Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.9

I have written notes on 4 bottles of the 97 Jones Family Cabernet. This is the most perfect.

I have had all the Napa Cult Cabernets. None have ever rocked my palate/whole body the way this 97 Jones has done.

This is sadly my last bottle. I think it has finally hit its precipice. So, enjoy. If there are others that appear on the secondary markets, you’ll have to out dual/bid me.

I could write more notes but my previous ones will still apply plus. I am simply going to enjoy near perfection w/o further notes. Cheers! 🍷

Coravined bottle from last weekend relaid in storage. If I had a long enough thin tongue, I’d lick the inside of the bottle. 🤔😂 😋

#TheTwoHourSteak — a day ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

I’ve had a number of PC 96’s over time, none quite this good. The fill line & cork perfect. Very little sediment. Some bottle neck tannin burn. For me, Pontet Canet didn’t really hit its consistent, quality stride until 2005. Doesn’t mean they didn’t make a few beauties before then. Pontet Canet is proof that the 1855 Bordeaux Classification needs to be redone. Unlikely it will in my lifetime.

This 96 maybe just short of its precipice. Stylistically a little better than 94.

The nose reminds me of everything I love about older Bordeaux. Dark core of currants/cassis. Ripe, floral; blackberries, dark, baked cherries, sweet, black plum, poached/strawberries, raspberries, hints of baked rhubarb & blueberries, mixed berry cola. Sweet forest floor w/ leaves, sweet mushrooms, sweet led pencil shavings, steeped tea w/ hints of fruit, charcoal, dry tobacco/leather, some dry herbs, withering dark, red flowers, red roses with violets.

The palate is also everything I love about older Bordeaux. Dark core of currants/cassis. Ripe, floral; blackberries, dark, baked cherries, sweet, black plum, poached/strawberries, raspberries, hints of baked rhubarb & blueberries, mixed berry cola/red vines. Everything I understood the first time standing in the estate vineyard of Pichon Baron. Tasting limestone, dry river stone, dark, rich soils with dry leaves, dry stems. In fact, I’ve tasted vineyards soils everywhere I have been in every world wine region. Basically, everywhere in the wine world that has reliance. Many multiple times. Sweet graphite, steeped tea w/ hints of dark fruit, understated, layered baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanillin, dark cocoa, dark exotic spices, some anise to black licorice, charcoal, dry tobacco with ash/leather, some dry herbs-safe/bay leaf, limestone, dry river stone, dry crushed rocks, dark, rich, earth with dry leaves, dry topsoils, dry stems, withering/dry dark, red flowers, red roses with violets, excellent, rainfall acidity with an extremely well balanced/structured/tensioned, great length and an elegant finish that lasts minutes and falls nicely on dry earth and dark spices.

A very, very slow roll with my Ribcap. Definitely better with the steak than on its own.

This bottle tells me this 96 has plenty of good drinking ahead, another 8-10 yrs+.

ABV is 13%. Disappointing it ever changed. — 8 days ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

The Penultimate is made from the young wines vs a deselection of their Promontory fruit.

The one thing I always notice about young vines is they don’t necessarily bring depth to Cabernet, yet they do bring amazing floral qualities.

Wine showed nicely ripe, lush fruits, has a more understated quality of excellent dry herbs & beautiful earthiness that come out in their Promontory wines. But this is a well crafted wine that will add a point or two in another 5-7 yrs and drink will for another 7-8 yrs.

Tasted at the winery 1/14/25.

This 17 was unaffected by the fires as they were finished harvesting before the fires began. I always recommend cross referencing a producers harvest dates and dates of the fires. You will find some good wines and well priced at retail or the secondary markets because many will write off the entire vintage under those circumstances. Cross reference & you’ll find you’re rewarded. — 9 days ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

I have posted notes on many Williams Selyem Pinots, but only my second from their Calegari Vineyard.

I have claimed tirelessly that WS is one of the very top Ca Pinots Noir producers. However, they aren’t until they have this kind of age and older. When enjoyed young, they are good but not brilliant. Like now! It takes cellaring to get there.

I haven’t tasted any of the vintages since Domaine Faiveley bought and took over and started making them in June 2024. Although, they carried forward some of the WS staff as consultants. My hope is they won’t change the style drastically. They are a red burgundy producer and I enjoy their burgundies with the same age. So…🤞

2011 was critically acclaimed not good for Cabernets, but think they flushed out better with age than young. Pinots from 2011, for me, have never been an issue.

The nose is; dark to mid berry fruits, brambly, tree sap, grilled meats- pork, hint of smoke, moist herbs, cola & dark to red excellent florals.

The palate is ripe, lush, brambly dark fruits. There is a dark core of them surrounded by dry twig, dark chocolate & mocha powder. There is some velvety tannin profile here. Blackberries, black raspberries, black plum to pudding, black cherries, poached to slightly baked strawberries with pomegranate, blueberry hues with haunting raspberries. Shades of eucalyptus, tree sap, smoke, grilled meats, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanillin, dark mid spices w/ some heat, anise crawling to black licorice, mid berry cola, warm, muddy, grey clay, limestone marl, volcanics, dry river stone, dry, crush rocks, dry top soil, tumble weed, dry tobacco w/ ash, soft, used leather, just a hint of lead pencil, iron pan, fresh to withering; dark, red, blue florals with violets and a touch of lavender, excellent, rainfall acidity with a well; knitted, made, balanced, nicely tensioned/structured, elegantly, perfectly polished finish that lasts ninety seconds to two-minutes landing on spice, clays and beautiful earthy minerals. — a day ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.0

A 375ml Brut I’ve had awhile. I drink primarily Extra Brut these days. While it is just over 8g dosage, it doesn’t seem as sweet as some other lower dosage Brut’s I’ve had here & there lately. Doesn’t mean I don’t wish it was less sweet.

Trying it with a little Companion Bakery-Light & Fluffy Sourdough. Sampling the Promontory Olive Oil I was gifted at the Winery Wednesday. I’ve had really good Olive Oil’s from/in Italy & Spain. Theirs holds it own nicely. Smooth with a perfect soft kick at the end. Poured a splash of Tondo Balsamic from Tuscany. Wonderful stuff.

The palate shows; green & golden apples, some yellow & white stone fruits, lime & lemon pulp w/ zest, green melon, kiwi & light green melon, the fruit bits in marmalade, honey notes, soft caramel, vanillin, ginger ale, hints of mint, yeasty note to baguette crust, grey volcanics, white spice, nice chalkiness with tiny bits, limestone, sea spray/fossils, yellow flowers/lilies, spring flowers with greens, well balanced/knitted with a round, elegant, polished finish that lasts 90 seconds that lands on mid intensity spice & minerals.

Blend of 2019-20. Disgorged 12/22. — 8 days ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.7

Rick Stiles who hosted me is not only quite knowledgeable of Promontory, he also has an extensive career in the wine trade. He was nice enough to ask me if there was another vintage I’d wanted to taste. Given that he asked, I told him I really love the style of the well made Napa 2018’s. Then poof, we were tasting their 2018. At the conclusion of my tasting he also presented me a gift of the oil olive they make. Looking forward to trying it this weekend.

As for their 2018, it, like many 2018’s are showing very well at this point. This will benefit from another 5-7 plus yrs of cellaring and its window closes out around 2045-50.

The mouth entry is glorious. Rich, lush, ripe dark & red fruits, delicate tannins, soft everything; earth, mocha, dry herbs, spice, licorice dark chocolate, violets, perfect acidity extremely well balanced, soft tension & structure with an excellent long finish that lingers minutes.

Add another point or two when it hits it precipice.

Rick and I tasted their 2023 from oak vat. It is excellent and will merit a 💯 points from likely all or most critics. The 23 will remain in vat until June and then released for purchase in 2027.

Tasted at the winery 1/14/25. — 9 days ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Tasted at the winery 1/14/25.

I did not take realtime notes. However, while this shows some nice fruit and drinks easy, it was simply not up the with their better vintages. It lacks some of the complexity I’ve tasted in their other vintages.

The one thing I do enjoy about the Promontory is they do not use new wood. Their wines don’t show much wood at all. Their Cabernets begin their journey in half small-medium oak vats and the other half in concrete. Then, moved into large oak vats that are reused vintage in vintage out for about two decades. The elevage is generally around 36 months in Austrian oak…time in oak can change depending on the what the season brings. Then, held back roughly another year before released.

This 17 was unaffected by the fires as they were finished harvesting before the fires began. I always recommend cross referencing a producers harvest dates and dates of the fires. You will find some good wines and well priced at retail or the secondary markets because many will write off the entire vintage under those circumstances. Cross reference & you’ll find you’re rewarded. — 9 days ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

It has been a while since I’ve opened a Clemence. A favorite of mine & Sofia once upon a time. Still drink it, just not as often as I have moved to mostly Extra Brut. This is a Brut at 8g. Excellent Champagne & value at $44.99.

I believe there are only two resellers you can acquire it, one east coast & one west-K&L. You have to buy it pretty quickly once they get their container. It took several yrs building that relationship as Launois is careful about who they let resell their cuvées. In fact, it is even difficult to get in France. K&L has standing orders from some French citizens they ship back to France once they receive it. Kinda crazy.

The palate has nice mousse with lively acidity and micro oxygenation. Lime/lemon pulp w/ zest, stone fruits-white dominant, grapefruit w/ pith, bruised red/golden apples, Bosc pear, caramel, vanillin, some yeast, baguette crust, white spice, gritty, grey volcanics, chalky bits, limestone marl, oyster shells, yellow flowers/lilies, spring flowers with a little greens mixed in, very good acidy, well; made/balanced/tensioned with a smartly polished, elegant finish that lasts minutes and land on excellent minerality.

If you get to Champagne, visit. They have a huge museum of champagne/wine artifacts that date back to BC. My two pics do not show its enormity. They are about 35-40 minutes south of Reims.

They are the only producer I know of that places a rubber casket attached to the bottom of their corks. So, next to never do their cuvées have cork taint.

Enjoying it with the Jasper Hill Farms - Willoughby, buttery washed soft white cheese. Try with Rainbow Crisp crackers or warm baguette. Also, on apples with and w/o honey. — a day ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

The last of the Jasper Hill Champagne Washed Harbison-limited production. Enjoyed it last week with the 17 Jean-Paul & Benoit Droin Mountains Chablis, though I’d try with a coravined glass of 22 Domaine De La Galopiere. Good by not quite as good of a wine pairing as JPD.

The palate shows nice, thick viscosity & waxy paraffin. Sour to tart Meyer lemons, apricots, green & golden apples, lime zest, some light, overripe pineapple syrup, yellow peach, yellow melon, marmalade with fruit bits, heather honey, pronounce melted caramel, saline, grainy chalkiness, grey volcanics, sea fossils, hints of flint, notes of mint, mid tone white spice, limestone, dry crushed rock, dry river river stone, some lightly burnt sugar, yellow lilies/flowers, spring flower bouquet with greens, excellent, round acidity, very good; balance, structure, tension & length with an elegant, lush finish that lasts minutes and falls on caramel, honey and beautiful minerality. — 8 days ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.7

Tasted at the winery with DJ Keplinger on 1/14/25. It was the second day they moved their tastings from their tasting room on Franklin to Arrow & Branch. Hellen made two or three of their past vintages and still have a relationship.

I think the day before I was headed there @Paul T, Missing My Beautiful Wife 24/7 sent me a bunch of scores Jeb had given a 💯 and or 98/99’s. This one Jeb had given a 💯 and many other Keplinger wines 98+.

I really like Hellen’s craft here and at; Kerr, Carte Blanche and Bryant when she was crafting those wines. But I am hesitant to give any wine a perfect score. I have found only 4 in tasting an estimated 25k plus wines over my wine life. Many of those I wrote detailed notes.

While this 23 really grabbed my attention at first sip, hard to say it merits a 💯. Will it add a point or two when it has had the right bottle evolution? Sure. It is just not there today. There 23 wines have not even received their labels. This one because of the embossed front is applied by hand. They will start shipping this one and the RBK in March.

It fruits are glorious from mid-dark reds & blueberries. The mouthfeel excellent as is the tannin structure. Helen is very adept at creating wine you can drink young and will improve over 20 yrs. It showed soft earthiness, spice, layered baking spices, fresh, soft tobacco/leather. Dark flowers to violets, grand acidity and a very refined, elegant long finish that lasts nearly two-minutes.

Also tasted:

- 23 RBK named after her father or grandfather. I can’t remember. It was as well excellent, 96-98.

- 22 Oakville Ranch that was very good as well, 95-96.

Both of these did not show their true self’s until I went back to them at the end of my tasting. They absolutely blossomed with time in the glass.

I forgot to take photos so I went to the web. Photos of Arrow & Branch & Helen & DJ Keplinger.

Enjoyed my nearly two hours with DJ. Salt of the earth kind of gentleman. — 8 days ago