Michael

9.0

Picked this up at at farmers’ market a few years ago and I’m pretty impressed — 4 months ago

Dean Rogers

9.2

At Girasole in the Plains Va for Andrea’s birthday! This is excellant!! A new favorite — 2 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.3

Brief notes - at a friend’s place checking out his new cellar and generously opened this wonderful Margaret River Chardonnay. Cloudburst is the venture of American, Will Berliner, who turned the district on its head by asking prices 2 and 3 times the price of the Icons of Margaret River. It doesn’t worry Will who is able to sell much of his product into up-market restaurants in the US. This wine was initially leaner than I was expecting with citrus and ripe grapefruit. With more air nectarine and peach notes started coming through but still shows admirable restraint. All in all a class act. — 3 years ago

Philip Patston

9.6

Love it. But first a preamble.
Way back 25 years ago Spanish and Portuguese wines were an amazing bargain. They were the real deal old world wines. But then it changed and we started getting Iberian peninsula wines which were weird fruity new world things. So it was a thrill to find a wine all in Portuguese, not one designed for this market. Label not in English . The real thing. Blend of Tinto Roriz, Touriga Nacional, Jean and Alfrichiero. Earthy barnyard. Terroir. Superb. — 5 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.0

This 14 has a bit of a story. I opened their 2005 last weekend, which was fantastic, I also opened their 2014 as an example w/ a friend to show how important aging is in Italy reds out of Tuscany & Piemonte. Also, how long it takes for the amount of new wood use Italians put to both to soften. The Italians hold them back in bottle sometimes two to three years or longer. The 05 last weekend was a 93-94. This after an hour & half decant, 90-91. In time, add one to two points.

For those who didn’t study their ass off to pass the Court of Master Sommeliers exam, the difference between Chianti & Chianti Classico is, Classico needs to come from a specific region in Chianti and needs to have an additional 10% of Sangiovese over regular Chianti.

2014 a good but not all-star vintage like 2010.

The 2014 still young. Showing dry; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, some black plum, dry cranberries & strawberry hues. Oak barrel shavings, dry; leather, cedar, & dry tobacco, limestone & sandstone power, dry twig, dry river stone, dry top soil, slight candied & withering; red, dark, purple flowers framed in violets, nice acidity and a taut structured & tensioned but balanced, elegantly polished landing on dry earth that lasts nearly 90 seconds.

It is a good pair w/ the lasagna that has a really nice dark seasoning in it. An aged Nebbiolo might have worked better. From, The Adorable French Bakery at the Santa Cruz Farmers Market. No permanent location. — 4 months ago

Edmond Ng

9.4

picked this one up at the wine shop @ Chelsea Market in New York. Consumed it during my quarantine in Shanghai. I’m very pleased with it. A typical Gevrey-Chambertin. Robust aroma. — 3 years ago

Reuben Farrelly

9.0

Very good...and I'm not normally into whites like this. I really recommend this. — 4 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.6

The follow up to the 03 Leonetti. @Paul T- Huntington Beach & I have been telling readers about older Jones Family Vineyards for some time. If you haven’t had or not tried this producer it will be the last time I try to entice to you to try this producer. Talking about it more will only drive up the prices on the secondary market.

This 09 is damn beautiful after nearly a four hour decant but it is still fairly youthful.

It is ruby, lush, gorgeous, ripe fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum with skin, dark cherries, plum, hues of purple, blue fruits & raspberries, poached strawberries, black licorice, mixed, dark berry cola, steeped black tea, dry crushed rocks, limestone minerals, dry top soil, dry herbs, hints of eucalyptus, dry clay, dry tobacco, new leather, spice, nutmeg, clove, cinnamon & vanillin, withering red & dark florals framed in violets & lavender, beautiful round acidity, beautiful; balance, tension, structured, smartly polished finished that lasts minutes.

Still needs another 5-8 years to show its best self.

The Jones Family vineyard is located off Bale Lane in Calistoga and was planted to all five Bordeaux varieties by David Abreu in the early 1990s. Heidi Barrett made the wines until 2008, and Thomas Rivers Brown now makes the wines. — 10 months ago

Naboth van den Broek

8.9

Pinot grid with some beautiful tropical fruit. Not overly complex but a very pleasant summer drinker — 3 years ago

Yohanna

8.9

Fresh cherry and plum aromas with spice and dry tea leaf notes. Fleshy red fruit and good weight on the palate. — 5 years ago

with Matt