Ron from VA

9.3

Wonderfully delicious four variety state blend from the foothills of the Blue Ridge. Exquisite viticulture - careful treatment in the wine room. Vibrant and energetic. Elegant and pure class. Red fruits and structure. — 7 months ago

Martinez

9.0

My first Virginia wine. Petit Manseng (and a small amount of Chardonnay and Pinot Gris) from different vineyards around Madison, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in central Virginia. Rich, creamy. Baked apple and tropical fruit notes. Great with food — 3 years ago

Ron from VA

9.1

This PM did everything right, that all you can ask for, eh!?! It had character of profile (tropical, floral, then a racy finish). A real sophisticated wine from a new rookie winemaker :) — 5 years ago

Diana Cristina Patiño

9.0

Cheers to more blue skies in northern California! 💙 The 2017 Syrah, Grenache, Mataro from Ridge Vineyards is a lovely new world GSM blend 🍷

62% Syrah
27% Grenache
11% Mataro (Mouvedre)

This Syrah dominated wine exhibits aromas of red currant, raspberries, plums, thyme, cedar, oak, and some pepper. On the palate, you'll get a fruit driven viscous sensation probably as a result of the malolactic fermentation. The seemingly sweet tobacco flavors linger on the palate with a slightly bitter aftertaste.

14.2% ABV. Medium-plus body.

This Southern Rhone style wine did great on a Thursday night! 🍷

Cheers!

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#gsmblend #gsmwine #rhonestyle #rhonestylewines #ridgewines #californiawine #syrah #syrahwine #mataro #matarograpes #winegirlwines — 6 years ago

Justin Hansohn

9.1

It’s pretty easy to over-do Syrah in this location. Desire Lines does a phenomenal job of keeping dessert-like pleasure and seriousness of terroir in check. Lifted and fruited like a modern northern Rhône or Cru beaujolais with a little less seriousness to boot but also this is young and booming. Held straight for 5 days. Get the feeling that this will resolve very slowly over time to show more what earthy and cool characteristics it has in its hand. This wine feels extremely stable and a kaleidoscope of possibilities lay herein. — 7 years ago

ESF

9.2

What a beauty! Discovered this little winery in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mtns and they make really outstanding wines... drank thru entire lineup & was struck by consistent balance, purity & density of fruit. This is a blend with beautiful structure, tons of fruit, smoke / spice / some Earth, lingering finish. Seek them out if you can! — 7 years ago

Kristen Schott

9.0

I loved the whole experience of this vineyard, including this slightly peppery cab franc — 8 years ago

Bill Mowry

9.1

Dug deep into my collection for this last bottle of Sierra Foothills region Zin. Still has pepper and chocolate with some raspberry. — a year ago

with Cristian

Sharon B

9.2

A very nice Chenin Blanc that a friend brought back from a winery near Blue Ridge — 4 years ago

Vanessa

9.1

Château Thivin, Côte de Brouilly, Vintage 2019, ABV 14.1%.

Côte de Brouilly is a Beaujolais Cru named after the blue volcanic hillsides from which this wine comes, and where Château Thivin is located, in the northern part of the Beaujolais region. 🇫🇷

This wine is made exclusively from Gamay grapes which were grown on old vines, which may have contributed to the concentrated fruit aromas and flavors of this wine.  🍇

This wine has a nice structure. It is dry with medium(+) acidity, a medium(+) body, high alcohol, medium(-) tannins, and medium(+) intensity of aromas and flavors including black cherry, blackberry, plum, raisin, violet, lavender, chalk and slate. It has aging potential, but is delish even as a baby.

This wine was aged for 6 months in oak foudres prior to bottling.

We’ve paired this wine with a chicken schnitzel and a watercress-apple and fennel relish. It is a lovely complement. — 5 years ago

with Deked1

Ron from VA

9.0

This was worth the 5+ years I waited and invested in this rappahannock co (?) family wine. Really sang herbal harmony with wifey’s perfect Wooloomooloo BeefStew Roast. Tannins have tempered at 7yrs+ to let the sweet red fruit sing a few solo lines. — 6 years ago

Scott Arnold

8.9

Excellent sav blanc with fine balance, bite, and zest. Great food wine. Great winery! 2017 vintage. — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

We have been working on our South Africa and Egypt trip for months. Diligently doing research and talking about it daily.

One of our stops will be a week on the Western Cape or as many define it, Stellenbosch. It has always been on my wine region bucket list for its wines and beauty. One of my goals was to find some excellent producers of Pinotage.

This Beeslaar is the private label of the Winemaker at Kanonkop, Abrie Beeslaar. Abrie makes a black label Kanonkop that sells retail at $200. That’s right, $200! It must be deliriously good if they can get $200 for it.

I found this 2016 Beeslaar at K&L for just under $37. It’s the 1st Pinotage that has my eyes wide open as to what can’t be done with this difficult varietal in the right hands. If his private label is this good, I hope to visit Kanonkop and taste their black label.

The nose reveals; dark chocolate raisins, dark eastern spices, plum and black cherry, blueberries, baked strawberries, blackberries, black raspberries, black raisin currants, smokiness and grilled meats, black pepper and a touch of white, some green vegetal notes, cinnamon, dark chocolate mocha bar, dark fruit steeped tea, gravely schist, touch of coffee grounds, dark fruit roll-ups, leather, tobacco with ash with fresh, dark red & blue florals.

The body is full, thick and rich. There is a dark, tarry, dusty tannin structure. This will benefit from 3-5 years plus in bottle but, it is crazy good. Sound, firm; structure, big tension, long length and very good balance. Dark chocolate raisins, smokiness and grilled meats, dark eastern spices that brings pronounced heat to the palate, black plum, plum and black cherry, blueberries, baked strawberries, blackberries, black raspberries, raspberries, black raisin currants, dark berry bubblegum, black pepper and a touch of white, tree bark with a touch of sap, some green vegetal notes, cinnamon, dark chocolate mocha bar, dark fruit steeped tea, gravely schist, dry stones, touch of coffee grounds, dark fruit roll-ups, new un-smoothed leather, tobacco with ash with fresh, dark red & blue florals. The acidity is round and splendid. The elegant, rich finish runs ripe fruits to dry tannins with dusty earth and shows an even tug of war with its fruits and earthiness.

It drinks like a combination of; Grand Cru Gamay, Shiraz and Northern Rhône.

I will be getting more of this and forgetting about it for 5 more years. Can’t wait for that moment and noting the changes.

This wine raises my excitement level for our trip with each sip.

Pinotage is a grape variety made from a cross of Pinot Noir & Cinsaut that was created in South Africa in 1925 by Abraham Izak Perold, the first Professor of Viticulture at Stellenbosch University...making it one of the youngest grape varietals.

Photos of; a shot of just how beautiful Cape vineyards can be, Winemaker-Abrie Beeslaar, Pinotage fruit near harvest and field-hands harvesting their very tall vines. Beeslaar has no Cellar Door currently. — 7 years ago

Ron from VA

9.3

A taste of terroir! Structure and varietal accuracy! Very French/Loire in nature with the richness of Virginia — 2 years ago

Vanessa

9.3

Hello, California Syrah!!

From everything we’ve read, the Alder Springs Vineyard sounds like a truly majestic place.

It’s isolated in an undeveloped part of northern Mendocino County, situated in California’s North Coast region, where the steep and rugged terrain meet sweeping views of the ocean, bordered by rivers, redwoods, and snowcapped mountains… elevation stretches up to 1,800 feet above sea level.

It’s no wonder so many acclaimed producers, like Pax Mahle, source their fruit from here, where vines are sustainably farmed and cared for by Stuart Bewley. We were fortunate to visit Pax in Sebastopol in 2022, where we picked up this 2011 Cahto Ridge Alder Springs Vineyard Syrah. We’ve been waiting patiently to taste it. And here we are.

100% Syrah. Whole cluster fermented. Aged 12 months in neutral French oak barrels.

This wine is deep ruby trending towards garnet. The aromas are concentrated with ripe boysenberry, black cherry, blackcurrant, next to violet, black peppercorn, licorice, cured meat, peat moss, smoke, clove, leather and olive notes. On the palate, it is dry with medium (+) acidity, a medium (+) body, high alcohol (14.6% ABV), medium (+) fine-grained tannins, and a long, elegant finish.

It’s both elegant and wild all at the same time and we love it.

Cheers! — 2 years ago

with Deked1

Sharon B

9.1

A yummy semi sweet wine from my girlfriend for my birthday. Nice long lingering finish. — 5 years ago

with Julie

Dr.Meandor

9.0

Sensual, captivating, caressing, stupendous & utterly fresh 100%Viognier aged in inox for 7 months.
Dedicated 4ha plot at at foothills of Caucasian mountains (5km to Black Sea).

Pale lemony, light emerald glitters.
Refined and delicate yet confident nose of saturn peach, mango, white plum pith, wet stones, thyme, apricot, pear, canned pineapple, white currant leaf, white grapefruit, blooming lemon, lily of the valley, with very touch of white pepper.
Crisp and focused palate. Medium body (12.5%), vibrant acidity. Decently mineral of limestone. Sweetie, green apple, white currant, rhubarb, feijoa, carambola, white plum scents.
Persistent and refined finish of white currant peels, pippin apple, pomelo and sea minerals.
Paired Faroe salmon steak.
90/100 — 6 years ago

Steven Comfort

9.4

This is a remarkable California Merlot, easily one of the finest I've had - and it's probably the best from the Santa Cruz Mountains region. Soft, smooth and balanced with gorgeous black & blue fruit. — 7 years ago

Blair Campomizzi

9.1

Blue and black berry flavors with graphite and other mineral. — 8 years ago

with Marilea

Kavya Shankar

9.0

Best unoaked Chardonnay I’ve tried — 8 years ago