Mark Flesher

9.3

@Delectable Wine this is Arianna by Spoto Wines... the wine entry needs to be modified. Dang. I've had a couple of torrontes, but this one blows them all out of the water. Nose of citrus and herbs. This wine begins with a very heavy, weighted mouthfeel. Dominant notes of lemon oil, lime creme brulee, herbal character and seems to get a little bit of limestone grit on the finish. Classic torrontes for the most part but on steroids (Silvaspoons Lodi) and with more of a weighted body and finish that resembles more of a chenin blanc. You wanna drink these now? Go ahead. Wanna keep them for five years? No sweat. Unfiltered. Originally ordered 3, then ordered a case, and now only have 7 total. Sigh... QPR this one is a 9.8! — 4 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.4

Catching up....Out of 3 heavy hitters, 1 clear winner, but this was 2 or 3. This wine wins the award for most rounded wine. Nose is black and purple fruit. Decanted for about six hours. Entry is medium++ bodied. Some fig and plum, but backbone of black and purple fruit. Finishes with classic Rutherford dust. Second place finish out of 2, third place finish out of the other 2. Other two wines were Spoto secret acre Cab 13 and Spoto PR 14, all of which were decanted for at least 5-6 hours as well. The efforts of Mr Harrison are ridiculously commendable for producing a wine that can hang with wines out of its price point! — 5 years ago

Shay A

9.5

@Delectable Wine : This is Spoto’s Sii wine. I didn’t see it in the database.

This was opened along the ‘07 cuvée Christiane and I thought this out punched it substantially. Dominant merlot. Showing dark chocolate cocoa dusted dates, coffee grinds, and old licorice aromatics. Very plush and dense on the palate. Baked blackberry pie with cherry cordial. Wonderful, @Mark Flesher ! — 5 years ago

with Mark and Clare

Mark Flesher

9.3

For an entry level RYEW cab, this one really is drinking very well. First time purchasing the "non-Rock Block" cab, this one shows a lot of potential. The nose is more of a sweeter black fruit vs the Spoto, almost with a blue fruit character. Youthful. Middle has a baking spixe character. Finishes with tough oak and peppery characteristics. These wines are always locked up historically. Although I think this one started out with more fruit aromatics than the Rock Block, I still think it needs a couple of years, but don't see it lasting more than 10. — 5 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.7

You would know that in a group of Tom Kees and Alan Krenek, eventually an aged Spoto would find it's way to the table. And oh MAMA! Stuart hit a home run with this one. Black cherry nose. Entry of black cherry, mint, walnut, cola. Very complex but not a knife and fork opening. Right where it needs to be. If tasted blind, I would guess a 2012. Still has an insanely youthful profile even with a hint of sweetness on the front. The middle is complex and even more condensed black cherry and herb. Fine grit tannin. Still with some astringency but the oak tannin is softening. Amazing how youthful this wine is drinking. Still has 10 to 15 years. — 6 years ago

with Dan

Mark Flesher

9.5

Poured from a 375. This wine, even from 375, was really firing on all cylinders and maybe even a bit locked up for the first hour, just shows you that any vintage in the 21st century really should be locked up in the vault, not seeing the light of day for another 10 years from 375. This wine had a classic Pauillac nose. My initial thought was a young Pichon however even Pichon young seems to have more mushroom, more earthy loam and gravel and this one was just so damn smooth in its earthy notes. The wine was robust on the front, lots of earth, mushroom enhancing the youthful blackberry notes. Finished with some peppery notes. Great terroir notes. This wine was awesome, and I think I probably drank half of this while Walter drank the Spoto :) — 6 years ago

with Dan

Mark Flesher

9.5

@Delectable Wine this is Spoto Cab Franc (back when he used to bottle a Single variety CF)... Opened up to enjoy our 15th a bit early at Folly Beach SC.... At 13 years of age, I still think this one wasn't really ready for over an hour after cork pop. Nose and front palate of black cherry, white and pink flowers, rhubarb. Full bodied. Open for business. Middle showed a bit of mint and some dark chocolate cacao. Finishes mostly with black cherry and a hint of cola and spice. Delicious. Ready to go with a tiny bit of coaxing. I don't know if this is really going to get any better so IMO now's the time to drink up. — 5 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.4

For a 2016 Spoto, this one did well. Of course, opening and Mollydooker shaking this one 7 hours beforehand likely did this one extremely well. Youthful black cherry, blackberry and dried herb. Middle and finish still has oak influence which is quite substantial. Really nice wine which will age nicely. — 5 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.4

In the Trilogy of the Godfather "series" of wines, I think I still like the first one the most... Although this is a RATHER close second. Blend of almost 2/3 Merlot. More red fruit character than the first, which is more my style. This wine is full bodied on the palate. Dense black cherry and herb. Cola and mint in the middle. Some milk chocolate as well. Finishes with nice edges. Stiff oak tannin at the very back tells me that this has a bit of life ahead of it. — 5 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.2

@Delectable Wine this wine was not in the database. A rather interesting Rosé... I will absolutely not disagree that point. On the first night, this one had some slightly unsettling characteristics. Was more on the Band-Aid side, and sort of a note similar to wet cardboard. I almost thought that this one was corked for a while. But the wine had some very delicate Floral and herbal characteristics on the palate. Nice sharp acidity with a rounded mouthfeel and texture. Finished with the same power and acidity, just not with much fruit and overwhelmingly elasticized. This one was recorked and enjoyed about 36 hours later. What a difference! Strawberry, pink rose, red cherry, herbs, bright acidity in the front and middle. Finished with bracing acidity and even fairly significant tannic grip. Almost seemed to have a dried almond somewhere in the middle. Hopefully this is going to be a new offering for Spoto in the upcoming years...just not sure of site and style, which will probably both change a bit to make this more approachable. Nice job, Stuart! — 5 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.5

WOW. I think this one has improved from the last 1-2 years that I've tried this wine. Has integrated nicely. Served alongside a 2012 Spoto Wines Cab Sauv Private Reserve, this wine is definitely showing a nice balanced profile of aged fruit on the front, a little pepper on the finish, but JUST now starting to show some black berry and spice and dancing all over the place. Really impressed with this wine. If Shay was here, he would be able to focus down on exactly what was here. But, needless to say this wine continues to evolve and is good to go for another 10 years. — 6 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.6

Very interesting how similar this wine was in structure to the 2013 Spoto Family Reserve Cabernet (From the Secret Acre). This wine had a similar fruit structure of black cherry chocolate cordial and a little bit of pepper and graphite but has lost the touch of sweetness in the nose that I get with youthful wines. To me, this is classic Napa Cab. The edges on this one have rounded off quite a bit. It has since softened to show its silkier yet robust style. Medium+ to full bodied wine, the Spoto Family Reserve edged this one out in the fruit department but these two wines are both great and immense! It was a real pleasure being able to enjoy these side by side. — 6 years ago

with Shay

Tom Garland

9.2

Really enjoy Spoto from our hometown of Sacramento (especially the reserve cab using To-kalon Oakville Napa grapes). Medium red color. On the nose: cherry, floral, earthy. Taste: bright and fresh with cherry, raspberry, vanilla, mushrooms...restrained fruit, not a cherry bomb...thank goodness!! — 5 years ago

with Brenda

Shay A

9.0

@Delectable Wine : This is the Spoto Napa Valley Chardonnay. I didn’t see it in the database.

Stuart Spoto and his wife spent some time visiting TX for a few days and put on a nice tasting at Classic. Talk about micro production, they only do around 500 cases of wine total across their 5-7 wines. Kind and salt of the earth type people.

This is the first time they’ve done this chardonnay as they’ve normally done an Oakville one. I asked Stuart where the fruit was from and he said spring mountain. Wow! Never would have guessed. This is light, acidic, and fairly Burgundian. Oak gives this a banana bread type note, but plenty of slate and stone fruits here. Young. Needs another year or two. — 5 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.4

@Delectable Wine this is the Spoto 2012 Oakville Malbec. It wasn't in the DB and you don't see much of this. Somehow I have managed to keep my hands off this to let it age. This malbec would have been significantly less enjoyable as I think a couple of years in bottle have helped. Nose of black fruit, fig, tar and some wildflowers. Entry of black fruit, dates, hint of fig to the middle. Medium+ bodied wine. Finishes with ample fruit. Dark and dense. Hint of smoke and meat on the finish. Medium acidity. I am going to hold my other bottle for another 5 years. — 5 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.5

There is something about this wine that is intriguing. I am happy this isn't my last bottle of this, and I only have one person to thank for that! From the damned 2011 vintage comes yet ANOTHER awesome wine. Very complex without being a linear and "in your face" kind of style. Pours a dusty rose to the glass. Nose of dried herb, black cherry pie, leather, cola. Entry of black cherry and herb. Middle with a nice black tea kind of note. Finishes a bit stiff. — 6 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.3

Compared to the Anthem winery LPV wine, this one has just about an identical nose. The nose of this vineyard just seems to be a "purple" kind of note. But, the wine seemed to be very different. This wine was a little on the lean side. Entered with black cherry and a hint of fig and dark chocolate in the middle. Finished with a moderate youthful tannic bite. The sweeter side of this which it probably displayed 2 or so years ago has started to soften, and is starting to allow some more interesting notes in the future. Probably one of the more balanced LPV wines I've had to date without a doubt, but it failed to hit the upper rung of wines today. The Rudd Samantha's and 2005 Spoto Private Reserve stole the show. Regarding this wine, I think it's probably a good idea to lock it up for 5 years to see what it has in 2023. Considering what people pay for these bottles, you've got nothing to lose by aging it in this case. — 6 years ago

with Dan and Keith

Mark Flesher

9.4

@Delectable Wine this one was not in the database. This is the 2013 Cuvee Pamela. Name changes yearly.

I just can't stay away from these. Had to buy more 11 and now I fear I'm going to have to do the same here. 60 Merlot, 30 CS, 10 CF, 2 Malbec. The nose of this wine is sweeter fruit but also has a meaty and herbal characteristic. Powerful. The palate is black cherry dominant and pretty acidic. Middle is where there is more herb, hint of sweet tobacco, black pepper starting a little early on this one. Not as earthy nor as much cocoa or chocolate as I thought there would be. The finish of this wine is lighter but does continue for quite a while. I see this one continuing to improve over the next 3-4 years for sure...problem is that I'm going to have 0 of these left to experience that!! — 6 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.6

This is an awesone little wine. Decanted for about 3 hours before being enjoyed. This wine was a MONSTER. Made partially from Oakville Station / To-Kalon fruit and partially from Ashe Vineyards also in Oakville (opposite sides of 29, therefore "East Meets West"). This wine has power!! Blackberry perfume emitting from the glass. Poured a nice dark maroon color. The entry was blackberry, herb, had a nice middle that was very full bodied and dense. Finished with great length and depth with a lot of tannin. This wine will last forever it seems. This one had just a bit more than the standard 2013 Private Reserve, and was the hit of the night. — 7 years ago