Doug Powers

9.9

Redfruit aromas and flavors, this is still hopelessly young, though the tannins have softened a bit and it seems to be inching towards maturity, impeccable balance and great depth of flavors, super long, lingering finish, just an absolutely fantastic, old school California mountain Cabernet. I have always believed this to be the best Dunn Howell Mountain ever made (I’ve tasted 1981-1992, with a distinct style change towards riper and higher ABV starting around 1992, after which I stopped buying the wine). $15 full retail when I bought it in late 1984. — 3 years ago

with Jim

Pat Taylor

9.0

Less funk than a typical Musar after a 2 hour decant. The mouthfeel is gorgeous with extremely soft tannins and just enough acidity. Orange peel, cherry, gravel and baked apple. Odd and delicious. — 7 years ago

Jay Root

9.1

Quite nice after breathing for a bit. Quality Smokey California cab — 8 years ago

LM Segal

9.5

Leathery and red floral nose. After 1 hour decant, opulent, lightly spiced and earthy-red palate infused with dried mushrooms, iron and throughout with notes of garrigue. Punching way above its weight in a meh vintage...just entering a window that will last 10+ years. — 9 years ago

Patrick Derdeyn

9.4

At first i picked up a lot of acetyl in this relative to the other wines. After an hour that had blown off and this blossomed. Everything you hope for in Monte Bello. — 9 years ago

Sarah Oettel

9.5

Still maintaining nice bubbles after all these years. Brioche. The color CANNOT be beat. Bold, elegant--everything you would hope for from an old(er) Dom! — 9 years ago

Erik Rupinski

9.1

Prime drinking. Earth,leather give way to some nice fruit after an hour so. Still got some nice tannins too. — 10 years ago

Matt Duncan

9.5

Very impressive. Wild mint aroma finds seamless balance in mid palate after pure Cabernet attack. Tannins rise subtly on palate and betray their youth only briefly at the resolution. — 11 years ago

Martin Frowde

9.2

Drinking the 1991 in 2016 after over 2 hours of decanting. Wonderful light sherry type nose with a hint of pepper and quite brick red colour around the edges. Such a soft texture on the tongue though still a little astringency on the finish. Very good. — 11 years ago

with Georgina

Diane Pandolfini

9.4

1934 vintage. Spectacular. Spicy, light, leathery finish with a hint of damp earth. Alive for about 10 minutes after opening. Intriguing wine. — 11 years ago

Jonathan Wall

9.1

2003. Last bottle was 3 years ago, and this one I liked better. Starts out austere with evidence of a difficult hot year. But after hours in the decanter it cycled thru some almost port like caramelized tapenades and ended the evening with a somewhat strange but delicious red crème brûlée thing. So if you have one… I suggest patience thru the awkward opening hours to get to the awkward good part. Cheers. — 5 years ago

Steve Pollack

10

Shut down initially, but after 90 minutes in the glass, holy sh**! — 7 years ago

NFL Wine Guy

9.1

2017 Marcel Lapierre Morgon in the House!
Did you know that Morgon is the second largest Cru (group of vineyards) in Beaujolais after Brouilly?
Yea anyway.... This Full Bodied Gamay was dope🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥. Deep Garnet, Red fruit on the nose like cherry or pomegranate.
I get plum, & nectarine/peach.
Nice finish !
I’d give it around 91 points.
#morgon #beaujolais #frenchwine #gamay #france #france🇫🇷 #wine #winetasting — 7 years ago

Conrad Green

9.8

A treat. Dark in color, slightly cloudy. A powerful nose with dark, very mouton fruit. Incredibly aromatic, blackcurrant, mint,graphite, dried herbs, eucalyptus. The palate is extraordinary. So dense and powerful for a wine of almost 70 years. Dark fruit with a savory undertow- leather, thyme, sour cherry, dark chocolate. Really precise flavors and long. After an hour or two in glass there’s notes of coconut and soft wood. Extraordinary. Clearly there’s a lot of age on this but the sheer quality makes for a really dynamic wine. An exceptional bottle, and a teal treat. — 8 years ago

with Howard, Tony and 1 other

Marc vanholst

9.0

After 40 years still standing upright. — 9 years ago

Velma Cooper

9.4

Velma had this 9 years ago

David Langstaff

9.4

This wine needed about 3 hours to release. Initially tight with uncomfortable medicinal nose which then totally dissipated. Drinking now next day and you get the age of fully integrated but not fading tannins. Nose has a delightful dark fruit and smokiness. Great fit of nose and taste, meaning - when tastes after smelling the experience is consistent and not jolting. I think the color purple in a subdued way. Very nice. Memo to self: decant and watch for sediment, and enjoy three hours later. — 10 years ago

with Cynthia and Chris

Kyo Jin

9.3

Great cedar and cassis nose with a matching palate. Persistent without being boring. Earthiness coming out after an hour to balance chocolate covered berries. — 11 years ago

Charles (Chad) Bucklin

Owner and founder of C. T. Bucklin Wine Advising

9.6

Fish sauce and crazy amounts of umami dominated the first minute or two. After that the wine became beautifully layered and elegant. — 11 years ago

Robert McCall

9.4

Pours clean dark purple into the glass showing no age. I'll be damned if one couldn't enjoy the dark fruit aroma from 5 feet away. Wow. Dark fruit, leather and pleasant oak quality supplemented with a silky tannic structure that gave a 60 sec finish. Not the most complex Latour I've enjoyed at this point but this bottle actually tightened up over an hour after opening indicating much life ahead. Sheeeit! — 11 years ago

Paul Krzych

9.4

My second favorite after Ruinart. Lovely fine bubbles exuding citrus, orange marmalade, and just baked brioche. Delicious for brunch and Sunday football. — 6 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Been awhile since I pulled out an Insigna.

The 03 Pichon Lalande is the better wine and steak pairing. However, Napa Cabernet is the choice to finish steak and enjoy on its own after. You never want to do Napa before Bordeaux IMHO. It’s much harder to adjust from sweeter to something more earthy.

Enjoyed the 05 as my score reflects. I don’t remember it being as sweet as it was in previous tastings. Still quite good. It just tipped my sweet scale a little too much.

The body is, rich, lush & round. It’s achieved good evolution after 13 years in bottle and will continue to improve over the next 6-8 years and last another 15 years. As I mentioned, the fruit was ripe & sweet. Blackberries, black plum, black raspberries, plums, hints of blueberries and strawberries haunting the backend. Rich, dark earth, Rutherford dusty tannins and dry soils, purple cola, touch of fresh tobacco & graphite, light baking spices of; cinnamon, dash of clove, nutmeg and vanillin, anise to black licorice, saddle-wood, used leather, dry stems, some dry, crushed rocks/limestone with red, dark, purple and blue florals. The acidity round and nicely executed. The finish was similar wire to wire. It’s, lush, rich, elegant, touch too sweet, polished, well balanced & knitted with a soft, persistent, dark spice on the long set. Very enjoyable second bottle.

Photos of; Joseph Phelps Winery & sloping estate vines, inside lounge are with views of the back side, tasting terrace and front lobby/salon area upon entering past check in. — 6 years ago

with Christina and James

Georg Salzner

9.3

still showing well, drink it fast, it is gone after 1 hour — 7 years ago

John Sobecki

9.0

Amazing when first opened but crashed after 20 minutes. I did a light decant so maybe just do that right when you serve dinner ! — 8 years ago

Patrick Derdeyn

9.1

It faded fast, but it was fascinating to taste a 30yr old gran riserva. Tertiary notes of red fruits into mushroom and tar with acidity still keeping everything alive. PnP and peaked after 45 mins and slowly faded away. — 9 years ago

Andrew Schirmer

9.1

Is there a better wine for roast chicken than Loire cabernet franc? Rhetorical question, of course. 2011 so tight, even after two hour decant. It slowly unveils its charms, like Jo Fiennes unwinds Gwen Paltrow in the otherwise forgettable "Shakespeare in Love". Unlike that film, this has staying power. Stash away a case, it will develop beautifully over the next three decades. — 9 years ago

with Alsu

Narun P

9.0

58% CS, 33% M, 6% PV, 3% CF
Slightly bricked garnet red, compact rim, more red than purple.

Pretty bouquet - red cherry, dried herbal aromas, leather, tobacco, mineral.

The palate is harmonious. Integrated tannin, med plus acidity, dry, medium bodied. Showing a lot of red fruit character, animalistic, floral. Very classic Margaux-esque character.

This wine is at the perfect drinking spot. No need at all to wait. After a solid month of full bodied, extracted Napa Cab, this is a welcome reprieve! 90. — 9 years ago

Rob Jodoin

9.2

For a 2014 this surprised me. Really nice light tannins with beautiful red fruits and mild tartness. After a quick decant this opens nicely and will age quite well. — 11 years ago

Anthony Trumbo

9.1

Finishing off our second bottle of this meaty rosé with some sausage bolognese. — 11 years ago

Mac Riding

9.8

Probably my most favorite! Not inexpensive at restaurants ($65-$76), but pairs so well with just about anything. Year after year it is consistently great. It's hard not to share it, but then you must keep multiple bottles in stock! — 12 years ago

with Heidi