Stephanie Carnegie

9.2

It’s pretty dec — 3 years ago

Nicole Carpenter

9.5

Cole loved this one, Josh said its ok — 4 years ago

Mike Ancuta

9.3

Started off tight with honey and came across a little sweet. As it opened up Bosc pear and apple came to the forefront with orange peel. Had with banh mi and tum yum soup. — 4 years ago

Steven Meisel

9.5

Amazing wine with huge flavors — 5 years ago

Martin G Rivard

9.6

We enjoyed a Stellar tasting at William Cole. It was hosted by Emily Davies. I highly, highly recommend calling her for a tasting if you are ever in Napa. The Estates history is simply amazing. I was not familiar with their full lineup prior to the tasting. I discovered a few Rockstar gems. Their Ten is an equal blend of ten vintages. The quality of the wine, it’s seamless integration and boldness of dark fruit is spot on!!!! Emily is a new member on delectable. Please join me in welcoming her to our wine drinking community 👏👏👏👏🤜 @Emily Davies @Kirk Alexander She is awesome and will fit right in! — 6 years ago

with Emily, Christine and 1 other

Nahja Martin

9.2

Very buttery yet crisp. — 6 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

So, Colleen of James Cole loves Rose. James Cole, at the time, did not make a Rose. James grew weary of her drinking other producers Rose; which prompted him to make one. It's a small production of about 200-300 cases. He releases this on Valentines Day and makes a beautiful inscription on the bottle just to her. Nice touch James. This is made from Malbec and is much darker in color than most Roses. Blackberry reduction, dark cherries, cherries, pouched strawberries, brilliant crumbled chalkiness and minerals, dark moist soil and a rich, thick, beautiful long finish. — 7 years ago

Claire Gabaldon

Wine Club and Social Media Manager Spring Mountain Vineyard

9.4

With rain clouds approaching and an autumn chill in the air, it was time to roast beef and dig out something delicious from my collection. I was curious to see how a Malbec would age and am happy to report that this one did very well. Big lush fruit with sweet tannins providing elegant structure and a long finish. — 8 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

It’s good to follow Winemakers. I follow Charles Hendricks. However, Charles last James Cole vintage was 2013.

100% Petit Verdot in anyone’s hands is tricky. This 09 made by Charles is elegant young...just as it is now. It’s just rounder & softer after 9 1/2 years in bottle. It still has teeth but, complex & floral with dark, grippy tarry, round tannins. The darkest of roasted & used expresso grounds, dry earth with dark & brilliant florals. Beautiful acidity and elegant persistent finish.

This offering has another 10-15 of good drinking ahead. Properly stored of course.

Photos of; James Cole Winery, outside tasting lounge, signature bronze logo statute and James’ classic car in their fermentation cellar. — 4 years ago

Doug

9.1

Bursting with dark fruits balanced and rich. 2016 — 4 years ago

Victor Aul

9.4

Impressive wine. Well balanced with dark fruit with sweet vanilla notes — 5 years ago

Zach OConnor

9.0

Dad’s favorite wine — 5 years ago

Paul Weil

9.1

Unoaked Chardonnays are usually quite good, allowing the fruits to shine. This one is exceptional, refreshing and balanced with no cream or butter. What a great Summer Wine! It sports peach and honeysuckle flavors, with just a touch of lime.. Here’s to more tree-free wines! — 6 years ago

John McCarroll

Sales Rowan Imports

9.0

Floral and chenin-y and cider-y and a bizarre af riesling but super nice — 6 years ago

Paul Weil

9.0

I needed to drink three bottles of this one before making a proper review. I think this wine will be somewhat divisive. It is one of those wines upon which one's enjoyment is, more than usual, predicated upon tasting order, food pairing or cocktail usage, and above all decanting (as it is still quite young).

There is a lot to like about this blend. It is a big wine with a solid yet complex tannic structure, with some dusty tannins right up front rather than in the finish. There is a healthy dose of caramel oak, but not so much that it tastes like candy (and this decreases with decanting, and, presumably, cellaring). The predominant flavors are those I expect from a Bordeaux blend - dark cherries and mocha -- but with the brighter acidity of a Zinfandel or Syrah.

Bottle number four will languish in my cellar for another year or two, so that I may give Bacchus his due 🍷😸 — 7 years ago

Paul DiCicco

8.9

It doesn't have a blast of flavor, but it's an easy drinking, light wine with great finish. — 7 years ago

Jody Scharf

9.3

Oak- nice Chard — 4 years ago

Donald Williams

9.0

Holding up really well. — 4 years ago

with Bonnie

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.6

Happy Thanksgiving Eve. I wish you all a great Thanksgiving with family & friends giving thanks over some great food & wine pairing. 🍁🦃🍽

Coravined this last weekend as nightcap...it’s a pleasure getting back to it tonight.

The nose at the beginning broods ripe, dark fruit liqueur notes but, calms down in the glass after 10 minutes. It evolves into; bright, ruby, lush, dark, slightly candied floral currants/cassis. Ripe; blackberries, black cherries, blueberries syrup, boysenberries, olallieberries, black plum extract with poached strawberries & raspberries on the glass edges. Anise to black licorice, sweet tarriness, dark, mixed berry cola, mid intensity dark spice, dry crushed rocks, touch of incense, dry tobacco, leathery notes, wood shavings, dark chocolate, vanilla, light nutmeg & clove, dark, rich, turned earth, steeped fruit teas, mid, fresh herbaceousiness, bright, dark, red, blue slightly candied florals with fresh violets & lavender for days.

The body is full, round, lush & ruby. The fruits halfway to candied. The tension, structure, length and balance are in a very good place with another 8-10 years of good drinking ahead. The tannins are beautifully round, 55% resolved and still tarry, chewy with some teeth. Beautifully ripe; dark currants/cassis, blackberries, black cherries, blueberries syrup, boysenberries, olallieberries, black plum extract with poached strawberries & black raspberries. Anise to black licorice, sweet tarriness, dark, mixed berry cola, mid intensity darker spice on the long palate than the nose and show some heat, dry crushed rocks, volcanic minerals, limestone, touch of incense, dry tobacco, leathery notes, wood shavings, dark chocolate, malt in malted balls vanilla, light nutmeg & clove, dark, rich, turned earth, moist clay, steeped fruit teas, mid, fresh herbaceousness, bright, dark, red, blue slightly candied florals with fresh violets & lavender for days. The acidity is round and some of the best I’ve had in the 10’s I’ve had to date. The finish is delicious, ruby, lush, extremely well balanced and is the textbook definition of elegance. It persists several minutes with several nuances along the way. One of the very best 2010’s I’ve had as I am not a big fan of most 10’s. Get some if you can find.

Photos of; James Cole Winery and Estate vines, certainly one of my favorite Napa Winemakers-Charles Hendricks (FYI, has not been their Winemaker since midway through the 14 vintage), their outside patio lounge and the tasting bar. — 4 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

On the nose, ripe, ruby, fruits of; mulberry, blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, plum, black cherries, blueberries & creamy raspberries. Vanilla, hints of sweet tarriness, black licorice, whiff of spice, soft understated limestone minerals & crushed rock powder, fruity black tea, hint of fresh herbaceousness, rich, black turned earth, fresh dark floral bouquet and fields of lavender & violets.

The body is rich, ripe & full. The tannins are a little sticky but well softened, round and a touch chewy. The structure, tension, length, balance, tension and balance are very close to perfect and harmonious. Fruits are; mulberry, huckleberry, blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, plum, black cherries & creamy raspberries. Vanilla, hints of sweet tarriness, black licorice, whiff of spice, soft understated limestone minerals & crushed rock powder, fruity black tea, hint of fresh herbaceousness, rich, black turned earth, fresh dark floral bouquet and fields of lavender & violets. The acidity is round and rains like a waterfall perfectly over the palate. The very long, ruby, rich, well balance lasts minutes and is absolutely heavenly. Gorgeous, elegant, stunning wine.

Photos of; the vertical tasting we attended of all Hendricks Cabernets; 04, 05, 09 & 12 at the time w/ one of our favorite paintings in the background, Charles Hendricks working in the cellar, very old rootstock from the Stag’s Leap Vineyard where the fruit to make this wine normally comes from and a wide shot of the Stag’s Leap Vineyard.

Producer notes and history...Hendricks Cabernet Sauvignon is consistently sourced from a few of Napa Valley’s finest vineyards. In those near perfect vintages, Charles only makes a small production wine of around 250-300 cases. Charles only produces it when he has exception fruit. He’s made Hendricks Cabernet in; 2004, 2005, 2009, 2012 & 2014. Notice he didn’t make Hendricks Cabernet in a great vintage year like 2013. He wasn’t happy enough with his fruit in 2013 to put his name on it. That says a lot and maybe all you need to know about his standard for quality. I do know what wine his 13 fruit made as I’ve had and it’s an unbelievable wine for far less money.

Charles also makes a fantastic Pinot Noir from the Santa Lucia Highlands that is really quite amazing. Especially, if you give it 5 or 6 years in bottle. All his wines are sold exclusively through the Hope & Grace tasting room in Yountville as he is also the Hope & Grace Winemaker.

Charles graduated in 1982 from UC Davis in viticulture. He was also able to tailor his own curriculum and was one of the earliest to integrate winemaking and viticulture course work. Having knowledge of both viticulture and enology forms the basis for his well-rounded winemaking.

Over the years Charles has worked in both Napa and Sonoma Counties, gaining hands on experience in all aspects of winemaking. He has a strong reputation for excellence. In his career, he’s been a consulting winemaker for many wineries; Viader, Barnett Vineyards, Paoletti Vineyards, Regusci Winery, James Cole, T-Vine and Tamayo family Vineyard.

I asked Charles, “how does he make wines that are amazingly good in their youth but will age effortlessly for 15-20 years?” His answer was simply this, “its not that hard, you just have to know the perfect time to harvest fruit.” I would agree with that to a degree. But, you also have to know how to gently guide fruit onto it’s path into the barrel and not get in the wine’s way or overwork the process. — 6 years ago