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 still 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. — 11 hours ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

The follow up to the 03 Brane-Cantenac. So good but still youthful now as I mentioned this 97 still is in @Paul T- Huntington Beach recent post of his 2013.

The tannins are round, softened but still meaty & somewhat tarry.

The nose is still brooding. Ripe lush, ruby, fruits of, blackberries, black plum, black raspberries, dark cherries, baked to poached strawberries. Dark, rich, sweet forest floor, mix of Indian & Asian spice with palate piercing heat, notes of Cognac, steeped tea, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, black licorice, tarry notes, day crushed rocks, limestone minerals, grey volcanic minerals, light tobacco with ash, used leather, sandalwood, bright, fresh; dark, red, blue florals with violets.

The palate is ripe, lush, juicy & floral fruits of; blackberries, black plum, black raspberries, dark cherries, baked to poached strawberries, raspberry highlights & pomegranate. Dark, rich, sweet forest floor, mix of Indian & Asian spice, notes of Cognac, steeped tea, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon stick, black licorice, tarry notes, day crushed rocks, limestone minerals, grey volcanic minerals/ash, moist, grey clay, light tobacco with ash, used leather, sandalwood, bright, fresh; dark, red, blue florals with violets, insane, waterfall acidity, woven, layered, structured, nicely tensioned with great length and a incredibly balanced, well polished finish that goes on for two to three minutes.

If you are 15-20 years plus patient w/ these bottling’s, they are one of the very best values in Napa Valley. — a year ago

Matt

9.2

Like drinking lightning bolts ⚡️ Ripe green pear, white peach, tart citrus, zest and pith, citrus blossom, tea leaves, crushed chalk, a layer of spring honey just barely. Tense on day one with electric acidity. Day 2 showing more aromatic complexity and a kiss of breadth on the palate. So much acid and rocks. Day 4 still fresh as a daisy — 5 years ago

Matt Perlman

9.3

Second to last vintage of this wine that Steve Edmunds produced. It was special before he decided to hang things up and even more so now. Cali GSM with true old world sensibility — 2 months ago

Ludovic Anacleto

9.7

inky, saturated, dark. Magnificent.
The nose full of violets, crushed rocks, black olives, cedar, black cracked pepper. Alcohol is medium.

On the palate, a masterpiece of tannin management, full throttle yet perfectly integrated, melting in dark ripe berry giving a wholesome mouthfeel and a highly pitched acidity giving lightness and brightness to the overall massive texture.
The full stem gives a lightness to the whole ensamble that is stunning and a masterclass of equilibrium and definition alike.
Buy by the case.
— 7 months ago

Joe DAscoli

9.6

My sisters birth year and finally time to open it. Pairing with rack of lamb for Christmas dinner. Opened and decanted for a couple hours. Starts off light and not very expressive. Finished with dinner as an incredible robust Bordeaux with great fruit and depth. Wow. This wine showed why old Bordeaux rocks. — 2 years ago

Tom Garland

9.4

Double decant (lots of chunky sediment) and pour. A noble dark garnet color with little browning on the edges. On the nose: beautiful.....that sweet aged cab aroma with blue fruit, black olives, green veggies, eucalyptus, crushed rocks. Taste: Red plum, chocolate espresso, pencil lead, some blackberry. Beautiful sweet tannins coat the mouth....such a elegant, rich wine with a long finish. — 5 years ago

with Brenda

Jeroen Koenen

9.6

Bright straw yellow colour in the glass.
Although this wine has lovely hints of cottoncandy, rockdust and bigtime candied citrusnotes on the nose, it really impresses for combining its subdued richness, depth and complexity with a magnificent saline, savoury, stony, acidic and bonedry mouthfeel. The long and balanced finish echoes all of the above, while gorgeous citruspeel bitterness, tonic water, wet rocks, iodine and some woolly, earthy funk are added in the mix.
A wonderful example of traditional and restrained dry Riesling.
Even better after two hours of air and when served slightly warmer than refrigerator temperature.
— 4 months ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

I compare the Heitz Napa to the Joseph Phelps Napa in many ways. I believe the Phelps is slightly less vintage dependent than Heitz. But, this 07 like the vintage in Napa, sensational.

This 2007 is peaking. Perfectly ripe & juicy; brambly blackberries, creamy black raspberries, black plum, dark cherries/kirsch, blueberries come on late and poached strawberries on the edges. The tannins are still dark and tarry. Rich, sweet, dark soils, mid & dark berry cola, anise, steeped black tea, dry tobacco, used leather, cedar/sandalwood, clove, nutmeg, some cinnamon & vanillin, moist, grey volcanic clay, dry crushed rocks, limestone, mid spice, hints of grilled meat, some fresh/dry herds, a tad of eucalyptus, stewy/tumble weed, fresh & withering dark, red, blue florals framed in violets, excellent round acidity, the scope of the finishes encompasses; balance for days, nice structure & tensioned, elegant, polished and lasts two minutes.

Photos all taken around their tasting room on Hwy 29 when their tasting was still the last free tasting in Napa. Still not over the family selling to a corporation that has no wine experience. — 10 months ago

Chris Shultz

9.3

Tight at first. Resembles other fianos until it gets some air. Meaning some light tangerine and pear notes, rocks in a stream, with good spice and acidity. Then it gets caramel apples, spice, chestnut, walnut, oyster/mushroom, with lots of electric minerals tingling over the whole mouth. There’s something great about good fianos and grecos, maybe it’s volcanic, but the spice and electric mineral component takes on a piquancy like blue cheese. I love it, and this is probably my favorite young. I wish I had space to put some aside. Not super long but full of flavor. — 5 years ago