Ericsson

9.6

The closest thing to true Bordeaux style red blend from Napa. This wine really accentuates the vintage and the terroir, along with fruit and soil. The Dominus Estate manages the vineyard via dry farming, relying on nature for water, making a profound difference on great vintages such as 2016. Find a good vintage Dominus and you’re bound to have one of kind. Cheers. — 7 days ago

Shay A

9.4

94-95

My first Gonon StJo…unfortunately, I loved it. Wish these were easier to find at good prices!

At 8yrs, this was so perfumed out of the glass. At 90% whole cluster, it shows typical green/stemmy aromatics but it’s not the dominant note, trending toward green peppercorns, violets/potpurri, olive, and black cherries. Mineral notes, pepper, mix of red and black fruits, mocha, and so much verve on the palate, absolutely buzzing both days. This wine is floral and herbal but with so much power and balanced fruit…kind of a wild-ness to it that I loved. What a beautiful expression of Syrah. Killer.

Day two showed the whole cluster aromatics fade a bit, but it also showed the palate bulk up. So good. — 4 months ago

Ryan Kravitz

10

Un tempranillo mezcla de rioja. este es mi tercero tempranillo desde rioja. espero sentirme un caballero. first scent was coke (cola) on the cork. hue is extremely dark. No clarity much turbidity in broad daylight. slight note of sweet cherry. much barrel and deep tannic tones of turbulence i find terrific. sour cherry on the tongue. Really dazzling deep wine brings the whole picnic and woodsy fairytale all together #tempranilloblend — 8 months ago

Matthew W.

9.4

Excellent 12 y.o. find!! Muted dark fruits, tar, aged cedar, traces of vanilla bean. — 12 days ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Poured into a decanter about an hour prior to service and enjoyed over the course of several hours. The 2006 pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with lovely notes of black and red currants, black and red, bramble fruit, tobacco, leather, cocoa, earth, and fine baking spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannins and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. Despite the character and quality, I didn’t find this to be a powerhouse rather, this was quietly confident. The finish is long, lovely…very demure. Looking great at 18 years young and there’s a lot of life left. If this is any indication of longevity, the 2006 “Terrace Select” might live forever. Drink now with a decant for air and sediment and enjoy through 2036 easy. — a month ago

Randy Fuller

9.2

This wine has barely any color at all, just a very faint yellow-green tint. The nose is nice. There is a slight trace of petrol, which I always love to find in a Riesling. More dominant is a lanolin note which joins a light floral aroma. The palate straddles the fence between dry and sweet, offering up some tasty stone fruit and a savory side marked by gentle spices and a workable acidity. I would like a drier wine better, but I drank this quaff gladly and poured another. — 7 months ago

Samantha Hargrove

9.0

Minerality, crispness, mostly dry…a profile I love. I was pleasantly surprised by this find at Fred Meyer!
— 22 days ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

Birthed the year we were married and one of the more stunning producers we learned to embraced.

Love you endlessly Sofia! ❤️

Just picked when we were married & likely still in tank.

I can’t tell you enough how much you need to find a well aged & stored bottle. — 2 months ago

LM Segal

9.8

Takes the reins as best ever Dunn Cabernet for me…needed 45 mins out of Magnum, nose all Bordeaux of cedar and cigar box with a touch of cassis. Velvety palate, layers of red cherry and chocolate espresso bean, long, long finish. Find and drink now if you can. — 6 months ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

1998 not the best Napa Cabernet vintage. However, good producers still find their way through difficult vintages. Joseph Phelps is the rule rather than the exception.

This was poured out of magnum and drinking beautifully by their Hospitality Manger.

Nicely ripe, lush juicy fruits of blackberries, blackberries, both plums, some purple & blue fruits. Dash of spice & lead pencil, anise-black licorice, soft baking spices, caramel notes, some dark chocolate, fresh dark flowers, round acidity and a well balanced, softened structure & tension, elegant, nicely evolved finish that lasted a full minute. — 8 months ago