Lyle Fass

Founder Fass Selections

9.6

The nose is psycho. Lime zest, butter, actually brown butter, an airy ethereal quality, maybe some white peach, some citrus and unreal discreetly framed oak that has just made me shake my head how well integrated it is. Like insane. 9.8 nose. All the wet stones one can imagine. Florent is a completely different winemaker than when I started with him. This is super elite. The palate is a masterclass in controlled detonating So opulent yet so nimble. The texture, my goodness the texture. Silk. The finest silk. Extraordinary concentration and so nimble, so sappy and so pure. Unreal density and finesse and ultra concentrated. But so nimble it’s like a breeze on your palate. Acid is on point as is the structure which is architectural. More Gehry than Hadid. It’s got tannin and acid plus extraordinary length. There is real heft and density here but it retains this laser like delineation. Icing on a cake like texture now after some air and silly length. Stunning. With air this got crazy crazy elegant. Brilliant. — a year ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

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

Matt

9.4

This is crushing it right now, perfect time to open. Harmonious, balanced, beautifully expressive and classic. A great example of how a humble wine from a great producer can shine in the right setting. Further confirmation that 10-15 year age mark is a sweet spot for my palate. Ripe morello cherry, cooked red plum, strawberry confit, leather, hung meat, tobacco leaf, fresh cigar, ash, vanilla, sweet brown spices, Ceylon, licorice root, damp earth, dust, dill weed. The nose just keeps going. Juicy, alive, upfront on the palate, the acid is there to counterpoint the dusty tannin, the wine is lifted and well postured start to finish. Great length too. — 8 years ago

Manuel Buergi

10

After the first nose (right after opening), it was clear that the wine needed like 6+ hours of decanting. Following it open it in the decanter was amazing, you could really see and smell how it evolved and started to blossom. It also seemed to get darker in color, as if it was gathering power and strenght (but of course, this must have been my personal impression only).

Crimson red with some light brick-red/brown reflexes. The "Collina Rionda " showed simply fantastic in the nose and palate. A hugely perfumed nose, that just kept me captive for a while. Both in the nose and palate, it was like a kaleidoscope with all kinds of red (partly baked) fruits, fruitcake, a bit of hard candy, plums and prunes, tar, some truffle and hints of tobacco leaf of noble quality. Like an explosion with endless layers of the mentioned flavors in the mouth and a huge finish. The acidity and the tannins was perfectly balanced and integrated and gave the wine beautiful harmony.
Boom!! Vigna Rionda at it's best, a producer at his best and all that in an epic vintage!!

Perfect to drink now! But how will it evolve over another decade? I don't think that it has reached it's very best peak yet.

I 100% concur with Antonio Gallonis score of 100 and Ken Vastolas opinion that this might be the best wine ever made 

Can't wait to open the next one...   — 8 years ago

Amy Morgan

9.5

So my friend in the industry says to me, "I'm really into Italian pinot noir right now." Say what? So we order this little gem and holy cow!! Bright red cherries, raspberries, spice (black tea and touch of clove) with great concentration and depth. I was surprised how balanced the wine was showing elegance all the while having bold flavors and length. And the price to boot. Yes, Italian Pinot Noir, I'm your new biggest fan! — 11 years ago

with Nikki

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.3

2021 vintage. Not the biggest TRB (Thomas Rivers Brown) fan nor a Sonoma Cab fan. This overcomes both peeves in one fell swoop. Undeniably delicious with a holy whuzzat nose. Light-medium/medium body. Dunno how long it can go but it’s going off now. May just hafta pour it btg. 1.5.24. — 2 years ago

Ron R

9.4

Surprised at how well this showed. Sometimes age on a wine comes on its own. In this case, I’m impressed because of its ethereal demeanor. Excellent poise and balance. All fruit on the mid palate. Cherries, coffee nibs and soft brown sugar. Pure and precise with tight acidity. I wasn’t an Anakota fan, but I’m very willing to rethink that now. — 6 years ago

with Mo, Anne-marie and 1 other

Isaac Pirolo

9.5

Another wine I was introduced to by Monica Stevens of 750 wines. The Shifflett Ranch and Vineyards is situated at the end of Darms Lane in the Oak Knoll AVA of Napa Valley.

William & Mary Wine Co. is the creation of Will Segui and his wife Mary. The fruit is sourced from the Shifflett Vineyard, where Will’s mother-in-law is a Shifflett and the family has owned the property since the late 1940s. It’s worth noting that Will has been the only employee of @riversmariewines for many years. He has long run the operations there along with being an understudy of Thomas Rivers Brown. Needless to say, I was excited to finally taste the wine.

The 2016 William & Mary Wine Co Cabernet Sauvignon Shifflett Vineyard displays enveloping aromatics of cassis, blueberry, tobacco, earth, pen ink, and meat. There’s a beautiful interplay between its juxtaposition of vibrant flavor intensity and mellow demeanor, which exemplifies just how balanced the wine is. After several hours decanted the darker, secondary notions of graphite, cocoa powder, creosote, and espresso continue encroachment on the palate in an almost infectious manner. There’s a tightness to the wine that almost surprises because of how immediately approachable it is. Have no doubt it will benefit from years in the cellar, but damn, if it’s not delicious now. — 7 years ago

M. Christopher Roebuck

9.5

WINE #300. MY LAST REVIEW ON DELECTABLE!

1997! A standout vintage for Brunello. Ciacci being one of my all time favorites. Quite opaque in the glass with a brown-brick rim. I'm at the 2 hour mark and it's still opening.

Lots of spice on the nose. White pepper, muddled aged cherries, fresh tobacco, and something in the Christmas tree family.

It's surprising how alive this wine tastes! Definitely cherry on the palate, acidity is now quite low, but tannins are still very firm. This baby isn't going anywhere!!! I have a couple of other '97s and now have no fear holding them a bit longer.

95+ points — 8 years ago

Lewis Chester

9.4

1976 vintage. At The Ledbury - paired with cheese course. Dark brown hue. Wonderful nose of wood polish, walnuts, prunes, dark chocolate, vanilla essence, amontillado scents, raisin, sultana, cow hide, roasted coffee and rancio. On the palette, searing acidity that is very integrated, full concentration, medium plus body and long lingering finish. Extremely enjoyable. How great is Madeira? Shame so few drink this nectar. — 11 years ago

Alanna Nuala

9.9

Good year. — 14 years ago

Deborah M

9.0

Officially winter here and I immediately wanted to enjoy a bigger wine. It’s funny how the temperature outside can easily influence my wine choices. First time trying this one.

Mending Wall is a collaborative effort between three families that includes winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown, Outpost Winery (Frank Dotzler) and Pulido-Walker (Mark Pulido & Donna Walker). It is located on the edge of St. Helena, at the foothills of Howell Mountain. The name comes from a Robert Frost poem. There is a line in the poem ‘Good fences make good neighbors.’

The 2017 is approachable now. Big, yet soft Cab. No need in waiting years, enjoy now with a short decant. Worth mentioning that it had a lot of sediment for a relatively young wine.

Shorter days, colder nights, bigger wines. Happy weekend.
— 4 years ago

"Odedi"

9.2

For #tempranilloday here is a delicious one from Rioja.

A very pretty color of dark ruby with a reddish/ brick rim.

Delightful nose of blueberries, black currants, sweet cherries, wood, licorice, spices, light vanilla, earth, tobacco, peppercorn, pencil lead, dark coffee and dark chocolates.

Medium plus in body and elegant with medium plus acidity and long legs.

Dry on the palate with cherries, blueberries, cedar, spices, tobacco, brown sugar, coffee, earth, wet rocks, vegetables, pencil lead and peppercorn.

Long finish with fine-grained tannins and tangy cranberries.

This is a great Tempranillo blend from Rioja. Spicy and intense with nice complexity and a great mouthfeel.

This 8 year old is starting to drink very nicely now. Would be nice to see how it evolves in the next 10 years.

Good by itself as a sipping wine. A good wine to enjoy with friends and talk about. Awesome nose. Loved smelling on it for a long while.

Needs 90 minutes in a decanter to open up properly and remove some of the acidity, so take your time.

A good food wine too. Nicely balanced with enough fruits for the earthiness this region brings to the table.

A good quality wine that will age nicely in the next 10 years. The tangy finish makes it interesting.

A blend of 88% Tempranillo and 12% Graciano. Grapes were hand-harvested and aged for 26 months in French Oak barrels.

13.5% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$65. — 7 years ago

Peter van den Besselaar

9.2

Vintage 2010 / Way too young! I opened it on thursday evening and now half bottle (with pulltex anti oxydation stop) is showing a bit of its qualities. Half transparant with a rim of Italian tiles brown. Very classic smell with cedar, impression of chocolate. Flint. Mushrooms. Alive and kicking taste with red fruit, good acidity. Vibrant. How will this #brunellodimontalcino perform in future. I think i will not open a bottle in the next 3 to 5 years. Paired with Dutch Boerenkoolstamppot (cabbage with smashed potatoes) and Ezeltje (beef). — 8 years ago

Greg Ballington

Co-Founder of Millennial Drinkers Wine Blog

8.9

Since @India Okoh was slaying it in Constantia visiting Klein Constantia, Groot Constantia and Eagle’s Nest Wines, I decided to find some aged South African wine to drown my sorrows.

Bought this on a whim. How often do you get a chance to 27 year old South African Bordeaux blend? Unless you know somebody probably almost never. We got lucky and found this in a liquor store in Johannesburg for R170.00 it around $11.00.

No seepage and capsule intact. The cork was a little depressed and no ullage issues. Upon opening the cork completely fell apart with a light brown edge and medium garnet core. Woody nose with a touch of black cherries, mulberries, cedar and damp spices. Solid acidity making your mouth pucker with a light plus to medium bodied. Aged palate with leather, dried cherries, cedar, damp forest floor and a tad tart in the medium finish. Very impressive for a 27 year old. Drink now. — 8 years ago

Severn G

9.0

On the Lawn at Tanglewood this afternoon, for Andris Nelsons conducting the BSO in a world-premiere John Williams string moment, then Tchaikovsky and Berlioz. On violin today is the amazing, and beautiful, Anne-Sophie Mutter.

Today's theme ending up being 'island' wines, it's just how the cards managed to fall. I'm headed in my mind, and now my glass, to the southern hemisphere, where technically Australia is an island, but it's a massive place.  Now for the Shiraz, this one usually takes some time to get going, so it was decanted a few hours ahead of time this morning.  This was an experimental case project, bought on release ($15), stored and finally opened the top last year (2016), just to see how it could age out.  Not bad in my opinion.  Red color with a little brown on the edge.  Aroma is ripe red berry, cherry and smokey notes.  Palate is still alive with raspberry and spicy (light) cherry, definitely calmed from it's youth. Still a little bit of the typical alcohol present, perhaps the last 4 bottles over a few years will relax further. — 9 years ago

Drew DiMatteo

9.6

I knew Thomas Rivers Brown from his amazing wines @OutpostWines Now because of @jbonne I know how amazing Rivers-Marie is too. #wine — 12 years ago