Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

Finished the night w/ a glass of the Cuvée 1809. My friend received it in her Somm Selection Club from K&L Wine Merchants.

Normally, I am a little skeptical of having others select my bottles, but this lived up to the bill.

It is a very nice & well made bottle. Good balance, nice mousse and an well polished finish. — a year ago

Severn G

9.5

Prior notes still apply, but this bottle was much more on point than the last 14mo ago. I'd suggest this still has at least 8-10y to go from proper storage!

Nose has old cedar closet, dusty cherry, ripe plum, blackberry, burnt blackberry pie, over-ripe black cherry, volcanic rocks and over-ripe blueberry.

Palate has ripe blackberry, warmed plum, dark chocolate bar, prune, dried blackberry, semi-dried cranberry, cigar box and tanned leather. Tannins are light, but still proof of youthfulness!

Paired alongside medium rare Delmonico cut steaks from our favorite local farm, Kinderhook Farm (Valatie NY). Perfection.

6h decant, more time appreciated. Last bottle. 😢

Added to cellar inventory around April 2006; We obtained this as members of the Wine Club.

Release notes from SLWC courtesy of @Yen Boubel (She's the greatest!)

CREATED EXCLUSIVELY FOR CLUB 23 members, the Golden Rectangle is a harmonious blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot from the FAY vineyard. The name "Golden Rectangle" refers to our winemaking philosophy inspired by the Golden Mean, the principle that contrary elements, balanced in the right proportion, create tense harmony.

In this select bottling, the opposing elements include two different varietals from two different vintages. The wine is a blend of 61.8% FAY Cabernet Sauvignon fruit, and 38.2% FAY Petit Verdot fruit in the proportion of the Golden Mean. Petit Verdot is a Bordeaux blending varietal typically used in very small amounts because of its power and structure. This blend of Petit Verdot might seem unusually high; however, because of the ideal proportion of these different elements, the Petit Verdot adds structure, aromatics, and texture, rather than overpowering the Cabernet Sauvignon. In addition, the blend combines the old and the new-with fruit in roughly equal proportion from the 2002 and 2003 vintages. In this combination, the mellow tones of the older vintage soften the robust character of the younger vintage. The result is an opulent blend, rich with fruit, spices, and exotic perfume. — 5 years ago

Kimberly Jamrozek

10

Impulse buy at Sam's Club. I have tried a few from this maker and enjoy all of them. Definitely have to be aware of the cost though. I try to be thrifty because of my consumption volume 😁 — 6 years ago

Kristina A.

9.2

Prairie State Winery in Genoa, IL with Kj — 7 years ago

Barny

8.9

Danke an den Respekt Spender Niels, leckeres Zeug — 8 years ago

A Reeves

10

Fantastic. Slightly sweet and full of flavor — 9 years ago

Bonnie Kissler

9.0

9/28/2017 from Sterling Vineyards Wine Club — 9 years ago

David Peifer

9.0

Very fruity — 2 years ago

William Lee, Jr.

9.1

Combined w/Anita's Choice and espresso

Paired w/Italian lemon cake — 4 years ago

Paul T, Missing My Beautiful Wife 24/7

9.8

Thats some great juice @Benoit Touquette wine.👍🏼
Winery notes

STORY

Benoit Touquette has continued to serve as winemaker since 2006.

The first vines the family planted were one acre of Bosche clone Cabernet Sauvignon grafted to budwood provided by Dick Grace of Grace Family Vineyards. The first few vintages were also made at Grace Family Vineyards, until the winery on the estate was completed, with Andy Erickson as winemaker. The winery's first release was an estate Cabernet Sauvignon in 1990, which sold out immediately, and with subsequent vintages, Hartwell established a reputation for fine Cabernet Sauvignon.

Over the years, other parcels of the property were planted, allowing the winery to produce other Cabernet Sauvignons, as well as Merlot, a red dessert wine, and a red wine blend. In 2006, the Hartwells purchased a 4.5-acre vineyard in Carneros from which they produce a Bordeaux-inspired Sauvignon Blanc, and brought acclaimed winemaker Benoit Touquette on board to oversee production.


Hartwell Vineyards was founded in 1986 when Bob Hartwell purchased 90 acres of Wappo Hill—the half of Wappo Hill not owned by Robert Mondavi—in the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley.

The fruit for the T5 Cabernet Sauvignon hails from the highest point on the Hartwell estate, blocks 14 and 15, which were planted to Bosche clone 30 years ago. The 100% Cabernet wine ages for two years in T5 barriques, rare and prized barrels from famed French cooperage house, Taransaud. These barrels are toasted and crafted from five-year seasoned staves by coopers who have been awarded the title of “Meilleur Ouvrier de France” (Best Craftsman in France). Much like some of the finest wines, they are available only to a select list of customers due to their limited availability.

Each year, a mere 100 cases of Hartwell T5 are produced, available only by allocation to members of the T5 Cabernet Sauvignon wine club. — 6 years ago

Shay A

9.6

After a couple months of hiatus, the Friday City Club group was able to get back together (albeit a smaller, more spread out group) for an epic hosting by @joe leatherwood . 1 sparkler, 2 whites, 5 reds and 1 dessert wine, all served blind.

And the hits just keep coming. A total monster. I found this to be the most extracted of the 5 reds. Could smell it five feet away. Dark chocolate dipped blueberries and blackberries, graham cracker, mocha, violets all jump from the glass. Velvet like texture revealing a streak of ripe red fruits and an herbal/mineral like note down the middle of the palate. Dusty. So much beautiful freshness but commanding power here...longest finish of the day. I called this 7-10yr old Napa cab (specifically Shafer Hillside Select). — 6 years ago

with Jid, joe and 3 others

Mason Balistreri

Sommelier, International Wine Guild; Balistreri Vineyard; Sales, Joy Wine and Spirits

9.6

It might shock you, but my favorite rosé is not French but instead comes from California! Blasphemy, I know - but Bedrock's Ode to Lulu is just that good. The difficulty is actually finding a bottle. For the last three years, I've only been allocated a case (or less) to sell here in Denver. It's possible you are one of the select few I've actually told about this wine... If not, now is your chance. This is the first year there's an "okay" supply. It won't last, but you should be able to get a bottle.

So yes, it's not French but it's made in the same style and method of Tempier Bandol Rosé- the most sought after, cult rosé out there. The name "Ode to Lulu" is actually an homage to the 4.5 foot tall, 101 year old woman named "Lulu" Peyraud (born Lucie Tempier) whose father gifted the Mourvedre heavy estate to her and her husband Lucien Peyraud. The wines they would go on to produce from the 1940's onward quite literally defined Bandol and put it on the map as some of the best rosés out there. She's still alive and presumably drinking plenty of wine.

This California-born "Ode to Lulu" is modeled after the great Tempier, but has some unique properties compared to it's French namesake. For one, the vines are EXTREMELY old. Tempier defined itself by focusing on old Mourvèdre and Grenache plantings, but even these French vineyards cannot compare to what Bedrock is working with in California. If you don't know, Bedrock is the winery of Morgon Twain Peterson, son of legendary Ravenswood founder Joel Peterson. Morgon grew up making wine and through his father has cultivated relationships with some of the most important heritage vineyards in California. The "Ode to Lulu" is made from Mourvèdre and Grenache planted as far back as 1888! These are some of the oldest plantings of these grapes around and make for unbelievable wines. Tempier's average vine age is around 40 years old today. Bedrock's is over 3x as old. Insane.

Morgon may be young, but he has a life time of winemaking experience. He started making wine with his father when he was 5 years old and hasn't stopped yet. In addition to absorbing his father's knowledge on heritage vineyards, he is a real student in the world of wine, earning a "Masters of Wine" designation (this industry's highest achievement). I've been drinking his wine for several years and I can say that his wine is made extremely thoughtfully and with expert attention to detail. This is true even with a wine as humble as rosé.

Unlike most California pink wine, Bedrock is not produced by "bleeding off" juice from a red wine. Instead, the grapes are picked early and separately at very low potential alcohols, and whole cluster pressed with low extraction. This preserves the freshness and acidity, creating a wine of clarity. In an old blog post I dug up, Morgon explains this idea:

"I pick at potential alcohols lower on the scale where brightness and lift still exist. This is not to say that fruit does not matter—I use Mourvedre from a block planted over 120 years ago for requisite concentration of complexity of flavor—but like fine champagne, the wonders of rosé lie in its unbearable lightness of being."

I agree with this idea of rosé and I think most people instinctively do as well. It's no coincidence that our best selling bottles come from provence. However, I urge you to pick up at least one bottle of this Ode to Lulu. It's a wine that's close in spirit to the best French rosé but made from vineyards that are American and unrivaled in age.

This is the fourth vintage of Ode to Lulu I've tasted, and I would say that's the most elegant yet. The 2015 was maybe my favorite for it's depth and I picked a few up to age, drinking my last bottle recently... This new vintage is great now, but it will reward with a short cellaring time. Honestly, if you can hide 2 bottles and drink them before fall or into next year, you will be blown away. Bandol rosé is a wine that improves dramatically over the course of 6 months to several years (Tempier Rosé is known to go decades). This bedrock is no different.

I can personally attest to past vintages gaining depth with time. How is this possible? Unlike other rosé which should be drank young, Bandol and Ode to Lulu are made of Mourvedre, a grape that is naturally reductive and resistant to oxidation. Further, the acidity is high and alcohol low. As the acidity starts to fall away, a depth and richness of character will emerge. In fruitier/riper rosé with more alcohol, this richness becomes too sweet and cloying... Not the case here. This keep balanced through time, gaining complexity while remaining refreshing. 

You should buy this wine. However, I think there is one more important facet to rosé that I should mention before you do... Rosé is not always about what's in the glass itself. Rosé is really an ethereal thing... It's more so an "essence" of terroir and vintage rather than a sturdy, hard representation like red wine is... Sorry if that doesn't make sense but what I'm trying to say is that sometimes rosé is more about the place and the people you enjoy it with than the exact flavors themselves. Of course, we cannot all visit the picturesque village of Bandol to visit Lulu Peyraud; but I think, with this sunny Colorado weather, we can come close. Perhaps Morgon said it better than I can:

"Proper rosé is refreshing, life-nourishing stuff that revives the soul... I drink as much for pure pleasure as for intellectual stimulation. In the warmer months there is something sacred about a late afternoon meal of cold chicken, fresh garden tomatoes, and rosé. It is one body in the sacred trilogy of rustic simplicity." - Morgon Twain Peterson

#rose #oldvine #lulu #tempier #bedrockwineco — 8 years ago

Ron from VA

9.2

Wow! My cellar aging project scores another ‘discovery’ win. At almost 10 years from harvest, this Nate Walsh built beauty was doing what aged Nebbiolo is supposed to do! Using Horton fruit (Orange, Va), this bottle has metamorphosed into a seductive herbal-rose tea. It’s acidity is almost non-detectable, yet it was the perfect pairing for Tuscan-sausages & peppers w/creamy mash. The flavors of this Nebbiolo are so alive that they danced effortlessly with the sautéed peppers and complimented the herbs in the locally made Tuscans. Just wow…1 ‘12 remains plus 2 ‘10’s. — 4 years ago

G Boltacher

9.5

Im not really a wine drinker but this was my first purchase. I got it from Sam’s Club for about 22.99 and wow, I loved it. It was delicious - like full flavor. — 5 years ago

Steve Gerths

9.4

Reserve Napa Valley Pinot Noir with cherry, cola, and vanilla notes. My go to Club Pinot! — 6 years ago

Ron from VA

9.1

Very rare one-off from Nate’s early years at SSH. He source the Syrah from Horton and crafted in the “feminine” style. At 10yrs old it is really special. The acid had waned a bit (say 85% from baseline), but the aromatics were very Pinot...Oregon meets Rhône :) this was our thanksgiving dinner wine and it was great with Charcuterie and then brown sugar-cured ham, sweet potatoes, cream spinach etc. delicious!! — 6 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

We recently had a 40 wine blind tasting at the Downs Club to select a new Premium Member’s Claret. This wine was in my Top 5 but in the end did not get the nod. Dark rich colour with plenty of ripe fruit and toasty oak but still manages to have notes of black pepper in this full bodied red. I liked this from an exceptional vintage in South Australia. — 6 years ago

Gregory Joiner

9.5

Drank to celebrate uva win. — 7 years ago

with Brandon

Randy Fuller

9.4

This inky wine smells the way you want a GSM to smell, full of blackberry, cigar box and tar. It has aromas that won't quit until you notice them. The flavors are just as insistent, and just as dark. Oak is pronounced, but well integrated, while the tannins can handle a steak without getting in the way. It's only available in the Robert Hall wine club and tasting room. — 8 years ago

Martin G Rivard

9.7

My favorite Grand Cru Rose!
Bang for the buck it destroys the others at $100 per bottle. The Paul abara Special Club Select is in a league of their own! I prefer it to Veuve, Billecart, etc, etc — 9 years ago

with Christine, Dov and 1 other