Justin Bothur

8.9

Punches above. — a month ago

AEL

9.0

I think this punches way above it's weight. Soft, full feel to it, with a doughy, almost grainy note under the ripe fruit. Spicy, slightly alcoholic on the tongue. Great cost/benefit ratio. — 4 months ago

John Roselli

8.9

Pale straw/gold, with crustals on the cork; tart apple (not surprising given the crystals) and baking spice in the nose; full, silky mouthfeel with sour apple predominating; decent finish given this is a ‘22 being drunk in April ‘24, lingering puckery tart notes. Had with pasta and homemade marinara, the body and tartness stood up well. — 5 months ago

Willie Carter

9.0

This is just a really really good wine. Outstanding even. Deep dark purple in the glass with a wide brim. Violets and white flower aromas on the nose initially with a ton of powerhouse red and black fruits following closely behind. Dried herbs and smoke accompanying. Smoked tobacco and underbrush. There’s a bit of oak but it’s hiding playfully in the background.

70/30 Cabernet Sauvignon/Syrah from the Santa Cruz Mountains. Definitely a major step above other Cali blends, this has brains and beauty. Big and full bodied. Fun and full of character with silky tannins. The palate is electric with a continuation of those dark fruits along with milk chocolate and more herbs. A long finish with black pepper makes you instantly pour another glass and that’s a bit of a shame because if you show patience, this wine will reward you. — 2 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

So, I am reposting this with realtime notes because I couldn’t a few weeks ago. I had it again tonight only with a Wagyu NY steak. While it went well with the steak, I think it shows even better on its own it’s that soft & elegant. I slightly over peppered my steak tonight and that could have contributed to that thought. I bought six more bottles last week for a ridiculous $39.99. For under $40, you’d be hard pressed to find a a better quality, drinkable Bordeaux at that pricepoint. I know if anyone researched the reviews on the bottling there would no scores 90 or above. Most or all I believe would be slightly below 90.

The thing that time & experience has taught me is trust in Clyde Beffa the owner of K&L Wine Merchants. He brings in older Bordeaux’s directly from Chateaux’s or Negotiants well after the fact as he has here and done very successfully for over 40 years. I have bought these kinds of older Bordeaux bottling’s to avoid drinking my wines that need cellaring too soon. Again, he has brought in a lesser Bordeaux regions and or Bordeaux producers that through long bottle evolution yielded magic after young critical reviews.

The nose reveals; older, musty funk on well aged, beautiful, ripe fruits of; soft blackberries, black raspberries, dark sweet cherry kirsch, stewy black plums, baked strawberries, dry rhubarb & cranberries. Baking soda, red fruit cola, steeped tea leaves, aged, dryish tobacco, well used leather, soft cedar to sandalwood, sandstone powder, mix of dry & fresh herbs, moist volcanic clay, limestone marl, dry river stone, well evolved and smoothed out lead pencil shavings, caramel hues, melted, warm, dark chocolate cake w/ frosting, classic older Bordeaux funk, withering to withering to dryish flowers that are dark & red.

The color isn’t even very brickish. Some barnyard, funk on well aged, beautiful, ripe fruits that are; soft blackberries, black raspberries, dark sweet cherry kirsch, stewy black plums, baked strawberries, dry rhubarb & cranberries. Baking soda, red fruit cola, steeped tea leaves, aged, dryish tobacco, well used leather, soft cedar to sandalwood, sandstone powder, mix of dry & fresh herbs, moist volcanic clay, limestone marl, dry river stone, well evolved classic, older, softened lead pencil shavings, caramel hues, melted, warm, dark chocolate cake w/ frosting, classic older Bordeaux funk, fresh to withering dryish flowers that are dark & red. Spring rainfall acidity with a well evolved, elegant, balanced, still nicely structured/tensioned, soft elegant finish that lasts two-minutes and falls on dry, well resolved tannins and perfect earthiness. Soft & complex as all get out! A steal at this price!

Photos of; the Chateau, stainless steel tanks, barrel room and Estate vineyards. — 2 months ago

Adam Kincaid

9.0

Punching above its weight class, but that’s what I would expect from P&H. This 2017 is just a beauty right now. Wonderful scents of toasted almond, vanilla, and melon. Pear and green apple are complimented with some mint like herbaceousness and mineral strength. Really pretty. — 2 years ago

with Jillian

Byron Hewett

9.1

Wine geek wine! From a vineyard above Perrieres that was filled in and as a result this wine has to be called Bourgogne. Very stony, somewhat austere, but tasty. — 3 months ago

Ron Siegel

9.2

Great drinking Burg that drinks well above its under $40 tariff. A wine I have purchased every year since being introduced at la paulee — 5 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

From the Piedmont region, Barbaresco sub-region, 100% Nebbiolo grapes grown in the hills above above Barbaresco. Ruby with aromas of sweet dark berry fruit with herb notes. Aged for 2 years on oak showing flavors of black cherry and strawberry with hints of black pepper and tobacco, nice balance and structure. Fine soft tannins on long finish ending with earthy tones. Will age well. Pair with a veal piccata and roasted vegetables. — a year ago

Alan Weinberg

9.3

shockingly hits above its weight with very pretty fruit and texture. It’s really a gorgeous wine, dark plummy fruit in a very elegant package. Tannins augur for a long evolution. Really impressive. — 2 years ago