Chris Wheaton

9.5

So good on a rainy SF Friday evening…. Dense and serious with the lightness and lift of bubbles. — 3 days ago

Peter van den Besselaar

9.1

Vintage 2019 | I love this wine. It’s a idiosyncratic character. A Beast. Not willing to show charm. Very old school: classic smell, peat, cedar. Hint of chocolate. I thought it to be a Tannat, that says it. Put away in the cellar for another 3 - 5 years and get it on a windy, rainy autumnday for a dinner with wild boar of deer. Probably you will be amazed and witness a miracle. — a year ago

John Hagood

9.1

From Chambers ? on 6 April 2024. Beautiful color. Bomb of cherry on nose. Front end delicious Bordeaux. Back half copper wire. Acid, but no tannins left. Touch of salinity at front of tongue. Decanted but started drinking right away. — 2 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Happy birthday honey. 🎂🥳🎉❤️

The Chateau that got my wife Sofia to finally love Bordeaux (1995). Expected more from the this property in 2000. But 2000 is still either the stubborn I think it is or just not as good as critically advertised. 20 years in bottle and think it needs at least 10 more years. Also, a touch of v/a-bandaid. It has nice balance with soft fruit & earth. It just lacks the wow factor for the property & vintage. Maybe, it is in a dumb faze. But, I’ve been waiting 20 years for 2000 to come out of its shell. I love this property but it is not up to its reputation…even for lesser vintages. It might be outstanding in another 20. This bottle is a little flawed and perhaps maybe (?) a better 2nd day wine. Tonight it is leaner than I would expect. Ripe; blackberries, black raspberries, plum, dark cherries, poached strawberries. Sweet lead pencil, charcoal, volcanic ash, spice, nutmeg, some cinnamon, vanillin, dry tobacco, sandalwood, limestone, dry crushed rocks , dry pebbles, dark, rich earth w/ dry leaves, dry herbs, hints of Worcestershire sauce, moist clay, withering mid floral bouquet with excellent acidity and a wire to wire finish that is balanced, nicely tensioned and elegance that lasts minutes. One of the few slightly flawed bottles in 25 plus yrs of collecting. I can count them on just over one-hand.

Picture of Sofia picking the 2012 Mouton Rothschild Merlot. — 2 years 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. — 24 days ago

Zimran Ahmed

9.2

A real live wire act. Perfectly balanced on the razors edge between fruit stone and acidity. — 2 years ago

Pinotman /// Andreas

9.2

So here is the thing. Mr A. Scott is right. He did not say it in so many words - i guess he wants to clear out T.J.’s. But this wine which can be awful in some years is right on and for 15$ buy it by the case. The classic Barolo flavors one would expect + surprisingly anise on the nose and in the glass. Tons of tannins which could turn off for the usual crowd. But this is actually very very good for what it is. Unbeatable at this price. A miracle. — 2 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.2

In perfect form and magically delicious. Dark cherries and soft spice for days. Blackberries, plum. Dry top soil, crushed, dry rock, dry brush, sandalwood, withering red flowers, good acidity, nice evolution, integration and very good wire to wire finish that lasts two minutes.

$20- $25 on release if my memory hasn’t failed me. Another 3-5 years of good drinking. — 2 years 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. — a month ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Happy New Year! 🎈🎊🎆 Hope yours is rosie like ours.

Beautiful mousse, soft on the palate, micro-oxygenation, creamy, strawberries w/ cream, orange citrus blend-orange, blood orange, tangerine, cherries, some light blackberries, saline, soft chalkiness with a fine sharp edge, baguette crust, light dough, light yeastiness, sea fossils, limestone powder, spring flowers, fruit blossoms, pink roses, soft, round acidity, excellently knitted, well balanced, soft tension and beautiful wire to wire with a not overly polished finish that lasts 90 seconds. — 2 years ago