1996 vintage. 6% Cab Franc but 50+% Cab and remaining % Merlot. Last tasted 9.29.24 (9.5) and 8.2.24 (9.6). This specimen nice fill and halfway saturated cork. Decanted and throwing appropriate sed. Tasted 30 mins post-decant. Light-medium body. Dark cherry and milk chocolate nose. Cocoa powder and chocolate-covered cherry in the flavors. Tannins primarily on the back palate. More than holding up and getting by. This has a few more years afoot. Gonna say it again for those in the back…this is the best wine they’ve ever made-white or red. Get off my lawn. 05.07.25. — 22 days ago
[Tasted on May 25, 2025 at The Optimist in Nashville with Jay]
Wine is from Pisoni Vineyard in Santa Lucia Highlands. Cherry, blackberry and red plum fruit, with baking spices, caramel and violets. — 4 days ago
Pale yellow.
Grapefruit, lemon, pear, ginger, green herbs, rockdust and wonderful hints of orangeblossom!
Crystalline, bright, elegant. Beautiful ‘feinherb’-balance: just a hint of sweetness in the opening, meets racy acidity, and a clean dry finish.
Lovely wine, good quality, very quaffable at 10% ABV. — 2 months ago
Loved this wine. Nice back palate finish of minerality combined with vibrant fruit. — 3 days ago
See previous notes for the 2006 Stonewell. Supple and smooth showing masses of plum and blackberry from old vine Barossa Shiraz. Aniseed/liquorice notes. A certain astringency to finish off. A good but not great Stonewell. I could have left drinking this until its 20th year next year but I don’t think it would be any different. — a month ago
Funny because completely took me by surprise given my experience with Lauer- usually chiseled minerality rules the day. This works on both channels- a rich, even plump Kabinett style with RS to spare, but a finish so long & flush with slate all we could do is savor it for as long as possible. Gorgeous yellow fruits too, quite accessible, in all their Granny Smith & marigold glory. What a wine. Imagine how age will only deepen & burnish its elegance. — 2 months ago
Roberto Carli
Perhaps something is off with my palate today, but tasting one of the world‘s great rieslings was a massive disappointment. Can’t get past the extraction and the insanely high alcohol that dwarfs the moderate acidity and faint minerality. Highly extracted phenolics. Least disappointing of the lineup, but worst once you factor in price — 7 days ago