Jessica Irving

9.1

Smooth, very nice bottle. — a month ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.2

Château Brane-Cantenac 2023 – Margaux, Grand Cru Classé, BDX France 🇫🇷

Overview
A highly aromatic and deeply concentrated Margaux showing impressive layering, polished texture, and outstanding fruit density, with oak integration still prominent in its youth. Built for complexity and long-term evolution.

Aromas & Flavors
Blackberry compote, wild blueberry, cassis, black cherry liqueur, violet petal, sweet cedar, cocoa powder, graphite, subtle vanilla and toasted spice from new oak.

Mouthfeel
Medium-plus to full-bodied with silky, refined tannins, dense mid-palate concentration, seamless flow across the palate, and a long, plush finish. Oak remains slightly forward at this stage but clearly destined to integrate.

Food Pairings
Dry-aged ribeye, rosemary lamb, duck confit, porcini risotto, aged Gruyère or Comté.

Verdict
A seductive, high-concentration Margaux with real depth and aromatic brilliance. Oak currently rides slightly high, but the underlying fruit density and texture suggest excellent aging potential and future harmony.

🍷 Personal Pick
The perfume is intoxicating and the fruit core is massive, this just needs time for the oak to melt into the frame. Big upside once the pieces lock together. — 2 months ago

Brandon Boesch

9.4

Floral, great nose and body. Flowers and herbs but also some blackberry bramble, sandalwood, leather, dried flowers on the end. Really enjoy this one and pretty expressive on first crack with good evolution over 3 hours. — 2 years ago

Jeroen Koenen

9.6

From magnum.

Positive evolution after 2 hrs of aeration!
Up a notch. — 3 years ago

Joaquin Martinez

9.0

From the first pour to the final glass, the wine unfolded in distinct, mesmerizing phases. It opened with dark plum, blackberry, and cassis layered over crushed rock and a saline, limestone-driven tension. As air worked through it, violet perfume and a cool sea-breeze freshness emerged, softening the initial mineral edge and allowing the Merlot core to broaden into darker, richer fruit. Iron began to surface — subtle but structural — weaving into the acidity and fine, silky tannins as the frame reasserted itself with vibrancy and precision. Later, Cabernet Franc lifted the palate with herbaceous green pepper nuance, while oak, spice, smoke, and cedar gradually revealed the élevage beneath the fruit. By the final glass, the wine felt harmonious, alive, and architecturally sound. It was structured yet integrated, clean and refreshing on the finish, with layers continuously revealing themselves rather than fading. Mesmerizing in its evolution. — 21 days ago

Paul K

9.3

I know, I’m here too early, but I bought 3 cases for a steal. I’m excited to see the evolution over next 25 years and I can have more than a bottle a year so no scolding required! 😉 looking forward to the education. Makes you think though. I’m about done buying Bordeaux futures. Too long to wait, store, and 20-25 years is starting to look blurry in the telescope. Now it’s on to auctions and buying wines that are ready. — 2 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.6

For those of you that don’t know Jones Family, you should. This 10 is so different from their 09. The 10 is wine candy and the 09 is a bit more rugged & structured. Not that the 09 is rugged. Just a relative comparison.

The nose is candied, floral, perfumed, lush & ruby, slightly bramble fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, black plum, plum, raspberries, poached strawberries, ripe, baked rhubarb, sweet tarriness, anise, dark, heavy, beautiful spices, dark, fruit cola, dry crushed rocks, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, hint of mint, dark, rich, moist earth, fresh herbaceous notes, dark chocolate with caramel cake with ruby, candied, dark, purple, and blue florals framed in violets.

The palate & mouthfeel is full, lush, ruby & glorious. Candied, lush, ripe, ruby, slightly brambly fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, black plum, plum, raspberries, poached strawberries, boysenberries, ripe, baked rhubarb, sweet tarriness, anise, dark, heavy, beautiful spices, dark, fruit cola, dry crushed rocks, fresh tobacco, used leather, wood shavings, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, hint of mint, dark, rich, moist earth, fresh herbaceous notes, dark chocolate with caramel cake with ruby, candied, dark, purple, lavender and blue florals framed in violets for days. The acidly is about the best I’ve had in a Napa Cabernet. The finish is extremely well balanced & structured. It goes from ripe, ruby, lush fruits that falls gently on to well softened earthiness that lasts minutes. This is an outstanding wine. Perfectly soft, well integrated with amazing evolution. Still has another 5-8 plus years but its approaching its precipice. Beautiful, beautiful Napa Cabernet.

Great pair with the Allen Brothers Cowgirl Bone-in Ribeye.

Photos of the Jones Family and their property. Their glorious fruit at harvest. Jones Family Vineyards was founded by Rick and Sally Jones. Unfortunately, Sally passed away in 2005. — 3 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

I will say straight up, I am very disappointed that LVMH bought this historical Napa property. I imagine that Joseph isn’t happy about that. What was the family thinking? First guess, is they lacked their fathers passion & just wanted the money. Maybe, future climate played apart? 🤷‍♂️

I have had the 95 a couple-three times. Again, sounding like a broken record, these are good young, but not great until they are 13-28 yrs in bottle. I’ve had plenty of older JP’s to know.

Once again, I count bottle yrs, not from vintage creation. Human life doesn’t is not counted until birth. Wine for me is no different.

The nose shows slightly brambly fruits, blackberries, black raspberries, black cherries, both plums, baked strawberries, hovering raspberries, mid berry cola, anise to black licorice, black tea, soft leather, dryish tobacco, dry twigs, softly layered baking spices-cinnamon, clove, nutmeg & vanillin, understated, dry spice-sage/bay leaf lead, dark, rich, slightly sweet forest floor w/ dry leaves, dark, fresh/withering, dark, red, flowers, red roses framed in lavender.

The palate shows resolved, mushy, thick tannins, insanely fresh, ripe, juicy, brambly fruits; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, both plums, baked strawberries, hovering raspberries, mulberries, goose berries, red to mid berry cola, anise to black licorice, black tea, soft leather, dryish tobacco, dry twigs, dark, rounded spices, incense, softly layered baking spices-cinnamon, clove, nutmeg & vanillin, understated, dry spice-sage/bay leaf lead, dark, rich, slightly sweet forest floor w/ dry leaves, limestone powder, dry crushed rocks, dry river pebbles, moist, grey volcanic clays, dark, fresh/withering, dark, red, flowers, red roses framed in lavender and liquid violets, insane, summer rainfall acidity, the balance, length are off the charts, soft spoken tension is still apart of this cuvée with lush, elegance for days that lands gently on fruit, clay and spice.

This 95 is not tired and, just, and, I mean, just the other side of its peak with a very drinkable decent over the next 5 yrs.

Glorious evolution & style! 94+ a bit. Cork near perfect and some sediment. — a month ago

Robert Torretti

9.3

1990 Chateau Lynch Bages in Nebuchadnezzar. At a Lynch Bages dinner for the Commanderie de Bordeaux NY Chapter. Paired over the course of three courses vs the 1995, 1996 and 2000. The 1998 was also served earlier in the evening. So youthful, given the large format. Still got to experience different stages of evolution of the wine as it was poured throughout the night. Well balanced and beat out the other wines that night, with rhe 1996 showing more pepper and spice but also green bell pepper from the Cab Franc. The 2000 also showed strongly, but could not outshine the 1990. — 3 months ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Decanted 7 hours and then poured back into the bottle before service, 4 hours later. No formal notes. The 2019 “Caravina” is showing classic notes of black currants, tobacco, and baking spices with a gentle touch of vanilla. The finish is dry with significant structure. Already lovely with extended exposure to air, I’m looking forward to following the evolution of this wine for the next 10-15+ years. This remains one of Napa’s best values. — 4 years ago