Jay Kline

9.3

Checking in on the 2018 vintage. My notes from February 2024 still apply. If anything, this is more squarely in the window of where I like Rafanelli Zinfandel. Really delicious and I suspect it will remain that way for many years. Tons of sediment. Drink now through 2043+. — 4 days ago

Riccardo L.

9.2

This was the first wine i put on my delectable account like 12 years ago. Tastes just as good today. — 5 days ago

Henry K

9.8

Always incredible. Beautiful red fruits and florals. Very young, showed no heat, just an amazing wine. First one out of the case Ryan gave me. — 15 days ago

Eric Urbani

9.6

Laid this down in 2020 and opened for the occasion of my new great nephew Julian Rhys ! Drinking perfectly with the richness of almost a decade of age. Forgot how good this can be. — 19 days ago

Rick Phillips

9.6

Like most of Philip Tongi wines, this 20 year old is just hitting it’s stride. The nose has lush bold fruits, dark plums, blackberry with a hint of licorice. Some old leather, faint earthy tobacco. Decanted for two hours found a refined texture. Smooth with some sediment, lushness is highlighted by the boldness of the flavors. The finish lingers…
— 15 days ago

with Letha

Jay Kline

9.5

Opened about 90min prior to service; enjoyed over the course of a few hours. The 2001 Monte Bello pours a deep garnet with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with lovely notes of black currants, blackberries, plum, tobacco, purple flowers, an intoxicating mix of exotic Eastern spices, some cocoa, inorganic earth and minerals. On the palate? The wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose, the finish is long and impeccably balanced. To my palate, this bottle has reached the age when Monte Bello starts to really become interesting. What a delight! Drink now with some air, through 2051. — 24 days ago

Todd Anderson

9.2

Drinking very nicely but a delicate wine. Need to swish it to get to taste the fruit and earth. Drink now - unclear benefits to aging further. — 25 days ago

Tom Garland

9.4

Heitz/Stony Hill/Haynes/Burgess
La Paulee Dinner
Guest Chef: Shota Nakajima

WINE:
1997 Heitz Martha Vineyard
2012 Heitz trailside
1987 Heitz Bella oaks
2009 Heitz Martha Vineyard
2021 Burgess blanc de blanc
2022 Haynes Corazon Chardonnay
2022 Ink Grade estate merlot
2022 Heitz Martha Vineyard cab
2023 Stony Hill Cote Rouge cab
2021 Burgess Clos Abeille cab

FOOD:
Mushroom tart, corn tempura, Dashi w/uni
Chawanmushi with crab, sweet corn
Cured Kanpachi
Cedar smoked black cod
A5 waygu
Matcha Turamisu

Home ranch, Napa — 10 days ago

with Brenda

Ming L

9.2

The house style is still here with ripe, slightly over extracted blue fruits, baking spices, cocoa, and a plush velvety palate. But the fruits become less confectionary and some savory components have emerged. Acidity seems more apparent. Really nice integration.

I think Pinot bottlings from Belle Glos are at their best with 5-8 years bottle aging. This is another proof. — 15 days ago

Scott E. Becker

9.2

[Tasted on September 11, 2026 at Home with Jay]

This is the first vintage after Realm assumed responsibility for farming Farella Vineyard in Coombsville, so this is an Estate bottling. Blackberry, black currant and black plum fruit, with cedar, tobacco, spice and earth. Dark and brooding. — 4 days ago

John Howard

Harvest production at Hirsch and Cobb Wineries

9.4

Not as good as expected. A little tired. Nice tho. Day 3, so good! Time and air made this insane. Love, — 3 days ago

Tom Garland

9.2

3rd vintage from the Kronos vineyard.

Decant for sediment(decent chunky sediment) and pour. A beautiful medium ruby red color with bricking. On the nose: Captivating notes of sweet red fruit, forest floor, floral, menthol, cigar, charcuterie. Taste: silky, layered, still alive and delicious wine with dried blueberry/cherry, damp earth, leather, loamy soil, minerals, and a licorice espresso medium plus dry finish. YUM! What a treat to drink tonight. — a month ago

with Brenda

Ray Vanderhoff

9.3

Dark garnet color with a ruby core. Aromas of dark berry fruit, forest floor, lavender and smokey vanilla. Flavors of black cherry, blueberry and blackberry fruit with additional flavors of black licorice, baking spices, savory herbs and roasted nuts. That smokey/oaky vanilla flavor extends to the long and silky finish. More weight, heft, power and concentration than your typical Pinot Noir. The bright acidity balances this wine beautifully. Outstanding! Thanks to Kase and Petey for bringing this wine on our 2026 Cape May, NJ vacation. — 5 days ago

Tom Garland

9.5

Diamond Creek Vineyards
Decades of Rarities event...........
1993, 2003, 2013 library vintages along with the newly released 2023 vintage. With winemaker Graham Wehmeier.

All from 3Liter:
1993 gravelly meadow
1993 red rock terrace
1993 volcanic hill
2003 gravelly  meadow
2003 red rock terrace
2003 volcanic hill
2013 gravelly meadow
2013 red rock terrace
2013 volcanic hill
2023 gravelly meadow
2023 red rock terrace
2023 volcanic hill

@Diamond Creek Vineyards,  Napa — 3 days ago

with Brenda

Tom Garland

9.2

1 hour decant(decent sediment). A striking purplish crimson red color. On the nose: Seductive perfumed notes of red fruit, herbaceous, leather, mint, milk chocolate, cedar. Taste: silky, rich, wine with dark cherry/blackberry, minerals, graphite, chocolate espresso, earth, and a smokey spiced slightly astringent tar long lingering finish with some still there tannic kick. — 18 days ago

with Brenda

Jay Kline

9.2

Opened about two hours prior to service; enjoyed over the course of a couple hours. The 1985 pours a deep garnet color with an orange rim and a slightly hazy, near opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of dried, desiccated blackberries, pipe tobacco, leather, organic earth and warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin (integrated) and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. A lovely, mature wine that should be enjoyed over the next several years. Drink now through 2030. — 18 days ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.6

Blend 51% Cab Sauv, 22% Merlot, 14% Cab Franc, 8% Malbec, 5% Petit Verdot, very deep Ruby red color, slight brown edges. Opened in 2026. Interesting wine, at first open, encountered aromas of leather, barnyard & earthy funk, after 30 minutes, started to note aromas of dried black fruits, spice & cigar box, slight forest floor, continued to get better after 60 min. Palate showed black cherry, blackberry, choc flavors with tobacco, cedar & spice. Firm drying tannins, persistent acidity, long finish ending with fruit, cedar, spice, & earthy character. Nice! — 4 days ago

Joe Flo

9.7

Fantastic wine🍇 🍷 — 3 days ago

Stephen Osgood

9.0

delicious biodynamic Sta Rita pinot. tons of salinity and characteristic terroir. — 16 days ago

Bryan Vogt

8.9

Past peak on this. Raisin and prune are prominent and little fruit left on the palette. — 8 days ago