Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

Ruby with bouquet of berry fruit and herb floral notes, aged for 10 months on French oak. On the palate strawberry and black cherry flavors with sweet spice, tea and earthy tones. Fine soft tannins, long finish ending with earthy herbs, cedar, dried fruits and mineral tones. — 17 days ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

A property I have visited & still have in my collection.

A well made Oregon Pinot. Just moved past this extracted & slightly sweeter style. My palate just doesn’t enjoy it as much these days. — 7 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.1

Beautiful noses that shows a dark core, blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, black plum skin and raspberries on the glass edges, dark, dryish earth, sandalwood, river stone, red flowers/roses, framed in bright, brilliant violets.

Beautiful fruit entry with dry, soft tannins. Dryish; blackberries, black raspberries, black plum skin, dark cherries and hints of raspberries. Dark, dry earth, sandalwood, river stone, dark spice, cedar, dry twigs, dry top soil, some dry herbs, dry clay, minimal baking spices, cigar with ash, dark flowers, red flowers/roses, framed in bright, brilliant violets. The acidity is gentle and nice. The finish is 19 elegant & pleasant, mid structured, smartly polished and lasts a full minute.

It has evolved some but still shows as primary. 91+ with some more appropriate cellaring. — 7 months ago

Mark Mannebach

9.0

Full bodied with raspberry cherry notes and nice finish — 7 days ago

Ron R

9.4

You know when it’s good cos you immediately go online searching for more. This is our last bottle.
Bivio Pizzeria, Montclair. — 6 months ago

with Anne-marie

Tom Garland

9.5

It's Open That Bottle Night(last Sat in Feb), and thought this would be a nice pull to celebrate the occasion.

1 hour decant(decent sediment). A striking still dark garnet with some bricking. On the nose: perfumed stewed cherry/plum, smoked meat, worn leather, cigar ash,milk chocolate, rich soil, some band-aid(brett) Taste: smooth, polished, vibrant wine with plum, tobacco, bitter chocolate, worn leather, earth, and a long graphite coffee ground finish. YUM!!!! — 9 months ago

with Brenda

Ron Siegel

9.4

Classic old school style of La Mission that had a nose I could smell all night showing rich black fruits, shoe polish, smoke, with graphite, cedar, saddle leather & cigar ash. — 4 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. — 8 days ago

Matt

9.2

Thought this would be dead but the cork held up! About 30 minutes of pleasure than quickly faded and ox’ed in the glass. Oh well. Dried sour cherry, tobacco, graphite, potting soil, green peppercorn, porcini mushrooms, cigar ash, worn leather. Light, vibrant acid. — 3 years ago

Laura Purdy

8.9

Only rating at this based on what else was at the table. I love P-A and this is a fabulous wine. There are just others I liked more this eve. — 4 years ago