Austin Hohnke

9.0

Off dry nama that is beautifully balanced. Just a pearl of RS with great weight and texture. Pair with tempura or uni. — 3 months ago

Joseph Guzzetta

9.0

Another winner from Trader Joe’s. — a year ago

Byron Fuller

9.4

Stunning. I often find I prefer LdH reasonably younger (GRs at the 10-15 year mark). This was vigorous, gorgeous, and very fine. Tiny bit of bricking but really still dark-core garnet color right on pour. Lovely nose of warm red fruit, flowers, that iconic snap of VA, and some forest floor action. But much less mushroomy & evolved than many other 70s GRs from the same house. Haunting, long palate true to nose— structured, crunchy fruit with no hard edges. Exceptionally long & evolving the whole time. All in all this has decades ahead and is evolving slowly and marvelously. No rush to drink up just to drink. — 3 years ago

Peter Sultan

9.0

Showed well my first time tasting a few years ago & still does: has snap &.freshness. Great foil for a Columbia county cookout. — 5 years ago

Mandy R

9.5

Light, fresh. Strawberries and slate with a hint of salt. A great Provence rosé. — 6 years ago

Kirk F

9.0

Cedarman is blend of Rattlesnake and Dragon vineyards, a zin with a 20% helping of petite sirah. On pnp this exhibits an intoxicating nose and you can just sense the plush palate ahead. Dark cherry, brambly and full bodied. This is a great value and delicious. Oh, and it went great with 🍕! — 7 years ago

Peter Sultan

9.1

A few years ago bought several bottles thinking I could medium age a few while I dipped in and out of tasting them. Now only one bottle left. Oops. I like best how its drinking now, has a nice acidic snap, had a broad, ungainly tomato-ey tone which now feels fresh & terroir specific, ie, red fruits incl wild raspberries & strawberries. Has the Beaujo straightforwardness I cherish. Weygandt imp. — 8 years ago

Austin Blackwell

9.3

This was a magnum drinking really nice right now 10 years out. — 5 months ago

with Angelina

Daniel Sullivan

9.5

Tobacco herby snap on red currant.
Balanced tangy acidity:) — 2 years ago

Peter Sultan

9.1

Adventuring past Lopez or Rioja Alta slways intrigues- this ‘12 beauty is broad & generous. Black fruited & rich, medium acidity. While Rioja Alta’s lineup may have finer tannins & more acidic snap on the back end, this is all about the fruit. — 4 years ago

with Owen

Robert Duncan

9.8

One of the better sake’s I’ve had — 5 years ago

Jessica Walkup

9.1

Amazing zinfandel, raspberries on the nose, smoky on the palate — 6 years ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Oh snap! The 2017 Amador County is an absolute cracker served at cellar temperature. Please don’t make the mistake of chilling these. On the nose, it’s stone fruits, lanolin and some sort of citrus blossom I think...it was was floral but I couldn’t pin it down. On the palate, this danced with minerals and a tongue smacking finish. Light and yet such a performer. A hit with everyone. Drink now or hold. — 7 years ago

Rajiv Patnam

9.2

Super clean with a light funky fruity finish, white tea, melon, lavender, cucumber — 8 years ago

Jon Ebsworth

9.0

Zesty fresh young white, a proper palate pleaser — 7 months ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.6

Chappellet – Malbec – 2022
Napa Valley (Pritchard Hill), California, USA 🇺🇸

Overview
A bold and unapologetically powerful 100% Malbec from Chappellet’s iconic Pritchard Hill estate, a site known for producing some of Napa’s most intense, structured, and deeply concentrated reds. Crafted by Phillip Corallo-Titus, this is no soft, plush Malbec: it’s a mountain-grown, high-tension version that delivers immediate impact and remarkable depth.

Aromas & Flavors
Black plum, blackberry compote, blueberry skin, cocoa, graphite, and dark spice. Subtle violet notes and a savory, mineral backbone that reflects the rocky hillside terroir.

Mouthfeel
Full-bodied and bone-dry, with gripping tannins and commanding structure. This is Malbec with power, layered, muscular, and unapologetically firm. The finish is long, dark, and seriously satisfying.

Food Pairings
Ribeye, lamb chops, smoked brisket, grilled sausages, peppered steak, or aged Manchego. Anything charred or protein-rich sings with this wine.

Verdict
A fierce, mountain-born expression of Malbec that redefines what Napa can do with the grape. Intense, structured, and explosively flavorful, this bottling is as rare stylistically as it is visually. A standout in the Chappellet lineup and a thrill for Malbec lovers seeking something more serious.

Did You Know?
The dragon on the label is “TeaCup,” the 14th character in Carissa Chappellet’s collectible dragon series. Each dragon is unique, playful, and designed to make these bottlings artistic keepsakes within the Chappellet portfolio.

🍷 Personal Pick Highlight
One of the boldest, most powerful Malbecs I’ve ever tasted from Napa, and naturally, that Pritchard Hill signature intensity shows through in every sip. Absolutely stunning. — 7 months ago

Josh Morgenthau

9.4

At first this is very mellow, but over time the perfume of light sweet red fruits, purple flowers and fresh sugar snap peas appears. A truly balanced and elegant wine, this has all the signature Raffault nuances; violet, spring rain, cedar and the prettiest manure scent I’ve ever smelled in a wine; unique to this vineyard, the smell of soil and flowers and new growth. Not quite as aromatic, tart and lean as the 2014 but just as powerful and riper. A little step up from the 2015 I think.

A week in the fridge and this is prettier than when it was opened. A definite keeper and maybe 9.5+ with time. — 4 years ago

Chris Shultz

9.2

Sugar snap peas and buttercream on the nose. Good minerals, good acidity, structure, linearity. Some grapefruit zest on the tongue and a lanolin, waxy finish. If this were my house white I’d guzzle this stuff. I need to see how it develops with some years in the cellar. — 6 years ago

Oh Li

9.0

Quite full bodied but not too much. Don’t feel the tannins and smooth. Not fruity. Love it. with DT and sudave — 7 years ago

Ichiro Kawachi

9.0

OMG how did Ikai sensei find both Nizaemon and Ishidaya on the same trip ? (he must be like a god). — 8 years ago