Ray Vanderhoff

9.3

Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (72%), Merlot (19%), Cabernet Franc (6%) and Petite Verdot (3%). Dark garnet/ruby/purple/black color. Aromas of ripe black fruit, rose petals, cigar box and smoked meat. Flavors of blackberry, black currant and black plum fruit with additional hints of tobacco, black olives and cloves. Long lasting velvety finish. Full bodied with noticeable (but well integrated) tannins. Beautiful freshness. Rich and powerful but so well balanced. Consistently outstanding vintage after vintage. Could continue to age for decades! — 9 months ago

Mike Miller

9.7

This wine is old enough to vote! Stunning acidity for its age, great tannin, and it’s smoky. — 6 years ago

with Jason and Anne

Paul Mason

9.2

Really good given its age. Amazing with roasted Chicken. Drink in the next year. — 7 years ago

Jay Gaughan

9.0

Run Lola Run and a great wine — 7 years ago

Joe Fox

9.4

Sweet, Crisp, and a tiny bit of zing... And Sandy likes it! Very good!! — 8 years ago

Bob Surrency

9.2

Extremely good for a 1990 with 25 years age! — 10 years ago

Martin Diehr

9.0

Unique / Bordeaux style wine. Needs time to open and despite the age, would improve with decanting this wine. Old world nose, well balanced on mid palate with forest notes and wild berries. Medium finish — 10 years ago

Alex Kroblin

Co-owner Thirst Wine Merchants

9.3

Definitely legal drinking age. — 11 years ago

Ian Blackburn

9.3

I have tasted many 1961 over the years, this continues to be one of my favorite wines...The strange thing is that this bottle with its high necklinewas the youngest 1961 that I had ever tried, wine had an great Providence - One owner and one incredible cellar.

1961 was a magical year on the right bank; now over 50 years of age it has lost some weight but picked up elegance on the nose - wet clay, graphite/lead pencil, umami/truffle - nose candy for sure. — 11 years ago

Michael Shonblom

9.3

Sweet, fruity, mild spices that sustain. Holds its own — 13 years ago

Austin Hohnke

9.2

Wow. A richer, darker, and more concentrated Picasses than I’ve had in some time. Oak is also a bit more gratuitous than I’m used to for this wine. Blackberries, currant, moss, anise. This can go the distance, but definitely a bit hot. Still one of my favorite wines in the world for consistent quality to price ratio and age-ability. — 10 months ago

Michael Walker

9.8

OG store wine recco - not bad, solid fruit but not jammy, a little acidic but opened up nicely. Good value; Decent quaffing zin. Continue to be super bullish Paso Robles — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Joseph Phelps Party and the 83 Insignia from magnum.

The nose reveals; floral liqueur notes, more mid red fruits; strawberries, cherries & dark cherries. Blackberries, black raspberries, rhubarb, soft, volcanic minerals, limestone, steeped fruit tea, cedar, old leather & tobacco, dry crushed rocks, dark spices, dry herbal notes, eucalyptus, dry stems with dry & withering dark, red florals.

The body is medium full with a fair amount of tannins in a wine with this age. The structure, tension, length and balance are still quite sound with harmony. Floral liqueur notes, more mid red fruits, strawberries, cherries & dark cherries. Blackberries, black raspberries, rhubarb, soft, volcanic minerals, limestone, steeped fruit tea, dark spice with some heat, cedar, old leather & tobacco, cedar, dry crushed rocks, dark spices, dry herbal notes, eucalyptus, dry stems with some funkiness. withering dark, red florals. The acidity is nice. The long finish still show ripeness, good balance but, has leaned and shows nice persistence. — 7 years ago

James Shamas

9.4

Amazing full bodied zin. Beautiful barrel character. Drink now — 7 years ago

Martin G Rivard

10

Quick funny story:
Christine & I are LUCKY to have Kelly work in our office but we are BLESSED to be able to consider her and Darryl as dear friends.
We recommended to Kelly, prior to her going on vacation in Charleston SC, that they should stop by the Belmont hotel. They have a bar and restaurant that is 2nd to none in that area. Christine & I LOVE it!!!! Kelly sent me a quick text to say “hey, we’re at the Belmont! And about to have dinner!”
Being the goof ball that I am..... .....I called the Somm and said “I don’t care what they ordered, bring them a Shafer Hillside Select with some age on it!!!”. 10 minutes later he was decanting a 2003 Hillside Select table side! I love that hotel! Incredible service, incredible food and always a phenomenal experience! The only thing better are-our friends that are there right now!!!!

I didn’t Have a drop of this wine but I am scoring it a 10 based on experience alone!! It must have been “Badass in a Glass” as I always say!
I’ll let Kelly and Darryl fill in the official tasting notes!
by the way Kelly: don’t love SC tooooooo much, Christine & I can’t operate that place without you! See you next week! 👍👏👏👏👏👍
— 8 years ago

with Christine

Logan Peter Kenneth

9.3

Impressive. Enjoyed with a homemade tomato basil prosciutto pizza. — 11 years ago

with Meghan

Mike Saviage

9.8

With all its age this is such a complete wine. Wow. — 11 years ago

Kate Hudson

9.8

Super sweet and little bubbles- $8@ bevomo — 13 years ago

Yoon Ha

Master Sommelier/Wine Director Benu

9.7

Still terrifically fresh energy here despite 40 years of age. — 13 years ago

Inseon Hwang

9.1

Delicate with amazing aging. Still taste the licorice and blackberries. Fruit is subtle with age; the oak and earthiness remain. — 10 months ago

Christy

9.5

Williquors. Nice cab! Would buy again — 4 years ago

Scott Clawson

9.0

Really good inexpensive zin. — 7 years ago

Alex Ruzich

10

Good fruit with refined tannins. This can still age, but beautiful right now! — 7 years ago

Lynn Derbyshire

9.0

Rich, thick, smooth, just yummy!!! A smoky essence that was surprising. Had it with grilled chicken and tomatillo salsa. Divine. would be awesome with a steak or lamb. 8/10/18 — 8 years ago

Christopher Beatty

9.0

Full flavor. Not too jammy. — 9 years ago

Greg Koslosky

9.6

Who says Cristal can't age! — 10 years ago

Richard Parkhouse

9.2

Washed down with some water from a Scottish loch... — 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

Greg Sorensen

9.2

Such a great Ardanza. Fruit acidity and all the classic tertiary magic. I wonder if today's Ardanza's will age with such grace. I miss the old school label too. — 12 years ago

Christopher Hansen

Winemaker Four Cairn Wines

9.8

Great wine, fruit preserved, some structure and great balance. Can still age for a few more years. — 14 years ago