Kevin Arndt

Specialist Grand Vin Colorado

9.3

Still the reigning heavyweight champion for the appellation. A concentration and density with balance that is unrivaled — 8 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.5

2014 vintage. Excellent cork and fill. Decanted with minimal sed and tasted after 1.5 hours. One of the few outlier exceptions (Haut-Bages-Libéral, Pichon-Lalande, et al) that proves the general, big and bold, Pauillac rule. Delicate impressions from start to finish with impeccable balance. Medium body. Plenty of flavors and sensations without big, overt commitments to any of them. Playing the field and we are all the better for it. Drinking beautifully now without any perceived or obvious Scylla/Charybdis pitfalls in the next decade. 01.16.26. — 9 months ago

Conrad Green

9.7

Today notes, some sour apple, a sweetness of orchard fruit. Lovely balance, complexity and acidity.. delicious — 2 years ago

with Jean-Francois, Tony and 2 others

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

Mike Davila

9.6

This wine amazed me, I’ve had it before and it’s never shown this well, maybe just hitting it’s stride? Beautiful perfumed floral nose ( never thought I would say that about a Dunn), exquisite balance, the fruit is slightly sweet, the tannins are fully integrated and refined, with just the right amount of acid in the finish. I would never guess mountain fruit or let alone Dunn if tasted blind. Can’t wait to try it again in a couple of years. — 8 years ago

Peter Wassam

9.8

A softened ruby color. Beautiful balance, everything in harmony. Wet earth, raspberry, cinnamon, a whiff of truffle, intoxicating nose. So much ripe, fresh red fruit on the palate. Such soft tannins, damson plum, a mineral streak running through. Drinking a 15 year old wine for 15th anniversary of diabetes. This is splendid in the moment — 9 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.6

First, a person has to pause and realize how lucky they are to drink this wine from 3L. Thanks Clyde for opening. This is in a perfect stage. Such evolution, length, balance, structure. Love the lower 80's alcohol levels. It's rich, lush and near perfect. Dark cassis; ripe and resolved blackberries, dark cherries, black plum w/skin, mixed berry liqueur, tobacco leaf, leather so soft you would wish it as a pillow cover, dry pebbles, dark rich earth, perfect acidity and a rich, elegant, ripe dark fruit finish. In 3L, this wine still has 10-15 years. — 10 years ago

Phil Castellano

9.2

Pretty awesome Bordeaux blend from Justin. Nice balance of flavor and the Cab Franc comes though clearly even though it is only 3%. — 11 years ago

Mike Whitfield

9.6

What a treat. Great fruit solid acid. Balance of a flying wylindas (sp)how fun!!! — 11 years ago

Kellen Freeman

9.5

Super drinkable - aawesome fruit nose, dry finish. A hint of heat but fantastic balance. — 12 years ago

Conrad Green

9.2

gorgeous texture. Black cherry and spice. Lovely fruit and balance. — 8 months ago

with Ara

Ericsson

9.6

Silk and stone in perfect balance.
Quiet power; dark cherry, tobacco, graphite; unfolding with patience and grace. Another great Unico. — 9 months ago

William Travis

9.4

Slight brackishness, firm tannin on initial finish, pencil lead, burnt cherry, nice balance on finish, many more years remaining. — 5 years ago

Keith Crump

9.4

This is a wonderful wine there is a sense of reserve and depth the fruit and acidity and power all balance wonderfully — 7 years ago

Manny Abascal

9.4

New leather, licorice, graphite on nose, juicy plum and black fruit on palate, velvet texture, integrated tannins, long finish, balance. — 8 years ago

Alexandre Pagliano

9.0

Small vintage great wine type of story here. Really good length and balance on a very typical Lynch Bages. Wont make old bones but its great wine for the price. Instant gratification. — 8 years ago

with Adriana

Ginger Vintner

9.6

Vanilla baking spice and dried cherry with a leather finish on the nose. On the palate hints of dried cherry, dark Mediterranean pepper with a beautiful balance and a slight vanilla finish. Wow!!!!! Wow!!! Wow!!! And then it open to an even more beautiful wine after an hour, if you can make it last that long! — 10 years ago

Ian

9.4

Had a 2012 vintage, with spicy Chinese food though. Fruit nose with berries and herbs. Excellent balance and silky notes. — 10 years ago

Jeff Ball

9.5

Berries, minerals and alcohol. A bit spicy after opening. All in all, great balance. Nice finish. Can't go wrong! — 11 years ago

Jed Rosenbaum

9.5

Green Apple at the beginning then some more mature fruit. Not a perfect balance but very nice. — 11 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

Freddy R. Troya

9.3

Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste 2023 – Pauillac, Grand Cru Classé en 1855, BDX France 🇫🇷

Overview
A benchmark Pauillac delivering depth, precision, and classical balance at a very high level, driven by a 75% Cabernet Sauvignon–dominant blend with 20% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc as a support. The wine shows beautifully layered red fruit, refined structure, and seamless integration, expressing terroir purity and composure from start to finish.

Aromas & Flavors
Blackcurrant, red cherry, wild raspberry, cassis, graphite, cedar, pencil shavings, subtle tobacco leaf, gentle cocoa and crushed gravel.

Mouthfeel
Medium-plus to full-bodied with finely polished tannins, excellent mid-palate density, vibrant yet controlled acidity, elegant grip, and a long, harmonious finish that remains lifted and precise.

Food Pairings
Prime rib, grilled ribeye, rack of lamb, beef Wellington, mushroom-forward dishes, aged hard cheeses.

Verdict
A beautifully executed Pauillac that balances power and finesse effortlessly. Everything feels aligned, fruit purity, structure, tension, and length, making this a top-tier reference for the appellation and vintage.

🍷 Personal Pick
This is Pauillac done right, deep fruit, flawless execution, and a finish that feels complete and satisfying rather than forced. A wine that earns admiration through balance and quiet authority. Hard to pass, even harder to forget. — 8 months ago

Paul K

9.4

Bottle #2 from case and it has gained some structure and opened a bit in the last 1.5 years. Nose is great, reminds me a lot of last nights Pontet Canet on nose. Hint of tobacco, pencil leaf, red fruits currant, kirsch, and red berries. Great mouthfeel, great balance, and good structure. Looking forward to another in 2 years if I can wait! — 9 months ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Wow! Velvet, dark currants, mocha, caramel, dark chocolate, saddle-wood, underbrush, gravel, stones & elegance that only happens with this much time forward. Round acidity and beautiful balance and finish.

Stupidly good with our Tri-tip!!!

Photos of; my visits to Bodega La Rioja, their well backlit tasting bar, outside patio and large oak barrels that were assembled inside the Bodega more than 100 years ago...they’re that big and have required many repairs over the years. — 7 years ago

with James and Christina

Mike Saviage

9.5

Dark purple plum skin color from center to the rim’s edge where some scarlet also appears. Opaque. Great fruit forward nose that grabs your attention. Notes of blackberries, ripe plums, violets, tobacco, forest floor and some crushed walnuts. Rich and silky in the mouth. Great balance and texture. Tannins perfectly integrated. Long finish. If a Cal Cab can be seductive, this is it. Still youthful but in a great zone tonight. — 8 years ago

Yury Glazkov

9.0

Drank in 2017, starting to get ready after good recanting. Elegance and balance, lots of wood — 9 years ago

Traci

9.0

💪👍 Fruit forward. Great balance. Nice finish. Lovely, timeless Napa cabernet. — 10 years ago

Matt Duncan

9.5

Very impressive. Wild mint aroma finds seamless balance in mid palate after pure Cabernet attack. Tannins rise subtly on palate and betray their youth only briefly at the resolution. — 11 years ago

Joe Pea

9.1

This the third time I've had this in the last year and it shows beautifully right out of the gate. The wood and fruit are so interestingly and well melded at this point. Oak moves to cedar on the palate. Definite alcohol lift in the nose still and you can feel it the nostrils but not obtrusive...indeed it's actually a promising hint of what's to come on the palate. Dried cherry and stone fruit tastes on right away. Slightly mentholated. Definitely picking up distinct vanilla undertones on the nose and palate but not over the top. Satisfying medium tannins. Soft mouth feel but with really good/balanced structure. Perfect finish in line with what preceded it. Just a great fucking wine. And for the price? Getcha some! Can't believe this is still just around and available (not telling where!). Not for those who don't want wood in their wine but even here what you think will finish moderately chalky moves to soft-ish tannins at the perfect time. So many riojas are over top in the wood category or just so out of balance one way or the other. Everyone has heard of Rioja but have you really had a good one? Here's your chance without breaking the bank. I'd put this one up against the best or at least those considered the best. Maybe lacking a LITTLE finesse to be world class but damn close (can you use the word finesse with Rioja??). Drank in gulps with parmesan dusted NY style mushroom meatball mozzarella pizza from Peppino's in Athens, GA while watching Parenthood with my 17 YO daughter (who also pronounced the wine delicious). What a Tuesday night...thank you sir may I have another. Anyone really disappointed with this wine has WAY more money than me and is a spoiled brat. Geek out. — 11 years ago

Diane Kessler

9.1

Needed decanting as it was hard as nails when first opened. Great balance of fruit and acidity with tannins quite pronounced. Beautiful with assorted pastas at Collichio & Sons — 11 years ago