Bob McDonald

9.4

As you can see from my previous Delectable notes I normally drink Mollydooker reds, particularly Carnival of Love, on cold nights in Winter. This certainly worked. Aromatics of black plum and other black fruits. The palate is ripe, sweet and full bodied - quite thick and textured. Has come together somewhat after 15 years but still a very powerful McLaren Vale Shiraz. Jeb Dunnuck’s comment of “full bore and hedonistic “ sums it up. This was the #2 wine in Wine Spectators Top 100 of 2012. — a year ago

Frank Kuo

9.2

Color of dark purple, looks thick. Nose of cocoa, milk chocolate, ripe grapes, a bit fermented cabbage, and hint of dark fruits. Taste shows more dark fruits, such as black berries, some leafy notes, some medicinal minty and strawberry note, clean, almost no tannins, yet silky and flavorful. Aftertaste is medium with a bit rind note and warm alcohol. Not bad. — 4 years ago

Wulf Losee

9.7

Even in the Rhone Valley, Rhone blends don’t get any better than this. Heck, very few California wines get better than this! Sitting on a thousand foot deep (at least!) layer cake of limestone and Miocene sea sediments, the Law vineyards produce some of the most deliciously calcaire wines I’ve ever tasted. Absolute bliss to drink.

On the nose: oregano, mint, and 300-year-old books bound in old leather on the nose. Thick cassis fruit and a hint of eucalyptus on the front. Fruity but not jammy! After the foretaste, this wine is held together with soft limestone tannins. The mid-palate is full of mineral high notes underlaid by fifty-million years of plate tectonics. You’re drinking geologic history here as selectively interpreted by Syrah and Grenache grapes! It’s as if you’re tasting what the grape roots are tasting! Not a particularly long finish, but all the same it’s extremely satisfying. Again with the mineral high notes plus eucalyptus, but they’re all balanced by a cool minty soothingness at the back of the throat. Absolutely lovely! — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

It has been awhile since we’ve had the 2014 and it’s evolving nicely.

My suggestion is you chill down the Davis Chardonnay, take it out of chill mode a half-hour to forty-minutes prior to enjoying. Then, get this soft white cheese from Harbison Cellars - Spruce Bark Wrapped Bloomy Rind and the Firehook crackers and enjoy them all together. They are a Heavenly pairing together.

As for the 2014 Davis Chardonnay, the nose reveals, more honey notes, overripe; pineapple flesh, golden apple, sour Meyer lemons. Apricots, peach, lime candy, green apple, beeswax, honeycomb, tangerine notes, saline, excellent, soft chalkiness, limestone & grey volcanic minerals, a little white spice, yellow lilies, fruit blossoms, jasmine with a touch of mixed greens.

The body is full, thick, lush and rich. The texture is gorgeous and sexy...beautifully delicious over the palate. Lots of honey notes, over ripe; pineapple flesh, golden apple, sour Meyer lemons. Apricots, peach, lime candy, more green apple, beeswax, honeycomb, tangerine notes, caramel, a touch of toffee, butter, cream, saline, excellent, soft chalkiness, limestone & crushed, grey volcanic minerals, a little white spice with a touch of heat, yellow lilies, fruit blossoms, jasmine with a touch of mixed greens. The acidity is excellent, round and phat. The long, rich, lush, gorgeous, sexy, well balanced finish persists nicely for minutes.

Pound for pound, dollar for dollar, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better CA Chardonnay for the money. $36 member price and $48 non-member price.

You want to enjoy this just below room temperature to get all it has to offer.

Photos of, the right side view from their terrace with their signature windmill, the center direct view of the valley floor through to the other side, the Harbison soft white cheese & Firehook crackers to a pair with the Davis Chardonnays.

Their Chardonnays show varying nuisances year to year but, are very consistent in quality year to year. — 7 years ago

Ellen Clifford

9.1

This is a very sophisticated Zin. Sophisticated as in raised-on-classical-but-moved-to-big-city-and-got-into-BillieEilish-but-go- waltzing-for-fun way. Shall I be textbook? Let’s.
Eye: medium ruby red thick big ol’ tears
Nose: leaps out! Licorice red/blue/black fruit but mostly like stewed dried cranberries and spice and vanilla bean
Tongue (mine) dry, medium acid, medium plush ripe tannins, high booze level (checking to see if I was correct)ohhhh 14.8! So yeah high abv.
Body is medium plus. Intensity medium plus. It’s all ripe and raisined purple plum, black cherries, blackberries and all of these fruits are dried and ripe plus a handful of blueberries and a slosh of vanilla bean liqueur and some allspice or even...velvet falernum. Finish is medium plus.
This is a Zin I want in my life forevs
— 7 years ago

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

Andrey V Tyutin

9.5

Great blen for Italy wine lovers. Thick and round bodied. Deep red color, red berries by nose, very smooth and drinkable. Just a little bit too sweet as for me. Almost perfect. — 2 years ago

Matthew Cohen

9.6

Dried peach. Quite intense. Mineral. Acidity on the finish. Not as much in the palate. Huge density. Almost thick texturally. Some spice. Some lovely tartness on the finish.

sort of similar to kelller hubacker in a way.

This needs 5 years to be great. It could be much better than it is now. As this opens the nose gets sick.

Yeah. An hour in this is better than the best peach. Dense. Really good. A ridiculous value. Wow.

Fass selections — 3 years ago

Jo coombe

9.5

Drunk in Noosa with beautiful duck — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.0

This is hard to beat at $25.

White cheese starter.

Copying over & updating earlier notes...

The nose reveals; waxy, sweet & sour lemons, the light, good/softer aspects of lemon pledge, lime zest, green & golden apple, overripe pineapple, honeysuckle, apricots, white peach, orange rind, grapefruit w/ pith, tree bark, flintiness, notes of roasted caramel, vanillin, beautifully, elegant, grey volcanics, salty, powdery, even slightly floral chalkiness, white to lightly brown spices, sea spray, oyster notes, limestone/sandstone, fruit blossoms, yellow lilies framed in a field of spring flowers.

The body is thick, rich, lush and nicely rounded. If you like viscosity, no issues here. It guides over the palate presenting no mouth arguments. Waxy, sweet & sour lemons, the light, good/softer notes of lemon pledge, green & some golden apple with skin, lime zest, overripe pineapple, honeysuckle, apricots, white peach, orange rind, tropicals green melon, tree bark, notes of roasted caramel, beautifully, elegant, grey volcanics, salty, powdery, even slightly floral chalkiness, white to lightly brown spices with some medium palate heat, sea spray, oyster notes, sulfur/flintiness, limestone/sandstone, fruit blossoms, yellow lilies framed in a field of spring flowers. The acidity is near dead on...like a gentle cool stream. The long finish is, gorgeous & sexy, elegant, rich, good balance all around and persists gently for minutes.

Just gets better & better as it warms & opens up in the glass. This Bourgogne will add another point or two when I open my next bottle in 2-3 years. Except now, I own a bunch more of this 2018. Have some to enjoy early.

Excellent with our soft, white cheese...Jasper Hill Farms-Harbison. If you can find this cheese, it gets one of my highest recommendations. Bought it at Whole Foods but, you can always check JasperHillFarms.com if N/A where you shop.

Photos of; Masion Henri Boillot, Owner/Winemaker Henri Boillot, tasting room that looks into the barrel room and his Bonnes Mares Vineyard. — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

Last night, my second favorite pairing. Tonight, my favorite! An older Pichon Lalande and a ribeye. Counting it down.

While this 03 is delicious tonight, I won’t touch another bottle until 2028 for the way I’ve learned to enjoy em. However, a good time for a check in given I have several more bottles.

The nose reveals; thick, rich, dark currants, creamy fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, black cherries, hints of cooked rhubarb, black plum with heavy skin & strawberries on the glass edges as it opens. Anise, Indian & Asian spices, soft leather, older tobacco, dark & milk chocolate, caramel, some black licorice, steeped fruit tea, limestone minerals, dry, river stone, moist clay, dark, rich, turned earth, dry crushed rocks with candied, fresh & withering, red, dark flowers.

The body is creamy, lush and full. The structure, tension, length and balance are knitting themselves together nicely. The tannins are round, dark and only 45-50% resolved. She’s an elegant beauty that will deliver so much more at 25 years and later. Rich, dark currants, creamy fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, black cherries, hints of cooked rhubarb, black plum with heavy skin & strawberries on the glass edges as it opens. Anise, Indian & Asian spices, soft leather, cigar box with ash, dark & milk chocolate, caramel, coco powder, some black licorice, steeped fruit tea, limestone minerals, dry, river stone, moist clay, dark, rich, turned earth, dry top soil, dry crushed rocks with candied, fresh & withering, red, dark flowers & violets on the long set. The acidity is round and beautiful. The creamy, elegant finish is balanced fruit & earth and persists nicely for minutes.

Photos of; Chateau Pichon Lalande,
General Manager-Nicolas Glumineau, Pichon Lalande’s tasting room and their Estate vineyard at twilight and is adjacent to Chateau Latour. — 7 years ago

SF

8.9

The juice itself is visually stunning especially sipping through a Zalto wine glass - imagine sipping liquid gold :) transient apricot, mineral nectarines on the tongue, finishing with hint of #almond #mushroom , very low acidity as if it all ages away - drinking bottle from 1992 . Texture wasn’t thick as I thought it would be . one of those wines that I don’t quite have words to describe — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

No detailed notes as we were at dinner with friends. Three Somm’s present for dinner and all thought this was wine of the night. I was one of them.

I believe their 15 is even better than their fantastic 2010.

If you are not familiar with this producer & terroir, I highly recommend you do. It remains under most consumers radar. I should probably stay silent on it as it will only drive up demand and price. But, good wine is meant to be shared with people who know how to appreciate it. This is around $55 on pre-arrival and $70ish if not bought on pre-arrival.

Olivier Lamy left the family Domaine to learn from other producers before returning to his family Domaine. He made Méo-Camuzet for few years just before his return.

The body was thick and slightly waxy. Nice green apple, pineapple, lime, honeysuckle, fruit blossoms with excellent round acidity, texture, elegant and well polished finish.

Recommend you slightly over chill it and decant it for an hour if you drink it this young. After it hour, it really blossoms.

Photos of, the Domaine property, Saint-Aubin Vineyard, amazing Saint-Aubin Chardonnay grapes and Domaine building sign — 7 years ago

Vino Joe

9.4

Okay … cork completely fell apart on opening. Wine seemed unaffected though. Deep color but not yet dark. It was not as thick as I would have expected for 16 years. It was a bit underwhelming vs expectation. Not lengthy in its finish and missing the array of tropical flavors but was still good. Just not great. — 3 years ago

Peter Sultan

9.2

Tasted blind with friends who thought more in the Alsatian dry Riesling or Pinot Blanc spectrum. I can taste why: has a thick mouthfeel & density of that area, & the Sauvignon Blanc Is a bit of a Zelig as it warms up. Very, very good. — 4 years ago

with Owen

Mario Vaillancourt

9.0

Needed air, this is a very young wine, opened up to dark fruits, very generous and full bodied palate, rich and wide, the texture is silky and almost thick, nice bottle as is but will wait for the others in this vintage.

Très jeune, a eu besoin d’air, fruits noirs, bouche généreuse, assez pleine et riche, texture veloutée et presque dense, très bien. 89-90

— 6 years ago

Ceccherini Cristiano

9.5

It has a great mouthful sensation
It recalls a Burgundy
I'd say that with some aging in bottle this can become extremely good, or I should say better 'cause it's already delicious now
To try again and again — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Our first bottling from this small production family winery in Calistoga.

My first impressions of this wine, it’s a classic older Calistoga Cabernet. It’s nicely resolved but, not at the end of its life as some have predicted. It is a shade past its prime but, drinking nicely with the exception it’s a touch hot, even after all this time in bottle and when temp’s were not pushing alcohol levels like they can now. However, heat aside, I enjoy wines just the other side of their prime and beyond. Brings out additional complexity-characteristics and are infinitely more interesting.

The nose reveals, stewed & baked fruits of; blackberries, black plum, black cherry extract, black raspberries with some deep blue fruits. Loads of baking spices; clove, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla. Dark spice, dark chocolate, sweet tarriness, mocha, caramel, walnut shells, anise to black licorice, steeped, dark fruit teas, mint/eucalyptus, dry crushed rocks, leather, tobacco, graphite, used charcoal, dark liqueur and cola, dry herbs with dark, red, blue, purple, fresh & withering flowers accented with lavender.

The body is rich, lush, ruby, statin, velvety and thick. The tannins are rounded & softened but, still speaking loudly. The structure, tension, length and balance are in a very good place. This wine has legs to stand for another 5-10 years depending on how you enjoy them. Stewed, candied & baked fruits of; blackberries, black plum, black cherry extract, black raspberries deep blue fruits, purple fruit blend, haunting raspberries with poached strawberries as it sets. Loads of baking spices; clove, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla. Dark spice with good palate heat, dark chocolate, sweet tarriness, mocha, caramel, walnut shells, anise to black licorice, steeped, dark fruit teas, mint/eucalyptus, dry crushed rocks, dry top soil, slightly, moist clay, pronounced, fine volcanic minerals, leather, tobacco, graphite, used charcoal, dark liqueur and cola, dry herbs with dark, red, blue, purple, fresh & withering flowers accented with lavender. The acidity is round & exquisite. The long finish is; well balanced fruit & earth, very complexity, rich, delicious and persists endlessly.

Photos of; Stephanie Jones Bailey, Rick and Elaine Jones, Estate view, their Cabernet fruit close to harvest and vineyard staff managing fruit clusters & leafing.

Producer notes...they were founded in 1996. Jones Family Vineyards specializes in estate grown Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc. Thomas Rivers Brown makes their wines, two Cabernet wines...Jones Family Vineyards Estate Cabernet Sauvignon and The Sisters. TRB also makes an extremely limited production of aged Sauvignon Blanc that is cellared for over 3 years in barrel and bottle.

Jones Family has ten acres of south facing vineyards that lie 600 to 800 feet off the valley floor, resting above the fog line, an ideal altitude for growing Cabernet in the Napa Valley area.

@Paul T- Huntington Beach FYI. — 7 years ago

Nathan Renfro

9.6

Dark and deep. Cigar box, deep red cherry, very smooth. Aerated for 3 hours. This sets itself apart as deep, dark, thick, juicy, so good. — 7 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.6

Victim to experiment. 85 percent Mourvedre, balance is grenache. Thick. Poured like tar into the glass. Nose of wildflowers and oateal raisin cookie. Entry is inky, thick purple and black fruit dominated. Tame acidity. Nutmeg. Spice. Plum mingles in the middle. Finishes sweet, black pepper, and a surprising amount of dry tannin. Sweet and chalky powerful finish. Don't think I would have pegged this for a 15 as this has so many characteristics of both a young and an older CDP. I cringe to know where this will be in 5 to 10 years. — 8 years ago