Kevin Dale

9.5

Decanted about 2 hours to help open it up. — 4 months ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

A Charles Hendricks wine.

Medium plus tannins. Ripe, rich, floral fruits; blackberries, black raspberries, black plums/ extra skin, dark cherries, plum pudding, dark spice with heat, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon stick, vanillin, mid berry cola/licorice, dark rich soil with dry leaves, dry tobacco, dry twig, cedar, limestone minerals, dry crushed rocks, dry top soil, fresh to candied; dark, red, purple flowers, round, sharp acidity, highly structured, well tensioned, balanced finish that lasts two-minutes and lands on minerals.

Good tonight…better in 5-7 years.

Photos; James Cole, Silverado sign, bronze logo statue and private tasting room. — 8 months ago

Ming L

9.3

Gentle nose of blackberry, creme de cassis, incense, warm spices, and the seductive hint of forest floor/wild fungus. Harmonious palate: full and unctuous, yet weightless. Acidity is as good as it gets. Supple silky tannins.
This bottle exceeds my high expectation. Love the simple yet elegant label too. — 3 years ago

Tom Heckert

9.3

Brought out of the cellar. From a trip to Napa in 2011? Cherry and tobacco on the front. Hints of mint as it lingers. Still a full tannic finish after 16 years. Another bottle in the cellar to try in a few years more. Paired with locally sourced braised beef short ribs. — 5 months ago

Brent Clayton

9.3

Key lime, kaffir lime leaf, oily. Really nice and paired with a Thai style coconut milk curry. — 8 months ago

Bruce Leboff

8.9

Smokey and hint of tobacco - full of tannins but ends mid palate. Enjoyable — 3 years ago

with Michael, LM and 1 other

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

It’s good to follow Winemakers. I follow Charles Hendricks. However, Charles last James Cole vintage was 2013.

100% Petit Verdot in anyone’s hands is tricky. This 09 made by Charles is elegant young...just as it is now. It’s just rounder & softer after 9 1/2 years in bottle. It still has teeth but, complex & floral with dark, grippy tarry, round tannins. The darkest of roasted & used expresso grounds, dry earth with dark & brilliant florals. Beautiful acidity and elegant persistent finish.

This offering has another 10-15 of good drinking ahead. Properly stored of course.

Photos of; James Cole Winery, outside tasting lounge, signature bronze logo statute and James’ classic car in their fermentation cellar. — 4 years ago

Bruce Dunbar

9.1

This very — VERY— dry Alsatian style Riesling from 40+ year old vines is a fantastic food wine. It’s loaded with bracing acidity that is incredibly well integrated into pear, lychee, grapefruit, and minerals. Beautiful gold color with a nose full of canned peach and wet stone. I wish it wasn’t the last of my allocation, especially since Bedrock seems to have stopped producing it after the 2019 vintage. — 6 months ago

Pinotman /// Andreas

9.4

Camping in Anza Borrego. 93F in mid April. But at night really pleasant. And if you go camping you need a wine which can take a beating in the desert and still tastes awesome. Stored on ice and then tasted with Rib-eye steak from the grill. Lilac, quite tannic, leather, cherry - of course it is blasphemy to open this so soon should have bought more!!!!! — 9 months ago

Stephanie Carnegie

9.2

It’s pretty dec — 4 years ago