Staff
Domaine du Mas Blanc (Docteur Parcé)
Banyuls Rimage La Coume 2007
Château Lynch-Moussas
Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1996
Still plenty of life left, but use the Durand
K&L notes as follows, it is better than their 2000! We have been following the property for the last five years and we think it is on a great track with their new releases, but try this 20+ yr old beauty. It is elegant and has a long, lingering finish. Smokey, toasty aromas, tons of cassis fruit on the palate. In a blind tasting at K&L (January 2019), one of our top Bordeaux staff thought it was a first growth Pauillac from the 80s. A steal at this price.
Drink from 2019 to 2022 — 5 years ago
Jones Family Vineyard
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2001
Our first bottling from this small production family winery in Calistoga.
My first impressions of this wine, it’s a classic older Calistoga Cabernet. It’s nicely resolved but, not at the end of its life as some have predicted. It is a shade past its prime but, drinking nicely with the exception it’s a touch hot, even after all this time in bottle and when temp’s were not pushing alcohol levels like they can now. However, heat aside, I enjoy wines just the other side of their prime and beyond. Brings out additional complexity-characteristics and are infinitely more interesting.
The nose reveals, stewed & baked fruits of; blackberries, black plum, black cherry extract, black raspberries with some deep blue fruits. Loads of baking spices; clove, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla. Dark spice, dark chocolate, sweet tarriness, mocha, caramel, walnut shells, anise to black licorice, steeped, dark fruit teas, mint/eucalyptus, dry crushed rocks, leather, tobacco, graphite, used charcoal, dark liqueur and cola, dry herbs with dark, red, blue, purple, fresh & withering flowers accented with lavender.
The body is rich, lush, ruby, statin, velvety and thick. The tannins are rounded & softened but, still speaking loudly. The structure, tension, length and balance are in a very good place. This wine has legs to stand for another 5-10 years depending on how you enjoy them. Stewed, candied & baked fruits of; blackberries, black plum, black cherry extract, black raspberries deep blue fruits, purple fruit blend, haunting raspberries with poached strawberries as it sets. Loads of baking spices; clove, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla. Dark spice with good palate heat, dark chocolate, sweet tarriness, mocha, caramel, walnut shells, anise to black licorice, steeped, dark fruit teas, mint/eucalyptus, dry crushed rocks, dry top soil, slightly, moist clay, pronounced, fine volcanic minerals, leather, tobacco, graphite, used charcoal, dark liqueur and cola, dry herbs with dark, red, blue, purple, fresh & withering flowers accented with lavender. The acidity is round & exquisite. The long finish is; well balanced fruit & earth, very complexity, rich, delicious and persists endlessly.
Photos of; Stephanie Jones Bailey, Rick and Elaine Jones, Estate view, their Cabernet fruit close to harvest and vineyard staff managing fruit clusters & leafing.
Producer notes...they were founded in 1996. Jones Family Vineyards specializes in estate grown Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc. Thomas Rivers Brown makes their wines, two Cabernet wines...Jones Family Vineyards Estate Cabernet Sauvignon and The Sisters. TRB also makes an extremely limited production of aged Sauvignon Blanc that is cellared for over 3 years in barrel and bottle.
Jones Family has ten acres of south facing vineyards that lie 600 to 800 feet off the valley floor, resting above the fog line, an ideal altitude for growing Cabernet in the Napa Valley area.
@Paul T- Huntington Beach FYI. — 7 years ago
Paul T, Missing My Beautiful Wife 24/7
Sounds like my review of the 07 word for word, well at least the word Jones.
Kalinda
Cuvée Réserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
On the nose, sweet liqueured dark fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, black plum, plum, blueberries, black raspberries. Black olive, mocha, spices, wood shavings touch of grilled meats, violets and fresh & dark florals. The palate has; nearly completely resolved tannins, medium body, elegance and richness. Ripe, slightly liqueured fruits of; blackberries, plum, blueberries, black plum, black raspberries, dark cherries, strawberries, soft baking spices, underbrush, vanilla, mocha chocolate, salted caramel, dark, soft spices, black cherry cola/licorice, light anise, tarry notes, crushed rocks, dry stone, suede leather, mint, tobacco leaf, violet & fresh dark florals, the acidity is like rain on over the palate, still has nice freshness, good tension and an elegant finish that goes on & on. Photo tour of their SF store. I bought this 07 Kalinda for around $18. What a steal! I'm not sure who's Napa juice they bottled, but it's easily worth 3 or 4 times what I paid for it. I've never been disappointed by any of their Kalinda Cabernets. Just cellar them for 5 plus years. I've done business with just about every major wine retailer in the country, K&L stands out well above all of them. Amazing, knowledgeable, passionate staff. Sadly, this is my last bottle of their 07! 🍷😪 — 9 years ago
Jones Family Vineyard
The Sisters Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2014
93 that is beginning to lean into 94. This 14 shows nice evolution but still needs 2-3 years before it hits the beginnings of its full stride.
This 2014 “The Sisters” is rich, lush & ruby fruits of; blackberries, dark plum that stretches into pudding, dark cherries, black raspberries, some boysenberries. Dark chocolate cake with buttercream frosting, mocha powder notes, melted, salted caramel, mid berry cola, light; clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanillin, dark, rich, sweet earth with dry leaves, some dry herbs, dark spice w/ some palate heat, limestone powder, dry stone, soft leather & slightly dryish tobacco, sandalwood to barrel shavings, hints of lead pencil, touch of dry stems, fresh & slightly withering flowers that are; dark, red with lavender framed in liquid violets, excellent round acidity and a very well balanced, mid structured & tensioned finish that is elegantly polished and lasts a little more than a minute.
Paired with an Allen Brother’s Filet Mignon. A good, well aged Napa Cabernet works well with a less/near no fat cut of meat.
Photos of; the Jones family, staff harvesting, tasting room and Jones vineyard. — 2 years ago
Denavolo
Dinavolino Romagna Malvasia di Candida Blend
Ok please don’t like this yet. This needs to be fixed. Funky town for sure. I would say Parmesan cheese. Soon more….Really crazy stuff! Well Kombucha, like quite acidic and astringent, buttery, nose, Muskat - orange blossoms. So much fun but obviously you have to be crazy to ask for this and drink it - even the staff at the restaurant hesitated. — 4 years ago
Morlet Family Vineyards
Passionnément Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2012
Staff line up with winemaker owner Luc Morlet — 7 years ago
Scarpa (Antica Casa Vinicola Scarpa)
Casa Scarpa Barbera d'Asti
To use a wine term.. good
Campi di Fonterenza
Rosso di Montalcino Sangiovese 2013
When staff opens the wrong bottle but you don't get upset. — 9 years ago
Rippon Vineyard
Mature Vine Lake Wanaka Pinot Noir 2012
On the nose, red perfumed florals, dark cherries, cherries, strawberry preserves, cherries and pomegranate. On the palate, cherries, dark cherries, strawberries, pomegranate, fragrant florals for days, nice soft spices, cinnamon, vanilla, powdery tannins & minerality. The fruits brighten and the spices grow on the long polished rounded acid finish. Photos one shows their low yields and photo two shows the staff enjoying second breakfast. — 9 years ago
Rene Rostaing
La Landonne Côte-Rôtie Syrah 2016
Amazing pair w/ my Braised Short Ribs. Savory meets savory fruits.
Photos of; Pierre, staff and Sofia & I in La Landonne Vineyard, the process of Short Ribs.
The one mineral you see in this vineyard with some prevalence that I’ve not seen in others is quartz. — 2 years ago
Realm Cellars
The Bard Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2021
This is 93-94 this young. I was a little surprised they slotted this last in the tasting. I would have led with it. However, it didn’t end up being our last wine. Leslie was kind enough to open another.
Both plums, blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, mix of dark berry cola, nice, soft baking spices-nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, vanillin, grainy limestone, wet clay, dark, rich, forest floor, some dry herbs, excellent fresh & withering florals that are a combination of; dark, red, some blue and violets, nice round acidity, a smooth, elegant finish that softly structured, balanced and wire to wire smooth and elegant with a full minute finish.
Photos of; a pano of their stunning view of Pritchard Hill, Their dual sided wall of fame of bottles the staff at the estate have enjoyed and their tasting room table. They did an excellent job curating it. — 2 years ago
Domaine Bizot
Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2016
This bottle was exported to Japan then traveled back to France with me. Gift from the staff when I left the country. — 5 years ago
Del Dotto Vineyards
Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon 2014
Delectable please update your files, Wine is:
2014 Del Dotto Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon St. Emilion Allier & Troncais Alain Fouquet French Oak Connoisseurs’ Series “North”
PNP
Fabulous! Gonna say “Smokin”!
Already classic Oakville tannins completely integrated; seamless concentrated dense fruit. Best 100% Cabernet I’ve enjoyed in a long time! Kudos to Dave Del Dotto, Del Dotto Family & his entire Winemaking Staff & Team!Cheers 🍇🍷👍🏻👏🏻 — 8 years ago
Long Shadows Vintners
Poet's Leap Columbia Valley Riesling 2015
On the nose, creamy lemons, lime, green apple, pear no skin, notes of honey, green melon and yellow lilies. It's a stunner at first entry. Fresh, delicate and beautiful. Ripe round fruits of; lemon, lime, green apple, pineapple flesh, green melon, pear, white peach, notes of honey, amazing richness, round, lush, thick, elegant and beautiful. All day. Photos of; the tasting room and blown glass chandelier, the staff busy doing packaging and us barrel tasting with their Director of Winemaking & Viticulture, Gilles Nicault. Really nice Riesling for $20. — 9 years ago
Onward Wines
Hawkeye Ranch Pinot Noir 2013
It's a dark wine, dark in color, dark in aromas and dark in flavors. The nose offers abundant blackberry and black raspberry notes with an earthy base. There is an element of smoke at the top of the glass. The palate is deep and rich, dark fruit joined with a sense of black olives and tea. It leans toward savory, but not without taking the fruit with it. The wine finishes with a little raspberry tartness and a lot of berries that stay for a medium length. It's not too much of a bruiser as far as Pinot goes, rather elegant. Let your kitchen staff know you’d like a grilled pork chop for dinner. — 9 years ago
Doug Powers
[Half bottle] This lovely 17-year-old Banyuls has finally knitted together into a very fine example of Dr. Parce Banyuls (old vine Grenache made in the same way as Port), earlier bottles were terribly disjointed and lacking balance and sweetness). Served with Viennese Sacher Torte my wife made for dessert!
Our first Dr. Parce was the 1967 “Vielles Vignes” which was fantastic and is still my reference point. We had that in 1987 at Pierre Gagnaire’s restaurant in St. Etienne, before he moved on to Paris, his staff was kind enough to comp us a bottle — blind — while my brother and I embarrassed ourselves trying to identify the wine!! That bottle was tried with Pierre’s famous “chocolate soup” dessert, the recipe for which was in Patricia Wells’ “Food and Wine Lovers of France” book from the mid-1980s — memorable combination!!! — 2 years ago