It was between this and the 1987 Spottswoode. Glad I chose this one. This is a black fruit dominated wine that actually had a rather sweet nose even after 2 hours of popping the cork. There is still so much youth here, but the middle shows an extremely mature integration that only time I can give these wines. Some herbs showing here in the middle. Super impressed, and this one is drinking extremely well. It is not showing the aged black fruit profile that lots of wines of this year are starting to show. If served blind, I would have guessed this was a 2005. Finishes soft, with excellent tanic integration. I still think this bottle would appreciate over the next couple of years, and then it will be at peak for who-knows-how-long. Wow. — 6 years ago
I was quite happy with this wine today. Right up there as one of the better wines enjoyed. Lots of youth for a 97. Almost a bit medicinal, but fruit structure was good. There was really nothing that stood out about this wine, other than my saying the wine appeared to have more youth than "advertised." I would have guessed 2004-2005. Still didn't win the youth award (that one definitely went to the 99 Spottswoode). I would have been insanely happy with this wine as the only wine on the table, instead of 1 out of 16 (plus) that were all uncorked in a frenzy of fourth friday wines. — 8 years ago
Classic Thackery wine. Vineyard is situated between Abreu Madrona and spottswoode winery (spottswoode vineyard across street). Sean says he thinks it's Syrah, walked the vineyard and have seen a lot of Petite but what a site. Classic camphor tinged that screams thackery as the Eukalptus that covers his bolinas winery always finds its way in. He always had a knack for finding the best sites. Such an original — 8 years ago
Classic Napa Cab not over the top - more like Corison or Spottswoode. May 2019. — 6 years ago
Pulled a Ulysses ‘12 and a Spottswoode ‘14 for us tonight after a long work week. — 6 years ago
Compared to a Spottswoode 06, this one seemed to have similarities but and it was over all this one has more tobacco and slightly less of the dark mature raspberry and black cherry. However, this one even after an hour was still a little disjointed and out of balance. I don't know if this is just on the decline or maybe a little bottle variation. I'd think about drinking this. — 6 years ago
What do you get when you combine a 15 acre vineyard on the Silverado Bench about 200 feet up from the valley floor at the base of Atlas Peak owned by a former math professor with a team of winemaker Dave Phinney (of Orin Swift, GKG, Stanton) and viticulturalist Steve Matthiasson (Araujo, Chappellet, David Arthur, and Spottswoode to name a few)? Aftermath. I'm not sure if the name was ominous or fortuitous, but Jim Kaplan's first vintage was 2011, which was notoriously difficult. His 2012 vintage was completely lost to the 2014 earthquake. The result is indeed the aftermath...
The 2013 is a blueberry, blackberry, and blackcurrant explosion, with the fallout being licorice, white flowers, cedar, and cacao nips, with enough of an herbaceous tilt to give an exotic edge. Fans of Phinney's Papillon and Mercury Head, and frankly Napa Cabs in general should seek this out. — 8 years ago
Contains grapes sourced from Spottswoode & Trespass. Delicious. @Frank Melis — 8 years ago
En Magnum. This wine just seemed very different. Not sure this is what I was really expecting from an 83 Montelena even from Magnum. I don't think I was expecting it to taste like a 2010 Spottswoode. Had almost a Bordeaux character to it, which I guess I'm really not surprised at all about that. At first, this wine was FUN-KY!!!! Was itching to get down to business though. Nose was mushroom, fig, cedar, anise. Palate was eventually consistent with the nose but the middle and finish is where this gained a substantial amount of aged blackberry and toasted oak. I really can't say that this wine was a show stopper, but it definitely got my attention in a slightly different way than I was expecting. If you have any of these in 750 or mag, I'd say it's time to start drinking them!! — 6 years ago
Absolutely delicious. Youngest wine of the line-up -- loads of fresh off-the-vine ripe berries. Interestingly, liked this and the oldest wine of the night ('96 Spottswoode) the best. All the others were outstanding as well. Unlike many other producers, I highly prefer Sinegal's '13 today vs the '14. — 8 years ago
Bought a little under 3 years ago, this one was opened at a good time today for a great crowd. Initially opened and filtered into a decanter. The wine poured without significant bricking. The nose was green pepper, grassy, and earthy. It honestly had quite the same nose as a 1980's Pichon Lalande that was consumed a few months ago. This wine had a bit of funk for about an hour. But then after that, NOT BAD. Neither it nor the 99 Spottswoode were the best wines on the table, but this shows you the way it was done in old Napa. Picked at just under 23 Brix (per the label), this wine still had great structure. Even 2 hours later, the structure was still there although the wine had blossomed into more of a floral rich finish with a darker, ashy middle and herbaceous front with dried red fruits. According to CellarTracker there are 25 bottles in cellars. IMO it's time to start consuming these wines, although admittedly I feel this wine will probably stay right where it is, if cellared correctly, for another 5 years or so. — 8 years ago
B
Magnum 2002 Schrader To-Kalkin Beckstoffer CS. Bday dinner for R at Rep. Decanted for a while before serving. Served alongside the magnum ‘97 Spottswoode. We preferred Spottswoode, as this wine was massive. — 6 years ago