Jay Kline

9.1

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of two days. Consistent throughout. The 2023 “Contra Costa County” pours, a deep ruby/purple color with a near opaque core; medium viscosity with significant staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of tart and ripe mixed bramble fruit: blackberries, Marionberries, raspberries, black pepper, orange zest, menthol, and gravelly earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose where the orange citrus notes show a bit more prominently. The finish is medium+, bright and refreshing. 9 barrels produced. Drink now through 2038.  — 17 days ago

Janice in Livermore

8.9

2019. At Kuumbwa Jazz enjoying a Christian McBride concert — 16 days ago

Stuart Pollack

9.7

Beautiful Syrah. Cranberry and leather and earth. So complex. Earth and red fruit nose. A paradigm of Syrah. — a month ago

Tom Garland

9.5

1 hour decant(some chunky/fine sediment). A splendid dark medium garnet with little bricking. On the nose: expressive perfumed nose with dark plum/cherry, currants,milk chocolate, baking spice, floral, wet forest floor, touch of roasted meat. Taste: silky, balanced, elegant wine that is singing at 20 years with dried red fruit, earth, chocolate, cedar, minerals, saline, and a spiced-tobacco-green bell pepper long finish. YUM! — 17 days ago

with Brenda

Sam Friedland

9.2

Very pleasant, soft tannins — 11 days ago

Dennis Hogenkamp

9.5

13.0% ABV Dark purple color. Nice oak . Very good wine. Paired w/ beef bourguignon. — a month ago

Stuart Pollack

9.1

Strongest Pinot Noir I have had. “Masculine “ to the extreme. It’s a mistake to open this wine now. Maybe in five years. I can tell this wine is well-made but it is not close to being ready to drink. — 5 days ago

Brian S

9.7

Perfection, even in a bad glass. — 12 days ago

Tracy Byrnes

9.2

A stunner. The way Zinfandel should be made. — a month ago

Doug Powers

9.2

Medium-dark color with some bricking, this is more backward and less evolved than the 1990 side-by-side, showing dark fruits, some Brett, but some tannic structure as well, lacks that sweet American note of the 1990, long, lingering finish, and I’d guess another 3-5 years of further improvement.

I really adore these early Pesquera Crianza (the regular cuvée, the Gran Reserva was always too much of an oak show for my palate), a wonderful find a few weeks ago while doing some cellar rearranging!! — 2 months ago

with Jim