Jay Kline

9.6

This bottle of 2016 Vice Versa “Dr. Crane Vineyard” (BBS) was generously provided by a friend who selected it from his cellar to share over dinner at V. Mertz. This is the BBS (Best Barrel Select) of the Dr. Crane Vineyard which, I guess, is deemed the best tasting barrel by the winemaking team. Popped and poured. No formal notes but I can state with absolutely certainly that the juice is well and truly special. The wine is still quite youthful but already very easy to love. Beautifully layered dark fruits with tobacco, cocoa, stone-like minerals and deftly integrated baking spices. The structure is firm, leaving little doubt about the long life yet ahead. That being said, everything is so well balanced. I have a very strong feeling this will be one of those wines that never really shuts down. While they are two very different wines from different parts of the world, I found this to be a very handsome compliment to the 2015 “Tintot” we drank just before. This was also very nice with the lamb chops we had for dinner. Drink now or through 2036.
— a day ago

Shawn Thompson

8.9

Lighter Chardonnay with a nose of crushed gravel, citrus blossom and Meyer lemon. The palate is restrained and not overly oaky with some bruised yellow apple and a slightly chalk like texture. Enjoyed! — 20 hours ago

Scott Kahn

9.5

While being a HUGE wine - making you want to brush your teeth after a glass!!! - this wine is remarkably silky and smooth with vanilla, black cherries, and well integrated tannins. An absolutely wonderful experience today, but clearly still on the upswing of its maturity curve. — 12 days ago

Conrad Green

9.1

Quite pretty and savory on the nose. Stinky fruit. A lot of character. A little short and astringent on the finish — 5 days ago

with Paul

Frank Kuo

9.4

Nose of dark fruits like blackberries, vanilla, milky chocolate, a bit tobacco leaves, and some more cherry flavors. Taste follows the nose with good fruity notes plus a bit oaky feeling. Sweet, mouthful, low tannins, and a bit peppery. Aftertaste is also clean with some more grapes and bitter note. Consider the price, quite amazing. — 3 days ago

Mark Farrell

9.2

This is actually the 2018 Modus Operandi Caldwell Vineyard Syrah. Color is deep purple with scents of bacon fat, plum sauce, cigar box, and maybe camphor. After opening up a bit, I get cardamom and vanilla, as well. Nose is a little funky, but not in a bad way. Bold, medium to full-bodied wine. Medium to high acidity. Medium level of tannins. This was the best wine in a blind tasting of Syrahs with DuMol and Kimsey. Both my wife and I ranked it #1. The finish was significantly longer and more pleasant than the others. — 11 days ago

"Odedi"

9.8

#AgedWineTuesday

Dark ruby, almost inky in color, with a short brick rim.

Fruity nose of blackberries, black currants, cooked plums, cherry pie, spices, cedar, vanilla, leather, light earth, pencil lead, peppercorn, coffee, mocha and tobacco leaf.

Full bodied, bold and smooth, with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry and very fruity on the palate with blackberries, cooked cherries, cedar, licorice, vanilla, leather, black currants, sweet chocolates, coffee, cola, peppercorn and spices.

Long spicy finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.

This is a gorgeous Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley (To Kalon Vineyard). Showing great complexity with a great mouthfeel.

Rich, extracted and opulent. Fruit-forward and elegant. A delicious wine. Spicy with a teeth staining color.

This 15 year old from the great 2007 vintage is just beautiful now. Has a lot of years in it still, and will continue to age nicely in the 15 years.

Delicious right out of the bottle, and even better after 3 hours of airtime.

Good by itself as a sipping wine. I just loved it.

16% (!) alcohol by volume.

98 points.

$130. — a day ago

Tree Kilpatrick

9.0

Organic grapes! Not too fancy looking label. Dark as blood. Smells like fresh cut wood, a musty library and deep red-purple plum sauce. Flavors are balanced out with a bittersweet tannic edge to match the berry and lighter roast coffee flavors. Also has a fresh chocolate mint leaves meets fennel fronds thing in there. Easy drinking, but dense enough to drink with aged cheddar cheeses. This is a great deal, and example of the type of blend I love. And the icing on the carrot cake is the organic grapes. — 10 days ago

romo

9.4

Special entry for “wine” # 4000! This is the one-of-a-kind Roseate bottling of second-use cherry and blackberry ferment with distinct grapefruit, rhubarb and loads of botanicals. A beer-cider hybrid of sorts @Delectable — 4 days ago

Tom Garland

9.4

Spoto Wines Tasting Dinner

APPETIZERS:
Truffled Trout Roe, Brioche Soldiers
Sterling Caviar, Brick Pastry, Cauliflower
Fresh Shucked Oysters, Ponzu Mignonette
Champagne

DINNER:
Series of Small Bites to Excite Your Palate..
2018 Spoto Russian River Pinot Noir

Artichoke in Various Forms, Fennel, Barigoule
2018 Spoto Oakville Godfather Red

Acquerello Aged Carnaroli Risotto, Morel
2018 Spoto Oakville Cuvee Christiane

Wagyu Rib Eye, Black Truffle, Butter Potatoes
2002 Spoto Family Reserve Cab (Father &Son)

Dark and Milk Chocolate, Cocoa Nib, Berry
2007 Spoto Syrah Port

ADDITIONAL WINES:
2009 colgin estate
2013 Sine Qua Non le supplement syrah
2005 kongsgaard syrah
2007 screaming eagle 2nd flight
1999 spottswood cabernet — 4 days ago

with Brenda