Winery - Jarvis
* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Lavishly oaked from the first whiff on the nose and palate, dense toasty notes envelope the pineapple and tropical fruit. Plenty of vanilla and both a tangy nuttiness and a creaminess from the oak, provide a nice mouthfeel tension. Panelists had two schools of thought about this wine: The oak totally dominates—certainly now—and how you feel about that determines your take on the wine. Lacking fruit? Or just tight and needing a year or two to open? Only time will tell.
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Jarvis Chardonnay - 1999
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Feels rather heavy and extracted right now, with masses of jammy cherries, currants, chocolate and spices, and even a note on the finish of overripe raisins. Meanwhile, 100% new oak adds a filigree of toast and vanilla. Made from 100% Merlot, it’s a good, rich red wine, but would have benefited with the addition of a little Cabernet Sauvignon or Petit Verdot for complexity.
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Jarvis Merlot - 2007
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
This weirdly named wine is a blend of 95% Cabernet Franc and 5% Merlot. It’s a bit soft and melted in texture, like liquid licorice, with flavors of cherries, red currants, mocha, anise and smoky oak, and the finish is dry. Notable for the elegance and purity of its tannin structure.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
It’s huge in extract, in the form of massively infused blackberries and black currants, cherry liqueur and sweet, smoky cedar wood from 100% new oak, with perfectly ripened tannins and a deft touch of acidity. Defines the voluptuous, Napa cult style. Should age for many years, although it’s soft and delicious enough to drink now.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
It’s all about sweet, delicious flavor in this 100% Cabernet. Dazzles the mouth with the essence of blackberries, cassis, cherry tart with the smoky crust, chocolate and exotic sandalwood, wrapped into the richest, finest tannins you can imagine. Compulsively drinkable, if a little too forward with its charms. Now–2013.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
This is the best California Tempranillo I have ever reviewed. Grown on the estate vineyard southeast of Napa that might have its own appellation someday, it’s as silky and light as a Pinot Noir, and marked by the dryness and acidity you want in a Temp. Shows savory cherry, cola, tobacco, leather and spice flavors. But beyond that, there’s a complexity and structure that bring a welcome dimension to the variety. One hundred percent new French oak is not out of place. Very elegant and compelling.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
A very pretty wine, dry and delicious in cherry pie filling, cocoa, spice and sandalwood flavors. The tannins are just perfect, rich and soft, providing a velvety texture to the richness. Cabernet Sauvignon constitutes 11% of the blend, but the wine still shows that Cabernet Franc, by itself or almost nearly, needs something more to give it extra oomph.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
A blend of Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot, this wine defines the cult style of immediate softness and deliciousness. Aged in 100% new oak, it adds a layer of caramelized vanilla to the ultra rich blackberry, black cherry, red currant, chocolate, anise and exotic Indian spice flavors. Superb now, and should develop over the next six years.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Loads of plum, dark chocolate, blackberry and exotic spices in this big, dry wine. Oak, too, in the form of exquisite vanilla and caramel. It’s absolutely delicious, but maybe a little one-dimensional, showing that Petit Verdot by itself needs some help from other varieties.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
A rich, dry and elegant Cab Franc, showing the fine tannins of Napa Valley, but with a fruitiness lighter and airier than either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot. The flavors are pure red and black cherries, violets and Canadian bacon, accented with smoky new oak. Delicious and compelling, and should develop for up to six years.
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