Very tightly wound right now. I'm not certain how anyone can rate this wine correctly right now but for me this one is a 93/94 right now. Powerful, dense, dark baking chocolate, blackberry cassis with a lot of pepper and a lot of tannin on the finish. 100% tuxedo, but with a very stiff tannic finish. Full bodied wine without a doubt. This one has the makings of a 96/97 in probably 10 years, but I do think that quite a bit of this wine was masked in the tannin which wasn't all that off-putting. For those who like to drink them really young and don't mind the tannic 'iron curtain' shutting down the show, this one is probably a 98 right NOW and it truly is an excellent display of the power of St. Helena and the talent of Melka. Would love to own one of these so that I could see how it develops over the next 15-20 years. — 7 years ago
Purchased on release, direct. Has been on my short list to open for awhile, but hadn't found the right occasion. Finally decided opening it IS the occasion, so Monday seemed good enough.
Perfectly showing its age, with a distinct aroma that on the surface is a beautiful chord of petrichor. With some further coaxing and some concentration the underlying elements begin to show. Smoldering forest floor leads the way to kirsch, asphalt, garrigue, and herbes de Provence. This really shows off Trevisan's talent to make balanced wines, which is especially noteworthy considering his neighborhood. His restraint paid dividends with this beauty. So happy I waited for this one. — 9 years ago
Nicholson Jones White Label Cabernet 2012 vintage is a wonderful full bodied wine. Smooth from the first sip with a strong fruit presence. Think Caymus 40th anniversary cabernet on steroids. This was a treasure from a young wine producer with a talent for making really good wines. A ten from start to finish. — 9 years ago
Jeff has some talent and is getting better and better at making wines this is pretty true to the Santa Rita hills and Pinot grape — 10 years ago
The aroma has a woody complexity with a hint of strong berries. Fantastic wine along side of mushroom risotto. Being brought up from Marlborough, this wine highly shows the true talent and sophistication of the natural beauties of the region. — 7 years ago
Luminous medium-dark red. The captivating nose combines sour red cherry, violet, coconut, tobacco, minerals and a hint of white pepper. Densely packed and youthful but very fresh and lively; this already boasts a silky texture and considerable early appeal owing to its noteworthy sweetness of fruit. Subtle notes of red berries, herbs, graphite and flowers carry through into the rising, very long, vibrant finish. A knockout Brunello that further confirms winemaker Cecilia Leoneschi’s talent at making exceptionally good, very classic Brunellos. I can think of very few wines in all of Italy that have improved more than Castiglion del Bosco’s over the last decade. Well done. (Ian D'Agata, Vinous, April 2018) — 8 years ago
Stunning example of Jay's talent and the fruit sources he has access to. Mostly Abbey Ridge with a little Charlie's thrown in for good measure. Soft and approachable, with that terroir note of blood and iron running through it. Classic Dundee! — 8 years ago
Superb. J-F Mugnier's incredible talent is so evident here. Ruby red, no sign of age on the rim, this wine is full of life on the palate after 9 years in the bottle -- and this was a half bottle which should have accelerated the development of the wine! Full bodied, rich, and tannic, arguably lacking acidity on the attack, this is a Burgundy lover's wine. Mugnier is a genius -- and the prices he commands justified.... — 9 years ago
Punchy like a punch in the face from punch and Judy. But quite tasty like dame Judy dench's ..... Artistic talent — 9 years ago
Stunning nose. Light color for a 15. Big big cherries. Licorice, sweet yet earthy. On point. Wafting. Almost a citrus element as well. Gorgeous. Sappy, sweet with an overflow of pure bursting berry/cherry fruit and lithe tannins. Ethereal. What a talent this guy is. — 7 years ago
No detailed notes but this was in a nice place flavor/finish wise. Drinking nicely but still can easily make it at least another 3-5 years, possibly longer. Certainly one of my favorite winemakers John is both a nice guy and showcases his talent excelling with the Rhône varieties as a trailblazer. Bravo! — 8 years ago
From their first vintage, this is drinking really well. Probably should have cooled it down a bit - slightly above cellar temp and is a bit cloying - but this is exhibiting some terrific aromatics reminiscent of candied raisins, blackberries, and iodine. Full bodied with nice evolution on the palate (although again, cooler temp would probably have made an enormous difference). Balanced, lingering finish. Pretty sure this is one of the few wines David Jelinek made before he was replaced at Epoch. Too bad: he was a terrific talent. — 8 years ago
Very young and closedown but the talent is there. Will be spectacular in 10 years. — 9 years ago
I know '11 was an off year in Napa, but I fully believe supreme talent is always evident, and this wine is an excellent example. If I wouldn't of seen the black purple color and legs that never ended, I would have guessed Zin based off the smell. This juice is rich, but not over bearing. Smelt of blackberry pie, vanilla, crushed cherries. Tasted like a perfect medley of blueberries and blackberries and had very nice structure to it. For $40'ish/bottle, yes please. — 9 years ago
There are these moments in recorded music where something gets reissued today from like the 70s or 80s on a crisp new vinyl press. Nobody's seen the original because it's so damn rare. And the recording just fucking bumps so hard and the soul of the music is so deep, from the ages when synths and sample banks were too far off to care about. Ya, this. This is the one. Don't be afraid to drink this today. You will be rewarded with soul. It will be difficult to return to trap hats and people with no talent feeding you meaningless poetic dribble. And my apologies to Amass, we put you up against this. Unfortunately this wine won in the end by a long shot and the 30 chefs in your kitchen were all slain by 3 generations of farmers working side by side. — 9 years ago
Zoe Neuschatz
At talent connect — 7 years ago