Lori K

9.2

Todd really likes, great vanilla and current blend, good mouth feel — 9 months ago

Jay Kline

9.4

It was Father’s Day and I had decided on grilled rack of lamb for dinner so I selected this bottle of 2011 Chateau Musar rouge from our cellar. According to Musar’s records, the 2011 vintage was one of the most challenging since the early 1990’s. It was ultimately a late-maturing vintage with harvest taking place on October 13th, the latest since the 1983 vintage!

I decanted this bottle about eight hours prior to dinner. It should be noted that immediately upon opening, the bouquet was strikingly gorgeous with powerful aromatics that were obvious from several feet away and this trait carried through until dinner time.

In the glass, the wine presents a deep garnet color. Slightly turbid with a near opaque core. On the nose, black plums, blackberries, cassis, tobacco, organic earth, exotic spices, leather, spiced meat, and pomegranate. I detect a touch of VA as well. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannins and medium+ acid. Confirming the nose with an added bit of red rope licorice. Lovely, long, savory…amazing. This was a brilliant compliment to the lamb (which was served with beets and goat cheese and fattoush) and everything I wanted in a Musar tonight. Drinking well now with a hefty decant and I expect well cellared examples to drink well past 2035. — a year ago

Mike Saviage

9.5

Dark tawny with some purple in the center. Opaque but bright. Killer nose. Notes of rich black cherries, plums, cracked walnuts, earth and a little eucalyptus. Medicinal. Ripe. In the mouth it’s velvet glove with what it touches and lush. Minute long finish. This is the whole package. — 6 years ago

Salvatore Borzi

9.3

Drank for Sean's birthday. Drinking very well. Beautiful, velvety tannins and acidity. Leather, earth, mushroom, red fruits. — 8 years ago

Steve Haro

9.7

Loads and loads of Indian spice, liquid smoke and earth on the nose. Cinnamon and dark liquor cherry and pipe tobacco coat the tongue. Tannins and supple but ever present and the finish is long with notes of menthol and truffle. — 8 years ago

Peter 0'Neill

9.1

Cloves, herbs, meat, earth, some sweet fruit. Young but very good. The 2006. — 9 years ago

Tom Garland

9.3

Celebrating with a couple nice wines tonight

2 hour decant(decent chunky/fine sediment). An imposing dark magenta color. On the nose: very aromatic with dark cherry, currants, herbaceous, smokey earth, floral, pencil shavings. Taste: soft, silky, dry tannin wine with black fruit, pencil lead, cedar, tar, crushed rock, and a minerally mocha dry medium plus finish. YUM! More time to go. — 9 months ago

with Brenda

Christine Goettl Maslan

10

Amazing! So many complex and delicious flavors! — 4 years ago

Ray Vanderhoff

9.1

Intense cherries and cassis aromas. Dark Cherry, Plum and Blackberry flavors with hints chocolate, earth and leather. Dark color and chewy tannins. Well balanced. Thanks for sharing, Keith — 7 years ago

David Sweeney

9.5

Amazing. Nice earth, some subtle fruit. — 8 years ago

with R.J.

Sarah O'Kelley

9.5

Wonderfully oxidative nose full of soy & such followed by red fruit & earth & finishing with telltale American oak. A powerful Rioja! — 8 years ago

with Justin, M and 1 other

Sayuri Tezuka

9.3

Pure fruits and fresh acidity.
Nice.
Elegant syrah . — 9 years ago

Paul Ricciardi

9.6

Very old world style Pinot. Lots of fruit and earth. Extremely complex yet soft and easy to drink. — 10 years ago

Adam Gäfvert

9.5

A very nice showing from a somewhat overseen vintage of Sassicaia. It is a very elegant, fragrant yet full bodied wine that is really showing it’s best sides today. Complex and balanced. Currants, flowers, earth, spice and a mineral and fresh finish. — 9 months ago

Lauren Young

9.0

Funk on the nose- old books. Needed more time than we had to decant. Barely opening at an hour. Lots of earth, tobacco, but thinner than expected — 2 years ago

Jennie Mass

9.4

1999. Beautifully showing. Nice balance of fruit, earth, and freshness. Pretty finish. — 6 years ago

Michael Adelman

9.3

Black and blue berries, earth, tobacco. Layered beautifully. Power and elegance in harmonious balance! Has so much more to go! Wish I saved this opening for about 10-12 more years! Makes me fall back in love with CA Cabs!!! — 7 years ago

Mitzi Inglis

Marketing/Public Relations, Joseph Phelps Vineyards

9.3

The year we were married. This is great bottle. Earth, leather, tobacco and fruit. #dunnvineyards — 8 years ago

Evan Bloom

9.3

What a treat. From the company to the antics of the cork removal, all was fantastic. Not surprised with some immediate mustiness on the nose, giving way to a rich but smooth aged blue cheese, mushrooms, soy sauce, earth, and just a faint hint of dried red fruit. Over the next 20 minutes the glass development was out of control, changing with each and every whiff and sip. Earthy umami, oxidative, and and slightly stewed reds to begin quickly opened to nice dried strawberries on the palate and nose, and advancing to moderately subdued ripened strawberries and cranberries- after 61 years and still kickin with fruit! Amazing. Then after about 20 minutes of rapid metamorphosis, it gave in and decided to fade to a very pleasant sipper...awesome. — 8 years ago

with Rajiv and Tim

Robert Gray

9.2

Funk on the nose. A little juice, earth, minerality, and balanced acidity. Smells like your grandparents basement. — 9 years ago