12/17/2023 - Knows Her Wines Likes this wine:

Drank his 18 year old Cab with dinner at House of Prime Rib in San Francisco. It was perfect with the prime rib. Upon first opening, it was still a little tight, but the nose was already gave us a rich chocolate scent. As the Cab opened up, the layers started coming - dark fruit supported by a firm structure. Not light or fruity as another review stated. This was a classic Cab. These Block 18/19 vines have a unique profile (actually hard to describe, but classic and delicious). Ready to drink now, but could last another couple years.

2/8/2023 - Knows Her Wines Likes this wine:

My idea of a perfect Zin. Big, juicy flavors, strong tannins (still) which smoothed out over our meal. Complex, without any one component taking over - all blended together for a cohesive flavor. 17 years old, ready to drink, but could have aged another 2-4 years and gotten even better. Commonly referred to as OGP, the original Grand Pere old vine vineyard in Amador County, produces delicious Zinfandel grapes. This wine is a steal at $30 a bottle. Only gets better with proper cellaring.

2/8/2023 - Knows Her Wines Likes this wine:

This year, the Winemaker's Selection GSM was 50% Grenache, 41% Syrah, and 9% Mourvedre. This wine is why we love wine - complex, good fruit, good structure. 12 years old and could have aged longer, but ready to drink now. Ripe raspberry and red currant flavors. A little tea and cinnamon on the finish. Beautifully made wine. I wish we had more!

4/16/2022 - Knows Her Wines Likes this wine:

Grapes for this wine come from the first cabernet planted in California.
Classic cab. Soft tannins on front of tongue. Delicious fruit, but dry with good structure. Round mouth feel. Ready to drink, but could have lasted longer. A wine that I could drink a lot of. Great with our steaks tonight.

2/19/2022 - Knows Her Wines Likes this wine:

Juicy red fruit, but well structured. Perfect to drink now. Absolutely delicious. Tannins smoothed out quickly. Long finish had a candied cherry quality.

2/19/2022 - Knows Her Wines Likes this wine:

This 8 year old Zin had more years on it, but it was delicious drinking now. Dark fruit, strong structure, tannins smoothed out after opening. Complex. A delight to drink. Particularly went well with rack of lamb and filet mignon. Ray Gopfrich makes great wines!

10/10/2021 - Knows Her Wines Likes this wine:

I love this wine! A Sangiovese blend, I think there's some Barbera in there. Soft tannins, smooth and round, good fruit, still good structure after 9 years. I think this was one of the best wines Nine Gables made. So sad that they retired. Wish we had more - this was our last bottle. A perfect wine for food. But also delicious on its own.

10/9/2021 - Knows Her Wines Likes this wine:

Not as much fruit or body as the 2015. Thinner. Not as complex. Must not have been as good a year. I think we would have liked it better if we weren't drinking it next to the 2015.

10/9/2021 - Knows Her Wines Likes this wine:

Nice, full bodied Pinot. Smooth, round, with juicy red fruit. Very soft tannins, light structure. Good paired with prime rib.

10/4/2021 - Knows Her Wines Likes this wine:

Mr Ray Gopfrich has done it again. Drank this 20 year old Zin and it was perfect. Great color (no oxidation). Fruit was still ripe and full. Like ripe purple grapes and plums. Very soft tannins. Complex, classic Dry Creek Zin after 20 years. We feel it could have even lasted longer. Wish we had more. Great job, Ray!

7/31/2021 - Knows Her Wines Likes this wine:

Rich, full mouth feel. This 9 year old Zin is aging well. Still some acidity for balance, but tannins are smooth. Dark, delicious fruit is very present. Layers of flavor make this wine interesting. Could last a couple/few more years, but fruit is perfect now.

10/28/2020 - Knows Her Wines Likes this wine:

15 years old and it could last longer. Makes me remember what great wines I've had over the years from Artesa. This one has a definite flavor of concentrated red raspberries. Still good structure which smoothed out after opening. Didn't pick up any cedar or sweetness mentioned in other reviews. I would describe it as "simply delicious". Great with food but also great by itself for sipping. Yum!

9/20/2020 - Knows Her Wines Likes this wine:

Robert Morse continues to make a delicious, complex California Barbera. Always dark fruit, blackberries. Balanced by acidity. Great with food, but also lovely just to sip. This 2012 is so perfect right now, but could last longer. You are lucky if you have some.

9/9/2020 - Knows Her Wines Likes this wine:

Elegant, smooth, drinks like a good white Bordeaux. Don't expect the grassy, herbal style of Sauv Blanc. 6 years old and ready to drink. Very mild acidity at this point.

9/4/2020 - Knows Her Wines Likes this wine:

Vanilla notes on the nose. Nice balance of acidity and fruit. Honey crisp apple flavor on the finish.

7/9/2020 - Knows Her Wines Likes this wine:

Plenty of fruit. One of the nicer 2010 Brunello we've had. Nose of blackberry and blueberry. Soft tannins. Ready to drink, but could last another 5 years. Structured. Delicious. Initially, round in mouth feel.

7/9/2020 - Knows Her Wines Likes this wine:

Tart, but dark, cherry flavor. Still a little structure. Strong enough to stand up to spicy food. Delicious. We miss Nine Gables Winery!

4/22/2020 - Knows Her Wines Likes this wine:

This Chardonnay had a nice round mouth-feel. Flavors of watery honey, light vanilla, and a hint of baked apples. Delicious but light. Maybe lost some of the fruit with time (6 years). Paired well with poached lobster. Some tart acidity at the finish. Interesting wine, not simple.

4/5/2019 - Knows Her Wines Likes this wine:

Good structure; still nice tannins, but smooths out after opening. Some of that dusty Dry Creek finish. Juicy, delicious dark cherry and berry fruit. This wine won a Gold medal at the 2015 Sonoma Harvest Fair. Was $20 at the time. A real value for the quality of this wine.

Could last another 2 years. Wish we had more!

3/15/2019 - Knows Her Wines Likes this wine:

Dashe Cellars Todd Bros. never fails to impress me. Juicy blackberry flavor with enough structure to balance the fruit. A big wine, but not overly extracted. Layers of flavor and complexity. Could last another 5 years but delicious now. Glad I have more!

10/9/2018 - Knows Her Wines Likes this wine:

This is a beautiful Cabernet from Ray Gopfrich. Good structure with soft tannins - drinkable right now, but could last a while. But the fruit is what is so wonderful about this wine! Rich, dark but not too dark, elegant layers. It calls out for a nice grilled steak...and maybe chocolate afterwards:)
Complex - I'd put this against any Napa Cab and it's half the price you'd pay in that wine appellation. Great job, Ray!

8/22/2018 - Knows Her Wines Likes this wine:

This is a big, bold example of a GSM. Rich, red fruit flavors. Spicey! Layers of flavors; not simple at all. Some other interesting component, not sure how to describe - cocoa? leather? This was a very interesting wine with a good flavor profile. Drink now.

7/19/2018 - Knows Her Wines Likes this wine:

Medium structure, dark red fruit, ready to drink.
Not full bodied, but smooth.
The 10% Sangiovese added to the Cab/Merlot/Cab Franc gives the profile a delicious fruitiness, but not a fruit bomb. Well balanced.

6/27/2018 - Knows Her Wines Likes this wine:

Outstanding! This wine is perfect right now - 11 years old. This is a rich Zin, but not just what people call "juicy". It's lush, round, complex. The high alcohol is gone (the burn). It's smooth and perfectly delicious. A little bit of that dustiness you get in Dry Creek Zins. Just about the best Zin I've ever had...and I've had many! Wish we had more.

2/2/2018 - Knows Her Wines Likes this wine:

I am a big fan of Gopfrich wines. This syrah was better than I expected. 2011 was a difficult year for some wineries. But this syrah was complex and delicious. Balanced tannins, good structure, just enough acidity. No big jammy flavors, like some over extracted syrahs. More sophisticated Dry Creek dusty grape flavor. Really, a beautiful wine. That Ray Gopfrich really knows what he's doing! I think it could last longer, but perfect to drink now.

11/2/2017 - Knows Her Wines Likes this wine:

This is a delicious wine from wine maker, Thomas Allen. Balanced; good acidity, with blackberry flavors. Ready to drink or could last a few years. Would be great with all kinds of Italian food. If you can find it, I would highly recommend it if you are a fan of Brunello and Barbera.

10/4/2017 - Knows Her Wines Likes this wine:

This wine is one of the most delicious I have had in a long time. 9 years old and absolutely perfect right now. If you have some, open it now (and call me!). It's earthy, but jammy. Complex. Very rich. When I bought it, probably back in 2010, it was very tannic. But you could anticipate what it would do in the bottle. So smooth right now - like velvet!

9/9/2017 - Knows Her Wines wrote:

Bought this wine without tasting it at the vineyard, because it is small production (45 cases) and we really like their other wines. But it was disappointing. Tart. No distinctive fruit (label says hints of strawberry and watermelon). Best thing I can say is it was refreshing. Not worth $28. Much better Rose out there for less (like VML, Gopfrich, Floodgate by Alysium).

9/4/2017 - Knows Her Wines Likes this wine:

I saw the previous note from 2007. This wine is no longer "tight".
This is a ready-to-drink, classic Napa Cab. Great structure; could last longer, but enjoy it now. Still good fruit, but austere like a Cab should be.

5/19/2017 - Knows Her Wines Likes this wine:

Flavors of ripe plum with some spice. Hint of leather, smooth tannins, ready to drink. Interesting flavor for an unusual varietal. Closest wine I can compare it to would be Valpolicella. Not huge, but nice balance.

3/23/2017 - Knows Her Wines Does not like this wine:

I don't know what's going on with Sunce, but we keep getting tart (almost sour) wines. This Mourvedre tasted like cranberries - that's not Mourvedre! It was stored properly since we bought it from the winery. Very disappointing.

2/4/2017 - Knows Her Wines Likes this wine:

I never gave a 100 point rating. But this was a perfect wine. I can't imagine that it could have been better in any way.

Perfectly ready to drink 18.5 years aged. Balanced, smooth tannins still present for structure. A yummy nose of black raspberry. Full fruit (not dissipated at all by the age!). But not a jammy fruit bomb either. The 40% Cab made it complex and weighty, and the 60% Sangiovese brought brightness. Hint of tobacco or earth in the flavor. The finish was long, elegant and just delicious.

If you have any of this year, drink now. And you are very lucky. One of the best bottles of wine I have ever had!

12/26/2016 - Knows Her Wines Likes this wine:

We may have waited too long for this one. 10 years - the wine was thin and the fruit was minimal. Not that I expect a lot of fruit from a Cab. Upon opening, the wine had good structure and i would describe as chewy. It smoothed out within an hour, lacking complexity. Flavors of bitter chocolate along with a little dark/dry fruit. Was still good with a grilled steak and dark chocolates afterwards.

10/9/2016 - Knows Her Wines Likes this wine:

This is a perfect Syrah right now. Rich purple color. Flavor of dark fruit, balanced by acidity. Smooth, even after just opening - better with a little air time. Rich, delicious, mild complexity. One of the best Syrahs I've ever had. Wish we had more. Seems like we hit the perfect time to drink it after 12 years.

7/28/2016 - Knows Her Wines Likes this wine:

Love this Zin. Grapey, juicy fruit, without being a "fruit bomb". Still good structure. Smooth, after opening an hour before dinner. Ready to drink and probably at its peak. Perfect with BBQ ribs.

5/11/2016 - Knows Her Wines Likes this wine:

We've had this bottle in our cellar for years and opened it last night. It is perfect right now. If you have some, it's time to drink!

Mostly Merlot and Sangiovese, with a little Cab added. It was rich with a complex structure, layered flavors. Very interesting; not boring at all. Strong tannins still when we opened it, but smoothed out completely within a half hour. One of those wines that we wish we had more of.

2/20/2016 - Knows Her Wines Likes this wine:

This wine was perfect to drink right now. Still structured, but the tannins smoothed out after opening. Dark red fruit with rich texture. A classic Cab, perfect with marinated skirt steak. No hint of spice (as mentioned in another review). Good balance between the oak and the fruit. If you have any, recommend to drink it now!

6/14/2015 - Knows Her Wines Likes this wine:

OMG! This is a perfect wine. We are drinking it as I write this review. 11 years old and still could age longer. Still plenty of structure and complexity, woody, but smoothing out with air exposure. The fruit - the darkest fruit you can imagine. Not sure how to explain it - maybe black currents but very dense. Long finish. Great nose - the fragrance filled the air when I poured the wine into glasses. Round, but not viscose. If you have a bottle, you are lucky! Having it with grilled steaks:)

5/15/2015 - Knows Her Wines Likes this wine:

Reading some of the older tasting notes, I think this wine was not ready to drink earlier. We did not experience any of the over-extracted, hot alcohol that other reviews mentioned.

The wine is dark! Rich with good dark berry fruit, lots of structure. Could last longer, but ready to drink now. It is more complex that many Merlots that California wine makers are making. But we like that complexity! Reminded me of a Petite Sirah.

4/30/2015 - Knows Her Wines Likes this wine:

This is one of the most delicious wines I've had in a while (and I drink a lot of wine!). It's perfect to drink right now. The structure is still there, but the tannins smooth out after being open for half an hour. Color - dark, dark. Flavors - juicy dark berries and some cocoa. Wish we had more!

4/4/2015 - Knows Her Wines Likes this wine:

This was a perfect, classic cabernet. Ready to drink. Still good structure; could have lasted another couple years. Rich, balanced fruit with oak. Nose of earth and tobacco. Wish we had more!

2/8/2015 - Knows Her Wines Likes this wine:

Lovely dry gewürztraminer. Floral nose. Layered flavors of lychee and stone fruit. Fabulous with swordfish. No wonder this wine sells out fast, only about 125 cases produced a year.

2/8/2015 - Knows Her Wines Likes this wine:

A wonderful California-style chardonnay. There is a lot going on in this wine - not simple at all. Layers of vanilla and hazelnut flavors. Good acidity balance. A little buttery from the MA fermentation, but not overpowering. Lip-smacking delicious on its own, but was an excellent accompaniment to blinis with truffle pearls, and with crab. So glad we have another bottle!

1/28/2015 - Knows Her Wines Likes this wine:

What an interesting wine! Full flavored, good structure, deep color. Rich and jammy fruit flavor with chocolate overtones. Medium tannins which leads me to believe it could last another 5 years. Wish we had more!

1/17/2015 - Knows Her Wines Likes this wine:

Perfectly ready to drink now! Soft tannins, but still nice structure. Most notable was the flavors - rich, dark chocolate and some cherry. We had it with prime rib, but it would be equally delicious with a chocolate cake.

11/30/2014 - Knows Her Wines Does not like this wine:

I don't know what is going on with Sunce, but their wines have been coming out not just tart, but sour. This one was very disappointing. None of the structure of the cab; none of the jammy fruit of the syrah. And we don't mind appropriate tartness in wine, like a good Chianti paired with the right food. My husband and I had been big fans of Sunce during the vintages of 2000-2008. But we've had problems with the more recent vintages, particularly the Chat. Le Sunce, Tempranillo (a past favorite!), the Cab/Shiraz, and even the Barbera. Are others having the same experience? Very disappointing.

12/11/2014 - Knows Her Wines Likes this wine:

Drinking this 7 years old, the fruit is rich with flavors of plum and cassis. Smooth tannins - ready to drink now! Nice structure, roundness in the mouth. I've found that the VJB wines lose their fruit if you wait too long (10 years), so we're drinking them closer to 5-7 years.

6/10/2014 - Knows Her Wines Likes this wine:

This wine was ready to drink as soon as we opened it. Delicious fruit, good structure/chewy, soft tannins. I would be afraid to hold it much longer because I wouldn't want to lose the fruit. Very dark color with quite a bit of sediment. Just a joy to drink with a good steak!

11/7/2013 - Knows Her Wines Likes this wine:

Still had a fair amount of tannin, but very drinkable. Good structure, dark fruit, notes of cedar and light clove. Medium complexity. I think it would be best in another year or two.

11/6/2013 - Knows Her Wines Likes this wine:

This is a very interesting wine. Dark! Very structured. Some fruit, some wood. I find it difficult to describe the flavor. Doesn't remind me of any other wine. Stands up great to strong food flavors. It was fine to drink now, but could have aged another 2-5 years.