Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

Best valve at the duty free shop. This over the 2013 Altagracia that was twice the price.

While this is showing some nice evolution, if I had others, I would wait another 3-5 yrs…I’m leaning 5 yrs as this still has some astringency and has earthy dominance.

The nose reveals wild, dusty blackberries, black currants, black cherries, poached & backed strawberries, some slightly, stewy plums, leathery, dry tobacco, graphite, loamy earth, subtle baking spices, dark spices that show intensity and yet some restraint, dark chocolate baking bar, dry herbs, withering to dry dark flowers and floral violets.

The fruits are ripe but have a dusty coating. Wild blackberries, black currants, black cherries, poached & backed strawberries, black plum skin, plums, notes of boysenberries as it lingers, leathery, dry tobacco, oak barrel to cedar, string graphite, loamy earth, subtle baking spices, soft caramel chews, dark spices, dark chocolate baking bar, dry herbs, sage brush, withering to dry dark flowers and floral violets, good acidity, well made for a selection second, the balance isn’t quite there and still shows big structure/tension, dry, powdery M+ tannins that finishes with dry earth tones and ripe fruits over the top and lasts nearly 90 seconds.

If you have this vintage, it is a hold for another 5 yrs and has 15 yrs ahead. — a month ago

Jan A

9.5

My first Standish from the cellar. After raving reviews from amongst others the WA, bought some at relative low prices (v.s. the 96+ish ratings across their range).

This is young but full of potential. I'd give these 10 years of cellar time based on this bottle, but you can definitely drink this now. It is modernly made with ripe and rounded tannins. It has a very compact core that reminds me of how SQN wines are made, but then with the Australian flavor profile. It is almost too seamless / polished, so that it is coming across as flat on first sight. Nothing sticks out. But with air more and more layers come to play. It just needs more time.

95+ for now with 98ish potential in a few years.

The 2022's just came out with 98-100 scores. I guess it is time to stock these up before prices begin to soar.

— 8 months ago

Delectable Wine

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9.1

The 2006 Musigny Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru has a rambunctious nose with raspberry ripple and crushed strawberry scents, though it doesn't fully have the complexity of other vintages. The palate is chewy, slightly muscular and impressively dense. It's surly on the finish with markedly dry tannins that don't urge you back for more. It's the kind of Musigny that I feel would not be made under the present regime. (Neal Martin, Vinous, June 2024)
— a year ago

Andrew McIntyre

9.1

A very well made and balanced wine with extreme clarity of raspberry. The problem is 16%(!!!) alcohol. I think no matter how well you make wine trying to keep that in check will be difficult. There were some sore heads this morning 🥳 — 3 years ago

Daniel M

9.0

Date night with my wife in my childhood's home back home without any kid or pet in sight. We are working remotely this week from Toulouse, but this definitely feels like an extension of our summer holidays 😁.
The nose is very merlot-forward with notes of cherry, leather, earthy, clay touches, cedar, beef stew and almond powder. The palate is big, bright and broad, with a nice strawberry and earthy notes that carries on all along a strong acid drive, there is width, there is matter, it's rather muscular but you peep the 15% abv on the (barely readeable) back label you start to understand why! Tannins kick in the rear but they are not harsh, they caress and come across as a gentle hug around a very nice, meaty, juicy finish that goes on for a while. Cherry and earthy notes carry on and that savoury touch comes around to crown a very nicely made right bank effort. Kudos to the winemaker, this is punching way above its 10 euro retail price category and I have had many a saint emilion in my time that would be pale in comparison. — 3 months ago

Pinotman /// Andreas

9.9

One can’t really make Pinot better than this. The Buntsandstein aka - colored Sand Stone. Is really a benchmark wine. One can debate the the style but not really the quality. 2015 was a stand out vintage. This comes from old vines. The wine is alive and talks. Yes talks to you:… Kirsch, almonds, crushed marble, black forest thyme, hint orange zest, touch oregano, … this goes on and on as more flavors evolve with air. The wine will probably age another 5-10 years.
An experience really! But not for the middle of the road „ let’s have a Pinot drinker“ - they will be disappointed ☹️.

I think this will outlast the 15’ Muschelkalk from E&M which is more delicate. One of the main issues the wine is hard to come by. Sometimes only 3 barrels are made. Next day eucalyptus and dried figs. — 5 months ago

Ira Schwartz

10

Wine stimulates our sense of smell and taste but in this case it also created a tidal wave of emotion. Through a tremendous act of generosity a dear friend shared this special bottle when he heard me lament I was not able to secure a bottle of wine to celebrate my mother’s 100 birthday. My friend stood the bottle up for several days. We decided it made sense to PnP. As you can see the cork was intact and the color of the wine defied its age. The excitement to take that first sniff was overwhelming for me. Old but alive scents wowed me. Lots of tobacco, leaves, leather and dried fruit. In the mouth those same scents were transferred to my palate thanks to a tsunami of acid. At about the one hour mark the wine quickly entered a death spiral. I cannot imagine another bottle of wine that will ever conjure up that amount of emotion and happiness. When I described my experience to my mom, a very broad smile came over her face. A blessing to share this experience with my mom and a privilege to taste a wine like this. — 10 months ago

with Richard

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

When Caymus was Caymus!!!

It is good to remember the style of wine Chuck used to make. His wine from 2011 backwards. The wine I used to collect. I refer to this now as Caymus Classic. I have requested they make this style again every time I see a Caymus representative. Just 500 cases by simply picking earlier at lower brix and applying past winemaking. They under estimate how fast those cases would sellout.

I get they made a business decision to make a sweeter wine that will drink easier young. They get better critic scores and sell to a larger customer base. A customer base that generally drinks it like supermarket buyers…within the first two weeks of purchase.

Of course, 1997 was an epic vintage in Napa and this 97 bought weeks ago has been well stored and in perfect condition. I miss this wine as it has so much more character than their 2012 vintage & forward. So do many former Caymus collectors.

The nose reveals, bright, ripe; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries that are just starting to reveal some liqueur notes, raspberries, strawberries & plum. Sandalwood, old, dry tobacco, baking soda, mid berry cola/licorice, some light graphite, dark spice, dry stems, decayed red flowers, red roses and violets.

The palate is exquisite. It is all beauty with nothing bitty or angular. Ripe, juicy, lush; blackberries, cassis, black raspberries, dark cherries with hints of some liqueur notes, raspberries, strawberries, mulberries as it unfurls & plum. Sandalwood, old, dry tobacco with ash, baking soda, mid berry cola/licorice, some light graphite, perfect dark spice with some tongue heat, mocha, dark chocolate baking bar, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg & hints of vanillin, dry herbs, baking soda, dry limestone powder, top soil with pebbles, slightly moist volcanic clay, dry stems, decayed red flowers, red roses and violets, excellent, rainfall acidity and an elegant, balanced, nicely tensioned & structured, polished finish that last two-minutes and lands on spice & gentle earthy tones. I miss their distinct spice. Glorious!!!

This bottle is somewhere on the other side of the bell curve and still singing. Still very sound. It won’t improve and recommend if you own, drink them sooner than later but certainly not a rush.

88% Cabernet, 10% Merlot & 2% Cabernet Franc. 25.95% Paladins, Skruggs, Wright-St. Helena. 52.15% Caymus Estate, Glos, Usibelli-Rutherford, 15.84% Sciambra-Atlas Peak, 6.06% Tambor Vineyards-Mt. Veeder.

Photos of: Caymus tasting room, tasting room courtyard, owner Chuck Wagner and vineyard. — 5 months ago

Tom Casagrande

9.2

Nice, well-made, straightforward Brunello. Savory notes of iodine, balsamic, rocky loam, and old furniture compete with sweet, dark cherry on the nose. I like the palate even more, as it seems a little more youthful than the nose. Full and rich, loads of earthy dark cherry fruit. Some chalky, ripe tannins help it cling to the sides of the mouth a bit but don’t intrude. Not the most complex but gives you its moneys worth. — 9 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.6

The follow up to the 03 Leonetti. @Paul T- Huntington Beach & I have been telling readers about older Jones Family Vineyards for some time. If you haven’t had or not tried this producer it will be the last time I try to entice to you to try this producer. Talking about it more will only drive up the prices on the secondary market.

This 09 is damn beautiful after nearly a four hour decant but it is still fairly youthful.

It is ruby, lush, gorgeous, ripe fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum with skin, dark cherries, plum, hues of purple, blue fruits & raspberries, poached strawberries, black licorice, mixed, dark berry cola, steeped black tea, dry crushed rocks, limestone minerals, dry top soil, dry herbs, hints of eucalyptus, dry clay, dry tobacco, new leather, spice, nutmeg, clove, cinnamon & vanillin, withering red & dark florals framed in violets & lavender, beautiful round acidity, beautiful; balance, tension, structured, smartly polished finished that lasts minutes.

Still needs another 5-8 years to show its best self.

The Jones Family vineyard is located off Bale Lane in Calistoga and was planted to all five Bordeaux varieties by David Abreu in the early 1990s. Heidi Barrett made the wines until 2008, and Thomas Rivers Brown now makes the wines. — 2 years ago