Stephen Redenbaugh

9.1

Ripe and round...nice inky dark color and chewy texture. No discernible tannin or alcohol (though listed at 16.3)... the wine is nicely resolved at 10 years. Black fruit, pencil lead, and spice notes. A well grown and produced example of California Zinfandel at ten years. Another example that Zinfandel can age gracefully. — 2 days ago

Stephen Redenbaugh

9.8

In honor of some small stumbling steps back to a”normality”! This wine was worth the search and capture effort. Brilliant bright fresh mini-bubbles in excess! Alive! The acid/fruit balance is near perfect...literally weightless... and yet eerily powerful in flavor... lemon curd, lemon grass, lemon pith... loving this wine tonight, but only going to get better! Blows away ‘08 Dom... not close. 5 years from now pour this with ‘08 Cristal and let the chips fall. Prost, cheers, nostrovya...God bless America! — 6 days ago

Stephen Redenbaugh

9.3

Bone dry with 12% ABV and searing acidity. Frigging delicious and buoyant but capable of scrubbing a layer of two of enamel from your teeth. I love these expressions of Amador county and lament my allocation numbers... but worth double the price. Cheers Tegan and team— you’re killin’ it! — 18 days ago

Stephen Redenbaugh

9.6

My wife’s birth-year. Smooth as a baby’s butt...Caramel, butterscotch, and a hint of chewy english toffee. Just the slightest bite on the long, boisterous finish. It’s all about the age and the barrels, but just the top-off for a chilly Covid election eve. — 21 days ago

Stephen Redenbaugh

9.3

Wow! Just Wow! Pretty light purple and explosive lilac, red berry, Asian incense and cranberry. Lighter in the mouth than expected...12.7 ABV doesn’t “do” jammy. But..quaffable and poundable... amazing energy and life as the savory/fruit notes wash over your tastebuds and a long, smiley face finish. These wines require a reimagination of table wine....particularly California table wine... Well done, Hardy! — 3 days ago

Stephen Redenbaugh

9.1

Bone dry, acid/fruit balanced, and plenty of weight and viscosity on the palate. The Chenin worked well with Baratta, ciabatta, crushed green olives and pistachios. Drizzled good olive oil mirrors the oily wine. — 11 days ago

Stephen Redenbaugh

9.2

Medium gold...floral and petrol notes on the nose. Rich, ripe, viscous, almost oily as it coats your mouth. Ripe fruit explodes... guava, pineapple, mango, and a good portion of funky forest floor... real weight on the palate and a long acid-tinged finish. Tablas makes lots of wine... but they’re focused and finished and full of wonder. Tablas’ white wine program is simply first-rate—-purchase any and all! — 16 days ago

Stephen Redenbaugh

9.1

Another hidden treasure...I know we should have popped it earlier... but this joint venture between Morgan Twain-Peterson from Bedrock and Michael Havens (first producer of New World Albariño) is still alive. Medium gold/yellow in the glass... perhaps not quite as vibrant acid-wise as at release, but very powerful and pleasant. Slightly waxy and round, sporting a bit of funk, but notes of unripe pear, green apple, and green papaya bring a smile. I don’t think this wine is currently made, but I always thought it a real QPR bargain. — 5 days ago

Stephen Redenbaugh

9.0

Home made pizza and Bedrock OV Zin? No brainer...14.5 but no noticeable heat after 7 years. Chewy, black-fruit and nice balance. This Zin rocks for less than $25 and works amazingly well with hen-of-the-wood mushrooms and thin sliced pepperoni. — 11 days ago

Stephen Redenbaugh

9.3

Another mystery wine I don’t recall buying..glad I did. So hard not to groove on aged Sangiovese from a very good producer. Soft, silken, smooth and remarkably dark and concentrated at age 16. Home-made pasta, meatballs, and sausage and playoff football... doesn’t get much better. The wine displays beautiful classic notes of berry, sun-dried tomato, and some dirt. But marvelous match with the acidity of tomato sauce with pork and basil. Used to always tell buyers to stick to the two “f’s” when it comes to everyday reliable Tuscan red. — 17 days ago