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 🍷😸 — 9 years ago

Francois Botha

8.9

Strawberry and spices on the nose. Plenty of ripe fruit with soft tannin. Medium -bodied. Good value. — 10 years ago

Steve Martinelli

9.1

Really enjoyable Malbec. Ripe blueberry with some nice oak that does not overpower. Delicious. — 11 years ago

Rebecca Barkmeier

10

This is an amazingly good Chardonnay — 11 years ago

David Racich

9.1

Extremely unique with a taste that you would not expect out of a California Chardonnay! Finding this is not easy - hard to find and extremely unique. — 12 years ago

with Ashley

Stephanie Giles Williams

9.5

In the meat of its prime. — 12 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. — 9 years ago

Alison Soberanis

8.9

Light and crisp with hints of fruit — 10 years ago

Dick Kliner

9.2

2012 with broiled salmon.
Great present from neighbor. — 10 years ago

JDR

10

Amazing Sauvignon Blanc - crisp, tropical grapefruit with zesty lime and refreshing minerality. — 11 years ago

Kate Bycroft

8.9

Had at a wine dinner. Good wine. — 11 years ago

V M

9.6

What a unique and once in a lifetime wine. This is a blend of ten years worth of barrels from 2000 through 2009. Wine maker bill balentine kept one brl from each of these ten harvests and then blended them together and created this wine. Tiny production and extremely special this wine is so complex as it progresses across the palate. Cherries, berries, cedar, vanilla and Caramel all make appearances in this very unique explosion of flavor. So special. — 12 years ago

Jason Mallia

9.0

Really good! — 13 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Consistently one of my favorites from James Cole. The 13 is no different. New Winemaker for the 15 vintage. We'll see if the style changes. Trained by Chuck but they've added a Wine Consultant. Interesting to see how new influences changes this wine. — 10 years ago

Cayla Dee Porter

9.5

A nice elegant zin with intense dark fruit and a soft palate. — 10 years ago

Sara Henson

9.1

Im not a Riesling drinker but this was tasty. Not too sweet and great crisp taste for a warm Texas spring evening. — 11 years ago

Pawel

9.0

Smaczne, delikatne, aromatyczne — 11 years ago

Carlos Mata

9.5

Brilliant ruby red, medium to full density where I can almost see my fingers through. Delicious and discrete funkiness, with exceptional vegetable aromas of tri-color bell peppers and black currant. Tastes like a young Bordeaux, very vegetable, V-8 flavous, carrot, celery, a little pommegranate. Nice flare from the middle on, showing elegant complexity, leading to a peppery finish. But quite deep and important finish, showing phenomenal balance between (commandable) structure, beautiful dark and meaty acidity, and bright fruit. Very, very educated wine, yet young. 94 pts — 11 years ago

doug williams

9.9

The whole flight is distinguished and unforgettable but we came back to buy a bottle of this. It tastes like an angels breath mixed with rose petals. — 12 years ago

with Carolyn

Eric Hammonds

9.9

Delicious. — 13 years ago