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Silver Award

Seattle Wine Awards, April 2010

Double
Gold
Award

Seattle Wine Awards, April 2010

Bronze Award

Seattle Wine Awards, April 2010

91 Points

The Wine Advocate, November 2009
The 2006 Abbinare is a blend of 61% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the balance Cabernet Franc and Malbec. It spent 21 months in predominantly seasoned French oak. Its aromatic array includes cigar box, violets, red currents, and black cherry leading to a spicy, silky-textured wine with excellent grip and a lengthy, pure finish. This pleasure-bent effort has enough structure to evolve for 2-3 years and will be at its best from 2011 to 2018. — Dr. Jay Miller

90 points

Wine Spectator, June 2009
Ripe and focused, this brims with flavors of dark berry, cherry and sweet spices, without being heavy. Long and harmonious on the finish.. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. Drink now through 2014. 225 cases made. — Harvey Steiman

89 points

Wine Enthusiast Magazine, November 2009
There is a slight hint of leather, but it does not dampen the ripe, round, cherry fruit. Despite a slight dip in the midpalate, this is an appealing Abbinare, with lots of pretty fruit, spice, ripe tannins and a hint of licorice. — Paul Gregutt

92+ points

The Wine Advocate, November 2009
The 2006 Ciel du Cheval offers a different sort of personality. A blend of 39% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Malbec, It was aged for 21 months in 80% new French oak. Purple-colored and a bit more brooding aromatically, it has a quality perfume of tasty oak, pencil lead, espresso, black currant, and blackberry. Masculine and structured on the palate, it has layer of ripe black fruit, savory flavors, and enough structure to evolve for 4-6 years. Impeccably balanced, it will offer a drinking window extending from 2014 to 2026. — Dr. Jay Miller

90 points

Wine Enthusiast Magazine, November 2009
The winery’s top blend is 39% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 2% Malbec. Black cherry, caramel and astringent tannins are underlined with a streak of stony minerality, echoing through a mid-long finish. — Paul Gregutt

Top 100 Wines of Washing-
ton State

The Seattle Times, December 2008
— Paul Gregutt

92 Points

The Wine Advocate, November 2009
The saturated purple 2006 Conner Lee Vineyard is composed of 65% Merlot, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 2% Cabernet Franc and was aged for 21 months in 50% new French oak. It has a superb perfume of pain grillé, pencil lead, vanilla, violet, and black cherry. Lush, velvety, and round on the palate, this sexy effort has tons of flavor no doubt aided by a pH of 3.9. It has the balance to drink well for a decade but there is no reason to defer your gratification. — Dr. Jay Miller

89 points

Wine Enthusiast Magazine, November 2009
Chocolaty and ripe, it’s got plenty of berry fruit, a whiff of apple blossom, and overall very pretty and delicate flavors through the middle. Chocolate barrel flavors fill in the finish. — Paul Gregutt

90 points

The Wine Advocate, June 2008
Malbec is becoming a larger part of the mix in Eastern Washington and the 2006 Malbec Verhey Vineyard shows why. It is 100% Malbec aged for 21 months in 50% new French oak. Dark ruby-colored, the nose reveals fresh herbs, clove, sage, and plenty of black cherry fruit. Medium bodied, elegant, and potentially complex, this spicy effort will profit from another 2-3 years of bottle age and will drink well from 2011 through 2018. — Dr. Jay Miller

89 points

Wine Enthusiast Magazine, May 2009
Young and fresh, this 100% Malbec has tight, spicy, peppery fruit that leads into a surprisingly long finish. It’s not tricked up with oak, but the sharp young berry flavors evolve in the mouth and bring on clove, wintergreen and mint, which resonate through a lingering finish. Though the fruit lacks flesh, it doesn’t hold back on pure flavor, and promises good things ahead for this new vineyard. — Paul Gregutt

89 points

Wine Enthusiast Magazine, November 2009
Dry, stony, and astringent, it tastes of cranberry and pie cherry fruit over a layer of rock. This is a wine that will reward extra breathing time. — Paul Gregutt

89 points

The 2006 Miscela is a Bordeaux style blend of 42% Cabernet Franc, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, with the balance Malbec and Merlot. Dark ruby-colored, it offers up an enticing bouquet of cedar, spice box (clove, sage, and cinnamon), cassis, and black currant. On the palate savory currant flavors stand out and the fruit has excellent sweetness. However, the wine is in need of a bit more depth and length which could emerge with a few more years of cellaring. — Dr. Jay Miller

90 points

The Wine Advocate, November 2009
The 2006 Syrah Ciel du Cheval contains 3% Stone Tree Grenache. The nose gives up attractive aromas of Asian spices, lavender, incense, game, and blueberry. Densely fruity on the palate, it sports a smooth texture, layers of spicy fruit, excellent balance, and a lengthy, fruit-filled finish. It will benefit from 2-3 years of additional cellaring and drink well through 2018. — Harvey Steiman

90 points

Wine Enthusiast Magazine, November 2009
This is roundly fruity, forward and bursting with black cherry and berries. The tannins are ripe and smooth, and there is a crisp spicy, peppery edge to them. — Paul Gregutt

89 points

Wine Spectator, June 2009
Broad and smooth, with a distinct minerality to its spicy plum and blackberry flavors, picking up hints of wet earth and bacon as the finish lingers almost delicately. Drink now through 2016. 225 cases made. — Harvey Steiman

88 points

The Wine Advocate, November 2009
The 2006 Syrah contains 12% Stone Tree Grenache and spent 21 months in 22% new American oak. It yields a nose with notes of smoke, black pepper, game, and blueberry. On the palate it comes off as a bit compact but the flavors are savory and spicy leading to a medium-long, smooth finish. Drink it over the next 6-8 years. — Dr. Jay Miller

90 points

Wine Enthusiast Magazine, May 2009
This is two thirds Grenache and one third Syrah, a delicious bottle that captures a unique flavor set that runs from sweet citrus to bright berry and cherry candy. The generous acidity props up the fruit and extends the mid-palate, and just as you think the wine is fading the barrels cut in flavors of a milk chocolate and toasted almond. Think Chateauneuf-du-Pape with New World brightness, and you are right there. — Paul Gregutt

90 points

The Wine Advocate, November 2009
The 2006 Una Notte is 65% Grenache sourced from the excellent Stone Tree Vineyard in the Wahluke Slope AVA and 35% Syrah. Dark ruby-colored, it offers up an alluring bouquet of cherry and garrigue notes reminiscent of a quality southern Rhone. Smooth-textured, spicy, and nicely concentrated, this well balanced, lengthy effort will provide pleasure over the next six years. — Dr. Jay Miller

90 points

Wine Enthusiast Magazine, November 2008
If there is a criticism to be made, it is that the blending at :Nota Bene can seem formulaic. Here the 45% Merlot, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cab Franc and 11% Malbec is very close to the Miscela, simply reversing the percentages of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In terms of flavor they are quite similar, but equally delicious. The fruit is black cherry, raspberry and cassis, with generous mocha and chocolate right up front. The wine gathers strength in the back end, finishing sweet and supple, with a strong licorice streak. — Paul Gregutt

90 points

The Wine Advocate, July 2008
The 2005 Abbinare is a blend of 45% Merlot, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc, and 11% Malbec, with each varietal sourced from a different vineyard. The wine was aged for 21 months in a mix of new and used French and American oak. Purple-colored, it reveals aromas of cedar, mineral, spice box, red currents, and blackberry. This is followed by a ripe wine layers of spicy fruit, complex flavors, and solid length. It can be enjoyed now and over the next 8 years. — Dr. Jay Miller

Silver Medal

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo International Wine Competition, October 2008

91 points

Wine Enthusiast Magazine, November 2008
The blend is 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc. It opens with a lot of caramel and vanilla up front, keeping the black cherry and cassis fruit more towards the back. Streaks of herb, coffee and rock wrap into the finish. Still young and compact, this wine needs much more time to really unwrap itself. — Paul Gregutt

90+ points

The Wine Advocate, July 2008
The 2005 Ciel du Cheval is 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, and 25% Cabernet Franc. It is a bit spicier and more structured, with excellent flavors, good balance, and a pure finish. It will evolve for several years and offer pleasurable drinking from 2012-2020. — Dr. Jay Miller

Gold Medal

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo International Wine Competition, October 2008

91 points
Cellar Selection

Wine Enthusiast Magazine, November 2008
This is 57% Merlot and 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, and it’s just this side of voluptuous. Scented with rose petals, violets, chocolate and graphite, it offers generous cranberry and raspberry fruit, svelte and racy. Given the structure and acids, it’s got a better than even chance for a long life ahead. — Paul Gregutt

90+ points

The Wine Advocate, July 2008
The vineyard designates begin with the 2005 Conner Lee Vineyard, a blend of 57% Merlot and 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, which was aged for 21 months in 29% new French oak. Opaque purple-colored, it exhibits a smoky, fragrant perfume with notes of pencil lead, red and black currants, and blackberry. It conceals sufficient structure for another 3-4 years of cellaring. This sweetly fruited, elegant effort will be at its best from 2012-2020. — Dr. Jay Miller

Top 100 Wines of Washing-
ton State

The Seattle Times, December 2008
— Paul Gregutt

91 points

The Wine Advocate, July 2008
The 2005 Miscela was sourced from six vineyards and is composed of 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 11 Cabernet Franc, and 11% Malbec. Opaque purple, it offers aromas of wood smoke, pencil lead, and black fruits. Layered, intense and sweetly fruited, this well-balanced effort has excellent flavors leading to a lengthy finish. — Dr. Jay Miller

90 points

Wine Enthusiast Magazine, November 2008
This is 33% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cab Franc and 11% Malbec. It’s a good mix of plush fruits—mostly black—and broad, mocha toast. Relatively soft and approachable, with the structure and build for medium-term aging. There’s a powerful, spicy streak of licorice and smoke running through the tannins. — Paul Gregutt

91 points

Wine Enthusiast Magazine, November 2008
This is the first year that Grenache has been used in the blend, and it really juices it up. Packed with fresh raspberries, set up with tart acid, this wine really piles on the red fruit/grape juice flavors. The alcohol (over 15%) is surprisingly high, but it’s not hot or jammy, because the acids really cut through. In the mouth the wine delivers a lot of spice, cranberry, plum and light pepper. The tannins are substantial but not intrusive, and show a bit of pencil lead and rock. — Paul Gregutt

90 points

Wine Spectator, June 2008
Firm in texture, with impressive depth to the peppery blackberry and current flavors, featuring and overlay of black olive and earthy mineral character as the finish lingers. Best from 2010 through 2012. 250 cases made. — H.S.

89 points

The Wine Advocate, July 2008
Nota Bene’s 2005 Syrah contains 25% Grenache in the mix. The Syrah component spent 21 months in 60% new French oak while the Grenache was raised in stainless steel. Purple-colored, it offers up a meaty, gamy, bacon-scented bouquet with leather notes and spicy black cherry. Smooth-textured, ripe, and nicely concentrated, the wine has an easygoing personality that will allow this tasty effort to be consumed now and over the next 6 years. — Dr. Jay Miller

100 Best Wines of the Northwest

Seattle Metropolitan Magazine, September 2008
The label says Syrah, but 25 percent of the fruit are grenache grapes grown at the Stone Tree Vineyard in Grant County, Washington. Scents of leather and cherries… — Conde Cox and Jay Miller

Silver Medal

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo International Wine Competition, October 2008

89 points

Wine Enthusiast Magazine, May 2008
This is a spicy and fragrant red wine, the 63% Grenache dominating the fruit, and the 37% Syrah filling in the back with peppery tannins. At first the flavors are tight and compressed, a mix of blackberry, cherry, plum and more, along with streaks of espresso. As the acids wind their way down the throat, they take on strong citrus flavors of lemon, pineapple and orange peel. — Paul Gregutt

88 points

Wine Enthusiast Magazine, August 2007
Cheval and Champoux. Snappy and crisply defined, this sharp-edged wine opens with tight berry flavors, some chalky acids, and grainy, stony tannins. It shows less flesh than the other reds, more acid, and a stiffness to the tannins. After extensive airing the vanilla flavors come out, along with an interesting spice. The fruit is clean and ripe, and the balance, except possibly for the chalky acids, is right on. — Paul Gregutt

91 points

Wine Enthusiast Magazine, August 2007
The blend is 47% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot. Another fine effort from this young winery. Here is classic styling from a great vineyard source, with beautiful definition, and gorgeous, refined and sculpted fruit framed in concise, molded, firm tannins. The tart red fruit is wrapped in crisp acids and finished with tight, hard, slightly bitter tannins. The penetration and elegance of this wine are what stand out; it’s young and compact and suggests a long life ahead. — Paul Gregutt

89 points

Wine Enthusiast Magazine, August 2007
The blend is 40% Merlot, 36% Cab Sauvignon and 24% Cab Franc. Full and fleshy, with broad flavors of black cherry and blackberry. Though plenty ripe and round, the fruit is punctuated with some grainy, dusty, smoky tannins. It’s a nice combination, the fruit opening up the wine and the tannins giving it authority. The finish is light but pretty, with hints of oaky butter and cinnamon. — Paul Gregutt

92 points

Wine Enthusiast Magazine, August 2007
Lush, thick and chewy, with rich purple and black fruits, pepper and a finish of vanilla cream. The tannins are substantial but not intrusive; they carry a sensation of rock and graphite. Flavors extend themselves gracefully; the ripe fruit remains front and center, but it finishes with plenty of nuanced rock and spice and hints of herb. An exceptional effort. — Paul Gregutt

Silver Medal

St. Martin’s University
Capital Wine and Food Festival, March 2007

87 points

Wine Enthusiast Magazine, March 2007

Wine Press Northwest, Summer 2006
Italian for “linked together”, Tim Narby kept this true to the phrase. French oak expression of oak, with coffee, chocolate and leather, as well as red berries, follow through on the flavors with chocolate-covered Chukar cherries. There’s not bitterness to mar the modest finish of this pleasant and easy going wine.

90 points

Wine Enthusiast Magazine, March 2007
A Bordeaux blend, roughly one third each Cab Sauvignon and Merlot, and the rest split between Cab Franc and Petit Verdot. It says something about the quality of winemaker Tim Narby’s efforts that he has access to this fruit, which goes to many of the state’s best wineries. He has made an exceptionally fragrant wine, mixing leather, violets and sweet cherry—unusual yet beguiling. In the mouth the wine cuts through, with assertive flavors of cherry, pomegranate, leather, cocoa and coffee. The tannins carry a sense of mineral and earth, as is usually true with Ciel du Cheval fruit. — Paul Gregutt

Gold Medal

Tri-Cities Wine Society
Tri-Cities Wine Festival, 2006

Outstanding

Wine Press Northwest, Summer 2006
Owner/Winemaker Tim Narby taps into one of the state’s finest vineyards for his bold Bordeaux blend of Cab Sauv (34%), Merlot (34%), Cabernet Franc (16%), and Petit Verdot (16%). Huge blackberry, baker’s chocolate, black pepper, cloves, fresh earth and flannel wrap your nose. Blackberries and black pepper dominate the strong palate that features juiciness of fruit and tannins that aren’t astringent, giving way to more peppercorns.

Bronze Medal

Seattle Wine Society
32nd Annual Northwest Wine Festival (2006)

91 points

Wine Enthusiast Magazine, March 2007
This is the winery’s Merlot-dominated Bordeaux blend, crafted from a who’s who of excellent vineyard sources. It’s a step up from the 2002; more structured, more vertical, more confident all around. The fruit is a precision mix of blueberry, blackberry and black cherry; with oak-infused tannins that carry streaks of stone, coffee, vanilla and caramel. This is a young, firm wine, with real muscle. — Paul Gregutt

Top 100 Wines of Washington State

The Seattle Times, March 2007
— Paul Gregutt

Silver Medal

Tri-Cities Wine Society
Tri-Cities Wine Festival, 2006

87 points

Wine Spectator, May 2007
Ripe and soft, with a gentle layer of tannins around tar and berry flavors that linger on the finish. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2010. 175 cases made. — Harvey Steiman

88 points

Wine Enthusiast Magazine, March 2007

Double Gold Medal

Vineyard & Winery Management Magazine
30th Annual International Eastern Wine Competition (2006)

Silver Medal

Seattle Wine Society
32nd Annual Northwest Wine Festival (2006)

Silver Medal

2006 Finger Lakes International Wine Competition

Bronze Medal

Tri-Cities Wine Society
Tri-Cities Wine Festival (2006)

89 points

Wine Spectator, May 2007
Round, supple and generous with its green olive-tinged cherry and sweet spice flavors, lingering against super-refined tannins on the polished finish. Drink now through 2011. 150 cases made. — Harvey Steiman

88 points

Wine Spectator, June 15, 2006
Lithe and juicy, coating the mouth with firm tannins around a core of spicy, black olive-scented black cherry and licorice flavors. Not a heavy wine, but it has a serious profile. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best after 2007. 150 cases made.

Wine Press Northwest, Spring 2006
Winemaker Tim Narby’s strategy is to obtain grapes from top Washington vineyards, then treat the resulting wines with care. One nice touch is holding the wines a year between bottling and release, which gives them the opportunity to be at their peak when they reach your hands. This blend of Merlot, Cab, Cab Franc and Petit Verdot offers aromas and flavors of blackberries, spices, and mint. Fairly bold tannins remind us this is still a young wine and probably should be cellared a couple more years before opening.

88 points

Wine Spectator, June 15, 2006
Massively tannic, this one grips the cheeks and doesn’t let go. Too bad, because there are some intriguing black cherry, peppercorn and dark chocolate flavors that linger through the blanket of tannins. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best after 2009. 250 cases made.

The Seattle Times, June 2005
Seamlessly complete, varied and sophisticated; a marvelous wine with long-term aging potential. — Paul Gregutt

Wine Press Northwest, Spring 2006
The grapes from a great longtime vineyard have been put into the hands of a rising star with this Cab-dominated red blend. Seattle-based Nota Bene is in its second release, and it continues to acquire top grapes, this from Red Mountain. The result is a massive wine with aromas of black cherries, blackberries, black currants and cedar, followed by opulent flavors of black fruits, vanilla and Dutch chocolate. The fruit keeps up with the muscular tannins, which will be tamed by time in the cellar or alongside a char-broiled steak.

Silver Medal

Seattle Wine Society
31st Annual Northwest Wine Festival (2005)

Wine Press Northwest, Spring 2006
Winemaker Tim Narby relied on grapes from six vineyards for this Merlot dominant red blend, including Champoux, Portteus, Ciel du Cheval and Conner-Lee. Aromas of dried cherries, leather, earth and vanilla give way to flavors of Rainier cherries and chocolate. It’s loaded with structure and will pair well with prime rib.

Outstanding

Wine Press Northwest, Summer 2006
Winemaker Tim Narby is the “N” in Nota Bene, and he features Portteus fruit with Cab Sauv (10%) from Champoux, Merlot (10%) from Conner-Lee and Cincault (3%) as well as Counoise (2%) from Morrison Lane. Here’s a wonderfully aromatic medley of bing and pie cherries with black raspberries, menthol, eucalyptus, crumbled leaf, ceder and black olives. Rich, bold cherries and raspberries are splashed around lots of chocolate and mocha in the midpalate, met by well-integrated tannins and not a lot of oak, but there’s a shot of coffee in the finish.

Bronze Medal

Seattle Wine Society
31st Annual Northwest Wine Festival (2005)

The Seattle Times, June 2005
Dark fruits and smooth tannins are layered and perfectly ripe. — Paul Gregutt

Exceptional

Northwest Palate, March/April 2003
Aromas of black currant, berry, and barrel toast. Concentrated and rich, with deep, ripe fruit flavors of black currant and cassis. Ripe tannins are balanced by bright acidity and spiced oak in the finish. Drinkable now, but will develop additional complexity with a few years cellaring.

88 points

Wine Spectator Online, June 2003
Dense, rich and concentrated, a chewy mouthful of black cherry, mint, black pepper and dusky, spicy oak flavors that linger on the firm, fine-grained finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2006 through 2012. 182 cases made. — Harvey Steiman

Gold Medal

Seattle Wine Society
30th Annual Northwest Wine Festival (2004)

Platinum Winner

Wine Press Northwest, Winter 2004/2005
One of the most exciting discoveries of the Platinum is this Bordeaux-style blend from one of the Northwest’s newest wineries and brightest young stars. Winemaker Tim Narby’s first release is a stunner, thanks to its ripe blackberry, plum and oak aromas, sweet fruit and spicy flavors. Well-managed oak, perfect tannins, fleshy flavors and bright acidity give this all the balance one could hope for. Won gold at the Seattle Wine Society Competition.

Silver Medal

Seattle Wine Society
30th Annual Northwest Wine Festival (2004)

Highly
Recom-mended

Northwest Palate, March/April 2003
Aromas of graham, mint, cedar, and red currant. Bright, concentrated flavors of red currant and graham. Focused, with an extremely long finish of ripe fruit and soft tannins. Intense yet balanced; pair with roast tenderloin of venison.

Outstanding

Wine Press Northwest, Winter 2004/2005
Owner/winemaker Tim Narby honed his skills as an amateur winemaker in the Boeing Wine Club. His success at this level has translated to a winning first professional release, where the focus is on vineyard-designated Bordeaux-style blends. This fantastic effort from Yakima Valley grapes opens with aromas of vanilla, boysenberries and earthy complexity, followed by flavors of black fruit, tar and oak. Smooth well managed tannins and balanced tannins lead to a long, complex finish. Pair with prime rib or hide in the cellar for a decade or so.

88 points

Wine Spectator Online, June 2003
Dense and focused, with lots of black cherry, black pepper and spicy oak flavors on a sharp-edged frame. Needs to flesh out. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best after 2006. 156 cases made. — Harvey Steiman

Recom-
mended

Northwest Palate, March/April 2003
Perfumed barrel-toast spice, berry, and plum aromas. Juicy and opulent, big and rich, with mouthfilling flavors of berry and plum. Forward, with a long finish of fruit and barrel spice. Match with braised beef and red wine sauce.

89 points

Wine Spectator Online, June 2003
Ripe, plush style has plump texture, spicy oak and a lovely core of black cherry and currant fruit to carry it off. Needs to soften. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Best from 2006 through 2010. 165 cases made. — Harvey Steiman

Wine Press Northwest, Summer 2003
This Seattle winery’s first vintage shows off earthy and rich qualities throughout in this bottling, which is named after the Italian word for blend”, even though the grapes are Bordeaux varietals from the Yakima Valley. Bing cherries, plums, mocha, leaf tobacco and toasted oak fill the nostrils. The boldness of black cherries and pomegranates lead into a midpalate of cola, approachable tannins, good late acidity and a finish reminiscent of rocky road ice cream.”

Seattle Weekly, August 2005
The extravagantly gifted Narby sticks to traditional red-wine formulas while pushing the flavor envelope with juicy blends of fruit from Washington’s finest vineyards. — Roger Downey.

HeraldNet, October 2005
After sampling many of Tim’s wines over the past few vintages from many venerable vineyard sources such as Conner Lee, Alder Creek, Klipsun, Champoux, Ciel du Cheval and Chandler Reach, it’s pretty easy to reach a conclusion...their wines are stunning examples of what can be accomplished with great fruit and a deft touch. — Jeff Wicklund