Pinotman /// Andreas

9.1

4 bottles within a week. Corks are in trouble they all seeped. Their top bottling in 2009 one barrel made / 60 year old vines / clone no idea? Still quite tannic. Needs 1 hour to open up before that flat/dull. Raspberries, tart cherry, red currant, chalky. Less complicated compared to 5 years ago some bottle variation. My strong advice - drink now (I re-corked 2 for 2029 for science). But honestly this is beyond its prime! OK gains significant elegance and pose after 2 hours of air. So yes still good but tough to figure out - and recommendation still the same drink up! May be folks luck out on the upside. — 5 months ago

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

Mike Saviage

9.3

Light gold color, youthful. Cochey nose. Notes of match stick and petrol, citrus fruit, some gravel and dry dirt, and some tan spice. Rich and glycerol in the mouth. Lots of fruit and acidity. Missing a little in the mid palate but overall great stuff. — 5 years ago

Drew Bublitz

9.5

2015 vintage. Absolutely delectable — pun intended for my first post ;) it has the depth that I love with the super smooth finish. No imperfections of sourness or jammyness. This is delicious and makes we want to figure out why — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

Charles strikes again.

I said weeks ago, I’d rather drink Charles Hendricks Pinot in futures @ $75 vs. the 09 Marcassin we had two weeks back @ $150+ winery or $225+ on the secondary market. This 14, while still young, proves that point and will only continue to get better.

It’s about as luxurious as Ca Pinot gets. Just supple, soft & elegant as body gets. Candied, floral fruits of ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, blue fruits, lean purple fruits, dry cranberries, strawberries, plums, delicate but darks spices, cinnamon stick, vanillin, nutmeg & touch clove, salted caramel, mocha powder, limestone & grey volcanics, dry crushed rocks hints of peppered grilled meats, fresh & dry tobacco, dry stems/twigs, sage dominated dry Provence herbs, splash of mint/eucalyptus, tree sap with bright candied, fresh & slightly withering florals of; dark, red, purple, blue set in a field of violets & some lavender. The acidity is perfect. The long finish is; extremely well balanced & polished, elegant, fresh, just the right amount of candied with a long, dark spice finish in the long set.

The 14 really started to excel after an hour plus in the decanter.

Photos of; the outside of the Hope & Grace tasting room in downtown Yountville where you will find Charles Hendricks wines. He makes Hope & Grace wines as well. One of my favorite paintings that used to sit behind their tasting bar but, is now in Charles house. It is very Pollock like! Winemaker/Co-owner Charles Hendricks and a vineyard in region of the Santa Lucia Highlands. — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Merry Christmas Eve-Eve everyone! 🎄🎅🤶⛄️❄️🎁🍷

On the nose, leap dark currants & cassis with bright red, dark, blue & purple florals at pop & pour. Ripe; blackberries, dark cherry kirsch, plum, mulberries, blueberries, poached & strawberries, black raspberries & raspberries. Black licorice, star anise, dark chocolate bar, volcanic & limestone, steeped fruit teas, dark cola, sweet tarry notes, black, rich, turned earth, mid, dark spices, cinnamon stick, clove, nutmeg, vanilla, barrel shavings with char, dry brush, leather, fresh tobacco, granite, some eucalyptus, mint notes, light, dry herbs with fresh & some withering red, dark, purple and blue, fresh and slightly candied florals.

The body is; round, ripe, & rich. The tension, structure, length and balance are just beginning their sweet spot. The tannins are; rounding, tarry & still chewy. Plenty of life left in the 09...8-10 years. Dark currants & cassis. Ripe; blackberries, dark cherry kirsch, plum, mulberries, blueberries, poached & strawberries, cherries, black raspberries & raspberries. Black licorice, star anise, dark chocolate bar, volcanic & limestone, dry, crushed rocks, dry stems, steeped fruit teas, dark cola, sweet tarry notes, black, rich, turned earth, mid, dark spices, cinnamon stick, clove, nutmeg, vanilla, milk chocolate, mocha, caramel, barrel shavings with char, dry brush, leather, fresh tobacco, granite, some eucalyptus, mint notes, light, dry herbs with fresh & some withering red, dark, purple and blue, fresh and slightly candied florals. The acidity is round & spot on. The ripe, rich, ruby, elegant, balanced & polished finish is splendid and persists nicely on the palate with mid, dark spice on the long set. So much better with this much age. Really delicious tonight!

A steal now at under $35 upon release at Costco.

This wine is close to its peak and will hover there 3-4 years.

Photos of; the Estate, old large oak vats and David Heitz.
— 7 years ago

Sharon Su

9.2

2017. 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot,, 10% Malbec. Classic Cab blend from CA. Big and bold. Needs to be decanted and can also age more. — 6 months ago

Turd Ferguson

9.3

Lean and a bit tart. Red fruits a little hazy barrel spice. Cool disposition. Delicious. Edit day two: fleshes out a bit. Increased score. — 9 months ago

Paul J

9.2

The conundrum with Continuum continues :)

PnP’d, thought that might be the trick. Was great to start but after 20-30 minutes devolved into a strange, astringent Napa Cab or CDP. Still can’t figure this wine out. — a year ago

with Brooke

Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.5

The 4th vintage now of the greatest Bourgogne Blanc in the world. Just a massively complex nose of wet stones, incisive minerality, dash of oak, lime zest, lemon drop that is pure as the driven snow. Just a shockingly incredible nose that screams 1er cru Chassagne all the way. So layered and so deep a new nuance every time you stick your nose in the glass. The palate, as usual, overdelivers with just stunning concentration and lemon flesh intensity and drop dead, drool worthy purity. It’s round yet incredibly fresh and deep. What a finish that just lingers and lingers with a sweet lemon-lime intensity on a bed of minerals. Easiest 9.5 I’ve ever given. Wow what purity. Has that amazing combo of sweet, rich, salty and mineral. This is brilliant A1 winemaking. So slippery on the finish. This is wide open and more open than the 19 was at this phase of its evolution. Just a stunning stunning wine.

As this airs it gets more stunning. Tree bark, saline, iodine, white flowers and more! Superb concentration and density but also round and fresh. Lemony fruit but right now the salty sweet minerals abound. Just a miracle of a wine. — 5 years ago

Jake Hajer

9.1

Lighter bodied. Fruity of strawberry, hickory and a little funky woodsy, mushroom. Yum! — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Some friends of ours brought this to our backyard dinner last night. This is not a producer I buy. So, it was nice to revisit and nice of them to share.

The first thing I would say, is this is a well made Pinot Noir. Having said that, I don’t buy it due to its pricing. If you are buying this from the winery, its price point is still too high for it’s quality and gets worse yet when you go to the secondary markets which, many do, due to its limited production & wait on their list.

I say this because I have had countless examples of Sonoma & CA Pinot Noirs that are as good for $75 or around that price point give or take a little. The Hendricks Pinot from Santa Lucia is a similar style and for me, is better than this Marcassin. The Hendricks is $75 on futures buying.

Our friends that brought it, whom we share a mutual friendship with another Sommelier. He told them they had to drink this as it was getting old. I can tell you that is simply not the case. This wine has another 7-10 years of fine drinking ahead. These statements happen when your consuming wine regiment is based on a steady stream of always drinking wines young...It just happens.

The wine shows beautiful mid & dark candied, floral fruits, heavy baking spices and too much cinnamon stick for me. Beautiful, dark, red, blue and purple florals. It is well balanced, lush, elegant, polished with nice round acidity.

A very nice wine just overpriced IMHO. You can do just as well for less and you would only lose out on the fact you are feeling good about opening a cult name Pinot for yourself or to impress others. Not a dig, just the wine psychology that experience has led me to through the devotion of studying wine and consumers feedback. Not all, but enough to call it what it is. I myself have fallen prey to those emotions & I’m sure will again.

Photo of, Marciassin Winery, Helen Turley-Co Owner, Ryan O'Donnell-Winemaker and a Sonoma vineyard they source fruit. — 6 years ago

TJ Maxwell

9.0

Iapetus figure 3 2018 vintage.
100% Marquette (Rose). Ruby color, berry nose, fresh berry flavors too. Lambrusco-ish. Very fun wine. Great w pizza — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.8

I have posted a number of older vintage Jones Family Cabernets. Many 20 yrs and older. Three to four 97’s…none better than this one. I give few wines a score above 96. This is different. It is so close to perfect. Some might give it a 100. I struggle to give a wine a perfect 100. I have only done it 4 times in an estimated 25k wines tasted or bottles I’ve enjoyed. One was a port made before 1886 and tasted in Oporto at Taylor Fladgate’s tasting room in 2015, it was their Scion. Only sold there and at the time 5k at bottle. You end up there purchase the Scion taste regardless of the current cost. They put on a tasting show for you. I am half tempted here to give out a 100 but will refrain.

I am not sure what to add to that but will attempt to do so.

The nose is a beautiful, perfectly evolved Napa Cabernet. Nothing overpowers any of its singular components. I think the word I am looking for is harmony. Lush, plush, ruby dark currants/cassis. The best, mid, subtle/gentle/soft, dark spice box I certainly can remember, lush blackberries, both plums, dark, not quite liqueur cherries, a mix of subtle purple fruits, poached to baked strawberries, some light hints of raspberries, dark sweet tarriness, melted dark chocolate, anise to black licorice, steep fruit tea leaning into black tea, sweet/soft leather, moist tobacco, sandalwood, dark, rich forest floor, sweet graphite, hints of dry twig, a flutter note of eucalyptus, dry, withering & slightly candied florals that are; dark, red & blue & framed in light lavender with more pronounced liquid violets.

The palate wire to wire is even & stupidly, gloriously, grand. It mirrors the nose very closely. Lush, plush, ruby dark currants/cassis. The best mid, subtle/gentle/soft, dark spice box w/ some light palate heat, best I certainly can remember, lush blackberries, both plums, dark, kirsch not quite liqueur cherries, a mix of subtle purple fruits, poached to baked strawberries, some light hints of raspberries, dark sweet tarriness, melted dark chocolate, anise to black licorice, steep fruit tea leaning into black tea, beautifully layered baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon stick & vanillin, caramel, sweet/soft leather, moist tobacco w/ a hint is ash, sandalwood, dark, rich forest floor, dry, crushed rock powder, dry top soil, crushed limestone powder, sweet graphite, hints of dry twig, a fluttering note of eucalyptus, dry, withering & slightly candied florals that are; dark, red & blue framed in light lavender with more pronounced liquid violets, perfect, rainfall acidity, extremely well balanced, even & subtle tension-structure that stands up on the long set, refined elegance with a finish that goes on and on and eventually lands on spice & beautiful, refined earthiness.

What a bottle! 98 that leans into 99. I paid somewhere between $80-$90 on the secondary market for this bottle. — 8 months ago

Pinotman /// Andreas

9.3

Beats the 2015 Thörle Hölle with ease. Soft mellowed out. Cardamom, orange zest, hint oregano, plenty tannins. Faint cherry. Needs air - give it 1h at least! In Germany 2015 was considered one of the best vintages ever. Can run another 5-6 years. For some reason i love the the E&M off vintages more - go figure? With air this further improved lime and more pronounced cherry. — 2 years ago

MaJ CappS

9.0

A warm and wonderfully appealing nose of berry scone.

Saline soaked fruits here, in this medium bodied wine. Blackberry (fully ripe) prune, cranberry juice, mint, popsicle stick tannin and loquat acidity. A really lovely, enjoyable wine, from a winery I have come to really, really enjoy.
🍷 — 5 years ago

Paul K

9.3

Champagne is great. Trying to figure out how to leverage my kids water bottle to take to work... Happy New Years to you all. May 2021 bring each of you great wine! — 6 years ago

Kristen Beavers Haynes

9.6

Full bodied and high alcohol. Medium tannins and berry notes — 6 years ago

Kurtis Epp

9.3

Quite different to a traditional Cabernet, but very nice nonetheless. Quite a woody bouquet, but oak is subdued upon tasting and fruit really shines. A bit of cherry on the finish. — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

A longtime friend visited us today at our rental property. We have an annual Christmas tradition of me giving him a bottle of Pinot and a coffee cake (homage to my mother’s Christmas coffee cake) and he shares his allocation of Sea Smoke. He gave us this bottle awhile back and a 2015 Southing today. In honor of our tradition, we are enjoying this 2010 tonight.

The nose reveals; mulberries, boysenberries, plum, dark cherries, blueberries, fresh & dry cranberries, poached strawberries, raspberries hovering on the edge of the glass, steeped fruit teas, touch smoke & soft grilled meats, subtle, sweet, tarry notes, dark, rich soils, dark chocolate, limestone, crush, dry rocks, understated caramel/mocha notes, bay leaf, soft sage, dry stems, dark, fruit licorice, light, dark spice, clove, nutmeg, hints of vanillin, barrel char with fresh & withering, slightly candied, dark, red, blue & purple flowers.

The body is round, full, lush and velvety. It glides beautifully over the palate. The 2010 is around its peak with 5-8 years of good drinking ahead. She is an elegant beauty. The tension, structure, length and balance are in a great place for many but, I think even better in 2-3 years. Mulberries, boysenberries, plum, dark cherries, blackberries, blueberries, fresh & dry cranberries, poached strawberries, raspberries haunting the secondary fruits, steeped fruit teas, touch smoke & soft grilled meats, subtle, sweet, tarry notes, dark, rich soils, dark chocolate, limestone, crush, dry rocks, understated caramel/mocha notes, bay leaf, soft sage, menthol, dry stems, dark, fruit licorice, perfect, dark spice with just the right amount of palate heat, clove, cinnamon stick, nutmeg, hints of vanillin, barrel char with fresh & withering, slightly candied, dark, red, blue & purple flowers. The acidity is nearly perfect & holds back the slightly higher ABV. The long finish is a darling, elegant, sexy, beauty with great balance & polish polish for days that slides into a spicy, round & drier, tarry, tannin presence that persists minutes.

Photos of; two of their single vineyard Pinot’s, branded barrel and Winemaker- Victor Gallegos. — 7 years ago