91 pts (two puffs)Connoisseurs Guide - June 2008:
Top notes of toast, new leather and spice sit off to the side of deep, black-cherry fruit in both the intense aromas and nicely extracted varietal flavors of this big-bodied working, and, while very much biased to ripeness, the wine never goes past the line and tempers its scant suggestions of heat with fruity stuffing to spare. It stays juicy where lesser efforts dry out, and its plump and outgoing manner makes it a very good foil to sweet-basted pork roasts.
93 pts Wine & Spirits - April 2008:
Between the cool, foresty fruit and the beautiful texture, this is gorgeous wine. Consider the finish a mist of fruit or a rich smoke. Either way, it will smooth over foie gras mousseline. Paraboll ("good red" in Boontling) is a blend from the Ferrington (60 percent) and Valley Foothills vineyards. The latter is planted to an old Roederer Champagne clone, which accounts for some of the elegant lightness of the fruit.
91 pts Wine Spectator - June 15, 2008:
Elegantly styled, supple, detailed and concentrated, with spicy plum, black cherry and wild berry fruit that unfolds gracefully, turning complex and gaining depth on the long, plummy finish.-J.L.
91 pts (two puffs)Connoisseurs Guide - June 2008:
Yet another strong showing from Londer in 2006, this bright and very well-balanced wine is at once both rich and vital with lots of concentrated, ripe-cherry fruit and a fine fleshy feel. It is accessible now and its careful combination of ripeness and well-defined varietal fruit stays the course through to a very long and involving finish.
88 pts "Best Buy" Wine & Spirits - June 2008:
Red Cherry flavors carry this wine on a single note. It's light and warm in the end, with wood adding to the sweet impression of the fruit. A simple pinto for coq au vin.
90 pts Wine Spectator Insider - May 7, 2008:
Fresh and floral, restrained and elegant, even understated, with dark plum, black cherry, herb and savory berry flavors that linger. Drink now through 2011. -J.L.
2006 Corby Vineyards Pinot Noir
87 pts (one puff)Connoisseurs Guide - June 2008:
Starting out with a sweet and slightly perfumed nose of cherry candy and vanilla-bean oak and following with very like-minded flavors, this smooth, medium-bodied Pinot Noir shows a faint edge of confection throughout its length. That said, it is a tasty wine all the same, and it will partner nicely with a wide range of milder pork dishes.
90 pts Wine & Spirits - June 2008:
From a vineyard adjacent to Londer's estate, this 2006 is a spicy, saline pinot. It tastes like strawberries dipped in salt and smells like beach nose. It's a cool, fragrant wine to serve with planked salmon or any meaty fish.
91 pts Wine & Spirits - April 2008:
Fragrant apple and pear flavors fill out the oak in this wine, underscored by mineral tones. It's mild and luscious up front, then turns a little warm in the end. Suited to roast veal.
90 pts (one puff)Connoisseurs Guide - May 2008:
A lovely wine in its own right, and one which shows why Kent Ritchie's vineyard is in such high demand by Chardonnay makers, this one delivers scents of ripe pears, Fuji apples and well-placed but never intrusive oaky richness. Its underlying acidity brings it impeccable balance and length and also insures that this effort will have a long, rewarding aging cycle.
93 pts Connoisseurs Guide - May 2008:
Both Londer Chardonnays demonstrate the ability of California grown grapes to get ripe and still be in balance. Here, the wine is simply bursting from the glass with bright appley fruit and a quiet layer of rich, complementary oak, and the full, supple texture at entry is followed by a deep, tasty, youthfully energetic wine on the palate. Its ripeness brings a touch of heat into the finish but service with savory salmon dishes or chicken napped with a rich sauce will bring out its best side.
91 pts Wine Spectator Insider - April 30, 2008:
Ripe and juicy, with sweet apple, melon and peach flavors that are pure and polished, finishing with a long, smooth, delicate aftertaste that keeps repeating the fruit themes. Drink now through 2011. -J.L.
Silver Medal 2008 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
