James Cole
Napa Valley Malbec
Napa Valley, California, USA
I’ve never had a Charles Hendricks wine I didn’t like. Especially, his Malbecs. This is not nearly as good as his 07 Hope & Grace Malbec but, none the less still very good.
The fruits on the nose reveal the ripeness & freshness of the 12 Napa vintage. Loads of blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries but, it’s the boysenberries, mulberries & blue fruits & raspberries on the glass edges that really make for a great nose. Black licorice, dark fruit cola with shades of liqueur, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, black pepper, limestone & sandstone, big tobacco, dark spice, leather, oak barrel shavings, dry top soil, dry crushed rocks, stones, rich black earth, sweet tarriness with brilliant; dark, red, blue & purple florals framed in lavender & violets.
The body is just full. The 12 vintage was always more fruit than tannins, not that there were no tannins or structure in this 12 & other 12’s. Ripe, lush & slightly ruby; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries but, really love the boysenberries, mulberries & blue fruits in my reds. Black licorice, dark fruit cola with shades of liqueur, black pepper, limestone & sandstone, forest floor, dry stems, big tobacco, dark spice with just a touch of heat, clove, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, leather, graphite, steeped fruit tea, oak barrel shavings, dry top soil, dry crushed rocks, stones, volcanics, rich black earth, sweet tarriness with dark, lush; red, blue & purple florals framed in lavender & violets. The acidity is nice & round. The finish is well balanced fruit & earth, elegant and persists nicely with just the right amount of dark spice on the long set.
This would have a little scored higher but, I coravined it a few weeks back and restored it laying down. Seems to have lost a bit from opening.
Photos of; James Cole Winery on the Silverado Trail, former James Cole Winemaker - Charles Hendricks (13 his full last vintage), tasting bar & tasting patio.
I’ve never had a Charles Hendricks wine I didn’t like. Especially, his Malbecs. This is not nearly as good as his 07 Hope & Grace Malbec but, none the less still very good.
The fruits on the nose reveal the ripeness & freshness of the 12 Napa vintage. Loads of blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries but, it’s the boysenberries, mulberries & blue fruits & raspberries on the glass edges that really make for a great nose. Black licorice, dark fruit cola with shades of liqueur, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, black pepper, limestone & sandstone, big tobacco, dark spice, leather, oak barrel shavings, dry top soil, dry crushed rocks, stones, rich black earth, sweet tarriness with brilliant; dark, red, blue & purple florals framed in lavender & violets.
The body is just full. The 12 vintage was always more fruit than tannins, not that there were no tannins or structure in this 12 & other 12’s. Ripe, lush & slightly ruby; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries but, really love the boysenberries, mulberries & blue fruits in my reds. Black licorice, dark fruit cola with shades of liqueur, black pepper, limestone & sandstone, forest floor, dry stems, big tobacco, dark spice with just a touch of heat, clove, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, leather, graphite, steeped fruit tea, oak barrel shavings, dry top soil, dry crushed rocks, stones, volcanics, rich black earth, sweet tarriness with dark, lush; red, blue & purple florals framed in lavender & violets. The acidity is nice & round. The finish is well balanced fruit & earth, elegant and persists nicely with just the right amount of dark spice on the long set.
This would have a little scored higher but, I coravined it a few weeks back and restored it laying down. Seems to have lost a bit from opening.
Photos of; James Cole Winery on the Silverado Trail, former James Cole Winemaker - Charles Hendricks (13 his full last vintage), tasting bar & tasting patio.
Dark and blue fruits, expresso roast, black tea, light wood, minerals and long lush finish. Chuck might make the best Malbec's in the Valley.
Dark and blue fruits, expresso roast, black tea, light wood, minerals and long lush finish. Chuck might make the best Malbec's in the Valley.
Jul 24th, 2015
Holy shit Amazing juice. Extracted .., inky. Cocoa flovsrs. With chocalte overtones. Great juice
Holy shit Amazing juice. Extracted .., inky. Cocoa flovsrs. With chocalte overtones. Great juice
Feb 26th, 2015
