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

Rob Mayes

9.2

Wasn't blown away — 9 years ago

Shawn R

9.2

Several stashed away and brought to the front of the cellar. The time is now. Slight variation from the last bottle. Olive tapenade nose at first then showing prune and raisins. Tannins still lift the profile of this wine. Bright acidity. Smoked Mushroom 🍄 complements a strong finish. — 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

Edmond Bordelon

9.0

Dang it! No more 2012's anywhere to be had. Asked the table of winos if anyone was squirreling away any 2012's in their home stashes. They were all smart enough to say no. So even though it is not the epic 2012, it was still the preferred wine over two other big Napa Cabs. Still has a big fruit and smooth finish. Just can't rate it higher because of the prior year's greatness. — 10 years ago

with Joe

Greg Ballington

Co-Founder of Millennial Drinkers Wine Blog

9.0

Blind Tasting MOT=90
Color: Solid Red
Nose: Earthy and cherries
Palate: Very sweet for some reason, and a little thin for my liking, initially there was something in the front of my mouth that was off putting (was an 86). As the night progressed that front of the palate feeling went away and came through with cherries and cassis.
Opinion: As I found out this needed more time open — 11 years ago

with India and Sean

Lucas

9.3

My final bottle of red wine for 2014 paired with ribeye. Absolutely delicious, changing in character with almost every glass. I woke up this morning to read the sad news that Serge passed away yesterday. Rest in peace Mr Hochar. — 12 years ago

Jose Lopez

9.4

Superb. I though it would blow me away but was actually very well balanced and complex. — 12 years ago

Stephen Moore

9.8

The Prisoner. A great bottle of wine, to finish an equally great week. You pick up the fruit right away on the nose. Blackberry, cherry, cassis, and pepper :) #yegwine — 13 years ago

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

Dick Amundson

9.5

Some tannin at start, but they faded away and left a wonderfully complex fruit centered wine. After a couple of hours it was fading. From a magnum. — 10 years ago

with Gregg

Paul T, Missing My Beautiful Wife 24/7

9.8

Yeah this is great, wishing I never gave my 3 pack away to clients.
Thankfully Martin shipped me a bottle, otherwise I would of never known what I was missing out on since I can't find it for sale anywhere. — 10 years ago

Doc Jay

9.3

Home away from home pull. — 11 years ago

Luka Bayer

9.4

Perfect balance, nothing to add or take away. — 11 years ago

Blake

9.2

Very nice and alive right away. — 11 years ago

Nathaniel DiMaggio

9.1

Probably my first place of the night overall. Also has the most legs to go the distance. Put this one away for 5-10 years before trying again. Very balanced but built for true greatness. — 12 years ago

John Junguenet

9.3

So hard to resist! Def tucking a few away for the 40th Bday...in 2023 — 13 years ago

Joe Carroll

Owner/Wine Director Spuyten Duyvil, Fette Sau, St. Anselm & Gotham Artisanal Provisions

9.9

I'm am always blown away with how great Pepes hold up. Still had a nice amount of cherry fruit. — 13 years ago

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 — 9 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

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

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

Chip Krotee

9.4

I have a Ridge bias and need to get that out right away. Had this 2013 bottle at Steak48 in Houston. In my opinion at 70$ was the best bank for buck wine on the menu so ordered it. This was better than a bottle I had tried earlier and was interesting that two bottles could vary so much. With this one it was a good start and I'd say this is a medium to full body Zin. You def get the cherry, plum, and dark fruit plus some licorice or spice. I really enjoyed it and as it breathed it added some complexity. Finish was excellent. Rating based on price at restaurant. It you can get for $30-32. Really good buy. — 10 years ago

Mark Rosse

9.4

In magnum. Infant even after 6 hours. Alongside the regular 1989 in magnum which blew it away. — 10 years ago

Geoff Troup

Sales Eder Brothers, Cellar Fine Wines

9.0

Juicy, huge oak, and a finish so long you almost want it to stop. Some earthy spice and chalkiness finds its away into the overload of new world fruit, but this wine is damn well made and a great marriage of opposing flavors. — 11 years ago

Michael Pernula

9.0

$14.99. Smooth, delicious, night at home cab. — 11 years ago

V

9.3

This is steps away from perfection. The sweetness is balanced with acidity and covered with a complex bouquet of rich aromatics. It would be even better with age. — 12 years ago

with Amber

Kenny Koda

9.9

Had to pop one before the case is put away go deep! — 13 years ago