Bond, Matriarch, Napa Valley

yes, this was part of thanksgiving wine offerings to a family of 27, altho this got consumed in the pre turkey appetizer hours so no comment on if it’s turkey worthy. It’s a very good offering from Bond, and the price is surely more attractive than the other Bond wines all of which I love. Good balance of fruit and tannins as we expect from Bond.

2012 vintage

A fun bottle with great full spice and fruit flavors. Cinnamon, pepper, berries, light tobacco all come up and greet you like an old friend. The depth suggests you to go a little slow but the pleasure it delivers moves us along. We paired this with a spicy chicken thigh and bean chile. Worked well and look forward to another bottle.

2012 vintage

First bottled flawed. Second is just starting to open.

2012 vintage

Feels like this is on the downslope. Graphite and leather evolving into some stewed fruits and cola notes. Tannins are mostly gone.

1999 vintage

2 hr decant. Still felt it was not ready. Not my favorite.

2016 vintage

Decanted about an hour before this wine started to show its stuff. Very fresh, light red fruit, sweet cherry & plum, with a touch of menthol and quite acidic. Doesn’t seem like it has the structure to last for the long haul, but a pleasant and enjoyable wine. Not the best QPR. Seems to be on the front end of its drinking window, but I’m doubtful it will improve much going forward.

2016 vintage

Drinking perfecto y balances acidity, Tanins and alcohol.

2016 vintage

One hour air. Fragrant. Red and black fruits, plum, vanilla, chocolate, smoky graphite. Developed nicely over three hours. Full bodied with good depth. Smooth with great acidity and fine grained tannins. Long finish. Excellent with a porterhouse steak.

2016 vintage

12 is a step up from 14. At this point, I consider this a cellar defender that I'm happy to pull to spare things I like to drink. Most likely missed the peak drinking window thinking this would gain interest with age. 92

2012 vintage

Much complexity on there nose. Vanilla paste, blackberry, and cocoa. On the palate, reminiscent of a left bank Bordeaux. Soft tannins, smoke, and black fruit, and vanilla. Much vanilla on the finish. Drinking well right now.

1999 vintage

Decanted for 2 hours, first of the 2016s I have opened. Delicate, sweet, well rounded, maybe a little flat?. Not a lot of the Bond classic graphite/pencil shavings that I love, but still a fantastic bottle. Drink now.

2016 vintage

See prior notes - even better and I think drinking optimally right now

2016 vintage

Delicious

2016 vintage

Deep rich currant, plum with mocha, tobacco and earth

2005 vintage

It is hard to say that this wine finished in fourth place for me, as it is drinking beautifully. Rich and powerful, with some pleasant spice.

2005 vintage

Opaque red with pink rim. Cassis, leather, spices, tobacco and liquorice. Bold and intense. Balanced but there were some wrinkles on the palate. We decanted the wine and drank immediately. Perhaps we should have waited for 2 hours to let the volatile elements settled. This bottle needed at least another 2 years for the bold black fruits to mellow.

2016 vintage

See prior notes - just awesome with Tomahawk Ribeye and even halibut. So well balanced and the 45 second plus finish is great

2016 vintage

When first opened it was a little tight, but after a 3 hour decant, it was wonderful. This wine is in it's early drink window and will only get better in the next 5 years. I see this ending up as a 95 to 96 point wine at it's peak.

2012 vintage

Premiere Napa Valley; 2/22/2023-3/25/2023 (Napa, California) : Tasting Library vintages at PNV 2023. Very brief tasting notes around. My top wine of the morning, dark blue fruit, forest needles, full bodied, slightly rich mid-palate, firm tannins long and lingering.

2012 vintage

Black cherry, plum, a touch of graphite. This wine is in the perfect drinking window as the heat from the alcohol content has mellowed, making this a very enjoyable wine. Enjoyed Super Bowl Sunday as I’ve finally finished my last 2012.

2012 vintage

Consumed my last bottle, pairing with grilled rib chops. Dense dark fruit with hints of spice and game, well balanced with long satisfying finish.

2005 vintage

Tight on opening but opened beautifully over 30 minutes in glass. Dark fruits, wet tar, pencil shavings and then light floral notes at end. Medium to heavy body, nice tannins and almost opaque in color. Finish at least 30 seconds

2016 vintage

Kleur: Diep donkerrood. Aroma / bouquet: Donker fruit, kruidige toetsen (leer, tabak). Smaak / Afdronk: BP14 Bijzonder aangename, krachtige en harmonieuze Bond-light. Mondvullend, boterzachte tannines die doen denken aan laurierdrop. Indrukwekkend lange afdronk. Algemeen / potentieel: In dit stadium optimaal op dronk. Beter dan nu gaat deze wijn niet worden. De power en verleidelijkheid van Napa, de balans van een Bordeaux! 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 11 + Smaak / Afdronk: 17 + Algemeen / potentieel: 9 …

2012 vintage

Wonderful aged Bordeaux blend with great fruit

2005 vintage

Decided to open my last bottle at the ten year mark, what a difference the last few years have made. Extremely well balanced and smooth, this wine is entering the perfect drinking window. I wish I hadn’t drank my other 2 bottles has it is quite apparent that Matriarch isn’t I wine meant to drink young. I love how this wine evolved, still some hints of fruit, noticeably black cherry, but I’m now picking up more of an earthy profile …

2012 vintage

jj recommends drinking now

2005 vintage

Still very wound up, needs a ton of time and not sure it’s ever going to appeal to my palate.

2016 vintage

Lovely

2012 vintage

Elegant Red blend from Bond. Soft tannins and cigar box notes. Delightful.

2005 vintage

This was a delicious, perfectly balanced wine. In contrast to the 1999 bottle from a few weeks ago, this was fabulous. It makes me feel the 1999 was probably stored improperly and had began to go bad. This bottle was perfect from the moment we opened it. Ripe fruit on the nose from the moment the cork was removed, this wine was incredible! We sipped it over about 2 hours as it opened in the decanter. It only got better …

2000 vintage

Sadly, this bottle is turning and not something we enjoyed. Muted fruit flavors and a sour nose. Granted, I purchased this bottle and have no history of its storage quality. Nevertheless, this bottle fell well below hopes and expectations. We tried decanting and periodic tasting over the course of several hours. Slight improvement after 30-60 minutes in the decanter, but never really improved from there. We ended up throwing out half the bottle and cracking a bottle of quintessa (which …

1999 vintage

Still vibrant. Soft plum and blackberry, vanilla, and touches of leather. Soft tannins provide structure. A very elegant wine.

2005 vintage

Luscious. Deep and unctious. Big velvety mocha, soft through all stages. Only minor criticism is that it's a little light on the acid balance.

2005 vintage

Deep, rich and velvety. This bottle was much better and drank younger than the prior bottle in the case. A hedonistic pleasure.

2005 vintage

A bit disappointing, especially relative to the prior bottles. A bit stewed and more overripe with the oak breaking through. Not sure if this is bottle variation or teh wine has turned the corner.

2005 vintage

Special occasion wine

2012 vintage

Some have said its past its prime, but it didn’t seem too far past prime to me. The nose was of currants, raspberry, licorice. The flavor was almost the same, but not as pronounced as the nose. Very enjoyable. It its past prime, I’m glad I had it when I did, because it was still very enjoyable.

1999 vintage

Getting overmature

2005 vintage

decanted for 1 hour prior to serving. Very minty, smoky, with pencil lead along with sweet fruit underneath. Very ripe and sweet on the palate. Really open nose with decadent fruit. 1½ hours after decanting the wine showed explosive fruit, more woodsy notes. Still very concentrated on the palate. Two hours later showed some coffee notes.

1999 vintage

drank w 05 Maiden. They both needed a long decant and opened up beautifully. There was a greenish unripe aroma on initial decant. The wine was tight and tannic after an hour but was really hitting its stride after four hours. No sign of turning. Color was a beautiful deep red. Finished forever.

2005 vintage

Needs some time.

2016 vintage

This rich and layered Cabernet currently needs a healthy decant, since it came across as big and linear at first but, after about three hours, become more nuanced and intriguing. This is more ripe and unformed than the 2015 was at the four-year mark, but the 2016 has perhaps more potential, once it integrates and sheds some of its baby fat. It's a tasty mouthful right now, but I'd recommend waiting another year or so to open it. Dark red …

2016 vintage

Beautiful nose of violets and black fruit. Tastes of currents, mocha, and vanilla. Full bodied With a rich mouthfeel.

1999 vintage

Exceptional! If you have this in your cellar drink it now! 90-minute decant and we were rewarded with one of the best wines I’ve had in a while.

2005 vintage

Still big and bold with consistent notes as with other bottles, but a little more integrated and softer. I am not sure this gets a lot better, but that's just fine. We finished the last bit about 3 hours later -- I spoke too soon. This wine got much better with more time in the glass. Needs a 2-4 hour decant. A more subtle, complex wine than on first blush.

2005 vintage

This rich yet graceful Cabernet can walk, chew gum, and take a multiple choice test at the same time. It delivers the hallmarks of a big modern wine - compelling aromas, deep and intense fruit, undeniable power - in a medium-bodied, lithe, and fresh package. I know this second wine is not supposed to be as good as the top wines, but its purity and tension are remarkable - clearly made in the Bond style (modern but elegant), and just …

2012 vintage

Similar notes as previous tasting. I'd definitely be drinking any remaining bottles in your cellar.

2000 vintage

Excellent last bottle. 2 hour decant allowed this superb red to open up. 2nd night was even better with leftover Super Bowl wings. Smooth long legged fruit forward red.

2005 vintage

Strong cab cherry flavors, still has strong tannins that should allow the wine to age longer and soften over time. Long finish of dark fruit

2005 vintage

Decanted 2 hours. Def needs it. Lots of heat on the nose. Ink, raspberry, blackberry juice, hint of tar, Good mouth feel and coating. An interesting bitterness to it, a hint of rubber. Tannins are still very strong and grippy. A bit obtuse. Overpriced in my opinion.

2012 vintage

Are you sure?

Bond, Matriarch, Napa Valley

Vintages

No vintages

Community Reviews