Joe DAscoli

9.4

Wow. The timing and oxygen on this bottle requires precision.

At opening there is some alcohol and weirdness that needs to blow off.

Within about 20-30 mins - the wine settles down and then it delivers just as you’d expect. Beautiful flavors.

Leave it out an hour and it begins to turn a bit. — a year ago

Jason Keefer

9.0

Any believe it’s 13 clams! Bursting with flavor, tart fruits, key lime, banana rind, and almost a little reisling petrol. Solid summer porch pounder! — 4 years ago

with Natasha

Nicole Ruiz Hudson

8.9

Fun, spritzy, refreshing .
Nose: lime skin, grapefruit, fresh white flowers and stones.
Palate: similar with green pear, white peach, key lime, and spritzy lift. — 5 years ago

Stephen Redenbaugh

9.2

Medium deep pink moving toward reddish orange. Citrus melange aroma... orange, blood orange, sour key lime and pink grapefruit. Powerful weight on the palate but round and creamy in texture. The finish is awesome—long, sweet, savory, lasting almost a minute... with just the slightest hint of funky, cheesy forest-floor. Perfect foil for fresh broiled salmon with grilled broccoli and a Dijon cream sauce. So very glad I kept this wine so long before popping... far from over the hill.. could see enjoying the wine at 25 years. What a wonderful pink wine! — 6 years ago

Willie Carter

8.9

A lovely Champagne that never tries to get beyond itself. Persistent small bubbles that never seem to stop with a fine mousse. Fresh brioche, apricots, and tart apples comprise the nose. Consistency is key here. This little sparkler is so solid and sturdy. Beautifully balanced, delivers at a high level that’s easily comparable to other big Champagne houses. Predominantly Chardonnay, there is a freshness and effervescence to these bubbles. Very bright and lively on the tongue, this is clearly a step above similar bottlings. Toasted almonds and toasted bread lead on the palate with vanilla and green apples bring up the rear. Such a solid, terrific Champagne, this should be your house bubbles. — 7 years ago

Chris England

9.4

II’ve loved all the Sandhi 2012 range of whites & this £65 S&B is superb 👍 Paired with enough curry to get a small village going regular for a week 🤣 💨 sorry I didn’t take pics of that feast 😁

📍 Sandhi Sandford & Benedict Santa Rita Hills Chardonnay 2012 @sandhiwines

🏵 94 points

🍷 Golden yellow

👃 Chopped pineapple, crushed rock mineral, lemon oil, key lime pie, honey gloop & white jasmine flowers w/ light oak, vanilla & apple

👄 Med+ body of creamy refreshing clean tropical & citrus yummyness without being overly syrupy & a hit of green apple, pineapple, honey & minerality in med acidity

🎯 Med+ fresh apple, citrus & tropical trickle w/ a dry mineral honeyed pineapple slapette — 8 years ago

Sarah Oettel

9.0

Nice citrus notes—lemon and key lime. Petrol, rubber. Crisp acidity. Really well balanced right now. — 8 years ago

Alessandro Dalle Carbonare

9.5

This is always a beautiful. At this stage it’s quite complex to understand. But it’s clear that with the time it’ll turn onto a special wine. — a year ago

leon egozi

9.3

The 305 wine group weekend in Key West- great times — 4 years ago

Chad Henderson

9.0

Nose is wood, leather and hint of stone fruit. Taste is pepper, leather and oak. Not picking up much fruit maybe black cherries. Finish is dry oak. This one has been in the wine fridge for probably 4 years. — 5 years ago

with Kristen

Jose Herrera

9.3

Golden yellow, Nose : key lime, green pear, apricot, salt and lime. Palate: light sweetness of honey and wax quickly taken over by high acid of tart lime peel/oil, and wet rock. Med length finish. Really enjoyed it. — 6 years ago

Josh Morgenthau

9.3

Very grassy. Key lime pie, green apple, and a load of primary yeast flavor. This is beautifully balanced and I think it will benefit from some time in bottle. Disgorged 2019 — 7 years ago

Byron C Mayes

8.9

Bright yellow gold. Inviting nose of yellow apple ale lightly buttered popcorn. Medium full bodied palate echoes the nose with medium plus acidity. Balance is key. Buttery to be sure, but everything else is there too. If you like the classic California style, this gives it in spades. Pair with lobster, roast chicken, or cream sauces. — 7 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.6

One of my all time favorites, the 1982 Cristal is magnificent. Fresh, nuanced and exceptionally beautiful, the 1982 remains one of the all-time great Cristals. Apricot, almond and chamomile nuances suggest the 1982 is just starting to turn the corner into its plateau of maturity. This bottle lacks a bit of excitement, but, then again, the 1982 Cristal is not exactly the sort of wine I get to taste on a regular basis, so it is possible this is not the best showing. Hopefully, I will get a chance to taste it again soon. Even so, well-stored bottles will drink well for another decade-plus. “In my opinion, 1982 is the first vintage of climate change in Champagne,” Lécaillon explains. “Sugars were higher than we were used to seeing. As a comparison, the 1981 Cristal is also concentrated, but it is concentrated by low yields. In 1982, we had high yields and elevated ripeness, meaning it was the sun that ripened the fruit.” (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, December 2018) — 8 years ago

Stefan Dolhain

9.4

2020 vintage. Another excellent Gloria. While it may not have the intensity and depth of the extraordinary 2016, there is a lot to like here. Blackcurrant, blueberries, blackberries, cedar wood, graphite, and the most subtle hint of vanilla jump out of the glass. In the mouth it has a light feel about it , even if it features concentrated black fruit due to the freshness that characterises this wonderful vintage. Purity, balance and elegance are key here while maintaining classic Saint-Julien power. Definitely of Grand Cru Classé quality. This estate is on a hot streak and still affordable. Highly recommended. Abv. 13,5% . — 4 years ago

Ericsson

9.4

See prior notes.

This has the power to turn any mediocre ordinary day into a good one. Especially when paired with some rotisserie chicken tacos with salsa and cold pasta; all done on the fly after a decent day’s work. That’s what wine’s all about after all. Isn’t it? — 4 years ago

Severn G

9.1

A pre-dinner bottle while we do meal prep tonight.

Prior notes still apply:
Nose has lime zest, lime juice, green hay, wet granite/limestone pebbles, oxidized green apple peel, polyethylene tubing and tangerine peel.
Palate has Key lime flesh, cold tangerine slice, apricot skin, wet-pulverized limestone, lemongrass, tangerine zest, (minor) dried apricot and light honey on the medium finish, medium acid, great balance. — 6 years ago

LM Segal

9.5

Softer everywhere than the ‘07 we drank alongside. On the nose a tad more lush, nothing green. More voluptuous - zaftig? - giving it a more feminine, sexy and velvety feel. Red fruit shroomier in tones and finish just a bit longer and lusher. If the ‘07s tannins turn right, could be heading in this direction but the ‘03s can be had for ~$100 and that’s a bloody bargain. — 6 years ago

with Melissa

Kimberly Anderson

9.1

Aromas of buttered popcorn that blew off to butter, citrus and white flowers. Viscous wine that coats the mouth, but not in an unpleasant way. Bright key lime and other citrus with fresh mineral crispness. Definitely some oak influence, but not the primary like with a chard — 7 years ago

Matt

9.2

Gorgeous turn around since LBT. Pure, ripe, delicious orchard fruits, brioche, toasted nuts, and chalk. Still a savory/starchy underpinning but this has opened up a lot. 2/2015 disgorgement — 8 years ago