Jay Kline

9.4

Flight #1 of our 1997 Retrospective. Presented single-blind; no formal notes. This had a really compelling mix of fruit and non-fruit notes; multifaceted, balanced. Superb structure. Bordeaux-like. Called this “Insignia”. This was my favorite of the flight and the most complete wine in the line-up. Drinking well now and should hold that way well through 2027. — 4 months ago

Timothy Eustis

Wine Director, Red Lion Inn

9.0

2003. But not the stewed fruit one might expect. Should have had some years ago. But it’s held up. Nice cigar box and dark fruit. — 5 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

8.9

1989 vintage. 375 ml format. Good fill but cork had some red streaks all the way up to the top and it was difficult to remove the top part of the "fused" foil. Decanted and tasted over the course of three hours. Expected sed. Light-medium body. Nose on point with the vintage/age and didn't seem abused/mistreated. Flavor profile a mishmash of chunky and resolved. Ultimately, came in slightly short on the balance ledger side. Lean, judicious fruit okay but not totally reconciled with the final exam. If enjoyed from a 750 ml format, thinking it might climb up to a 9.1 currently. Maybe. A maggie format (or larger) might reveal a revelation. 12.9.23. — 6 months ago

Ginny DeLacey

9.2

Lovely and complex. Opened up nicely over the course of a fall steak dinner. Earthly but still crisp and lovely. — 7 months ago

with Joseph

Jose Matias

9.3

Possibly one of the best Cabernet Sauvignons I have had from California in the $20 range. Depth, character, body along with a symphony of dark fruit and vanilla aromas. Add that up with some silky mild tannins makes this Paso Robles cab a definite addition to my wine rotation. — 8 months ago

Anthony De Blasi

9.3

Served a bit too cold since it opened up after 10 min in the glass. This is a terrific champagne but the pricetag is too high in my personal opinion — 9 months ago

Norman Gennaro

9.5

Needed more air and as it opened up. Loved the nose. Lightweight. I’m giving this wine off the night just because I won’t have again and it set the benchmark for the night. So happy we started with this one. WOTNDWSE - Wine of the Night Despite What Said Elsewhere ;) — 2 years ago

with Amit, Gunja and 1 other

Charles Antin

Senior Wine Specialist/Auctioneer Zachys

9.8

Rebouche 1988 at the Château. Topped up with another sacrificed 1928. Amazing purity and fruit. A pleasure. — 5 years ago

with Zachys

Bret Barker

9.3

Off vintage but who cares? Tignanello is a personal favorite. Took a good hour to open up, this wine tastes surprisingly young. cherry, earthiness some mineral and a little smoke flavor as well. Very good — 7 years ago

Meaghan Nolan

10

Woodsy with brighter fruit like strawberry. Some tannins. Opened up a lot in the glass. — 10 years ago

Shay A

9.3

My last of a three pack, and this shockingly drinks almost identical to my last bottle over four years ago.

Lovely deep red in the glass with bricking around the rim. Fig bar, sweet black cherries and tobacco aromatics. Ripe red and black fruits on the palate...not over ripe, but definitely sweet. Channeling more of a cherry liqueur and concentrated mid-palate as it ages. Close to fully integrated. Quite smooth and still a lot of fruit playing a primary role, but it’s not getting any better. More sexy than intellectual (nothing wrong with either).

I’d imagine this will hold in this window for another couple years and then decline, but I didn’t expect it to hold in this same window for almost five years. Drink up. — 5 months ago

Trevor Brown

9.6

Fantastic flavor, immediately you can taste the age and enjoy it. It improves a good deal after opening up a bit. — 5 months ago

Marc Chiapperino

9.7

Sassicaia is a masterpiece of a Tuscan wine. 2014 vintage (Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, Not the Merlot), opened up and filled the pallette with fruit, spices and depth of complexity unmatched...Nose to finish one of the best Tuscan's ever. — 6 months ago

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. — 7 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.1

1979 vintage. Not the biggest Jordan fan but this one hit before the mass California hysteria. Decanted and tasted after 10 mins-2 hours. Plenty of cedar, tannins and otherwise, structural components. Solid showing. May pick up a few of these for the holidaze. In best Darth Vader/James Earl Jones voice..."Impressive." 9.20.23. — 8 months ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.2

2009 vintage. Decanted and open for approx an hour before tasting. A little tight but Burgundian body and flavors. Wasn't picking up any Syrah notes in the nose either. 7.22.23. — 10 months ago

Andrew Shaheen

9.1

Always fantastic. Took 30 min mutes to really open up. Classic and delicious — 5 years ago

Jimmy Vo

9.3

Big and bold ... very tight to start but opened up quite well .... had to drink some Cali cab while in Tokyo — 6 years ago

Mike Shinn

10

Everything it's cracked up to be. What an amazing red blend. Delicious. — 9 years ago

Jamey Moylan

9.0

She is sleeping. When she wakes up she's gonna be a force to recon with. — 11 years ago

Ira Schwartz

9.3

For me the question for this cuvée is never, “ is it good?”. The question is , “how good is it?” Not as powerful as other vintages but it makes up for it with balance and complexity. I am sure this will age but it is in a very good drinking window right now. — 5 months ago

Andrew McIntyre

9.7

Wow! This was amazing straight out of the bottle...such a powerful striking nose drifting up from the cork. There was everything there that you would expect to smell on a walk in tuscany. Herbs and dried earth...unmistakable Supertuscan. Dark in the glass and almost cloudy...i could drink this anytime and anywhere. — 6 months ago

Roberto Carli

9.2

Holding up nicely — 6 months ago

Deborah M

9.1

2019 Ridge Lytton Springs is a classic California field blend. It is made up of 73% Zinfandel, 16% Petite Sirah, 9% Carignane, and 2% Mataro. The vineyard is located in Dry Creek Valley in Sonoma County. Dark red fruit on the nose with a bit of spice. Brambly intense fruit on the palate. Supple tannins. Really nice acidity and a lengthy finish. Drinks well now and will likely be even better in a few years. — 8 months ago

Louis Martin

9.2

Always a favorite, the 2021 vintage holds up to prior years, rich bouquet, full bodied, smooth mouthfeel. Paired very well with lamb loin. — 8 months ago

Kevin Dale

9.6

Let it open up for about an hour and a half. Tasted well even out of the bottle, but the extra time made it worth it. — 10 months ago

Delectable Wine

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9.5

Brilliant ruby. Smoky, mineral-tinged aromas of raspberry, cherry preserves, garrigue and exotic spices show excellent clarity and acquire a gamy nuance as the wine opens up. At once rich and energetic in character, offering well-concentrated red berry, bitter cherry and spicecake flavors and a sweetening touch of candied lavender. Shows fine definition and finishes gently, spicy and impressively long, with repeating florality and steadily building tannins. (Josh Raynolds, Vinous, October 2021)
— 3 years ago

Robert Howey

9.2

Sumptuous fruit and long finish. Floral notes in the aroma, dark berry, spice, and long smooth finish. Good balance. Medium weight. Made me think of what Queens Peak Cabernet might be like when it grows up. A delightful experience and worth the price. — 7 years ago

Joe Davant

9.0

Took a couple hours for this to really open up and reveal nice depth and complexity. — 8 years ago

Nathan Phillips

9.5

After an hour of opening up this became fairly epic — 10 years ago