Doug Powers

9.2

Medium-dark red-purple color, beautiful redfruit aromas and flavors, with medium-toast oak showing as a seasoning the background, pretty sound structure and backbone, solid acidity, long, lingering finish, excellent California mountain Merlot (w/25% Cabernet Sauvignon). The sheer quality and complexity of this bottle is a wonderful tribute to the vision of Barbara and Jim Richards, who I am certain would be very proud, with Paloma now being ably run by their son Sheldon and his family. — 3 months ago

with Jim

Alan Johnston

8.9

2.8. This Medoc was highly rated but we didn’t much like the flavor. On sale for $21.59, regularly $26.99. We tried it again in 2025. At first taste there was a certain earthiness that was not to our liking, but with some air it smoothed out and was quite OK. my on sale in 2025 for $22.99, regularly $26.99. — 2 years ago

Tom Garland

9.3

1 hour decant(decent fine/cloudy sediment). A remarkable dark purplish magenta color. On the nose: certain vintages really embrace the brett on the property, this is on the milder side. Notes of red plum, nutty vanilla, pine, funky wet earth, old leather, some cherry. Taste: smooth, delicate, silky wine with savory notes of cigar box, currants, wet dirt, peppery, little dark plum, cedar, slightly meaty. YUM! A very good vintage for Cain, a little more intensity could have increased the score even more. — 3 years ago

with Brenda

ESF

8.9

decent enough, have a particular affinity for Priorat and this was an adequate representation: inky w/hues of dark ruby, opaque, red & black berried fruit nose, some mineral, earthiness, pepper, cocoa, even some coffee - offered intriguing aromatic complexity, with a delicious mid-palate of ripe liqueur like red/black fruit & spice. showed some heat and finish had some astringency but overall enjoyable. — 7 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.8

Still a very dense crimson with no tawny rim, at 28 years of age but the tawniness is beginning. A certain feral, Animale, earthy note. Palate is ultra smooth, medium bodied / very savoury yet with a sweetish earthy note with a hint of raspberry. Jancis Robinson was invited by Stephen Henschke to a vertical tasting at the winery in May 2013 to cover vintages back to the late 1950’s. She described the 1996 as “pure hedonism “ and gave it 19/20. Medium plus intensity on the delicious palate with those gnarled old 160 year vines showing through. An absolutely stunning wine - one of the best we’ve had this year. — 2 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.4

A bright amber - rich yellow. Mandarin flesh notes on the nose. Palate has papaya and apricot - see previous Delectable notes from November 2021. A certain sweetness with diminished acid. Ready to drink. Downright delicious. — 4 years ago

Victor Charcan

9.0

Expressive nose of sour cherries with tertiary hints of leather. There is certain warmth, ripeness, a touch of salinity. I really enjoyed it, showing young this 2017, more than 7 years later — a year ago

Devin Brown

9.0

The description: A deep blackcurrant-red colour, with bright cherry highlights. A profusion of black fruit flavours and soft spices on the nose. A rich full-bodied palate, sustained by freshness and a certain mineral touch. A silky, velvety tannic finish to enhance the balance.
A wine for early drinking but can be cellared for 2 to 3 years.

The opinion: it’s very good. Well worth investing in a couple of bottles to drink over the next couple of years. — a year ago

Adam Kincaid

9.0

Blind tasting no2. We all immediately pegged this as old world Riesling. The tell tale signs of petrol and dried apricot gave it away entirely. But we all missed Austria. Probably need to learn more about differences in common Riesling areas.

Clear and bright straw yellow with powerful petrol fumes. Off dry but medium-high acidity with a low-medium body. Dried apricots with some slate completely dominate the flavors. It’s not complex, but has a good finishing length. Riesling for certain. Austria? Wouldn’t know! — 3 years ago

with Jillian

Romain Fitoussi

8.9

Bright light purple dress. Pure explosive nose on fruits (red and black) and flowers, typical of carbonic maceration. In mouth the first is light, airy, confirming the nose; carried by a beautiful necessary freshness balancing the little terroir extraction. A modern, "natural" wine, on the fruits at first fond that does not prevent a certain complexity from expressing itself on a peppery and mineral finish. A very beautiful juice to drink from the aperitif, which blindly could pass for a rosé.

Robe légère violine éclatante. Nez pure explosifs sur les fruits (rouge et noirs) et fleurs, typique des vins en macération carbonique. En bouche l’abord est léger, aérien, confirmant le nez; porté par une belle fraîcheur nécessaire équilibrant le peu de terroir extrait. Un vin moderne, “nature”, sur les fruits á l’abord friand n’empêchant pas une certaine complexité de s’exprimer sur une finale poivrée et minérale. Un très beau jus à boire des l’apéro, qui à l’aveugle c’est pourrait passer pour un rosé. — 4 years ago