Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.3

The 2016 'CVR' is an absolutely stunning release from Quilceda Creek. It takes on instant appeal, as the nose is very pretty and perfumed with red rose petals that combine with the marvelous dark and blue fruits. The texture is outstanding with a wonderfully rich and polished mouthfeel. Delicious flavors of ripe red, dark and blue fruit combine with a touch of chocolate to envelope the palate heading into the long finish. While this is already remarkable in its youth, it should also cellar well over the next ten to fifteen years. Drink 2020-2032- 93 — 6 years ago

Seth Morgen Long

Broker • Arterberry Maresh / Winemaker • Morgen Long

9.4

Kind of a shame to open such a young Chave. Even after hours in a decanter, this felt small in “stature”. Forget about this for ten years - the pedigree is hidden now. — 7 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.0

Really interesting to drink this one at 16 years old. And although I think this was on the back side of the hill, it was still very much in the game. Lost lots of its sweet fruit cham. More linear. Mulberry and some fig and clove. Can definitely taste the age. If cellared well, I actually think this has a couple of years but I don't think it has more than that. — 7 years ago

with Dan and Shay

Robin Gerber

Partner Spotlight Brands

9.4

Happy Wednesday to me!! All estate grown Merlot which could easily go another ten years. Tasty now! — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Updating notes from 29 weeks ago.

On the nose, macerated & baked; blackberries, dark cherries, blueberries, plum, strawberries with raspberries painting the background. Mocha, vanilla, dark chocolate, fruit liqueur notes, dark rich soil, limestone minerals, fresh & decayed red florals with bright fresh field of blue & red floral florals with violets.

The palate is elegant, rich and full. The tannins nicely softened & resolved. 60-65% resolved. There is nice; soften structure, very good balance with excellent length. The fruits are; ruby ripe blackberries, sweet & sour dark cherries, blue fruit mix, black raspberries, plum, creamy raspberries and hint of strawberries. The red florals & violets really shine through on the palate as well. Sweet tarry notes, dark fruit liqueur, dark chocolate, mocha, caramel, vanilla, some black licorice, limestone minerals, iron, tarry notes, smoke, used leather, cigar with ash, touch of dry stems, pinch of herbaceousness, dark spices, dry clay, loamy dry top soil, dry crushed rock powder, just hint of white pepper, blue & dark red florals, lavender with violets, good round acidity and a long, elegant, balanced finish that lasts minutes.

Better with a good meat sauce pasta than pizza. Slightly overpowered our pizza tonight. But, still delicious.

Photos of; the backside of Valdicava, one of their vineyards and Valdicava winery owner Vincenzo Abbruzzese.

Brunello’s take years to come around and why Italians hold them extra year(s) over other varietals/regions in bottle. It’s ten years before good Brunello producers wines are truly enjoyable; which is why I still have so many in hibernation. Drink through 2025. — 8 years ago

with Christina and James

Ray Vanderhoff

9.1

Another great vintage of this underrated NZ single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc. Loads of citrus (primarily grapefruit) and herbaceous notes. Light bodied with Bracing acidity. Crisp and refreshing. Consistent from year to year. — 8 years ago

Will

9.9

Delicious! Smooth drinking and complex. Fruity to start but evolved as it oxidized. Kind of a Cabby Pinot. — 8 years ago

Austin Blackwell

9.4

Rich dark berries and black cherry with signature Santa Rita Hills spice dominate the aroma profile and offer great complexity to compliment the multidimensional palate. Wonderful textures and flavors of stewed strawberries, cherries, and sandalwood offer a lovely experience. This is drinking very very well now and will be great for another 5 years easy. — 10 years ago

with Josh

Sam Coturri

Winery Sixteen 600, Enterprise Vineyards and the Moon Mountain District

9.3

Like caramel dipped cherries, thick and grippy. A ten y/o baby. So much Mourvèdre power and big tannins. Fun to drink but could still use more time — 11 years ago

with Philip

Kelsey Morrison

9.6

Nose has similar elements to 07: black cherry, smokey white pepper, licorice. Palate has balanced acid, smooth texture, fruity finish. Great tannins, will last another ten years if cellared well. I ❤️ Paloma! — 13 years ago

Dan Thomas

9.6

Great combination of richness and elegance. Still a baby can't wait to drink it ten years from now — 13 years ago

with Timothy

Boris Mathiszik

9.3

At 12 years old this wine still feels young. Fruit forward still, but also restrained, nicely balanced acidity, just great, with a long finish. This wine has a long way to go still. Ten years easily. Revisited July 2025. At 17 years, the notes above still hold. Smooth and a little more mellow, holding up wonderfully with our beef roast. — 7 years ago

Larry Ito

9.2

Dark ruby with bouquet of cassis, graphite, dark berries, a little Bret. Very round tannins, lush mouth feel with cassis, earth, berries, and some licorice. Hot year made this rally suave compared to other cooler yrs of Sociando. Not stewed at all and drinking beautifully now. Probably very nice over next ten yrs — 7 years ago

Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.3

The 2017 ‘Poet’s Leap’ Riesling shows once again why this wine is truly one of the premier Riesling bottling in North America. This opens with beautiful orange blossom and melon with wet stone character on the nose. The palate is full of freshness., yielding a beautiful sense of minerality. Even more impressive is the near minute long finish. Beautiful in its youth, this will cellar well over the next seven to ten years. Drink 2019-2027- 93
— 7 years ago

Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.4

The 2015 Ramey ‘Hyde VIneyard’ Chardonnay is a simply gorgeous new wine that is one of the best of its kind by superstar winemaker, David Ramey. Set on clay loam soils, the strongly marine-influenced Hyde Vineyard has gained an international reputation for producing outstanding Chardonnay grapes. This Carneros bottling shows intense nutmeg, vanilla creme brulee, macadamia nut and heavy whipping cream flavors that impress. Lithe and rich, this gorgeous bottling will cellar well for the next ten to fifteen years. Drink 2019-2033- 94 — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

The nose reveals, black & bing sour cherries, blackberries, slightly baked strawberries, blueberries, some black raspberries, pomegranate extract and hint of plum, a fair amount of vanillin, soft limestone, whiffs of other baking spices, black tea, rich dark soils, faint crushed rocks, beautiful, fragrant, bright, blue, red and dark red florals.

The body is round & full. The tannins just starting to hit a good point of softening and rounding, yet have 10 plus years ahead. The structure, tension are hitting their stride. The length and balance are just getting to near perfect form. Two years ago, this wine was not ready and is now at the place I was hoping to get. I have two bottles left and I will have another in five years. Based on that performance, another in three to five plus years more. It’s the evolution that is so much fun to follow.

Black & bing sour cherries, blackberries show more on the palate and the pork pasta bring them out more deeply, slightly baked strawberries, blueberries, some black raspberries, pomegranate extract, cranberries and hint of plum, a fair amount of vanillin, soft limestone, nuances of volcanic minerals, soft baking spices, dark medium intensity of spice, black tea, rich dark soils, faint crushed rocks, beautiful, fragrant, bright, blue, red and dark red florals. The acidy is like a fresh water river. The long finish is unbelievably elegant, well balanced with a touch more fruit than earth, polished and persists seamlessly for several minutes.

I look forward to trying this wine again as it continues to evolve and improve over the next five to ten years...should be stunning! Well made Brunello’s simply take more than ten years in bottle to even begin to amaze.

Photos of, a wide hilltop shot of Casanuova, field hand harvesting their Sangiovese, large oak fermentation cask so there is less noticeable oak influence on the wine and their sloping vines on a sunny beautiful day.

@Oenotri Napa — 7 years ago

Scott Taddeo

9.3

Three hours in the decant and still a little closed, but with more time the wine unfurled to become more and more primary. Tannin profile note quote as resolute as one may expect from Castiglione, but these Vietti wines do tend to more approachable than most. Watery acid and long finish. Spot on. Worth another look in ten. — 9 years ago

Lulu McAllister

9.3

Earthy, mouthfilling — 10 years ago

with Johan

Brett Pallesen

9.4

best ca semillon I've had to date — 11 years ago

with Rachel

Gary Westby

Champagne & Sherry buyer K&L Wines

9.6

Given that some of the Montrose from the 1960’s is only just now starting to drink, this exotic 2000 drank very nicely this evening. It is composed of approximately 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petite Verdot. The wine was very dark, full of spice and kirsch like fruit on the nose. In the mouth it had lots of richness, more dark fruit and a powerful tannic punch. It will no doubt be even better in another five or ten years. — 11 years ago

Skip Smyser

9.4

At ten this baby is coming into its own. Marvelous red fruit with so much life and youth. Will continue to improve for years. The Barrett Family has an incredible ability to make the most of every vintage!🍷 — 7 years ago

Somm 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. — 7 years ago

Josh Raynolds

9.6

1995 just hitting it's stride - smoky earth, pipe tobacco, cherry and cassis in abundance, velvety texture and amazing length. Probably even more interesting in another five to ten years but why wait if you've got a couple or more? — 7 years ago

Bret Barker

8.9

You ever have a wine that transcends you to a different place? This ain’t it! We hit this winery about ten years ago and had a great time tasting and we bought a couple of bottles. The fruit is absolutely gone-zo. I love Bordeaux style wines and the earth aspect but this was well dirt. Too bad — 8 years ago

Alan Weinberg

8.9

continuing the streak of Freddy E, this time the 2000 . . . this one is tighter than the younger 05 or 08 and is real hard to read, bitter on the finish. Ten more years? — 8 years ago

Scott Soren

9.4

Ok. The bomb dot com. So good. Could stay for another ten but so privileged to have with my steak. — 8 years ago

Steve Bozich

9.2

I did not realize I had a Sea Smoke Pinot this old sitting about. Not sure if the addition few years of age added much to it. I have to admit I love their Chard/Sparkling much more than their Pinots. Bright cherry, a little smoke, hints of minerality. All in all, I do enjoy these, just not in love with them. 9.2 — 8 years ago

Matt Brock

9.3

I've had this bottle in the cellar for a LONG time (probably past peak)...waiting for the right occasion. Here is to ten eventful years of Builders Bargain. Jammy, delicate flavor. 13 years of aging has given this a very earthy quality. Decanted for 90 minutes but should get even more spectacular through the evening. Cheers! — 9 years ago

with Jennifer

Olaf Jasmine

9.7

2003 Vintage - 12 years on a fabulous expression of Mornington Pinot. Better each time and still many years to go. For those who say drink Aussie Pinot within 6 years, you are missing out! — 11 years ago

Bill Bell

9.6

Very much alive and youthful in coloration, mint, fennel, rose petals and not much in the way of funk just yet. Would be an excellent choice with lamb or game with some wild mushrooms or truffles to bring out the tertiary components a bit more. This particular bottle in ten years could be fantastic if you prefer more dankness. — 11 years ago