BevX Reviews Different By Design
Below is a quick look at our latest reviews published at BevX on March 26, 2025. Click the links to get each beverage’s score and full analysis. Every Wednesday, we release new stories, introduce our latest reviews, and send our subscribers their weekly, free digital newsletter. (Subscribe here.)
We had another busy week at BevX with new, tasty beverage reviews to share.
We have shifted our review format in order to offer more reviews for our review-hungry readers. The review pages (links below) will now offer a full tasting note with links to a full detail review for our Featured Beverages.
As always, you see all of our reviews here:
Beverage of the Week
Tongue Dancer Wines Pratt Vyd Irwin Lane Chardonnay Russian River Valley 2023
The 2023 vintage represents the seventh release of Tongue Dancer Wines’ Pratt Vineyard/Irwin Lane Chardonnay, or simply the “Flying Barrel” as it is affectionately known. We have been a huge fan of this wine from the start with the 2017 vintage and have yet to award any version fewer than 95 points… See the Beverage of the Week feature
Latest Reviews
Wine Reviews
Gary Farrell Martaella Vineyard Chardonnay Russian River Valley 2022
See the Full BevX Featured Review — Brilliant, medium golden color. The aromatics are intense, offering scents of apricot stone, spring flowers, and wet stones with supporting notes of citrus zest, kiwi, toasted hazelnut, and honeysuckle. The palate echoes the nose, delivering a ripe orchard fruits-driven core with flavors of white peach, orange peel, lemon curd, and brioche. The finish is long and lingering. Medium to full-bodied and perfectly balanced with an opulent texture. $65 – 4.5 Stars/94 points
Gary Farrell Hallberg Vineyard Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 2021
Brilliant, medium ruby color. The aromatics are intense, offering scents of cassis, violet, and five spice with supporting notes of black tea, earth, kumquat, and blackberry. The palate echoes the nose, delivering a red and black fruits-driven core with flavors of black cherry, pomegranate, dried herbs, boysenberry, and slate. The finish is long and lingering with supple tannins. Medium to full-bodied and perfectly balanced with an opulent texture. $60 – 4.5 Stars/95 points
Gary Farrell Hallberg Vineyard Dijon Clones Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 2021
Brilliant, deep ruby color. The aromatics are intense, offering scents of black plum, forest floor, and black tea with supporting notes of dried herbs, elderberry, and leather. The palate confirms the nose, delivering a red and black fruits-driven core with flavors of boysenberry, strawberry, dried herbs, and slate. The finish is long and lingering with ripe tannins. Medium to full-bodied and perfectly balanced with a supple texture. $75 – 4.5 Stars/95 points
Gary Farrell Fort Ross Vineyard Pinot Noir Fort Ross-Seaview 2021
Brilliant, deep ruby color. The aromatics are intense, offering scents of blackberry, forest floor, and five spice with supporting notes of black tea, pomegranate, anise, and black currant. The palate confirms the nose, delivering a red and black fruits-driven core with flavors of black cherry, boysenberry, cranberry, oak, and tart plum. The finish is long and lingering with supple tannins. Medium to full-bodied and perfectly balanced with an austere texture. $90 – 4 Stars/91 points
Gary Farrell Rochioli-Allen Vineyards Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 2021
Brilliant, medium ruby color. The aromatics are intense, offering scents of red cherry, rose petals, and blood orange peel with supporting notes of boysenberry, pomegranate, forest floor, and lavender. The palate echoes the nose, delivering a red and black fruit-driven core with flavors of black cherry, mulberry, dried herbs, raspberry, and slate. The finish is long and lingering with supple tannins. Medium to full-bodied and perfectly balanced with an opulent texture. $95 – 5 Stars/98 points
Spirits Reviews
The Calistoga Star 7 Years Old California Brandy
Brilliant, amber color. The nose is filled with the scents of dried fruits with toasted oak, brown baking spices, and caramel with hints of candied orange peel. The palate is in full agreement with the nose, delivering a rich and spicy fruit-driven core with accents of black pepper, clove, oak, and toasted walnuts. Full-bodied and nicely balanced with a dry and spicy finish. $75 – 4 Stars
