Sipping Fine Wine

9.3

Deep Ruby, aromas of sweet red and black fruits with pepper spice and oak. 4 grape blend from some of CVNE's best vineyards in the Rioja Alta (85% Tempranillo, rest Garnacha, Mazuelo & Graciano), aged in both French and American oak for 24 months. On the palate flavors of blackberry and currants with licorice, vanilla, tobacco & toasty oak tones. Soft full ripe tannins, wonderful balance, lively acidity on a long finish ending with an earthy mineral character. Very nice! — 2 months ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.0

Medium Ruby red color with aromas of dark berry fruit and earthy spice, blend of 90% Sangiovese with rest Canaiolo. On the palate flavors of black cherry and plum with tobacco, floral and earthy cedar notes. Full-bodied, well balanced soft drying tannins on a smooth medium+ finish. Grab some Italian food and enjoy the great value wine. Consistent quality, a Fav!! — a year ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.3

Deep Ruby, aromas of sweet red and black fruits with pepper spice and oak. 4 grape blend from some of CVNE's best vineyards in the Rioja Alta (85% Tempranillo, rest Garnacha, Mazuelo & Graciano), aged in both French and American oak for 24 months. On the palate flavors of blackberry and currants with licorice, vanilla, tobacco & toasty oak tones. Soft full ripe tannins, wonderful balance, lively acidity on a long finish ending with an earthy mineral character. Very nice! Tried several bottles! — 4 years ago

Sarah J

8.9

Fruit forward in this full body wine with a nice hint of leather to it. Not bad. — 5 months ago

Vino Joe

9.3

Ran through the prior bottle but needed a little (375mL) something for the post game celebration. Nice showing here. Young but flinty rich and decent length. Dark fruit. Fly Eagles Fly!!! — a year ago

Daniel P. Drake

9.8

Over the Easter weekend I opened for friends the 2015 Spottswoode Family Estate Grown Cabernet Sauvignon. Napa Valley St. Helena, California a blend of 89%Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot and 1% Other.

I let decant for at least an hour on the nose there was black cherry, blackberry, plum, black currant, cedar, spice, roses, crushed gravel and earth.

On the palate there was black cherry, blackberry, blueberry, black currant, licorice, mint, sandalwood, crushed gravel and earth.

This wine was rated 100 by both Jeb Dunnick and Wine Advocate whom I respect highly and can totally understand their exuberance for this wine but I couldn't make it quite there. I found that this is full bodied with a freshness and smooth mouthfeel medium + to high acidity and medium + high grainy crunchy tannins that gives a beautiful long dark fruit gravelly earthy finish. An eceptional wine by any means and I am glad to have a few more at rest in my cellar for this wine has many years to continue to develop. Our Easter weekend was one of excitement and exuberance where we had a baby shower on Saturday for our daughter who is expecting the last week of May first week of June which will be our second grandchild. Easter day we spent with family and friends which the day was spectacular. I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter weekend and I wish everyone a wonderful week ahead. Please stay safe and healthy with peace to all. Nostrovia! 🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷 — 4 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

Mid 20th century fashionable country resort, popular with Hollywood due to 1892 stone Manor House & historic gardens. Blend of Cab Sauv, Merlot, Malbec, rest other Rhone varieties, aged 20 months in 37% new French oak. Dark Ruby, aromas of ripe berry fruits, herbs & spice. On the palate flavors of cherry and black currant with vanilla oak and earthy notes. Well balanced, fine tannins long finish ending with fruit, espresso notes and sweet spice! Nice now and will drink well over next decade. — 10 months ago

UWS

9.2

2022.11.15 Rest. Enoclub Alba w/Wakano
EUR 65.00
Excellent wine, full body, good structure, a bit rhubarb at the end. Fantastic!
2018 an excellent wine year! — 3 years ago

Jeremy Shanker

Sommelier at RN74

9.3

Library from the domaine. Still a baby, let it rest for 5 more. Blackberry, sumac, dried thyme. Delicious but tight. — 4 years ago

Wulf Losee

9.6

2011 tasted April of 2021. While the flirtatious wines of Bordeaux will, with rare exceptions, betray my trust, I can always depend on Joseph Phelps to provide me with a solid bottle wine.

Year after year, no matter what the stresses of the vintage were, the wine makers at JP know how to produce perfectly balanced Cabs and Cab blends (but they’re not as successful with the non-Cab varietals).

This bottle of JP’s Cab is decade old, and it’s just hitting its stride. Lots of leather, rust, and a hint of mint on the nose. Ripe cherries and pomegranates on the front. The original velvety tannic balance has become just a wee bit tattered over the years. But this new-found roughness provides a youthful and boisterous counterpoint to the rest of the component that are entering a staid middle age (in wine years that is). It’s like your 45-year-old dad going wild and buying a Harley Davidson, then cruising off down the road. You say, “WTF! That’s is the way to live!” Lots of gravely high notes on the mid palate, but the old velvety tannins reassert themselves on the long finish. This is a damn lovely wine! — 5 years ago