Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.5

2021 vintage. So tasted alongside sister property Cade (and Plumpjack) Howell Mountain Cab. If I weren't so familiar with the Cade HM, woulda sworn this was mountain fruit. This is the leanest, dirtiest SLD effort I've ever had spanning a multiplicity of SLD producers since the 1986 vintage. It's got the underlying structure of Stags Leap District but none of the top layer of richness. It all got scraped off and you are just left with the steak-no sizzle. Comes courtesy of the old old Steltzer property (hadn't heard that winery name in decades and it was the durtiest in SLD!) and the new powers that be turbo-charged it and turned shizz up to 11. Fascinating and phenomenal. Light-medium body and has the color but packs an unexpected Barolo-styled punch. Not your average SLD bear. Watch out for Mr. Ringer...err...Ranger. 10.30.24. — 6 days ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.3

2021 vintage. Definitely has that frontal palate sweetness/richness in the upper gums when tasting. Decent tannins afoot. Not the QPR leader in this price range or region but you could do a lot worse. Verry solid effort. 10.09.24. — a month ago

Bryan Florendo

9.3

I loved it. Wasn’t Carolina’s favorite. — 17 days ago

Bob McDonald

9.6

An absolutely alluring nose with cloves, spice, dried meat and a trace of pepper. Barely medium weight on the palate. Barb loved it for that. Very different to Barossa or McLaren Vale Shiraz. Without a doubt the best Shiraz Viognier blend in Australia although Yarra Yering Dry Red No. 2 (with a few other Rhone varieties in the blend) would give it a run for its money. Really very good with a few years to go but pretty much at its peak. — 10 days ago

Joe DAscoli

9.5

Decanted for 2 hours before we touched it

2nd sip was better than the first. As if you needed the first sip to prepare yourself for this wine

Overall great structure and solid fruit. Improved with airtime. Delicious wine. — 25 days ago

Ceradwen Tokheim

9.4

Solid and simple. Goes nicely with lots of things. — 13 days ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.3

2021 vintage. Retasting after a week (9.3), Gorgeous entry palate with medium body. Pretty start and continued beauty for the duration of the motion picture show. Fine-grained tannins rarely far from the action but never intrusive. 10.22.24. — 14 days ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.4

2021 vintage. Medium-heavy body. Some frontal opulence. Excellent mid-palate. Enduring finish. It didn't suck. 10.16.24. — 20 days ago

Timothy Eustis

Wine Director, Red Lion Inn

9.3

Old school. Balanced tannins and fruit. Really great. — 25 days ago

Bob McDonald

9.4

Typical nose of an Art Series Chardonnay with that dried pear character. On the medium weight palate a nice combination of ripe grapefruit and under ripe yellow peach. Medium minus acid. One can’t help but love this Chardonnay. A wonderful terroir, the Gin Gin clone, great winemaking, and an excellent vintage - ticks all the boxes. At its peak but enough acid for a few more years if you wish. That was my last bottle of the 2011. — a month ago