Henrik Poulsen

9.2

Typically "Napa cult" that should please all fans of the Bob-style (Foley and Parker).
Well-chilled I can appreciate it but served at room temperature it has "too much of everything" for my personal preference.
A solid wine nonetheless. — 10 years ago

with Kurt-Inge

Tim Herrmann

9.7

Is this the best cab I've ever tasted? Intensity, balance, and (this is my personal taste) darkness, it's all there. This is from their west-facing vineyard and is full of chocolate and coffee and blue fruits; their east-facing vineyard was full of orange zest and strawberries and raspberries and pine, and was just as good. Really cool tasting experience to compare terroirs on Howell mountain. — 11 years ago

Kristin Taylor

8.9

Love this one. It's easy for a date night, just something to unwind with. A personal favorite for the boyfriend and I. — 12 years ago

Steve Bachmann

9.6

One of the least expensive ($115) in a 7 wine line-up of 2007 CDPs, it finished 3rd in personal and group ranking in blind tasting. Had this wine in other vintages too and always enjoyable. — 10 years ago

Matt Baker

10

Z-Best!!! My personal fav of all time!!!! — 11 years ago

Michael Hildbold

9.5

Almost Pinot-like Grenache. Lovely effort from this Rayas-owned property. — 12 years ago

with Kathy

Max

8.9

Picked by my Personal Delectable concierge. Perfect for the occasion. Paired well with a succulent roast duck. Crisp and fruity. — 11 years ago

James Pendergrass

9.3

A personal favorite. Mike Brown and team make a great wine. Bright berry flavor. Could lay down a bit longer. Great none the less — 11 years ago

with Peter and Peter

Pedro Rusk

Wine Educator Kendall Jackson

9.5

Out of mag from my personal stash — 12 years ago

CS

Sales Amy Atwood Imports

9.3

Jou Jou Vin 2011 Mossik Cabernet Franc from White Rock Vineyard, Napa Valley. It's always difficult when tasting friends wines to remain objective, and while I want to shout this wine from the hilltops (Radio-Coteau style!) I also want to be I also aspire to eliminate personal biases - positive or negative. Jou Jou you should know your wine received much conversation towards a mostly positive frame. The touch of brettanomyces was dually noted, there were comments on carbonic maceration, but I found balance throughout. I jested about the wine being topped with Baudry La Croix Boissée but the fact is, this wine has a strain of brett that works well with the fruit. The brett adds a spicy, wet earth, or mulchy wet tobacco leaf component that lends itself to wines of Chinon or Bordeaux. Is that replicable? Future vintages will tell. Will it grow in bottle? I plan to drink many more for my own recognizance. First day had some notes of carbonic maceration and brighter red fruits, along with that leafy Cab Franc character, fine dense tannins and moderate acidity with a slight sour note likely a proponent of brett. Day 2: I'll be damned. This is some damn good shit. It's worth that $250 dollar price tag! ;) But truly, the leaf/mulch quality is intact and integral, the darker berry fruits come out but there is still a pleasant sour cherry mid-palate that combines with the albeit softer yet still dense/fine mouth filling tannins. I realize part of the reason this wine was the talk of the blind tasting was that the brett, while in balance, set it apart from every other wine tasted. It was unique, it spoke of an older world style, it crept up in conversation because it lent something else to talk about. Kudos Jou Jou. The wine was made from 12 year old CF vines farmed organically (uncertified) grown in a layer of white volcanic ash. Grapes are fermented WC with ambient yeast in open top macro-bins, gently foot tread, native ML, pressed dry into 75% neutral FO and 25% Stainless Steel. 50 ppm SO2 added post ML, 10-15ppm added before bottling, racked once to bottle in June 2012. 25 cases produced. Good luck finding some! — 13 years ago