Ray Vanderhoff

9.2

Blend of Grenache (88%), Syrah (10%) and Mourvèdre (2%). Dark ruby color. Aromas of ripe red and blue fruit, fresh herbs as well as red and purple flowers. Flavors of red cherries, blueberries, black pepper and those lovely fresh Southern Rhône herbs. Long bright and savory finish. Full bodied, well structured and fresh tasting. Medium bodied, with ripe tannins, high level of complexity and very harmonious for such a young wine. Solid now as just a baby. Will continue to improve with age. Thanks so much for sharing, Keith S! Happy 60th Birthday, Karyn! — a month ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.1

Another solid vintage of this 100% Corvina gem. Dark purple/ruby color. Aromas of ripe and cooked red fruit, burnt chocolate, cola and purple flowers. Flavors of cherry compote, red currants, cocoa powder, coffee and black pepper spice. Long and luxurious finish with some sweet oak overtones. Rich, dense, complex and plush. Tannins are so smooth. Easy drinker that can handle a chill. Not quite as outgoing as the stellar 2016 Vintage but still quite good. Thanks for bringing this one out at the New Year’s Day brunch, Keith S! — 5 months ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.3

Medium (but translucent) ruby color. Aromas of red and black fruit, lavender, mint, toasted oak and wet gravel. Flavors of red cherries, raspberries and plums, tobacco, black tea and roasted nuts. Hint of wet soil on the long and fresh finish. Plush tannins. Well rounded and intense but with quite the delicate structure. Bright acidity and full bodied and ripe. Excellent! Thank you for opening this one, Keith S! — 5 months ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.0

Bright garnet color. Aromas of red cherry, raspberry and a hint of earth/barnyard funk. Ripe red fruit on the palate with additional notes of minerals. A pleasant bitter note on the finish. Complex and juicy with a bit of power. Nicely balanced. Interesting. Thanks for sharing, Keith S. — 2 years ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.3

Yet another outstanding vintage (2020) of this consistently excellent Co-Op produced Barbaresco. Aromas of red fruit, dried rose petals and anise. Flavors of bright red cherry and raspberry fruit, mint, Asian spices, minerals and orange zest. Long and earthy/smoky finish. Fantastic balance, structure and depth. Fine grained tannins and a silky texture yet still firm and powerful. So delicious now, but built to age for at least another decade. The quality consistency of this wine vintage to vintage is incredible. Outstanding value! Thanks so much for opening this one, Keith S! Happy 60th Birthday, Karyn! — a month ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.3

Bright ruby color with garnet highlights. Aromas of ripe red and black fruit, Asian spices, wet soil, garrigue and wood ash. Flavors of cranberry, red cherries, red plums, tobacco, Earl Grey tea, dark chocolate, grilled herbs and baking spices. Long and lingering finish. Dusty tannins, firm structure and bright acidity. Lovely concentration and mouth coating texture. Bring on the grilled meat. Great choice, Keith S! — 5 months ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.1

Medium golden color. Aromas of white flowers, green melon and fresh herbs. Melon, pear, green apple and citrus fruits (grapefruit and pineapple) on the palate with hints of butter and those fresh herbs. Pleasant mineral component on the finish. Lovely smooth and creamy texture (malolactic fermentation) but no sign of oak. Medium acidity. Nice start to the day, Keith S! Revisited in November 2024. Aging beautifully. Taking my rating up to 9.1. Revisited again in May 2025. Still outstanding! — 2 years ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.2

Another excellent vintage of this Barbaresco favorite. Light ruby color with garnet highlights. Aromas of red fruit, rose petals, orange zest and toasted wood. Delicate flavors of sour red and black cherries, sweet baking spices and red and black licorice. Lengthy finish, gentle (but tight) tannins and plus/tangy acidity. Medium bodied, feminine and harmonious. Still young with time to progress. Thanks for opening this bottle, Keith S! — 3 months ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

Fragrant and structured. Densely colored with no bricking. Lovely nose shows rich cassis fruit, a bit of scorched earth, a little clovey oak (not too much), ashy cigars, and a note that reminds me of collard greens simmering with a smoked ham hock. Very youthful in the mouth, with vigorous tannin giving lots of structure. Clingy but somewhat austere in the mouth. This plainly needs more time than I thought it would. It’s still nice on its own before dinner, but should be better with rich food.

UPDATE: Now, after two hours open, this has become soft and friendlier than it was. Still nicely structured, but the fruit is more welcoming. — 4 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.0

Pretty light straw , green reflexes . Quite taught and herbaceous on the nose, cut grass with grapefruit , honey , wax , touch toasty , nutty richness . Lemon and lime , slightly toasty notes on the palate, quite long and fresh , saline on the finish . While quite light and not that intense this is still young and could go on like this for another decade or more . — 2 years ago