Jakub Kalinowski

9.6

Perfectly evolved & peaking right now.
This is classical Bordeaux heaven!
Sous-bois, dusty wardrobe, pencil shavings, cigar box and (still!) some black currant. Surprisingly fresh on the nose and even fresher on the palate. Light medium body, the tannins completely mellowed and fully integrated, vibrant juicy acidity.
This is poised, so elegant, so drinkable and with amazing depth. And with bright freshness. What a delight!
A singing beauty!! — 2 years ago

Willem Booij

9.2

Ok it’s not the greatest year, but this wine is very nice. A real classic Margaux with stil some dark forest fruit, some pencil and a box filled with vanilla stuffed Havana’s. Not a full bodied wine but a real charmer. — 4 years ago

Jonathan Toobi

9.3

Love this unfiltered red blend, gallivanter, nice acidic start and berry finish, light to medium bodied, really tasty and easy drinking, — 5 years ago

Paul Koplitz

9.0

Best box wine I’ve had. Worth every penny. — 7 years ago

Mark Flesher

9.3

This wine had some tobacco and earth FUNK after it was opened up. The herbaceous and tobacco ash note on the nose was almost identical to the 1980 Beringer State Lane cab. This did blow off after an hour, but the wine was less fruit than I thought it would have been. Lots of dark figgy jam. Tobacco and cigar box. I'm sure the fruit came back after I left, but this would have been 2 hours after opening and just didn't have the time to see this one though, hence the "NR" rating. Impressed by this wine, and probably one of the older Monte Bello wines I've been able to drink. — 8 years ago

with Benjamin

Laura Diefenderfer

9.0

Great taste. Not dry. Smooth with a hint of blackberry. Ideally paired with a medium rare steak. — 9 years ago

Phil Orlandini

9.1

This... doesn't make me feel drunk. This is gonna be my workin' wine. — 9 years ago

with Juliane

Juan Munoz-Oca

8.9

Cigar box, a bit reduced at first but opens up to lovely dry fruits — 10 years ago

Lisa Burch

9.0

Tasty and inexpensive. — 11 years ago

Becky Larson

8.9

Black box merlot !! Yummy — 12 years ago

Matt Duncan

9.7

Delightful! Cedar box, crushed roses, light cherry. Paired magically with grilled lobster. — 2 years ago

Ron Siegel

9.4

This was still youthful at 16 yrs showing good balance with notes of dark fruits, expresso, graphite, smoke, leather, spice box & tobacco. One of my favorite Cali producers that offers a Bordeaux styled wine. — 4 years ago

Mattias Söderberg

9.2

Red fruit, lesthery nose!! — 5 years ago

with Andreas

Steve Messinger

9.6

1998 vintage. Wonderful cedar and cigar box aromas rich elegant flavors w long finish. Perfect way to ring in the new year — 6 years ago

Guillermo Camacho

9.2

Wine held up extremely well for age, maintained concentration but still complexified. Dark blue/red fruit, spice box, and chocolate on the nose. An ensemble of fruit on the palate with an amazing acidity that continued to tease out nuances. Extra .1 for showing it’s ability to age gracefully. — 7 years ago

John Hubbell

9.4

Love the he nose. Great balance with leather, spice and cigar box. This sill has some life — 9 years ago

with Jim, Allison and 1 other

Weijie Shi (Jay)

9.0

Black fruits, cedar box, liquorice, cigar box, menthol. Huge structure, chewy tannin, slightly green on the palate, 30s finish. Need more time. 2012 vintage — 9 years ago

Kathryn Innes

9.2

4 pizzas requires a very big beer — 10 years ago

with Billy

Sean Fischa

9.1

My new house wine — 11 years ago

Liz Weidner

9.9

Delicious but $16. — 12 years ago

Tom Garland

9.3

2 hour decant(decent fine/chunky sediment). A majestic purplish dark magenta color. On the nose: bursting from the glass are notes of red and black fruit, charred wood, milk chocolate, some mint, touch of cigar box. Taste: smooth, delicate, elegant wine with red berries/plum, leather, gravel, herbaceous, mocha, and a spiced tobacco medium plus finish. YUM! Drinks well with the decant, but no hurry, time to go. — 2 years ago

with Brenda

William Goldsmith

9.7

Elegant as Bevan goes. Not quite Parker 100 but quite good, esp for 2011. I’ve raised the rating twice. — 5 years ago

with Harry and Ryann

Ron R

9.5

WS rated this 91 - criminal!
We think this rocks, and it’s structured for long-term cellaring. Beautiful whiff of tobacco, meat, spice-box and oak on the nose. Deftly balanced palate displays black briar fruits and polished tannins. Prominent minerality is balanced by just the right amount of acid. Yummy now, but is destined to further improve. — 6 years ago

with Anne-marie

Matt McMonagle

9.0

Great value. Really really drinkable. — 8 years ago

Steve McDermott

9.3

Old world earthiness. Red fruit, strawberry notes. A bit of cigar box and leather. Nice finish. Nice #rioja ! Thanks @John Pica — 8 years ago

Scorewine

Wine writer http://www.israelwines.co.il

9.0

A fantastic 2002, this lovely wine shows once more that today there aren't really bad years in Bordeaux, this Pontet Canet was well structured rich and tempting. Deep red, tempting rich multi layered nose ripe cherries, black current, coffee, cigar box, and tea leaves, full rich body, dry tannins, full of black fruit, high acidity and a long chewy finish. Was worth the wait, my score 90. Drink to 2022 — 9 years ago

Michael Descamps

9.1

Beautifully layered aromatics of crushed ripe plum, tinder box, tobacco leaf, and sandalwood. Palate is very closed still with very pronounced tannin. This is going to be a really nice wine in a couple years. — 10 years ago

PJ

9.5

Great way to warm up on a 20 degree night! 🍷 — 11 years ago

Lisa Kinser

10

Great with Thanksgiving dinner! — 12 years ago

Rachel Hughes

9.0

Shiraz (70%), Cabernet Sauvignon (23%), Merlot (7%)
2009
Padthaway, Australia — 13 years ago