JonDerry's Wines

Plummy, ripe, cassis, raspberry nose. All finesse and elegance on the palate, the red fruits, acid, and tannin work very well together as one, balanced to the point where no component stands above the others. Medium + in length with mellow intensity, just egging you to take that next sip of a very precise wine. Some say Dunn's take decades to reach maturity, but this tastes like it's in its prime to me.

Turning 18 years old very gracefully right about now, with a powerful acidic spine, suggesting it could live on much longer. Already displaying a complex nose of fruits, flowers, iodine, and red fruits. Finishes well with good persistence. Good piece of history here, though more for the acid hounds, not for hedonists.

A real showy wine with intoxicating perfume on the nose. Plush mouth feel, delicate and finessed with good concentration of red fruits and currant. Has a lower intensity finish, with well resolved tannins, and there's decent acidity holding this together. In a good place right now. Very well balanced wine, bridging the gap between old and new Napa very nicely. 93 points.

This is a resounding success and a major anomaly for a California Chardonnay. Really does well to demonstrate what CA Chardonnay can do in the right climate and under the right care. It's impeccably balanced, has excellent fruit concentration/purity, freshness to spare, and a persistent finish. Comes with a well measured kiss of oak (18% new for 14 months). Definitely buy this if you like dry whites, you'll not be disappointed!

Nice and crisp, has a sourness to it I found pleasing but hard to describe outside of the typical green apple, pear, and lemon notes. Perhaps a touch on the high side of judicious oak treatment, it doesn't get in the way. Nice, mellow persistent finish. Works for me. 3.25+

This is a special wine, and was easily a candidate for the wine of the trip on my recent visit to Paso, and it probably was. It features co-fermentation of Syrah (40%) and Grenache (40%), with the Syrah fermented 50% whole cluster and seeing 70% new oak. The Grenache and Mourvedre (20%) saw neutral oak. The lore of the James Berry Vineyard is pretty straight forward, as the 2007 Saxum James Berry Vineyard (GSM Blend) won Wine Spectator’s prestigious Wine of the Year honors in 2010. But even before then, the James Berry Vineyard has been known for producing some of the best wine in all of Paso. From the winemaker: Aromatics of bramble berries, crushed rock, white flowers, red meat, and spice lead to a broad yet focused palate with well integrated tannins and flavors of gunpowder, green tea, black licorice, espresso crema, and boysenberry. I have put a few cases aside to enjoy over the next 10-15 years and would suggest you do the same. If I may borrow from Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, this wine has “flavors that just won’t let go” on a very dry and persistent, mouth staining finish. Looking forward to another go around with this wine and hopefully many more.

Very nice nose of soil, dark fruits, tobacco, and flowers. Dark berries and blueberry palate mixed with earth notes and plenty of oak. Fig and raisin jump out on the back end, with bold tannins very fresh and unresolved. Needs a few years to hit it's peak, but is already showing good signs of what lay ahead. 2008 vintage hallmark written all over this one.

Hits some high, floral notes off the nose. Dominating palate, with a lush, silky mouthfeel, explosive red and dark fruits, but then finishing seemlessly, with precision and maybe even a bit of magic this wine has big and flavorful fruit combined with elegance and balance.

Dark fruits of plum and maybe some black cherries, laced with energetic acidity, fine grained tannins on the finish. A well balanced and delicious new world style classico that's easy going, but with finesse, and integrity. At around $25, i'll look to buy this in bulk.