Bob McDonald

9.5

Dense Ruby with a Crimson rim. Aromas of red and black berries, chocolate, and smoked meat. Full bodied and muscular. From a single vineyard in McLaren Vale which was planted 124 years ago. Silky tannins. A great red on a cold night in Winter. Love the old fashioned label which probably hasn’t changed in 100 years showing the two Kay Brothers. Hope to have the patience to drink the last bottle in say 2028 to 2030. — 8 days ago

Magnus Hovet

9.3

Needed some time to open up, but was worth it. Silky smooth, lots of presence and subtle earth notes. Really long finish and super smooth once again — 3 months ago

"Odedi"

9.3

It is time for my #FridayCabernetfix. Here is a delicious one.

Dark ruby in color with a reddish rim.

Pretty nose of blackberries, black currants, black plums, cedar, licorice, vanilla, chocolates, herbs, eucalyptus, light spices and black pepper.

Full-bodied with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate and fruit forward with blackberries, plums, currants, cedar, licorice, peppercorn, coffee, cola, light vanilla, tobacco, herbs and light earth.

Long finish with fine grained tannins, red chili pepper and tangy cherries.

This young Cabernet Sauvignon from Oakville is already drinking beautifully. Nicely balanced, complex and engaging. Elegant, tangy and rich. Soft and smooth.

Delicious right out of the bottle, easy to drink, and very approachable. As it opens up, more earth notes show up.

Showing a great nose. Spicy and entertaining.

Will continue to age nicely in the next 15 years, and showing good potential to become a 94+ point wine.

I've had a few vintages of this wine and it is very consistent, and so much better with age.

A great sipping wine that paired nicely with my Leg of Lamb dish.

A blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Malbec and 2% Petit Verdot. Aged for 24 months in (60% new) French Oak barrels.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$80. — 3 months ago

Joseph Barsky

9.7

2021 vintage. Loved it! Don’t drink it ice cold or you will miss the experience. Amazing @Stanley Barrios — 6 months ago

Brett Durci

9.0

Nose of tart fruit and spice which shows up in the palate as well. Silky tannins that take a little time to build up. Easy to drink for a medium bodied red. It's holding up well to hearty spicy chilli, and the spice of the food is letting the fruit show more through the spice notes of the wine. Curious to see how it develops when I have some tomorrow. — 8 months ago

David Peifer

9.8

Plum and dark fruit with a nice kiss of oak. Delicious. — 5 years ago

Paul T, Missing My Beautiful Wife 24/7

9.1

Didn’t realize I still had this, opened for an A5 Strip loin.
Great cut of beef which hid the heat on this bottle. I just can’t handle these fruit forward highly extracted wines anymore.
Parker 95, — 5 years ago

Mike R

9.5

Thank you @Jason and Jennie / amazing wine and Kirk Venge is making delicious wine - RP scored this 97 and I was just not willing to go that far but one of the best Napa cabs in awhile for me - this was consumed during the WNH Sunday virtual zoom tasting and to share virtually with Jason and Jennie was even more amazing - wine had legs forever - deep ruby color - smell of dark red cherries and raspberries and coco - taste and finish incredible - fruit forward delicious smooth - all of the above help create big bold beautiful in a bottle and left me with a huge smile — 6 years ago

Alexandre Pagliano

9.2

This was great but not same level as prior bottles. Perhaps a slightly off cork ? Medium dark rubi robe, nose of blackcurrant, top soil and balsam with hints of cedar. Ever so slightly reticent tannins but overall great length and good complexity. Great now, but no rush. — 2 months ago

with Jose, veronique and 4 others

Bob McDonald

9.7

One of the best Pinots I’ve had from anywhere this year. Also I should state the only note I’ve been able to put on Delectable out of 4 attempts. The previous 3 have disappeared. Light in colour and a beautifully fragrant wine with Medium + intensity. 98 points from Huon Hooke and he made this comment, “A mesmerising wine - surely one of Bindi’s best ever “. I can only agree. This is a top quality Pinot Noir no matter the origin and will probably reach the end of HH’s drinking window of 2034. This Is easily of Premier Cru and in some cases Grand Cru standard. — 3 months ago

Peter Coulthard

9.0

Really good wine but remembered it better. Maybe I aerated it too well but lacked some of its usual smooth punch. — 5 months ago

Michelle Connely

9.0

For me, subtle tannins, balanced acidity and flavors of blackcurtant, dark chocolate and cedar spice. Consumed 11/16/25 w steak. — 8 months ago

"Odedi"

9.2

Inky in color with a wide reddish rim.

Fruity on the nose, and medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate and easy drinking.

Showing red and black fruits with light cedar, earth, herbs, chocolates, peppercorn, cola, Mediterranean spices and light licorice.

Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.

This is a delicious Single Vineyard Zinfandel from Napa Valley. Elegant and rich. Fruit forward and complex. Nicely balanced with a soft mouthfeel.

Good right out of the bottle and better with airtime. Will continue to age nicely in the next 7 years.

Good by itself as a sipping wine, and will pair nicely with burger and fries.

14.9% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$40. — 9 months ago

橋本 堅治

9.5

2017 tasted in 2021. Without decanting it’s too young and strong oak flavour. After decanting the potential of this wine is enormous. Blackberry, Cherry, cinnamon on top of young oak flavour just gorgeous. Perhaps I had to keep this for another 5 years or so to open the full potential — 5 years ago

Randy Fuller

9.3

This wine is dark and savory. The black fruit comes along with cedar, vanilla and a chalky earth tone. Nothing like Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, but more in line with Paso Robles. Lots of South American minerals having a bit of roughhouse here. — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

This 2006 was a tale of 1/2 of the bottle decanted in a wide decanter and the other 1/2 left in bottle. The bottom 1/2 bottle better than the 2 hour decant. The decanted part lost complete Bordeaux character, mid palate and depth. A shorter decant was in order, but that doesn’t mean this 06 is waning. It has another 7–10 yrs from bottle.

2006 was the vintage that followed the grand 2005 vintage, not an entirely fair growing seasons. Based on the 2005 vintage, the Bordelaise overpriced the 2006 vintage. The Bordelaise disappointed in the price they sold 2005’s looked to make up their perceived losses in 2006. Except, the quality wasn’t the same. Not even close.

The nose shows brambly, ripe; blackberries, black raspberries, both plums, dark cherries and lean raspberry edges. Dark, rich earth with dry leaves, dark chocolate bar, mid berry cola. steeped black tea, charcoal, graphite, soft, fresh tobacco, used leather,. softy layered baking spices, black licorice-tarriness, dry river stones, dry limestone powder/bits, dark, red florals with fresh, blooming violets & understated lavender.

The palate is ripe, juicy w/ medium, rounded tannins. Ripe; blackberries, black raspberries, both plums, dark cherries, strawberries and lean raspberry. Dark, rich earth with dry leaves, dark & slightly melted chocolate, mid berry cola. steeped black tea, charcoal, graphite, soft, fresh tobacco, used leather, softy layered baking spices-nutmeg, clove, cinnamon & vanillin, mid dark spices w/ some palate heat, black licorice-tarriness, dry herbs, dry river stones, dry limestone powder/bits, dry top soil, moist, grey, volcanic clay, dark, red florals with fresh, blooming violets & understated lavender, very nice acidity, nicely balanced, well structured/tensioned w/ an elegant finish that lasts a minute plus and lands on earth & spice with mid intensity palate heat.

92 decanted. 93 the bottom 1/2 of the bottle, not decanted. — a month ago

Bob McDonald

9.4

Hopefully Delectable will allow me to write a complete note. Here we go ….
Dark Ruby with a crimson rim. Closed on the nose initially. Straight from the bottle - should have decanted it. Rich on the palate. Latent power with much to give. Dark cherry with dried herbs still to come with further cellaring. This is the first of 5 bottles. In the early days Block 3 was the undisputed best Pinot in NZ but now Block 5 is considered along with other contenders from around NZ. Have the next one in a year. Many good judges think this is the best ever Block 3 up to this point. — 3 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.8

I have posted a number of older vintage Jones Family Cabernets. Many 20 yrs and older. Three to four 97’s…none better than this one. I give few wines a score above 96. This is different. It is so close to perfect. Some might give it a 100. I struggle to give a wine a perfect 100. I have only done it 4 times in an estimated 25k wines tasted or bottles I’ve enjoyed. One was a port made before 1886 and tasted in Oporto at Taylor Fladgate’s tasting room in 2015, it was their Scion. Only sold there and at the time 5k at bottle. You end up there purchase the Scion taste regardless of the current cost. They put on a tasting show for you. I am half tempted here to give out a 100 but will refrain.

I am not sure what to add to that but will attempt to do so.

The nose is a beautiful, perfectly evolved Napa Cabernet. Nothing overpowers any of its singular components. I think the word I am looking for is harmony. Lush, plush, ruby dark currants/cassis. The best, mid, subtle/gentle/soft, dark spice box I certainly can remember, lush blackberries, both plums, dark, not quite liqueur cherries, a mix of subtle purple fruits, poached to baked strawberries, some light hints of raspberries, dark sweet tarriness, melted dark chocolate, anise to black licorice, steep fruit tea leaning into black tea, sweet/soft leather, moist tobacco, sandalwood, dark, rich forest floor, sweet graphite, hints of dry twig, a flutter note of eucalyptus, dry, withering & slightly candied florals that are; dark, red & blue & framed in light lavender with more pronounced liquid violets.

The palate wire to wire is even & stupidly, gloriously, grand. It mirrors the nose very closely. Lush, plush, ruby dark currants/cassis. The best mid, subtle/gentle/soft, dark spice box w/ some light palate heat, best I certainly can remember, lush blackberries, both plums, dark, kirsch not quite liqueur cherries, a mix of subtle purple fruits, poached to baked strawberries, some light hints of raspberries, dark sweet tarriness, melted dark chocolate, anise to black licorice, steep fruit tea leaning into black tea, beautifully layered baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon stick & vanillin, caramel, sweet/soft leather, moist tobacco w/ a hint is ash, sandalwood, dark, rich forest floor, dry, crushed rock powder, dry top soil, crushed limestone powder, sweet graphite, hints of dry twig, a fluttering note of eucalyptus, dry, withering & slightly candied florals that are; dark, red & blue framed in light lavender with more pronounced liquid violets, perfect, rainfall acidity, extremely well balanced, even & subtle tension-structure that stands up on the long set, refined elegance with a finish that goes on and on and eventually lands on spice & beautiful, refined earthiness.

What a bottle! 98 that leans into 99. I paid somewhere between $80-$90 on the secondary market for this bottle. — 7 months ago

Brian S

9.0

Stated to open up nicely after 30 minutes, should have decanted. I think the wine is at its peak and should be drunk now, starting to get a bit of leather and prune elements. Nice cherry, raspberry aromas. — 5 years ago

with Ellie

Paul T, Missing My Beautiful Wife 24/7

9.5

Just in from Jersey, $22.00 no tax free shipping. Buy it by the case all day long. Skip the Bevan & buy this
Retail notes,

There’s a sweet-spot for domestic Sauvignon Blanc found in a special part of Bennett Valley that experiences a strong maritime influence as it flows through the Petaluma Gap to Sonoma Mountain. Within that funnel of cooling coastal air, the Dry Stack Vineyard is in a prime location at 550 feet elevation at the base of Mt. Taylor. I’m continually drawn to Sauvignon Blanc from Dry Stack and the vineyard produces fruit with detailed notes of fresh guava, rocky minerals, ripe tangerine and mineral infused citrus. You might be familiar with Russell Bevan’s version from Dry Stack, and Grey Stack has been a pillar on our tasting list in Yountville.

With Grey Stack, everything begins in the Vineyard with exceptional quality fruit, but from there, the wine is given a voice by winemaker Patrick Sullivan, whose experience includes making wine at Peter Michael, Paul Hobbs, Lewis Cellars and Rudd. This is absolutely one of the finest examples of California Sauvignon Blanc with its superior focus and incredibly vivid, distinctive flavors. If you love Sauvignon Blanc, or better yet, even if you don’t… Try this one and you’ll probably never look back. — 6 years ago