David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

I would say this bottle sold on release for either side of $25. At this point, stunning with Chateaubriand.

This is at its peak. Excellent integration & evolution. It’s in its stupid faze.

The nose ripe blackberries, black raspberries, black plum, baked dark cherries & strawberries, pomegranate. Baking spices-clove, cinnamon, nutmeg & vanillin, dry herbs-sage, thyme, anise to black licorice, bight red, blue, purple florals,

The palate is ripe; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, both plums, plum, strawberries, cinnamon stick, clove, nutmeg, dark spice, dry twig, dark cola, black tea, anise to black licorice, crushed limestone, withering to dark, red flowers, perfect acidity, excellent tension, structure, balance and elegant finish that lasts two-minutes and lands on spice & earth.

Merry Christmas! 🎄🎁 🎅 ❄️ ⛄️ — a day ago

Jeroen Koenen

9.6

From magnum.

Positive evolution after 2 hrs of aeration!
Up a notch. — 2 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.4

Tasted blind. Dark, dark black scarlet color. Opaque times 2. Notes of black cherry, licorice, herbs and violets. Some menthol too. Big and strong in the mouth. Monolithic and still a bit harsh despite being open all day. Not as big a fan of this as others, at least at this point in its evolution. — 2 years ago

Jakub Kalinowski

9.0

Surprisingly youthful for 35y, served from a magnum.
Still deep in colour, with not much evolution towards the rim.
Uplifting aromatics with cigar box, tobacco leaf, cedar wood, some kirsch, but also some black currant jam.
Medium bodied on the palate with nice balance, the tannins still surprisingly grippy, though a touch dry.
Nicely poised, with good flow and high drinkability.
What a surprise! — 3 years ago

Anthony Hoffman

10

Delicious — 2 months ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Love Margaux wines with rack of lamb. It is a classic pair as long as you are not doing a Mediterranean mint prep. This is salt, pepper, Napa Valley rub and red wine.

As it airs and intermixes w/ the meal, it rises from 93 to 94.

The wine is approaching its peak. Still has another 10 yrs of appropriate drinking.

The fruits are ripe, juicy; blackberries, black raspberries, plum, dark cherries, strawberries, raspberries with hues of purple & blue fruits. There is excellent integration & evolution. Led pencil shavings, fresh & dry herbs, moist grey volcanic minerals/clay, fresh & dry tobacco, sandalwood, used leather, soft, dark spice with heat on the long set, limestone, dry crushed rocks into powder, touch of black pepper, saline, fresh dark, red flowers with violets, excellent, cool rainfall acidity, well woven, balanced, softly tensioned & structured with a pure elegant finish that lasts a full two-minutes. — a year ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Decanted 7 hours and then poured back into the bottle before service, 4 hours later. No formal notes. The 2019 “Caravina” is showing classic notes of black currants, tobacco, and baking spices with a gentle touch of vanilla. The finish is dry with significant structure. Already lovely with extended exposure to air, I’m looking forward to following the evolution of this wine for the next 10-15+ years. This remains one of Napa’s best values. — 3 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Just entering its drinking window. It has 40 years ahead of it. Excellent with Ribcap from Costco.

Interesting that there are some vegetable notes on the nose.

Very good evolution. Medium plus tannins. Juicy, ripe blackberries, black raspberries, darkest cherries, black plum/ with skin, ripe strawberries, some blue fruit hues, cedar, black licorice/cola, dark rich earth w/ leaves, sandstone, steeped sun tea, light limestone powder, ripe, light, dark spice, clove, light cinnamon, hints of nutmeg, vanillin, moist volcanic clay, fresh red, dark flowers, framed in violets, round acidity with polish/balance, softly tensioned, elegant that falls on mineral & clay that lasts two-minutes. — 7 months ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.6

For those of you that don’t know Jones Family, you should. This 10 is so different from their 09. The 10 is wine candy and the 09 is a bit more rugged & structured. Not that the 09 is rugged. Just a relative comparison.

The nose is candied, floral, perfumed, lush & ruby, slightly bramble fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, black plum, plum, raspberries, poached strawberries, ripe, baked rhubarb, sweet tarriness, anise, dark, heavy, beautiful spices, dark, fruit cola, dry crushed rocks, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, hint of mint, dark, rich, moist earth, fresh herbaceous notes, dark chocolate with caramel cake with ruby, candied, dark, purple, and blue florals framed in violets.

The palate & mouthfeel is full, lush, ruby & glorious. Candied, lush, ripe, ruby, slightly brambly fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, black plum, plum, raspberries, poached strawberries, boysenberries, ripe, baked rhubarb, sweet tarriness, anise, dark, heavy, beautiful spices, dark, fruit cola, dry crushed rocks, fresh tobacco, used leather, wood shavings, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, hint of mint, dark, rich, moist earth, fresh herbaceous notes, dark chocolate with caramel cake with ruby, candied, dark, purple, lavender and blue florals framed in violets for days. The acidly is about the best I’ve had in a Napa Cabernet. The finish is extremely well balanced & structured. It goes from ripe, ruby, lush fruits that falls gently on to well softened earthiness that lasts minutes. This is an outstanding wine. Perfectly soft, well integrated with amazing evolution. Still has another 5-8 plus years but its approaching its precipice. Beautiful, beautiful Napa Cabernet.

Great pair with the Allen Brothers Cowgirl Bone-in Ribeye.

Photos of the Jones Family and their property. Their glorious fruit at harvest. Jones Family Vineyards was founded by Rick and Sally Jones. Unfortunately, Sally passed away in 2005. — 2 years ago

Doug Powers

9.3

Lovely older Bordeaux, red fruits, soft, mostly resolved tannins, long finish, this is really a great bottle, and nicely refined at this point of its evolution. — 3 years ago

with Jim