Tom Garland

9.6

1.5 hour decant(decent fine/chunky sediment). A majestic inky dark purplish garnet color. On the nose: beautiful notes of red plum, smoked meat, little herbal funk, blueberry, smidge of wet sandalwood. Taste: Kaboom..firing on all cylinders. Smooth, layered, juicy, rich mouth coating wine with blackberry pie, smokey, cocoa, and a peppery-cedar-cherry LONG finish. YUM! Drinks well with the decant and more years to go. — a month ago

with Brenda

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 — 7 months ago

with Brenda

Shay A

9.3

I followed this over two days. It was initially opened alongside a 2016 Maybach Materium, 2013 Kapscandy Roberta’s Reserve, 2002 Colgin Cariad and a 2006 Dalla Valle Maya.

Aside from BV’s Guest Cottage, this is the only wine from them I haven’t had. Sporting almost a 16%ABV, it poured like motor oil in to the glass. Thick, rich and heady aromatics. This has that classic high quality Napa cab smell to it...smells of expensive toasted oak, espresso, fondue dipped dark fruits, and spiced nutmeg. A meal by itself on the palate, this is a 2013 that is unsurprisingly massive and in need of food to cut through the tannins. Dark initially before it turns slightly red fruit forward at the finish...dark cocoa topped black cherries, espresso sweetness, and black currant. I’d hold at this point. Not sure a decant is doing much at this stage. — 2 years ago

Watabe Ishizukinou

9.6

Vintage 2015 — 22 days ago

Watabe Ishizukinou

9.8

Vintage 2012 — 7 months ago

Tom Garland

9.5

Anniversary celebration...had to have some fun wines...its a 06 Harlan vs 06 Colgin battle tonight!

1 hour decant(decent sediment). A beguiling purplish garnet with some bricking. On the nose: subtle but expressive nose of dark cherry, tar, graphite, smoked meat, creme de cassis, floral. Taste: powerful but elegant with silky tannins, black raspberry, mocha, minerals, dark chocolate, and a long smokey cedar finish with a slight tannic kick. YUM..plenty of time to go. — 2 years ago

with Brenda

Jay Eagan

9.4

What a vintage on Pritchard Hill! This is THE go to in this zip code (way under The neighbors are Ovid & Colgin. I can’t believe this is 7 years from vintage - it’s still very young with lots of currant and blueberry with mocha. Tannins kick in in the mid palate and a lengthy finish. With a rack of lamb - proof God loves us! — 3 years ago

Tom Garland

9.4

1.5 hour decant(lots fine/cloudy sediment). A breathtaking dark ruby red color. On the nose: expressive aromatics of sour cherry, cinnamon, blueberry, floral, slight funky dry forest floor, spice. Taste: smooth, creamy, thick, concentrated wine with cassis, blueberry, graphite, minerals, and a long spiced chocolate finish. YUM! — 5 months ago

with Brenda

Ethan Karas

9.4

Loved this wine. Gift from client. Good times. — 8 months ago

Delectable Wine

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9.9

The 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Melanson Vineyard emerges mostly from upper blocks on this site, a striking hillside that faces Colgin, where the steep exposure can yield wines of tremendous pedigree. That is exactly what comes through here. Inky red/purplish fruit, spice, rose petal, cedar and sweet pipe tobacco meld together effortlessly, with silky tannins that wrap it all up. Bold and luscious, but with tremendous nuance, the Melanson Cabernet is a total stunner in 2018. As I have written in the past, farming here has improved tremendously in recent years. This is another superb example of the quality that this site is capable of. Winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown gave the 2018 a relatively short 10 days on the skins. I imagine he thought the site would take care of the rest. It's hard to argue with that. The 2018 is off the charts great. Don't miss it. (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, January 2021)
— 2 years ago