Nic Anderson

9.0

Deep purple colors in the glass. Heavy cab with blueberry, vanilla, and tasting notes of earth. Very yummy cab and went perfectly with pot roast. — 5 years ago

Mike R

9.4

Forgive me for not color coordinating correctly (say those last three words quickly ten times - ha) but that is what happens when two great friends get together for a dinner with wives to celebrate birthdays and we are left to our own decisions so our wives are definitely needed to dress us - man is that picture busy except for the wine

Rick brought a treat - 2007 treat - we only decanted for 40 minutes - when first opening I was worried - it was lacking any smell but it was a terrible restaurant decanter (love the food and atmosphere but not a wine heavy place)

We drank (more line devoured) the first wine (Dyer) while patiently waiting for this bad boy to wake up- when it did - wow 😲- I had a @David L expression experience happen - “I don’t like - I LOVE IT”

So the wine and this vintage and this bottle for me was opulent and silky - it opened so progressively in the glass - like a Lexus LC 500 speed demon (sorry but I do have some preoccupation with this car) - color was a daaaaaark deeeeep puuuuurple (deep purple was a great band but I degress) - smell was full of vanilla and spices and amazingly was very ripe and was made in a flamboyant cult style - It soaked my mouth with melted blackberries, cherries, raspberries, cocoa and sweet oaky favors - the rush from the taste came from the silky tannins which were rich and refined - now it was also really dry - but overall I am totally impressed and the finish was medium long

Word to the wise - in my humble opinion this bad boy needs to be experienced sooner than later - still ripe but the smell is going fast - crazy to say this but the 06s have years left but my 07s are fully matured - Drink up and definitely smile . — 6 years ago

with R

Narun P

8.9

Tasted at Chateau
51% M, 39% CS, 5% CF, and 5% PV

Deep purple, no sign of age, compact rim. Youthful.

Fruit forward, dominated by red currant, underripe raspberry, red cherry. Baking spices and new wood smell.

On the palate, surprisingly approachable. Med plus tannin but softened already, med full body, dry. The midpalate really needs to fleshen out. Slightly lacking. Finish on nutty new oak.

Time will tell if this will turn out to be in line with a line up of superb recent wines from this classic house. 89+? — 7 years ago

Ron from VA

8.9

This was in line with their style of blended Meritage… Strong dependence on petit Verdot at 47% and you could taste it in the purple power. 21 CF 19 Merlot and 13 CS...again, like the Rappahannock Meritage, really relies on the right food pairing as the energy is distributed laterally in fruit profile and less in its powerful tannin structure. Really nice fruit rightness. I possibly would buy again however it did not seem to have the phenolic backbone for long aging — 8 years ago

Marshall Todd Herron DPM

9.4

Well here is another fantastic wine!!!!!! This is Honig from Nappa Valley 2013 Cabernet sauvignon. The cork was perfectly preserved and absorption line was slightly irregular. The color is opaque with a rim of midnight purple on the surface edge. The legs are slow and thick. The bouquet is awesome. Hints of Live oak trees and Spanish moss. There is a spicy note as well as an aroma of wild blooming lilac. The initial palate is blackberry and vanilla. The finish is quick with a sharp tang and a hint of sour apple. The final aftertaste is very buttery! It makes you want to lick your lips and sip again. However, you better sip water between the tastes and have a bite of dark chocolate! BAMB! Love it!
You cant go wrong with Honig 2013 cab. If you decant for one hour, the sour apple finish disappears...
— 8 years ago

Marshall Todd Herron DPM

10

WOW!!!!! Now this is a blend! 2012 St Supery ELU. It is a blend of 72% cab sav, 13% merlot, 10% malbec, 3% cab franc, 2% petit verdot. The cork is perfectly preserved but the absorption line is uneven. The color is opaque with a deep purple reflection on the glass at the surface of the wine. My fav color. I can hardly wait. As expected the legs are long, slow, and thick. 1/3 the speed of the Miner Oracle. The bouquet is out of this world. Hugh oak and pepper with hints of a ripe fig tree in full production. Maybe a hint of rose and violet painted fields way in the background. The initial palate is blackberry, currant, leather, chocolate, cigar and vanilla. The finish is big jammy and bold with a huge sensation of creamy butter. This is fantastic. Not sweet. Not Sour. Pure perfection. You can never go wrong with this one. OMG! Yes I said OMG on a wine review!
— 8 years ago

Rodolfo Alvarado

8.9

First of all, the bouquet is layered with muddled dark fruit. Second, the body is complex in all the right reasons. It's concentrated, intense, fresh, elegant and carries the sweetness of the fruit. Raspberries and blackberries on the tongue, with a beautiful dark purple color. Medium body, medium acidity and ripe tannins round out this seductive wine. — 9 years ago

Marshall Todd Herron DPM

9.1

The cork came right out. It had a 5mm absorption line. The color is dark purple. The legs are fast - 3 seconds. The boquet is coffee beans and a slight tannic blueberry sharpness. The initial palate is chocolate, coffee, and immature blueberries. The finish is dry and affects the roof of the mouth and lips rather than the tongue. This is a good house wine!
— 9 years ago

Christanna Honer

9.2

Deep purple (All I hear is buuuuuurn!) core. Blackberry jam, grilled plum? A bit of a roasted meat character. Palate is layered, showing bright fruit, followed by a savory mid palate and finishing w a stinky smokiness. Yum. — 9 years ago

Richard Brierley

Head of Fine Wines Vanquish London

10

The Taylor's Quinta de Vargellas Vinha Velha 2011 has a vibrant purple/black viscosity that lures one into the glass. Upon putting the glass to the nose, one is marked by the slightly understated elegance of such a youthful wine. The nose is characterised by freshness, but backed by a brooding power that will slowly uncoil over the lifetime of the wine. Further layers bring smoke and bacon fat and are lifted by an enduring sense of grace. Once in the mouth the fully ripe tannins expose themselves, enveloped by the sweetness of raisins and figs. The smoke and sweetness, the chocolate raisins and the tannins swirl in an intoxicating whirlpool. The wine is clearly built for the long-haul, but not so long that you can’t see the finish line. The finish fans out like a peacock’s tail that despite is complexity leaves one with a feeling of freshness and a serious port that is light on its feet. — 11 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Our first bottling from this small production family winery in Calistoga.

My first impressions of this wine, it’s a classic older Calistoga Cabernet. It’s nicely resolved but, not at the end of its life as some have predicted. It is a shade past its prime but, drinking nicely with the exception it’s a touch hot, even after all this time in bottle and when temp’s were not pushing alcohol levels like they can now. However, heat aside, I enjoy wines just the other side of their prime and beyond. Brings out additional complexity-characteristics and are infinitely more interesting.

The nose reveals, stewed & baked fruits of; blackberries, black plum, black cherry extract, black raspberries with some deep blue fruits. Loads of baking spices; clove, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla. Dark spice, dark chocolate, sweet tarriness, mocha, caramel, walnut shells, anise to black licorice, steeped, dark fruit teas, mint/eucalyptus, dry crushed rocks, leather, tobacco, graphite, used charcoal, dark liqueur and cola, dry herbs with dark, red, blue, purple, fresh & withering flowers accented with lavender.

The body is rich, lush, ruby, statin, velvety and thick. The tannins are rounded & softened but, still speaking loudly. The structure, tension, length and balance are in a very good place. This wine has legs to stand for another 5-10 years depending on how you enjoy them. Stewed, candied & baked fruits of; blackberries, black plum, black cherry extract, black raspberries deep blue fruits, purple fruit blend, haunting raspberries with poached strawberries as it sets. Loads of baking spices; clove, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla. Dark spice with good palate heat, dark chocolate, sweet tarriness, mocha, caramel, walnut shells, anise to black licorice, steeped, dark fruit teas, mint/eucalyptus, dry crushed rocks, dry top soil, slightly, moist clay, pronounced, fine volcanic minerals, leather, tobacco, graphite, used charcoal, dark liqueur and cola, dry herbs with dark, red, blue, purple, fresh & withering flowers accented with lavender. The acidity is round & exquisite. The long finish is; well balanced fruit & earth, very complexity, rich, delicious and persists endlessly.

Photos of; Stephanie Jones Bailey, Rick and Elaine Jones, Estate view, their Cabernet fruit close to harvest and vineyard staff managing fruit clusters & leafing.

Producer notes...they were founded in 1996. Jones Family Vineyards specializes in estate grown Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc. Thomas Rivers Brown makes their wines, two Cabernet wines...Jones Family Vineyards Estate Cabernet Sauvignon and The Sisters. TRB also makes an extremely limited production of aged Sauvignon Blanc that is cellared for over 3 years in barrel and bottle.

Jones Family has ten acres of south facing vineyards that lie 600 to 800 feet off the valley floor, resting above the fog line, an ideal altitude for growing Cabernet in the Napa Valley area.

@Paul T- Huntington Beach FYI. — 5 years ago

D Maria Halstead

9.1

Primus is highest line, carmel, purple, prune, licorice — 6 years ago

Andrew Willingham

9.1

Very dark purple, opaque, no sediment, medium- viscosity. Nose sees cherries, some oak, little bit of green pepper, but overall pretty subdued. Palette sees sour cherries, brambles. Medium tannins, Medium+ alcohol, medium+ finish of medium- complexity. Very well-balanced blend in terms of tannins and fruit, but lacking the depth and complexity of some of the best WA red blends. Great food wine however, and even though it's cab franc dominant, I'd pair like a merlot. — 7 years ago

TheSkip

9.5

Incredible wine.

This was my first experience with whole clusters. I think @Mike Smith has excelled here. There is a lovely balance between fruit and savory notes.

The wine is deep purple in the glass. Lovely mixed notes on the nose that suggest the palate. There is a minerality here that is wonderful along with dark fruit. The palate continues the same line with tomato stem mixed in with slightly underripe blackberry resulting in a great balance. Tannins are fine and smooth. Great finish. — 8 years ago

Marshall Todd Herron DPM

10

Well here it is. Ive waited for the right moment and this is it. Stag's Leap Wine Cellars CASK 23 cab! This is a 2012 blend of two adjacent vineyards bringing volcanic soil and alluvial soil vines and their cabernet grapes into one amazing wine. The cork is perfectly preserved with a perfect absorption line. The color is opaque with a midnight purple rim on the surface. I did decant this wine for 1 hour. It was hard to wait. The bouquet reminds me of violets and pepper. The initial palate is blackberry, black currant, Vanilla- chocolate, and oak. The finish is mildly dry with spice and pepper yet it still maintains that late, late buttery finish. Talk about tying the beginning and finish together, this does it. No jam, no sour finish, and no aftertaste what so ever!!!! Absolute perfection!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I wish I could afford to drink this every day!!!!! WOW! Worth every penny. — 8 years ago

Marshall Todd Herron DPM

9.6

Tonight I am drinking a beautiful cab from Napa, Double Diamond Bomber X 2010. Yes 2010! Schrader Cellars in Angwin CA has done a great job with this wine. The cork took some effort to remove but it had a perfect absorption line. The color is midnight black with a hint of deep purple on the surface. The legs seem to last forever - a full 10 seconds. There is hints of dark Cherry and blackberry on the nose. No alcohol hints at all. The initial flavor is silky dark chocolate and blackberry with a hint of cedar and spice on the tongue. The finish is light with a slight tingle on the tip of the tongue. Not a heavy wine but not as light as a pinot. There is a small hint of sour grapes on the aftertaste - the only drawback. Overall, I love this wine. Good job!
— 8 years ago

Captain S

9.4

Enjoyed at the wonderful Purple Cafe in Seattle. Fruity and deep, but well balanced. Should have purchased a bottle to take home! — 9 years ago

Austin Beeman

9.3

Light color a soft pink-purple. Wonderfully delicious with strong obvious acidity, pure raspberries, and the tiniest hint of milk chocolate. A light 'truly-burgundian' take on Pinot Noir. You can almost feel the salt water spray of the Sonoma Coast.
— 9 years ago

Joseph LaPanna

9.4

Glass staining purple! A heady nose of clove, dried fig and blackberry. Mouthwatering dried cherries, candies flowers, Asian spices and a touch of black olive over deliver in a big way. Dark fruit and smoke echo long into the night. Another great vintage in a long line of smash hits. And a great value to boot! — 10 years ago

.

9.3

Tried this blind and thought it was excellent. When it was revealed, I was happy to see it’s a wine I have in my own cellar. Very youthful purple in the glass, with a palate of fresh berries bolstered by peppy acidity. The finish is long and delicious, walking the line between sweet and savory. — 6 years ago

.

9.5

My favorite bottling of Mike’s Quivet line. I’ve had the ‘10 several times and it’s always been good, but this was the best bottle yet. Juicy purple and black fruits, a touch of mesquite wood smoke, and what I can best describe as barrel room aromas. Full-bodied but not at all heavy, there’s a depth of flavor that keeps calling for my attention. A stony/mineral element shows up in the finish, which seems to go on and on. This is one of the most enjoyable wines I’ve had this year. Sorry to say it’s my last bottle. — 6 years ago

Nick Ferrall

9.1

Deep purple ink. Sharp dark fruit on the nose, which turns to smoky menthol on the palate. All on line with other Blaufrankisch I’ve tried. Tannins engage at the end, which leaves a somewhat muted finish. — 6 years ago

MaJ CappS

9.0

Hazelnuts and almond skins waft from this kool aid purple colored wine.

Cherry, boysenberry, mint, tarragon.
Lingering zippy - dee - do - da acid that is happily married with an easy going oak ring. — 6 years ago

Martijn

9.1

2005 vintage drank on 8 and 9.4.17.
This is the second day wine so it is open for about 24 hrs. High on cacao, tobacco, leather. Nice purple color with only a transparant thin line at the edge of the glass. Lengthy finish. Great wine! Unfortunately these were my last two bottles. — 7 years ago

Marshall Todd Herron DPM

9.8

This is Four Vines 2010 biker Zinfandel from Paso Robles! The cork was not perfect and had a 2 cm absorption line. The color was dark purple, almost opaque with a hint of brown like an old world Italian Chianti. The legs are slow, thick, and long. The bouquet is plumb and licorice. This threw me off but as soon as I put it in my mouth...BANG! Smooth as silk, spicy like red pepper, and tongue tingling deliciousness! The initial palate was very boysenberry and almost ripe plumb - the elongated dark purple ones. The finish was long with a blast of red pepper and spice and as the wine maker says, ...a long trail of oak! Absolutely no sourness, no tannic acid, and no sweet restaurant wine finish. I am surprised that I would like a plumb flavored wine, but the bone dry finish makes it a perfect wine. What a different flavor this has. I did not decant it and I Should have. The longer it sits in the glass, the better it tastes. Im moving it from my original 9.3 to a 9.8!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You have to try this wine! And did I mention its only 25 dollars a bottle?
— 8 years ago

Kim C.

9.0

Finally got my hands on this! Great wine! Dark purple and opaque robe. At first, violet and black current. Tobacco and cedar underlining. Tannic with a nice acidity. Well balanced. — 8 years ago

Marshall Todd Herron DPM

9.0

This is a 2010 blend of cab 60%, cab franc 20%, merlot 14%, malbec 3%, and petit verdot 3%. The cork is perfectly preserved. There is a slight uneven absorption line. The color is purple with a purple pink hue on the glass. The bouquet is oaky with hints of blackberry pie. The initial palate is that of black currant and raspberry and a touch of blackberry. The finish is very light, mildly dry, and reminiscent of sour jam on toast. Great wine! Unfortunately, no spice, no pepper, no thick bold and silky- buttery feel, no big jammy beginning. BUT every other quality I love in a wine. 'Love my big bold Cabs - boo on Italian wines for me. — 8 years ago

Marshall Todd Herron DPM

9.1

Welcome friends to Dr Todds wine bar. Today we are tasting Artemis by Stag's Leap Wine Cellars. This is the 2012 Cab. It is their cheapest cab and its still 45 dollars. Imagine that! My taste is too expensive for my wallet!
The cork has a perfect absorption line with a very very small rim in perfect lineage! no breaks . The color is opaque and dark purple / black just like I like it. The legs are long at 5 sec. The initial boquet is a bit disappointing. There is a hint of perfume. But if we let it breathe for 15 min, its gone. Then we have ripe plum. The initial palate is sour apple and sweet plum. Sweet and sour like youve never had! There is no spice. The finish is amazing. This is where it gets good! It is very dry but not to the point of not being able to move your mouth. The tongue has a dry grip on the lower half from the base to the tip. Then its gone!!!!! No aftertast at all. The one thing about this wine is it never lets you down! its always the same. A great wine for the price. — 9 years ago

John Kemper

9.4

A saturated reddish-purple, the '11 Bedrock Zinfandel 'Saitone Ranch Vineyard' emits characteristic brambly clove spice, sappy dark cherry and oak aromas with some violet undertones. Great depth of cherry-cola, wood smoke and white pepper flavors on the mouth with balanced acidity that keeps the sweet fruit in line. A rich finish with stunning depth and length. — 10 years ago

John Kemper

9.2

The '11 O'Fournier Malbec/Tempranillo 'Urban Uco' is another outstanding value wine. It is deep purple with lovely aromas of blueberry and smoke. Surprising length and depth for this price. Nicely done! — 11 years ago