Fantastic! Well-balanced and Singing right now - beautiful nose and lazer of slightly sweet berries and mouthwatering baking spice down mid-palate and acidity that fleshes out - good weight and texture. Great lasting finish. Would say this will last for a few more years, but no reason to wait - pleasurable now.
Had with Stephanie and Todd, accompanied baked salmon with horseradish mashed.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Cherries, raspberries, spice. Silky smooth. Went very well with an assortment of Indian food, and particularly well with lamb chops. Rated 92 8/23; tasted again 9/23 and liked it even more. Long finish!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Fourth and final bottle tasted. Garnet, opaque. Pronounced aroma of black cherries, black raspberries, pepper, toasted oak. Full-bodied flavors, rich and round, red and black berries, soft tannins, good acidity and viscosity. Flavors carry through to a long aftertaste of darker fruits, a touch of anise. Outstanding now, fully mature, where it should easily stay for several years. Even a touch better than North Slope, which is usually our favorite. Ric
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is at a beautiful spot right now. Still fruity and fresh but now with some tertiary notes creeping in. Deep concentrated cherry and spices with some funky notes (in a good way) on the nose. Based on how well it held up over two hours in a decanter, I expect some additional evolution in the bottle…
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Third bottle tasted. Garnet, opaque. Pronounced aroma of black cherries, black raspberries, pepper, toasted oak. Full-bodied flavors, rich and round, red and black berries, soft tannins, good acidity and viscosity. Flavors carry through to a long aftertaste of darker fruits, a touch of anise. Outstanding now, just entering its maturity plateau, where it should easily stay for several years. Even a touch better than North Slope, which is usually our favorite. Ric
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark crimson. Big nose of damson, dark red fruit. In the mouth more of the same, cranberries and the tobacco and leather. Great complexity at a reasonable QPR. Drinking well now. Probably won't get better. Long finish.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Second bottle we've had. Tasted over three nights, kept getting better! First night good but not outstanding, but this note is from the third night: garnet, opaque. Pronounced aroma of black cherries, black raspberries, pepper, toasted oak. Full-bodied flavors to match, soft tannins, good acidity and viscosity. Flavors carry through to a long aftertaste of darker fruits, a touch of anise, slightly hot. Outstanding now, just entering its maturity plateau, where it should easily stay for five years. As good as North Slope, which is usually our favorite. Ric
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is an exuberant wine that elevates the senses, balanced with a tensive energy that makes this pinot a sheer delight to drink. Day 2 was even better than Day 1. Complex enough, lovely ripe fruit, a touch of menthol, plush tannins, and a lasting, spicy finish. This bottle went way too fast, very happy to have more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Bracing acidity. Bright fresh cherries, almost fruit-punch on the nose. Taste profile is complex with cherries, floral notes, vanilla, spice, and leather. Very good stuff now but should continue to evolve nicely in bottle. An excellent new-world Pinot noir.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I think Hansel's Chardonnays are probably more interesting than their Pinots, but this is legit. Aromas of dark cherry, raspberry, blue flowers, pine forest, lapsang suchong, cafe au lait.... airy and fresh on the nose, it really smells like great Pinot. On the palate it is a little hot and jammy, very spicy, decent acid line, but quite ripe and sweet. Full and spicy, lots of sweet fruit and spice linger on the finish. Really good Cali Pinot, if a little soft and hot for me. This should be worth following for a decade plus.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
60 minute decant. Medium purple color, berry nose. Cherry, raspberry and white pepper palate. This is a good wine that will benefit from more time in the cellar
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
1/2 decant, very aromatic with bing cherry, strawberry on the nose. Cherry, some tart cranberry on the palate with a subdued notes of strawberries and some moderate spice notes. Pleasant enough wine that was better on the first glass so seems like a good candidate for a PnP wine. Well made wine. Maybe some more cellar time should help smooth it out.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
12/17/2023 - enovino Likes this wine: 93 Points
Fantastic! Well-balanced and Singing right now - beautiful nose and lazer of slightly sweet berries and mouthwatering baking spice down mid-palate and acidity that fleshes out - good weight and texture. Great lasting finish. Would say this will last for a few more years, but no reason to wait - pleasurable now.
Had with Stephanie and Todd, accompanied baked salmon with horseradish mashed.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/27/2023 - libero wrote: 92 Points
Walter Hansel Pinot vintage 2018 is not the best among all others vintages of Walter Hansel Pinot.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/19/2023 - BGK810 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Cherries, raspberries, spice. Silky smooth. Went very well with an assortment of Indian food, and particularly well with lamb chops. Rated 92 8/23; tasted again 9/23 and liked it even more. Long finish!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/14/2023 - Ex-Ray wrote: 96 Points
Fourth and final bottle tasted. Garnet, opaque. Pronounced aroma of black cherries, black raspberries, pepper, toasted oak. Full-bodied flavors, rich and round, red and black berries, soft tannins, good acidity and viscosity. Flavors carry through to a long aftertaste of darker fruits, a touch of anise. Outstanding now, fully mature, where it should easily stay for several years. Even a touch better than North Slope, which is usually our favorite.
Ric
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/20/2023 - motuski Likes this wine: 92 Points
Typical Russian River with notes of cola, spice and dark cherry. Good acidity and drinking well
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/27/2023 - talid Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is at a beautiful spot right now. Still fruity and fresh but now with some tertiary notes creeping in. Deep concentrated cherry and spices with some funky notes (in a good way) on the nose. Based on how well it held up over two hours in a decanter, I expect some additional evolution in the bottle…
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/17/2023 - zinnut wrote:
Corked!!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/8/2023 - Ex-Ray Likes this wine: 96 Points
Third bottle tasted. Garnet, opaque. Pronounced aroma of black cherries, black raspberries, pepper, toasted oak. Full-bodied flavors, rich and round, red and black berries, soft tannins, good acidity and viscosity. Flavors carry through to a long aftertaste of darker fruits, a touch of anise. Outstanding now, just entering its maturity plateau, where it should easily stay for several years. Even a touch better than North Slope, which is usually our favorite.
Ric
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/1/2022 - Winevestor Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark crimson. Big nose of damson, dark red fruit. In the mouth more of the same, cranberries and the tobacco and leather. Great complexity at a reasonable QPR. Drinking well now. Probably won't get better. Long finish.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/15/2022 - Ex-Ray Likes this wine: 96 Points
Second bottle we've had. Tasted over three nights, kept getting better! First night good but not outstanding, but this note is from the third night: garnet, opaque. Pronounced aroma of black cherries, black raspberries, pepper, toasted oak. Full-bodied flavors to match, soft tannins, good acidity and viscosity. Flavors carry through to a long aftertaste of darker fruits, a touch of anise, slightly hot. Outstanding now, just entering its maturity plateau, where it should easily stay for five years. As good as North Slope, which is usually our favorite.
Ric
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/27/2021 - Mr. Brisket Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is an exuberant wine that elevates the senses, balanced with a tensive energy that makes this pinot a sheer delight to drink. Day 2 was even better than Day 1. Complex enough, lovely ripe fruit, a touch of menthol, plush tannins, and a lasting, spicy finish. This bottle went way too fast, very happy to have more.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/1/2021 - talid Likes this wine: 93 Points
Bracing acidity. Bright fresh cherries, almost fruit-punch on the nose. Taste profile is complex with cherries, floral notes, vanilla, spice, and leather. Very good stuff now but should continue to evolve nicely in bottle. An excellent new-world Pinot noir.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/3/2021 - Ex-Ray Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very similar style to their North Slope, our favorite. This is just slightly lighter but still excellent and ready.
Ric
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/14/2021 - viniferatu Likes this wine:
I think Hansel's Chardonnays are probably more interesting than their Pinots, but this is legit. Aromas of dark cherry, raspberry, blue flowers, pine forest, lapsang suchong, cafe au lait.... airy and fresh on the nose, it really smells like great Pinot. On the palate it is a little hot and jammy, very spicy, decent acid line, but quite ripe and sweet. Full and spicy, lots of sweet fruit and spice linger on the finish. Really good Cali Pinot, if a little soft and hot for me. This should be worth following for a decade plus.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/11/2021 - BernieMSY Likes this wine: 94 Points
60 minute decant. Medium purple color, berry nose. Cherry, raspberry and white pepper palate. This is a good wine that will benefit from more time in the cellar
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/4/2021 - buymoreredsdrinkmorewhites wrote:
1/2 decant, very aromatic with bing cherry, strawberry on the nose. Cherry, some tart cranberry on the palate with a subdued notes of strawberries and some moderate spice notes. Pleasant enough wine that was better on the first glass so seems like a good candidate for a PnP wine. Well made wine. Maybe some more cellar time should help smooth it out.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment