Anthony Lombardi

9.5

Still life ahead, but absolutely in a beautiful place right now. Black Currants and cloves coat the palate with some herbal notes hitting the nose. Brilliant stuff, a real treat. — 7 years ago

Marc Stubblefield

Wine Sales at Vino Carta and Kogod Wine Merchant

9.2

Released in 2013. This is still so young and forward, I can barely understand. Sure, I suppose there was development here, but I keep chasing these wines backwards in time, and they never seem to reach that place that my vinous instincts suggest they're headed. I mean, this was really tasty - maybe my expectations are the problem... — 8 years ago

Conrad Green

9.1

1st vintage if this wine, so a real treat to try. A little shrill and sharp at the front. Lovely fruit. Still some fresh notes but in a good place age-wise. Doesn't hang together as well as the wines beside it. — 8 years ago

with Matt and Paul

Michael Meagher MS

Chairman/Founder Boston Sommelier Society, Beverage Director Cafe Escadrille

9.6

One of the best 1997s I've had in years. Racy acid, exotic spice, turmeric, cumin and tannins still firmly in place — 9 years ago

with Brahm and Kathy

Jordan Gianelli

9.5

Loved it at Press in St Helena after Albariño and Pinot Noir. Strong but soft, my happy place when one begins to describe older characteristics in a wine without the wine becoming a dead piece of acid without elegance and all you are left with is a sharp sensation and a longing to have opened the wine 10 years ago. Anyhow- beautiful wine and definitely the time to drink it!! — 9 years ago

Conrad Green

9.4

Delicious. In a great place. Fresh, powerful and complex. Very appetizing. — 9 years ago

Christian Alexander Møller Bach

9.4

Wines like this might be the main reason why I fell in love with natural wines in the first place. Juicy, elegant and highly drinkable, but demands your attention at every goddamn sip. — 9 years ago

Jordan Salcito

Sommelier/Wine Director Momofuku, Vintner Bellus Wines

9.7

1996 Vintage is in a beautiful place at the moment. — 10 years ago

Morgan Harris

Head Sommelier Aureole New York

9.4

2011. Blanc. No one drinks enough of this. That's because there are so few things to which its a good partner, but it would be an incredible cheese-and-charcuterie wine. Broad and oily, there's just enough acid to keep you coming back for more. Sun-baked yellow orchard fruits dominate, but there's more exotic fruits too (mango and dried pineapple) yellow flowers, tons of almond husk bitterness, green olives, bay leaf, oregano, tarragon, white cheddar. Oak is assertively present but not overwhelming. Place dominates over grapes here, as it's a mix of Clairette and Grenache Blanc and a hodge-podge of other things. — 10 years ago

Gerry Schwartz

9.7

Same place in Cannes. Amazing food at decent prices — 11 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.6

Earthy mineral cherry smokey notes. Slight hints of violets and Tar. Beautifully balanced with M- silky tannins. In a wonderful place right now. After an hour this wine had an intoxicating beautiful aroma. Good Brunello is a thing of beauty! — 8 years ago

Mark Rosse

9.3

In a good place right now. — 8 years ago

Jason Jones

9.2

In a nice place, but will be better in 10. — 8 years ago

with Erin

Chris Forest

9.2

Dark berries currants and spices on the nose with some eucalyptus and possibly sun-dried tomatoes. A nice nose that is more new world than old world. Lots of spices, dark berries, a little bit of heat from the alcohol with minerals, currents and some hints wood on the Finish. Full bodied some tannins present but well-integrated. The wine is tight young but showing potential in the future.. Needs to be cellared for a few years. — 9 years ago

Conrad Green

9.4

Really good. White flowers minerality. Very raveneau. A touch of lemon, lychee and lime with great stony minerality. A bit shorter on the finish than the valmur a but very in place. Excellent — 9 years ago

with Naoko, Larry and 1 other

James Parker Huston, CWE

Sommelier Charlie Palmer

9.5

This wine was singing tonight! In a great place. 1994 is a classic vintage for me. — 9 years ago

Vic Petroff

9.2

Wow. In a good place. So smooth & silky, balanced, soft tannins. Just nice. — 9 years ago

Jeremy Shanker

Sommelier at RN74

9.4

Fantastic wine in a fantastic place. — 10 years ago

with Elena

Tom Kobylarz

9.9

My 4th bottle, the best and my last, this absolutely killed it and is why I love Napa Valley Cabernet, especially #Spottswoode. 12 years old this easily has another 10 to go but is in a beautiful place right now. Open or decant for 30 minutes, though I did not decant. A deep resold color, not a sign of brick as one would expect. Shows the importance of provenance (bought from winery). A complex set or aromas and flavors of creme d'cassis, currants, sweet and sour cherries, sweet cedar, and graphite. Palate wise the textures are all in alignment, with medium to full body, ample acidity and medium grain slightly chewy tannins that may be it's only flaw. #2002 — 10 years ago

Bethany D'Meza

9.3

tobacco, leather.... in a great place .... — 10 years ago

Patrick Cranley

9.2

Very tasty, in a good place at 11 years. Full but balanced and refreshing. Leaves you wanting more. — 8 years ago

Rob Moose

9.0

A nice debut for my case of 2011. This is in a happy drinking place for sure. No fireworks, but a great example of an approachable Nebbiolo that you can drink during summer! — 8 years ago

Gil Krakowsky

9.7

Can't say enough about a wine this serious at this price point. Absolutely stunning, elegant, and even (in a chinon way) powerful. Floral aromatic dominate - lavender and a bit of rose. Graphite, dusty chalk, red pepper, some raspberry. Fresh yet not primary. Hints of savory notes as well. Incredible spine of minerality runs through the palate. Great acidity and structure. Coiler and energetic. Finishes long and bright with refreshing pyrazines for days. In an incredible place now, so no fault in drinking but has a long, long life ahead. One of the best values in the wine world. Just exceptional — 8 years ago

Tom Kobylarz

9.8

If there were ever an archetypical Syrah, Jamet's Cote-Rotie would be a strong candidate. To me this is a pure expression of a classic Northern Rhone Syrah. It is not a single site, but a blend of terroirs, encompassing over 20 sites mostly from hard rock schist bedrock with little to no topsoil. There is NO Viognier in this wine like one might expect from most Cote-Rotie that might have 1-5% co-fermented.

Importantly, there is also a lot less of the oak character that can dominate and overwhelm many Northern Rhone wines. The oak maturation, while not short at 22 months, only uses 15% new oak with no trace of it on the palate as it is perfectly integrated. Grape bunches are whole cluster fermented and macerated for up to 3 weeks.

The 2007 we have here was drinking superbly for a young wine, showing lively and racy layers of peppercorn spice, roast beef, and warm blackberry and currant fruit from the hot 2007 vintage. While from a warm vintage, not a hair is out of place. Density and purity exude from the nose and hint at what a brilliant future this wine has. Perfect acidity and fleshy ripe tannin provide the backbone structure for father time to peel back the layers of this beauty. I will be chceking back in 5 years at the earliest. — 8 years ago

Liz Thach MW

9.9

The wine I celebrated with when I finally became an MW. It will always hold a very special place in my heart. — 9 years ago

Jaume

9.4

29 years old and drank incredibly well. What a treat. The big fruits have softened but in their place is now a brooding torrent of notes which evolved from sip to sip. Quite a remarkable wine. — 9 years ago

Doctor No

9.2

Fresh and beginning to develop some nice tertiary characteristics. In a good place. — 10 years ago

Jason Heller

Master Sommelier

9.5

Four different bottles and all over the place. One fresh, poised and lively. Another, overly oxidized and caramel. Other two in the middle. Ratings for the best of them. — 10 years ago

Amy Morgan

9.1

A medium + intensity of Black fruits (black cherry, black currants) dark chocolate, mint, tobacco and cedar. Nose and palate matching in flavor profile and complexity. Still tight and will just get better with age. — 10 years ago

Dave Smigielski

9.2

In a beautiful place. Youthful vibrant nose that evolves with every pour. Palate is a bit thin. The thought is this vintage peaked a couple years back. Last glass was cedar, lavender, tobacco and graphite — 11 years ago