We don’t spend a lot of effort getting our wines reviewed, but we do like to get some thoughtful feedback from a handful of respected wine professionals (and climbers!).

Climbers Reviews

Lynn Hill: Professional rock-climber and amateur gourmand. Lynn was the first human to free climb the 3,000-foot “Nose” on El Capitan, in California’s Yosemite National Park.

"I saved the Chockstone Shiraz to share with an Australian friend (Andrew Dunbar from the outdoor company Sea to Summit), and loved the vibrant color, mix of flavors, and spiciness of this Shiraz. Good work!"

Ed Viesturs: Professional mountain climber. First American to climb all 14 of the world's 8,000+-meter peaks without oxygen.

"I may not be an expert, but I do know when I like a wine. The Chockstone Shiraz is an intense and exhilarating wine with an adventuresome spirit. I'd happily toast a summit with this wine."

Mountain Gazette, January 2008:
“Deep winter and a crackling piñon fire scream for a big, deep, berry-and-chocolate Australian Shiraz. And we'll take the word of a man who knows the depths of winter—8,000-meter-peak climbing monster Ed Viesturs—who says, ‘The Chockstone Shiraz is an intense and exhilarating wine with an adventuresome spirit.’ We're with you, Ed. Plus, winemaker Adam Richardson himself is a core climber and skier.”

Wine Press:

Chockstone Riesling
“An astounding wine”
—Dan Berger, Vintage Experiences, September 2009

Gold-Medal Winner and “Best in Tasting”
—2008 Long Beach Grand Cru

Double Gold-Medal and “Best in Riesling in Show”
—2008 San Francisco International Wine Competition

Exceptional: Remarkable aroma of citrus (lime), wildflowers, and faint hints of fusel oil that will become more evident in time. A great dry wine for aging (pH of 2.97!), but sensational to consume now with delicate seafood.
—Dan Berger‘s Vintage Experiences, September 2009

Chockstone Shiraz
Editor’s Choice/91 Points: Dark and smoky on the nose, with meat, cedar, and blackberries combining into an attractive bouquet. This is a meaty, savory wine that should drink well from 2010–2020, backed by tart blackberries and showing some dusty tannins on the finish.
—Wine Enthusiast, April 2009

Gold Medal and 90 points: Deep violet color. Aromas of chocolate peppermint brittle, menthol, and spicy blueberry coulis follows through on silky entry to a fruity-yet-dry medium-to-full body with layers of berries and candied citrus peel. Finishes with a long, spicy, cocoa-dusted fade. Delicious and balanced, crowd-pleasing red.
—Tasting.com, January 2009

Gold-Medal Winner: 2008 Long Beach Grand Cru

Exceptional: 2007 Chockstone Shiraz. Initially plump/ripe, but air reveals notes of pepper, forest floor/underbrush. Great low pH (3.5) and good acidity will allow this wine to age at least a decade. An absurdly low price for such a cool-climate Aussie Shiraz.
—Dan Berger‘s Vintage Experiences, September 2009