Meredith Moody

9.0

The lemonade of wines! I am a big sauvignon blanc fan, but my parents never really drink ones from New Zealand, and this made me wish I had known about it sooner. So refreshing and almost makes you pucker with how tart it is. This wine begs to be drank by the pool. Grapefruit forward, but had a grassy and herbal note that kept it grounded. Clean, acidic and crisp. I would serve this colder than class has taught me to because it is a summer delight. — 2 months ago

Tom Garland

9.3

Pop and pour. A fabulous deep gold color. On the nose: fragrant notes of apricot, nutmeg, floral, honey dew melon. Taste: creamy, elegant, rich wine with pear/apricot, cloves, saline, spice, and a nice honey lemon curd long finish. YUM! Awesome with the oysters shipped from Hog Island Oyster Company. — 3 years ago

with Brenda

Jeff Thompson

9.7

I describe this as unripe tasting with a nice simple refreshing crispness. — 5 years ago

Nikki Goddard, DWS

9.2

Briny white peach and cantaloupe, oyster shell, white flowers. Medium body, great acidity and minerality; the most perfect seafood wine. — 7 years ago

Martin Mills

9.5

Firstly, the relatively low score for this wine is madness. I’ve long been an enthusiastic follower of this producer, their 07 and 09s being among the very best wines I tasted a few years back (12 and 13 IIRC). On to the present, and the 2014 presents right away in the glass as a unique offering - beyond the typical Pinot profile of cherry and earth is something like oyster shell - normally I wouldn’t make that stretch, but I ate oysters last night and the profile is fresh in mind. On the palate it is rather massive and full bodied, though in a dramatic, red fruit forward way. This is not a wine for kids, it’s grippy and dense, awash with pure cassis and black currant flavours, resolving into a medley of spices - cinnamon and dried coconut perhaps - and that yummy jasmine tea tannin I always find in good NZ Pinot. The finish is long and fascinating- you can suck the flavour off your gums. This one is full of stuffing and will drink superbly now or for at least five more years. Outstanding. Order off vintages shop online for $53 - appears to be sold out. — 8 years ago

Amanda

9.5

Bought because it was next to Oyster Bay in the Trader Joe’s liquor store - and it was even better!
— 9 years ago

Tom Garland

9.5

Inspire Napa welcome dinner
at Gamble Estates

VINTNER co-hosts
Dalla Valle ...2012 Maya
Harlan...2019 Harlan estate
Futo...2022 estate cab
Opus...2018 Opus
Screaming Eagle...2023 The Flight
Tench Vineyards...2023 estate cab franc
Vine Hill Ranch...2023 cab
Gamble estates...2022 reserve cab

FOOD
Hog Island oysters
Spring salad
Flannery beef striploin
Mustards Grill Alaskin Halibut
Sugar snap peas
Yukon potato hash browns
Mt Shasta porcini mushrooms
Burnt Basque cheesecake — 2 months ago

with Brenda

Kyle Riddle

9.7

This and oyster bay are 1 and 2 — 4 years ago

Chazinald

9.4

Crispy and fruity, like cote de gargoyle, oyster Bay, cowrie Bay — 4 years ago

Beth Novak

10

Oyster shell, so fresh, pineapple core, saline, Kate says coriander. An amazing wine. I would never guess it was 12 years old. Amazing! — 6 years ago

Kristen Carlson-Bye

9.2

Crisp, refreshing — 7 years ago

Stuart Scheff

9.2

A little island off the coast of Sicily is where this was born. Tasting sea salt, ocean breeze, oyster shells, wild flowers and a hot sunny day. — 8 years ago

Pierre Gourinchas

9.3

With hog island oysters!! A match made in heaven. — 8 years ago

Sue Ossmann

8.9

Very yummy!!! Good second to my favs - matua and oyster bay — 9 years ago

JFP

9.0

2021 vintage. Nice Sauvignon blanc that fits very well with a coho salmon steak from the air fryer. Would buy it again as an excellent alternative to oyster bay. — 5 months ago

Boris Mathiszik

8.9

For hot climates, like here on the Outer Banks, I love chilled Pinot Noir for all day drinking. This Marlborough Pinot has the right acidity to stand up to the spices and heat of the NC summer. — 10 months ago

Kristin

9.4

Nice, well balanced and easy to pair — 4 years ago

Tom Garland

9.5

A milestone birthday requires some fun wines! 1st bottle to polish off is a 2008 Marcassin chard with Hog Island oysters, butter poached lobster, and shrimp.

Double decant for fine cloudy sediment. An irresistible medium gold color.. On the nose: nectarines, pineapple, vanilla toast, lemon, and crushed rocks. Taste: so gooood after 12 years. A slightly creamy wine with carmalized pear, wet stones, lemon peel, and a mineral peach long finish with good acidity. — 6 years ago

with Brenda

Dana Thompson

8.9

Because what else would you have with oysters at Hog Island Ousters in Napa? Citrus and some peach and really refreshing. — 8 years ago

Tom Inners

9.2

A deeper dive into Friuli. Inspired by a recent article published on Punch highlighting the cellar led by Bobby Stuckey and the attention given to Friuli at Frasca. Sought this producer out and glad to find this bottling with some age (2003). I was especially curious to try these wines with food and [Hog Island] Oysters are always my preferred litmus test for expressive white wines. A fun look at Sauvignon Blanc from this region.
Would be interested to seek out the Friulano from this same producer in the future. — 8 years ago