Doug Powers

8.9

Spice, blue and black fruits, such a lovely cool climate Aussie Shiraz that is a wonderful QPR ($18-22 or so out here), a perfect weekday Shiraz with some ooomph and complexity. — 2 days ago

with Jim

Jody Scharf

9.2

A cab that is meant to be on the young side for most flavor. — 2 months ago

Robert Stackowiak

9.2

Golden color. Green apple and vanilla (light oak) on the palate. Age worthy. April 2026. — 2 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.1

Sweet black fruits - plums. Only medium weight - restrained. 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec and 5% Petit Verdot. 2012 was a cooler more moderate growing season, more claret style says Sam Middleton. This is not one of the great Quintets IMO. At its best Quintets is one of the best Cabernet blends in Australia. It still reinforces the fact that the Yarra Valley is one of the better terroirs for Bordeaux blends in Australia. Not for long cellaring. This is first of 3 of the 2012 vintage I have in my cellar. — 4 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.6

Often the Grosset Polish Hill doesn’t live up to its billing as perhaps Australia’s finest dry Riesling but with this 2017 it probably exceeds expectations. It is simply fabulous. Some ripe lusciousness to the mid palate amid lime and lemon notes, but finishes bone dry. My first of 4 bottles so I will enjoy the journey over the next 5+ years if I can keep my hands off it. HH said it is shaping up as one of the greatest Polish Hill Rieslings. — 6 months ago

Jan de Weerd

9.0

We had the battle of the Shiraz at our family gathering over Christmas. A Shiraz from South Australia and South Africa. Both 2016. This Shiraz, despite from the Adelaide Hills where I think it is a little cooler, was very rich, very bold and broad and a slight jammy note on the edge perhaps. People liked it, but all the votes when for the Shiraz of Cederberg from South Africa. Fun!!! — 6 months ago

with Tammy

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.7

This wine is in a perfect place. 2008 is not as regarded as 2007, but this 2008 made by Charles Hendricks is saying differently & absolutely one of his very best. I would say, James & Coleen made a mistake in letting him get away.

It is sort of a Mother Mary of God wine. Not to be religious, just the phrase fits.

Our eyes & ears perk up when we hear Napa names like; Harlan, Scarecrow, Hundred Acre, Bond & Colgin. I’d like to put this in blind and watch the shock & awe in everyone eyes when the wines were revealed.

The palate entry is perfect in every way. It is rich, lush, extremely balanced with well rounded, velvety M+ tannins. The core is dark currants, blackberries, black raspberries, both plums, black cherries, baked strawberries framed in raspberry edges. Some of the most amazing, dark spices with palate heat, melted, dark chocolate to pudding, black licorice to anise, mocha, malt balls, caramel, mid baking spices; clove, nutmeg, cinnamon stick, vanillin, fresh & used tobacco, leathery, graphite, crushed rocks & limestone, sage brush, slightly, candied, dark & withering flowers set in understated violet’s & lavender, warm, summer, rainfall acidity, balance for days, excellent structure/tension with elegance and smart polish that lasts minutes and settles on beautiful spices.

This wine is at its precipice and will hold a few more years with good drinking for 8-10 years. — 10 months ago

"Odedi"

9.3

#AgedWineTuesday

Inky in color with a short reddish rim.

Beautiful nose of black currants, plums, tobacco, licorice, light vanilla, chocolates, light cedar, espresso, herbs, earth and light vinaigrette.

Full-bodied with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with blackberries, black currants, cooked cherries, cedar, herbs, toast, light vanilla, dark chocolates, tobacco leaf, coffee, peppercorn, earth and mediterranean spices.

Long finish with round tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a gorgeous Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley. Fruit forward, rich and elegant. Very complex and engaging.

This 12 year old Cabernet Sauvignon is staring to drink at its peak now, and will continue to do so in the next 7 to 10 years.

A great sipping wine that will also pair nicely with a nice piece of steak.

100% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from the slopes of Spring Mountain were aged in French oak barrels. A small production of less than 8,200 bottles.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$120. — a month ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.3

2019 vintage. Oak attack if served above 65 degrees. Def essential to get that temp down to the 55-64 range so as to conduct pleasant conversation. Otherwise, it’s just screaming/noise. Previous vintage exhibited the same tendency whereas 2017 and before generally didn’t (to this extreme). Hoping it’s not trending that direction but suspect it is. Some splendid complexities once past the rapids. Medium-heavy body. 4.22.26. — 2 months ago

Maggie Harrison

8.9

pretty. lychee. kiwi. diesel. mineral. lovely. a little flat on finish. — 2 months ago

Julia Indik

9.3

Opens with currants, red apples, carob, vanilla, laced with smoke and earth. Tannins are tight and rich with moderate acidity. — 4 months ago

with Robert

Beth Novak

10

Earthy, wild/native California herbs, touch of iron, beautiful, sense of the earth, stunning, salinity and depth and richness and complexity. Texturally beautiful, long, so complete, great balance. So good!! — 6 months ago

Doug Powers

9.6

Intense red fruited aromas and flavors, a little less tannic and structured than the 2007, but this shows bracing acidity at the present time, long, lingering finish, which the incredible acid backbone lifts and lengthens, another wine to ideally drink from 25-30 years after the vintage! — 9 months ago

with Jim

Mark S.

9.0

Lemon yellow with green. Oak vanilla.clove. Citrus apple pear Nutty Fruitiness M+ Sweetness M Acidity M++ Bitterness M Body M Finish M % Fresh Rich Shaw and Smith M3 Adelaide Hills Chardonnay 24 @1300, O’clock, 260526 — a month ago

Bob Boyle

9.2

Good wine, nice depth to the fruit with long finish — a month ago

Brian Garcia

9.0

Amaze. Great body. — 2 months ago

Ed Chin

9.3

Drinking really nice right now. Dark fruit with a brightness to it. The baby fat is gone and its maturity is starting to show. It rides the line between modern and old school Napa effortlessly. — 3 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.0

1996 vintage. Decent fill. Open with a Durand and, even so, the cork was an absolute mess. Had to dig out the funnel and screen. Light-medium body. Excellent dark color. Started a bit flat but picked up a little steam after 15 minutes. This example was a little long in the tooth. 2.12.26. — 5 months ago

Beth Novak

9.3

Delicate, a kiss of sweetness with an herbal note. Minerality, of the warm earth, a beauty and elegance, still very much alive. Texturally and structurally beautiful. For this vintage, he hit it out of the park! — 6 months ago

Dmitry Teytelman

9.2

The wine opened up quite a bit after decanting for an hour or so. Great tawny color, notes of sour cherry and raisins, long aftertaste. Will integrated tannins. An awesome bottle! — 9 months ago

with Eugenia