Shay A

9.4

Forgot I opened one of these earlier in the year. Whoops. Wish I had more.

Hour decant, then consumed from decanter over the next 3hrs.

My note here is fairly similar to the 2014 note, but there is more concentration and power going on. Dark purple in the glass, with aromatics of both sweet oak as well as a kiss of whole cluster stem inclusion. Loads of dark floral notes, ripe blackberries, and smoked jerky. Large-scaled mid palate depth and richness of blue and black fruits with plenty of herbal flair and spice but it’s more iron fist in a velvet glove style. There’s black peppercorn and iron, as well as big central coast Rhône style with its rich and textural palate.

I love Syrah in all expressions. It’s natural to compare these wines to SQN (and Andremily), and rightly so. These are dialed up to 9, but pull back, whereas the others aren’t afraid of going to 11. No right/wrong answer, just style preference. I happen to love both. — a year ago

Everett Waltrip

9.6

2012 vintage, opens with roasted peppers and dark fruit, dark earthy tones and briary tones. After some air it reveals more dark fruit, plums and black cherry, tannins are quite gripping, all natural tannins not wood tannins from oak. After a few hours the fruit has more presence, still shows a bell pepper tone on the nose followed by gobs of dark fruit and sun exposed earth. Some herbaceous notes intermingled with forest floor. Could age longer or drink now, all up to the drinker I suppose. I like the balance of fruit, earth, herbaceous tones followed by the grit of the tannins. No sediment when I got to the bottom of the bottle. It was a crowd pleaser and in a blind tasting people were stumped when it was revealed. They all thought it could have been an Italian Cabernet from a cooler climate region. Would definitely recommend, great quality and beats out almost anything in the same price bracket from other producers, foreign or domestic. — 3 years ago

Mike R

9.4

First time trying and wow - nicely woven integrated wine but my friend and fellow wine nerd @Shay A says it best so borrowing his comments from 2018 and I quote

“Jarvis winery is one of my all time favorite winery visits in Napa. Their caves are the most impressive I've seen, along with their natural springs running through the tunnels. Their merlot is my favorite out of Napa, and their
Cab Franc is a close second. This is 95% CF, 5% merlot. It balances ripe Napa CF and Loire Valley CF. Streak of green bell pepper down the middle with herbal spice, ripe
blackberry and stemmy dark fruits. There is plum, and spice cake on the finish. This needed an hour+ for the mid palate to beefen up and match the entry and finish”

Bravo and well said Shay - glad I found my patience with this wine bud — 3 years ago

Phil Kessling

9.0

Easy drinking, all natural Pet Nat. Absolutely delicious with none of the “natty” stuff that is a turn off for me. Chillable, chuggable Rosé — 2 years ago

Jay Kline

9.2

A decidedly more natural approach to Chablis and I gotta say, this bottle was fantastic. All of the character one would expect from Chablis: bright citrus fruits, crushed shells, chalky minerals and racy acid…just amped up a little more than usual for a village wine. Theres an energy about this that’s truly compelling. Wow. — 2 years ago

Ceccherini Cristiano

9.3

1630 bottles produced
Old school natural wine
Niccolaini was the avant-garde of the movement without ever being in it himself.
I got told stories of a farm with no electricity perhaps a decade ago or so
Massa Vecchia is appreciated for all its labels and you can find out which one is your favourite
Personally i am not a rose drinker, but i knew i wasn't going to be disappointed here
This is more like a Valentini cerasuolo d'Abruzzo, but even more extract, i dare to say if you sell this wine for a red nobody would argue.
It's funky to start, it gives you cola and china and its fresh and fun, plus very long and mineral.
Quite earthy perhaps not a precise fruit to define, but real good altogether
For my understanding this is the last vintage made by Niccolaini' daughter in law as a winemaker and i keep a bottle of the next vintage..i am very curious to how he has come back to his captain seat. — 3 years ago

Jenks

9.1

Bliss Wine Imports SF. Natural riesling from Rheingau. I loved all the wines from I got from Balthasar Ress. Bliss doesn't miss. — 3 years ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.5

The nose jumps out of the glass like it’s barefoot and the glass is on fire. Stunningly expressive. Wild black/red cherries and wild raspberries. A hint of that natural funk that adds and does not subtract. Floral and expansive. Dense. 9.7 nose. Just amazing. Mesmerizing. Palate is sweet, silky and refined. Ripe and sweet tannins and unreal texture. Sappy and so deep. Finish stamps your palate. This is so showing so well. This bottle at this stage in its life is the best Liaison I’ve ever had. So complex on the finish with deep minerals and very serious fruit that busts through all the tannins. — 2 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.4

The 2018 Barbaresco Bordini is a dark, full-bodied wine that expresses the natural intensity of this sector in Neive. Readers will find a bold, structured Barbaresco endowed with serious depth. Black cherry, sage, menthol, licorice, mocha and spice are all kicked up in a Barbaresco that balances energy with size. The 2018 is one of the best versions of this wine I can remember tasting. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, February 2022)
— 3 years ago

Paul T HB

9.7

Tasted & immediately looked up what I had bought, $50.00 but so worth it.
K&L notes,

This is no cheap rosé, it's true. But consider, for a minute, that this is no simple quaffer of a pink wine. It hails from Palette, one of the smallest appellations in all of France. It is, in a sense, a sort of Provençal monopole, since Château Palette owns nearly all the acreage in this tiny 23-hectare zone. Their vines are old, too. In some cases, more than 100 years old. The red grapes are the usual suspects for this part of France: Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Syrah with small amounts of Cinsault, Carignane, and other local varieties. But at Simone, they translate into a rosé unlike any other. We're talking power here, and a certain something serious. The rosé is fermented in small foudres and is then racked into barriques and left on the lees until the following spring. Rich with raspberries and herbs, this mouth-filling rosé holds onto its natural acidity, as it does not undergo malolactic fermentation thanks to the very cool cellars of this historic chateau. This wine costs as much as many reds. Fortunately, it has the concentration and complexity to go along with the price. Serve it with serious food and be prepared to broaden your appreciation of what rosé can be.
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— 3 years ago