Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Joseph Phelps Party and the 83 Insignia from magnum.

The nose reveals; floral liqueur notes, more mid red fruits; strawberries, cherries & dark cherries. Blackberries, black raspberries, rhubarb, soft, volcanic minerals, limestone, steeped fruit tea, cedar, old leather & tobacco, dry crushed rocks, dark spices, dry herbal notes, eucalyptus, dry stems with dry & withering dark, red florals.

The body is medium full with a fair amount of tannins in a wine with this age. The structure, tension, length and balance are still quite sound with harmony. Floral liqueur notes, more mid red fruits, strawberries, cherries & dark cherries. Blackberries, black raspberries, rhubarb, soft, volcanic minerals, limestone, steeped fruit tea, dark spice with some heat, cedar, old leather & tobacco, cedar, dry crushed rocks, dark spices, dry herbal notes, eucalyptus, dry stems with some funkiness. withering dark, red florals. The acidity is nice. The long finish still show ripeness, good balance but, has leaned and shows nice persistence. — 6 years ago

Joe Gillies

9.3

Wow totally surprised by this wine. As a random purchase at $40, this definitely out kicked the coverage. The aromas are so inviting....perfumed floral, mint, and earth.
BlackBerry, black cherry, pomegranate, and crushed rocks on the palate.
Decanted for 60 minutes.
This is still very young and has a decade or so to go. If this was a St. Emillion it would be easily twice the price point. — 7 years ago

Daniel M

9.1

WoW ! One of the best Sancerre I’ve had. Superb nose of lemon, cat piss, mineral things like crushed rocks, dry herbs. The palate is a model of balance : sheer acidity and a lovely texture with white flowers. Long finish with a touch of salt in the end. Very good! I’d like all my Sancerre to be like this one — 7 years ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

Yum! Pure, clean & balanced with lemon citrus, crushed rocks & refreshing acid. — 8 years ago

Jonathan Wall

9.2

Rocks! More fruity and less savage than the '14.... in a good clean way... but still with a touch of "barn" to remind you where you are. — 8 years ago

Y Kwon

9.3

Nice acidity. Sweet apples, honey and pears. Maybe some wet rocks. Initially poured effervescent bubbles like a fine champagne. — 8 years ago

Cameron Myhrvold

9.6

1997 Leoville Barton
Wow this Rocks. A dry and delicious bordeaux. Nicely aged. I would drink this any time. — 8 years ago

Ian Blessing

9.5

Spectacular as always. Started off with typical Cayuse funk that integrated pretty quickly into a kaleidoscope of rich, sweet fruit while never being cloying. Framboise, fresh raspberry, blueberry, tons of violet, and a finish that's carried by crushed black rocks. Cayuse amazes me with its intense flavors that somehow never seem overextracted or heavy. It's the domestic version of an iron fist in a velvet glove. — 9 years ago

Shae Kinsman

9.7

Oh. My. Such focus and precision. Flinty, minerally nose - wet rocks and citrus rind. Amazing concentration on the palate. A mere pup, but so bloody thrilling. Can't wait to watch it age and fill out. Love, love, love! — 10 years ago

Cat Gomes

8.9

A nice and simple dry wine! — 10 years ago

Jesse Mallgren

9.3

Brick orange color, Cedar, old leather, minerals, Lincoln logs, dusty rocks, tart cherry, orange zest, green blueberries, vanilla, Thai market, refreshing acid, anise, fruit opened up after 30 minutes, — 11 years ago

Sarah O'Kelley

8.9

Always a pleasure rocks, flowers, peaches 😋 — 6 years ago

Berg

9.2

Too young but wanted to try one. No doubt it's Walla Walla rocks, meaty, bloody funk, enjoyed it. — 6 years ago

Joe Lucca

9.6

When “Let’s have a glass” turns into “Let’s have a glass of each”. This turned in another WOTN performance. Quick 1 hr decant and she was off to the races. Charcoal, melted licorice and dried flowers waft up from the glass. Waves of dark berries, spices, cacao, and crushed rocks keep on coming. Gorgeous finish. Awesome complexity, showcasing the exceptional quality of this vineyard and the amazing skills of TRB. Happy 5th anniversary to Beverly and @Arvind Sodhani! Looking forward to many more vintages to come!!! — 7 years ago

with Debra and Diana

Matt

9.6

Embodies elegance and finesse without sacrificing power. Sexy nose, strawberry confiture, spices plums, ceylon, pepper, hot rocks and gravel, red flowers and savory herbs, worn leather. So silky, sleek tannins, fresh yet soft acid. Just singing right now and clearly has life ahead of it. — 7 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

Alban Vineyards as they state in their label "The first American winery & vineyard established exclusively for Rhone varieties." This Syrah has settled in nicely after 10 years in bottle. I would say it's peaking. On the nose; scorched earth, sweet & slowly baked; blackberries, blueberries, black raspberries, plum, huckleberries and dark cherries. Mint, eucalyptus, milk chocolate, black olive, notes of liqueur, crushed rocks, loamy top soil and lilacs, violets and lavender. The palate is rich and nicely resolved. The body medium-medium plus. The fruits are ripe, creamy and juicy; blackberries, blueberries, black raspberries, plum, huckleberries, dark cherries and strawberries haunt the long fruit set. Mint, eucalyptus, sage, smoked meat, milk chocolate, black olive, notes of liqueur, crushed dry rocks, gritty volcanic minerals, scorched earth, a little bacon fat, underbrush, a whiff of black pepper, lilacs, violets and lavender, great rich, round, fresh acidity with a very good, long, balanced, well structured, finish with length and staying power. I prefer this over the Cayuse I had a couple of weeks ago. Much better balance of fruit, earth, etc.. photos of their Edna Valley vineyard, fruit that needs netting to protect it from the birds, John Alban and the Alban barrel room. Producer notes and history...In 1985, John Alban planted grapes for other people until he bought an estate in 1989. He focused on wines made from Rhône Valley varietals. Alban is one of the pioneers of the Rhone Rangers movement. They are considered to one of the more influential American Rhone producers. In beginning to grow Viognier, Alban said, "I almost single-handedly doubled the world's acreage," referring to a time when its cultivation was reduced to 50 acres or 20 ha in two areas of the Rhône Valley, Condrieu and Château-Grillet. Alban's work, along with that of Josh Jensen of Calera Wine Company (just sold to Duckhorn, ugh!) in San Benito County, helped to significantly expand plantings of Viognier in California at a time when the variety was near extinction. Alban has 250-acre or 100 ha under vine. Their vineyard area extends 60 acres or 24 ha, planted with Syrah, Viognier and Roussanne. The Alban wines produced are; Lorraine Vineyard, Reva Vineyard Syrah, Seymour's Vineyard Syrah, Patrina Alban Estate Syrah and Pandora, a blend of Grenache and Syrah. They also used to produce a dessert wine from 5% botrytis grapes and aged in 50% new oak, called Rotten Luck. You can still find past vintages on Wine-Searcher. — 8 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Creamed fruits, coffee grounds and dry floral nose. Ruby ripe dark fruits; blackberries, dark cherry, stewed plum, dry coffee grounds, tobacco leaf, softened leather, dry brown earth, crushed dry rocks, dry florals, nice acid and finish that will get there...it's just not today. There is great structure here with length and good balance but this needs another ten plus years to really shine. — 9 years ago

Corey Zamora, CSW

9.1

Bright beautiful acidity, wet rocks, intense fruit. #texsom — 10 years ago

Randy Fuller

9.2

Chardonnay, Viognier and Muscat Canelli. Rocks! white has a pale yellow tint in the glass, with a brilliant nose featuring a spray of floral notes with melon and a spicy, herbal twist. The palate offers very bright acidity in a wine that is sweet, but not syrupy. There is a cantaloupe note in the middle and a citrus finish. This is a natural with Japanese noodles, Pad Thai or penne pasta with sun-dried tomatoes. — 10 years ago

Conrad Green

9.1

Very bright and clear. Lime and wet rocks. Precise and sharp with real clarity and freshness. — 6 years ago

with Bex, Gregg and 4 others

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

The 2015 Napa has a much more expressive nose than previous vintages. The mid red fruits are brighter and more dominant. Ripe; blackberries, strawberries, dark cherries, pomegranate, cranberries, black raspberries and blueberry hues. Good presence of vanilla, cinnamon, very light clove, limestone, dark turned, rich earth, light dry crushed rocks, soft leather, blue florals and fresh red & blue florals.

The body is also much lighter in the 15 than other vintages. It’s still very fresh. At this stage, it’s like a well extracted Pinot. Ripe; blackberries, strawberries, dark cherries, pomegranate, cranberries, black raspberries and blueberry hues. Good presence of vanilla, cinnamon, very light clove, limestone, dry clay, stems, mint, Provence fresh herbs, dark turned, rich earth, dry crushed rocks, soft leather, blue florals and fresh red & blue florals. The acidity is light a waterfall. The finish is bright fruit that is well balanced with earth. However, as it cellars, I predict this wine with flush out, put on weight and gain complexity. Much better palate experiences 10-15 years plus down the road for this 15 Napa.

Photos of, the terrace view from JPV’s visitors center, the JPV annual members party small bites, the lounge area in their visitor center and estate vineyard off their terrace.
— 7 years ago

Justin Hart

9.4

Ah, the Rocks at Milton-Freewater produce such remarkable and distinctive fruit. Morgan Lee’s take on the Stoney Vine Syrah is outstanding. Earthy, gamey, succulent, dark and full stone fruit (plum) that just keeps going. This is good for another 5 years I think. — 7 years ago

with Cherish and Jen

ES

9.0

This wine rocks, balanced, well made, bright fruit, fantastic acidity, wonderful QPR — 8 years ago

Annika van Leynseele

9.0

Chateauneuf-du-Pape-esque. Low acidity and tannins. Berries, spices. Yum! — 8 years ago

Bryan Thomas

9.4

Just a couple of guys trying to right the ship - Raveneau rocks! — 8 years ago

Lewis Chester

9.3

2010 vintage. Medium lemon green hue. Medium plus concentration of green lemons, citrus fruit, steely minerals. Complex. Ok the palette, rocks. High tense acidity, creamy medium body texture, full concentration of flavour and long finish. Superb. Drink now until 2027. — 8 years ago

Marshal White

9.0

Pure, intense, long. Tastes like rocks and a cool summer breeze, tense with the threat of lightning. — 9 years ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

Lemon curd, sweet & ripe, honey, wet rocks, chalk, very fresh with good length and acid. — 10 years ago

Patrick Ayotte

8.9

Lightly colored. Expressive nose that could be described as a mix of lemon juice poured over rocks and sea shells, very mineral and fresh. On the palate it is tight, fresh, salty and mineral with crispy green apple over a vigorous acidity. A real summer wine! Very good+ (89)

Made of Muscadet from 60 year old vines of a 3 ha vineyard. Aged 7 months on lees. Alcohol level of 12% #dansmonverre — 10 years ago

Dave Loretta

9.5

Broiled chicken and mashers paired brilliantly with this "Rocks" vineyard Syrah — 10 years ago