Carlos E Duran

9.0

Opens up with floral, strawberry and red berries notes. Upon first taste some strawberry and subtle watermelon, nice acidity going. Medium body and leaning towards the dry spectrum of wines. A bit of a bite at the end but not offensive. Perfect summer wine, had it alongside some fresh ceviche — 6 years ago

Greg Wright

9.2

Dark red fruits, charcoal and rosemary. Tannins have melted away and acidity is well balanced. Not as deep and complex as the magnum I had a couple months back. Good but not great. Perhaps just an “off” bottle?? — 7 years ago

Kirk F

9.4

Blown away. Young but evolved beautifully over 3 hours. — 7 years ago

Dr. Owen Bargreen

9.5

The 2009 Dom Pérignon is a simply fabulous effort from a challenging vintage in Champagne. The musty and earthy aromatics grab you straight away followed by wild mushrooms, brioche, poached pear and toasted hazelnut aromatics that impress. Incredibly balanced and with remarkable finesse, this showcases flavors of lemon zest, baked apple and marzipan with biscuit. Today this is just a touch youthful, needing some additinonal time to develop. Nonetheless this is a simply gorgeous Champagne with marvelous cellaring potential. Try to hold off on this stunner for at least two years. Disgorged in June 2016. Drink 2020-2040- 95 — 7 years ago

Bill Bender

9.3

After a spirited tussle between myself and the Durand vs a dry and crumbly cork I was able to double decant this and segregate away the remnants of floating debris. I was immediately struck by the bouquet which was unmistakably borne from Cabernet Franc (and I believe this blend is less than 10%). It was a positive sign. The wine is completely intact and boasts ample fruit albeit waning acidity. Simple Concord grape, bruised black plum and sweet oak flavors are holding on 2 hours in. This has some time left, but not much. This is a testament to Opus One quality in the early days (I believe this was the 3rd or 4th vintage) and while I think the ‘87-‘97 era was their best, this is an profound example of an exemplary wine at age 37! — 8 years ago

Rob Mayes

9.2

Wasn't blown away — 9 years ago

Bitterman The Pirate

9.0

Beautiful Rioja. Lots of oak at first, but fades away into stewed plums, chocolate and well balanced acidity. — 9 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

I bought 3 or 4 bottles of the 06 Heitz Napa. I think this is my first bottle. I either have none or one left. Better gets notes tonight! I think I gave others away. What was I thinking? Wine is meant to be shared.

What is better than paying around $33 for a bottle of wine, forgetting about it for twelve years and having it blossom on your palate the way it is tonight? This is a prime example of two things; you don’t need to spend a hundred(s) for a really good bottle of wine and their is absolutely no substitution for appropriate cellaring time.

The nose reveals; steeped, dark fruit wading in fruits of ripe/ruby; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, baked, black plum & strawberries, hovering raspberries with pomegranate, light liqueur notes. Mild alcohol vapors, black licorice, sweet tarriness, mixed dark fruit cola/licorice, mid, dark spices, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanilla, saddle-wood, graphite, dark rich souls, forest floor with dry leaves, dry crushed rocks, dry twigs, tree sap, mint/eucalyptus, soft leather, dry tobacco with ruby, brilliant, fresh & withering, candied; dark, red, purple florals with a field of violets.

The body is, rich, ruby and creamy with fruits of; blackberries, black raspberries, dark cherries, baked, black plum & strawberries, hovering raspberries with pomegranate that shows light liqueur notes. Mild alcohol vapors, black licorice, dark, steeped, black , assorted fruit teas, sweet tarriness, mixed dark fruit cola/licorice, mid, dark spices, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon & vanilla, caramel, mocha, saddle-wood, graphite, savory grilled meats, dark rich souls, forest floor with dry leaves, moist clay & top soil, dry crushed rocks, dry twigs, tree sap, mint/eucalyptus, hints of Provence herbs, soft leather, dry tobacco with ruby, brilliant, fresh & withering, candied; dark, red, purple florals with a field of violets. The acidy is like a cool waterfall on a warm day. The beautiful, elegant, extremely well knitted balance is in the realm of “forget about it”. Sometimes the right wine, when it’s right, moves the entire body. Such as it is tonight.

The tension, structure, length and balance have just hit their high point and will remain there for another five years into a slow decline over the next 10-15 years, stored impeccably.

This might be the best Napa Heitz I’ve bought & stored. It’s stunning and way over delivering its price point. One complex wine!!!

Photos of; Heitz Winery, tasting bar, tasting room garden patio and the Hwy 29 signage for the tasting room with the valley floor vines that surround their tasting room. — 6 years ago

Mark Howard

9.3

Ok, first thing- thank you Rick Banks for the gift of this bottle. Secondly, we have an affinity for this producer as Elizabeth and I shared a bottle of pinot from Hartford Court on the night we met. Now about the wine. Bold blue fruit aromatics with a hint of licorice. Mid palate shows some red fruits mainly raspberries. Soft tannins fading away to a sweet finish. Not many domestic pinots have life after 8 years, this one definitely does. Best to consume sooner than later, maybe over the next year or so. What a wonderful treat. Thanks my friend! — 8 years ago

with Elizabeth

Kyle Harvey

9.0

Clean clean clean Nero - had it before but forget the great fruit acid balance, without the overpowering fruit that makes me shy away from this grape so much. Great value for this vino da agricoltura biologica — 8 years ago

Narun P

9.0

60 CS, 30 M, 5.5 CF, 3 PV, 1.5 Malbec

Dark and brooding, semi transparent, still youthful.

Restrained bouquet at first but after 1 hour of thorough decanting, it decided to wake up. Cassis, toasted cedar wood, lovely tobacco and tea leaf undertone.

The palate gives away quite good amount of tannin remaining. Nice balance of acidity. More dark than red fruit. A lot of secondary characters start to come out. Finish strongly on the cedary/woodsy note.

For a second wine in a heralded vintage (i.e. usually not good), this is a success. Has staying power to keep going for 5 more years easily. If pop now, need a long decanting time. It's in that very sleepy phase. 90+ — 9 years ago

Narun P

9.0

Funky at first but subsequently blown away. Fresh, leathery, flowery, with some structure. Can tell it was once a great bottling. A bit long over due. — 10 years ago

Vijay Parikh

9.6

Signature Richebourg withAsian spice and forest floor but somewhat short in length. Blown away by the 1990 tonight — 7 years ago

Matthieu Michon

9.4

Loads of dark fruit, beautiful nose, complex wine but still a good five years away from being in the right place! — 7 years ago

Tom Garland

8.9

2 hour decant (decent sediment). Not a hyped year, but who cares its Friday!!. A glorious dark ruby red. On the nose: ahhhhhh the Margaux floral hits right away along with cherry, current, cinnamon. Taste: blackberry, plum,smoke, cedar... tannins a little bitter and not the structure I would expect....need to see how this opens up further? — 7 years ago

with Brenda

Greg Gregory

9.7

Great bottle. Fresh, fruit, stunning color, just a few ticks away from being a perfect bottle. — 7 years ago

with Fritz

Alicia Cypress

9.3

An intoxicating nose and a palate that’s spicy at first, but starts to go away after 45 minutes of air. Still quite young, so it’s still tight, but easy to drink and easy to enjoy! — 8 years ago

Jason Koh

9.6

Still vibrant, exquisite concentration of flavors, no oxidation at all yet! but the tannin has almost all melted away and the almost 3-decades of aging is bringing out wonderful tertiary accents to complement the fruit, cedar, wet asphalt and a hint of white truffle. For the money, why drink anything else with Momofuku Ko’s heavenly 6-week dry aged bone-in strip. — 9 years ago

brando cox

9.1

Blockbuster vanilla, blackberry and fig aromas. I just want to smell this all afternoon. concentrated deep red fruits. Blow you away tasting notes of black currant, undergrowth, oaky vanilla. very well balanced with nice tannins and perfect acidity. a great bargain at under 20$! — 9 years ago

Matthew Beninati

9.5

Ok. Let this breathe for 45..... and it is beautiful. I can smell rose petals and cherry sauce emanating from the glass from 3 feet away! The tannins cut right through the ravioli. This reminds me of tannic Oregon Pinot Noir. Rose water mixed with saddle leather and wet earth. — 10 years ago