The 2016 MacDonald is a stunning new release, utilizing 100% To-Kalon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon fruit. This downright sexy Cabernet is absolutely singing in its youth. The wine shows incredible richness and complexity with a vibrant mineral backbone. With a sumptuous mouthfeel, the palate reveals sage, black tea, anise, tar and creme de cassis with mocha with lighter wet stone accents. There is an incredible purity of fruit here. Seamless and intense this is an absolutely incredible new wine from this storied family in Napa. Drink 2022-2045- 97 — 6 years ago
Excellent. Great structure. Juicy with dark fruit. — 8 years ago
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. — 9 years ago
Needs maybe 24 hours open but when it does. Great freshness and purity. Big fruit, skoche of oak. Lovely. — 11 years ago
LOVE THIS!!!! Fizzy bubbelach glou. Zoom cards and cocktails during the pandemic. — 5 years ago
Blueberries, licorice, cocoa, spice — instant smiles. — 6 years ago
Soaring nose of clean minerals, alpine spice and the sound of music. Stunningly pure, deep and refined. Shouts and whispers. What I love about '15. Palate is hyper balanced and just dazzling. Wow. Only open 5 minutes and this is an insanely structured and dense ja ja. So clean. Such purity. Blows away 14. 15 is so special in the Savoie, especially Chignin. The balance is uncanny here. — 9 years ago
2008. Half bottle. Gorgeous primary nose of bright cherries, currants, soil. Great purity on the palate, grippy ripe tannins. Love this vintage but needs some time. — 9 years ago
Super floral, mineral, peach pit, silky and sexy but still mineral power and punch. Lovely purity. — 10 years ago
Wow. Clape Cornas deserves your praise and applause. Such purity. Blackberry, blueberry, olives, herbs. Serious — 12 years ago
Dark, brooding, mysterious, beautiful nose. Dark mashed flowers, dark berries, gorgeous minerality, smells limestoney, amazing details and precision to this nose. Just gorgeous and so deep. Rich, ripe and wow levels of purity with an engaging limestone sweetness accented with deep pure sweet berries. So well made and refined. But so deep and so much more to say. This is so greet. Structure and so classic. Such a long finish. Dynamite. — 6 years ago
Wow. More notes later.
Mushroom, tar, roses, cherry fruit, mineral and so so aromatic. Really gets in the deep nostril areas. Juicy and so so complex with wonderful purity and big tannins. Finish is a hint of licorice and a swarm of cherries. This needs 3-5 years but seems to really be a another winner at this estate. — 6 years ago
With a one hour decant the wine is classic! Aromas of smoked meat, dark fruits, a slight green olive long finish it is a beautifully balanced wine giving a lot of pleasure! Drunk slowly over two hours post decant. The purity and freshness is simply amazing! The second hour post decant the wine continued to unveil more complexity... — 7 years ago
First Dönnhoff! A truly electric, crystal-clear Riesling and very much to my preferences with German Riesling, I definitely need to explore the Dönnhoff line of wines further. Very precise, with laserlike acidity with great purity of fruit. Ripe nectarine, green apple, and pineapple, great wet slate minerality, apple blossom, jasmine, a slight waxy honeyed character, and a tiny bit of that classic petrol character, which is very muted and subtle right now but it'll probably come out with a few years in bottle. Body is medium; fuller than most other Kabinetts I've tried. Even with the slightly fuller body, that lovely acidity keeps it so fresh and nimble, and counterbalances what is IMO, the perfect amount of RS for a Kabinett style, it's perfectly off dry, with noticeable sweetness but it still finishes clean and fresh. Just some delicious juice. — 9 years ago
A wonderful vintage, crisp and dense at the same time. A wonderful contrast between concentration and purity. — 10 years ago
Michael Everett
Really like this — 5 years ago