Tom Garland

9.3

Happy New Year Delectable!

Double decant and pour. A splendid tawny red color. On the nose: dark fruit, cigar ash, cedar, smoked meat, pencil shavings, mint. Taste: soft, silky, elegant, still fresh wine with dark red fruit, worn leather, graphite, loamy soil, spiced herbs, minty black tea and a dry medium finish. YUM! What a fun wine to end 2024 with. A wine bought at auction, and a cork which was not in the best shape, so not sure if this is a true representation of where this wine is at.

FOOD:
Island creek oyster and cavier
Lobster butternut bisque
Pan roasted duck breast
Braised beef short rib
Black forest chocolate cake — 2 months ago

with Brenda

Mike Holzer

9.3

End of night with Naranath and John . Drank with chocolate cake. As suspected perfect match. Very smooth delicious dark fruit hint of coconut love it — 9 months ago

with Ania

Daniel M

9.0

As always a very biaised review of this one. This is great and this wine feels like it's family. Violet, blackberry, spice and an irony note on the nose. The palate is well balanced with blackberry notes, a good width, a soft and almost sweet mouthfeel, a powerful midpalate with a bit of tannins leaving a layer of complexity before a fruit forward finish that lasts for a while. So good! — 3 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Happy New Year! 🎉🎊🎈🎆 🧨

1997 Jones Family, the year prior to TRB taking the helm and yet still a fantastic Napa vintage that is singing.

For me, this is classically styled Napa Cabernet. This is still not descending. Has another 5-8 years of good drinking and perhaps beyond.

Showing dark, meaty, dry, velvety tannins. Dark currants-blackberries, black raspberries, black plum skin, raspberries, plum pudding, chocolate mousse/cake, caramel, mocha powder, dark spice, dry top soil, dry, crushed rocks, anise, cinnamon stick, nutmeg, clove, vanillin, used leather, graphite, dry stone, volcanic clay, withering, dark, red, purple flowers, excellent round acidity and a well made, balanced, nicely tensioned, elegant finish that lasts two-minutes and falls onto earth & spice. — 2 months ago

Pat A

9.8

Really good, thick & spicy. — 9 months ago

Vasanth Balakrishnan

9.2

Last of the 1981 bottles I bought for my dear wife’s birthday and I believe this was the best. The cork was in incredible condition, looked only a few years old - Ah So made easy work of it. After allowing it to warm a bit - caramel apple, some barnyard funk on the nose, plus an under layer of fresh green apple. Palate is beautifully balanced, no sign of fatigue at all - this #coteauxdulayon #cheninblanc could coast for ages it seems. Caramel and honey notes, fleshy texture, some lemon, piercing acidity cutting through that sweetness, and more fresh green apple underlaying the baked notes. This was a nice counterpoint to the Sauternes we had closer to her actual birthday and a compelling alternative. — 3 years ago

Roger Ray

9.4

Beautifully layered Argentine Malbec. — 4 months ago

Thijs Hendriks

9.4

Still young. 94+ — 9 months ago

Paco Suro

9.0

Love the sticker. — 3 years ago

Nick Davis

9.5

Simply delicious. Cake frosting! — 4 years ago