John Willison

9.2

Collaboration between Thomas Keller and Schramsberg. Bone dry. Crushed stones and yeast. Ripping acidity. — 2 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.4

2019 vintage. From a 375 ml format. Amongst what passes for the ne plus ultra in Napa cabbage these days. Rich. Overtly sumptuous. Modicum of umami on the finish. Restrained/polite company version of a fruit bomb. Too extracted/manipulated without representative tannins for this old-school Dunn/Diamond Creek/Mayacamas/Montelena guy but still verry nice for this style. Dunno where this settles in twenty years but that's someone else's problem down the road. 7.7.24. — 5 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.4

2005 vintage. Decanted and tasted over the course of two hours. Good fill, great cork. Perfect picture show sed. Vibrant color and nose. A modicum of richness up front initially but not to return. Medium body dropped down to light medium body. Thinning out meant slightly more acidity. That wasn't exactly undesirable. Currently tasting like a Napa version of LLC St. Julien (non-mountain terroir lean and mean). As it stands, will hold fast in this presentation for another 5 years. Not improving and feel it's goin' south after that 5-spot. 12.10.23. — a year ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.0

1982 vintage. Last had on 3.1.23 from a magnum (9.4). Top shoulder fill and 100% saturated cork. Subtle nose. Not decanted. Tasted after one hour and two hours open. Color more vibrant than expected. Lean and Beychevelle thin as always. Dusty. Earthy. A modicum of plummy/kirsch flavors. Fading sense of harmony and descending from the top of the bell curve at an alarming rate. If ya got ‘em, drink ‘em. In maggie or even larger format, it wouldn’t be improving so hit in the next handful of years. 11.01.24. — 2 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.3

1998 vintage. Top-notch fill (almost too good) and perfect cork with very little lower-level saturation. Decanted and tasted over the course of two hours. Appropriate, chunky sediment. Last tasted 12.17.23 (9.2). Had some nice older leather, dry summer earth and ripe plum in the nose throughout with only a modicum of "funk" that blew off quickly. Medium body. Still vibrant color. Initially, the experience was front-loaded but, after 30 minutes or so, the fruit and structure began to fill in/slide back and balance out the mid-palate and finish. More consistent specimen than the one tasted almost 3 months ago. Don't feel it needs more time to knit/resolve affairs but can likely hold in this phase for 4-5 years without degradation. 3.10.24. — 9 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.5

2017 vintage. @ Mister A’s Restaurant, San Diego-Les Caves de St. Charles CDP dinner. Initially, an absolute ballbuster. Massive tannins with a modicum of velveteen fruit at the end of a long tunnel. After two hours? Surprise! Change partners and the nearsome, fearsome tanninfest coalesced into the velveteen fruitfest. Remarkable concentration, tho, from start to finish over the course of the dinner. Best newer-vintage CDP, out of roughly 200, that I’ve had in the last two years. Just a remarkable chameleon. Supposedly 50/50 Grenache/Syrah. Worth the hunt. 11.16.23. — a year ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

8.9

2019 vintage. A modicum of frontal palate richness to excite and stir the blood. For the price and vintage, not close to approximating quality/QPR in the BDX region but, with the name, don't suppose they have to. 8.14.24. — 4 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.1

2021 vintage. Magnum format. Medium body. Decently aromatic nose but not striking. Smooth draw with a modicum of raspberry and clove on the finish. Needs to drop a little bit of the oak influence which will likely take 7-10 years. 6.6.24. — 6 months ago

Matthew Cohen

9.4

Needs 30 minutes for the modicum of oak to blow off.

Nose: white flowers. Hint of elegant richness.

Palate: white nectarines. Light for a viognier. As it opens juicy. Almost a silkiness. — 10 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.5

2007 vintage. Holy bleep! Mature, mysterious nose replete with leather, must, brett, barnyard and a modicum of whatnot. The usual, candied intro long gonzo. Light, silken body. Great color. Tasted one, two and three hours after decanting. Normally, a 15+ yo CA pinot would be long gone geek but this one seemingly at the top of the bell curve and with attitude. More than surprised. 4.2.23. — 2 years ago