Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Welcoming the Holiday Season ⛄️❄️🎅🎁 Cheers!🥂

I posted their 2014 a few weeks ago. As I mentioned then, I bought the 13 & 15 before completing my 14 notes. While this has a yr on the 14, this is not as big as 14. Even with another yr in bottle, I expected this to have bigger teeth and it doesn’t entirely. 3 hrs in the decanter before beginning my notes. The 13 & 14 to me were not completely different. The 13’s I’ve had generally have bigger-brawnier tannins, but not significantly and not the case here with this 2013 tonight. I bought the 13 & 15 to do this comparison. The fruits on the 14 were more lush & ruby. Mildly surprising. This has more spice/earthiness and doesn’t lack a mid palate like the 14 did early on and eventually filled in.

The advantage of writing realtime notes is you can understand the changes with food. In this case a Ribcap. This was a far more lush with steak.

Now with a nearly 5 hour decant, the wine has added more lush Fruits.

Ruby & somewhat lush & juicy; dark currants, dry blackberries, black raspberries, black cherries, poached strawberries, notes of pomegranate, raspberries & hues of blueberries. Deep, dark, spice w/ palate heat, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon stick and vanilla, dark chocolate, caramel hues, cocoa powder, dry tobacco w/ ash, graphite, leather, cedar, steeped black tea, dark, rich, slightly, sweet forest floor w/ dry leaves, dry top soil, dry brush, limestone & volcanic minerals, pepper, dry river stone & crushed rocks, dark, red, blue flowers, red roses with nice acidity and a well knitted-balanced, nicely toned- structured, elegant finish that lands on moist volcanic clays.

Definitely put on some weight, complexity & elegance the longer it was in the decanter.

If I’d tasted 13 & 14 blind and was asked to pick, which vintage was which. I would have said the 14 was the 13.

Props to their terroirs-vineyards, vineyard manager-team, they farm exceptional fruit for all three of the Dana labels. — 6 days ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.8

I have posted a number of older vintage Jones Family Cabernets. Many 20 yrs and older. Three to four 97’s…none better than this one. I give few wines a score above 96. This is different. It is so close to perfect. Some might give it a 100. I struggle to give a wine a perfect 100. I have only done it 4 times in an estimated 25k wines tasted or bottles I’ve enjoyed. One was a port made before 1886 and tasted in Oporto at Taylor Fladgate’s tasting room in 2015, it was their Scion. Only sold there and at the time 5k at bottle. You end up there purchase the Scion taste regardless of the current cost. They put on a tasting show for you. I am half tempted here to give out a 100 but will refrain.

I am not sure what to add to that but will attempt to do so.

The nose is a beautiful, perfectly evolved Napa Cabernet. Nothing overpowers any of its singular components. I think the word I am looking for is harmony. Lush, plush, ruby dark currants/cassis. The best, mid, subtle/gentle/soft, dark spice box I certainly can remember, lush blackberries, both plums, dark, not quite liqueur cherries, a mix of subtle purple fruits, poached to baked strawberries, some light hints of raspberries, dark sweet tarriness, melted dark chocolate, anise to black licorice, steep fruit tea leaning into black tea, sweet/soft leather, moist tobacco, sandalwood, dark, rich forest floor, sweet graphite, hints of dry twig, a flutter note of eucalyptus, dry, withering & slightly candied florals that are; dark, red & blue & framed in light lavender with more pronounced liquid violets.

The palate wire to wire is even & stupidly, gloriously, grand. It mirrors the nose very closely. Lush, plush, ruby dark currants/cassis. The best mid, subtle/gentle/soft, dark spice box w/ some light palate heat, best I certainly can remember, lush blackberries, both plums, dark, kirsch not quite liqueur cherries, a mix of subtle purple fruits, poached to baked strawberries, some light hints of raspberries, dark sweet tarriness, melted dark chocolate, anise to black licorice, steep fruit tea leaning into black tea, beautifully layered baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon stick & vanillin, caramel, sweet/soft leather, moist tobacco w/ a hint is ash, sandalwood, dark, rich forest floor, dry, crushed rock powder, dry top soil, crushed limestone powder, sweet graphite, hints of dry twig, a fluttering note of eucalyptus, dry, withering & slightly candied florals that are; dark, red & blue framed in light lavender with more pronounced liquid violets, perfect, rainfall acidity, extremely well balanced, even & subtle tension-structure that stands up on the long set, refined elegance with a finish that goes on and on and eventually lands on spice & beautiful, refined earthiness.

What a bottle! 98 that leans into 99. I paid somewhere between $80-$90 on the secondary market for this bottle. — 15 days ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

Welcoming the Holiday Season ⛄️❄️🎅🎁 Cheers!🥂

Round, viscous & gently waxy. Meyer slightly sour lemon, some lime zest, dry stone fruits-apricot lead, pineapple syrup, tropical melon, some green apple, slightly, overripe pear, orange peel, honeycomb-pot, marmalade fruit bits, melted caramel, coconut hues, pronounced salinity, dry herbs, mid white spice, crumbled chalk & volcanics, limestone marl, sea fossils, dry twig notes, white & Spring flowers with greens, very nice round acidity, well balanced, nicely layered, elegant, polished finish that lasts two-minutes and lands on spice & minerals on the long set.

Chassagne-Montrachet is amongst my favorite areas for its whites. — 6 days ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

I have enjoyed this producers vineyard over many vintage and this might be the best.

The 22 vintage is stunning and as good as it is, 23 might be better based on a somewhat limited exposure at this point.

The entry is glorious…such balance and wire to wire it doesn’t change much.

Green apple, perfect lemon & lime pulp into subtle candy, grapefruit, white stone fruit, kiwi, tropical melons, pineapple, cream reduction, saline, perfect sea fossils, fine powdery taut chalkiness, crisp volcanics, white spice, grey volcanic minerals, limestone marl, mix of fresh & dry stubble herbs, honeysuckle, light caramel, warm lightly done toast, yellow florals, spring flowers with greens, grand waterfall acidity, beautiful structure-tension, incredible balance with an elegant finish that lasts two-minutes and long sets on volcanic minerals and spice.

Decanted 1 hour.

When I first started buying this bottling, it was $50-$60, now $150. Might be my last bought. My white spend has a more limited range than my red. Don’t think I’m alone.

A property Sofia & I have visited in 2015. — 13 days ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

Thicker body and slightly and just slightly overly ripe, floral fruits of; blackberries, black cherries, raspberries and blueberries. Red cola, licorice, moist, creamy, gray clay, dry twig, eucalyptus, soft dark spice, pretty good wood use here, dry, pronounced leather, dry tobacco, dry top soil, pronounced limestone minerals, dry herbs, potpourri, red, dark, blue florals with violets, a little high in the acidity, well balanced, elegant, nicely toned & elegant finish that last nearly 90 seconds and lands on spice, minerals and florals. — 19 days ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

I am a fan of their work. This wine is so weightless, soft & gentle, it might float on water.

I met Toby Bekker in Australia who I thought his Grenache and Syrah wines were made in a Burgundian style. I asked him about his time in Burgundy and if that influenced his wines. He said, there he learned what not to take from grapes/wine. This is a shinning example of what he was taking about.

The fruits are perfectly ripe, floral & extracted. Cherries, strawberries, pomegranate, rhubarb tones, plums, haunting raspberries, light & softly layered baking spices- clove cinnamon, nutmeg & vanillin, understated red cola & licorice, excellent oak use-barrel powder, hints of dry herbs, understated dry twig, hints of grilled meats, notes of dry tobacco w/ ash, soft used leather, red flowers, red & pink flowers, excellent acidity and a well balanced, softly waking tension with grace and elegance on the two-minutes that lands gently on spice & earth.

Beautiful! — 19 days ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

Welcoming the Holiday Season ⛄️❄️🎅🎁 Cheers!🥂

Previous notes apply except this tastes sweeter now that I have fully shifted to Extra Brut. Pre EB purchase. Also, EB in 375’s are more difficult to locate.

The balance will be really good w/ Key Lime Tart later! 🍋‍🟩 — 6 days ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

So Williams Selyem Pinots should be treated is the same fashion as good burgundy, with age. It will always be somewhat sweeter than red burgundy but nonetheless very good.

This shows w/ an array of mid berry fruits accompanied by some darker fruits. Strawberries, cherries, pomegranate, cranberries, raspberries, hint of rhubarb, blackberries and haunting blueberries. Mid berry cola, red licorice, fruit tea, eucalyptus, pine tar notes, pine tree bark, dark, rich soils/earth, dry herbs, mid, dark spice, dry crushed rocks, dry limestone powder, black pepper notes, dry river stone, dry fall leaves, bright florals that are; red, blue, purple with a mix of red & pink roses, late spring waterfall acidity with extreme balance, tension, structure with elegance & smart polish for days and long sets on tree bark/sap & spice.

Still ascending. — 13 days ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

This is like wine candy and not in the way I normally refer to wine candy. In this case, fruity but a bit too sweet. This tastes like a higher brix pick than I prefer w/ my red burgundy. The sweetness does fade some after it long sets.

Black cherries, strawberries, raspberries with some blue fruit. Eucalyptus, a pungent herbaceous quality, dry top soil, dry limestone powder, fresh & used tobacco, dry leather, dry twig, pronounced barrel shavings, soft baking spices- strong clove, understated cinnamon, nutmeg & vanillin, some grilled meats, pepper, mid berry cola, dry river stone, nice red, dark, blue florals with violets, excellent acidity and a well knitted structure-tension, needs more time to be well balanced but elegant & polished long finish that lasts minutes and long sets on dry earth minerals & spice.

Maybe, better with a good long cellaring? — 19 days ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.6

You would know you’re drinking a good vintage Grand Cru blind. It’s stunning.

Just crazy beautiful. It’s so good, it’s hard to find flaws. Something you want to drink all the time but at nearly $450 a bottle, that’s for the wealthy.

Perfect viscosity and mouthfeel. Meyer lemons, green apple, lime pulp, pineapple juice, soft white citrus blend, hints of white stone fruits, kiwi, tropical melons, gentle white spice, chalky powder, wet limestone powder, gentle volcanics, sea spray, light sea fossils, spring & yellow flowers, grand acidity, refined, glorious, perfect two minute finish that lands gently on everything above.

Best white burgundy I’ve had in some time. — 19 days ago