Crystal Basin Cellars

Big Basin Vineyards

Rattlesnake Rock Syrah 2018

Everybody seems to have glowing opinions of this, but mine was just a good wine and all the complexity in depth that I’m hearing about here I just didn’t get. A very good balance of strong flavors drank it across three days, dark pepper, and tobacco notes and ripe fruit and I will say without any overwhelming attendance. The structure was just incredible. Very good wine, maybe I’m just different than the other reviewers.  — 23 days ago

Tom liked this

Big Basin Vineyards

Howard Family Vineyard Chardonnay 2019

Nose: elegant pineapple. White flowers.

Palate: big acid hit. Elegant yellow fruit. Delicious. Peach.

Long juicy finish.
— 2 years ago

Big Basin Vineyards

Lester Family Vineyard Pinot Noir 2018

Medium ruby color. Aromas of cherry, pomegranate and cloves. Elegant wine, silky smooth flavors of cherry and baking spices.

🏅94 Points - Antonio Galloni
🏅93 Points - Jeb Dunnuck
🏅93 Points - Wine Enthusiast
— 3 years ago

Eric, Tom and 13 others liked this

Big Basin Vineyards

Old Corral Syrah 2012

Nailed it with a steak sandwich pairing. Boo-yah. — 4 years ago

Louis Roederer

Cristal Brut Champagne 2008

Fantastic fruit and balance. Vivid and crystal clear. Perfect balance and acidity — 3 months ago

David Schachter
with David
Neil, Jeroen and 6 others liked this

Big Basin Vineyards

Monterey Pinot Noir 2015

First tasting. About as good as it gets with steak dinner. Silky smooth. Zero after taste. Heavy Smokey on the nose. 2018 vintage. The 1% petit verdot gives it amazing shape. Deep purple color. — a year ago

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (DRC)

La Tâche Pinot Noir 2001

Garnet core , quite wide bricking terracotta rim . Quite Subtle on the nose , red fruits , orange rind , sous bois , spice , violets . On the palate very refined , crystal clear red fruits , raspberry , cherry , touch of black currant , black tea , pin point acidity , very fine tannins . Very long and complex. Drinking well though will go on for ages still and certainly improve over the next 10-15 years. — 3 years ago

Ira, Bob and 9 others liked this

Big Basin Vineyards

Gabilan Mountains GSM 2019

Killer domestic value from the Gabilan Mountains of Monterey. Mostly Mourvèdre with Grenache and Syrah. Needs time to open up and unwind. Raspberry coulis, wild strawberry, black and white pepper, and an earthy streak of something feral. Whole cluster fermented in concrete and neutral barrel. Bright, but structure and weight are added with air. Organic. — 4 months ago

romo, Ira and 4 others liked this

Crystal Basin Cellars

Renegade El Dorado Red Blend

Tall and straight heavy bottle. Looks kinda cool. CA wine style. 14.0% abv. No specifics on the blend. They say it arose from the wrong hose in the wrong tank ;-). Color is ruby red with a translucent shimmer. Smells like some other red wines in that it’s fruit and the smell of old places. (Like attics, cellars and libraries full of old books). Hint of savor. Like fresh steak or lamb. Flavors are excellent. Supple and fairly elegant. There’s a cherry streak, a black licorice streak, and brightness. It’s pretty Italian styled. I’d suggest there might be some Sangiovese and/or Barbera in it. And these are excellent CA Foothill grapes, so no surprise at its finesse and grace. This is a nice El Dorado red. I’d love to try the rest of their portfolio.

Website says, “…it’s a 4 way blend of Zinfandel, Grenache, Merlot and Mourvedre that will make your Tuesday night glass of wine Exciting Again.”
— a year ago

Douglas and Daniel liked this

Big Basin Vineyards

Santa Cruz Mountains Syrah 2017

At Fermented wine shop in Canton — 4 years ago