S.Carey

9.5

Top of this line, though big at 14.1%. Still, well balanced and so amazingly characteristic — 6 months ago

Neil Valenzuela

8.9

Tighter than a Nun’s… Medium ruby color. Aromas of cherry, cranberry and oak. A little high alcohol concentration at first. Needs to open up a bit. Tasty red fruit with a oaky finish. — 3 years ago

Laura Purdy

9.0

First of many wines for tonight’s Far Niente and Nickel and Nickel event. — 4 years ago

Craig Daniels

9.5

I had the Vin Nature version of this wine, 2018 Twenty Mile Bench.
Quite frankly exceptional, no additives,natural ferment and neutral barrels, unfiltered and unfined. Just a perfect expression of this varietal. — 5 years ago

Jordi Farre

9.0

Una de les meves IPAs preferides, millor en llauna que en ampolla. Fantàstica a tota hora! — 6 years ago

Dave Chambers

9.2

Some Pinot to go with cheese and crackers? Yes please! — 7 years ago

with Heather

McKenzie Mohler

8.9

Very dry, slightly sour but in a good way — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.8

I have posted a number of older vintage Jones Family Cabernets. Many 20 yrs and older. Three to four 97’s…none better than this one. I give few wines a score above 96. This is different. It is so close to perfect. Some might give it a 100. I struggle to give a wine a perfect 100. I have only done it 4 times in an estimated 25k wines tasted or bottles I’ve enjoyed. One was a port made before 1886 and tasted in Oporto at Taylor Fladgate’s tasting room in 2015, it was their Scion. Only sold there and at the time 5k at bottle. You end up there purchase the Scion taste regardless of the current cost. They put on a tasting show for you. I am half tempted here to give out a 100 but will refrain.

I am not sure what to add to that but will attempt to do so.

The nose is a beautiful, perfectly evolved Napa Cabernet. Nothing overpowers any of its singular components. I think the word I am looking for is harmony. Lush, plush, ruby dark currants/cassis. The best, mid, subtle/gentle/soft, dark spice box I certainly can remember, lush blackberries, both plums, dark, not quite liqueur cherries, a mix of subtle purple fruits, poached to baked strawberries, some light hints of raspberries, dark sweet tarriness, melted dark chocolate, anise to black licorice, steep fruit tea leaning into black tea, sweet/soft leather, moist tobacco, sandalwood, dark, rich forest floor, sweet graphite, hints of dry twig, a flutter note of eucalyptus, dry, withering & slightly candied florals that are; dark, red & blue & framed in light lavender with more pronounced liquid violets.

The palate wire to wire is even & stupidly, gloriously, grand. It mirrors the nose very closely. Lush, plush, ruby dark currants/cassis. The best mid, subtle/gentle/soft, dark spice box w/ some light palate heat, best I certainly can remember, lush blackberries, both plums, dark, kirsch not quite liqueur cherries, a mix of subtle purple fruits, poached to baked strawberries, some light hints of raspberries, dark sweet tarriness, melted dark chocolate, anise to black licorice, steep fruit tea leaning into black tea, beautifully layered baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon stick & vanillin, caramel, sweet/soft leather, moist tobacco w/ a hint is ash, sandalwood, dark, rich forest floor, dry, crushed rock powder, dry top soil, crushed limestone powder, sweet graphite, hints of dry twig, a fluttering note of eucalyptus, dry, withering & slightly candied florals that are; dark, red & blue framed in light lavender with more pronounced liquid violets, perfect, rainfall acidity, extremely well balanced, even & subtle tension-structure that stands up on the long set, refined elegance with a finish that goes on and on and eventually lands on spice & beautiful, refined earthiness.

What a bottle! 98 that leans into 99. I paid somewhere between $80-$90 on the secondary market for this bottle. — 6 months ago

Simon lemmens

9.2

Zwarte bessen, stevige body, klein zoetje in afdronk. Heerlijk met stoofvlees. — 5 years ago

Michi Z

9.7

Love this wine! Not too sweet. — 6 years ago

Nate Axline

9.0

Simple and straight forward Sta. Rita Hills. This was a interesting vintage, early harvest and small yields. Giving nice fruits but very light palate texture and finish. — 7 years ago

with Rachelle

Malika Lowe

10

Very sweet, I love it. — 8 years ago

Luis Arguero (@winefromAtoZ)

9.5

Unparallel intensity, concentration, & character. What a superb wine! Definitely aged to perfection! — 8 years ago

Jake Hajer

9.1

Could age longer. On the fruitier side of Syrah. Spiced plums. Dried banana. Smoked meat, tart cherry. — 7 months ago

Alexandre Pagliano

9.1

Oh so elegant. On a class of its own. Will post notes next time but this is great stuff. — 3 years ago

with Jose, veronique and 1 other

Brian

9.5

Smooth full bodied with dark berry fruit, well balanced, drinking well now and maybe 2-3 more years when we’ll stored. — 4 years ago

Frank Heinz

9.2

Wylds Cafe — 5 years ago

J Tyler McClendon

9.4

Very fresh with still some good fruit. — 6 years ago

Pooneet K

8.9

A nice Niagara Chardonnay. Quite full, but not overly rich if that makes sense. You get a bit of sensation from the barrel fermentation but there is no apparent oak, just body. Good acid but one smidge less cohesive on the finish than I’d like. Still nice. — 7 years ago

Linden McGreevy

8.9

Tropical and creamy citrus notes, fun and playful as the name suggests. — 8 years ago