Jones Family Vineyard
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley, California, USA
The GM of Jones Family Wines pictured, Stephanie Bailey
The GM of Jones Family Wines pictured, Stephanie Bailey
May 25th, 2018
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.
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.
01' Jones family Cabernet Sauvignon. Decanted for one hour( 2 would be better)Dark red/purple in color. This stunning multilayered blue & red fruit Cabernet, with a little forest floor to it. Heidi Barrett/David Abreu collaboration have made another amazing hillside Calistoga wine. It has got easily another 10 years in it! Looking forward to trying the 12s & 13s. We are also looking forward to trying the last of our 01' - 07's Jones in the future!
01' Jones family Cabernet Sauvignon. Decanted for one hour( 2 would be better)Dark red/purple in color. This stunning multilayered blue & red fruit Cabernet, with a little forest floor to it. Heidi Barrett/David Abreu collaboration have made another amazing hillside Calistoga wine. It has got easily another 10 years in it! Looking forward to trying the 12s & 13s. We are also looking forward to trying the last of our 01' - 07's Jones in the future!
Jan 14th, 2016Great tannin. Still very much alive.
Great tannin. Still very much alive.
Mar 31st, 2015
45 min decant(decent chunky/fine sediment). A wondrous dark ruby red with little bricking. On the Nose: A shy nose of prunes and dark currants, wet earth, tobacco, herbs, crushed granite, some mint. Taste: silky, creamy wine with red plum, old leather, vanilla coffee, and a minty chocolaty currant medium finish. YUM! Aged well and still very fun to drink. Glad to have another bottle.
45 min decant(decent chunky/fine sediment). A wondrous dark ruby red with little bricking. On the Nose: A shy nose of prunes and dark currants, wet earth, tobacco, herbs, crushed granite, some mint. Taste: silky, creamy wine with red plum, old leather, vanilla coffee, and a minty chocolaty currant medium finish. YUM! Aged well and still very fun to drink. Glad to have another bottle.
Apr 22nd, 2024
Not up there with the 07, but still a nice older Cabernet from Jones.
Not up there with the 07, but still a nice older Cabernet from Jones.
Oct 22nd, 2019
Opens expressively and full with deep dark fruits layered within a structure not often encountered. Beautifully textured and wonderfully aromatic
This is beautiful. My last bottle and it was glorious.
Opens expressively and full with deep dark fruits layered within a structure not often encountered. Beautifully textured and wonderfully aromatic
This is beautiful. My last bottle and it was glorious.
