentrated fruit that nearly buries the mountain tannins. There is plenty of tension, beneath although 2012 remains radiant and incredibly appealing today. Shades of tar, graphite and smoke add darkness on the finish. The 2012 could use a few years in bottle to shed some of its baby fat, but it is remarkable by any measure. I don't think there is a finer California Cabernet Sauvignon today at this price, but if there is, I would like to taste it! Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2015 |
Monte Bello |
$235 |
5 |
|
| |
JS 100 (10/2018): Stunning depth, power, purity and elegance. The blackcurrants and plums are fresh and intense on the nose with blueberries and gently herbal notes, too. The palate has a keenly articulated array of vibrant tannins that hold long, fresh and pure. It invokes a sense of wonderment at the finish. So long and so pure. This blend of 77 per cent cabernet sauvignon, 11 per cent merlot, seven per cent petit verdot and five percent cabernet franc, is just at the start of a wonderful journey. Try from 2021.
JD 98+ (2/2019): A blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Monte Bello is unquestionably going to be one of monumental vintages of this wine. Deep, incredibly concentrated, and powerful, yet also textured and perfectly balanced, this beauty gives up a huge nose of cassis, plums, spice box, graphite, and vanilla bean. With full-bodied richness on the palate, it starts out tight and firm yet blossoms with time in the glass (I followed this bottle for multiple days) and has an awesome mid-palate, building yet perfectly ripe tannins, and a rock star finish. It's about as classic a Monte Bello as they come and will require 4-6 years of bottle age (or more) and shine for three decades or more.
VM 98+ (8/2017): One of the highlights in this tasting, the 2015 Monte Bello will soon take its place among the greatest Monte Bellos ever made. Powerful, deep and explosive, the 2015 possesses magnificent concentration and richness in every dimension. Even with all of its raciness, the 2015 has terrific aromatic presence and regal tannins. The 2015 is a bit less showy than it has been in the past, but it was also just bottled two weeks before this tasting. Readers who own it will be absolutely thrilled. Antonio Galloni.
WA 95+ (7/2018): At this early stage, the 2015 Monte Bello is all about potential. I followed a bottle over several days and only witnessed improvement. The wine unfurls in the glass with a rich bouquet of cassis, ripe plums, espresso roast, black tea and baking chocolate, lavishly framed by minty, spicy new oak—which is often at its most prominent at exactly this stage, when the wine is shutting down after bottling. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with rich, velvety tannins and beautifully succulent, even tangy acidity that lends amazing lift on the finish. The most obvious analogy is the 2005 vintage, though it also evokes a more elegant version of the 1995 Monte Bello. It's a blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc that attained 13.5% natural alcohol. Since the wine appears to be shutting down, I'd recommend forgetting it until its tenth birthday. Given its structure and balance, it should enjoy remarkable longevity. |
|
|
2020 |
Monte Bello |
$150 |
2 |
|
| |
VM 87 (11/2023): The 2020 Monte Bello opens with a burst of dark red fruit. Leather, tobacco and mocha open nicely in the glass. There's no getting past smoke taint in this wine. That's a shame, as the flavors are nicely delineated and the tannins are well balanced for the year in this small-scaled Monte Bello. The 2020 has signs of taint when I tasted it from barrel, so I can't say I am terribly surprised. (Drink between 2024-2030). Antonio Galloni.
WA 85 (4/2024): Unfortunately, the 2020 Monte Bello is a victim of this harvest's devastating wildfires. Smoke taint is evident from the first pour, after which it receded and then reappeared on and off over the two days I spent with the bottles. The palate tells the same story, with the retronasal signature of campfire smoke and hollowed-out, gritty fruit on the finish. This was only more glaring in the context of a vertical spanning 2021-2015, many of which are banner vintages for Ridge. While an otherwise technically well-made wine is there behind the smoke, albeit with noticeably less depth and concentration than is typical, due to Ridge's decision to bulk out of 90% of the pressed wine, this flaw is unavoidable. In the interest of thoroughness, a sample of the bottled 2020 Monte Bello was submitted to ETS Laboratories in St. Helena, where a series of tests to detect glycosylated smoke markers were carried out (glycosylated tests specifically separate sugar-bound markers from volatile markers that can be imparted by oak élevage). The results confirmed significantly elevated levels of 4-methylguaiacol rutinoside, cresol rutinoside, phenol rutinoside and syringol gentiobioside, all of which correspond to elevated levels of smoke exposure and heightened sensory thresholds by up to a factor of four from the 99th percentile of a non-smoke-affected vintage.' |
|
|
2022 |
Monte Bello (1.5 L) |
$525 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 98 (4/2025): Aged in 100% new oak, the 2022 Monte Bello blends 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc, selected from 18 of 21 lots by blind tasting. After assemblage, the wine spent 21 more months in barrel. The vineyard starts at 1,600 feet and goes up to 2,700 feet at top, and is spread out across 4 different ranches, Klein, Rousten, Torre and Perrone, the wines getting more tightknit and ageable as the vines move up the mountain. By the end of harvest, Monte Bello is split into 55 different blocks, which are then picked and fermented separately. Year after year, this is a “wow” wine, herbal, lightly spiced in oak, with a lovely creamy, velvety texture and a backbone of well-resolved tannin supporting a medium-bodied, balanced spirit of mountain garrigue. These wines typically age 20-25 years or more. Virginie Boone.
VM 96 (10/2025): The 2022 Monte Bello feels like a cooler-vintage wine, defying all expectations of the torrid growing season. Juicy, fresh and very old school, the 2022 sashays with true elegance as it unfurls into classic layers of cedar box, tobacco, grilled herbs, tart cherry and crushed rocks. A return to a more typical percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon in this vintage can be felt in the wine's upright build and darker aromatic shadings. Winemaker John Olney chose to keep the 2022 in barrel for 21 months, a little longer than usual, in an effort to tame its fierce young tannins. That prescription worked out swimmingly. The 2022 is a very serious, structured wine, but its textural polish is beyond reproach. It's a Monte Bello that whispers rather than shouts. Time is very much on your side. (Drink between 2030-2060). Billy Norris. |
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|
2014 |
Ponzo Vyd. Zinfandel |
$45 |
2 |
|
| |
| WA 90 (10/2016): Coming from the Russian River Valley, the 2014 Zinfandel Ponzo Vineyards (96% Zinfandel and 4% Petite Sirah) is another sexy, seamless release from the team at Ridge that offers classic aromatics (bramble, plums, spice and dried flowers), medium-bodied richness and a clean, lengthy finish. Drink it over the coming 5-7 years. |
|
| | USA White |
| Ridge Vineyards |
2020 |
Estate Chardonnay |
$55 |
1 |
|
| |
| JD 94 (8/2022): Coming from the estate vineyard on the eastern side of the Santa Cruz Mountains, the 2020 Chardonnay Estate has a beautiful nose of honeyed lemon blossom, crushed stone, toasty oak, and a touch of reductive-like minerality. This carries to a brilliantly balanced, medium-bodied Chardonnay with a round, layered mouthfeel, good acidity, and a focused style that should age gracefully for 7-8 years, if not longer. |
|
| Producer |
Vint. |
Wine |
Price |
Qty |
Order |
| | USA Red |
| Aubert |
2020 |
Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir |
$95 |
3 |
|
| |
|
| Booker Vineyard |
2020 |
Perl Syrah |
$59 |
1 |
|
| |
JD 92 (8/2023): Bottled late, the 2020 Perl is based on 91% Syrah and 9% Grenache that spent 24 months in 50% new oak. Coming from sourced fruit on the west side of Paso, it has a richer, medium to full-bodied style that brings plenty of darker berry fruits, some graphite and iron notes, some firmer, chalky tannins, and a good finish. It's well done and enjoyable.
VM 90 (5/2023): Dark and brooding in the glass, the 2020 Perl opens with savory herbs, ashen stone and black currants. It's soft-textured with crisp minerality and soothingly ripe dark fruits. The 2020 finishes with tension, lightly tannic and a salted licorice note. This is the first vintage of Perl, a blend of 91% Syrah and 9% Grenache from mostly sourced fruit. Eric Guido. |
|
| Ceritas |
2020 |
Cuvee Annabelle Pinot Noir |
$95 |
3 |
|
| |
JD 95 (8/2022): From an exceptionally windy, exposed site at 1800 feet, the 2020 Pinot Noir Cuvee Anabell is highly aromatic of fresh alpine herbs, wild raspberry, and fresh soil. The palate is more structured, with darker fruit of fresh red plum skin, turned earth, and spice. This wine will benefit from time in bottle to integrate its structure. Drink it over the next 15 years.
VM 94 (8/2023): The 2020 Pinot Noir Annabelle is another seriously impressive wine in this range from Ceritas. It offers lovely depth and textural richness. Sweet red cherry, red plum, blood orange, menthol and spice all meld together in this very pretty Pinot. The 2020 was made from one of the two blocks Ceritas has here. (Drink between 2023-2028). Antonio Galloni. |
|
| DeLille Cellars |
2020 |
D2 |
$35 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 93 (5/2023): The 2020 D2 Proprietary Red Wine was made from 61% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot. The nose is as brilliant as always, with focused, dark red fruits, hints of black cherry skin and oak essence that sways out of the glass. Full-bodied and mineral tensioned, the palate offers fine-grained tannins with succulent healthy fruit flavors before ending with a fresh, food-friendly finish. At these prices, buy the entire case. About 108,000 bottles were filled after the wine rested in 68% new French oak for 20 months. Bravo!
JD 93 (6/2023): The more Merlot-dominated 2020 D2 offers a vivid purple/ruby hue as well as beautiful notes of ripe black cherries, tobacco leaf, sandalwood, and spring flowers. I love its purity, and it has terrific mid-palate depth, ripe tannins, and a great finish. The blend is 61% Merlot, 27% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, brought up in 60% new oak.
VM 92 (1/2024): The darkly alluring 2020 D2 blends crushed wild berries with peppery florals and hints of licorice. This is vividly fruit-focused. Stimulating acidity offsets the D2’s round textures, playing notes of sour orange against depths of ripe red and blue fruit. It tapers off long and energetic, with a web of fine-grained tannins that hugs the palate with youthful tension as a pleasantly tart sensation lingers. (Drink between 2024-2032). Eric Guido. |
|
|
2020 |
Doyenne |
$35 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 92 (8/2023): A darkly alluring blend of sweet herbs, crushed blackberries and lifting pine aromas makes the 2020 Doyenne a total pleasure on the nose. This soothes with its soft textures and ripe wild berry fruits as cocoa combines with a sour citrus tinge toward the close. It finishes gently grippy and long, leaving a staining of primary concentration and sweet tannins to linger through the pleasantly chewy finale. The Doyenne is a blend of 60% Syrah and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon refined for twenty months in 40% new French oak. (Drink between 2024-2030). Eric Guido.
WA 91 (5/2023): Mostly Syrah with 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2020 Doyenne starts with a dark core of firm fruit on the nose with dark berry aromas and smoky and spicy essences. Medium to full-bodied, the wine is fresh and softly savory with dusty dark cherries and fine-grained tannins over the lingering finish with persistent flavors of spiced plum and savory herbs. Over 20,000 bottles were filled after the wine rested for 20 months in about 50% new French oak. It delivers fantastically for the price. Bravo.
JD 86 (6/2023): A 60/40 split of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon from a site in the Columbia Valley, the 2020 Doyenne offers a solid perfume of red and black fruits, smoked herbs, and graphite. This carries to a medium to full-bodied, spicy red with good mid-palate depth yet some clear smoky, ashy notes on the finish. It offers pleasure, but I wouldn't push the aging curve. |
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|
2020 |
Le Colosse Red Blend |
$30 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 94 (5/2023): Made from 100% Merlot, the 2020 Le Colosse opens to classic aromas of plum with fresh cherry essences, touches of florals and hints of oak spices. Medium to full-bodied, balanced and focused with fantastic layers that shine with elegance and refinement, the palate presents a lively and lifting structure with fine-grained tannins before offering up flavors of juicy blackberry and graphite over the long-lingering and spicy finish. Bravo! It’s a fantastic wine that spent 20 months in French oak, 70% first use. Give it a try.
JD 92 (6/2023): All Merlot from the Yakima Valley, the 2020 Merlot Le Colosse reveals a medium ruby/plum hue to go with solid aromatics of spiced black cherries, scorched earth, graphite, and spicy wood. Beautifully balanced, medium to full-bodied, and elegant, it has clean, fine-grained tannins, notable purity, and a great finish. It's a beautiful wine.
VM 91 (1/2024): The 2020 Le Colosse is understated in the glass, blending dusty florals with dried blueberries. It’s round in texture, balanced by tart wild berry fruits and brisk acidity that adds tension. The 2020 tapers off long and lightly spiced, with nuanced tannins. (Drink between 2025-2029). Eric Guido. |
|
|
2020 |
Minuit Proprietary Blend |
$35 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 94 (5/2023): Mostly Malbec with 28% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2020 Minuit is big, juicy and plummy with fresh, dark, tightly wound and spicy red fruit on the nose with an elegant floral lift. It is full-bodied, spicy and juicy on the palate, with flavors of black raspberry and spiced plum compote, fine-grained tannins and a lingering, food-friendly finish. The wine rested for 20 months in French oak barrels, 61% new.
VM 93 (1/2024): Dark and floral, the 2020 Minuit presents a mix of dusty violets, lavender and crushed blackberries. This is medium-bodied and perfumed, with a savory rush of tart wild berry fruit that flows across a core of saline minerals. A coating of fine tannins tugs at the senses as the 2020 finishes long and potent. A concentration of raspberry and sour orange lingers. The Minuit is a blend of 72% Malbec and 28% Cabernet Sauvignon. (Drink between 2024-2030). Eric Guido.
JD 90 (6/2023): The Malbec-dominated 2020 Minuit (72% Malbec and 28% Cabernet Sauvignon) reveals a deep ruby/plum hue as well as an impressive bouquet of spiced black and blue fruits, candied flowers, orange blossom, and spice. These carry to a medium-bodied, elegant, nicely focused red with a firmer, slightly chalky mouthfeel and good length. As with many 2020s, there's a clear, subtle, smoky influence in the tannins, yet it stays nicely balanced and enjoyable. |
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|
2020 |
Signature Syrah |
$30 |
1 |
|
| |
WA 92 (5/2023): Made with 1% Viognier, the 2020 Syrah Signature is savory with classic aromas of dark berries, hung meat and sausages before mineral-dusted flowers waft on the nose. Medium to full-bodied, the wine continues to grow in amplitude, offering layers of clean, expressive and focused dark fruit, savory herbs and a mineral core. It ends with a fine, spicy, mineral-laced finish that makes me crave food. Just under 9,000 bottles were filled from Syrah that was barrel aged for 20 months in French oak, 33% new. Bravo!
VM 92 (8/2023): Blackberries, olives, mentholated herbs and spiced citrus combine to create a seductively savory bouquet as the 2020 Syrah Signature blossoms in the glass. This is soft and round, nearly fleshy in feel. A core of brisk acidity balances the wine. A mass of dark red and black fruits wash across the palate, leaving a staining of minerality in their wake. While lightly structured and incredibly long, it finishes remarkably fresh and cool-toned in feel, with a tart blackberry resonance that lingers. (Drink between 2024-2030). Eric Guido.
JD 90 (6/2023): The 2020 Syrah Signature (which includes 1% Viognier) offers a beautiful nose of ripe blackberries, blueberries, smoked herbs, violets, and gamey, leathery nuances. Medium-bodied on the palate and nicely balanced, it has good mid-palate density, solid balance, and some chalky tannins on the finish. There's a touch of smoke influence here, but the wine is nicely balanced and clearly offers pleasure. |
|
| Dominus |
2020 |
Proprietary Blend (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,528.97 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| Fingers Crossed |
2020 |
Head Held High Grenache Nicked Label |
$175 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Gargiulo Vineyards |
2020 |
Aprile Proprietary Blend |
$75 |
5 |
|
| |
|
|
2020 |
G Major Seven Study 575 OVX Cabernet Sauvignon |
$99 |
3 |
|
| |
|
| Hall |
2020 |
Jack’s Masterpiece Cabernet Sauvignon |
$109 |
3 |
|
| |
|
| Horsepower Vineyards |
2020 |
Fiddleneck Vyd. Grenache |
$99 |
3 |
|
| |
VM 92 (8/2023): The 2020 Grenache Fiddleneck Vineyard is savory and earthy to the core, wafting up with an herbal-tinged bouquet of wild strawberries, spiced citrus, olives, wet stone and underbrush. This is round and soothing on the palate, mixing salty and sweet with vividly ripe red fruits and candied orange offset by exotic spice and saline minerals. It finishes long and peppery with a slightly smoky sensation as grippy, somewhat bitter tannins resonate. I must admit to finding this wine wildly attractive, yet the finish gives me a bit of pause. That said, it's a beauty. (Drink between 2023-2029). Eric Guido.
JD 90+ (6/2023): Ripe black cherries, mulberries, sappy herbs, spring flowers, and scorched earth notes all emerge from the 2020 Grenache Fiddleneck Vineyard, a more medium to full-bodied, structured, tannic Grenache that has lots of minerality as well as some firmer tannins that emerge on the finish. It's not as successful as the Sur Echalas Vineyard, and it's going to be interesting to see where this goes.
WA 89 (5/2023): Dark, dense and almost overripe with broad-shouldered, dark red-fruited expressions, the 2020 Grenache Fiddleneck Vineyard offers a firmly mineral nose with savory essences. Medium to full-bodied, the wine initially shows a full, firm and rich mouthfeel that quickly compresses to reveal a compact tannic edge. It shed away the fruit expressions to end with a strict, astringent and bitter finish. |
|
|
2020 |
High Contrast Vyd. Syrah |
$95 |
6 |
|
| |
VM 96+ (8/2023): The 2020 Syrah High Contrast Vineyard is youthfully restrained, with blackberry and clove offset by wet stone and sage. This is soft and enveloping, with silken textures and ripe black fruits, all energized by brilliant acidity. This finishes with a salty flourish, gripping the palate with youthful tension. Spiced citrus mingles with silty tannins as savory hints of rosemary fade. This is so giving today, yet also beautifully balanced for the cellar. (Drink between 2024-2032). Eric Guido.
JD 95 (6/2023): Similarly translucent purple-hued, the 2020 Syrah High Contrast Vineyard has a brilliant perfume of cassis, leafy herbs, ground pepper, and smoked meat, with some background iodine, lavender, and assorted Rocks funk all developing with time in the glass. The palate is terrific as well, with a dense, concentrated mid-palate, building tannins, and a great finish. This meaty, smoky, gamey, exotic Syrah will benefit from a few years of bottle age and evolve for 10-15 with ease. (Drink between 2025-2040).
WA 92 (5/2023): Displaying a deep magenta core and an open-knit nose, the 2020 Syrah High Contrast Vineyard is earthy with spicy and savory tones that sway with black cherry skin and hot rocks. Medium to full-bodied, the palate reveals a dense and chewy mouthfeel with spicy and umami essences before gliding to a fresh, lingering finish with a tannic edge and persistent mineral essences. |
|
|
2020 |
Sur Echalas Vyd. Grenache |
$95 |
3 |
|
| |
VM 94 (8/2023): The 2020 Grenache Sur Echalas Vineyard wafts up with a mentholated freshness, mixing crushed wild berries and exotic spices with savory sage and ashen stone aromas. This is round and supple, displaying ample weight yet also balance, with a pepper mix of woodland berries and spiced citrus. Juicy acidity maintains a lovely freshness as the 2020 finishes pleasantly chewy yet still fresh with silty tannins. (Drink between 2023-2030). Eric Guido.
JD 94 (6/2023): Revealing a translucent ruby hue, the 2020 Grenache Sur Echalas Vineyard has a complex bouquet of earthy red and black fruits, cold fireplace, rose petals, and charcoal, with an incredibly meaty, gamey style that develops beautifully with air. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has fine tannins, a lively, elegant mouthfeel, and outstanding length. I don't think it matches the 2019, but it's clearly a beautiful, elegant, classic 2020 with tons to love. It should evolve for 10-15 years. (Drink between 2023-2038).
WA 88 (5/2023): The 2020 Grenache Sur Echalas Vineyard opens to leathery and savory notions on the nose with wilted dusty flowers and hints of olive and red and black peppercorns. Medium to full-bodied, the wine initially shows a tight mineral tension on the palate, with gripping tannins and a slight prickle as the fruit and tertiary expressions subside for persistent, bitter and astringent sensations that leave me chewing the wine. While the nose is lovely and savory, I really can't get past the clipped, tannic and chewy finish to bring myself back for a second sip this year. |
|
|
2020 |
The Tribe Vyd. Syrah |
$109 |
6 |
|
| |
VM 97 (8/2023): The 2020 Syrah The Tribe Vineyard lifts from the glass with a savory bouquet, mixing crushed peppercorns with grilled herbs, wet stones and currants. It’s profoundly textural and massive upon entry, with a core of vibrant acidity to balance, along with tart wild berry fruits and zesty acidity that offsets its power and intensity. The 2020 finishes remarkably fresh yet grippy, with inner violet and olive tones, as silty tannins add a pinch of cheek-puckering tension. The 2020 The Tribe mixes vibrancy and power in a way that I find wildly attractive. There is 90-100% whole-cluster fermentation, and it’s refined for fifteen months in neutral oak French demi muids and foudre. (Drink between 2024-2032). Eric Guido.
JD 97 (6/2023): Similar meaty, mineral-laced, smoky notes emerge from the 2020 Syrah The Tribe Vineyard, another classic Rocks Syrah from this team. Black cherries, mulberries, smoked earth, ground pepper, savory herbs, and tons of meaty, almost bloody notes define the aromatics, and it's medium to full-bodied, with wonderful purity, fine tannins, and a great finish. This brilliant Syrah already offers pleasure yet will benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and have upwards of two decades of overall longevity. (Drink between 2025-2040).
WA 95 (5/2023): Beginning with an open-knit nose and generous expression, the 2020 Syrah The Tribe Vineyard is spicy, fruity and nutty with elements of savory herbs, stewed plum skin and notes of olive tapenade. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is spicy with umami notes that sway with spicy potpourri essences followed by notes of worn leather, iodine, baked clay, graphite and pencil shavings. The wine continues to evolve and unlock new savory expressions as it glides to a delightfully spiced and firmly mineral finish with a lingering tannic edge. The wine rested for 15 months in neutral oak barrels. Enjoy with barbecue. |
|
| Justin |
2020 |
Isosceles Proprietary Blend |
$59 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Kinsman Eades |
2020 |
Aberro Bien Nacido Syrah |
$127.50 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2020 |
Aberro White Hawk Vyd. Syrah |
$118.15 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Kosta Browne |
2020 |
Cerise Vyd. Pinot Noir (1.5 L) |
$325 |
1 |
|
| |
| JD 95 (7/2023): The 2020 Pinot Noir Cerise Vineyard pours a rich ruby hue and reveals aromas of anise, red cherry, and pine. Medium-bodied, with fine tannins and ripe notes of cranberry cocktail, clove, and orange peel, give it another year and drink 2024-2030. Audrey Frick. |
|
|
2020 |
Russian River Valley Pinot Noir |
$79 |
5 |
|
| |
| JD 93 (8/2022): The 2020 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley is ripe with cherry candy, sweet baking spice, and incense. The palate is fresh and fleshy, with notes of red plum and forest floor. Audrey Frick. |
|
|
2020 |
Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir |
$89 |
6 |
|
| |
| WA 89 (7/2022): The 2020 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills has slowly opening, slightly muddled scents of blueberries, blackberries, licorice and underbrush. The light-bodied palate is delicate and juicy with slightly rustic tannins and a simple finish. |
|
|
2020 |
Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir (1.5 L) |
$189 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 89 (7/2022): The 2020 Pinot Noir Sta. Rita Hills has slowly opening, slightly muddled scents of blueberries, blackberries, licorice and underbrush. The light-bodied palate is delicate and juicy with slightly rustic tannins and a simple finish. |
|
| Leonetti Cellars |
2020 |
Walla Walla Valley Reserve Red Wine |
$149 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 94+ (3/2024): A blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Malbec and 5% Petit Verdot, the 2020 Walla Walla Reserve is bright, fresh and expressive. Its juicy dark red and black berry essences are followed by notes of French oak and baking spices and seductive dusty floral notes that grasp your attention. Full-bodied, firm and tight, the mouthfeel is generous yet strict. The wine continues to evolve over the long, lingering finish that has me craving flame-kissed ribeyes. |
|
| Mayacamas |
2020 |
Mt. Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon |
$129 |
24 |
|
| |
JD 94 (6/2025): Coming from an incredibly challenging year marked by devastating fires, the 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon is nevertheless a beautiful wine. Offering ripe black fruits intermixed with smoky herbs, graphite, and cedar pencils, it has medium-bodied richness, a pure, focused mouthfeel, firm yet integrated tannins, and outstanding length. This structured, Bordeaux-like effort is unquestionably a success in the vintage and should benefit from another 2-3 years of bottle age and shine over the following decade or so. It will be interesting to see if the fruit holds up to the tannins here when all is said and done. Drink 2028-2042.
VM 94 (12/2023): The 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the wines of this very challenging harvest. Dark and imposing, the 2020 is packed with black fruit, cloves, leather, menthol, chocolate and dried herbs. This is an especially dense, potent Cabernet. There is some aggressiveness to the tannins, but that is the vintage. Overall, this is impeccably done, especially within the context of the year. (Drink between 2025-2035). Antonio Galloni.
WA 92+ (10/2024): The grapes for Mayacamas's 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon were harvested between September 5th and 16th, well before the Glass Fire. To mitigate any possible smoke exposure from the LNU Complex Fires, the fruit was rinsed, maceration times were shortened, and the press wine was kept separate (and ultimately mostly bulked out). The results speak for themselves, as the wine offers up clean cassis, cherries and blueberries, plus hints of sage and cracked pepper. It's medium to full-bodied and firmly built, with dusty tannins on the finish. |
|
| Myriad |
2020 |
Empyrean Beckstoffer Georges III Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon |
$169 |
2 |
|
| |
|
| One True Vine |
2020 |
Summer Dreams Golden Hour Pinot Noir Lightly Bin-Soiled Label |
$79 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Patz & Hall |
2020 |
Alder Springs Vyd. Pinot Noir |
$50 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2020 |
Bootlegger’s Hill Pinot Noir |
$65 |
1 |
|
| |
| JD 86 (6/2024): The 2020 Pinot Noir Bootlegger's Hill is a deep red saturated color and smells a touch roasted, with notes of charred earth and a smoky side masking notes of black cherries and pine. Full-bodied and hearty on the palate, with building tannins and more toasted notes throughout the finish, it's not overly affected, but it doesn't show a lot of promise either. Drink now. 214 cases produced. (Drink starting 2024). Audrey Frick. |
|
|
2020 |
Little Boots Vyd. Pinot Noir |
$55 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2020 |
Moses-Hall Vyd. Pinot Noir |
$55 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Perchance |
2020 |
Beckstoffer Georges III Vyd. Cabernet Sauvignon Ex-Domaine |
$225 |
48 |
|
| |
|
| PerUs Wine Co. |
2020 |
Pont Red Wine |
$99 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Pride Mountain Vineyards |
2020 |
Vintner Select Cabernet Sauvignon |
$75 |
3 |
|
| |
| VM 93 (12/2023): The 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Vintner Select is a very nice wine, especially for the year. Strong floral and spice notes make a strong opening statement. Most of this fruit is Clone 337, which very much comes through in the wine's aromatic profile and pliant feel. Red/purplish fruit, lavender, spice, pomegranate and blood orange lend notable freshness and vibrancy throughout. This is beautifully done. The tannins are a bit grainy, but not bad. (Drink between 2023-2030). Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2020 |
Vintner Select Cuvee Merlot |
$79 |
3 |
|
| |
| VM 88 (12/2023): The 2020 Merlot Vintner Select shows the heat of the season and a wilder edge in its super-ripe dark fruit, tobacco, worn-in leather, iron, blood, espresso, game, incense and licorice nuances. There's a pretty strong oak imprint and prominent torrefaction notes. The balance here is not optimal—this blend is missing a block of Merlot, the last to ripen, that was lost to the wildfires of 2020. (Drink between 2023-2028). Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Scherrer Winery |
2020 |
Dry Rose |
$22.99 |
8 |
|
| |
|
| Screaming Eagle |
2020 |
Cabernet Sauvignon |
$2,500 |
2 |
|
| |
| VM 96 (2/2023): The 2020 Screaming Eagle is one of the great surprises of the year. Energetic and vibrant in the glass, the 2020 offers a bit more energy than most readers are likely used to. All the elements are so well balanced. Dark blue/purplish fruit, lavender, menthol, spice, leather and a soft touch of all fill out the layers effortlessly. In 2020 Screaming Eagle is not as immediately alluring as it so often is, so a measure of patience is warranted. Antonio Galloni. |
|
|
2020 |
Cabernet Sauvignon |
$2,600 |
3 |
|
| |
| VM 96 (2/2023): The 2020 Screaming Eagle is one of the great surprises of the year. Energetic and vibrant in the glass, the 2020 offers a bit more energy than most readers are likely used to. All the elements are so well balanced. Dark blue/purplish fruit, lavender, menthol, spice, leather and a soft touch of all fill out the layers effortlessly. In 2020 Screaming Eagle is not as immediately alluring as it so often is, so a measure of patience is warranted. Antonio Galloni. |
|
| Sea Smoke |
2020 |
Southing Pinot Noir |
$105 |
18 |
|
| |
| VM 92 (8/2025): The 2020 Pinot Noir Southing is rich and voluptuous, showing its oak imprint prominently. Baking spices and waxy wood tones sit atop integrated tannins and supple acids. Vanilla, black raspberry and cassis weave through the palate, rounding into a gently bitter close. This is a broad, soft-edged Pinot with plenty of immediate appeal. I'd prefer more brightness, but this is clearly a very well-made wine. (Drink between 2025-2031). Billy Norris. |
|
|
2020 |
Southing Pinot Noir (1.5 L) |
$210 |
2 |
|
| |
| VM 92 (8/2025): The 2020 Pinot Noir Southing is rich and voluptuous, showing its oak imprint prominently. Baking spices and waxy wood tones sit atop integrated tannins and supple acids. Vanilla, black raspberry and cassis weave through the palate, rounding into a gently bitter close. This is a broad, soft-edged Pinot with plenty of immediate appeal. I'd prefer more brightness, but this is clearly a very well-made wine. (Drink between 2025-2031). Billy Norris. |
|
|
2020 |
Ten Pinot Noir |
$115 |
3 |
|
| |
| VM 93 (8/2025): The 2020 Pinot Noir Ten offers more tension and brightness than Southing, with opulence delivered in a velvety frame. Pomegranate, iodine, sweet spice, white smoke and toasty French oak merge into a seamless whole. Less about fine delineation of flavors than about a unified impression, this is a harmonious, flowing wine with a pliant mid-palate and a soft finish. (Drink between 2025-2032). Billy Norris. |
|
| Seaver Vineyards |
2020 |
GTS Cabernet Sauvignon (1.5 L) |
$299 |
1 |
|
| |
|
| Sine Qua Non |
2020 |
Eleven Confessions Vyd. Syrah |
$289 |
3 |
|
| |
VM 98 (8/2024): The 2020 Syrah Eleven Confessions Vineyard is a dark, exotic beauty. Rich, sumptuous and layered in the glass, the 2020 is classic Sine Qua Non from start to finish. Silky tannins wrap around a core of inky red/purplish fruit, lavender, rose petal and mint, building into a stunning crescendo of aromas, flavors and textures. What a wine. The blend is 84% Syrah, 11.5% Grenache, 2.3% Petite Sirah and 2.2% Viognier and Golden Muskateller. Antonio Galloni.
WA 93 (8/2024): Fermented with 25% whole clusters and aged for 38 months in 58% new French oak, the 2020 Syrah Eleven Confessions Vineyard contains 11.5% Grenache, 2.3% Petite Sirah and a combined 2.2% of Gelber Muskateller and Viognier. The nose is a deep, nearly impenetrable mixture of opaque fruits, chocolate cake, tar and subtle hints of savory, meaty complexity. The palate is luxurious and highly polished, with seemingly endless concentration that somehow escalates with time in the glass. The finish is expectedly thunderous, laden with gigantic dark fruit flavors flanked with exotic spice accents, vitamin-tinged acidity and rich, swelling tannins. This wine is impressive in its scope, and I have no doubt that fans of this style will find more than enough to love, but it is ultimately so sumptuous as to appear monotonous. |
|
|
2020 |
Eleven Confessions Vyd. Syrah |
$297.50 |
1 |
|
| |
VM 98 (8/2024): The 2020 Syrah Eleven Confessions Vineyard is a dark, exotic beauty. Rich, sumptuous and layered in the glass, the 2020 is classic Sine Qua Non from start to finish. Silky tannins wrap around a core of inky red/purplish fruit, lavender, rose petal and mint, building into a stunning crescendo of aromas, flavors and textures. What a wine. The blend is 84% Syrah, 11.5% Grenache, 2.3% Petite Sirah and 2.2% Viognier and Golden Muskateller. Antonio Galloni.
WA 93 (8/2024): Fermented with 25% whole clusters and aged for 38 months in 58% new French oak, the 2020 Syrah Eleven Confessions Vineyard contains 11.5% Grenache, 2.3% Petite Sirah and a combined 2.2% of Gelber Muskateller and Viognier. The nose is a deep, nearly impenetrable mixture of opaque fruits, chocolate cake, tar and subtle hints of savory, meaty complexity. The palate is luxurious and highly polished, with seemingly endless concentration that somehow escalates with time in the glass. The finish is expectedly thunderous, laden with gigantic dark fruit flavors flanked with exotic spice accents, vitamin-tinged acidity and rich, swelling tannins. This wine is impressive in its scope, and I have no doubt that fans of this style will find more than enough to love, but it is ultimately so sumptuous as to appear monotonous. |
|
| Stag's Leap Wine Cellars |
2020 |
Fay Cabernet Sauvignon |
$149 |
7 |
|
| |
VM 92 (12/2023): The 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon FAY is plump, juicy and super-expressive right out of the gate. Ripe red cherry/plum fruit, blood orange, spice and white pepper all race across the palate. There is some edginess to the tannin, but this is 2020 after all. (Drink between 2023-2030). Antonio Galloni.
JD 91 (12/2023): The 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Fay comes from a single vineyard in the Stags Leap District and is based on 98% Cabernet Sauvignon with 2% Cabernet Franc. Beautiful crème de cassis, spring flowers, violets, and chalky mineral notes emerge on the nose, and it's medium to full-bodied, with beautifully integrated background oak, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It brings plenty of richness and depth, has rock-solid structure, and should evolve for 15+ years or more. (Drink between 2023-2038). |
|
|
2020 |
Heart of Fay Cabernet Sauvignon |
$125 |
1 |
|
| |
|
|
2020 |
SLV Cabernet Sauvignon |
$149 |
2 |
|
| |
JD 90+ (12/2023): The 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon S.L.V. is more focused and firm, with slightly muted cassis and graphite aromatics as well as notes of scorched earth, crushed stone, and a kiss of violets. It too has nicely integrated background oak, building, firm, yet ripe tannins, and a good, although not great finish. There's plenty to like here, and while It's not obviously smoked, it certainly is slightly muted and closed, with the firmer tannins giving me pause.
VM 90 (12/2023): The 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon S.L.V. is very nicely done for the year. Imposing tannins are tough to ignore, but all the S.L.V. signatures are present. The only open question is if the tannins will ever soften. Given the wine's mid-weight structure, I don't see that as the most likely outcome here. Even so, the 2020 is certainly solid. (Drink between 2023-2030). Antonio Galloni. |
|
| The Third Twin (Sine Qua Non) |
2020 |
Third Twin Vyd. Nuestra Senora del Tercer Gemelo |
$250 |
7 |
|
| |
| JD 98 (8/2023): More black and blue fruits as well as leather, iron, and smoked herb notes emerge from the 2020 Nuestra Senora Del Tercer Gemelo, and it picks up more dried flowers, spice, and sandalwood notes as it sits in the glass. Based on 54% Mourvèdre, 22% Grenache, 11% Syrah, and the rest Petite Sirah, Graciano, and Viognier, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a dark, layered, exotic style, beautiful tannins, and a great finish. It's a singular, complex, nuanced beauty that will have two decades of overall longevity. |
|
| Williams Selyem |
2020 |
Central Coast Pinot Noir |
$59 |
2 |
|
| |
| BH 89 (6/2022): A pretty nose combines notes of red currant, cherry and a touch of cranberry with those of spice and a very subtle hint of wood. The delicious, succulent and fleshy middle weight flavors possess sufficient richness to be borderline opulent, all wrapped in a satisfying and nicely long finish where the only reproach is a touch of warmth. This isn't the most vibrant of these 2020s, but it is inviting because even though it should replay 3 to 5 years of keeping, it is sufficiently forward to be accessible young if desired. Drink 2025+. |
|
|
2020 |
Eastside Road Neighbors Pinot Noir |
$75 |
5 |
|
| |
|
|
2020 |
Estate Pinot Noir |
$85 |
9 |
|
| |
| WA 93 (6/2023): The 2020 Pinot Noir Estate Vineyard was matured in 76% new oak for 16 months. It has a medium ruby color and a core of red cherry fruit with accents of mushroom, tobacco and Angostura bitters. The light-bodied palate is soft and refreshing with understated, spicy fruit and a satisfying, juicy finish. |
|
|
2020 |
Williams Selyem Estate Vyd. Pinot Noir |
$109 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 93 (6/2023): The 2020 Pinot Noir Estate Vineyard was matured in 76% new oak for 16 months. It has a medium ruby color and a core of red cherry fruit with accents of mushroom, tobacco and Angostura bitters. The light-bodied palate is soft and refreshing with understated, spicy fruit and a satisfying, juicy finish. 808 cases were made. |
|
| Producer |
Vint. |
Wine |
Price |
Qty |
Order |
| | Germany |
| Weingut Hermann Donnhoff |
2005 |
Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Auslese (375 ML) |
$69 |
3 |
|
| |
| VM 93+ (2/2007): Rich golden yellow. Bright, crisp nose dominated by candied peach, lemon oil and acacia honey. The lusciously sweet tropical-fruit palate maintains a remarkable delicacy in spite of the wine's richness and depth. The long, glossy finish is underscored by a refined spiciness. |
|
|
2006 |
Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Auslese (6x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$836.98 |
3 |
|
| |
|
|
2006 |
Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Auslese (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$429.98 |
5 |
|
| |
|
|
2007 |
Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Auslese (12x375ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$432.97 |
1 |
|
| |
| WA 95 (10/2009): Donnhoff's 2007 Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Auslese leads with an unusually floral aromatic display, and the palate impression is so honeyed you'd think it were Bienenauslese (selected by bees). There is remarkable density here, with site-typical layering of flowers, orchard fruits, citrus, berries, along with smoky, peat-like, stony mineral suggestions that become more prominent as the wine takes on air. The finish is almost luxuriantly rich by Hermannshohle standards. But I am sure this wine will find more to say with time and not fall silent for 30 years or more. |
|
|
2010 |
Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Auslese (375 ML) |
$50 |
4 |
|
| |
VM 94 (2/2012): Rich golden yellow. Luscious aromas of candied pineapple, lemon oil and acacia honey on a bed of smoky botrytis. The succulent weight of papaya fruit is levitated by crisp minerality on the palate. A fine balance of creamy fruit and herbal spice on the seductive, very long finish.
WA 93 (12/2011): Smoky black tea wafts over quince preserves and almost overripe pear on the nose and the glossy, subtly creamy, yet bright palate of Donnhoff's 2010 Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Auslese Gold Capsule. Nut paste and a savory smoked meat dimension contribute complexity to this lusciously lingering Auslese, but one that " like its Brucke counterpart' does not capture the dynamic spirit of the 2010 vintage to quite the extent of its Spatlese siblings, and would benefit (might well, in time) from a bit more focus. Still, this will impress regardless for at least two decades. |
|
|
2012 |
Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Auslese (375 ML) |
$45 |
4 |
|
| |
| VM 91 (12/2013): Rich golden yellow. Luscious aromas of candied pineapple, lemon oil and acacia honey. The succulent weight of papaya fruit levitates with crisp minerality on the palate. Finishes with a fine balance of creamy lingering fruit and herbal spices. Joel B. Payne. |
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2015 |
Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Auslese (375 ML) AP 77530102016 |
$39 |
3 |
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| VM 93 (11/2017): Headily decadent aromas of overripe peach and musk melon, peony and lily set the tone for a creamy, enveloping, lusciously fruit-saturated palate. There is enough fresh fruit acidity and salinity to lend the long finish animation and mouthwatering savor, though for now this misses the dynamic or the focus of its Spätlese counterpart, let alone of the Brücke Auslese. (Drink between 2017-2036). David Schildknecht. |
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2018 |
Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Auslese (375 ML) AP 7753010 24 19 |
$45 |
3 |
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| VM 95 (6/2020): Like its Brücke counterpart, this Auslese reflects genuinely botrytis-free grapes, said Dönnhoff, but ones that were too numerous and too high in sugar to use elsewhere, “and certainly not in the Grosses Gewächs, which would then have ended up with 14% alcohol.” Sea breeze on the nose intimates the sweet-saline savor of raw scallop that emerges on this wine’s lusciously lingering, mouthwateringly umami-rich finish. White peach and quince preserves feature throughout, reinforced on the soothingly creamy palate by nougat-like nut essences. There is an animating, juicy fresh-fruit aspect as well, and a wonderful sense of both focus and transparency to stony and ore-like nuances. (Drink between 2020-2050). Dvid Schildknecht. |
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2007 |
Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel (12x375ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$429.98 |
3 |
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| |
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2022 |
Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$712.99 |
1 |
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| |
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2006 |
Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Beerenauslese (12x375ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,208.98 |
2 |
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| |
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2016 |
Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Grosses Gewachs (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$676.97 |
1 |
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| |
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2017 |
Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Grosses Gewachs (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$826.99 |
1 |
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| |
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2021 |
Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Grosses Gewachs (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$823.99 |
1 |
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| |
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2022 |
Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Grosses Gewachs (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$714.99 |
1 |
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| |
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2007 |
Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Spatlese (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$750.97 |
1 |
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| |
WA 96 (10/2009): Gardenia, peony, and resinous herbs in the nose of Donnhoff's 2007 Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Spatlese give way to a palpably extract-rich palate of vibratory intensity, suffused with stony, saline, and tactile suggestions of mineral matter, yet at the same time rich orchard fruits. If the Krotenpfuhl was painted with water colors, the medium here is definitely oil, exhibiting both dynamic and intricate brush work as well as dense layering. This masterpiece - picked simultaneously with the corresponding Grosses Gewachs - was only beginning to show its depth in the spring and needed almost six months in bottle to really shine forth. Take as long as fate permits you to savor this; I can't imagine it disappointing a quarter century or more from now.
VM 93+ (2/2009): Tantalizing aromas of papaya, sweet herbs and incense. Discreet but intense black cherry fruit rises from the mid-palate, accompanied by brilliant acidity. Animated and finely spiced, with a deep, long finish. I may be underrating this. |
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2012 |
Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Spatlese |
$55 |
6 |
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2019 |
Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Spatlese (1.5 L) |
$149 |
1 |
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| JS 100 (8/2020): All of nature's springtime joy and the epitome of autumnal ripeness somehow combine with summer-morning dew to offer one of the greatest off-dry German wines made in modern times. Breathtaking finish, so wonderfully light and filigree. From organically grown grapes with Fair'n Green certification. Drink or hold. |
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2013 |
Norheimer Dellchen Riesling Auslese (375 ML) AP 77530102214 |
$49 |
5 |
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| WA 93 (1/2015): Only made in vintages with a high ripeness (a pre-selection of the GG) the 2013 Norheimer Dellchen Riesling Auslese offers ripe and shortly cooked apple as well as pineapple aromas along with some volcanic rocks on the nose leading to a sweet, rich and piquant Riesling which shows its great talents not before the finish which is pure and salty but again sweet and sensual. The finish displays citric flavors and black bread but there is no heaviness or botrytis opulence at all in this wine. |
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2016 |
Norheimer Dellchen Riesling Grosses Gewachs (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$540.97 |
1 |
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2012 |
Norheimer Kirschheck Riesling Spatlese |
$49 |
6 |
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2019 |
Norheimer Kirschheck Riesling Spatlese (3x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$304.97 |
3 |
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| |
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2019 |
Norheimer Kirschheck Riesling Spatlese (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$256.97 |
5 |
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| |
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2021 |
Norheimer Kirschheck Riesling Spatlese (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$276.97 |
6 |
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2005 |
Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Auslese (375 ML) AP 7753010 14 06 |
$59 |
6 |
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| VM 92 (2/2007): Rich golden- yellow color.The nose offers l uscious yellow plum, honeysuckle and sweet spice, layered with a delicate hint of botrytis.Smoky pineapple jam and an elevated minerality animate the palate. Dense, juicy and long on the finish. Joel B. Payne. |
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2006 |
Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Auslese (6x1.5L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$786.98 |
2 |
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| |
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2007 |
Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Auslese (12x375ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$750.99 |
4 |
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WA 98 (9/2009): Incredible nose of candied orange peel, preserved ginger and honeysuckle with a touch of wet pebbles. The palate is packed with minerals and spiced fruits. A high level of lively acidity perfectly balances the seductive sweetness. Very long, minerally finish.
VM 94 (2/2009): Rich golden yellow. Passion fruit, a floral nuance and a bit of licorice on the nose. Pineapple and honey give way to brisk spicy acidity on the palate. A well-balanced, vivid auslese that finishes smoky and long, with an almost salty minerality. |
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2010 |
Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Auslese (375 ML) |
$50 |
5 |
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| WA 94 (12/2011): Picked-out, like its Hermannshohle counterpart, in the last, early-November days of harvest, Donnhoff's 2010 Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Auslese gold capsule was, he estimates, "perhaps 50% affected by botrytis, and dry botrytis, no mere rot." Candied lime rind and marzipan; lily and honeysuckle; white peach and salted caramel inform this wine's haunting nose and rich yet buoyant palate, with the mouthwatering savor that characterized the corresponding Spatlese undiminished. This needs some time in bottle to better focus, and it will be interesting to see whether it develops more sense of cut and brightness. But it's already irresistible, and almost sure to prove worth following for a quarter century or more. |
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2013 |
Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Auslese AP 77530102114 |
$99 |
3 |
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| WA 94+ (1/2015): The 2013 Oberhäuser Brücke Riesling Auslese has a very clear and precise bouquet of slightly cooked apples and lemons. Piquant on the palate this is a very bright, firmly structured and salty wine with a great and complex length. It is precise and very juicy but always piquant and salty. A great and stimulating Auslese. |
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2006 |
Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel (12x375ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$592.97 |
1 |
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| VM 92 (1/2008): Rich golden yellow. Luscious aromas of passion fruit, pineapple and sweet lime mingle with a delicate hint of botrytis. A bright spiciness along with elevated minerality enliven the palate. Finishes smoky and long. Joel B. Payne. |
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2007 |
Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel (12x375ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$545.97 |
4 |
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| |
| WA 98 (9/2009): Incredible nose of candied orange peel, preserved ginger and honeysuckle with a touch of wet pebbles. The palate is packed with minerals and spiced fruits. A high level of lively acidity perfectly balances the seductive sweetness. Very long, minerally finish. |
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2006 |
Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Beerenauslese (12x375ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,125.98 |
3 |
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| |
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2019 |
Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Beerenauslese (3x375ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$917.99 |
2 |
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| |
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2019 |
Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Beerenauslese (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$3,344.99 |
1 |
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| |
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2009 |
Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Spatlese (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$249.98 |
2 |
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| |
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2011 |
Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Spatlese (3.0 L)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$440.97 |
1 |
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| WA 96 (2/2013): High-toned, distillate-like herbal extracts along with ripe fresh strawberry, apple and quince inform the scintillating nose and electrical charged palate of Donnhoff’s 2011 Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Spatlese. “We were able to just keep waiting on this site," he explains, “so that even this lightest wine from the Brucke was picked only in the last days of (regular) harvest." Hints of pits and seed, along with black tea, nut oils, zesty citrus, and myriad mineral impingements add to a sense of quickening that goes well beyond mere invigoration in this gem’s strikingly persistent, shimmeringly vibrant finish. I was left with salivary glands palpitating and arms covered in gooseflesh. It will probably be hard to resist such a wine at any point over the next quarter century, but those with the requisite remaining life expectancy should make an effort to defer for the duration the pleasure of at least the last bottle or two. |
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2012 |
Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Spatlese |
$49 |
6 |
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2019 |
Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Spatlese (6x750ML) |
$330 |
1 |
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| JS 97 (8/2020): If you dream of the great German rieslings of the 1970s and 1980s, then this is a wine for you, even though it is riper and more concentrated than those icons of the past. In spite of the abundant generosity, this has a very long, distinctly cool finish. From organically grown grapes with Fair'n Green certification. Drink or hold. |
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2019 |
Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Spatlese |
$55 |
4 |
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| JS 97 (8/2020): If you dream of the great German rieslings of the 1970s and 1980s, then this is a wine for you, even though it is riper and more concentrated than those icons of the past. In spite of the abundant generosity, this has a very long, distinctly cool finish. From organically grown grapes with Fair'n Green certification. Drink or hold. |
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2022 |
Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Spatlese (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$332.99 |
4 |
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| |
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2011 |
Oberhauser Leistenberg Riesling Kabinett (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$908.99 |
1 |
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| |
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2021 |
Schlossbockelheim Felsenberg Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$617.97 |
1 |
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| |
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2007 |
Schlossbockelheim Felsenberg Riesling Beerenauslese (12x375ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$1,125.98 |
2 |
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WA 99 (10/2009): The over-ripe pear and quince featured in other nobly sweet wines of this collection are very much present in Donnhoff's 2007 Schlossbockelheimer Felsenberg Riesling Beerenauslese, along with aromas of distilled gentian, gardenia, lemon oil, freshly baked bread, and white truffle. The intensity of inner-mouth perfume here - orchard fruit, floral, and herbal distillates - is nearly beyond belief. Pear nectar, quince preserves, apple jelly, liquid gardenia, brown spices, and a certain saline and smoky suggestions of things mineral inform a finish of trance-inducing duration. This amazing elixir - harvested largely in the Turmchen section of the site - should be worthy of 40 years cellaring. When Donnhoff laughingly referred to this as the year of Felsenberg, he was not in fact kidding, nor was he referring just to the sheer number of bottlings!
VM 97 (1/2009): Rich golden yellow. Sublime aromas of candied citrus fruits, lemon oil and acacia honey. The succulent weight of papaya fruit levitates over the wine's understated minerality. The palate-staining finish boasts an impeccable balance of creamy fruit, smoky botrytis and herbal spices. An Outstanding effort for the vintage! |
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2018 |
Schlossbockelheim Felsenberg Riesling Spatlese (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$431.99 |
4 |
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| |
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2022 |
Schlossbockelheimer Felsenberg Riesling Grosses Gewachs (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$395.99 |
5 |
|
| |
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2007 |
Schlossbockelheimer Kupfergrube Riesling Spatlese (6x750ML)
ETA 90-120 Days; No cancellations or returns. This item may be subject to tariffs. |
$354.99 |
3 |
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| |
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2018 |
Weingut Hermann Donnhoff Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Grosses Gewachs |
$119 |
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Sold Out
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2019 |
Weingut Hermann Donnhoff Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Spatlese |
$69 |
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Sold Out
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2018 |
Weingut Hermann Donnhoff Norheimer Dellchen Riesling Grosses Gewachs |
$119 |
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Sold Out
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