JKT

9.2

The best overall older Sauternes yet in pairing with Wilson’s foie gras (this one is unusually mild and neutral). Also did well with the shrimp boil which was quite spicy. Lasted well for several days in Eto. Yum. Color was noticeably lighter than expected, including against younger vintages of this class. — 4 years ago

Aravind A

9.1

Pop and pour. The density this has shown has just increased in the last few years. On the nose: spicy red fruit, a hint of savory licorice, lovely intensity. On the palate: lovely acidity and density. Fills the mouth with lovely red fruit, earthy spice and a touch of herbs. Attenuated tannin on the finish. Yum. — 4 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

It has been a great day hanging out with my love & best friend for Valentines Day. If I could give anyone young enough advise on selecting partner, marry your best friend you love. Greater degree of happiness & success. ❤️😍😘🥰

Love you Sofia and raise a glass of one of our favorite N/V Rosé Bubbles in celebration. Cheers! 🍾🥂

Happy Valentines Days everyone. Hope you are with the wine & one you love the most.

@Oswald — 6 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.1

Very dense ruby in colour- almost black. Aromas of burnt black currant. Very full bodied with profound intensity - chocolate and ripe black fruits finishing with supple silky Tannins ie the Mollydooker calling card. Great marketing and making rich full bodied McLaren Vale Shiraz allowed Sparky and Sarah Marquis ( just Sarah these days) great penetration of the US market along with excellent reviews from Harvey Steiman and Wine Spectator. I believe Mollydooker would probably be better known in the US than in Australia. A great Australian export story. — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

There is nothing like taking a $31 bottle of Napa Cabernet and turning it into liquid gold. All you have to do is buy a good producer’s decent vintage or better and hold it in bottle for nearly 10 years or longer. Bottle age can’t be accomplished in a decanter, no matter how long you decant it. It simply will not round out the wine, make the tannins well resolved, integrate all the flavors that equate to a nice complex wine.

I was saddened to see a quality Napa Valley Pioneer recently sell its winery. I am sure somewhere Joe Heitz is beside himself. However, nothing stands for forever. We’ll see what the new owners do with it. Certainly, the last free quality free tasting in Napa Valley is gone forever. To be continued...

The nose reveals; dark currants, ripe, ruby, slightly candied fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, black plum, blueberries and cherry kirsch. Sweet tarry notes, black, rich, turned soil, anise, steep fruit tea, limestone minerals, dry crushed rock, underbrush, soft leather, hints of dry herbs, moist clay with candied, bright, dark, red, blue florals and violets for days.

The body is full, very round and gorgeous across the palate. The tannins are about 80% resolved but, still showing some teeth. The structure, tension, length and balance have hit the top of the bell curve and will hold there awhile longer. There is nothing in this wine that bites back or is astringent. Dark currants, ripe, ruby, slightly candied fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, black raspberries, black plum, blueberries, raspberries on the high palate and long set with cherry kirsch. Sweet tarry notes, black, rich, turned soil, anise, steep fruit tea, caramel, some milk chocolate, limestone minerals, dry crushed rocks, dry top soil, underbrush, soft leather, touch of graphite, hints of dry herbs, moist clay with amazing candied, bright, dark, red, blue florals and violets for days. The acidity is like a palate waterfall. The long finish is; delicious, gorgeous, ruby, well balanced, elegant with polish that persists nicely for minutes.

Photos of; Heitz vineyard, tasting bar/room on Hwy 29, sitting area outside the tasting room and Heitz winery and Estate vines. — 6 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.4

Had to get a bottle for holidays. Beautiful dark color, blend of Tempranillo, Graciano & Mazuelo, aged in new French oak for 24 months. Concentrated red fruit aromas with light oak and spice. On the palate ripe red fruit flavors, complex with layers fruit & spice, noting espresso, cacao and toasty oak. Tannins are a bit biting now but should softer with time. Lingering, great balance on the finish ending with . Decant to drink now, otherwise let this baby sit in the cellar. No ‘12 or ‘13, so grab ‘10 & ‘11 now — 7 years ago

Kim Brater

9.0

Lots of talk about this Alsatian inspired newcomer from Brianne Day of Days Wines in Dundee (Delectable needs to update as it's listed as a different winery and is incorrect). Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Muller Thurgau, Muscat. Floral notes, stone fruit especially peach. Very dry with light to almost media body. Supple mouth feel. Its's a beautiful wine. And sourced from organically and bio- dynamically farmed vineyards is a plus. If you can find it. Buy it! — 8 years ago

Dylan York

9.5

2012 Booker Vineyard Fracture Syrah - young but delicious. Aromas and flavors of black licorice, pepper, olives black cherry and smoked meats. Great acidity with silky texture and moderate tannins. I'd love to see this wine again in 5-8 years or just drink another one now. — 9 years ago

Ryan Carey

Founder Wine Confidential

9.2

2010 B Cellars Blend 24. Described as "hedonistic" and "sexy" by Robert Parker. Bursting with fruit, like an exploding blackberry in your mouth. Immense mouthfeel. Little bit of a mint kick at the end — 10 years ago

Patrick Knöfler

8.9

The wine was medium to dark garnet in colour. On day one it offered red fruit, cherry, balsamic vinegar, cola, leather, mushroom, earthy and vegetal notes and a wet sewer component on the nose. On the palate the the wine showed red fruit, cherry, blackberry, tobacco and earthy notes, the acidity was quite pronounced, the wine became slightly drying and even more acidic after some time in the glass, and the fruit faded a bit. Two days later, on day three, the medium-bodied wine was more balanced and showed red and dark fruit, some chocolate, some tobacco, spices and earthy notes on the nose, and red fruit, cherry, leather, tobacco, earthy and balsamic notes on the palate, with just a faint touch of greenness, paired with medium-plus well-integrated tannin, medium-plus acidity and very good length. I had almost written-off the wine on day one and then, surprisingly, it showed much better the third day. Holding-up well. 90 — 11 years ago

Jeffro Beaudeen

9.5

One of the best second wines I've ever had the pleasure of consuming . .,this with a delicious smoked duck breast with a crispy charred skin . . and four days ago my tasting group did an event where all wines were Bordeaux between 82 and 2000 vintage and all had to be 98 to 100 points (wine advocate or JEFF Levy's most recent scores) and two of those wines were the 89 and 90 Montrose, both of which we're drinking fabulously . . in fact beat out the Haut Brion and Ch. Margaux . . the only wine that I liked better than those two was the 1982 Mouton and have to say the 1989 La Conseillante was showing very well too . . Back to the Dame de Montrose . .,Spicy earthy good layers of complexity and good length everything paralleling the Grand Vin just the volume turned down a few clicks . . and it can now be had for around $200 versus the 800 for its big brother😆 — 4 years ago

Shay A

9.7

Last week was a combo of 4th Friday and Open That Bottle Night on back to back nights. Needless to say, the lineup between both days was full of heavy hitters, so I’m only posting standout bottles.

In the running for top red wine of OTBN. I’ve had Chateau Margaux three times before, and they’ve all been the ‘82. Not sure how I lucked in to that. Didn’t need long to blow off its funk. Almost ethereal in profile. Light in regards to expectations, and then as it lingers it snaps your head back with wide eyes. Delicate flowers like roses and violets accompanied by juniper, herbs de Provence, dried black cherries, pipe tobacco and soft raspberry fig. Amazingly acidic and tannic at 38yrs young. Saddle leather, dates, blackberries, currant, underbrush and high percentage raspberry infused dark cocoa. Magnificent. — 6 years ago

with Jid, Dan and 2 others

Bob McDonald

9.6

At the Come Taste the Stars Dinner hosted by Tyson Stelzer. The 6 th and final Champagne and what better way to finish than with the power of a Vintage Krug. 39% Chardonnay, 37% Pinot Noir and 24% Pinot Meunière ; aged more than 11 years on Lees. This is one of the rare vintages of Krug to have more Chardonnay than Pinot Noir. Malic acid to the fore with crunchy green Apple notes. Tastes amazingly young and fresh - aiming for a long living style. Noticeable acidity finishing very dry. Tyson says at 15 years of age that it needs another 15 to reach its full potential. The French Somm at Montrachet told me this was his favourite of the 6 stellar champagnes. Powerful but retains its elegance incredibly. — 6 years ago

Andrew S

9.2

A lot of power, plenty of fruit and acidity for days. This is in a nice spot, but still on the way up. There’s a nice dusty/tar note, fennel, a touch of leather, maybe even a hint of violets. Best with a big rich meal. — 6 years ago

Muralee Murugesu

9.6

For a 20 year old St Estephe this Cos d’Estournel is sublime. Perfectly aged but shows a lot of youth throughout the hour opening with red fruit mixed in with leather and chalk. A good 35 sec finish. A classic Bordeaux that rocks! Kept from my Phd days ( Rodolphe this is the last one buddy) is surprisingly vibrant. happy birthday 🥳 Philippa. — 7 years ago

Laura Purdy

9.0

A bit of cherry. A bit of spice. So nice. — 7 years ago

Jack Cranley, Backroads Wine Club & Cascadia Premium Wines

9.2

Drinking the 2012 vintage in April, 2018.

Color is holding up nicely, very pretty ruby.

The nose is ripe and funky! Very fun with gobs of cherry and raspberry fruit plus a little sandalwood and inner tube.

Tasty for sure, but maybe starting to fade, especially on the finish. Pretty silky and all around quite delicious.

For me, this one has plateaued and is maybe on the downward trend. It's certainly not getting any better than this and I'm starting to get a little bit of raisin and oxidative graphite on the back end. If you have any in storage, you might want to drink em this year. — 8 years ago

Andrew S

9.2

Blackberry, dark cherry, minerals, hints of umami. — 8 years ago

Anthony Lombardi

9.1

It was my intent to drink this back to back with the Bouchard Beaune du Chateau earlier this week, but cuisine dictated a couple days' split. I feel like they are distant cousin wines blending multiple sites together to form a mysterious cohesion. This is initially a blast of powerful fruit, but with integral acidity that controls that power with a bright freshness. This is a favorite bottling for me, slightly tart, but eminently ripe blackberries and hints of spicy aromatics. — 9 years ago

Ray Isle

Executive Wine Editor Food & Wine Magazine

9.3

One of the most forwardly fragrant vintages of this I've had. Better after 24 hours open. — 11 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.3

Deep Ruby, aromas of sweet red and black fruits with pepper spice and oak. 4 grape blend from some of CVNE's best vineyards in the Rioja Alta (85% Tempranillo, rest Garnacha, Mazuelo & Graciano), aged in both French and American oak for 24 months. On the palate flavors of blackberry and currants with licorice, vanilla, tobacco & toasty oak tones. Soft full ripe tannins, wonderful balance, lively acidity on a long finish ending with an earthy mineral character. Very nice! Tried several bottles! — 4 years ago

Young Bock Lee

10

Aroma came up very easily, showing extreme floral and feminine aromas with silky texture of shiraz. It is rich but never too full. Maybe the most elegant shiraz that I've ever tasted in these days. — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Transitioning in the Lounge. Night is a little better than day. Love the glow.

This 07 has been hanging out in my secondary storage (temp & humidity controlled but, not EuroCave) for 12 years. Time to drink up, right? Nope. The cork was super pliable with nearly no seepage. This wine has another 10-15 years of good drinking ahead with proper storage.

The nose reveals fruits that are steeped in style. Although, ripe, ruby and quite floral. Dark currants, blackberries, blackberries, black cherries, poached strawberries, black plum, touch of pomegranate, sweet tarry notes, dark chocolate, malt in malt balls, haunting caramel, whiff of black pepper, mix of Asian & Indian dark spices, incense, limestone, volcanic minerals, dry crushed rocks, leather, dry brush, liqueur, liquid fruit chocolate truffles, oak shavings, leather, some graphite, anise to black licorice with dazzling; dark, blue, red, fresh & withering florals and violets for days.

The palate would fool a lot of wine lovers/professionals. There is an earthiness about it that might take you to a warm vintage Bordeaux or a Rhône blend of mostly Grenache and Syrah.

Ripe and lush, dark currants, blackberries, blackberries, black cherries, poached strawberries, black plum, touch of pomegranate, sweet tarry notes, dark chocolate, malt in malt balls, warm caramel, some black pepper, mix of Asian & Indian dark spices, dry Provenance herbs, black offering palate heat, incense, thick layered baking spices; clove, cinnamon & nutmeg with a mini splash of vanilla, limestone, gripping volcanic minerals, dry top soil & clay, dry crushed rocks, dark, rich, turned black earth, leather, dry brush, dry river stone, liqueur, oak shavings, leather, some graphite, anise to black licorice with dazzling; dark, blue, red, fresh & withering florals and singing violets for days. The acidity is round and good but, short of the vintage. The structure, tension, length and balance are approaching their peak. The long, big finish is; ripe, lush, ruby, show the quality of the vintage, well balanced and persists until you put something else on the palate.

P.S. It just gets better & better as you slow sip it. Now, 9.3.

Photos of; kicking nighttime in the D&S Lounge. — 6 years ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Popped and poured; consumed over two days. Day 1: very primary, fresh, vibrant fruit with some tobacco but super compact. Day 2 was a different story with fresh raspberries, cassis, plums, and tobacco and wonderfully balanced. Loads of structure to go with. Finish is long and delicious. This bottle already exhibits a lot of sediment, expect more in the future. Best yet to come. — 7 years ago

Emily Bolles

8.9

Tasty natty blend of pinots. — 7 years ago

Daniel M

9.1

Fourth time tasting Lapierre in 2017. I've got a bit of a cold so I'm not enjoying this one as the previous ones. The nose is still a cherry bomb and bears a violet stamp. The palate is still very well balanced with a strong acid backbone, lots of ripe cherry all over the place, some grip, some width. The palate is a cherry song that plays for a very long while. 24 hours later it's still singing. Great! — 7 years ago

Jim McCusker

9.2

An interesting wine from Eric Jensen at Booker. The primary varietal is tempranillo, but only at 35%: the balance is petit verdot, syrah, and cab! Makes it a bit difficult to describe - lots of different aromatics on the nose - but dominated by primary red and black fruits (somewhat surprising given its age). Full bodied on the palate with good balance. My only complaint is that the wine seems a bit unfocused - doesn’t seem to know where it’s going. I suspect that had we opened this a couple of years ago (or a couple of years from now), the story would have been different. But these are minor details: this is still a terrific, enormously enjoyable wine! — 8 years ago

with Vanessa

Sipping Fine Wine

9.2

A favorite. Dark red color with aromas of ripe fruit, floral notes and perfume spice. Aged for 24 months on French and American oak, the 70% Monastrell and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon blend shows cherry and blackberry flavors, rich with notes of espresso and oak. Tannins are a bit gritty and savory, good balance carrying fruit to a lingering finish, ending with some earthy tones. Excellent! — 9 years ago

Charles von Breitenbach

10

An homage to those bygone days before overripe fruit that create wines that overwhelm the palate. Still plenty of fruit but the wine has structure and balance that has only improved with age. — 9 years ago

Ryan Wofford

9.3

Drinking so well right now. Silky tannins and lots of rich red fruit. Even after 2 days in the fridge... Resilient! #igt — 10 years ago