Shay A

9.4

Monthly WTF wine group night. Our theme was American oak vs French oak. All wines tasted blind. We started off with two bottles of bubbly and finished with two non-themed reds.

My contribution for the evening. I’m posting my previous review of this wine below as it’s been consistent the few times I’ve had it over the last 12-18 months. Love these wines!

Youthful. Icredibly perfumed with typical sweet dill and coconut American oak on the nose. Gosh, I could smell this stuff all day. Aside from needing time away, it needs roughly an hour of decanting to hit stride. Tobacco, cherry tart, and great herbal nuances on the finish. — 6 years ago

with Jack, Ryan and 4 others

Patrick Derdeyn

9.3

We threw this in as a ringer in a tasting of older CA bdx blends and ring it did! Blind i thought this was old monte bello, glad i wasnt ridiculously off base. — 7 years ago

Greg Ballington

Co-Founder of Millennial Drinkers Wine Blog

8.9

Fourth of the blind tasting for Father's Day weekend.

Deep and dark purplish ruby red. Dark fruits with a touch of acetone or whiskey on the nose. Some cigars and dark cocoa as well. Heavy tannins (7.5/10) and medium bodied. A touch lighter than expected. Extracted dark fruits and bitter dark cocoa on the palate. A little unbalanced with a medium plus finish. This is still a baby and needs time to settle. Drink till 2029. — 8 years ago

with Sean and India

James Parker Huston, CWE

Sommelier Charlie Palmer

9.7

Wow. Tons of fruit left on this beast. Called 89 Leoville Les Cases blind. — 8 years ago

LM Segal

9.4

Great breeding trumps a below-average vintage. Blind, the nose alone gives away the DNA of this phenomenal wine. This Merlot-dominated Cheval has a beautiful core of cocoa powder, prune and plums. Structure from sweet oak and cab franc skins come through on the finish. Excellent, but a world away from the 2000 that's a palate-reference for me. Don't wait on this one, this well-stored bottle felt past its apex. — 9 years ago

Ken Christie

9.0

Great finish. — 10 years ago

chris Holdstock

9.2

Absolutely fantastic for the price, I'd pay double what it costs in a blind test. — 10 years ago

Marshall Parrish

9.0

Love is blind tasting. A much better showing than the 89. Pleasant and smooth. Pleasant for $169 is just not worth the special occasion price. — 10 years ago

Doug Powers

9.8

Towering about the other 5 wines in tonight's blind tasting, massive redfruits, great acidity hides the massive tannins, great wine that seems close to first growth quality!! — 11 years ago

Cathy Corison

Owner/Winemaker Corison Winery

9.5

Poured blind. Loved. In a pretty spot at 17 years old. — 11 years ago

Shay A

9.5

Today was an absolutely fantastic Friday hosting at the City Club by @Dan Fitzgerald. 1 sparkler, 3 whites, 4 reds, 1 dessert wine. Great job Dan!

The third of four Colgin’s served blind. This and the fourth were my favorites and both were different. This was much brighter and had a sweet core. Very perfumed...potpourri, violets, black cherry, cocoa dusted dates. Starts light at the entry and gains density as it hits the mid palate and finish. Retains fruit from start to finish but it’s not a show stealer, simply accompanies everything else. Total balance. My guess was between Napa Cabernet or Syrah. — 6 years ago

with joe, Dan and 3 others

Mike Saviage

9.7

Tasted blind. Reddish tawny, translucent and old looking. Awesome nose. Notes of leather saddle, pencil lead, currants, cherry, soil, and some toasted hickory. All guessed 61 Bordeaux. This got better through the night and was at its best in the last glass. — 7 years ago

Doctor No

9.1

Wow. This is young, and the nose is a bit of dark red berry suffusing a sea of resolving American Oak. The American oak is so pronounced that, had I tasted this blind, I might have taken it for Ridge... :) This has decades ahead, even if -only- a Riserva. Like La Rioja Alta 904, a fantastic value in old school Rioja... — 8 years ago

Greg Ballington

Co-Founder of Millennial Drinkers Wine Blog

9.3

Deep garnet red with ruby core. Tasted blind. Very tight and dark on the nose with dark cocoa, dark spices and soft dark berries. Heavy tannins (8/10) and full bodied. Very dark palate as well with black cherries, cassis, black currants, dark cocoa and a little woody. Long and lingering finish. Thought this was a bit older than a 2013 but powerful, needs some time to fully develop. Drink till 2032. (93+) — 8 years ago

with Sean and India

Guy Davies

8.9

1999. Slightly underwhelming. Nice stuff, earth and meat on the nose, relatively light body, bit of a smoky finish, but not that long. If blind I would have had this as something more humble. — 9 years ago

Regis Zamudio

9.7

Love this blend from 2014 — 10 years ago

LM Segal

9.5

WOTN Left Bank blind tasting, deep cigar-box and cassis nose, lighter in body than my last tasting, it's gaining intensity and secondary stuff, mushroom, bright red fruit. 45 second finish. — 10 years ago

Jeffrey Lew

9.8

We went 2/2 tonight. This bottle was a testament to perfect storage. Cork was perfect, and the wine was dark ruby with ever so slight bricking at the rim. Awesome. More approachable than the 90 and makes you wanna curl up with it for a long time. Better than the bottle I had at the Montrose vertical a month ago. Blind I would guess 10 yrs newer. For this price point and quality it's a must add. Edged out the Margaux. — 10 years ago

Sage Coody

8.9

Second type of cab I've tried, very different flavor. I'm a fan of California Reds!
— 11 years ago

Michael Dix

9.4

Oldy and goody. Thanks Larry. Weirdly, if I tasted this blind I would have guessed Margaux. — 12 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.4

Tasted blind. Tawny color, translucent with amber rims. Notes of black cherry, cedar, some spice and a little barnyard floor. Sweet fruit in the mouth, with tannins fully resolved. Guessed 1955 Calon Segur. Perfect looking bottle, the cork revealed this bottle was reconditioned by the Chateau in 2000. — 6 years ago

Mike Saviage

9.5

Tasted blind. Deep dark and opaque. Red center with amber rims. Looks young. Very rich and luscious in the mouth. Black cherry, forest floor, tobacco leaf and a hint of old wood. Amazing impact out of the gate, but this declined in what it gave as the night went on whereas the 53 Lafite got better. — 7 years ago

Matthieu Bordes

9.5

One of the best wine on this vintage 2008 tasted blind and so easy to recognize this great wine just perfect ! — 7 years ago

Shay A

9.4

Got to take advantage of another Wednesday Wine Committee and boy was it worth it. Wow! Killer wines brought by Glenn for his 60th! As always, wines tasted blind. 1 sparkler, 3 whites, 4 reds, 1 dessert wine.

As @Bill Bender says, "lunch bags for the win!" Absolutely gorgeous. Well crafted and refined. Almost elegant at this stage. Hardly any bricking. Great color. Hard to imagine this wine being any better than it is now. Total harmonious package of dark fruit, medium bodied palate, and a great nose that keeps you guessing between Napa and Bordeaux. — 8 years ago

with Will and Benjamin

Ian Blackburn

9.7

What a ride! Make sure to give this 2-hours and let the magic begin. Muscular cherry + brown spice garden + mouth feel let you know how important this site is... tasted blind next to DRC La Tache 93 - at gwen restaurant during the "best bottle" dinner hosted by wineLA - The only problem is everyone thought this might be the La Tache - unbelievable power and concentration — 8 years ago

Jeffrey Long

9.4

Hair of the Pig. First time at the Englander without having just come from a Raiders game. Bring on the crazy. — 10 years ago

with Jim

Gary Westby

Champagne & Sherry buyer K&L Wines

9.9

Tasted blind... And guessed it was 2009 Leoville Las Cases! This is a powerhouse and more proof that vintage charts are made to be defied by over achievers. This is all potential... If you buy it, bury it deep in the cellar! — 10 years ago

Ira Schwartz

9.4

Tasted blind, the first thing that struck me on the nose was the amount of forest floor and pine.
Filled the mouth with concentrated fruit , some pepper and very smooth tannins. — 10 years ago

Michael Egan

9.6

Would be great in a blind Bordeaux tasting — 11 years ago

Nikolaus Schuhl

Sommelier/Sales Epic Wines

9.6

Fantastic bottle of wine. Over delivers in a huge way for the $$. Approachable fruit and tannin with nice lingering finish — 12 years ago