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. — 6 years ago

Shay A

9.5

@Mark Flesher and I decided to do a 2014 Napa Cab battle from two of Napa’s top winemakers...TRB and Mike Smith.

At pop and pour, the aromatics here were absolutely wonderful. There was a sweet/ripe dark fruit core to this wine. Very youthful with some cedar and cocoa. Stylistically I view TRB as a red and black fruit Cab winemaker and I found the nose to be on the darker side. BUT. The raspberry, vanilla pipe tobacco, dark chocolate and dates on the palate showed TRB in every way. There was an elegance with power here. In a few years, this will undoubtedly be stellar. Great bottle @Mark Flesher — 6 years ago

with Mark

Bassel Sommelier

9.2

Massive just delicious — 8 years ago

Petr Jonak

9.2

There is only 300ha of Lagrein in the world. Only two wineries in New Zealand grow them. This one is delicious with fruity notes and tannins that suggest potential to age well. — 8 years ago

Edmond Bordelon

9.4

Black as midnight. So dark that you are afraid to spill any of it because it will stain more than grape Kool-Aid! As you swirl it in your glass, the high viscosity makes it seem like it is actually staining the glass. This is powerful stuff! Mending Wall is a great collaboration with Outpost owners (Frank and Kathy Dotzler), vineyard owners (Mark Pulido and Donna Walker) and bringing in spectacular winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown. This petite sirah comes from the Palisades Vineyard in Calistoga (considered one of the best). In just two sips, your tongue will be as purple as a Chow puppy's. Deep dark currant flavors and a long lingering finish. Come to the dark side and get your hands on this soon. They sell out very quickly. — 8 years ago

with Katherine and Lauren

Jono Riehlman

9.1

Tasted this beauty of an age released Pinot gris over looking the Marlborough Sounds from a buddies batch, sitting next to two gorgeous French girls and a meat, cheese, and olive platter fit for a Prince. Dunno if this skewed my vote but it could be the best P.G. ever produced. ^^ — 9 years ago

Alder Yarrow

Wine Blogger Vinography

9.2

Even better on day two. Delicious balance between richness and nerve - lemon curd, white flowers and a touch of pineapple welded to wet stones. — 9 years ago

Liz Ouzts

9.3

Bought this and another sauv blanc and this was my fav of the two. Good balance of citrus and not too sweet or sour — 10 years ago

Nathan Sweany

9.3

After two bottles of wine. Sav blanc, then rose, then this. Of course it's good. Ate it with seafood — 11 years ago

Anne Richardson

9.0

Sooo good paired with our Prime Rib! Deep flavors of cassis and red fruits: The Syrah adds a peppery spice. Very good! — 6 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.2

Sometimes I just don't understand these CT ratings. I don't know if it's political that certain wines get certain scores, or if people actually feel that way. In my opinion, this Chardonnay is worth at least two points from the average sub 90 rating. Popped and poured. Ample weight on the nose and on the front of this wine. Nose of kiwi, and hint of honeydew. The entry of this wine is way more potent. Peach, herbs, mango, medium-plus acidity. Really delightful. I think this wine will develop for another 5 years. — 6 years ago

with Dan

Shay A

9.4

The owners of Hobel Wines came to town and put on a nice tasting, while also detailing their history. Very nice people and wines. They make two wines, both Cabernets from Calistoga. TRB is the winemaker.

I preferred this over The Figure. This could be a dead ringer for a Rivers-Marie Cabernet. TRB signature style of showing the entire fruit spectrum...raspberries, black cherry, blueberries. Dark cocoa in the middle showing a finish that turned more herbal and savory. Really enjoyable. — 6 years ago

Kristin the Wine Girl

9.1

Oaky smokey nose with strawberries and cherries, charred marshmallow, with afternotes of forest leaves. I'd suddenly love to have cherried s'mores by the summer fire on cool misty fall eve! Incredible light and clarity. Palate in coordinance with bouquet. Earthed in a way unexpected for the region. Delicious and earthed to compete with Willamette, yet has the sun bakiness of Santa Barbara. The perfect more intense Burgundian marriage of these two regions. Long long finish with high acidity and striking abundance. Makes me want to dance in the rain. — 7 years ago

Edmond Bordelon

9.6

Thomas Rivers Brown making some great Howell Mountain wines! While he currently makes 40+ wines throughout Napa Sonoma, Outpost was his first winemaking client. This one is one of my favorites. I’ve been on a Zinfandel trip for two years now, and can honestly say that this is in the top 3 against any of the hundreds I have tried. — 7 years ago

with Ryan and Katherine

Norma Normington

9.2

Very fruity In the nose; pear, grapefruit, and a touch of lychee. Really surprised how fruity this is. Would love to see how this tastes in a year or two. — 8 years ago

Lucy

9.2

Smooth tannins, ripe and juicy fruit with a meaty kick. Delicious. — 9 years ago

Henrik Poulsen

9.3

Oh well....another delicious wine from TRB and his team.

Compared to the RM '09 tasted two days ago (and despite the cooler growing season of 2008), I generally find this vintage more ripe for Napa CS.

Super-ripe and true to style this is another in-your-face wine from Thomas and at a reasonable price off the Mailing List, you can easily throw this in with the bigger boys. — 9 years ago

Jeremy Pollard

9.0

Bright ruby colour. Lovely easy drinking style that improved further on the second day, revealing more complexity. The oak is possibly a touch too prominent at this age - might integrate more in a year or two. Reminiscent of some Tassie pinots. Good value. — 9 years ago

Justin Smith

10

Like a fresh fruit basket of delicious. Also, a two day old baby. Hooray. — 10 years ago

Lyn Farmer

9.0

100% Sauvignon from Totem Vineyard in Yountville plus two other vineyards in Coombsville. Barrel fermented, two to four weeks of French oak, 40% new
This is less grassy and gooseberry than a Marlborough but more assertive than many California sauvignons where the fruit gets so ripe it turns to peach and fig. This is a real Sauvignon lover’s wine with hallmarks of both New World and Old.
Pale lemon, creamy texture with crisp, well-balanced acidity. Plenty of herbal overtones without losing a fruity, mineral-driven core. Long finish - an exciting wine. — 6 years ago

David Shaw

8.9

Purchased at their Oregon winery. Pale yellow with a golden tinge, excellent clarity. Pineapple and herb notes in nose. Pineapple, herb and lemon-orange flavors, creamy lees finish, light to moderate skin astringency. Mandarin orange and slightly mineral aftertaste. Good acidity, rounded mouthfeel. Tasty fruit forward style but no discernible cat’s pee note if you expect that from a Marlborough Sauvignon blanc. Intensity of fruit flavors change over time, with orange-mandarin flavors receding somewhat after two hours. — 6 years ago

Shay A

9.5

@Mark Flesher and I decided to do a 2014 Napa Cab battle from two of Napa’s top winemakers...TRB and Mike Smith.

In comparison to the Rivers-Marie, this was darker and more savory. There were crushed rock/graphite and charcoal toasted blueberry and blackberry aromatics. Plush and inviting. On the palate, this was incredibly silky with beautiful structure. The palate showed Beckstoffer GIII typical notes of cinnamon, dust, baked black cherry and some cardamom. A wonderful and textbook example of this site from a talented winemaker. Bravo @Mike Smith — 6 years ago

with Mark

Bryce Wiatrak

9.0

New Zealand Syrah doesn't get a lot of attention, much less from Marlborough. But a recent flight of Syrahs from across the two islands made me wonder why. Fromm crafts an elegant and pure expression in their La Strada Syrah with hints of exoticism in flavors of blood orange peel, pomegranate and hibiscus. — 7 years ago

Carl Fischer

9.4

Wine two in "The New Normal" with our wine loving friends who have a baby was the '13 RM PN. The nose had cherry and floral notes. Loads of black cherries on the palate and a density unlike many pinots - this was very dense. And delicious. — 8 years ago

Michael Wang

10

One of her two favorites! — 9 years ago

Isaac Pirolo

9.7

Just starting to unfold after a couple hours. Staining purple. Ethereal and huge, graphite and underbrush, charcoal and blackberry, creme de cassis and licorice, grilled meat and cedar, pen ink and pencil shavings, and two of my favorite protagonists in wine, Napa mountain fruit and Thomas Rivers Brown. — 9 years ago

jerod peitsmeyer

9.2

i've got two guns, one for each of you! — 9 years ago

Grant Everett

9.4

2013. Just a baby. Needs about two hours of air, then it's just showing off. Lovely. — 10 years ago

Brad Emms

9.6

Great bottle of wine — 11 years ago

Ed Matthews

9.4

Rich and ripe with flavors of ripe pears and layers and layers of other fruit coupled with enough bracing acid to balance. The finish is long and I tasted apple cider a full two minutes after sipping. — 11 years ago