Geoff Troup

Sales Eder Brothers, Cellar Fine Wines

9.0

The most generously fruity of Ridge Zins. Black berry and stewed fruit in the front, young and opulent at first compared to their other wines. More resolved and firm in the back with a near perfect juxtaposition of acidity and tannin. White pepper in the finish. A bit hot and jumpy at this time. Great potential but needs some softening time still. — 7 years ago

Patrick Derdeyn

9.3

I kept coming back to this wine. Usually stands out in a lineup like this because it's a BDB, but tonight it fits right in and is drinking beautifully. The best Comtes I've had to date, I need to find some of these with more age. — 9 years ago

Katherine Morris

8.9

Strong acidity but excellent body. Complex notes off the palate. Cherry off the back of the tongue. Great with steak. — 9 years ago

Merritt Santino Raül Gilé

9.1

Had this back-to-back with the 02 CCB. Bouncing from the Franc to the Sauvignon was kind of like getting off a crazy MV Augusta test ride and back on to your reliable, familiar, well worn BMW R. You love that R. But my god the MV.... — 9 years ago

with Alison

Matt Forester

9.2

2001. Not the highest expression of Comtesse. We had the '94 and '01 back to back and the '94 was worlds ahead. The '01 seemed backward and awkward, aggressive and tannic. Still enjoyable. — 10 years ago

with R

Tom Riley

9.2

Twelve years in and this wine is so damn perky. Let me get back to you in another hour. Maybe it will be a tad less exuberant and a bit more relaxed. No matter what happens it's still gonna be delicious. These folks are so delightfully reliable. 13.0 abv — 10 years ago

Tina Termsomket

9.6

Carried this back 8 years ago when i visited Bodega the first time. This wine is traditional classic old school Rioja- earthy and fully developed primary nose, soft acid n tannin, haunting finish... 🍷💃 — 11 years ago

with Jon

Rupesh Parikh

9.2

What a great cab; structured yet fruity; minimum tanins in the back end; loved it — 8 years ago

Shawn R

9.3

Back in the good ol' days of Silver Oak...I bought several on release knowing very little what my wine future would hold. Cellared perfect, green/bell pepper and straight up dust on the nose. Plenty of fruit and tannins with bright acidity. Mouth fills with a ting of cherry, cola and a mineral element. Finish comes then goes. Hint of spice on the back side. — 9 years ago

Greg Rubin

8.9

A little over the hill but considering it was in the back room of a crappy liquor store...ill take it! — 9 years ago

Allison Muma

9.2

Loved this Zin. Hubby and I drank the bottle in one sitting. — 9 years ago

Michael Mathews

9.1

At Redstone w/Shelly. Just back from Orlando w/Rettke. #pro — 10 years ago

with Rick, Jeff and 2 others

Thomas Hughes

9.5

I was disappointed with my last Caymus Special Selection vintage, but this beauty brought me back to a bottle that won Wine Spectator's #1 Wine of the Year ... Twice!! Incredible fruit and balance. This can be cellared and enjoyed for years to come. Cheers!! — 10 years ago

Austin Ferrari

Wine Director Hillside Supper Club

9.6

Real wine! Lapierre takes me back to the chez days! — 11 years ago

with Aran

Jon Simpson

9.2

Great tastes of plum, cherry, and spice! — 11 years ago

Carl Fischer

9.4

Back upstate and starting with a quick split and caviar to get things back on track. The softest bubbles, brioche, yeasty, toasted almonds. Yum. Great balance to the brine. Christmas Carols have switched to George Michael. Can this year please end already?!?!? — 9 years ago

Tom Kobylarz

9.8

If there were ever an archetypical Syrah, Jamet's Cote-Rotie would be a strong candidate. To me this is a pure expression of a classic Northern Rhone Syrah. It is not a single site, but a blend of terroirs, encompassing over 20 sites mostly from hard rock schist bedrock with little to no topsoil. There is NO Viognier in this wine like one might expect from most Cote-Rotie that might have 1-5% co-fermented.

Importantly, there is also a lot less of the oak character that can dominate and overwhelm many Northern Rhone wines. The oak maturation, while not short at 22 months, only uses 15% new oak with no trace of it on the palate as it is perfectly integrated. Grape bunches are whole cluster fermented and macerated for up to 3 weeks.

The 2007 we have here was drinking superbly for a young wine, showing lively and racy layers of peppercorn spice, roast beef, and warm blackberry and currant fruit from the hot 2007 vintage. While from a warm vintage, not a hair is out of place. Density and purity exude from the nose and hint at what a brilliant future this wine has. Perfect acidity and fleshy ripe tannin provide the backbone structure for father time to peel back the layers of this beauty. I will be chceking back in 5 years at the earliest. — 9 years ago

Steve Matthiasson

Owner/Winemaker Matthiasson Wines

9.6

1985. Tasting this was like sitting next to a WWII vet on a train...some respect for an old school gentleman...they don't make wines like this any more: herbal, pencil shavings, cigar, tea, lots of acid, grainy tannins, light body, refreshing...let's bring cab like this back! — 10 years ago

Charles Hudson

9.3

Very pleasant - slight jamminess on the front berries on the back. Paired nicely with the food — 10 years ago

Christine Havens

9.4

This is one of those life-altering, once-in-a-lifetime bottles; the 1989 Montrose is about beauty and perfection, with restraint. A blend 65% Cabernet, 25% Merlot, 10% Cab Franc, much like a great Burgundy, it's multi-faceted without being the least bit heavy. Perfumy, ethereal aromas of back currant, blueberries, mint, truffle, leather and earth. Silky on entry, with ultra fine tannins that glide across the palate, only to gracefully crescendo in a seemingly endless arc of minerals, cedar and fruit. — 11 years ago