Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

Easy to drink on pop & pour for such a young Syrah.

Reminded me a bit of the Domaine Rostaing’s I’ve enjoyed. Ripe black cherry, crème de cassis, violets, lavender, pepper, stem inclusion, notes of roasted chestnuts, grilled meats, iron pan, spices, dark flowers, nice acidity with good balance and elegant finish. — 12 days ago

Dave Keatley

9.0

Great as usual! Decanted this wine but might not have needed it. 2021 was a lower tannin more supple vintage. Classic Jamet aromas of lavender and charcuterie, great acidity and moderate tannin — 4 months ago

Nathan Renfro

9.6

Deep garnet. Oak and dark fruit on the nose. Hour decant and still a bit tight but yet still very smooth and well structured. Red and black fruit. Tannins silky smooth with nice long finish. Beautiful wine! After another hour this wine was hitting its stride! So good!! — 3 years ago

Aravind A

9.2

Pop and pour, notes from 1 hr open. Better than I remember my last btl being, but still not up to the level of that first '11. On the nose: lavender, incense, loads of garrigue, and soft red raspberry..very pure grenache. On the palate: serious acidity, hi-toned red raspberry, more herbal notes, with some salinity, almost olive brine/game, though I believe this is 100% grenache, and attenuated tannin on the finish. This has taken a very savory turn, and the tannin on the finish is slightly attenuated. Yum! — 4 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.6

Absolutely stunning. The most under known & under appreciated producer of Napa Cabernet…a TRB made wine 08 vintages forward, Heidi Barrett made this 97.

Dark core, anise, dark chocolate to pudding, caramel soft, black licorice, dark spice, fresh tobacco, dull, oak barrel shavings, dry herbs, baking spices, perfumed; dark, red, florals, violets, lavender, excellent round acidity and with a lush, well balanced, nicely tensioned/structured, elegant finish that’s last 90 seconds and lands squarely on full beauty. — 14 days ago

Jae Cho

9.0

Watermelon, pit fruit and lavender? First day the lavender more, second the fruit. — 2 years ago

Jalyn Warren

9.1

Very nice! — 3 years ago

Delectable Wine

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9.5

Brilliant ruby. Smoky, mineral-tinged aromas of raspberry, cherry preserves, garrigue and exotic spices show excellent clarity and acquire a gamy nuance as the wine opens up. At once rich and energetic in character, offering well-concentrated red berry, bitter cherry and spicecake flavors and a sweetening touch of candied lavender. Shows fine definition and finishes gently, spicy and impressively long, with repeating florality and steadily building tannins. (Josh Raynolds, Vinous, October 2021)
— 4 years ago

Jay Kline

9.5

Presented to me double-blind. The wine pours a brilliant, deep ruby color with a transparent core and some rim variation; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and faint signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with a heady perfume of mostly ripe and some tart fruit: mixed brambles, black cherry, purple flowers (lavender?), animale, some pepper, a touch of olive, a touch of leather, some green herbs, fine warm spices and rocky earth. I believe this has seen oak and it’s beautifully balanced and smells expensive. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Alcohol is medium+. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and the texture is grippy. This is delicious.

Initial conclusions: this could be Sangiovese, Pinot Noir, Gamay, a Grenache-based blend or possibly Syrah; from Italy, or France. Immediately after I was presented the glass, I liked this being Sangiovese, however, there was too much new French oak for me to feel comfortable. Besides, the florals were too purple to be Sangiovese anyway (never mind Grenache or Pinot Noir). Then there were the non-fruits: it could be justified by whole cluster Pinot or Gamay…or was this a really impressive Syrah? This wine seemed familiar to me. This could be Chave. I did think this had some age based on color and rim variation. Final conclusion: I’m calling this Syrah, from France, from Northern Rhône, Hermitage, with 20+ years of age, from a decent vintage like 2004. And for the hell if it, I called producer: Jean-Louis Chave. Boom. Bottle No. 3981 — 15 days ago

Delectable Wine

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9.9

The 2018 IX Estate is a wine of extraordinary depth and intensity. The aromatics along are positively dazzling. Crushed herbs, lavender, spice, menthol, chocolate, licorice and gravel lend tremendous power and gravitas. Just as impressive it was last year, the 2018 is positively riveting today. What a wine! (Antonio Galloni, Vinous, January 2022)
— 4 years ago