Ellen Clifford

9.0

The second label to Amy Christine’s Holus Bolus, but still top-notch. From Santa Barbara! It gives ripe black fruit (cherries, plums, berries) for days with a touch of licorice and lilacs on the nose. The palate is spritely, with decent acid and sandy tannins adding grip to a surprisingly light-bodied blend. Easy-going but complex enough to add intrigue. — 23 days ago

Ron from VA

8.9

Surprisingly good AFTER a lot of aeration. After 30 months in barrel and years on my rack I thought this would be in a good drinkable place from the cork, which was not unpleasant by the way. The predominant notes of Merlot and PV shown through in all stages, but the big take away was the breath and complexity increased with a couple days of air. (Vac’d plug of course) juicy, harvest fresh berries combined with just enough structure and herbal intrigue to make this delightful with artisan sausage pizza and our house smoky bacon bean soup. I had a chance to get a second bottle but it will be fun for someone else to taste a touch of North Carolina’s better half.  — 2 years ago

Alexis M

9.5

From Spokane trip for magoo reunion years ago. Visited this winery. Very drinkable and smooth! — 3 years ago

Martin Sher

9.5

A star in the making. Let your bottles nap for a decade. Fruit forward, almost jammy, but the complexity is there, lurking beneath the surface. Undercurrents of garrigue and intrigue. Go get some and test your patience. — 4 years ago

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9.2

Medium in body, fresh and driven, the 2022 Pinot Noir (Santa Lucia Highlands) is pretty forward in its red-fruited profile, but it also possesses a core of stern, rocky minerality. An enticing air of highlands herbs and sweet lavender adds further intrigue. Juicy, sweet raspberry, clove and a kick of toasty French oak sweetness make the 2022 an inviting choice for drinking over the next several years. (Billy Norris, Vinous, August 2024)
— 3 months ago

Jan de Weerd

9.2

A Nerello mascalese from the slopes of Mnt Edna in Sicily. Easy drinking light red wine full of intrigue. Earthy mineral undertones integrated with dry raspberry and red berries. — 3 years ago

with Tammy

Will Stanley

9.7

Simply one of the greatest wines I’ve ever tried to date, the 1961 Real Vinicola is my first venture into mature Port and a complete eye-opener to this style of wine.

A veritable miracle on opening, the wine has a clear brick-red colour and a hauntingly beautiful nose. There are exotic aromas of toasted nuts, dried cherry, fig, raisin, lavender and clove; it’s a wine you don’t need to taste for a long time, such is the intrigue up front. The palate, then, is explosive for a wine of this age, almost full bodied with great complexity and acidity that belies its six decades of life.

The finish is staggeringly long, with a lasting impression on the palate. A new and totally enthralling experience for me in the world of wine. — 3 years ago

Aaron Tan

8.9

Thought this blind was an aged red burg, so colour me surprised when it was revealed to be a young NZ pinot. Clearly a little more developed than it should be (colour and aromas), but credit where credit’s due, this was quite elegant. Even after the reveal I could not detect that marmalade finish I find so often in NZ pinot’s. This was all red cherries and ripe strawberries, with savoury spices and earthy notes. Perhaps the quality of the oak, which left much to be desired, and rich velvety texture were the only indications of it’s origin. Finished a touch short. There were wines with more intrigue on the table so I didn’t drink much of it, but it definitely wasn’t a bad drop. One to revisit. — 2 years ago

Ron from VA

8.9

A very solid yet obtuse version of Aglianico compared the 2014 I had recently. This was much more similar teroldigo than the Nebbiolo-styled offering I experienced. Downside: less nuanced, a bit dull, and lacking intrigue. Pro: sturdy and effective…good for big rich foods like meat lasagna or sausage & peppers. 18$ for Kim’s  — 3 years ago

Steven Beishuizen

9.3

The intrigue here starts with the nose... On the nose, there's a ton going on with blackberry, mint, and eucalyptus... On the palate, this is fresh blackberry, raspberry, and a great red currant note. Very earthy and deep here... Big but powdering out tannin... Significant nutmeg throughout. A long, wispy finish. — 3 years ago

with Anita