Wine Tasting Archive #4
Welcome to the Sipped Reviews wine blog. The reviews you see here are partly appearing because we love to taste, tear apart and review wines. We taste a huge variety of wines from all over the place. We don’t really focus. If a great wine comes our way, we review it. So, what you see will seem completely random, these reviews come from an eagerness to continue exploring wine, viticulture, oenology, geology and climate. Every glass is an education.
Why ratings? I like to see a rating on a wine simply because it means someone else has taken the time to share their view, and also, I’m not blindly purchasing a wine. Now, I might not agree with the rating after I taste it, but at least I have some data to go on to give me some idea of the quality of the wine I’m thinking of purchasing. So, take it or leave it. Our ratings tend to be more conservative than others and, ALL of the wines rated here were purchased by us. None of these wines were gifts given to elicit a better rating. FYI.
ARCHIVE #1: The archive for the Wine Blog is here with reviews from November 1, 2023, to February 23, 2024. The archive contains 172 ratings.
ARCHIVE #2: The archive for the Wine Blog is here with reviews from February 23, 2024 to July 23, 2024
Most Recent — ARCHIVE #3: The archive for the Wine Blog is here with reviews from July 23, 2024 to May 23, 2025
Wine
Vintner: Les Pallieres
Description: Racines, Gigondas
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Gigondas
Notes: This wine has a gorgeous, rich nose of blackberry, kirsch cherry, roasted game, dried herbs, raspberry jam and soil.
The palate has full tannins, high acid, med+ body, concentration and intensity. The finish is medium.
The flavors are good but covered up by the tannins which actually have a mild bitterness to them. The nose gets a 96pts score, but the palate bitterness brings that score down quite a bit.
The wine is a blend of Grenache, Syra, Cinsault and Clairette. We purchased this on Wine.com.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 90
Date Tasted: 12/10/2025
Vintner: Testarossa
Description: Pisoni Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands
Single Vineyard Series
Vintage: 2023
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: Pie cherry, strawberry, lime freeze, wood stain, vanilla, brioche.
High acid, long finish, medium body, med+ tannins and medium concentration/intensity.
Yet again, another rather tart 2023 wine from Testarossa. But This one has more concentration than the two below. It is rather pretty, and the fruit almost holds up to the lime tartness of this wine.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 93
Date Tasted: 12/09/2025
Vintner: Testarossa
Description: Tondre’ Grapefield, Santa Lucia Highlands
Single Vineyard Series
Vintage: 2023
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: Strawberry, cherry, raspberry, seasalt, brioche, green herbs, pine and tart lime leaf.
High acidity, light tannins, medium body, long finish, medium concentration and intensity.
This is a big, mouth-filling, tart wine. The tartness overpowers the fruit, unfortunately. But, like the Fogstone below, this wine is very young. It needs time.
And thinking back on 2023, the year was so cool that it might have made getting the fruit perfectly ripe difficult down in Santa Lucia Highlands with the ocean so near. This will be interesting to try in a few years.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 93
Date Tasted: 12/09/2025
Vintner: Testarossa
Description: Fogstone, Santa Lucia Highlands
Single Vineyard Series
Vintage: 2023
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: Strawberry, sour cherry, raspberry, lime leaf and cranberry.
The acidity on this is really high, making this wine rather tart. The berry flavor concentration has trouble keeping up with that. The Finish, concentration and intensity are medium. The body is light.
Yah, a rather tart wine. But it has a nice concentration of fruit. Being this young, give this wine a few years for it to mature.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 90
Date Tasted: 12/08/2025
Vintner: Moret-Brealynn
Description: Lakeview Vineyard, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
Vintage: 2024
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: Lovely raspberry, strawberry, Ranier Cherry, cedar, clove, dried honeysuckle flower, pomegranate and cranberry.
The concentration of fruit on this wine is intense. The body is med+, the finish is long, the tannins are med+ and the acidity is high.
The nose is very nice, but the palate holds a special treat with its concentrated mouthful of fruit. There is a ton of fruit, spice, acidity and dried flowers all balanced beautifully. But this wine is very young. We can only imagine what this is going to taste like once it settles down. This is a wine to get a hold of.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 94
Date Tasted: 12/07/2025
Vintner: Daou
Description: Soul of a lion — Paso Robles, Adelaida District
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Notes: Blueberry, cream cheese, flint, raspberry danish, lilac, grape sucker and cocoa.
The wine is tight at first. It had med+ body, tannins, finish and intensity. The acid it high. The concentration is medium.
A bit thinner that we expected from the higher echelons of Daou wine. But all in all, it has very distinct, lovely notes on the nose and firm flavors on the palate.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 93
Date Tasted: 11/26/2025
Vintner: Testarossa
Description: Rosella’s Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands, Single Vineyard Series
Vintage: 2023
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: The wine has notes of red cherry, unripe strawberries, sour plum, cranberry and lime sherbert.
The tannins are firm in this wine, the acid high. The body, intensity and complexity are med+. The finish is medium.
This wine has such a tart palate that it overwhelms the fruit. With that said, there is still plenty of fruit. Still, other wineries get Rosellas fruit and it is better than this.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 91
Date Tasted: 11/25/2025
Vintner: Testarossa
Description: Doctor’s Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands, Single Vineyard Series
Vintage: 2023
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: Strawberry, sweet red cherry, raspberry, lime peel, butter icing and warm garden soil.
Do not get me wrong, this is not sweet wine. It is concentrated, intense and lovely. Med+ body, long finish, med tannins and high acid.
This is a great wine! Testarossa has saved the best wines till last for the year. It has enough intensity on the palate to push this over the top. It does not miss a beat and covers the whole palate with great flavor.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 96
Date Tasted: 11/23/2025
Vintner: Testarossa
Description: Graham Family, Russian River valley, Single Vineyard Series
Vintage: 2023
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: Strawberry jam, black cherry, brioche, sweet white nectarine.
The wine has a full body, high intensity, long finish, med+ concentration, med tannins, med+ acid.
Testarossa has an abundance of pinot. And some of these are exceptional. This one is a vineyard we have not tried before. And it has its own really interesting edges. It greatly deserves a 94 pt rating with its lovely intensity of fruit and lovely balance.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 94
Date Tasted: 11/19/2025
Vintner: Omnia
Description: Rotem & Mounir Saouma
Vintage: 2018
Varietal: Chateauneuf-Du-Pape
Notes: At 80% Grenache, 10% Syrah and 10% Mourvedre, and having never been racked, pumped, fined or filtered, this whole cluster wine is really juicy and rich. And it has a thick, dirtiness to it. It is rough, unhewn and super intense.
The nose and flavors are rich, dried plum, raspberry, wet soil, dried herbs, peach pits, cinnamon and a touch of Brettanomyces.
Thankfully, this has high acid and the rich fruit balances well with the acidity. It keeps the wine from feeling like a dessert wine on the palate. The aged notes are lovely. This is a very fine, juice-forward Chateauneuf.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 96
Date Tasted: 11/10/2025
Vintner: Failla
Description: Sonoma Coast
Vintage: 2023
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: This wine is a bit tight. It has strawberry and cherry notes, classic for Sonoma Coast. It has a tart cranberry nose as well. But the scent is only available on a narrow band until it has time to get some air.
The palate is medium bodied, full of tart berry. It has high acid, medium concentration, intensity and finish.
The wine is curious. It needs time to breathe. And after 45 minutes it really opens up. The palate notes expand to completely fill the mouth. It becomes very pleasant. But it seems like a lot of work!
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 92
Date Tasted: 11/09/2025
Vintner: Walt Wines
Description: Gap’s Crown, Sonoma Coast, Sonoma County
Vintage: 2023
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: Blackberry, raspberry, strawberry, black cherry, toasted brioche, berry jam and floral notes.
The body is full, the finish is long, the concentration and intensity are high, the finish is long, the acid is high.
This is a nicely balanced wine with very little wrong with it. But this is Gaps fruit. It is stunning.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 96
Date Tasted: 10/23/2025
Vintner: Siduri Wines
Description: Sierra Mar Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands
Vintage: 2023
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: There are so many good vineyards down there in Santa Lucia Highlands. There are few better than Sierra Mar. This fruit gets around. Walt and Roar have a Sierra Mar that we are familiar with.
This thing has strawberry jam, bright cherry, warm baked wheat bread, dried herbs, honeysuckle, fresh mushroom growing on a Mendocino log and white pepper. What a unique wine!
The body is full, the acid high, long finish, med+ concentration and intensity. And the tannins are fairly firm. This wine is so bright with strawberry fruit, but the acid takes care of balancing that. This is much brighter with cherry and strawberry than the Gary’s vineyard just below. Still, what a wine. It is beautiful.
Check out the line up for Siduri!
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 95
Date Tasted: 10/15/2025
Vintner: Siduri Wines
Description: Gary’s Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands
Vintage: 2023
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: Classic Gary’s Vineyard. Strawberry, raspberry, cherry, white pepper, cool mint, honeysuckle and potting soil.
Sweet cherry kirsch on the palate, long finish, full body, great intensity. The acid is high, concentration is full, tannins are soft. Another Siduri wine with amazing balance.
There are so many wineries that get Gary’s fruit. And few of them make a less than 95-point wine. No exception here. Siduri is knocking is out of the park this 2023 year with most of their wines. It was an amazing growing season. So many wine makers are saying it was a perfect year.
Check out the line up for Siduri!
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 95
Date Tasted: 10/14/2025
Vintner: Siduri Wines
Description: Founder’s Blend, Santa Lucia Highlands
Vintage: 2023
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: Featuring Gary’s and Rosella’s Vineyards from Santa Lucia Highlands. This wine is stellar. The nose is fabulous with thick red berries that make it seem like it is going to be sweet. It has spice, earth, light oak, vanilla and lovely cherry kirsch.
The palate is a pleasure with lush flavors that all balance out perfectly.
That’s all I’m going to say. This is a top-notch pinot, the kind pinot lovers dream of. Damn you, Santa Lucia highlands!!! Hahaha.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 98
Date Tasted: 10/13/2025
Vintner: MacRostie
Description: Sonoma Coast
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: Reviewing this from memory. We picked up a case of 375ml bottles of this wine up at MacRostie’s tasting room last yesterday. They are tucked out in the country near a bunch of other pinot heavy places. And they have some lovely property.
That aside, they also make a whole range of pinots from different vineyards in the area. This is their general Sonoma Coast blend. And honestly, having visited a lot of pinot houses up in the Healdsburg area, we tend to like the regional blends best. And the prices are always lower than the individual vineyard releases.
This one is very nice with berry flavors, spices and floral notes. The palate shows good concentration of fruit, though not high. The body and finish and intensity are all med+. The acidity is prefect for this amount of fruit. This is about $20 bucks. And really worth the price.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 93
Date Tasted: 10/12/2025
Vintner: Domaine de la Charbonniere
Description: Cuvee Vieilles Vignes
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Chateauneuf-du-Pape
Notes: Strawberry, raspberry, red cherry, vanilla, soft oak, dried flowers and flint.
Nice, firm tannins, full bodied, long finishing. Great concentration of fruit matched with high acidity. A real pleasure to sip on. There is not a corner of your mouth not reaping the flavors of this wine. It has a wonderful intensity.
At 95% Grenache, this wine really shines. The remaining 5% is Mourvedre, giving the nose a hint of meatiness. This is a lovely effort. It is always a pleasure to try this line of wines.
Check out Wine.com for a good price.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 97
Date Tasted: 10/9/2025
Vintner: Domaine de la Charbonniere
Description: Les Hautes Brusquieres, Cuvee Speciale
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Chateauneuf-du-Pape
Notes: This wine has bright red berry fruit, lovely black pepper, garrigue, honeysuckle, red cherry and licorice.
So much fruit on the palate balanced with high acid. Full bodied, long finishing, concentrated and intense. Just a pleasure to drink this wine. The tannins hit your teeth firmly reminding you that this is a young wine. It can sit for years!
Check out Wine.com for a good price.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 96
Date Tasted: 10/9/2025
Vintner: Domaine Charvin
Description: Chateauneuf-du-Pape
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Chateauneuf-du-Pape
Notes: blackberry, black currant, black cherry, garrigue, dried flowers, cocoa, black pepper and green pepper.
This wine has a long finish, full body, high acid, med+ tannins, concentration and intensity. This wine got some great reviews. It received 93-98pts. We are right in the middle with this. It has very good intense flavors and rich, firm tannins, balanced acidity. It only misses cohesion. 94pts.
Check out Wine.com for a good price.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 94
Date Tasted: 10/4/2025
Vintner: Sans Liege
Description: En Gedi, Alta Mesa Vineyard, Santa Barbara County
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Grenache
Notes: This wine is so intense on the nose and the palate. We have rarely tasted a Grenache this plush. It has incredible notes of red berry, baking spice, dried herbs and flowers, cherry cola, white pepper and cocoa.
The tannins hit the teeth nicely. The acid is prefect, balancing out the fruit. The finish goes on and on. The flavors are incredibly intense. We had this just after a meal of chicken tikka masala, minced lamb kababs and mint chutney. It was a great follow-up to that food. This wine runs $55 per bottle. It is worth every penny.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 96
Date Tasted: 10/4/2025
Vintner: Sans Liege
Description: The Offering
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: GSM
Notes: 44% Grenache, 38% Syrah, 18% Mourvedre
Classic GSM. It has a nose like a Chateauneuf-du-Pape with black cherry kirsch, dusky berry, brioche, dried herbs, game, pepper, cola, red currant, red licorice and lilac.
The palate is rich, high acid, high alcohol, silky tannins, very concentrated and long finishing.
This is so close to a Chateauneuf, right down to the dried herb Garigue notes. It is a pleasure to sip on. It’s big. Almost big enough that you just want it on its own. But it would complement grilled lamb or beef, lasagna or Octoberfest sausages.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 94
Date Tasted: 10/3/2025
Vintner: Sans Liege
Description: 62% Sanford & Benedict, Santa Rita Hills, 38% White Hawk, Los Alamos
Vintage: 2023
Varietal: Viognier
Notes: 100% Viognier, 100% barrel fermented on lees with native yeast, 5 months sur lie in barrel. This was all done in 3 neutral barriques and one second fill puncheon. There is great detail on this label.
This is a seriously masterful creation. I am so glad I grabbed one of these. It has the presence of a Northern Rhone Condrieu. I mean, body and finish out the wazzu. Super concentrated. And the neutral oak gives it a massive texture. It has so much white fruit, sour lime peel, a touch of green asparagus, soft cream cheese. When you run this through around your mouth the wine sticks to your teeth. It is lovely.
It’s just a wonderful bottle of wine. $49 a bottle. << check it out.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 95
Date Tasted: 10/3/2025
Vintner: Sans Liege
Description: Cotes-du-Coast Central Coast
Vintage: 2024
Varietal: White Rhone Blend
Notes: 42% Viognier, 18% Marsanne, 18% Roussanne, 12% Clairette, 10% Grenache Blanc. The wine seems muted a compared to the ones we tried below. You do get some lemon curd, pear, stone fruit pit and green melon. But it seems a bit thin.
The palate shows average concentration, body and finish. The Call to Arms below is superior. Still, you could pair this will a good Greek salad, middle eastern muhammara, tabouli and even seafood.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 90
Date Tasted: 10/3/2025
Vintner: Sans Liege
Description: Fools Errand Central Coast
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Grenache
Notes: Strawberry, raspberry, black cherry kirsch, lilac, game, soft wood notes, dried herbs and fragrant, mineral soil.
The palate is just immense. Everything is high/full. The balance is perfect. The tannins are so fine. A little more intensity and this would be a perfect wine. It is just like fireworks in your mouth.
Wow! This kind of concentration at $45 bucks! Seriously, get some!
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 96
Date Tasted: 10/2/2025
Vintner: Sans Liege
Description: Call to Arms, Paso Robles
Vintage: 2023
Varietal: White Rhone Blend
Notes: 70% Grenache, 30% Roussanne
The Roussanne provides the usual soft lemon curd, dense notes of pear, green melon, honeysuckle flower and kiwi fruit.
The body is full, the finish is long, the intense fruit is concentrated and balanced perfectly with the high acid and amazing minerality.
The winemaker has knocked it out of the park with this one. It is $42 on the website. But all their wines are in that range. These are not breaking the bank wines. I can see buying more of this one!
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 94
Date Tasted: 10/2/2025
Vintner: Sans Liege
Description: Les Jeunes, San Luis Obispo Coast
Vintage: 2024
Varietal: Rose’
Notes: The grapes in this blended rose’ are 90% Mourvedre and 10% Genache. The nose on this wine is intense. It has pear, stone fruit, tropical notes, dry raspberry and honeysuckle.
The acid on this wine is very high. And with the huge body, good finish and med+ intensity of flavors, the acid is slightly overpowering. But with Mexican food, fish or a salad with a spicy dressing this would be excellent.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 92
Date Tasted: 10/2/2025
Vintner: Beaulieu Vineyard
Description: Reserve Napa Valley
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Cabernet Franc
Notes: We have been able to try 2018-2022 BV cab francs. The 2020 takes the cake, but all of them are pretty dusky, amazing wines with deep flavors, intense, concentrated notes.
This one is brighter than the rest. It has a bit of raspberry in it, which makes it balance nicely with the cocoa, pepper, cassis notes and high acid.
The only caveat on this one is that you should pour small pours and drink them in five minutes. It fades quickly. But right out the bottle . . . brilliant!!
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 92
Date Tasted: 10/1/2025
Vintner: Beaulieu Vineyard
Description: Tapestry Reserve Red Wine
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Red Blend
Notes: Imagine raspberry/oregano. It sounds weird, but this is amazing. There is sour red cherry, blackberry, black currant, cheese danish, black pepper, cocoa, tobacco, cassis, dried herbs and flowers, pencil lead and tart blackberry jam. Amazing nose!
The tannins, acid, finish, concentration and body are all high/full. The textures on the palate are really amazing. The tannins are not as silky as you get on the big BV cabs like clone 6 or George de Latour. They are firmer, gently tooth coating and they’re nice — adding to the texture. This wine is so well balanced.
You can sometimes find this wine for 35-40 bucks on certain sites or Costco. So, keep your eyes open before paying full price for this gem. This received a 94pt rating and number 96 of the Spectator top 100 this year. This is an amazing wine to have around. With or without food, it’s great!
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 93
Date Tasted: 10/1/2025
Vintner: Inman Family
Description: AJT Rutherford / Heavens Peak Rutherford
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Notes: We did a visit for Rutherford Hill today. Among other lovely wines we tasted, these two were the huge stand outs.
We are talking about dense fruit, cocoa, Rutherford dust, black cherry, anise and black currant on the nose.
These things have so much intensity and concentration on the palate. It just takes your breath away. They both have lovely tannins, long finishes and good acid balance. These are wines that will age 10-20 years easily. They are well worth the visit to the winery. That’s not to mention their rose’ of merlot, their four merlots and the Malbec.
It is a great winery at which to taste.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 94/95
Date Tasted: 9/29/2025
Vintner: Inman Family
Description: Olivet Grange Estate / Pratt Vine Hill
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: We are reviewing two of the 8 wines we tried today at Inman Family Wines. They are located up in the Santa Rosa area. They were all very good. But the OGV and Pratt Vine Hill were the best.
These wines run in the $73 range. They both have lovely berry, cherry noses and firework style flavors on the palate. This is one of those up-and-coming wineries that makes only a few hundred cases. The winemaker here works closely with Peri Jaye, another pinot maker.
Inman also had a 94 pointer 2022 Pratt Vine Hill Chardonnay.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 94
Date Tasted: 9/27/2025
Vintner: Beaulieu Vineyard
Description: Clone 4, 6, 169 Rutherford, Napa Valley
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Notes: I’m really existed about these wines. But I know, the price on these wines is $190 a bottle. We got to try them today. And they are plush, stellar and super intense. Every one of these is rich, layered and concentrated in fruit, floral and herb notes. The fruit components are amazing. These are so worth trying.
2022 BV Clone 4 Cabernet Sauvignon – 96 pts
2022 BV Clone 6 Cabernet Sauvignon – 98 pts
2022 BV Clone 169 Cabernet Sauvignon – 97 pts
2022 BV George de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon – 95 pts
We also tried the 2022 Hewitt Cabernet Sauvignon – 97 pts. The hewitt is plush, fruity and so well balanced.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 95-98
Date Tasted: 9/24/2025
Vintner: Beringer
Description: Knights Valley, Estate Selection
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Notes: Bright, bright red plum, licorice, black pepper, red berry, soft oak, mint and forest floor.
The palate has very bright fruit, long finish, intense flavors, tart acid and full body.
This reminds us of a Lodi Zinfandel rather than a cab. If that’s your jam, then this is your wine. For us, it lacks depth and does not ring true to the definition of classic cab. Still, it’s a great under $30 dollar wine to try out. Also, see 2021 Beringer Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (94pts) still on a lot of shelves.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 90
Date Tasted: 9/21/2025
Vintner: Holly’s Hill
Description: El Dorado
Vintage: 2024
Varietal: Grenache Blanc and Grenache Rose’
Notes: I cannot say enough good things about these wines. For the money ~$30 per bottle, these wines are stellar. Each one is stuffed with richness, viscous texture, intensity and complexity. They are lovely Rhone style wines. Holly’s hill is a wealth of Rhone varietals. Check out their Counoise, Cinsault, Marsanne, Viognier, Mourvedre and Syrah.
Check out their current releases here: Holly’s Hill.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 92
Date Tasted: 9/21/2025
Vintner: Lynmar Estate Winery
Description: Russian River Valley
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: Baked berry, strawberry, brioche, forest floor, mushroom, cocoa powder. And as it breathes it gets more cocoa.
Oh boy, the finish on this thing is great! The body is full, the concentration lovely. The flavors are mouth filling. It’s lush.
We recently visited this winery. They have some pretty good pinots and some really excellent pinots. This one is on the low end of their wines and it’s one of the best. Wine.com has it for $61 bucks.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 92
Date Tasted: 9/8/2025
Vintner: Louis Latour
Description: Marsannay, Beaune, Cote D’Or
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: This $30 at Costco right now. I picked this up today. It had a good rating. It has a strawberry, cherry, dried herb nose with good intensity. There is a brioche/cream note as well, that, if it had been more intense, would be amazing.
The palate has med+ intensity and concentration. It has small holes in the palate but opens up well. The body is full and the finish med+. The texture reminds us of Santa Lucia Highlands, Rosellas or Pisoni or Sierra Mar.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 92
Date Tasted: 9/8/2025
Vintner: Hess
Description: Hess Select
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Notes: This $16.97 bottling from Hess is pretty good. It has its highs and very few lows. The flavors are rich but a little intense in places. You get cinnamon, clove, oak, berries and spice.
The palate is pleasurable, med acid, med+ body, good concentration and a med finish. There are great notes of berry and oak. But some of the elements are pretty strong while others are of average strength.
Compared with wines of the same price point, this is a wine that goes beyond simplicity into the realm of “interesting.” And you can’t get better than that for 17 bucks. See Wine.com.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 89
Date Tasted: 9/5/2025
Vintner: Raen
Description: Sonoma Coast Royal St Robert Cuvee’
Vintage: 2023
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: A lovely, vibrant nose of raspberry, cherry, eucalyptus and lime leaf. With a few minutes of O2, however, it fades a bit. It begins to deconstruct, losing some of the immediate intensity. What is left is very good wine that seems a little fractured. Just a little.
The palate has a long finish, full body, high acid and great concentration. However, on the palate it has a few harsh notes. The berries on the nose don’t translate to the palate well.
Still, if you want to spend $80 dollars on a really interesting, lovely Pinot Noir, do so. You will not be disappointed. See below, for a slightly better wine, just a year older. See Wine.com.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 96
Date Tasted: 8/29/2025
Vintner: Raen
Description: Sonoma Coast Royal St Robert Cuvee’
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: This is not just a pinot noir to sip with dinner or by itself, absent mindedly doing other things. No, this wine is an experience. We run into wines like this once in a while. The second you smell this one, you know you’re in for a treat. This wine demands attention.
The raspberry, blueberry and red cherry are so intense, bright and vibrant. There are spices, floral notes and citrus. It all balances so nicely. The palate is almost perfect.
As you smell it, you’re aware you’ve found a work of art. Wine.com
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 97
Date Tasted: 8/29/2025
Vintner: Phone Booth
Description: Santa Lucia Highlands
Vintage: 2023
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: This is made by Adam Lee of Clarice and Siduri fame. It is a regional blend of Pinots from the Santa Lucia Highlands region. It has a firm nose of berries, black pepper, lime leaf and forest path.
The acidity and fruit on the palate are balanced nicely. It has a long finish and full body. It has a cayenne and vanilla note on the palate. The only thing it lacks is intensity. Otherwise, this is a great deal at $34 dollars.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 93
Date Tasted: 8/27/2025
Vintner: Alexandria Nicole Cellars
Description: Destiny Ridge Vineyard, Horse Heaven Hills
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Barbera
Notes: This wine is very much like an Italian Barbera. You get berry, plum, spicy notes, dried herbs and flowers.
The tannins are not high on this one. But the acid is high. The finish is tart and long. The concentration and intensity are high.
This is the first Horse Heaven Hills Barbara we’ve tried yet. The grapes seem to do well in an area where Cabernet, Merlot and Syrah are well at home. Alexandria Nicole wines are very good. We have more of these to come. And they are reasonably priced as well.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 93
Date Tasted: 8/19/2025
Vintner: K Vintners
Description: Jack’s Vineyard, Walla Walla Valley
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Sangiovese
Notes: My brother-in-law passed this on to me. It’s great! It has a fruity nose of berries, dried flowers and herbs, red plums, cayenne pepper, baking spices and vanilla.
The flavor is so intense, spicy, black and raspberry. The body is huge, as is the finish. There is great balance between the fruit and the acidity. You can’t go wrong with this wine.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 96
Date Tasted: 8/18/2025
Vintner: Klipsun
Description: Klipsun Vineyard, Red Mountain
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Red blend
Notes: The blackberry, black currant, cassis, cocoa and coffee are so prevalent on the nose that not much else gets through. Thing is — it’s gorgeous. It’s like sniffing a hot cup of cocoa when you’re camping.
The palate is cocoa silk, high acid, long finish, concentration and intensity.
This wine is reminiscient of Rutherford reds all the way to the dusty texture on the palate. This is a realy winner of a wine. You sip and then you want to sip it again. But it’s also got such a lovely nose, you can sit in a corner and just analyze. At a party, it will turn you into a bit of an introvert
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 95
Date Tasted: 8/13/2025
Vintner: Klipsun
Description: Klipsun Vineyard, Red Mountain
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Notes: The nose is really nice with blackberries, cassis, coffee, dark chocolate brownie, black plum, Malabar pepper and a touch of anise.
Wow, intense flavors, silky tannins, super plush, long finish, high acidity and really concentrated.
Welcome to Washington Cabernet. This is really classic, slightly flinty on the palate, but really lovely like laying in a velvet blanket. It runs in the $70 dollar range.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 95
Date Tasted: 8/12/2025
Vintner: Patz & Hall
Description: Sonoma Coast
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Chardonnay
Notes: While visiting Patz & Hall recently, they mentioned this wine as being a favorite, though far less expensive than their other Chardonnays. Their others are in the $60 to $70 range. This one I found at TotalWine.com for $30.
So, in short, there isn’t a lot of complexity in this wine, but it has concentration. There is caramel, lime leaf, pear drop, green melon and stone fruit pit.
The palate is where it shines. It’s pretty concentrated. It covers the tongue with good fruit, has full body, long finish and nearly high acid. This is a great wine for dinner. And points/price, it’s a great wine that will impress the wine crowd at a party.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 93
Date Tasted: 8/12/2025
Vintner: Tolenas Winery
Description: Suisun Valley
Vintage: 2024
Varietal: Rose’
Notes: You get bright notes of strawberry, baked red cherry pie filling, watermelon, lime leaf, honeysuckle, beeswax and raspberry.
The finish is huge. You will keep tasting this on the palate for minutes. The body is medium, the acid high, the intensity and concentration are high. And there is a silky tannin just barely on the palate. The balance in this wine is impeccable between the bright fruit and the acidity.
This little Suisun Valley winery has knocked this one out of the park. It runs in the $22 range. It is limited production as well. This is not your average pool side or picnic rose’. This wine demands to be noticed and would be perfect as a dinner wine. But it is best enjoyed all by itself as the focus to the attention in the room.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 95
Date Tasted: 8/09/2025
Vintner: Innumero
Description: Bootlegger’s Hill Vineyard, Green Valley of Russian River Valley
Vintage: 2023
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: Blackberry, raspberry, strawberry jello, black pepper, cedar, mushroom, spice, brown sugar on the nose.
Silky, firm tannins, full body, high acid, long finish, high alcohol, high concentration and high intensity.
This is a yet unknown winery up in Windsor, Ca. There is a great facebook group that concentrated on Pinot Noir. And they recommended this winery. Their 2023 wines are really nice. They are worth the visit if you can find a place where they’re pouring.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 93
Date Tasted: 8/07/2025
Vintner: Whitehall Lane
Description: Napa Valley
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Merlot
Notes: This wine has fairly intense notes of blackberries, raspberries, black tea, cocoa, ripe peach, baked biscuit, rose and fresh herbs.
The palate is spicy, a bit sharp with high alcohol, high acid, full body, long finish, med+ tannins, high concentration and intensity.
This is the Whitehall Lane storefront Merlot. We tried the 2020 a while ago and loved it, but so did everyone else. It was gone from the stores before we could get more. This one is young, young. It needs time. It has enough nose and palate character to be very approachable. With a little time, the sharpness on the palate should mellow out. This will let the nice flavors shine through. But as it stands, it is just a sassy kid right now. At $39 a bottle, it is worth the try.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 92
Date Tasted: 8/02/2025
Vintner: Daou
Description: Reserve Paso Robles
Vintage: 2022/23
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Notes: The Reserve Cabernet has a lovely, rich nose of green pepper, blackberry, black cherry, anise and rich, fragrant soil. It is a monster of a nose. But oh my gosh, this wine is young!!!
The 1740 Reserve Cabernet is more mature smelling. It has baked, raspberry, blackberry, blueberry tart and soft soil character. It has none of the anise character of the first. But it has cocoa and pie crust. The first sip is like drinking dark chocolate cocoa.
Both wines have a long finish, huge body, high intensity, high concentration and high acid.
I was able to get both these bottles today. I had no idea what to expect. But I was very pleasantly surprised. For folks that are hung up on young cabernet being unapproachable (and I agree to a point), then this wine is not for you. But if you like vibrant fruit in a young wine that feels like a young colt busting down a gate, this wine is in your camp.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 94/95
Date Tasted: 7/29/2025
Vintner: Klipsun
Description: Altimus, Red Mountain, Washington State
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Notes: A friend brought this over last night. He works for Rutherford Hill Winery, which is owned by the Turlato Wine Group. They also own Klipson, one of Washington state’s premier, boutique wineries. They only make two cabs and a red blend. Altimus is the higher level wine that Klipsun produces and runs about $175/bottle. Their other two wines run in the $75 dollar range.
This wine was textured with plush fruit, well balanced between the fruit and acidity on the palate. It barely missed a beat on the nose with ripe berries, spice and rich cocoa/cassis.
This was one of those bottles that, of the four open last night, ended up being the one that was most fought over (politely) for the last glass. I put it right up there with Quilceda Creek’s CRV releases.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 95
Date Tasted: 7/26/2025
Rating: 94
Date Tasted: 7/26/2025
Vintner: Pine Ridge
Description: Napa Valley
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Cabernet Franc
Notes: I really like Cab Franc. And when I left Castle Rock last Tuesday, it was hard to turn left across traffic. So, I drove right to the next place where I could turn around and head south. That was Pine Ridge Vineyards. So, I popped in to get a bottle of their new Cab Franc, which I’d found out was available prior to the trip.
After purchase, this wine was consumed pretty quick that night and I don’t remember a lot about it other than richness on the palate, full body, medium acidity, intensity not quite full. The nose was full of spice and brighter berries than you’d expect from textbook Cab Franc. It was a very nice experience. An off the beaten path wine — as most people who go the Pine Ridge concentrate on the Cabernet Sauvs. And there are a lot of them.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Vintner: Beringer
Description: Stagecoach Vineyard, Atlas Peak, Napa Valley
Vintage: 2018
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Notes: This wine usually runs $150 a bottle. But Beringer (like a lot of the Treasury properties) is offloading some wine on their various wine sites. They have a couple. We got this one on TheWineEvent.com. There are usually just a few bottlings available on this site. And if you go there now, this one is going for $60. Just saying. It’s a deal.
This wine is plush. The tannins are so silky soft. There is the classic Atlas Peak web potting soil on the nose. For gardeners out there, you know and love this scent. It smells warm, damp and like spring. But if that puts you off, just mix that with warm blackberry, cocoa, soft licorice, cassis and black currant. That’s a lovely nose.
We don’t even need to talk about the palate. It is off the charts with a balanced body, tannin, finish, acidity that doesn’t stop. The concentration of flavors is high. The only thing that gave us pause is the intensity. It could have done more of a showing here. And hence, the 95 point score. But jeez, for this price this is a steal.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 95
Date Tasted: 7/23/2025
Vintner: Stephan Vineyards
Description: L’Aventure Estate Cuvee, Paso Robles, Willow Creek District
Vintage: 2020
Varietal: Red Blend
Notes: What a cool blend. 45% Syrah, 40% Cab Sauv, 15% Petit Verdot. It is about as opulent as they come. The addition of the Syrah just gives this wine extra depth. It is full of blackberry, licorice, cassis, black pepper, soft cocoa and spicy sun-dried tomato.
The palate is just full everything. The acid is medium however. But the rest is just silky tannins and full body, long finish.
A friend brought this over or it might have never crossed our palate.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 96
Date Tasted: 7/23/2025
Vintner: Testarossa
Description: Gary’s Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands
Vintage: 2023
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: This is typical of the Santa Lucia Highlands, Gary’s Vineyard. It has a concentrated nose of tangy black cherry, raspberry, phreesia, spicy herbs and baked sugar on pie crust.
The body is full, and the finish goes on and on. It has lovely, soft tannins, high alcohol, tart acidity and great intensity.
A little more concentration and less acidity would enhance the overall package here. Still, this is a very nice wine. There is plenty here to tie together a great package of flavors.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 94
Date Tasted: 7/22/2025
Vintner: Testarossa
Description: Sierra Mar Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands
Vintage: 2023
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: If the vineyard is from SLH, then we want to try it. That area just south of Carmel by the Sea, is our favorite. This one is rich, fresh fruited and bright with acidity.
You get a nose full of raspberry, tart red cherry, cranberry, brioche, menthol, coffee and fresh herbs.
The palate is plentiful with tart fruit and is balanced out with slightly sweet fruit. The body is full. The finish is long and the concentration is high. This is just a lovely pinot from Sierra Mar, one of Gary Francioni’s properties. It just gets better as it breathes.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 93
Date Tasted: 7/21/2025
Vintner: Sans Liege
Description: Central Coast
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Mourvedre
Notes: Blackberry, cranberry, black cherry, baking spice, baked, buttery pie crust, cooked brown sugar.
The finish on this wine is long. This matched with a high concentration, intensity and body make for a fine wine. The acidity is medium. The tannins are soft and plush. It is not a Southern Rhone or Provencal style. It is pure California, softer, more fruity — less meaty depth.
So, here we are, back to Sans Liege. They used to make the wine for DV8 Cellars. We were club members here for a short while. And after trying this wine, we kind of wish we were still.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 94
Date Tasted: 7/20/2025
Vintner: Generalazione Alessandro
Description: Croceferro, Etna Rosso DOC
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Red Wine
Notes: Such an interesting wine from Etna DOC in Italy. In the states it seems we get so few of these amazing wines. This one has a dry, red cherry nose with bitter herbs and raspberry.
On the palate you get a nice sour cherry and a touch of cocoa. The body is med+, the tannins are medium, the acidity is high, the concentration and intensity are med+, the finish is med+.
This is a real treat to try. We got this at the Napa Oxbow wine shop. The guy who runs the shop always comes up with interesting wines for the quarterly club. And this just gets better as it breathes.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 91
Date Tasted: 7/18/2025
Vintner: Chateau Dalem (see 2019 below)
Description: Fronsac, Grand Vin de Bordeaux
Vintage: 2020
Varietal: Merlot
Notes: The nose has cocoa, lots of cocoa. But not too much. There is dried black currants, dried herbs, wood aged notes, sour cherry and black berries.
The palate is textured. This is very close to what Andre Tschelistcheff called Rutherford Dust. You get full body, high intensity, med concentration, high acid, long finish and med+ tannins. There is a lovely note of cherry pie on the palate as well.
This is just a touch better than the 2019 below. But they’re both really nice. This one is still available at Total Wine for $29.99. This is a really reasonable price for a nice Bordeaux.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 93
Date Tasted: 7/18/2025
Vintner: Chateau Dalem
Description: Fronsac, Grand Vin de Bordeaux
Vintage: 2019
Varietal: Merlot
Notes: With a silky berry, cassis nose that smells delightfully of dried herbs and currants, this wine has a lovely nose tinged with a nice hint of age.
On the palate you get high acid, med+ tannins, full body, long finish, med+ concentration and intensity.
It’s really got a lot to offer, this Fronsac merlot. The nose is very round in its scents. Where it loses focus is on the palate. The acidity doesn’t meld well with the fruit. Still, it is a great example of Right Bank merlot.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 92
Date Tasted: 7/17/2025
Vintner: Merry Edwards
Description: Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: Yah, we try a lot of Pinot. We love Pinot Noir. But we also like good prices on Pinot. These regional blends are always better deals than single vineyards.
This wine is one we picked up after trying the whole panel of Merry Edwards Pinots. This one was amazing as a Pinot and amazing for the price. The nose is soft cocoa, round berries and tart cranberries.
The palate shows just fine balance between acidity, fruit and texture. The intensity, concentration and finish are amazing. This is a beautiful wine, not just for the price. It is worth far more.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 94
Date Tasted: 7/12/2025
Vintner: Black Kite
Description: Sonoma County
Vintage: 2023
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: For several years Black Kite was like Mecca to us. We wanted to go check it out. And when we finally did, we were really blown away by the Pinots and the Chardonnays.
One thing you find when you visit enough Santa Rosa area wineries is that they all have great single vineyard Pinots. But the real savings is in the regional blends. Look for Sonoma Coast, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley, Alexander Valley or Petaluma Gap. These are blends from various vineyards in those areas. This one really blew us away.
The nose is rich with spice and berry fruit. The palate is nicely acidic, the body full, the concentration and intensity nearly high. The finish goes on and on. Just the concentration of amazing spice and tart flavors in perfect balance make this a great buy.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 93
Date Tasted: 7/11/2025
Vintner: Patz & Hall
Description: Hyde Vineyard, Carneros, Napa Valley
Vintage: 2015
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: This wine has a nose like an old, familiar, wooden spice box. The bottle age (tertiary notes) has softened the fruit. It lies hidden under the interesting layer of spicy wood. But there is still nice dark berry fruit. Black raspberry, cranberry and black cherry are key.
The acid is nice and high. It balances wells with the berry fruit on the palate. The body, concentration and intensity are med+. And the finish goes a long way but is not overly long.
Compared to the newer vintages of Hyde from Patz & Hall, this one comes off as muted. But it still has some complexity and intensity keeping it alive at 10 years old.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 92
Date Tasted: 7/10/2025
Vintner: Dutton Estate
Description: Jewell Block, Dutton Ranch, Russian River Valley
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: Raspberry, tart cranberry, sweet black cherry, graphite and wet tree bark.
The acidity on this one is med+, the body, finish and concentration of fruit are high/full.
It’s a really nice pinot noir. On the palate is really shines even more than the nose. It has a long finish and great intensity. It is just so satisfying in balanced flavors. If the nose had the same intensity as the palate flavors this would rate higher. But seriously, this is worth trying.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 94
Date Tasted: 6/26/2025
Vintner: Dutton Estate
Description: La Familia, Dutton Ranch Russian River Valley
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: Oh goodness. This thing is lovely. It has kirsch cherry with a sweet edge. Tart strawberry and raspberry. It is a plush a pinot as you can get without it being flabby. No flab here. Just good balance in the fruit.
The body is full, the finish long, the concentration and intensity full. The acid is high, and the finish is luxuriously long.
With that said, heck. This wine rocks!
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 94
Date Tasted: 6/26/2025
Vintner: Sanford
Description: Santa Lucia Highlands
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: Strawberry, raspberry, red licorice, tomato paste, earth, freshly baked cheese danish. Really!
The tannins on the palate are medium. Acidity is high. The finish is nearly long. The intensity and concentration of fruit are med+
This is a wine a friend brought over, and I decided to do a quick review. The palate on this wine has flavors of tart cranberry balanced out with the red licorice. It’s a darn good wine!
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 92
Date Tasted: 6/26/2025
Rating: 91
Date Tasted: 6/23/2025
Vintner: Bernardus
Description: Gary’s Vineyard, Santa Lucia Hightlands, Monterey County
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: Gary’s fruit is usually treated like gold. This is not the best Gary’s pinot we’ve tried, but it’s still a nice wine. We black and red cherry, cranberry, raspberry, earth and spices.
The finish is med+, the body is medium, the acid is high. It has fairly high intensity and concentration.
The issue with this wine is the acidity. On opening, the acid hit like a hammer. But over time this settled down. And after an hour it still leans tart and does not have the fruit to balance that out. But it is still a 91 for fruit and intensity.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Vintner: Rush Lattin Cellars
Description: Fiddler’s Bluff, Columbia Valley
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Caberner Sauvignon
Notes: This is a big, juicy Cab. It needs air. Give it air. Give it CPR for an hour. It starts tight, a little tart. But it does open up.
This wine has great intensity on the nose. Dark berries, cassis, earth, pepper, cocoa, licorice, blackest currant. Let’s just say it’s all dark fruit. It could be too dark if not for the lovely licorice.
The palate is very good, with body, finish, concentration, acidity, tannins all in balance. A tinge more fruit forward raspberry or blueberry and this wine would be over the top!! As it stands, it gets a 93, but damn, it’s worth the visit. It is a black monster out of the halls of Hades. It would kill to be paired with a skirt steak or fillet mignon.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 93
Date Tasted: 6/22/2025
Vintner: Rush Lattin Cellars
Description: Columbia Valley
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: GSM
Notes: Blackberry, cranberry, black plum, kirsch cherry, coffee, black pepper, molasses, meaty game. It is a little soft on the nose, almost elusive at first.
The acid it high, the body is full, the finish is long. The tannins are medium. The concentration in the fruit is medium+, but the intensity is medium. There are little gaps in the palate where flavor is missing.
It is a round wine, but the comment was made on our panel that it lacks interesting edges. Still, this is another great wine from Rush Lattin.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 92
Date Tasted: 6/21/2025
Vintner: Bernardus Winery
Description: Santa Lucia Highlands, Monterey County
Vintage: 2023
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: Lovely berry, rhubarb, wet soil, lilac.
The wine has a good concentration of berry, cranberry and tart minerality. The body is full, the finish med+. It has fairly light tannins. The lovely berry notes on the palate are very rich.
We tried a vineyard designate pinot from these guys last night. But this far surpasses that one. Seems like so many regional blends I find to be my favorites.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 91
Date Tasted: 6/21/2025
Vintner: Rush Lattin Cellars
Description: Columbia Valley Grenache Rose’
Vintage: 2024
Varietal: Rose’ of Grenache
Notes: The wine starts with notes of bright Rainier cherry, dry watermelon, orange blossom, minerals, cream cheese danish, sweet strawberry candy, white nectarine and Meyer lemon curd.
On the palate you get rhubarb, strawberry, gentle minerals, salted watermelon, white peach, lemon zest, Gravenstein apple peel. The acid is high, the concentration and intensity are high, the body medium+, the finish is long.
With that said, this wine is exciting. It has great balance between the tart, playful acid, the bright minerality and lovely cherry and stone fruit. On the nose, it really smells like a cherry cheesecake without being cloying. That note on the nose alone is what makes this a keeper.
This wine will be amazing cold, whether at a cookout or sophisticated summer party. But with salty food like olives, jamon iberico, charcuterie, or watermelon-feta salad, it will pair well. Let’s just say it would be perfect with anything Greek or Middle Eastern. Perfect for Easter dinner. But it is lovely on its own!! This wine could go toe to toe with any Sonoma or Mendocino rose that we’ve had recently.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 95
Date Tasted: 6/19/2025
Vintner: Suisun Valley Vineyards
Description: Suisun Valley, Winemaker Series No.1
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Mourvedre
Notes: A nice Suisun Valley version of Mourvedre. It is not Rhone style, but who cares. This is a lovely drinking wine. It is from the Lanza family who owns Wooden Valley Winery in Suisun.
The nose is nicely concentrated with notes of blackberry, dark cherry, game, dried herbs and spice.
The body on this is full, the finish long, concentration and intensity high. It is a great effort from the little valley just over the hill from Napa.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 91
Date Tasted: 6/16/2025
Vintner: Turnbull Wine Cellars
Description: Napa Valley
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Notes: On opening, the first whiff is really intense. It jumps right out of the glass. Now, having tried the 2020 and the 2021, this one surpasses them both. I have tried many of the best Turnbull wines. This one confirms my belief that one year these guys are going to be unable to fail to make even their least expensive wine very well.
This wine has an anise nose with cocoa, coffee, brioche, sweet black cherry, cassis and berries. The palate is high acid, intense body, finish, amazing, soft tannins, great intensity and concentration. It coats the tongue with amazing, dark, silky tannins, licorice and soft pepper.
This thing is lovely. Wine.com has this for $47 bucks. Get it before I do.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 94
Date Tasted: 6/15/2025
Vintner: King Estate
Description: Willamette Valley
Vintage: 2023
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: We received this wine a gift last month. We have heard great things about King Estate. But we’d never tried any. This one is a mild Willamette wine. It has a high acid, moderate nose and flavors. It is great with food, matching well with grilled meat, olives, hummus.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 88
Date Tasted: 6/15/2025
Vintner: Dutton Goldfield
Description: Dutton Ranch Russian River Valley
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: Deep red cherry, raspberry, a hint of strawberry, cranberry, rose petals, forest floor.
The body is full, the finish is long, the intensity and concentration are almost high. The tannins are soft.
Recently, several people up in the Santa Rosa area have been mentioning Dutton and Dutton Goldfield. When I saw this one at the local Nugget market, I decided to get one. I’m glad I did. It opens even more after an hour. It went from a 93 to 94 as it breathed.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 94
Date Tasted: 6/14/2025
Vintner: Ramey
Description: Charles Ranch Fort Ross-Seaview
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Chardonnay
Notes: Pear, melon, stone fruit, Eureka lemon peel, minerals, breadiness, sea brack.
This thing is intense with acidity. It’s very lemony, full bodied, long, tart finish, a sweetness that counteracts the intense acid.
I was pouring wine at work one day a week ago and I guy from Ramey came in and handed me a bottle of this wine. So, I bought a bottle of Cab Franc and gave it to him. And now I’m reviewing it. It finally comes across as Meyer lemon on the palate and very little else.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 92
Date Tasted: 6/14/2025
Vintner: Dutton Estate
Description: Karmen Isabella
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: I forgot to post this review! And now I don’t remember what I thought. I only remember the score. With that said, this was a lovely wine with very good concentration of balanced flavors and scents. It scored a 95 because of the lovely intensity. We liked enough to run out to Mission Spirits and grab their last 5 bottles.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 95
Date Tasted: 6/14/2025
Vintner: M Chapoutier
Description: La Bernardine, Chateauneuf-du-Pape
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Chateauneuf-Du-Pape
Notes: This is a well-balanced wine on the nose. It has tart and fruit in abundance. The berry fruit, the dried flowers and herbs, the garrigue, the red plum and the floral notes mixed with the red plum. Yum.
The palate has med+ across the board. Acid, finish, tannins, body, concentration and intensity of fruit. It is all in balance. The only thing holding it back is the lack of intensity and concentration. There is a lightness on the palate in only parts of my mouth. If these spots were all equal across the board this would be a Lovely wine. With a capital “L”. So, as it stands, it gets a 92 but is screaming for a higher score. It just doesn’t quite have it. See the review of the 2022 version below.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 92
Date Tasted: 6/13/2025
Vintner: Elizabeth Chambellan
Description: Vieilles Vignes
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Chateauneuf-Du-Pape
Notes: This one also needed some time to open up. It has a very powerful scent of raisin, dried dates and garrigue herbal notes. It has ripe, black cherry, almost to the point of being Bada-bing! This note is a little overpowering on the nose.
The palate has richness, full body, med acid, med tannins, good intensity. The finish also has this strong black, candied cherry note. If this note was a bit less, the wine would shine.
Besides that, this wine has great redeeming qualities. It is a great stand-alone sipper that just improved with oxygen.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 91
Date Tasted: 6/12/2025
Vintner: Rotem & Mounir Saouma
Description: Inopia Rouge, Cotes du Rhone Villages
Vintage: 2020
Varietal: Rhone Blend
Notes: Well, we weren’t sure about this one at the start. It had a serious funk to the nose. But the direction on the bottle were to let it stand for an hour. So, we did.
We ate dinner and then came in fresh. And WOW! What a change. The funk was completely gone. The nose was hard core Rhone. There was garrigue, dried herbs, floral notes, red berries.
The palate has med+ intensity, good concentration, full body, long finish, med- tannins and med+ acid.
A very nice wine that pulls a Jekyll and Hyde. It ends gentle and full of nice fruit. We found this on Wine.com for $34.99. It is a solid 92. Some polish and increased intensity would have pushed this much higher.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 92
Date Tasted: 6/12/2025
BlaVintner: Chateau La Tonnelle
Description: Haut-Medoc
Vintage: 2020
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend
Notes: blackberry, bright, cooked red currant (almost sweet) and raspberry. Sweet flowers, dried herbs, a hint of Brettanomyces, cooked plum, black plum, cocoa and nutmeg.
The palate is firm with high acid, med+ tannins, long finish, full body, good concentration and intensity.
After breathing for 2 hours it comes to life.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 92
Date Tasted: 6/09/2025
BlaVintner: Chateau LaTour de Bessan
Description: Margaux, Grand Vine de Bordeaux
Vintage: 2020
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend
Notes: Lots of anise, pepper, black currant and blackberry on the nose. Dried flowers, cocoa, lilac, plum and nutmeg.
The palate is even more amazing. The tannins are lush, full, velvety and ripe. The acid is med+, the concentration high, the finish med+. The anise is plentiful on the flavor.
This wine received some good ratings. We would like to rate it higher, but it seems like the palate and nose leave a few areas thin on nose and flavor. Also, this wine was opened two hours ago, and it continues to improve. We originally rated this a 90 and it has improved with oxygen.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 92
Date Tasted: 6/09/2025
BlaVintner: M Chapoutier
Description: La Bernardine, Chateauneuf-du-Pape
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Chateauneuf-du-Pape
Notes: We picked up this bottle untasted in France at the M Chapoutier tasting room. It was our first trip to the Rhone Valley. So special. And we opened it tonight.
Cocoa is the abundant note in the nose of this wine. Dark berries, currants, dark plum and cooked stone fruit are the next layer. Dried flowers, herbs and that classic garrigue note are deep down in the nose.
The layers of velvet, concentrated fruit and balanced acid are amazing. The body is full, the finish long. The tannins are medium and just right.
This is a lovely wine. Looking out on the internet we see this wine for $65-$75 a bottle. And it is worth every penny.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 94
Date Tasted: 6/08/2025
BlaVintner: Markham Vineyards
Description: Marked parcels, Meadowrock Vineyard, Atlas Peak, Napa Valley
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Notes: 6 barrels made of this marked parcel Atlas Peak AVA, Meadowrock Vineyard Cabernet Sauv. It received a 92 pt score from another reviewer. I was headed to Beringer with my sister last Thursday and stopped by to get a bottle of this lovely wine. Here’s why I think this is better than 92.
First of all, there is pine resin on the nose. It has a wall of blackberry, black currant and oak right up front. And then the cocoa comes out. And there is a hint of wet potting soil, anise. It has a floral, spice like phreesia.
High acid, full body, high, firm tannins, long finish that goes and goes. But it is the intensity and concentration of flavors that push this up to a 94 pointer.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 94
Date Tasted: 6/07/2025
BlaVintner: Rutherford Hill
Description: Oakville, Napa Valley
Vintage: 2018
Varietal: Merlot
Notes: The more Merlot I try from Rutherford Hill the more I fall in love with it. These guys do a lot of varietals, but like Markham (which I love) these guys focus on Merlot. They have at least 3 different Merlots from various Napa Valley sub-AVAs.
My friend David came over for my 60th birthday last night and brought this over to open for the guests. There were 45 people and they flew through the great wines we had open. I got a glass of this one. And it was really classic Merlot. Seriously thick, velvet tannins with cocoa, firm berry fruit that stood out above the acidity and tannins. It was stellar!
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 95
Date Tasted: 6/06/2025
BlaVintner: Pine Ridge
Description: Napa Valley
Vintage: 2019
Varietal: Petite Verdot
Notes: A very fascinating, dark, tannic wine with great dark notes, solid fruit, good acidity. This was a gift that I was able to try a half glass of before it was devoured by the guests. So, my recollection is only of lovely, velvet, licorice, berry and vanilla. If I could find this, I’d buy a case.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 95
Date Tasted: 6/06/2025
BlaVintner: Chateau Bellevue
Description: Vin de Bordeaux, Alfio Moiconi Selection
Vintage: 2020
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend
Notes: Blackberry, molasses, lilac, thyme, coffee, cocoa.
High tannins, high acid, med+ finish, med+ concentration and intensity. Full body and med alcohol.
A nice, rich wine that needs air. We are going to report back after breathing for an hour.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 90
Date Tasted: 6/03/2025
Vintner: Chateau Vrai Canon Bouche’
Description: Grand Vin de Bordeaux, Canon Fronsac
Vintage: 2019
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend
Notes: Nice aged notes on the nose, dried oak, black currant, walnut, dried lilac flower, sage, thyme, blackberry.
High acid, med+ body, med+ finish, med concentration, med+ intensity, high tannins.
It is a good effort. We seem to remember trying this before. But we bought this over a year ago and still don’t remember why we didn’t open this bottle. It’s not something we’d bye again, but it’s always nice to get our palates around some Bordeaux.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 89
Date Tasted: 6/03/2025
Vintner: Chateau de Lamarque
Description: Heriitiers des Marquis d’Evry Haut Medoc
Vintage: 2019
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend
Notes: A fairly basic wine with berry notes, currant, floral, dried herbs, graphite. The palate is fairly concentrated, med body, short finish, med concentration and med acidity. Not a great effort here.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 87
Date Tasted: 6/03/2025
Vintner: Chateau Mayne Mazerolles
Description: Grand Vin de Bordeaux Blaye Cotes de Bordeaux
Vintage: 2019
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend
Notes: Not a lot to write home about here. The nose is full of rough edges. It is hard to find anything pretty here. There’s pencil lead, berry, black tea, pepper, black currant. The palate shows roughness, high acid, med- finish, med tannins and med concentration.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 85
Date Tasted: 6/03/2025
Vintner: Dubourdieu
Description: Liaison Appellation Graves Controllee’
Vintage: 2019
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend
Notes: Chewy black currant, black and red cherry, cocoa, black pepper, rose,
High acid, long finish, med+ concentration, tannins and intensity. It has med+ body and med alcohol.
It is a very fresh smelling wine right out of the glass. It has a bright nose with rose and cherry. But it fades a bit as it breathes in the glass. However, fresh out of the bottle this is a really nice wine for the $20 range. On the palate the tannins, acid and finish are very pleasing.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 93
Date Tasted: 6/02/2025
Vintner: Chateau de le Chapelle
Description: Blaye Cotes de Bordeaux
Vintage: 2019
Varietal: Bordeaux Blend
Notes: Very dry berry, dry black currant, dried flowers, lilac, cocoa and tar.
This has got med+ tannins, high acid, long finish, high concentration, med+ intensity, med alcohol and med+ body.
We bought this a year ago during Bordeaux class at Total Wine. We let it sit for a year! And we’re glad we tried it finally. It has a nice complexity, fairly good concentration of flavors. For a $20 dollar wine this is really nicely made. Another reviewing site gave this a 95.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 92
Date Tasted: 6/02/2025
Vintner: Rush Lattin Cellars
Description: Columbia Valley
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Syrah
Notes: Of the three wines from Rush Lattin, this one edged out in front. So, imagine you’re eating a biscuit topped coffee cake. You know that cooked brown sugar edge on the side? Well, this wine is what that smells like. And ginger, cardamom, pomegranate molasses, Medjool dates, dried fig, cherry kirsch, the blackest of blackberries, a fresh garden path thyme note, tar, cocoa, coffee, tobacco, corn flower and lilac. And there’s more, but I’m running out of room.
And then all these scents perfectly translate to the palate. It tastes like toasted brown sugar without a hint of sweetness. This wine is so concentrated in flavor. I keep thinking, how did they do that? The finish is so long. It’s a plush, pungent, full bodied, intensely gratifying with incredible balance.
This would be amazing with shawarma, Greek roasted lamb or chicken tandoori. It’s craving acidic foods with enough spice to balance the intensity of this wine.
This one goes for $60. Check it out on their site. Rush Lattin
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 98
Date Tasted: 6/01/2025
Vintner: Fiddler’s Bluff
Description: Columbia Valley
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Syrah
Notes: Deep black fruit notes balanced with raspberry and a touch of blueberry. Baked pie crust, stone fruit pit, coffee, black tea, black pepper, dried herbs and lilac.
The acid is high, the body full, the finish long, the concentration and intensity of flavor are high. The tannins are med+. So, in short, this is just short of perfect wine. It is powerful right at cork-pop. And it breathes nicely, leaving you with a well-balanced, massively intense wine – plush on the palate. Rush-Lattin has knocked this one out of the park! This wine runs $40 dollars per bottle.
Check it out on their site. Fidder’s bluff.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 97
Date Tasted: 5/30/2025
Vintner: Fiddler’s Bluff
Description: Columbia Valley Red Wine
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Red Blend
Notes: The folks at Rush Lattin Cellars have outdone themselves. This is a wine that must be experienced. The moment you open it you smell blackberries, raspberries, coffee, tobacco, lime leaf, dried herbs and what comes across as a croissant danish filled with raspberry.
The body on this is more than full, the tannins med+, the finish is long and elegant. High acidity, huge complexity, intensity and concentration.
This is a big, dark, elegant wine. If you go onto their website, you see that it’s only $37 dollars! This caliber of wine in Napa AVA would sell for four time this price. This is an exceptional bargain and a hidden gem! Check it out on their site. Fidder’s bluff.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 96
Date Tasted: 5/28/2025
Vintner: Siduri
Description: Rosella’s Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands
Vintage: 2023
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: Notes of soft rosemary, dense blackberry, spicy dried wood, raspberry, black cherry kirsch, lime leaf.
Of the six wines we just reviewed from Siduri, this one takes the award. The body is massive, the finish is huge, the acid is perfectly balanced with the fruit. This wine is intense, thick with a Jello texture and hugely concentrated. It is delicious.
We are looking forward to the next release when we get more of the Santa Lucia highlands releases.
Update: after breathing for an hour, the second half of the bottle blossomed. It became a 96.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 96
Date Tasted: 5/27/2025
Vintner: Siduri
Description: Seascape Vineyard, West Sonoma Coast
Vintage: 2023
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: Spicy wood, blackberry, cherry, raspberry, cinnamon, nutmeg, fresh earth and phreesia flowers. The minerality is like oystershell.
The tannins are soft, the body full, the finish long, the concentration and intensity almost high. The acid is high. And the balance is lovely. The scents and flavors are lovely. This wine is a pleasure to sip.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 94
Date Tasted: 5/26/2025
Vintner: Siduri
Description: Gran Moraine Vineyards, Yamhill-Carlton, Oregon
Vintage: 2023
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: We get tart cranberry, strawberry, red cherry, minerals, bitter herbs and soil.
The tannins are quite moderate, the finish is long, the concentration and intensity are med+. The acid is high and the body is medium. On the palate you get those bitter herbs that pretty well balance with the fruitiness. The acidity is a bit high. Nice minerality though. It’s a big wine but lacks some balance in the acid area.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 91
Date Tasted: 5/25/2025
Vintner: Siduri
Description: Bloomfield Vineyard, Sonoma Coast
Vintage: 2023
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: We get black cherry, blackberry, raspberry, vanilla, cranberry and cooked green bean. But it works.
The tannins are pretty grippy, the acid high. The concentration is med+, so is the intensity. The finish is long and the body is full.
This is a mixed bag. The nose intensity is rich. The palate is a little less. The berries in this thing are amazing, especially the black cherry. It edges on kirsch.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 93
Date Tasted: 5/25/2025
Vintner: Siduri
Description: Parsons Vineyard, Russian River Valley
Vintage: 2023
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: We love Siduri. They have so much Pinot! And this one is very nice. It has fresh raspberry, red cherry, lilac, white chocolate, cola, brioche and a slight note of wet logs (which is the precursor to mushroom and forest floor). This wine is a baby.
The palate has firmer tannins that most pinots. The body is full, concentration, finish, acid and intensity are all high. And it’s got great balance between the fruit and acid. The tannins are great and grip the teeth just a little. But that finish goes a long way with fresh fruit flavors.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 93
Date Tasted: 5/25/2025
Vintner: Siduri
Description: Hapgood Vineyard, Sta Rita Hills
Vintage: 2023
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: We love Siduri. Not all their releases are stellar and there are about 18 a year. Maybe more. I didn’t count last year. But this one is the first of 6 that we received for the latest release.
The nose has lime leaf, strawberry, red cherry, raspberry, minerality, kirsch and wet potting soil. It’s a nice scent.
The body is med+, the acid high, concentration and intensity are med+. the tannins are medium.
This is another wine that fades in the glass pretty quickly. But in its prime, it has come nice notes. But it just isn’t tight. It smells and tastes a little loose.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 91
Date Tasted: 5/24/2025
Vintner: Testarossa
Description: Brosseau Vineyard, Chalone
Vintage: 2023
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Notes: This wine starts full bodied with high intensity and concentration. It has nice cherry, strawberry and minerals. But just ten minutes after a glass is poured and it fades off into the sunset. So, the rating is based on before and after effects.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 91
Date Tasted: 5/23/2025
Vintner: Domaine du Vieux Telegraph
Description: La Crau, Chateauneuf-du-Pape
Vintage: 2012
Varietal: Rhone Blend
Notes: This was a 375ml bottle. And it had a great nose, nice aged tertiary notes, still holding onto a lot of fruit, soft tannins and high acid.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 93
Date Tasted: 5/20/2025
Vintner: M Chapoutier
Description: Monier de la Sizeranne, Hermitage
Vintage: 2012
Varietal: Rhone Blend
Notes: This is Hermitage. And it was a nice older one. But it was fading in the bottle. Still, it was a great experience to try an older one.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 92
Date Tasted: 5/20/2025
Vintner: M Chapoutier
Description: Monier de la Sizeranne, Hermitage
Vintage: 2020
Varietal: Rhone Blend
Notes: This is Hermitage. And this was amazing wine. We did not research quickly and found these wines available on Wine.com and Total Wine. At the winery in France this was 54 Euros. At sites in the states, these run $179.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 95
Date Tasted: 5/17/2025
Vintner: M Chapoutier
Description: Saint Joseph, Les Granilites
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Rhone Blend
Notes: A nice effort on this one, but not the best we tried at the winery. Downstairs there were so many bottlings from M Chapoutier and other labels. It was dizzying and hard to pick just a few to buy. This one was a loose flavored wine, but still had lots of redeaming qualities.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 92
Date Tasted: 5/17/2025
Vintner: M Chapoutier
Description: Combe Pilates
Vintage: 2021
Varietal: Viognier
Notes: We did a great tasting at M Chapoutier after being rained off the hill of the vineyard. We were soaked. But the wines did a great job of making this better. The Viognier was a solid 92 pointer.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 92
Date Tasted: 5/17/2025
Vintner: Maison Jamet
Description: Cotes-Rotie, Fructus Voluptas
Vintage: 2023
Varietal: Syrah
Notes: This one had slight balance issues, but still had good intensity.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 92
Date Tasted: 5/15/2025
Vintner: Pierre Jean Villa
Description: Crozes-Hermitage, Accroche Coeur
Vintage: 2023
Varietal: Rhone Wine
Notes: A lovely wine for a Crozes-Hermitage, usually considered inferior to the great Hermitages.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 94
Date Tasted: 5/15/2025
Vintner: Chateau de Beaucastel
Description: Chateauneuf Du Pape
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Chateauneuf Du Pape
Notes: Great concentration, intensity and lovely fruit balanced with good acidity. This was the best of the bunch that we tried at the wine shop. We left with a bottle as well.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 96
Date Tasted: 5/15/2025
Vintner: Clos St Antonin
Description: Chateauneuf Du Pape
Vintage: 2019
Varietal: Chateauneuf Du Pape
Notes: Great concentration, intensity and lovely fruit balanced with good acidity.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 94
Date Tasted: 5/15/2025
Vintner: Domaine Dambrun
Description: Laurence et Patrick Chene
Vintage: 2020
Varietal: Rhone Blend
Notes: We had this twice. The time at the wine shop in Arles it was very nice. But the second time was a fresh bottle. And that was very nicely balanced and had good intensity.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 93
Date Tasted: 5/15/2025
Vintner: Domaine D’Ourea
Description: Gigondas, Adrien Roustan
Vintage: 2018
Varietal: Rhone Blend
Notes: This one was a bit on the lighter side, with less intensity than the rest.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 90
Date Tasted: 5/15/2025
Vintner: Chateau la Canorgue
Description: Luberon
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Rhone Blend
Notes: A major region in the Rhone valley, Luberon. This was a big wine with lovely fruit and nice balance.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 93
Date Tasted: 5/15/2025
Vintner: Piaugier
Description: Sablet, Cotes du Rhone Villages
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Rhone Blend
Notes: Great wine from a great village in the Southern Rhone. This was one of those wines from the wine shop in Arles.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 92
Date Tasted: 5/15/2025
Vintner: Chateau Manissy
Description: Tavel, Florian Andre
Vintage: 2024
Varietal: Rose’
Notes: Lovely intensity, great fruit and high acidity. This is one of these Tavel rose’s that really pleases.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 92
Date Tasted: 5/15/2025
Vintner: Chateau Aqueria
Description: Lirac, Cru des Cotes du Rhone
Vintage: 2023
Varietal: Rhone Blend
Notes: There is a wine shop in Arles that lets you taste a large variety of wines by the small pour. This one rates a 91 point score for good intensity, nice fruit and balance.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 91
Date Tasted: 5/15/2025
Vintner: Franck & Oliver Mousset
Description: Enfants de Vignerons, Cotes-du-Rhone
Vintage: 2022
Varietal: Rhone Blend
Notes: This was a very inexpensive, pleasant drinking Rhone blend. We have not seen this yet on sites here in the states.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 90
Date Tasted: 5/14/2025
Vintner: Montsant
Description: El Pispa, Vinos del Paseante DO
Vintage: 2023
Varietal: Garnatxa/Carinyena
Notes: We tried this at the Renaissance Hotel in Barcelona a week ago. It was very oxidized. But the next night we tried it again in the main bar, and this was a fresh bottle. And wow, it was nice. It appears that the wine is available in the states and runs in the $12 dollar range.
Remember, there are more ratings than appear here at our old site: Pantomimehorse.com
Rating: 91
Date Tasted: 5/13/2025
