Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.5

2014 vintage. 375 ML format. Tasted with @Neil Valenzuela Gorgeous, somewhat candied and dominant melon fruits evident currently. In the youthful, know it all phase now. Has the basis/structure for the long haul. Load up the truck now or in three decades. Thank you @Neil Valenzuela So good. 12.10.25. — a day ago

with Neil

Andrew Cullimore

9.5

Medium lemon , hints of gold , quite a healthy colour with fine pretty persistent bubbles still . This quite intense with candied lemon peel , brioche , oyster shells , touch of porcini . On the palate this is intense ,with good volume and vibrant acidity. Buttered brioche , oyster shell , candied orange and lemon peel . Really quite lovely and intense , long and toasted brioche , chalky finish . This is at peak now , but no rush from here over the next 5 perhaps 10 years . — a month ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.8

Royal Tokaji – 5 Puttonyos Aszú 2016
Tokaj – Hungary 🇭🇺

Overview
A classic Tokaji Aszú, made from grapes affected by Botrytis cinerea (noble rot), then macerated with must to create Hungary’s legendary sweet wine. The 5 puttonyos designation signals a rich yet balanced level of sweetness, around 120 g/L residual sugar. (Educational note: “Puttonyos” refers to the traditional baskets of aszú berries added — the higher the number, the sweeter and more concentrated the wine.)

Aromas & Flavors
Lush apricot, honey, and candied orange peel at the forefront, layered with quince, dried fig, and lemon curd. Hints of saffron, ginger, and toasted almond bring exotic spice and complexity.

Mouthfeel
Velvety and lusciously sweet, balanced by vibrant acidity that keeps it lifted. Full-bodied yet precise, with a long, honeyed finish that leaves both richness and freshness.

Food Pairings
Perfect with blue cheese, foie gras, or fruit tarts. Also excellent with roasted nuts, crème brûlée, or simply savored on its own as a meditative dessert wine.

Verdict
A benchmark Tokaji — rich, layered, and perfectly balanced. The 2016 vintage of Royal Tokaji 5 Puttonyos Aszú offers indulgence and structure, proving why Tokaji has been called “the wine of kings.” 👑🍷

Did You Know?
Tokaji Aszú is one of the world’s oldest regulated wines — protected since 1737, nearly a century before Bordeaux’s 1855 classification.

Collector’s Rarity 📌
Royal Tokaji’s Aszú wines are globally sought after, and a 5 puttonyos 2016 bottling represents both a collectible dessert wine and a piece of vinous history — 2 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.8

I have posted a number of older vintage Jones Family Cabernets. Many 20 yrs and older. Three to four 97’s…none better than this one. I give few wines a score above 96. This is different. It is so close to perfect. Some might give it a 100. I struggle to give a wine a perfect 100. I have only done it 4 times in an estimated 25k wines tasted or bottles I’ve enjoyed. One was a port made before 1886 and tasted in Oporto at Taylor Fladgate’s tasting room in 2015, it was their Scion. Only sold there and at the time 5k at bottle. You end up there purchase the Scion taste regardless of the current cost. They put on a tasting show for you. I am half tempted here to give out a 100 but will refrain.

I am not sure what to add to that but will attempt to do so.

The nose is a beautiful, perfectly evolved Napa Cabernet. Nothing overpowers any of its singular components. I think the word I am looking for is harmony. Lush, plush, ruby dark currants/cassis. The best, mid, subtle/gentle/soft, dark spice box I certainly can remember, lush blackberries, both plums, dark, not quite liqueur cherries, a mix of subtle purple fruits, poached to baked strawberries, some light hints of raspberries, dark sweet tarriness, melted dark chocolate, anise to black licorice, steep fruit tea leaning into black tea, sweet/soft leather, moist tobacco, sandalwood, dark, rich forest floor, sweet graphite, hints of dry twig, a flutter note of eucalyptus, dry, withering & slightly candied florals that are; dark, red & blue & framed in light lavender with more pronounced liquid violets.

The palate wire to wire is even & stupidly, gloriously, grand. It mirrors the nose very closely. Lush, plush, ruby dark currants/cassis. The best mid, subtle/gentle/soft, dark spice box w/ some light palate heat, best I certainly can remember, lush blackberries, both plums, dark, kirsch not quite liqueur cherries, a mix of subtle purple fruits, poached to baked strawberries, some light hints of raspberries, dark sweet tarriness, melted dark chocolate, anise to black licorice, steep fruit tea leaning into black tea, beautifully layered baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon stick & vanillin, caramel, sweet/soft leather, moist tobacco w/ a hint is ash, sandalwood, dark, rich forest floor, dry, crushed rock powder, dry top soil, crushed limestone powder, sweet graphite, hints of dry twig, a fluttering note of eucalyptus, dry, withering & slightly candied florals that are; dark, red & blue framed in light lavender with more pronounced liquid violets, perfect, rainfall acidity, extremely well balanced, even & subtle tension-structure that stands up on the long set, refined elegance with a finish that goes on and on and eventually lands on spice & beautiful, refined earthiness.

What a bottle! 98 that leans into 99. I paid somewhere between $80-$90 on the secondary market for this bottle. — 15 days ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.5

Château Suduiraut – Sémillon 2003 (Sauternes)
Graves, Bordeaux – France 🇫🇷

Overview
Crafted primarily from Sémillon, Château Suduiraut is one of Sauternes’ premier estates, producing wines shaped by noble rot (Botrytis cinerea). The warm 2003 vintage gave concentration and richness, while time in bottle has deepened its complexity. (Educational note: Sémillon’s thick skins make it particularly susceptible to botrytis, producing the honeyed intensity Sauternes is famous for.)

Aromas & Flavors
Opulent notes of dried apricot, candied orange peel, and golden raisin layered with honey, saffron, and caramelized pineapple. Secondary tones of almond, vanilla, and beeswax show the maturity of two decades.

Mouthfeel
Lusciously full-bodied, with velvety sweetness cut by balanced acidity. The palate is rich and textured, gliding into a lingering finish of dried fruit, spice, and honeyed depth.

Food Pairings
A classic match with foie gras or blue cheese. Also pairs beautifully with fruit tarts, crème brûlée, or even spicy Asian dishes for contrast.

Verdict
A magnificent aged Sauternes — decadent yet balanced, carrying the warmth of 2003 with elegance. Honeyed, textural, and endlessly layered, this is a benchmark for botrytised sweet wines. 🍯🍷cheers!

Did You Know?
Sémillon makes up the majority of Sauternes blends, often complemented by Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle. Its thick skin and natural waxiness make it ideal for noble rot, creating the world’s most legendary dessert wines.

Collector’s Rarity 📌
Château Suduiraut, a Premier Cru Classé estate from the 1855 classification, produces limited amounts of Sauternes each year — with older vintages like 2003 increasingly rare treasures in the market. — 3 months ago

Lee Pitofsky

9.6

One of the best CDLR’s in the biz showing beautifully tonight with an ultra complex and seductive bouquet of candied red cherries, rose petals, coffee beans and game meat. The palate is luxuriously silky with obvious grand cru and old vine concentration, particularly for the vintage, and there is beautiful purity and elegance to balance its power. Its spice and mineral inflicted finale just keeps on going. 07 Burgundy are in such a great spot. — a month ago

John Bratincevic

9.2

NOSE: muted, red fruit, oaky vanilla, graphite

TASTE: super smooth, the fruit is candied and dried (cherry and maybe some fig?), mild spices and earth and fragrant wood — still enough acidity to keep it balanced. I like more fruit and oomph, but it is good. 92. — a month ago

Jack Krawczyk

9.6

Still high acid, rich ripe red fruits with a hint of mushroom. Silky. — 3 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.4

No formal notes . This is more lemon yellow . Not showing much perlage . Spiced ginger bread , slightly meaty notes . With some orange rind , and brioche , dried mushroom notes . This is creamy and rich on the palate , lovely spiced yellow fruits orange peel, and brioche . Long and complete , perfect now and over the next 5 or so years. At Vinous Icons NY , Pier 60 , Feb 2025 — 4 months ago

Brad Jensen

9.3

I’ve had the candied mushroom before, but this vintage with the effervescence is really nice! — 6 months ago