David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

Happy birthday honey. 🎂🥳🎉❤️

The Chateau that got my wife Sofia to finally love Bordeaux (1995). Expected more from the this property in 2000. But 2000 is still either the stubborn I think it is or just not as good as critically advertised. 20 years in bottle and think it needs at least 10 more years. Also, a touch of v/a-bandaid. It has nice balance with soft fruit & earth. It just lacks the wow factor for the property & vintage. Maybe, it is in a dumb faze. But, I’ve been waiting 20 years for 2000 to come out of its shell. I love this property but it is not up to its reputation…even for lesser vintages. It might be outstanding in another 20. This bottle is a little flawed and perhaps maybe (?) a better 2nd day wine. Tonight it is leaner than I would expect. Ripe; blackberries, black raspberries, plum, dark cherries, poached strawberries. Sweet lead pencil, charcoal, volcanic ash, spice, nutmeg, some cinnamon, vanillin, dry tobacco, sandalwood, limestone, dry crushed rocks , dry pebbles, dark, rich earth w/ dry leaves, dry herbs, hints of Worcestershire sauce, moist clay, withering mid floral bouquet with excellent acidity and a wire to wire finish that is balanced, nicely tensioned and elegance that lasts minutes. One of the few slightly flawed bottles in 25 plus yrs of collecting. I can count them on just over one-hand.

Picture of Sofia picking the 2012 Mouton Rothschild Merlot. — 6 months ago

Jay Kline

9.3

Served to me double-blind. The wine pours a deep ruby color with a slightly orange rim. Medium+ viscosity and some moderate staining of the tears. There appears to be some sign of sediment as well. On the nose, the wine was intense with notes of dark cherries, a mix of red and black bramble fruits, licorice, some leather and dried gravelly earth. I don’t detect any use of barrique but maybe some large format oak. This has an old world nose to it that was really lovely. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannin and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose and while the fruit had some power, it came in a body that was pretty fit and tidy. Alcohol is medium+. The finish is long and had some stoney minerals too. I called Brunello di Montalcino from a warmer vintage like 2009. Whoa…2007 Beaucastel! Damn, they hit so different than most other CdP’s. So much more restrained! But now that it has been revealed and I’ve allowed more time for it to breathe in my glass, I totally get its sense of place. One of my big takeaways is that I need more experience with these wines, particularly with age because that’s when they become more interesting to me. This is drinking well now but I expect it will continue to do so through 2032 with ease. — 9 months ago

David Kline

9.3

Pine nettle, Black plum reduction, cassis, blackberry tart, graphite, rye toast, caraway, dried roses, pecan and earth. Resilient and long, deep throaty echoes of red and black currents on campfire ash, cassis, oak bark, black olive and dried black currant for ever, plus a scribble of pencil.
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#1855 #classifiedgrowth #fourthgrowth #classifiedbordeaux #chateautalbot #Talbot #bordeaux #bordeauxrouge
#leftbank #leftbankbordeaux — 2 years ago

Tom Garland

9.3

1.5 hour decant(surprisingly just a little cloudy sediment). A prodigious medium dark garnet color with little signs of aging. On the nose: funky stewed meats, blackberry, smoke, plum, minty pepper, creme de cassis. Taste: KABOOM! Rich, silky, full body wine with blackberry, earth, cedar, wet gravel, menthol and a cassis pencil lead long finish with some ashy tannins. In its prime drinking window and this 13.8% alc wine should rock another 10 years. Cheers! — 3 years ago

with Brenda

Jennie Mass

9.4

1999. Beautifully showing. Nice balance of fruit, earth, and freshness. Pretty finish. — 6 years ago

Kapyrick Wine

9.0

V15. Nice wine. Fusel oil, and soft citrus nose. Pear, with hints of lemon grass and lime fruit. Bone dry, crisp mineral finish. Well balanced. — 6 years ago

Isaac Pirolo

9.3

I feel like I've been transported to Sante Fe. Clay pottery, windswept earth, grilled poblano pepper, and black cherry. Balance, depth, and complexity seem to come with such ease, and nothing is forced, which is especially noteworthy considering the vintage. Cathy Corison is the Georgia O'Keeffe of American wine. — 7 years ago

Evan Bloom

9.3

What a treat. From the company to the antics of the cork removal, all was fantastic. Not surprised with some immediate mustiness on the nose, giving way to a rich but smooth aged blue cheese, mushrooms, soy sauce, earth, and just a faint hint of dried red fruit. Over the next 20 minutes the glass development was out of control, changing with each and every whiff and sip. Earthy umami, oxidative, and and slightly stewed reds to begin quickly opened to nice dried strawberries on the palate and nose, and advancing to moderately subdued ripened strawberries and cranberries- after 61 years and still kickin with fruit! Amazing. Then after about 20 minutes of rapid metamorphosis, it gave in and decided to fade to a very pleasant sipper...awesome. — 8 years ago

with Rajiv and Tim

Morgan Ford

10

Delicious. Seasonal. — 10 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Another excellent purchase from the Benchmark Bin Sale. I love these 15-20 year Heitz Napa Cabernets…97 the rule, not the exception. It had perfect storage and is at its peak and will hold for another 1-2 years and diminish over the following 3-5 years.

The nose is floral dark cherry kirsch. Both plums, blackberries, black raspberries, pomegranate, strawberry liqueur notes, steeped tea, red & dark cola/licorice, dark rich earth, sharp, dry herbs, black pepper, dry twig with dark & red fresh & slightly withering florals.

The palate is ripe fruits well balanced with earth. Perfect evolution & integration. Soft, elegant w/ nothing bitty. Dark currents with ripe, leaner, juicy, slightly liqueured; blackberries, black raspberries, late spring dark cherries, both plums, orange rune, raspberries & poached strawberries. Heavy Asian & Indian, dark spices, black licorice/cola, pure anise, steeped, black tea, touch of black olive, nutmeg, cinnamon stick, vanilla, dry tobacco, dry Provence herbs, barrel shavings, dry pipe tobacco/ash, some lead pencil, leathery, moist, grey, volcanic clay, crumbled limestone, dry crushed rocks, dry river stone, dry brush, grilled meats-Châteauneuf-du-Pape characteristics w/ ragging, withering florals that are dark, red, purple, rainfall acidity with excellent; structure, tension, balance, polished finish that does not end. Wire to wire consistency. Lucky to enjoy a well stored bottle of 97 with this age. — 7 months ago

Spencer Dodd

9.3

Really interesting compared to fleurie and corcellette. Some good green stems but also almost an element of Rutherford soil… or perhaps elects of vineyard specific soil that shines through more than the corcellette. A great wine with strawberry Pomegranite notes on the fruit but that backend isn’t as silky as the other foillard. Not in a bad way but definitely different. More art wine perhaps? Dangerously drinkable. — 9 months ago

Lauren Young

9.0

Funk on the nose- old books. Needed more time than we had to decant. Barely opening at an hour. Lots of earth, tobacco, but thinner than expected — 2 years ago

Martin Bergo

9.1

A Margaret River-producer from the beginning, whose inception was coached by Mondavi; deep purple; nose of dark mulberry, black currant, ripe cherries, black pepper, anise and nutmeg; showing great on the palate, forceful yet elegant, with tannins, ripe fruit, acid levels and alcohol in good harmony, and a long dry finish. Promising future. — 3 years ago

Ron Siegel

9.3

Bordeaux like style that is still youthful showing red cherry & plum fruits with notes of earth, bell pepper, game, tobacco leaf & floral spices — 5 years ago

"Odedi"

9.3

This iconic wine is always enjoyable at this age. Showing great complexity and mouthfeel.

Dry on the palate with black fruits, earth, chocolates, tobacco, spices, mocha, coke, vegetables, pencil lead and peppercorn.

Full bodied and smooth with medium acidity and long legs.

This 8 year old is drinking very nicely now and will age nicely in the next decade.

Needs 3 hours to open up properly and show some tannins.

Long finish with round tannins and tangy raspberries.

A great wine to have with good friends. Thank you David for sharing.

I paired it with a charcuterie board of meats and cheeses. Delicious.

Robert Parker 93 points.

A blend of 80% Sangiovese, 5% Cabernet Franc and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

93 points.

$120. — 5 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.5

Dark tawny with some purple in the center. Opaque but bright. Killer nose. Notes of rich black cherries, plums, cracked walnuts, earth and a little eucalyptus. Medicinal. Ripe. In the mouth it’s velvet glove with what it touches and lush. Minute long finish. This is the whole package. — 6 years ago

Kevin Ortzman

8.9

Wet earth, petroleum with a long bitter finish. This is better than the '85, however I'm suspect of the storage over the past 30 years. — 8 years ago

with Rick

Alder Yarrow

Wine Blogger Vinography

9.4

Cloudy ruby, this wine smells of earth and cedar and dried red fruits. In the mouth, dried flowers and forest floor mix with river-mud-tannins and a bright juicy acidity. Tasted out of magnum. — 8 years ago

Sheresa Wilkie

9.5

Dark plum, earth, hint of smoke and a bit of vanilla. — 9 years ago

Paul Ricciardi

9.6

Very old world style Pinot. Lots of fruit and earth. Extremely complex yet soft and easy to drink. — 10 years ago

Tom Garland

9.3

Celebrating with a couple of fun bottles tonight. 2 hour decant(decent chunky/fine sediment). A stunning dark garnet with bricking. On the nose: lightly fragrant notes of stewed red fruit, cassis, floral, little cigar box, herbaceous. Taste: silky, elegant, soft wine with a great mix of dark plum, currants, iron, scorched earth, tobacco, and cedar/bitter chocolate medium plus finish. YUM! Drinks well with the decant and more time to go. — 7 months ago

Tom Garland

9.2

Decant and pour. A wondrous garnet color with bricking. On the nose: captivating nose of dark plum, wet forest floor, herbaceous, spice, some funky barnyard. Taste: dark plum, cedar, earth, pencil lead, and a spiced green bell pepper/tobacco medium plus finish with a moderately tight tannic kick....drinks like a younger Bordeaux. — 8 months ago

with Brenda

Jay Kline

9.3

From magnum. No formal notes. The fill was top-shoulder. Underneath the capsule, the top of the cork looked nasty which I wiped down as best I could. About four hours before service, using a Durand (which is almost essential with old bottles) I was able to pull the cork completely intact and decant for sediment. The cork was completely saturated but appeared to have done its job! At this stage in its life, the 1990 Chateau Mouton Rothschild pours a garnet color but it doesn’t appear particularly tired and the nose supports that. While it’s certainly a vinous wine, there is a lot to like: a mix of red and black cassis, rip and desiccated cherries, tobacco leaf, cedar box, old leather, damp earth, some mushrooms and baking spices. The structure is still sound and while the tannins have integrated and the acid is keeping this very much alive. In fact, this seemed to brighten with air and almost get a second wind! As I find with all great Bordeaux wines once they enter this stage, they seem to live forever. This was a lovely pairing with a Prime, Niman Ranch porterhouse served with corn, squash and porcini. This is squarely in the “drink now” window, not that it will be falling off a cliff anytime soon. Decant for sediment and enjoy through 2030+ — 10 months ago

Mike Saviage

9.5

Dark tawny, regal in its color. Silky, killer nose. Notes of black fruit, dark earth, cassis and leather saddle, some barrel toast. Tannins resolved as this coats what it touches in the mouth. Really nicely made wine. Guessed 82 Lynch Bages. — 3 years ago

LM Segal

9.4

Distinctive nose of dried pine forest and loamy earth. Rich, kirsch and silky red fruit. Asian spice, white pepper. So long and smoooth. No more edges but sense this can go a long time more. — 3 years ago

"Odedi"

9.4

A very enjoyable, and very complex, 21 year old red blend from Pessac Léognan, Bordeaux.

Showing red and black fruits with earth, chocolates, tobacco, dark peppercorn, dark coffee, forest floor, green vegetables, graphites, vinaigrette and spices.

Needs 3 hours to open up properly and show the complexity.

Peaking now, and will be good in the next few years. What a treat. This is so delicious.

Wine Advocate 93 points.

I paired it with a charcuterie board of meats and cheeses.

A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc.

13% alcohol by volume.

94 points.

$200. — 5 years ago

Bryan Glanzberg

9.5

About two hours in the decanter before drinking. Really started to open up and show its true self. Light rose petals, tar and whole lots of earth. Definitely fading but a nice surprise — 6 years ago

Rachel Paz

10

Jammy, black fruit, vanilla, earth, with a hint of tobacco and oak. Silky smooth with nice depth and character. Worth every penny yum!!! 😀 — 8 years ago

Steve Haro

9.7

Loads and loads of Indian spice, liquid smoke and earth on the nose. Cinnamon and dark liquor cherry and pipe tobacco coat the tongue. Tannins and supple but ever present and the finish is long with notes of menthol and truffle. — 8 years ago

Jennifer Armitage Berkman

9.1

Lots of acidic fruit, earth, and moss. Earthy. Delicious. — 9 years ago