Color: Solid purple ink with no real fading along the edges. Coats the glass quite well.
Nose: Ripe plums, cherry, certain refined roundness, licorice, some mocha and earthy dirt earthiness. Smell is delightful!
Taste: Wow! Really!?! It’s like it is there and then drops right off. We initially get sour cherry, plums, mocha, and a nice subtle spiciness when rounding out the palate. This seems to miss the Homeplate right at the end. We should have opened this sooner. The nose is on it! Taste doesn’t quite live up to the nose. Big bummer….Sad Panda…..but we are having it with grilled veal with a balsamic reduction, spaetzle, and fresh cucumber/onion/tomato salad. So yea, there’s all that. It functioned better as a “Pinot Noir” then as intended.
Final Thoughts: This was a good wine to have right now with a veal chop dinner. Not gonna lie, it did drink well with dinner. BUT! This wine is beginning to show some middle age tendencies. The typical…..Looking at younger wines, checking its legs for firmness, making sure the backbone is still standing upright, wanting to buy a corvette, thinking about a boat, you know the usual. But just like we all begin to slow a little during middle age, so does this bottle as well. Personal opinion…I would drink this my friends.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
From a magnum. Brought to an outdoor 4th of July celebration which kicked off at 4:00 PM. Despite the resulting heat, and poor stemware, the quality of the wine was evident. I figured this vintage, with Cab being less than 50% of the blend, stood the best chance for success under these circumstances, and we were not disappointed. Notes of black fruit and cassis, with a mild herbal green streak which I thought worked well. The oak is well integrated. Rustic tannins add to the appeal.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A cabernet dominated blend with some Cab Franc making up the next highest level of saturation while some other grapes round it out. We decanted this for well over 2 hours and it was pretty constant throughout. Big nose but not a big finish. Some very dark grapes and berries here with not much structure down the line. Bursting with flavor yet lacking a finish. A really good wine, but lacking just a little something at the end.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Olive, green pepper dominated this very linear wine. Was not happy with the flavor profile but the mouth feel was velvety with solid tannins. Don't know where this one is going.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This earthy and integrated Cabernet blend is drinking impressively right now, with an Old World sophistication that I've never tasted from the Central Coast. Dark garnet in color with a brick-colored rim; full in body; nose of boysenberry, cocoa powder, gravel, and bay leaf. Tastes of blackberry, espresso, green olive, and eucalyptus, with a dusty tannins and a pleasant sweetness. Blend of 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Cabernet Franc, 11% Merlot, and 14% Petit Verdot. 14.5% alcohol.
This doesn't have the silkiness or depth of a fine aged Napa Cabernet, but it's quite good. I think the main issue with this - and many Paso / Central Coast Cabernets - is the mid-palate, which seems abbreviated and leaves the wine tasting a bit too fruity, dusty, and acidic (kind of like a Brunello). This isn't my personal preference, but this wine is as good as I've tasted from the Central Coast (note JonnyG's helpful comment below, too, about the appellation). Drink in next few years.
IMW - Cab / Cab Franc Panel Tasting 2018 (Hyatt, San Francisco): Difficult vintage - cold and rot issues. 45% cab, 40% cab franc, the rest is Merlot and PV. Deep ruby color. Ripe blackcurrant - less ripe than the '08. A bit crunchy and tart - more similar to how I remember young, unfinished Spottswoode. Showing more prominent pyrazines - a hint of fresh bell pepper and herbs. This tastes like cab franc with ripeness. Full body and feels 14.5% alcohol. Has notably elevated acidity and medium plus tannins. Bright and complex with a long finish. Totally different wine to 2008. ~60% new French barrique.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
MW 2017 SIT DOWN CABERNET FRANC/CABERNET SAUVIGNON TASTING WITH MATT WEIS. Blend of 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Cabernet Franc, 20% Merlot and Petit Verdot. Nose of ash, sweet fruit, same on the palate, medium/big body, medium amount of tannins, and a long finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
My third time with this wine and it continues to out shine and exceed expectations. Lush nose of black fruit, grape gum and some loam. The palate adds to the nose with the Cab Franc poking thru showing stone, veg, gravel, ash and dusty vineyard. I feel this wine is under appreciated in professional reviews. Still very young, 5-10 years at least.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Forward, spicy and round in texture, this easy drinking wine offers floral, black cherry and licorice notes. This blend of 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Cabernet Franc, 14% Petit Verdot and 11% Malbec is already drinking well.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Drank over three weeks thru Coravin. Big and broad, lush black fruit, mellowing over time to show good earth and vegetation elements. Super young, needs time.
Dark and viscous in the glass. Opening nose of fresh dark berries, berry pie and hints of evergreen and mint, concentration of each is beautifully strong. Overtime evolves into more complex iron, and rust elements with blackberry in the background. Palate is big and broad, showing structure and tannin, with more black berry, forest floor, evergreen, earth, and iron elements. Somewhat reminiscent of an Haut Brion - perhaps given the Cab Franc percentage. Wine is certainly young and is very age worthy, yet drinkable today with a decent decant. My first Jonata and good one at that.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
7/30/2022 - Wine Gombie wrote: 89 Points
Late decant : ( Only an hour and a half.
Color: Solid purple ink with no real fading along the edges. Coats the glass quite well.
Nose: Ripe plums, cherry, certain refined roundness, licorice, some mocha and earthy dirt earthiness. Smell is delightful!
Taste: Wow! Really!?! It’s like it is there and then drops right off. We initially get sour cherry, plums, mocha, and a nice subtle spiciness when rounding out the palate. This seems to miss the Homeplate right at the end. We should have opened this sooner. The nose is on it! Taste doesn’t quite live up to the nose. Big bummer….Sad Panda…..but we are having it with grilled veal with a balsamic reduction, spaetzle, and fresh cucumber/onion/tomato salad. So yea, there’s all that. It functioned better as a “Pinot Noir” then as intended.
Final Thoughts: This was a good wine to have right now with a veal chop dinner. Not gonna lie, it did drink well with dinner. BUT! This wine is beginning to show some middle age tendencies. The typical…..Looking at younger wines, checking its legs for firmness, making sure the backbone is still standing upright, wanting to buy a corvette, thinking about a boat, you know the usual. But just like we all begin to slow a little during middle age, so does this bottle as well. Personal opinion…I would drink this my friends.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/6/2022 - JGinMO wrote: 92 Points
Still surprisingly young. I get nice secondary flavors but fruit is still quite concentrated, might wait a few more years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/4/2021 - JonnyG Likes this wine: 92 Points
From a magnum. Brought to an outdoor 4th of July celebration which kicked off at 4:00 PM. Despite the resulting heat, and poor stemware, the quality of the wine was evident. I figured this vintage, with Cab being less than 50% of the blend, stood the best chance for success under these circumstances, and we were not disappointed. Notes of black fruit and cassis, with a mild herbal green streak which I thought worked well. The oak is well integrated. Rustic tannins add to the appeal.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/29/2020 - gamlingman Likes this wine: 90 Points
A cabernet dominated blend with some Cab Franc making up the next highest level of saturation while some other grapes round it out. We decanted this for well over 2 hours and it was pretty constant throughout. Big nose but not a big finish. Some very dark grapes and berries here with not much structure down the line. Bursting with flavor yet lacking a finish. A really good wine, but lacking just a little something at the end.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/2/2019 - Wine Warrior 1 Does not like this wine: 91 Points
Olive, green pepper dominated this very linear wine. Was not happy with the flavor profile but the mouth feel was velvety with solid tannins. Don't know where this one is going.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/1/2019 - msuwine wrote: 94 Points
This earthy and integrated Cabernet blend is drinking impressively right now, with an Old World sophistication that I've never tasted from the Central Coast. Dark garnet in color with a brick-colored rim; full in body; nose of boysenberry, cocoa powder, gravel, and bay leaf. Tastes of blackberry, espresso, green olive, and eucalyptus, with a dusty tannins and a pleasant sweetness. Blend of 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Cabernet Franc, 11% Merlot, and 14% Petit Verdot. 14.5% alcohol.
This doesn't have the silkiness or depth of a fine aged Napa Cabernet, but it's quite good. I think the main issue with this - and many Paso / Central Coast Cabernets - is the mid-palate, which seems abbreviated and leaves the wine tasting a bit too fruity, dusty, and acidic (kind of like a Brunello). This isn't my personal preference, but this wine is as good as I've tasted from the Central Coast (note JonnyG's helpful comment below, too, about the appellation). Drink in next few years.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comments (3)
10/30/2017 - RajivAyyangar wrote: 90 Points
IMW - Cab / Cab Franc Panel Tasting 2018 (Hyatt, San Francisco): Difficult vintage - cold and rot issues. 45% cab, 40% cab franc, the rest is Merlot and PV.
Deep ruby color. Ripe blackcurrant - less ripe than the '08. A bit crunchy and tart - more similar to how I remember young, unfinished Spottswoode. Showing more prominent pyrazines - a hint of fresh bell pepper and herbs. This tastes like cab franc with ripeness. Full body and feels 14.5% alcohol. Has notably elevated acidity and medium plus tannins. Bright and complex with a long finish. Totally different wine to 2008.
~60% new French barrique.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/30/2017 - bestdamncab Likes this wine: 90 Points
MW 2017 SIT DOWN CABERNET FRANC/CABERNET SAUVIGNON TASTING WITH MATT WEIS. Blend of 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Cabernet Franc, 20% Merlot and Petit Verdot. Nose of ash, sweet fruit, same on the palate, medium/big body, medium amount of tannins, and a long finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/31/2015 - T.E.D. wrote: 92 Points
My third time with this wine and it continues to out shine and exceed expectations. Lush nose of black fruit, grape gum and some loam. The palate adds to the nose with the Cab Franc poking thru showing stone, veg, gravel, ash and dusty vineyard. I feel this wine is under appreciated in professional reviews. Still very young, 5-10 years at least.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/21/2014 - Jeff Leve wrote: 92 Points
Forward, spicy and round in texture, this easy drinking wine offers floral, black cherry and licorice notes. This blend of 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Cabernet Franc, 14% Petit Verdot and 11% Malbec is already drinking well.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/22/2014 - T.E.D. wrote: 92 Points
Drank over three weeks thru Coravin. Big and broad, lush black fruit, mellowing over time to show good earth and vegetation elements. Super young, needs time.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comments (3)
1/3/2014 - T.E.D. Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark and viscous in the glass. Opening nose of fresh dark berries, berry pie and hints of evergreen and mint, concentration of each is beautifully strong. Overtime evolves into more complex iron, and rust elements with blackberry in the background. Palate is big and broad, showing structure and tannin, with more black berry, forest floor, evergreen, earth, and iron elements. Somewhat reminiscent of an Haut Brion - perhaps given the Cab Franc percentage. Wine is certainly young and is very age worthy, yet drinkable today with a decent decant. My first Jonata and good one at that.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment