Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Been awhile since I pulled out an Insigna.

The 03 Pichon Lalande is the better wine and steak pairing. However, Napa Cabernet is the choice to finish steak and enjoy on its own after. You never want to do Napa before Bordeaux IMHO. It’s much harder to adjust from sweeter to something more earthy.

Enjoyed the 05 as my score reflects. I don’t remember it being as sweet as it was in previous tastings. Still quite good. It just tipped my sweet scale a little too much.

The body is, rich, lush & round. It’s achieved good evolution after 13 years in bottle and will continue to improve over the next 6-8 years and last another 15 years. As I mentioned, the fruit was ripe & sweet. Blackberries, black plum, black raspberries, plums, hints of blueberries and strawberries haunting the backend. Rich, dark earth, Rutherford dusty tannins and dry soils, purple cola, touch of fresh tobacco & graphite, light baking spices of; cinnamon, dash of clove, nutmeg and vanillin, anise to black licorice, saddle-wood, used leather, dry stems, some dry, crushed rocks/limestone with red, dark, purple and blue florals. The acidity round and nicely executed. The finish was similar wire to wire. It’s, lush, rich, elegant, touch too sweet, polished, well balanced & knitted with a soft, persistent, dark spice on the long set. Very enjoyable second bottle.

Photos of; Joseph Phelps Winery & sloping estate vines, inside lounge are with views of the back side, tasting terrace and front lobby/salon area upon entering past check in. — 6 years ago

with Christina and James

K. E. A.

10

975 Katie and Tylee Zoodles — 8 years ago

Lani Murray

9.0

At da Baffone with Trudy and Jim. 2018. — 8 years ago

Rupesh Parikh

9.2

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

Eric Egan

9.2

Super-weird bottle. Mid-shoulder, crumbly cork, and the colour of freshly pressed strawberry juice - extremely pale as slightly cloudy! The immediate scent was quite off-putting but after 30 minutes it stormed back! Scents of autumn mulch, burning vine roots, sour cherries, and raspberry compote. A weird sourness and heady acidity on the front of the palette but it still keeps together well. Clearly badly kept but still really interesting to drink! A true testament to The quality of Mouton under the stewardship of the late Baron. I wonder if this is what some of the better kept bottles might be like in 100 years' time!? — 10 years ago

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!! — 11 years ago

Morgan Harris

Head Sommelier Aureole New York

9.4

2011. Blanc. No one drinks enough of this. That's because there are so few things to which its a good partner, but it would be an incredible cheese-and-charcuterie wine. Broad and oily, there's just enough acid to keep you coming back for more. Sun-baked yellow orchard fruits dominate, but there's more exotic fruits too (mango and dried pineapple) yellow flowers, tons of almond husk bitterness, green olives, bay leaf, oregano, tarragon, white cheddar. Oak is assertively present but not overwhelming. Place dominates over grapes here, as it's a mix of Clairette and Grenache Blanc and a hodge-podge of other things. — 11 years ago

Cal Peng

9.9

Drank at Ed's. For Alan and Marian's farwell party. Heading back to Taiwan. 8/17/2013 — 13 years ago

Luciana Barros

10

Very elegant, silk, medium body, French oak, sexy and mature — 6 years ago

Nathan Renfro

9.4

Wow, this is an amazing and unique SB. Bold, dense, yet very drinkable. Honeydew, apricot, apple and melon. — 7 years ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.7

Pretty deep garnet core , showing a little age as expected , the rim is quite thin and with a light garnet hue. Impressive aromatic nose straight from opening , leather , grafite , creme de cassis, truffle. Very masculine and aristocratic! Still holding a lot back and developing in the glass. In the mouth , quite dry and grippy tannins , the fruit is sweeter , very long on the palate nicely balanced acidity . Blackcurrant , coffee , mineral , creme de cassis . A very big wine , drinkable now though will no doubt improve over many years . Barely changed a day later after a night in the vacuvin . More spicy tobacco and soy showing , still marvelous length, showing there is still so much to give. — 8 years ago

GabWine

9.6

When we open from 1987, we expect everything. One thinks of its conservation in cellar, the risk that it is passed or incredible, with the tannins having evolved in this vial ... The cork pulled-out, in perfect state and one knows in advance that one hit the jackpot and that it will be phenomenal. A coppery robe, a complex nose with aromas of black and floral fruits. In the mouth, an explosion of flavors that take the length and makes us go back in time. A very large estate for an incredible wine, to fall 😍🍷 — 8 years ago

Bella Metcalf

9.0

Enjoyed at Cecconi’s in Dumbo. — 9 years ago

Charlie Tapp

9.7

Where to begin. We ordered a bottle of 1982 Heitz Bella Oaks, which was corked. It was also their only bottle. We went back to the well and decided on this '83 Dunn HM, and we're not disappointed. All of the red fruit and cedar you expect, but tons of mint and cocoa as well. Really solid bottle. One of my top 5. — 10 years ago

Allison Muma

9.2

Loved this Zin. Hubby and I drank the bottle in one sitting. — 10 years ago

Michael Mathews

9.1

At Redstone w/Shelly. Just back from Orlando w/Rettke. #pro — 11 years ago

with Rick, Jeff and 2 others

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 — 11 years ago

Chris Danner

9.0

loving the tapas at this place. we feel like we are back in madrid. the shafer is solid. — 11 years ago

with Cortney

Robert Pritchard

9.1

Cape May Cucina Rose with everyone. Good merlot from Napa — 13 years ago

Kevin Seybert

9.1

excellent for the price! $30 at restaurant affiliated with brewery in Seattle (nine hats pizzeria). Cranberry/blackberry, dark chocolate, cedar. Easy drinker — 6 years ago

Ron Lear

9.1

Spectacular fruity back finish with lovely tannins. Soft and velvety throughout! — 7 years ago

MaJ CappS

8.9

¡Feliz día de los muertos!
Time to scare the dead back to the beyond.
A wine from gnarled Vince’s should do the trick.
Smells of gun powder tea.
decanted for 4 hours, and the fruit is lush with dark ripened berries, and heavy handed spices. the burn will not blow off so one must integrate it into the tasting. High octane.
Expensive for a Zin, yet so well crafted, as we know Turley does.
The lingering acids seething with the alcohol burn. Enjoyable still.
— 8 years ago

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. — 8 years ago

Pierre-nicolas Chabanel

8.9

2015 vintage — 9 years ago

Kyle Doucet-Walter

9.1

After 2 hour decant still kind of smelled like a bag of balloons. Put it back in the bottle and on day 2 it's singing. Woodsy black cherry, black tea, baking spices and some of that classic tar thing. — 10 years ago

Doreen Sylvia Dunlevy

9.1

This wine was a gift from friends staying at our condo. You are welcome back anytime. Rich, robust red wine, great with pasta! Perfect! — 10 years ago

Scottie Upshall

9.5

Crushed this bad boy w/ a buddy from Back home and his comment was "oh so this is what Real wine tastes like!" Lol. Love it. — 11 years ago

Francis Plante

9.4

Wow - you know I had my biggest wine disappointment with a 1998 Beaucastel and this 2005 brings me back on why i pay so much for Grenache. It was an amazing experience and it is still so very young. I unfortunately broke my decanter with this wine but it was worth it. I am glad i still have 2 in my cellar. See you in 6 years brother. — 11 years ago

Austin Ferrari

Wine Director Hillside Supper Club

9.6

Real wine! Lapierre takes me back to the chez days! — 12 years ago

with Aran