"Odedi"

9.0

Pale lemon in color.

Nose of citrus, green apples, earth, herbs, river rocks, green vegetables and minerals.

Medium bodied with medium plus acidity. Crisp and refreshing.

Dry on the palate with green apples, light grapefruits, limes, earth, sea salt, bitter herbs and spices.

Tangy finish with limes and herbs.

This is an interesting Sauvignon Blanc from Napa Valley. Nicely balanced with nice complexity. Fresh and easy drinking.

Earthy nose and a bit fruitier on the palate. Feels more like one from the Loire Valley.

Much earthier and than the 2024 vintage that I had last year, which I loved.

Feels like it needs a few years in the bottle to mature properly. Would be nice to revisit it in a couple of years.

Good right out of the bottle and a good food wine.

100% Sauvignon Blanc grapes were hand picked and fermented in stainless steel vats.

14.1% alcohol by volume.

90 points.

$25. — 3 months ago

Daniel M

9.4

I usually don't care too much for gewurtztraminer but when it reaches that level... No one in their right mind could say it's bad...
The color is deep golden amber. The nose shows orange peel, rose, honey, fresh cinamon rolls, apricot and lychee... It's so layered and complex! I'm blown away...
The palate is dry yet the mouthfeel is thick, not unlike a much sweeter wine. There is a massive acid drive and probably some sugar which is very balanced by that sheer acid drive. Honey and apricot and lychee touches blossom all around and make this wine truly charming. There are some spices too, like white pepper notes, that bring an extra layer of complexity. The finish is long-lasting, fresh, fruity and peppery. This is a masterpiece, really. I had very little expectations given its age but man, what a wine! 15% abv and you can't feel it at all. — 4 years ago

Chris A

8.9

For me, the understatement-ness of this Chard makes it favorite - everything from the minerality, citrus and smooth vanilla-like notes all hang just behind the curtain as this delivers a crisp finish sip after sip after sip. No oak bombs here - this is quality craftsmanship as delivers in a subtle glass of Chard from the old country. Travel may be off limits right now, but man I am so happy I can go to France via this bottle! — 6 years ago

Arden Barnett

9.1

I could drink this wine every night. Not too simple, not too complex. Notes of vanilla, baked red apples, fluffy lemon curd, and the right amount of minerality. Served with fresh bay scallops, sautéed spinach, and a tomato Beurre Blanc. Benjamin Leroux is the man! — 7 years ago

Dave Wismer

9.3

Loving this wine. Pairs well with cigars and chocolate and Kim dancing 💃 on the deck. Hay on the nose. Good earthy flavors. The surgeon general tells me I shouldn’t operate a crane after drinking thus but I really fell that I could crane like a mad man right now. — 8 years ago

with Kim

Matt

9.1

Oh man. Gimme mo! Big, rich, savory as all hell but balanced by that deep pure fruit one expects from a name like Graillot. I love the purity Maxime gathers with increased de stemming, perhaps a longer soak?? Black olive, beef blood, venison, fur, smoke, plump black cherry and plum, smoke, melange of herbs; sage, tarragon, thyme. Licorice and violet too. Very gravelly mineral notes throughout. This will be so good in 5+ years but who can resist a 2015 thats this promising right now. — 8 years ago

Rick Zywotko

9.5

Last bottle purchased at the winery 14 years ago! Our 39th today, celebrating at Gianni! Terri bought us some champagne to open the evening while the wine decant. Man ...its FANTASTIC right now, leather, black fruits, and very deep color......deep dark ruby! Outstanding, and enjoying with me bride! — 9 years ago

with Mike and Michael

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.5

1999 vintage. This review a bit of a mixed bag. “Inherited” this bottle and had been looking sideways at it for the better part of three years. Fill decent but both the front and back labels pretty trashed. The foil up top a tad crimped in places. Ugly duckling syndrome. See a ton of this at work and occasionally able to resuscitate what appears to be an abused bottle. Cut off the foil and there was some seepage at the top trapped between the cork and the foil. Not good. Extracted the cork in three passes (3!!!) with the Durand. Cork was half saturated and dunzo. Did not decant. Color was on point at least. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. 14.1% ABV. Less than expected sed. Poured out a fifth of a glass and let sit for 2-3 mins. Nose was big white pepper, roasted cashews and white sage…three notes that I don’t come across often over the years with Napa cabbage and flavors were hidden beneath for a spell. Gave it 15 minutes. That initial nose dissipated and a bit of magic unfolded. Light-medium body, cocoa powder, graphite, feminine, sumptuous milk chocolate, a little sweaty, dried legumes, spearmint, supremely resolved tannins. Echoes of Haut-Brion/La Mission Haut-Brion. This old-school, Stags Leap District Napa cab came through in the clutch. Seemed to gather strength the longer it was open. Given that this particular bottle was not exactly mint, more than a bit curious as to how a decently stored example of this wine would perform. Van the Man was right. Wild night is calling. Come on out and dance. 05.16.25. @Shay A — a year ago

Doggfather

9.3

Gave this 1.5 hours to breath - just right. Was our last purchase from Bologna - paired perfectly with hand made tagliatelle with pesto sausage — 6 years ago

Wulf Losee

9.4

2015 opened 2020. This is a wine with a soft beginning, but it explodes at the end. Black tea and tobacco on the nose. Ripe fruit on the front (cassis and blueberries), and, although the fruit is sweet, it’s very restrained. The tannins are also restrained, but at the same time they’re solid and smooth with a gentle mouth feel on the mid palate. And like the guiding hand of an old friend, with a gentle insistence they lead you into a room where there’s a surprise party waiting for you. And the band starts playing as you enter the room. It’s an unexpected finale which is pretty spectacular, with all sorts of high notes overlaid on deeper earth tones. Then the earth notes fade, leaving the high notes vibrating into a long finish. This wine can only get better, but it’s fantastic right now. NOTE: after an hour in the decanter this wine completely opens a up and begins to fade. Frankly, I find it more interesting right out of the bottle then from an hour in the decanter. — 6 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.4

Gooseberry, bramble, violets, hint of sage. This is a full-bodied Merlot. However, the middle picks up a cola note but doesn't really go to a chocolate like the 2010 and 2012 had more of a tendency to do. This one really did not have a ton of acidity nor did it really have a ton of tannin to resolve. There was definitely enough tartrate in the bottle though! I really look for this one to continue aging quite nicely for another 10 to 15 years. But oh man, this one is drinking pretty darn nice right now. — 8 years ago

Roman Sukley

9.7

2010 Greer Cabernet Sauvignon from Rutherford, Napa Valley. 4 hour decant, deep crimson hued, this wine has a killer explosive nose of dark fruits, cinnamon, baking spices, menthol and flint. Chocolate covered cherries, cocoa and espresso mid palate, with a touch of nutmeg. Moderate trademark Rutherford dusty tannins in just the right proportion. Dense and concentrated. Beautifully layered with a silky mouth feel, and a lingering finish. In this age of $400-$500+ Napa Cabs, this wine takes a back seat to none of them. I’m a fan. You da man Rob Greer! — 8 years ago

UGAWineDawg

9.6

Man o man did this wine bring it. Dark inky color with a nose that told me spring is right around the corner, I could see the fruit clearly hanging under the canopy - flavors of dark fruits, touch of graphite and South Georgia fat blackberries. That dude Austin Peterson waved the wand on this one and created one fine Syrah - my go-to for date night with the smoking hot wifey. — 8 years ago

Jakub Kalinowski

9.3

Was looking for a Pinot with a bit more structure and opened up this - man, this has evolved beautifully over the last 2y! Showing such finesse & elegance right now, the tannins so fine & smooth and the fruit shining. This is really a beauty to open up now.
Red berries with undergrowth, some tree bark, a hint of exotic spice & orange zest, maybe a whiff of dark cherry. So fresh, so juicy, so enticing!!
On the palate this sings! Impeccably balanced, with great depth & elegance.
Wow. This is quite profound and a stunner!
What a beauty! — 2 years ago

Daniel M

9.2

Festive evening with friends right in the middle of the Beaujolais region. Bordeaux tonight, Beaujolais tomorrow... No notes

But man what a juice 🤤 — 5 years ago

Devin Bray

9.4

All fruit at Yarra Yering is hand-picked into 10kg picking buckets in the cool of the morning, and delivered direct to the winery. The fruit is sorted, then either destemmed or crushed into the traditional Yarra Yering “tea chest” 0.5-tonne open-fermenters. Depending on the variety, stalks may be added back during the fermentation stage in baskets for easy removal when there is just enough stalk tannin present.

Occasionally there will be some 100% whole bunch fermenters for use as a blending component. The stainless steel lined wooden tea chest fermenters were designed to hold just the right amount of fruit to fit into the basket press. During fermentation they are hand plunged for gentle tannin extraction, initiated naturally or sometimes with a specific cultured yeast strain.

Once fermentation is complete they will be basket pressed, preferred for its gentle separation of wine from the grape skins and seeds before being transferred via gravity to barrel.

Completes malolactic fermentation in French oak barrels.
Pleasingly unusual in its initial presentation, redolent of roasted carrots and turmeric, Indian spiced cauliflower. Resolves into a more familiar kalamata olive and ripe red fruit character, with some notes that push the profile towards a bigger, almost chocolatey, vanilla-laced Australian character with a velvety smooth, Syrah-like mouthfeel. The sweet glazed root vegetable flavors remain, quite welcome and delicious. — 6 years ago

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.5

I love this site. It’s so distinct and in the right hands makes 1er quality wine that’s like a mini Perrieres as it has the same super rocky poor soil. Meyer lemon, butter, grilled nuts, mineral, tree bark, so earthy and mineral. Palate is so elegant and just beautiful. Wow. Hauntingly elegant. So mineral with some buttery fruit but man this is wow. This has really caught me off guard. Fuck. What a beautiful wine. — 7 years ago

Thomas Brenner

9.3

Maliciously magnificent and majestically magical with it's masterful maelstrom of mature marjoram and fruit marmalade...among the best man may make. Stellar. Just a straight up stupendous stabber with it's stupefyingly sturdy structure, stand-alone stone fruit and St. Steven ordained staginesses right out of the stable. — 8 years ago

Carol Sigman

9.1

Silky smooth sweet cherries and vanilla with a hint of espresso. One of the oldest vineyards in Saint Emilion. Call out to the man, lovingly called “The Boogeyman”, for the great Left Bank/Right Bank 2012 horizontal tasting recommendation this evening. — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

On the nose; ripe, syrupy dark currants, blackberries, sweet slightly liqueured dark cherries, black plum, black raspberries, blue fruits, dark fruit gummy bears, tarry notes, black pepper, soft leather, dry brush, black licorice, caramel, dry crushed rocks, loamy dry top soil, violets, lilacs and lavender. The body is warm, thick, ultra rich, lush & elegant. The tannins are round & velvety but still have strength...50% resolved. It has another 10-12 years of good drinking ahead. The fruits are gorgeous & ripe; blackberries, sweet slightly liqueured dark cherries, black plum, black raspberries & lots of blue fruits & strawberries that paint the palate on the long set. A fair amount of tarry notes, black pepper, dry herbaceous notes (bay leaf), dry black olive, medium dark spice, dark chocolate, caramel, vanilla, clove, soft leather, dry brush, black licorice, dry crushed rocks, loamy dry top soil, violets, lilacs and lavender. The acidity is round & excellent. The long fruit driven finish is beautifully lush, elegant, well structured with near perfect balance. Photos of; Owner/Winemaker Roman Bratasiuk, their old gnarly 80-90 year old and low yielding vines and two of their vineyards. Producer history and notes...Clarendon Hills was founded in 1990 by Biochemist Roman Bratasiuks. Roman sought to further his passion for great wine by making some himself. Roman never trained as a winemaker. He planned on using his insight as a wine taster and scientist alike to dictate decisions. Roman sought to make a version of the wines he loved. The beginnings of Clarendon Hills effectively started in 1989 when he knocked on the door a local grower whose fruit he liked. A great friendship grew from from this by chance knock on the door. A handshake ensued and it became the first Clarendon Hills vineyard. On Saturday 24 February in 1990, Roman with just a bucket and secateurs arrived. Much to the growers shock, he began picking fruit himself. Roman started at 6 am and finished at 9 pm that evening; he picked half the entire vineyard himself and returned on Sunday the 25th to finish it. This process was repeated in a Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard which formed the 3 single site wines produced in 1990. Crushing was performed by Roman using empty bottles to squash the fruit in a bucket, then transferred by that bucket, to one of the 3 small ex-dairy tanks all bought for $100 and a quick, non-temperature controlled wild-yeast fermentation ensued. The wines were pressed in a borrowed basket press and matured in 3 separate third-hand barrels. The vintage was finished in 11 days. Much to Roman’s delight the wines were superb and they sold. With the money he bought more buckets, three more barrels and rent for a shed to house wines. The process was repeated the next year and the year after that. Clarendon Hills grew from his determination. This one man had to make wine after work and on the weekends after his 9-to-5 job. A local news paper even ran a story "Tin shed wines take on the world"; which made Roman cringe but slowly Clarendon Hills grew, it afforded him more equipment to make the process less labour-intensive and slowly grow his vineyard repertoire. In 1994, Roman left the Australian Government laboratories and devoted himself to Clarendon Hills 100%. In the 1994 vintage, Roman hired his first employee and rebranded his $30 Clarendon Hills Shiraz as 1994 Clarendon Hills Astralis. It was the first bottle in Australia to be priced at $100. It sold out. Roman went on for many years, making and selling the wines himself. Travelling the world over to show people the wines he made. Roman figured since he made the wine, he was the most logical choice to sell and represent his wine. This worked out so well, he continues to show the wines himself. Clarendon Hills produces; 8 Syrah, 6 Grenache, 3 Cabernet Sauvignon, a Merlot and Mourvedre wine. They are all single vineyards single varietal wines, produced from low yielding, dry grown old vines which are hand pruned and hand picked. All his wines are aged in high-quality French oak barriques. Quite a brilliant success story. This is also another wine I acquired on the secondary market for much less it’s release price and far less than their current release prices. It starts as a 9.3 with a half-hour decant. However, as it gets to an hour and half decant plus, it just gets better & better. Works it’s way to a 9.5 in a hour decant. — 9 years ago