Jay Kline

9.4

Popped and poured into red Solo cups; enjoyed over the course of a couple hours. The 1998 pours a deep garnet/purple with an opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and some sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of ripe black currants, mixed brambles, tobacco, Poblano pepper, purple flowers, some leather, dry organic earth and fine warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. This is just exceptional, no other way to put it. While Rafanelli wines are fun when they are young, they become magical with some age. If you several, open one soon and enjoy where it’s currently at. If you have only one and you’re saving it for a special occasion, you’re in no hurry. This will drink well through 2040+. — 15 days ago

Tom Garland

9.5

Diamond Creek Vineyards
Decades of Rarities event...........
1993, 2003, 2013 library vintages along with the newly released 2023 vintage. With winemaker Graham Wehmeier.

All from 3Liter:
1993 gravelly meadow
1993 red rock terrace
1993 volcanic hill
2003 gravelly  meadow
2003 red rock terrace
2003 volcanic hill
2013 gravelly meadow
2013 red rock terrace
2013 volcanic hill
2023 gravelly meadow
2023 red rock terrace
2023 volcanic hill

@Diamond Creek Vineyards,  Napa — 23 days ago

with Brenda

Tom Garland

9.4

Heitz/Stony Hill/Haynes/Burgess
La Paulee Dinner
Guest Chef: Shota Nakajima

WINE:
1997 Heitz Martha Vineyard
2012 Heitz trailside
1987 Heitz Bella oaks
2009 Heitz Martha Vineyard
2021 Burgess blanc de blanc
2022 Haynes Corazon Chardonnay
2022 Ink Grade estate merlot
2022 Heitz Martha Vineyard cab
2023 Stony Hill Cote Rouge cab
2021 Burgess Clos Abeille cab

FOOD:
Mushroom tart, corn tempura, Dashi w/uni
Chawanmushi with crab, sweet corn
Cured Kanpachi
Cedar smoked black cod
A5 waygu
Matcha Turamisu

Home ranch, Napa — a month ago

with Brenda

Ray Vanderhoff

9.3

Dark garnet color with a ruby core. Aromas of dark berry fruit, forest floor, lavender and smokey vanilla. Flavors of black cherry, blueberry and blackberry fruit with additional flavors of black licorice, baking spices, savory herbs and roasted nuts. That smokey/oaky vanilla flavor extends to the long and silky finish. More weight, heft, power and concentration than your typical Pinot Noir. The bright acidity balances this wine beautifully. Outstanding! Thanks to Kase and Petey for bringing this wine on our 2026 Cape May, NJ vacation. — 25 days ago

Ming L

9.2

The house style is still here with ripe, slightly over extracted blue fruits, baking spices, cocoa, and a plush velvety palate. But the fruits become less confectionary and some savory components have emerged. Acidity seems more apparent. Really nice integration.

I think Pinot bottlings from Belle Glos are at their best with 5-8 years bottle aging. This is another proof. — a month ago

Joe Flo

9.7

Fantastic wine🍇 🍷 — 23 days ago

Bryan Vogt

8.9

Past peak on this. Raisin and prune are prominent and little fruit left on the palette. — a month ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

I’ve had this vintage several times over the last few yrs. I had it two yrs ago w/ Andy Beckstoffer & Tor Kenward. This is the weakest link I’ve had. It simply lacked the proper storage of the previous bottles I’ve had.

The color is still dark and the fruit is still intact. But this bottle has just started its plum, date, dark raisin and fig stage. Let me say again…just.

This is 13% ABV…love it. As I do with many 80’s Napa & Bordeaux’s. It does get better with each coldish coravined sip.

The tannins are well resolved and there is complete integration & evolution. Plum,s date, dark raisin & fig. Ripe, juicy; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries & dark spiced circling raspberries. Potpourri, baking spice delight-soft clove, nutmeg, cinnamon stick & vanilla, understated caramel, dark chocolate baking bar to chocolate pudding, milk chocolate, moist herbs, hints of mushrooms, saline, dry soil/limestone powder, forest floor with leaves, used tobacco & leather, gentle graphite, moist clay, dark spice w/ mid palate heat, withering dark, red flowers, violets & lavender, round, rainfall acidity with a well balanced, elegant finish that lasts 90 seconds and long sets on earth & spices. — 10 days ago

Graham

9.4

Amazing. This is why you wait to drink these. — 2 days ago

John Malcolm

9.8

Delicious. Dark cherries, plums, cassis. Fabulous bouquet. Opened up after a few minutes in the decanter. I have wanted to try Marcassin for a long time. I was not disappointed. — 17 days ago

Bonnie Chu

9.1

California eureka tasting. Single vineyard. V clean — 14 days ago

John Howard

Harvest production at Hirsch and Cobb Wineries

9.4

Not as good as expected. A little tired. Nice tho. Day 3, so good! Time and air made this insane. Love, — 23 days ago

Tom Garland

9.2

1 hour decant(decent sediment). A striking purplish crimson red color. On the nose: Seductive perfumed notes of red fruit, herbaceous, leather, mint, milk chocolate, cedar. Taste: silky, rich, wine with dark cherry/blackberry, minerals, graphite, chocolate espresso, earth, and a smokey spiced slightly astringent tar long lingering finish with some still there tannic kick. — a month ago

with Brenda

Jay Kline

9.3

Checking in on the 2018 vintage. My notes from February 2024 still apply. If anything, this is more squarely in the window of where I like Rafanelli Zinfandel. Really delicious and I suspect it will remain that way for many years. Tons of sediment. Drink now through 2043+. — 24 days ago

Jay Kline

9.2

Popped and poured into red Solo cups; enjoyed over the course of an hour. The 2006 pours a garnet/purple with an opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and some sediment. On the nose, the wine is vinous with notes of ripe and desiccated black currants, blackberries, black cherries, tobacco, Poblano pepper, cocoa, fine warm spices and organic earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin (integrated) and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. Quite delicious and a really lovely example of the 2006 vintage. Drink now through 2036. — 10 days ago

Riccardo L.

9.2

This was the first wine i put on my delectable account like 12 years ago. Tastes just as good today. — 25 days ago

Scott E. Becker

9.2

[Tasted on September 11, 2026 at Home with Jay]

This is the first vintage after Realm assumed responsibility for farming Farella Vineyard in Coombsville, so this is an Estate bottling. Blackberry, black currant and black plum fruit, with cedar, tobacco, spice and earth. Dark and brooding. — 24 days ago

John Malcolm

9.0

Not quite as great as I was expecting. May be a bit past its prime. Tasted mostly plum and some dark berries. The finish was a bit weak. — 15 days ago

Kim Bonnet

9.5

2009. Opened beautifully — 7 days ago

Rick Phillips

9.6

Like most of Philip Tongi wines, this 20 year old is just hitting it’s stride. The nose has lush bold fruits, dark plums, blackberry with a hint of licorice. Some old leather, faint earthy tobacco. Decanted for two hours found a refined texture. Smooth with some sediment, lushness is highlighted by the boldness of the flavors. The finish lingers…
— a month ago

with Letha