Jay Kline

9.4

Popped and poured into red Solo cups; enjoyed over the course of a couple hours. The 1998 pours a deep garnet/purple with an opaque core; medium viscosity with moderate staining of the tears and some sediment. On the nose, the wine is developing with notes of ripe black currants, mixed brambles, tobacco, Poblano pepper, purple flowers, some leather, dry 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 long. This is just exceptional, no other way to put it. While Rafanelli wines are fun when they are young, they become magical with some age. If you several, open one soon and enjoy where it’s currently at. If you have only one and you’re saving it for a special occasion, you’re in no hurry. This will drink well through 2040+. — 10 days ago

"Odedi"

9.2

Dark ruby in color with a wide purplish rim.

Earthy nose and medium plus in body with medium plus acidity.

Dry on the palate with nice complexity.

Showing red and black fruits with cedar, earth, tobacco leaf, herbs, peppercorn, mediterranean spices and chocolate notes.

Tangy finish with fine grained tannins and raspberries.

This Bordeaux blend from Napa Valley is extremely young and needs 10 years in the bottle to mature properly. Elegant and fruit forward, yet restrained.

I've had many different vintages of this wine, but never had it so young. Not as powerful as some other vintages, but already complex and nicely balanced.

Feels like a good quality Left Bank Bordeaux, and will continue to age nicely, and get better in the next 20 years.

Robert Parker 95 points. Wine Spectator 92 points.

A good sipping wine that will also pair nicely with a big piece of steak.

A blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot and 1% Malbec. Aged in new French oak barrels for 18 months.

14% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$490. — 23 days ago

Jan A

9.6

A lovely glass of wine that is already surprisingly easy drinking — 19 days ago

P Plusquellec

9.7

Hard to find a flaw — 24 days ago

Louis Martin

9.5

Fantastic pour from an often overlooked vintage year, smooth, well-balanced, delicate, great on its own and even better when paired with a well prepared steak covered with truffle and mushroom sauce, as presented at our Commanderie de Bordeaux dinner at the Hope Club. — 20 days ago

Brandon Boesch

9.4

So solid. Had it at a steakhouse in Estes park. Great fruit and tannin and balance. — a month ago

Mike Obley

8.9

Surprisingly good for a waek vintage — 2 months ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Checking in on the 2018 vintage. My notes from February 2024 still apply. If anything, this is more squarely in the window of where I like Rafanelli Zinfandel. Really delicious and I suspect it will remain that way for many years. Tons of sediment. Drink now through 2043+. — 19 days ago

"Odedi"

9.3

Light golden in color.

Beautiful nose of honeydew, apples, honeysuckle, tropical fruits, spices and melons.

Full-bodied with high acidity and long legs.

Sweet on the palate with apples, citrus, mangoes, spices, honeysuckle, herbs, honey and light earth.

Long finish with sweet honey notes.

This delicious 9 year old Sauternes is drinking beautifully now. Complex and interesting. Elegant and fruit forward. Nicely balanced with a nice mouthfeel.

Feels very fresh, but a bit subdued and earthier right now, compared to other vintages. Will continue to age nicely in the next 40 years.

Loved the nose more than the palate here. So expressive.

Wine Spectator 96 points. Robert Parker 99 points.

A blend of 75% Sémillon and 25% Sauvignon Blanc. Aged in all new French oak barrels for 24 months. Drank from a 750ml bottle.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$450. — 25 days ago

Andy@andyberke.com

9.0

Very mature. A little brown. Nice — 4 days ago

Conrad Green

9.5

Intense and briny with bright lemon fruit and a supple mineral oiliness in texture. So young but dazzling — 24 days ago

Tom Garland

9.4

+1 hour decant(modest sediment). A striking still dark purplish crimson color with bricking. On the nose: Seductive notes of dark fruit, sandalwood, cigar wrapper, herbaceous, stewed meat, pencil lead, worn leather. Taste: silky, layered, vibrant wine with dried plum/cherry, cigar leaf, graphite, that Cos spice, crushed gravel, hint of chocolate, and a hauntingly long dry finish. YUM! Terrific old school Bordeaux. — a month ago

with Brenda

PM

9.4

Served this 2005 Leoville Barton and a 2000 Lagrange for a group dinner. Both fantastic, very similar. — 2 months ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.4

Medium deep garnet ruby with a narrow garnet rim . Dusty grafite , cedar and cassis , currants , oyster shell , quite deep and classic . On the palate this is quite dense and tannic still , deep dark cassis , herbal tinged cedar and very grafite tinged on the finish . Fresh acidity , but still good mid palate richness and even though the tannins are quite dry and grippy , this is well balanced and relatively generous . Good length on the classic grafite , oyster shell tinged finish. This didn’t need a lot of decanting time to show well , though it certainly changes and improves with time in the glass . Classic in style , but still quite generous for Latour , this is just reaching its drinking window , will continue at this level for another 5-10 years at least and probably more. — 2 months ago

"Odedi"

9.3

#AgedWineTuesday

Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish/ brick rim.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with a beautiful nose.

Showing black plums, black currants, cedar, dried figs, licorice, dark chocolates, earth, rhubarb, tobacco leaf, light black tea and black pepper.

Long finish with soft tannins and tangy cherries.

This 32 year old Pauillac is still drinking beautifully, but a bit past its prime. Rich and elegant. Very complex and spicy.

This Second Growth Bordeaux needed 5 hours to open up properly, and was not that special right out of the bottle.

Nicely balanced with a nice mouthfeel, and still showing enough fruits to balance the earth notes.

Robert Parker 91 points.

Good by itself as a sipping wine, and with food.

A blend of 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc and 8% Petit Verdot.

12.5% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$200. — 15 days ago

Jay Kline

9.2

Popped and poured; enjoyed over the course of two days. Delicious throughout. The 2021 pours a bright garnet color with transparent core; medium+ viscosity with no staining of the tears. On the nose, the wine is developing with powerful notes of Morello cherry, raspberry, cranberry, red flowers, orange zest, some tar, talcum powder, dried herbs and dry, organic earth. On the palate, the wine is bone dry with high tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long. This is about as sapid of a young Classico I’ve had from Produttori. It’s a bold wine right now but some time on its side will bring more into balance. Drink now with some patience through 2051. — 4 days ago

Ivor

9.5

Drink je droomwijnen diner @rijks. so young and fresh. White fruits, laser focused mouse, umami and a light degree of oxidation. Long finish and a great match with their beetroot signature dish. — 10 days ago

jesus g

Hospitality Schramsberg Vineyards

10

a 3L absolute rocket — a month ago

Henry K

9.8

Bomb ass wine!!! Explosive, so so good. Floral, fruity, everything you could want out of a great Bordeaux. Had over lunch after work with dad and Marcello (grandpa and Gina in attendance) — a month ago

Tom Garland

9.5

1/2 hour decant(decent fine sediment). A striking dark ruby red with bricking. On the nose: Captivating notes of dark fruit, forest floor, worn leather, mushroom, cigar, smoked meat, some bandaid(brett). Taste: silky, classic, elegant wine with dried red berries, currants, tobacco, saline, minerals and a cedar graphite long dry finish. YUM! What a thrill to drink tonight! — 2 months ago

with Brenda