Powerful, singular, memorable.
Harvested from four separate vineyards and matured in neutral oak barrel to add complexity and weight but not oakiness, this is a truly memorable bottle.
It is resinous, bordering on opulent with golden apples, honeydew melon, vanilla and acacia flowers, straw and lanolin. Potent and ripe with excellent acidity to balance. A singular powerful wine.
©copyright 2019 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Scores Reviewed - November 19th, 2019

Alluring, creamy, fresh.
Carmel Road is nestled i the foothills of the Santa Lucia Mountains in Monterey's Arroyo Seco appellation. It is just one of the several dozen outstanding wineries in the Jackson Family Wines (Kendall-Jackson, La Crema, Freemark Abbey, Arrowood, etc.) portfolio.
Notes of honeysuckle and warm buttered apple puff pastries, hazelnuts and faint spice lead to an equally alluring palate. Sweet golden fruit sprinkled with spice, vanilla and lemon peel flavours culminate in toastiness on the finish. It has wonderful balance, a creamy slick texture and a mouthwatering finish.
©copyright 2021 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Scores Reviewed - November 19th, 2021

Juicy, slick, creamy.
Flying under the Jackson Family Wines umbrella (Kendall-Jackson et al) this Chardy, was sourced from multiple vineyard locations, the Ferrington Vineyard, which comprises the majority of the fruit, incorporates separate lots crafted from the Robert Young and Wente clones. It was barrel fermented and aged in 98% neutral (French 95%, American 3%) oak; 2% was new French.
Golden fruits and toasted nuts, vanilla, browned butter and baking spice aromas lead to a sensual, creamy palate. Slick and concentrated it tasted of apple butter, warm buttered biscuits and toasty spice, which trails on the finish.
Excellent.
©copyright 2020 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Scores Reviewed - October 27th, 2020

Second review: July 2020
High-toned raspberry and cherry aromas are woven with botanical, baking spices, cocoa and forest floor aromas. Silky and expressive, woven and complex--consistently excellent.
©copyright 2019 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Scores Reviewed - July 31st, 2020

Flying under the Jackson Family Wines umbrella (Kendall-Jackson et al) this Pinot was the first offering from the Sonoma Coast for Copain.
Sweet raspberry and violets lead the nose and are followed with baking spices, roasted beets, cedar chips and tealeaf. Juicy, and silky in texture it offers high-toned red fruits, spice and tealeaf flavours. Bright and balanced, an excellent drop.
©copyright 2019 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Scores Reviewed - December 9th, 2019

Seductive, generous, supple.
This seductive bottle comes from the portfolio of more than three dozen (worldwide) wineries owned by Jackson Family Wines. One harvested primarily from Oakville Reach (Oakville), Keyes (Howell Mountain), Stage Coach Vineyard (Atlas Peak), Bosche Vineyard (Rutherford) and the Sycamore Vineyard (Rutherford) in Napa Valley; it was aged 28.6 months in 60-gallon French oak barrels (35% new).
The blend is 75.8% Cabernet (by law to be labeled as such it must contain 75%+ Cabernet Sauvignon) with descending amounts of Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot and Cab Franc.
Freemark Abbey is a generous red, it doles out inky aromas of intense cassis, vanilla, black cherries, licorice, purple floral notes and baking spices. Just as concentrated, the palate delivers dusty dark fruit, savoury spices, toasted oak and chicory with bittersweet cocoa and espresso lingering on a persistent finish. This wine has it all; balance, structure and authority.
©copyright 2020 Daenna Van Mulligen
Wine Scores Reviewed - September 2nd, 2020