Bob McDonald

9.9

This is Stephen Henschke’s favourite vintage of H of G he said. This was the first vintage he bottled under screw cap and all subsequent vintages have been bottled that way. They have also experimented with the Vinolok glass stopper. As Stephen said “I love tradition and it is very important as a 6th generation family owned winery. However when tradition lets you down as it has with cork, there is time to evaluate better closures. “ He went on to say the 2002 has that distinctive Hill of Grace nose which you can’t define but it does have the trademark mint, spice and sage. The palate is profoundly intense and could go on for another 10 years but flirting with perfection right now. — 17 days ago

Jay Kline

9.1

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of a couple of hours. The 2016 Pagani Ranch pours a deep ruby with near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with light staining and some signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of red and black brambles, toasted coconut, dill, wood, baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannins and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and tart. This is in a lovely spot yet, it still exhibiting quite a bit of freshness so I expect this will be quite long-lived. Drink now through 2031+. — 21 days ago

Victor Hsu

9.3

Delightfully complicated California Chard masquerading as a White Burgundy. French nose and French finish. Minerals, flint, stone and fruit—apple, pear, peach and nectarine, with an obvious but restrained layer of oak. Not overly fruity or oaky; no pineapple or butterscotch here. Paired well with the Seafood Tower, Swordfish and Black Cod at the Water Grill Santa Monica. This was a juvenile 2021 vintage, tasted in 2024. Eager to try this gem after another half decade. — 16 days ago

Ely Cohn

9.1

Cool with coastal climate salts, muted dried strawberries and rose petals and cherry mint that need a real sniff. Refined with mid level expression, med rustic body, subtle nuance and concentration/structure that shows itself mostly in the mouth.

Lovely, not extraordinary. — 8 days ago

Victor Hsu

9.0

Promising red fruit on the nose but a bit too tannic—decanting was de rigueur. After 45 minutes it was better but still tight. It took a full two hours to open up fully and show interesting notes of tobacco, earth and pencil shavings to balance the fruit and acid. Tells me that I should wait another five years before opening my remaining bottles. Enjoyed the 2021 vintage with prime ribeye cap steak from Costco, chicken liver pate and Taleggio cheese, with visiting family (William, Teresa, Xander and Samantha). — 8 days ago

Chris MacLean

9.2

Good show. Only a hint of CA sunshine on the close. — 3 days ago

with Sarah

Tyler Felous

9.4

Hirsch with another great wine. Gorgeous nose with more depth than your average Pinot. Sour cherry notes. Not much tannin to deal with here. Curious where my other bottles will be in a few years — 4 days ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.4

2019 vintage. As delicious as ever. Exquisite balance of fruit and acidity. Medium-heavy bod. Clean with a smattering of mineral influence here and there. So good. 6.5.24. — 13 days ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.3

2018 vintage. Oak a little showier than last visit 4.20.24. *Full disclosure* Probably my favorite CA cabernet for QPR purposes-year in, year out-since the early 90's. Not inexpensive, yet, in a world of ridiculous CA cab pricing, this is a bargain. Had I storage space and projected lifespan, would pick up two cases and crack a bottle every year starting in 2028. Some overt baby fat/oak to dissipate in anticipation. Currently, wanting more structure and depth but, given the track record with this wine/producer, it's enroute. 5.29.24. — 20 days ago

Greg Schuler

9.5

Dinner with Kevin Kropp, Sam Bartsch and Andrew celebrating listing of 35 Hiliritas @ Foreign Cinema — 7 days ago