Pinotman /// Andreas

9.0

Cherry. Earthy. Touch smokey. Touch bitter. Spice. Good but not a burgh like wine despite the low%. but a good effort. A little rough around the edges. — 6 months ago

William Feinstein

9.2

Still quite inky with just a little lightening at the edges. Starts a little tart and astringent but then presents cassis, plum, chocolate and black tea. Finish is quite long with a hint of bell pepper and lingering tannins. — 4 years ago

with Maryalice

Richard Rosensweig

9.1

Tons of apricot. Bit of honey and honeysuckle. Some grassy notes. Very little oak. Delish. — 5 years ago

Deborah M

9.0

Blackouts are not “rolling” in Dallas. Power is just out forever. Opened this to make the evening a little better. I have power now, but I know it won’t last long. This wine is helping. A little funk on the nose. Herbal notes with a hint of spice on the finish. Don’t hold these for much longer. — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

The red fruits shine. They are bright, fresh with nice florals. Blackberries, dark cherries, black plum, black raspberries, blueberries and poached strawberries. Dark chocolate, mocha, caramel, vanilla, clove, cinnamon, tobacco with ash, dark rich soils, berry cola, steeped fruit tea, red fruit liqueur notes with fresh & withering dark & red florals.

The body is full with powdery, dusty, meaty, tarry and sticky tannins. The fruits are ripe, delicious and easy to drink now but, will benefit from 6-8 more years in bottle. Blackberries, dark cherries, black plum, black raspberries, blueberries and poached strawberries. Dark chocolate, mocha, caramel, vanilla, clove, cinnamon, dark spice with a little heat, tobacco with ash, dark rich soils, berry cola, steeped fruit tea, red fruit liqueur notes with fresh & withering dark & red florals. The acidity is round and beautiful. The long finish is ripe, juicy, well balanced, delicious and persist nicely.

Photos of; Rustenberg’s hillside vines, our tasting lounge, fermentation cellar with hanging stainless tanks so they can work the process with gravity, and Rustenberg’s Cellar Door and grounds. — 7 years ago

Mike

9.0

A little drop of liquid honey to get NYE started. All the best to my Delectable pals for a great 2018 and an even better 2019!!!#happynewyear — 7 years ago

Kevin Blix

9.0

Easy drinking can. Reminds me of caymus and emmolo. At $25 a good price. — 8 years ago

Anthony James Marr

9.1

Relative to when I had this a year ago, the wine has developed slightly, perhaps gaining a little more density and body while shedding some of the crazy floral / violet aromas - while not heavy it’s certainly is medium body leaning toward full body. On the nose lovely casis and herbs (leaning toward the savory side but very well layered and fragrant). While this wine has no hard edges I believe it needs a few more years in bottle to really come together - it’s got great stuffing and just needs more time — a year ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.2

All about the fruit with this wine. Bright aromas and flavors of red berry/cherry. Beautifully balanced acidity. Time has been very good to this vintage. Just a light floral note on the nose. Soft texture and little tannin and a touch of mushroom on the finish. Great with food especially our Thanksgiving Meal! Thank You John P. — 5 years ago

M. Christopher Roebuck

8.9

Deeply extracted, purple. Vegetal-dominant nose. Not much else. Palate adds a little vanilla, wood, and some bitter cherries. Quite serrated. Not well-integrated. Disappointed, considering past experiences with this producer.

89+ points — 5 years ago

Paul T, Missing My Beautiful Wife 24/7

9.7

Not as dark & opulent as the 97 ZD Reserve. But still another very good properly stored bottle. Cork looks great for the age. A little brickish at the edges . Give it 30-45 minutes to blow off the age. Can’t put it down now, this is a 1 person bottle. Had to give it an extra couple points Parker 88 back in the day. So much better now — 7 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.5

This wine is starting to show a little bit of age I believe. Immediately from cork pop, this wine had sort of an interesting muted nose. Took about 20 minutes to wake up as the middle of this wine was initially quite flat. After if woke up, it was blackberry, truffle, tobacco on the nose which carried over to the palate. The middle of this wine and actually kind of thinned out a little bit, this playing black cherry, black tea. Tobacco note comes back in to the heavier weighted blackberry finish. Very well done! Haven't had too many of these State Lane cabernets from Kapcsandy but the style resembles the old Beringer State Lane quite remarkably. I don't think these are really going to improve much more in the bottle, so if you are lucky enough to have a few of these laying around, it is time to start coming up with a drinking plan! — 7 years ago

Emily Singer

9.2

Really dry, crisp, fruity rosé that comes in a can — FINALLY. Almost a little too easy to drink. — 8 years ago

Joe DAscoli

9.3

Good depth. Solid oak. More apple and stone fruit in this one. Little ox too as it was a deeper golden color. — 4 years ago

Shengli Hu

8.9

Since 2020 wild yeast fermentation with at least 20% whole cluster (layering in fermenter). They’ve been using whole cluster since 2010 hovering around 10-15% gradually increasing. 1992-1995 vintages not destemmed completely either. Sweet cola nut, cranberry, red juicy cherry, sweet baking spices. High acidity, medium soft tannins. 2018 meatier and weightier locking in at 13.6%. In 2020 they separated the native yeast vs non native yeast ferments. According to Tim, native yeast led to better alcohol conversion, richer wine at same alcohol compared to without.

Precious old vines and newly replanted vines. Completely dry farmed no drip lines at all! Some of which are suffering from Pierce’s disease and leafroll virus.

I was told back in 2016 Kelli White and her husband had a deal with John and Nancy to lease their vineyards but they backed off at the last minute… I for one memorized every little detail about School House from Kelli’s tome Napa Valley Then and Now
— 4 years ago

Jake Hajer

9.0

Caramel, cashews, figs of all types. Sweet, tawny. Enjoyable, but this bottle is a little old. — 5 years ago

Tom Garland

9.2

1.5 hour decant (some cloudy sediment). A majestic dark ruby red color with little bricking. On the nose: popping notes of earth, olive tapenade, creme de cassis, red berries, pencil shavings. Taste: A smooth, semi rich medium to full body wine with muted flavors of red plum, currant, leather, sour cherry, pepper......a gravely cedar medium plus finish and just a slight tannic kick. Enjoy, and drink em if you got em!! — 6 years ago

with Brenda

Nick H

9.1

Always a favorite - a little more settled and balanced than the first few bottles. It felt fitting to be clearing out the reviews backlog en route to Paso Robles. — 7 years ago

Mike R

9.1

The wine is taking a long time to blow off the funk but the elegance is shining through - color has not broken down but not fruit forward which I am glad - structure still in tact 19 years later and finish is softer than I desire but bottom line drinking and enjoying and helping me absorb shitty music like John Denver my wife is playing / I pray her playlist ends soon / this wine is not to be enjoyed by itself like I am doing as I started a diet so no cheese 😢 / this is not going to age and get better so enjoy if you have - just a little smile tonight — 7 years ago

Alisha Fontanella Regan

9.0

Very Light in color. Light floral aroma. A little grass. Tastes like citrus, maybe some peach. Average acidity. Very low sweetness. A nice, balanced, refined Marlborough sauv blanc. Not as bold and strong as some others - in a good way! Really like this one as an every day summer whit. — 8 years ago