Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.4

2021 vintage. Medium body. Excellent depth of field for the pricing. Will likely strip remaining enamel from your teeth but dynamite stuff. 3.20.26. — 3 months ago

David Kline

9.4

Soft, lovely, bread-y nose of black currant fur, licorice, light mint forcing upward, sprouting through potting soil. Cinnamon and blueberry warmly embraced by dark bread and small specks of black pepper. Fruit tannins thickly house-painted across your front teeth in a real sense. Muscle. Licorice-charcoal, bitters, blackberry, black currant, graphite-smoke halo, black cherry, oak and cedar, wound up and closed in places, but powerhouse lurking in the shadows.



#lajota #lajotavineyardco #lajotahowellmountainestate
#howellmountain #oakville #napa #napavalley #cab #cabernetsaugvinon — 3 years ago

with Courtney

Matthew Youngs

9.0

Smooth with somewhat high acidity. Note to self: brush teeth afterwards, lest it eat your enamel. But the taste is worth it; cherries, darker fruit, a bit of vanilla... That'll do. Kind of reminds me of the underappreciated (in my opinion) Barbera. — 5 years ago

Chris Shultz

9.0

50% Syrah, 40% Carignan, 10% Cinsault. Meaty, smoky, kind of funky, savory umami nose. My wife says onion/garlic savoriness and earthiness. Has black olive brininess, minerals, tomatoey iron, and herbs on the finish: oregano among them. Not a lot of fruit but the fruits are plums, some figs, dried blueberries and blackberries. Interesting. Tannic, but the tannins are smooth and teeth coating now. Needs some food but I already ate today. The fruit sweetens with air and gets more cherry like. Small amount of Brett comes out too. I’ll finish it with lunch tomorrow and update my notes. — 6 years ago

Chris England

9.4

A new upcoming Chilean icon blend @ £100-£120 that’s becoming a favourite of mine 😍 Did you know they play relaxing music to the wine in the barrel whilst it develops 💗 I reviewed the 2012 a few weeks back 😉 and can’t wait for 2013 to come out! I’ve still not tried their first 2010 release ... yet

📍 Vina VIK 2011

🏵 94 points w/ much more potential 👍

🍇 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Carmenere, 7% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot & 4% Syrah 😍

🍷Opaque blackened ruby

👃 Chocolatey spicy rich blackcurrant & dark plum w/ soft oak, vanilla, blackberry, raspberry, dark cherry, wet leaves, herbs, a hint of purple flower, blueberry & minerals

👄 Full body of rich silky intense but balanced black fruits in oozy melted chocolate & creamy blueberry w/ a raspberry liquorice backbone in fine rock minerals

🎯 Long black fruit, raspberry, touch dry mineral & cocoa linger w/ a lasting purple teeth stain 😁 — 7 years ago

Chris England

9.5

I’m a real fan of @vik_wine since trying the 2011 so have been keen to try the 2012 @ £100 & it sure is another winner from 🇨🇱 Drinking superb now & will improve 👍 If you like a big bold but well balanced wine you will love this 😉

📍 Vina VIK 2012

🏵 95-96 points (I’m bemused why pro critics say 91-92 🤔 flopdoodles)

💥 14% ABV

🍇 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Carménère, 6% Cabernet Franc, 4% Merlot & 2% Syrah

🍷 Opaque deep blackened ruby

👃 A heady nose of rich ripe blackcurrant, damson plum & blueberry bathed in cocoa w/ sweet date jam, minerals, soggy earth, cracked pencil, vanilla, raspberry, black cherry, violet, soft oak & balsamic

👄 Med+ bodied rich creamy opulent blackcurrant jam, raspberry compote & cocoa cream w/ balsamic, minerals, black cherry & spiced blackberry

🎯 Long explosion of plump bursting dark fruits w/ a raspberry, big bold blueberry & cocoa mineral slap staining your teeth purple 😈

💭 If the 2013 of this wine is at the level Sena 13 was at it could be an epic buy on release as it will be stratoswinic 😍
— 8 years ago

Carly Kendrick

9.1

Classic comfort cab without kicking out my teeth.

Trader Joe’s $10 — 8 years ago

Dave

9.0

This wine has the kitchen sink in it. Dark fruit is hiding under the prominent leather, herbs, mint, tobacco, and earth. It's a fine sipper for jazz nights by the fireplace. Made my teeth red.
Listening to Bill Evans — 7 months ago

Jonathan Wall

8.9

It’s like an awkward bully of a wine. Big and dense. Teeth staining. Almost all Syrah CDR. With a lot of air it behaves. And while it’s not priced to age, I suspect a few years will do it some good. — 4 years ago

B

8.9

2018. Synthetic cork. Plum red. Black cherry nose. Tannic, could breath a bit. Splitting wood, chocolate, black currant, oak, acid on teeth. — 6 years ago

with Wendy

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.6

2002 is such a beautiful vintage IMHO. In many ways, I think even better than 07. We’ll see in five years from now as I lack a time machine.

I’ve said this a couple of times over my nearly 4,200 Delectable notes. There is no amount of decanting a young wine that can reproduce the beauty, elegance, florals, integration, balance and finish as long bottle age. If you are buying expensive Cabernets and drinking them young, you are simply short changing yourself out of your deep investment.

This largely under known Napa producer is a shining example of that tonight. Proof in the pudding so to speak.

The nose reveals, sweet, ripe, lush, ruby, slightly baked/liqueured fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, black cherries, black plum, understated blueberries and baked strawberries haunt the backend. Dark Asian & Indian spices, black licorice to anise, sweet tarriness, black tea, dark expresso, crushed dry rocks, limestone minerals, herbal notes, mint, incense, graphite, dark chocolate, caramel & mocha, dry top soil, moist clay, dark rich, turn earth with fresh & withering; dark, red, purple, blue flowers & just a touch of violets.

The body is; round, rich & luxurious. The tannins still have baby teeth and show chewy tarriness. The tension, structure, length and balance have hit their peak. It’s not going to improve, it will simply show you descending changes which, can be quite enjoyable but, not necessarily for the ones that appreciate wines young. Interesting, none the less, for the ones that enjoy all sides/aspects of wine evolution. Sweet, ripe, lush, ruby, slightly baked/liqueured fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, black cherries, black plum, mulberries, boysenberries, more blue fruits than the nose, cherries and baked strawberries haunt the backend. Dark Asian & Indian spices with just the right amount of heat, black licorice to anise, sweet tarriness, black tea, dark expresso, crushed dry rocks, limestone minerals, herbal notes, mint, graphite, dark chocolate, caramel & mocha, dry top soil, moist clay, dark rich, turn earth, fresh tobacco, suede style leather, saddle-wood with fresh & withering; dark, red, purple, blue flowers & just a touch of violets. The ABV on this wine is really nice given today’s hotter wines. Climate change, it’s a bitch. The round acidy is as good as it gets. The long, excellent, elegant, rich, ripe, ruby, gorgeous, sexy, floral, perfectly balanced finish falls into persistent heaven.

This is a gorgeous example of what Napa Valley is capable of in grand vintages, if you have good storage & can show patience.

Photos of; an arial view of Jones Family Winery, patio tasting area, beautiful Jones Family Cabernet fruit and their amazing vineyards. — 6 years ago

Chris England

9.4

Superb €38 now £65 - a personal favourite from St Emilion in top year 👍 with fab QPR & a soft spot for me as I had this very same vintage from the barrel 😍

📍 Chateau La Confession 2010

🏵 94 points w/ more potential 😉

🍇 71% Merlot & 29% Cabernet Franc

🍷Deep opaque ruby w/ purple hue

👃 Chocolate coated black cherry, blackcurrant & dark plum through smokey oak, liquorice & wet crushed mineral rock w/ violets, peppered spices & herby mint

👄 Med+ creamy silky mocha dark berry plum bang w/ blackberry liquorice & oozing cracked minerals

🎯 Long mocha dark berry & plum slight dry mineral rock linger with a happy purple teeth smile
— 8 years ago

Tom Garland

9.4

+1 hour decant(decent chunky/fine sediment). A splendid dark purplish magenta color. On the nose: bright notes of blackberry, cassis, licorice, herbaceous, mocha, spearment, and vanilla. Taste: Wow! Lush, creamy, with polished tannins. A concentrated mouthcoating/teeth staining wine with blackberry & dark currants, dried herbs, dark chocolate, smokey graphite, and a never-ending finish. YUM! — a year ago

with Brenda

Ming L

9.2

A left bank blend from Veneto. Ripe black plum, cassis, dried fig, nutmeg, pencil shavings, and dark chocolate. Rich smooth palate that at times feels like drinking a Ripasso. But there are enough fruits and acidity left for balance. Mellow tannins still has baby teeth.
Nice find. — 4 years ago

Charles Garrison

9.3

We have one or 2 left; and I hope each shows as well; teeth staining, palate coating black cherry and raspberry wonder that left us fighting over the last drops — 4 years ago

Hanibal

9.2

Opened with a steak. Unlike the last time i decanted it for 4 hours it was much better. Needs to be served a little on the cooler side as the alcohol level is quite high (16.1% i think as i measured it) but it is so concentrated it can handle that alcohol level with food and the acidity in the wine. A very special wine, will not please everyone but for me i like sometimes to drink a teeth staining wine with my steak...to each his own lol — 6 years ago

Paul J

9.4

1 hour plus decant. Dark purple color. Nose and wine were a mix of Bordeaux and Napa. Wine was fruit forward with dark cherry. Very young wine that coats your teeth. Little bit of a rough finish with some tartness and pepper. Probably needs 7+ yrs. — 6 years ago

with Brooke

Chris England

9.3

😇 I looked up to the sky & the Purple Angel came down upon me filling my glass with light blocking purple ruby rain that oozed aromas of black & blue berries w/ thick chocolate, vanilla, dates, heavenly minerals & smokey oak - “drink this godly juice” she said in a booming voice🍷

I dared embrace the heavenly nectar & succumbed to a full on palate explosion of ripe dark concentrated blackcurrant/berry bathed in raspberry cocoa and minerals💥

My mouth was left open in awe as my purple stained teeth yielded to the long silky fruit loaded intense finish & I myself turned into a naughty purple devil - spank me angel, spank me 😈

🎵 “And through it all she offers me protection l, A lot of love and affection” you’re gonna be singing this all day now 🤣 “And down the waterfall wherever it may take me .. “

📍 Montes Purple Angel 2013

🏵 93 points

🍇 92% Carmenere & 8% Petit Verdot

💥 14.5% ABV

✅ For £32 this is a cracking wine 😍 some may say even Angelic 😁
— 7 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.2

Paired with 96 and 85 LB for fun. Dark, opaque and purple. Over the top with its fruit and teeth chattering tannins. Great to see what these start like and where they go in 20-40 years. — 8 years ago

Billy L.

9.5

PNP
2012 Myriad Beckstoffer Dr. Crane Vineyard
Big wine. Lot’s of structure & built to last.
Really well made @Mike Smith
Kudos!
The words are “look at the legs on that”!
Gobs of glycerin, teeth smacking dry tannins that are seamlessly integrated right now. Great expression of the Dr. Crane Vineyard.
If you have this wine in your cellar enjoy now & for at least another decade.
Cheers 🍇🍷👍🏻👏🏻 — 8 years ago