Ruby with complex fruit aromas, spice and oak. Blend of 90% Tempranillo & 10% Graciano, aged 48 months on American oak, 20% new. On the palate flavors of dark berry fruits with spice, oak and smoky earthy notes, slight vanilla nuances on ripe full soft silky tannins. Long finish, nice mouthfeel, ending with fruit, oak, cigar box spice and clean mineral earthy tones, a joy to Sip this Fine Wine!! Tasting great, has more aging potential! — a month ago
Deep ruby color and great nose. Velvety on palate with rich dark fruits. Soft tannins and a lasting finish. Good blend of Zin, Cab, Petite Syrah, and Syrah. — 2 months ago
Simply delectable. Such a full flavor and on the dry end for a Pinot noir. My wife and I loved — 2 months ago
This was back when André Tchelistcheff was making wine for BV. In fact, it’s because of Tchelistcheff that the Georges de Latour Vineyard was bottled separately in the first place. Decanted prior to service; enjoyed over the course of several hours. This bottle of the 1970 pours a garnet color with significant rim variation; medium viscosity with light staining of the tears and signs of sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with a mix of tart, ripe and dried mostly red fruits: red currants, lingonberries, Bing cherry, tobacco, Poblano pepper, old leather, dry gravelly earth, and warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin (integrated) and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. After enjoying the 1981 vintage a couple weeks ago, this is stunning leap in quality. The 1970 is evergreen and stole my heart. Drink now through 2040. — 2 months ago
It is customary for the wines of Chateau Musar to be released seven years post-vintage. However, in 2013, the decision was made to hold the vintage back. 2006 was unusual for two reasons. The first, were the cool climatic conditions in the Bekaa; the likes of which had not been seen since the 1950’s. There was a two-week period in winter where the valley was blanketed in snow and mild temperatures remained in effect throughout much of the growing season. The second was much more tragic: 2006 was a war year in Lebanon. On July 12th of that year, Israel and Hezbollah engaged in a bloody conflict that lasted (officially) a little over a month. Sadly, thousands of lives were lost. In 2017, eleven years after harvest, the 2006 vintage was deemed ready for release.
Poured into a decanter about 90min prior to service. The 2006 pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with moderate staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of black cherry, blackberries, black currants, tobacco, horse blanket, leather, some red and purple flowers, dried herbs and Eastern spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and absolutely delicious. A triumph and perfect with lamb chops. Drink now through 2046+.
How Chateau Musar endures to make wines from the Bekaa remain one of the great examples of human grit and determination available in the world of wine. Frankly, it’s a minor miracle this vintage ever made it to the winery. — 3 months ago
It has a nearly opaque, dark fruited appearance that opens up to very appealing and persistent aromatics and flavors of blueberries and blackberries.
There is still a good amount of primary fruit; it is medium/full, well structured with a good balance of juicy acidity and refined tannins at the finish. New oak is there, but unobtrusive.
Overall, this 2010 is a reserved and savory St. Julien that doesn’t whack me over the head with gobs of oak and loads of sweet jammy fruit. It is definitely “worth a search” if you don’t have it. — 6 months ago
My old chap cried a single tear of gooey joy drinking this beauty. — 6 years ago
Not sure I’ve had any other 2006 Bordeaux but decided to pull this to give it a go at nearly 20 years of age. Nice wine but perhaps not one that justifies the price point. At first quite tight, but after a 5 hour decant this really comes into its own. Lots of leather and dark blue and black fruit. Oak is really only apparent in structure now. Great acid. 13% which is nicely balanced. — 25 days ago
Graceful as a ballet dancer—heady notes of yeasty and nutty roundness (think morning fresh baked bagel with almond and hazelnut) punctuated by the staccato of gently sour citrus (lemon, lime, citron, yuzu), balanced by minerals and delightful fizz. Drinks much younger than it is, so if you are lucky enough to have more of this ambrosia there’s no rush to empty out your cellar (20 is the new 10, as the Boomers would say). Enjoyed this gem at Hayato Restaurant in LA (best Kaiseki I’ve ever experienced) with my daughter Rachel and her friend Lindsay right after they finished taking the California Bar Exam. Best of luck, girls! — 16 days ago
Ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.
Nose of red and black fruits with light wood, tobacco and chocolate notes.
Dry on the palate with sweet raspberries, cherries, light oak, licorice, chocolates, spices and earth.
Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cherries.
This young Grenache blend is starting to drink very nicely now, with nice complexity and a soft mouthfeel.
Will continue to age nicely in the next 15 years.
Elegant and rich. Interesting and engaging. A very traditional Châteauneuf-du-Pape in style.
Well balanced and good by itself as a sipping wine. Will also pair nicely with food.
A blend of all 13 allowed grapes in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, but mostly Grenache. Hand picked and whole cluster. Aged for 2 years in large French oak barrels.
14.5% alcohol by volume.
91 points.
$110. — 2 months ago
Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of a couple of hours. The 2017 (S) pours a garnet color with a translucent core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and signs of fine sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with pretty notes of mostly red, tart fruit: strawberry, raspberry, Montmorency cherry, licorice, dried green herbs, menthol, and rocky earth. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+ and just a touch mousy but within the acceptable range. Refreshing and a lovely pairing with burgers on a warm Spring evening. Drink now through 2032. — 2 months ago
Ahhh when Caymus was Caymus! Chocolate, leather, prune, lengthy tannins and a nice bit of acid still hanging on! — 3 months ago
Meaty and intense. Lush with violets, a deep purity and smoothly intense. Really great stuff. A little more powerful than the 82 alongside but a whisper less refined — 5 months ago
Deep ruby garnet , thin garnet rim . Just beginning to show some development, with grafite tinged , pipe tobacco, cassis , spicy herbal hints and oyster shell notes. On the palate this still comes across as very young , dark cassis , blackcurrant fruit and a very long , detailed mineral and saline length. Sweet but grippy tannin , and fresh acidity. Tobacco and oyster shell return on the long finish . Needs time but has a great future . Come back in 5 -10 years , will last well a further 25 . Apologies for the silly stock photo , don’t think I took one having been so excited by both the 2016 and 2010. A huge , vast improvement on the rather chunky , forced and flat 2009 had at Vinous Icons Miami in Nov 2024. At Vinous Icons NY , Pier 60 , Feb 2025. — a month ago
1st Growth Bordeaux comparison. Mind blowing. I mean, from a weak Bordeaux vintage comes this masterpiece which can be enjoyed now or saved for decades to come. Beautiful nose and almost perfumed with roses and black cheery and blueberry, cedar, and pencil shavings. The palate is pure bliss full of complexity, intensity yet balanced and the finish just goes on and on. Cheers. — a month ago
Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of a couple of hours. The 1997 pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core; medium+ viscosity with light staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is vinous with beautiful notes of cherry lozenges, star anise, leather, horse blanket, black pepper, organic earth, and fine warm spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium tannin and medium acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is medium+. I recently got to spend some time with Ren and Marilyn Harris of Paradigm and he shared with me that he thought Zinfandel was a variety that has the potential of being longer lived than Cabernet Sauvignon. I didn’t argue with him. Anyway, this is a killer Rafanelli Zinfandel that is aging ever so gracefully. Drink now through 2037. — 2 months ago
Has a little brown toast note that is distinctive. Overall very nice and worthy of a graduation celebration. — 2 months ago
Started out shaky but rose to an eclectic dinner. Wine after decanting had the right tannins and a dried cherry linger that worked well on my palate. — 3 months ago
An exceptional, full-bodied wine. Tasted a lot of black cherry, currants, cedar, and creme de cassis. Drinking great now, but should last a long time in the cellar. — 4 months ago
This is always a beautiful. At this stage it’s quite complex to understand. But it’s clear that with the time it’ll turn onto a special wine. — 5 months ago
I asked for a jammy red and that’s what this is !! Not super into these “commercialized” wines, but it does the job for easy drinking. Yum — 6 months ago
This Pinot is a blend from three California counties. Tons of fruit and a bit of pepper made this an instant delight. — 13 years ago
Jack Krawczyk
Truly under appreciated vintage. Retains a fruit forward nose - shockingly ripe blackberry with a caramel and cocoa nib finish. — 25 days ago