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I joined the KB waiting list based purely on hype, particularly because of the Wine Spectator ratings. Recently, while visiting my alma-mater, I stumbled upon a bottle of the 2005 Sonoma Coast at the Last Resort Grill in Athens, GA. The wine was absolutely fabulous!! I was very taken with it and the restaurant was only charging $65/bottle - what a steal!! I imagine that this wine will only get better over the next 2-3 years.

I realize now what all the hype is about - these wines are truly amazing. The only bad thing about tasting the wine is now I know what I'm missing. I hope the wait isn't too long.

Recently found and enjoyed a bottle of 2005 Sonoma Coast. It was absolutely delicious!

This was the first KB wine I've ever had and it lived up to all the hype. The only bad thing about trying this great wine is that now I know what I'm missing, which will only make the wait more difficult!!

My wife and I were invited to pair the wine for an exceptional meal prepared by my business partner's wife. She happens to be an exceptional chef. As a pinotphile, fortunately everything on the menu pointed toward pinot. We featured the last of our '03 KBs, the Cohn vineyard. WOW...our group is pretty passionate about our wine and this was extraordinary. To a person, we all felt this was the best pinot noir we have ever tasted from California. The wine was silky smooth, balanced, and complex. We allowed the wine to decant for about 30 minutes. The color was an amber brown. The nose was intensely floral and distinctly RRV. In the mouth, the multiple layers revealed strawberry, cherry, vanilla, cedar and mild spice. The finish went on for hours never losing any luster. Each subsequent sip exposed more interesting accents. We had another superior pinot at the table, the 2004 Radio-Coteau Anderson Valley Savoy Vineyard, but it ultimately made the Cohn seem like the perfect wine in comparison.

Thanks for what you do. We have a half case of '04s and '05s left that will continue to be saved for the most specials events and people in our lives.

Cheers!

I recently had a bottle of the 2005 Sonoma Coast pinot. It was absolutely amazing! The best pinot I've ever had, and one of the best wines I've ever had.

The only bad thing about the whole deal is that I am a relative newcomer to the waiting list and may not see another bottle of this stuff for quite some time. But now I know the wait will be worth it.

My girlfriend and I were fortunate enough to find six bottles of 2003 Sonoma Coast a couple years ago. I tried to buy the whole case at my local store but the owner was saving the other six bottles for himself. I have now opened two. The first time I had this wine we shared it with some friends and we also opened two other highly reviewed domestic pinots in 2005. The Kosta Browne was everyone's favorite. The wine was notable for its complexity and deft balance of earth and fruit and it was so much more interesting than the others. It was like having lobster next to canned tuna. Then, in the summer of 2006, we opened a bottle of the Sonoma Coast with a 2002 Pommard Epenots. The Sonoma Coast killed the burg, which was again well reviewed, but thin and insipid in comparison. (And usually when drinking burgundy I am reminded of the adage likening yacht ownership to standing in a cold shower tearing up hundred-dollar bills). The Sonoma Coast is rich, concentrated, complex, and elegant with wonderful earthy notes (cedar, mushroom), licorice, and subtle fruit (raspberry, blackberry). I have tried to taste other KB's, but they are tough to find. I anxiously await my allocation of the 2005s (which, unfortunately, did not include the esteemed Kanzler). Cheers to these winemakers for their fantastic and captivating wines, not to mention the reasonable prices! What is your secret, KB?

I took this to a local (Mission Viejo, CA) restaurant last night and ordered the poppyseed-encrusted ahi tuna in hopes of a good match. And it was a match made in heaven! I've only ever had 2 KB's before and they were the 2002 Kanzler's which I was lucky enough to pick up in a wine store for a great price (before the word got out) and which is why I jumped on the mailing list (too bad I waited a year to try them). This was the first KB I opened from my first allocation last year because I only got 4 bottles (hint, hint...). It was worth the wait and then some. The dark berry fruit was gorgeous but the smoothness of the wine was unlike any pinot I can remember drinking - while I won't drop names, I've had some very high profile CA pinot lately and I would rate this at the top. Kudos for the great effort! While my remarks are not intended to help you raise prices, that is an inevitable fact of life - especially when your juice is this good! Unfortunately, now I won't be able to keep my hands off the other 3 resting in the cellar but I firmly believe that if a wine is great now, pop the corks and enjoy them! I can only hope for a good re-load this year...

popped to celebrate making the 05' mailing list

drinking very well at this point, distinctive Pinot coloring showing a little age... open floral nose of sweet red fruits & some new oak... plush & juicy on the light bodied palate with expressive, intertwined, cherry & vanilla flavors that linger through a delicate, spicy finish... yum, it will be very hard not to pop my last in the next 3 months

I was wondering what you two thought about the astronomical prices your wines are fetching through sights like www.winebid.com ? I have to say that the huge draw to your wines is the affordable price tag and the high quality. As a full time college student I find part of my school loans going to my wine...and I try to make it stretch as much as possible. Does it bother the two of you that other people are profiting off of your bottle at 5+ times what you intend for them to be sold as? The closest I ever came to being able to try one of your wines was down in Georgia at a place called Murphy's. It was on their restaurant list; I wanted to pay the restaurant price to take it home...but apparently that isn't possible there. I too am on your waiting list...and I am very excited that you would think of having the wish list. I think it's a great way to look at your extra bottles and see that people get them for their cellar as opposed to re-sell. I think it's too bad when people start looking at wine as a means of money (other than the winery staff) instead of a means to share something special with their friends & loved ones. I would love to hear what anyone thinks about this...and I hope I haven't overstepped my bounds on your site.

My apologies, this isn’t a story about an older vintage of KB, but rather a nice note about a recent KB experience. I recently had the pleasure taking my parents (whom I don’t get to see very often) out to dinner at Manressa in Los Gatos. As luck would have it, they had just received their allocation of single vineyard KBs that day. I ordered the 2004 KB Amber Ridge to start and it was simply magic in a glass. My mother declared it the “best wine she had ever drank” – and believe me, I make sure my mom drinks well! Later on, we had the 2004 Cohn and I enjoyed it even more (although my mother still swears allegiance to the Amber Ridge!).

I just wanted you to know that the wines that evening made an already special evening simply transcendent. Since my mother’s proclamation of the Amber Ridge being the best wine she’s ever had, I have pursued this wine (along with all the others) relentlessly at auction. I suspect I will have to file for bankruptcy some time in the future given the current market, but it will be worth it. :)

Thanks for making a wonderful evening even better!

So I'm home for Christmas this year...and I'm really looking forward to helping my dad make room for new wine. I even get there a few days early in order to get the most bottles open. I didn't want to be too forward and suggest opening the few bottles of KB that he has, but since I'm family I was sure he would uncork at least one. So...Wednesay goes by...and no KB. Thursday...Friday...Saturday...Sunday go by...and no KB. I was SURE that he was saving one for Christmas dinner. So with a big grin on my face I sit down for our 4:00 dinner. I guess KB wasn't in the "family wine" section of his cellar...because there was none to be found on the table. At least I got my 4 bottles of Merry Edwards for my gift! And the icing on the cake for my sob story is that my father calls me a few days after I had gotten home and was raving about the '03 RRV that they opened that night. Thanks, Dad!!!

How long is this waiting list??? :o)

See you in April!

I couldn't take it anymore and finally opened my last bottle of 2002 Sonoma Coast that was squirreled away in the cellar. Shared it with my best buddy and we were both blown away. Sweet cherry with pleasant earthiness on the nose. Lots of delicious berry layers. Phenomenal balance, elegance, and prolonged finish. mmmmm....finger lickin good! Wine this great just seems to vanish so quickly as soon as the cork is pulled.

-Dreaming of my 2005 allocation as my 2004's lay sleeping in the cellar.

Andy

Cool wine blog.My sister is a large scale wine distributer. We are trying to look for more "inspiration" for her to get blogging. Your blog is the best answer.You've got interesting posts.Please keep them coming.

Mart
Ghana Real Estate

Congrats for making the WS top 100 list coming in at #7. Wow. I just signed up for your mailing list (actually waiting list) How long do you expect the wait to be? Can't wait to get access to your great wines.

The same is true here in Texas...the Cowboys are on a roll and so is KB! We just hosted a dinner party where we selected the theme and surprised everyone. It was a blind KB tasting! I am still on the waiting list so we paid a pretty penny for the stock over the past couple of years...but it was all worth sharing!

The '03 Sonoma and '04 Kanzler and '04 RRV won hands down...even over a few bottles of 4-Barrel I happened to acquire! The bottom line is that we had some sophiticated cab drinkers who were new to KB...and many could not believe the body and texture KB offered...they never thought they could get that in a Pinot. As always, you guys are at the top of your game...keep pushing forward strong and stay focused. Your fan base continues to grow!