Not a lot going on here, a solid down the middle Nebbiolo but nothing that really stands out. Tannin a little heavy but not overbearing, deep color, enjoyable if you like the varietal generally but nothing I would seek out to buy again.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Dark color for Nebbiolo. Big nose that wasn’t there a year ago. Loaded with rose petal, with an undercurrent of currant (ha) and berry scents. Quite tannic still, with a heavier palate than I’d like, but some nice tangy fruit there still. Nose better than the drinking, right now. Sadly last bottle.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
A little hot and awkward. Tannins a little coarse too. Let this one sleep a few years in the cellar as it’s not showing much today. Check back in 5 years?
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opened. Now 2.5h after opening. Nice aromas of ripe cherries, herbs, some stems. Palate with ripe cherries, herbs, stems, some earth and roses. Prominent tannins on midpalate with nice acids on a medium frame. Excellent concentration and power but also with some elegance. Compares well to a very good Langhe nebb with added CA sunshine. This is young and will need a while for the tannins to smooth out. But very good material underneath.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very intriguing. Nose rubber, cumin, woodworkers shop, minerally. Pretty fascinating nose. Very distant fruit of black cherry. Pretty significant tannins. Impossibly light on its feet for claimed 14.2% abv. Black cherry, lively acidity, celery, a hint of lemon, dance in balance with a mineral edge. Built for aging. Drink of hold. A success.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Popped and poured and enjoyed like I prefer to drink most Nebbiolo-based wines: no decant, so I can experience all of their typical transformations in real time. At this very youthful stage, the 2019 “Nebbiolo” from Sandlands pours a deep ruby with a transparent core. Medium+ viscosity. No obvious staining of the tears. On the nose, tremendous freshness which has become somewhat a hallmark for Sandlands wines of any variety. Dark cherries, eucalyptus, some tar, cumin, and savory minerals. On the palate, the freshness follows through. The wine is dry and carries the structure that I want and expect from Nebbiolo: tannins are perceived as high with medium+ acid. The fruits and non-fruits are confirmed. The finish is long and thoroughly enjoyable. There is an Old World sensibility to this that I found super attractive. I should never doubt Tegan’s talent and approach to winemaking but this humble Nebbiolo from the Fountain Grove AVA in Sonoma was beyond my expectations. For a little context, I have an affinity for the wines of Piemonte and particularly those made from Nebbiolo. This bottle was enjoyed directly after a 2018 Ferrando Carema (Etichetta Bianca) and it more than held its own albeit the Ferrando’s pedigree was obvious, having more elegance and a touch more complexity. Nevertheless, this is far and away the best Nebbiolo I’ve had outside of Piemonte and would certainly give me a challenge if served blind. Sadly, only six 300L hogsheads were produced. I sincerely hope to see more Nebbiolo from Sandlands in the future. Drink now and through 2034.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Light color, looks more (light red) pinot than (red/orange) nebbiolo. Nose is not giving a lot, there’s some dark cherry there but not much comes across. Palate much more giving: tart red berry dominates, lots of acidity, and palate lingers nicely. Maybe could use a little more ‘finesse’? Drinks fine now but should soften and improve the next 2-3 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Of the Sandlands wines I've tasted, this Nebbiolo showed itself least of an obvious product of California. Whereas all those other tasted Sandlands bottles were great and classic examples of the state and epitomized the best that Old Vine CA "heritage" vines could produce, I thought this wine was most "Old World", structured, and less obviously Californian. That said, this was also an excellent expression of Nebbiolo. I liked it most on the first day open. It had great tension, "electricity" and structure. When the strawberries and semi-sweet spice showed, it was a delight. On night-2, the powdered tannins seemed to dominate more. You'll want a food that can tackle those. I only got the one allocated bottle, but if I had more I would probably try mid-term cellaring (maybe long term). I'm not super experienced with this grape, though I do have plenty of bottles laid down from decades past. Maybe I should search a few out for comparison. I enjoyed nerding out over this wine the past two nights. Seems like there's a lot of upside in this wine (91-93pts).
2/10/2024 - Incurable_Botrytis wrote: 86 Points
Not a lot going on here, a solid down the middle Nebbiolo but nothing that really stands out. Tannin a little heavy but not overbearing, deep color, enjoyable if you like the varietal generally but nothing I would seek out to buy again.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/30/2023 - rcg62 wrote: 88 Points
Dark color for Nebbiolo. Big nose that wasn’t there a year ago. Loaded with rose petal, with an undercurrent of currant (ha) and berry scents. Quite tannic still, with a heavier palate than I’d like, but some nice tangy fruit there still. Nose better than the drinking, right now. Sadly last bottle.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/8/2023 - khmark7 wrote:
Consumed in a Zalto stem. Not showing much today. Would hold or decant.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/20/2023 - MartyL wrote: 87 Points
A little hot and awkward. Tannins a little coarse too. Let this one sleep a few years in the cellar as it’s not showing much today. Check back in 5 years?
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/14/2023 - James Kim Likes this wine: 90 Points
Opened. Now 2.5h after opening. Nice aromas of ripe cherries, herbs, some stems. Palate with ripe cherries, herbs, stems, some earth and roses. Prominent tannins on midpalate with nice acids on a medium frame. Excellent concentration and power but also with some elegance. Compares well to a very good Langhe nebb with added CA sunshine. This is young and will need a while for the tannins to smooth out. But very good material underneath.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
1/14/2023 - Discobiscuits42 wrote: 92 Points
Very intriguing. Nose rubber, cumin, woodworkers shop, minerally. Pretty fascinating nose. Very distant fruit of black cherry. Pretty significant tannins. Impossibly light on its feet for claimed 14.2% abv. Black cherry, lively acidity, celery, a hint of lemon, dance in balance with a mineral edge. Built for aging. Drink of hold. A success.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/3/2022 - thesternowl wrote: 92 Points
Popped and poured and enjoyed like I prefer to drink most Nebbiolo-based wines: no decant, so I can experience all of their typical transformations in real time. At this very youthful stage, the 2019 “Nebbiolo” from Sandlands pours a deep ruby with a transparent core. Medium+ viscosity. No obvious staining of the tears. On the nose, tremendous freshness which has become somewhat a hallmark for Sandlands wines of any variety. Dark cherries, eucalyptus, some tar, cumin, and savory minerals. On the palate, the freshness follows through. The wine is dry and carries the structure that I want and expect from Nebbiolo: tannins are perceived as high with medium+ acid. The fruits and non-fruits are confirmed. The finish is long and thoroughly enjoyable. There is an Old World sensibility to this that I found super attractive. I should never doubt Tegan’s talent and approach to winemaking but this humble Nebbiolo from the Fountain Grove AVA in Sonoma was beyond my expectations. For a little context, I have an affinity for the wines of Piemonte and particularly those made from Nebbiolo. This bottle was enjoyed directly after a 2018 Ferrando Carema (Etichetta Bianca) and it more than held its own albeit the Ferrando’s pedigree was obvious, having more elegance and a touch more complexity. Nevertheless, this is far and away the best Nebbiolo I’ve had outside of Piemonte and would certainly give me a challenge if served blind. Sadly, only six 300L hogsheads were produced. I sincerely hope to see more Nebbiolo from Sandlands in the future. Drink now and through 2034.
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/15/2022 - rcg62 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Light color, looks more (light red) pinot than (red/orange) nebbiolo. Nose is not giving a lot, there’s some dark cherry there but not much comes across. Palate much more giving: tart red berry dominates, lots of acidity, and palate lingers nicely. Maybe could use a little more ‘finesse’? Drinks fine now but should soften and improve the next 2-3 years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/13/2022 - z_willus_d wrote: 91 Points
Of the Sandlands wines I've tasted, this Nebbiolo showed itself least of an obvious product of California. Whereas all those other tasted Sandlands bottles were great and classic examples of the state and epitomized the best that Old Vine CA "heritage" vines could produce, I thought this wine was most "Old World", structured, and less obviously Californian. That said, this was also an excellent expression of Nebbiolo. I liked it most on the first day open. It had great tension, "electricity" and structure. When the strawberries and semi-sweet spice showed, it was a delight. On night-2, the powdered tannins seemed to dominate more. You'll want a food that can tackle those. I only got the one allocated bottle, but if I had more I would probably try mid-term cellaring (maybe long term). I'm not super experienced with this grape, though I do have plenty of bottles laid down from decades past. Maybe I should search a few out for comparison. I enjoyed nerding out over this wine the past two nights. Seems like there's a lot of upside in this wine (91-93pts).
4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (2)