Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Merry Christmas 2025! 🎅🎄🎁 🍷 ❄️ ⛄️

As I have said, Charles Hendricks is my favorite new world winemaker for Malbec. This 12 is perfect with chocolate truffles.

Many would not get this blind. They would call Napa Cabernet or Napa Bordeaux blend.

It is around its precipice. Ripe, juicy, lush fruits; blackberries, black raspberries, black cherries, strawberries, blueberries, mocha powder, dark chocolate to chocolate mousse, nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, vanilla, dry top soil, moist to dry clays, tumbleweed, some light dry herbs, chard barrel shavings, dark spices, black tea, black licorice, dark cola, dry, crushed limestone/rocks, leather, dry tobacco, dark, withering flowers, liquid violets-lavender, grand, round, acidity, well; balanced, structured, tensioned with a polished/elegant finish that lasts minutes and long sets on spice & dry earthiness. — 6 months ago

Galen Hasler

9.2

Vibrant rich acidity — 9 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.7

This wine is in a perfect place. 2008 is not as regarded as 2007, but this 2008 made by Charles Hendricks is saying differently & absolutely one of his very best. I would say, James & Coleen made a mistake in letting him get away.

It is sort of a Mother Mary of God wine. Not to be religious, just the phrase fits.

Our eyes & ears perk up when we hear Napa names like; Harlan, Scarecrow, Hundred Acre, Bond & Colgin. I’d like to put this in blind and watch the shock & awe in everyone eyes when the wines were revealed.

The palate entry is perfect in every way. It is rich, lush, extremely balanced with well rounded, velvety M+ tannins. The core is dark currants, blackberries, black raspberries, both plums, black cherries, baked strawberries framed in raspberry edges. Some of the most amazing, dark spices with palate heat, melted, dark chocolate to pudding, black licorice to anise, mocha, malt balls, caramel, mid baking spices; clove, nutmeg, cinnamon stick, vanillin, fresh & used tobacco, leathery, graphite, crushed rocks & limestone, sage brush, slightly, candied, dark & withering flowers set in understated violet’s & lavender, warm, summer, rainfall acidity, balance for days, excellent structure/tension with elegance and smart polish that lasts minutes and settles on beautiful spices.

This wine is at its precipice and will hold a few more years with good drinking for 8-10 years. — 9 months ago

Stephanie Carnegie

9.2

It’s pretty dec — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

It’s good to follow Winemakers. I follow Charles Hendricks. However, Charles last James Cole vintage was 2013.

100% Petit Verdot in anyone’s hands is tricky. This 09 made by Charles is elegant young...just as it is now. It’s just rounder & softer after 9 1/2 years in bottle. It still has teeth but, complex & floral with dark, grippy tarry, round tannins. The darkest of roasted & used expresso grounds, dry earth with dark & brilliant florals. Beautiful acidity and elegant persistent finish.

This offering has another 10-15 of good drinking ahead. Properly stored of course.

Photos of; James Cole Winery, outside tasting lounge, signature bronze logo statute and James’ classic car in their fermentation cellar. — 6 years ago

Mike R

9.5

Big bold beautiful- smiles for days - love this wine and a shout out to my bud who brought one of my favorites @Jeff Lanter — 6 years ago

with Jeff

AEL

9.2

Granular, heavy but flavors well defined. Paul brought for Xmas. — 6 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Just doesn’t disappoint in any Hendricks vintage.

Last day of California Indian Summer.

@Chaminade — 8 months ago

Matthew Cohen

9.3

Nose: slight vegetal more floral as it opens.

Palate: very well made. Linear. Solid fruit. A bit interesting. Hint licorice. The best version of a classic bistro pinot.

Martines

$23 — 9 months ago

Raun Kupiec

9.2

Delicious! A proper Nebbiolo with power and grace. Definitely needed some air time to open up, at least a half hour but better after an hour. — 10 months ago

with Barbara

Bruce Leboff

8.9

Smokey and hint of tobacco - full of tannins but ends mid palate. Enjoyable — 4 years ago

with Michael, LM and 1 other

Matthew Cohen

9.3

This is the barbaresco cole.

Nose is cherry flower with some spice. Expansive. Beautiful perfume. As it opens the nose gets a bit darker. Deep Lilacs?

Palate has that quazzolo just grab you by your socks better than fruit fruit. Some spice. A hint of cherry licorice. Super fresh. As it opens a bit Plummer but still fresh.

Bought from fass selections — 5 years ago

Donald Williams

9.0

Holding up really well. — 6 years ago

with Bonnie

Doug Powers

8.9

Petrol/diesel aromas, crisp and clean, nice bone dry Riesling. — 7 months ago

with Jim

"Odedi"

9.2

It is time for my #FridayCabernetfix.

Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.

Nose of red fruits with wild flowers, tobacco, eucalyptus, light earth, licorice, light oak, spices and herbs.

Medium plus in body and elegant, with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with red cherries, currants, plums, licorice, light oak, spices, chocolates, red candy, tobacco leaf, light earth, herbs and light black tea.

Tangy finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This delicious Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley is still very young and needs some bottle time to mature properly, but already drinking beautifully.

Rich, yet elegant. Fruit forward, Nicely balanced and easy drinking. Spicy and entertaining.

Will continue to age nicely in the next 10 to 15 years. Showing good potential to become a 94 point wine.

Showing lots of red fruits, especially on the nose, which surprised me a bit. A different style of Napa Cabernet, and very unique.

Needed 3 hours in the decanter to open up. Complex and engaging.

A good sipping wine that will pair nicely with food too.

100% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes were aged for 30 months in (80% new) French Oak barrels. A small production of 7,200 bottles.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$230. — 8 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

I have said many times that when Charles Hendricks made James Cole from 2013 backwards, amazing.

Charles is the most under known & therefore unappreciated Napa Winemaker on the planet from my perspective.

So, when a bunch of his JC vintages appeared on the secondary market, I bought them all. They are very rare these days.

2013 an excellent vintage, small berries with excellent concentration. When I picked up the cork from the table at the restaurant, it was turned away from me. When I looked at my hand, it was heavily painted with tannins. In a way I have seldom experienced. It was so, I could have easily painted my war face. — 9 months ago

Ming L

9.3

Gentle nose of blackberry, creme de cassis, incense, warm spices, and the seductive hint of forest floor/wild fungus. Harmonious palate: full and unctuous, yet weightless. Acidity is as good as it gets. Supple silky tannins.
This bottle exceeds my high expectation. Love the simple yet elegant label too. — 4 years ago

Jody Scharf

9.3

Oak- nice Chard — 6 years ago

Nicole Carpenter

9.5

Cole loved this one, Josh said its ok — 6 years ago

Doug

9.1

Bursting with dark fruits balanced and rich. 2016 — 6 years ago