11/30/2023 - brh_wine wrote:

Sadly this favorite wine is past its peak.

9/10/2022 - brh_wine Likes this wine:

Have enjoyed this wine for many years but time to drink it up. It appears Churchill Cellars is out of business, too bad since their winemaker did great work, I wish I could find him and continue buying his wines. Dark gold, one bottle was a bit oxidized but this one had a lot of the same rich flavors, body, and chardonnay nose. Buttery and balanced without the CA citus overrun. Maybe one or 2 bottles left. Winemaker, please identify yourself if you read this.

2/26/2015 - JoeDwine wrote:

Really nice, sappy, rhubarb cherry coming out later.
Minerality strong should go into 2020+

4/27/2020 - brh_wine wrote:

Addendum to prior note. Was perfect accomplishment to pan fried scallops in butter night 1 and Woodman's lobster rolls the next.

4/27/2020 - brh_wine Likes this wine:

This wine has been a favorite Chardonnay of mine in California for many years since I 1st discovered it. Mow 8 years old it's at it's peak but still showing fine, drink it up. Color a fall napa gold. Explosive almost burgundian balanced nose (vanilla, butter, no citrus) now a recent past. Plenty of wonderful fruit and balance. Ever so briefly hints of volatile acidity which reminds me wines don't grow to the sky.

6/16/2019 - brh_wine wrote:

consistently one of the best CA Chards made. I hope they continue to make this.

3/23/2019 - brh_wine Likes this wine:

A more Burgundian style of CA chardonnay.

7/4/2018 - soyhead wrote:

past prime. somewhat stewed

6/16/2012 - RogerG wrote:

(2 of 2) Just delicious w/steak. Rich, round, creamy.

6/1/2012 - RogerG wrote:

Explosive fruit; deep blackberries; strong non-tannic finish. Terrific!

10/30/2013 - RogerG wrote:

Delicious as always

3/3/2018 - TashNYC wrote:

A good wine, with red fruit, spice, cinnamon and licorice flavors plus some oak and a little creamy on the finsh. A great pairing wih our pork sausage with fennel, which brought out the spice and licorice. And not a bad pairing with our roast Atlantic salmon and wild and long-grained rice with chicken broth.

I thought the 2013 vintage drank better but my spouse preferred this wine.

Great value for our $11 close-out price. ($16 delivered)

Drink now or age another year

2/26/2018 - TashNYC wrote:

Dark cherry fruit with loads of spice -cinnamon and licorice — and some oak on the finish. The wine was ezcellent with our roast pork Italian sausage with fennel and not bad with our grilled Atlantic salmon. It was ok with our Spanish rice with paprika and not good at all with our chopped salmn salad with Old Bay Seasoning.

Would also be good with pizza.

We had the 2 half of the bottle (post-Coravin) the next night and it was similar.

Great value at our $11 / bottle close-out price. ($16 delivered). $40-45 at the winery.

Drink now or hold.

12/9/2017 - brh_wine Likes this wine:

med ruby color, transparent. nose some leathery tobacco mixed berry. distinct cherry fruit, slightly fading but still plenty of life.

3/25/2016 - TashNYC wrote:

Initially oh so tart! It blew off to reveal red fruit, strawberry, earth and sone forest floor. We had this with grilled pork loin with onion and brown sugar compote, which brought out the sweet and cinnamon spice in this wine. drink now. We bought this for $21 on sale, which was ok.

3/4/2016 - Wbc1174 Likes this wine:

Strawberry, currant, hint of smoke, smooth vanilla. A little pepper rounds out the long smooth finish. A very nice Pinot with lots of complexity.

12/2/2014 - greystroke wrote:

Drank woth Kerri and Alex after Thanksgiving at L'Escale 2014

12/20/2013 - isaacjamesbaker wrote:

I’ve been holding onto this bottle to drink with my sister Priscilla for too long, and I was a little worried it might be over the hill. Turned out to be a really solid showing. Pristine cork. Clear, bright ruby color. Nose shows tart berries, sweet cinnamon, rich earth, tar and some decaying leaves, more and more expressive after two hours in the decanter. I love the tartness of this wine. The fruit tends toward the wild strawberry and red cherry variety, backed up but a solid dose of earth, bay leaf and pepper. (My sister described the earth aspect as like the plush moss that grows on rocks near rivers and streams. Pretty much nails it.) My only issue with the wine is the bit of heat on the finish, which may have been hidden when this wine was younger. Still, a really fun wine, pure Russian River, but showing some a lot of non-fruit complexity.

3/19/2013 - soyhead wrote:

nose - raspberry, forest floor, cola, sweet oak
mouth - sweet strawberry fruit intermixed with cinnamon and other barrel spice. light yet lively, with a nice finish.

10/21/2012 - soyhead wrote:

nose - cherry, celery, cola. complex nose
mouth - candied red fruit with a touch of bitterness/herbality. good complexity. nice. for food.

7/6/2012 - travelme wrote:

Extremely light in color almost a light purple hue. Very nice pinot for the price. As noted earlier, nice fruit forward pinot with great balance and acidity. Pleasant taste of strawberry spicy aroma of cinnamon with some cherry notes; complex, rich red cherry and raspberry permeated with lots of spicy texture, balance and a pleasant finish. A winner and recommend drinking soon if you have one since I would guess this only has a year or two left in its drinking window.

6/24/2012 - soyhead wrote:

nose - very faint floral
mouth - minimal flavor on the attack but breaks out into a soft spoken fruit punchy midpalate. nice clean finish. slightest hint of caramel. enjoyable but rather muted for this cuvee which i have like more in prior vintages.

8/10/2011 - ddingley wrote:

Outstanding, very fruit forward but balanced

8/3/2011 - Key wrote:

Buckeye roadhouse, Sausalito

1/14/2010 - air guitar & pinot noir wrote:

Deep, dark garnet with fat legs in the glass. Rich black fruit and plums on the nose with notes of bing cherry and blackberry bramble. Soft and round attack with a medium body with fine tannins. Darke cherry and smoky plum flavors. Very long and flavorful finish. Dusky and robust. Excellent!

12/10/2010 - n8540 wrote:

It's turned...

12/31/2009 - Mlawrence wrote:

Nose of rose petal, light in color, light elegant food friendly Pinot Noir. Burgundian style without all the earthy funk. Mainly red fruit, not your typical RRV pinot. Very minimal approach. A very pretty wine.

9/19/2009 - soyhead wrote:

nose - dark cherry, cherry cola, sweaty sock funk, forest floor, spices - i'm getting off of that on this pinot nose
mouth - dark cherry and plum followed by a highly spiced midpalate of clove and nutmeg. Wow - is that coming from the grape or the barrel, or what? Good sappy finish. Just a delicious RRV Pinot - i've had it before, and I new I liked it but I guess I didnt remember how much.

6/12/2009 - sdred wrote:

Well worth buying again

4/16/2009 - soyhead wrote:

A gorgeous Burgundian nose of light red fruits, tea, forest floor, spices, and a hint of wood. Mouth - light to mid bodied. My first impression is that it's a touch flabby, neither has the tannins or the acidity that I am seeking out to provide structure. And ultimately that is the sole criticism as it has a beautiful smooth seemingly sweet yet fully dry mouth of cherry (veering almost to fruit punch, yet not candified) and clove spice. Wow. This was one of my favorite bottles from PinotDays2008.

4/3/2009 - tommydiesel wrote:

A bit bigger, richer taste than the rest. Bottle age did this one good.

2/27/2009 - JuliannaDHS wrote:

Excellent cherry flavor, very smooth tannins and yet full bodied.

9/1/2008 - soyhead wrote:

nose- sweet red fruit, spice.
mouth -very tasty, good spice, more fruit forward than i had remembered it being.

7/4/2008 - soyhead wrote:

no formal notes, but nice and complex. In the mouth I get bazooka bubble gum, and hints of tea. Tasted next to a Castle Rock Pinot from Mendocino - and it was clearly the winner, by far.

6/29/2008 - soyhead wrote:

Had a taste at PinotDays 2008. Complexity noted. No formal notes.

6/29/2008 - soyhead wrote:

Nose- lychee!
Mouth - juicy and lush fruit. Hints of tea
This was just plain delicious and my favorite wine of everything I tried at Pinot Days 2008.

5/9/2008 - n8540 wrote:

Took to neighbors for dinner. Nice pinot flavor with a little chocolate. Good balance, and didn't feel overly alcoholic. A good wine..

3/1/2007 - Frank Murray III wrote:

This bottle follows my tasting of the other Churchill, which is the appelation RRV bottling. As opposed to the RRV, this wine is estate fruit. It's true to form RRV, as well. Nose is pretty and fragrant. The wine shows a crushed raspberry, hint of blueberry, along with cherry and lime. It finishes with some vanilla and an acidity that reminds me some of the 2003 KB RRV--a red apple skin note. Pretty nice balance, given the vintage. Overall, liked it very much.

2/22/2007 - Frank Murray III wrote:

My first exposure to this wine--even had to add it to CT. Popped and poured the wine last night, and then finished tonight. On par, the wine seemed more flamboyant, more sexy in tune with the vintage last night with what seemed to be more plum, blackberry and riper style. Tonight, I perceive the wine as being a bit more reserved, with some of the same ripe plum and cola nuance but also a tighter finish, more orange peel and tea. Both settings show a cherry lifesaver note, as well as a hint of mint.