Yuki Watanabe

9.1

Burst of ripe fruits with hint of Tabasco, opens up very quick, taste of chocolate, beautiful wine by itself — 4 years ago

Matt

9.0

New producer for me. Loved how fun and generous this was. Ample and succulent gold and red fruit, rich mouthfeel, and a nice grace of some tertiary character from its age. 74 PN 26 CH — 5 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Amongst all the big name Napa producers and cult Cabernets, this small production under the radar producer impresses me and blind will stand in there with many of Napa’s best.

James Cole until 2014 was made by Charles Hendricks. Truly, one of my favorite Napa Winemakers. He has the gift of making wines that drink really well young, yet will improve over 10-20 years. His apprentice has taken over now. I cannot endorse the vintages after 14. I have had a few of his wines and they lack the beauty & elegance Charles could bring to them in their youth. You can still find Charles’s beauty & elegance in the Hope & Grace wines and his own label Hendricks.

The nose reveals; a mix of dark currants & cassis, ripe, blackberries, black cherries, black plum, black raspberries, plum, well extracted blackberries, strawberries on the glass edges, dark chocolate, mocha powder, limestone minerals, dark mixed berry cola, whiff of smoldering ambers, fruit liqueur notes, anise, leather, cedar, lead pencil, underbrush, old tobacco, notes of soy & Worcester sauce, hint of mint, vanilla, dark spice and withering dark floral bouquet.

The body is medium full and rich. The structure, tension, length and balance are hitting its stride. The tannins are round, dark and a little chewy. Dark currants & cassis, ripe, blackberries, black cherries, black plum, black raspberries, plum, well extracted blackberries, floral strawberries, edges, dark chocolate, mocha bar, limestone minerals, dark mixed berry cola, smoldering ambers, fruit liqueur notes, anise, leather, cedar, lead pencil, sweet tarriness, underbrush, old tobacco, notes of soy & Worcester sauce, hint of mint, vanilla, dark spice, black pepper, dry clay, loamy dry top soil, dry crushed rocks, bright red florals, lavender, violets and withering dark floral bouquet. The acidity is like a rain shower. The long finish tangos on the palate with bright ripe fruits & earthiness and is persistent for minutes.

Still has 10 years of life ahead of it.

Photos of, the front of James Cole, entrance sign, modest tasting bar and side lawn sitting area. — 5 years ago

Chris England

9.3

Mrs E still drinking & spending 😂🤑

Mind you I’ve bought 26 bottles from Harrods, Harvey Nics & Selfridges incl a Ch. Palmer 1990 😍

In the Champers Bar @ Harrods 👍 Anyways reviewed this pink yummy drop before so no detailed notes 🤪

Have a fab Saturday wine friend 😘 🤗 & hope you’re drinking something fab with somebody lovely to 😉🥂🍷 — 6 years ago

Shay A

9.2

A while back, Chappellet came to Fort Worth and did a wine dinner, so my in laws and I attended. Overall, very nice wines and we heard the view was great atop Pritchard Hill, so they wanted to stop by during our trip.

Chappellet does a very solid job across many wines, but this Malbec was a standout. It’s usually so inky and one dimensional, but this was a welcomed surprise. Lots of black cherry, red licorice tart and spice. Similar to the well crafted Hope & Grace Malbec that @David T introduced to me. — 6 years ago

Greg Lowe

9.6

Surprisingly youthful nose of luscious rich plummy baked dark red fruits and the most etheral sous bois and pipe tobacco I've ever smelled. The palate had poise and grace in its age, everything was in fantastic balance. The tannins are shockingly fine, adding the structure that is necessary to hold everything together. Simply superb. I can only hope I show as well as this when I'm nearly 65! — 7 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

It's Baseball & BBQ night. Go Giants! I Coravin'ed four wines to see which would pair better with pork ribs, pulled pork, seasoned baked beans & slaw. Started with the Pinot...that worked pretty well w/ the ribs but not necessarily the spicy beans. Then, the 07 Hope & Grace Malbec. That went ok. I think the H&G Malbec is perfect solo. Third...was the 09 Ridge Carignane. This was the more classic pairing...yum. However, the 05 DuMol Syrah was the real winner for all four of us. It's worked well with the beans spice and the BBQ sauce. Handled both worlds of strong spice in the beans and the sweet and light spice in the BBQ sauce. Fun experiment. — 8 years ago

Claire Gabaldon

Wine Club and Social Media Manager Spring Mountain Vineyard

9.1

Beastie Boys private label! Made by Charles Hendricks at Hope & Grace. It's a delicious non-vintage red blend of Syrah, Grenache, Mouvedre, etc and apparently sells likes hot cakes at their bar in New Orleans! — 8 years ago

with Scott

Laurence McCullough

9.5

After 10 years of waiting I was not disappointed with Charles Hendricks Cabernet. Delicious to say the least. — 9 years ago

Kathryn Funderburk

9.6

A perfect dessert wine — 10 years ago

Eric

9.4

This is the Rose of Pinot Noir. Sweet orange cranberry. Great stuff. — 4 years ago

"Odedi"

9.3

Dark inky in color with a short purple rim.

Big nose of over ripe blackberries, black currants, plums, cooked cherries, raisins, dried fruits, cedar, vanilla, spices, espresso, cola, light alcohol, vinaigrette, graphite, bonfire smoke and peppercorn.

Full bodied, big and bold, with medium acidity and long legs.

Dry and extremely fruity on the palate with prunes, blackberries, black currants, sweet cherries, raisins, vanilla, cedar, licorice, cloves, tobacco, cola, chocolates, mocha, coffee, peppercorn, pencil lead and light vegetables.

Long finish with fine tannins and cherries.

This is a delicious Syrah blend from Paso Robles. Fruit forward with nice complexity and a great mouthfeel. A great sipping wine.

Good right out of the bottle and better as it opens up (30 minutes).

Still young and needs another few years in the bottle to mature and calm down. Might be too fruity for some.

I paired it with cheeses, dried fruits and light appetizers.

A blend of 50% Mourvedre and 50% Syrah. Aged separately for 26 months in 85% New French Oak barrels.

15% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$65. — 5 years ago

Andrew Schirmer

9.1

Loire-style Malbec from WA state? Yes! Gorgeous and well-structured, we get berries and white pepper on this. Medium finish. Soft nose hinting at more of the same. Clean. Velvety. Fantastic with food. Gives us hope for WA wine. More of this, please. — 6 years ago

with Alsu

Eric

9.2

Really ballsy and unique wine. Today’s tasting in Yountville will go down as one of my favorites of all time. First I’d ever heard of this grape, grown in Paso. Black fruit covered in licorice. If you go (and I’d highly recommend it), go for the cheese pairing it’s well worth it. — 6 years ago

Shay A

9.3

I noticed on my recent trip to Napa that many wineries are starting to produce Petit Verdot bottles. That being said, not many people can do it very well. In fact, aside from the Hope & Grace PV, this is the best I’ve had in terms of ones I’d purchase again. Needs a solid 60-90mins to open. Chalky, blackberries, currant, and quite earthy on the nose. Still evolving on the palate and finish, but mainly blackberry and an earthy, tannic structure. Great potential. — 6 years ago

with Mark

Patrick Hurley

9.2

Such and amazing wine. — 6 years ago

Alicia Cypress

9.0

Not a lot of fruit or earth or spices jump out at you, but it's a lush wine with hardly any tannins. A perfect cold weather sipping wine that anyone can enjoy. I wonder if it's partially shutdown, although it's still very enjoyable and easy to drink. Cheers! — 7 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

If you are not familiar w/ Winemaker Charles Hendricks, this wine is a reason to get acquainted. Chuck makes his own private label Hendricks and the Hope & Grace wines. Through 14 and 1/2 of 15 he made James Cole & Regusci. This 01 is pure beauty & elegance. Perfect flavors, balance, purity, structure, acidity & length. Ruby dark elegant fruits; blackberries, dark cherries, dark raspberries, Asian spice, cinnamon, vanilla, dark earth with crushed rocks, suede leather, dry florals & black licorice. A wine you won't forget. He also makes the only Malbec's I really love! #gorgeous — 8 years ago

Roger

9.0

Little sweet but refreshing. — 8 years ago

Conrad Green

9.6

A very lucid and delicious nose. Typically DRC. On the palate fresh, complex and settled. Great to drink now- the mix of lightness yet power, grace yet depth you hope for in wines of this level. Still very savory and alive. — 8 years ago

with Rajat and Larry

Fabien Lainé

Blogger VinDeling.com

10

Liberatus in castro bonae spei - a wine to meditate and a legend to honor those fallen "Liberated in the cape of good hope" #JeSuisCharlie #CharlieHebdo #RIP a wine with much grace, character and elegance 🍷
— 9 years ago

Tom Riley

9.4

In magnum. Tiny glasses which crowded the aromas and flavors. So, in general, balanced, with a great mix of grace and power; acid and fruit and mild tannins all in sync. Medium plus finish. Only hope I can find more at the winery. Excellent. — 10 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.6

As good as the Baron Fuentes is, our carbon reduction celebratory bottle is the Hendricks Cabernet. It was meant to be an 09 but, I couldn’t find my 09’s. Hazards of having nine cabinets & recently reorganized it.

I was inspired by @Paul T- Huntington Beach Hendricks Cabernet post a week ago & seeing @Eric Shanks Hope & Grace Post last night, which Charles Hendricks makes as well!

When first I decanted this 12, I can’t remember such beautiful florals on a wine that quickly. Florals wrapped in caramel & mocha. The florals have tamed a bit and the caramel, mocha & spices have picked up.

The thing about Charles’s wines, he is master of making elegant wines that drink really well young and will improve with 10-20 years in bottle. He is one of a handful of Winemakers that can truly do that really well.

The nose roars ripe, ruby, florals fruits of; dark currants/cassis, blackberries, dark cherries, black plum, black raspberries, poached strawberries and haunting cranberries & pomegranate. Warm caramel, mocha, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, vanilla, dark cola, black licorice, dark, rich, sweet soils, dark spices, limestone, dry crushed rocks, herbaceousness-bay leaf dominate, hint of pipe tobacco, some dry stems with exotic, slightly candied, fresh & withering, red, dark, blue florals set in a bouquet of violets & lavender.

The body is rich, round & full. The tannins are round, tarry, chewy, dusty and still show a lot of power. The structure, tension, length and balance are just starting to hit their stride. This 12 has another 15-20 years of good evolution ahead. It is simply gorgeous & sexy as it caresses the palate. Ripe, ruby, florals fruits of; dark currants/cassis, blackberries, dark cherries, black plum, boysenberries, black raspberries, hints of blue fruits, poached strawberries and haunting cranberries & pomegranate. Warm caramel, mocha, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, sweet tarriness, dark French expresso roast, vanilla, dark cola, black licorice, dark, rich, sweet soils, dark spices with big palate heat, limestone, dry crushed rocks, soft leathery notes, toasted barrel shavings, herbaceousness-bay leaf dominant, hints of pipe tobacco, some dry stems with exotic, slightly candied, fresh & withering, red, dark, blue florals set in a bouquet of violets & lavender. The acidity is big & very enjoyable vs. the alcohol & complexity of this cuvée. The long finish is ridiculously, gorgeous, sexy, well balanced & polished with extremely persistent dark spice on the long set. It is memorable for many minutes and for weeks/months with the mental impressions it leaves behind.

With another 5-8 years in bottle, this wine hits 98-100.

What a bottle to celebrate carbon free. #SavetheVineyards — 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

Ming L

9.3

Elegant and restrained aroma of dark fruits, earth, vanilla, old leather, and mint. Round and layer with silky yet assertive tannins. A powerful Shiraz with finesse and grace. The best screw cap bottle I’ve ever tasted.

Notes added on 12/22: just read the news that the winery was sold to a Chinese company. Hope the quality for future production will be be affected. — 6 years ago

Willie Carter

9.2

Just an outstanding pour from a small production Washington winery. Gorgeous nose of red berries, floral notes, and less herb than I expected. This is a young, delicate wine that is quite Loire-ish in structure. Strawberries, cherries, plums, and herbs. Wonderful, wonderful acidity with plenty of greenness. I hope you don't love your Franc overoaked because this ain't it. Fresh is the word of the day here. This reminds me how much I love Cab Franc. — 7 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

I am not the biggest fan of most Malbec's. The Mendoza's just aren't all that interesting. There generally quite simple and lack beauty & elegance! However, Chuck Hendrick's Malbec's impress. He makes the Hope & Grace and did until recently make the James Cole. You will be hard press to find another as elegant, smooth and fruit so ripe. One could sip this all night. Ripe black cherries, raspberries, cherries, touch of blue fruit, liquid violets, melted milk chocolate, the dark minerality is round & sweet, there's a faint presence of used wood shavings, touch of lite pepper on the tip of your tongue and a round mix of rich ripe fruit blend on the finish. Acidity is spot on! This will only continue to improve over the next 4-5 years +. — 8 years ago

Marc Melser

9.1

We had the 2011 Merlot on 1/15/16. This exceeded expectations. Dark purple color. Pleasant nose tastes of blackberry and dark cherry and chocolate. Smooth finish. We bought this at the tasting room in Yountville. — 8 years ago

Grant Simpson

8.9

Different full bodied cab in Rose form, good wine unconventional in every way the more I drink the more complex... — 9 years ago

Kathryn Funderburk

9.5

Delicious dry Riesling — 10 years ago