Craig Lobban

9.2

Liked it a lot. Well balanced. Nice and dry — a year ago

Tree Kilpatrick

9.4

Basic label. Smells like cherry coke and wood oil. Flavors are complex and chewy. Cherry cola in flavors. Licorice too. Age-d. — a year ago

Neil Wanee

9.2

The body more like a Chardonnay with a slightly spicy finish — 5 years ago

Peter Wassam

9.0

Juicy black fruit, firm tannins, iron and red twizzler nose, perfect with ribeyes. Always been a bargain of a wine — 6 years ago

Cullen Perry

9.0

super interesting expression, not too much toast, lemon, good acid, amber color — 6 years ago

Inseon Hwang

9.0

Very approachable St E. Dark cherry, licorice and barnyard. Medium body. Drinking nicely. — 6 years ago

Neel Master

9.2

Love this one. Strawberry delight. — 7 years ago

Andrew Neblett

9.3

Nice slight fizz. Bright fruit. Medium body. Easy drinking. — 8 years ago

Lee Pitofsky

9.6

Not sure there are better 13 whites than Raveneau. Lafon also comes to mind. It’s an early drinking vintage (by Raveneau standards) while you wait for 12 and 14, and no Chapelot this year so it’s blended in here. A multi-hour decant has it showing superbly, wafting layers of créme fraîche, baking spice, crushed stones and a touch of botrytis influenced saffron. The palate shows immense power, concentration and depth of waxy yellow fruit chiseled with Chablisen minerality, brilliant tension and racy lemony acids. MDT always hits 🫰🏻 — a year ago

Neil Wanee

9.5

Our 2019 edition had Chremisa in large letters on the bottle and it was fabulous. It was different than any Gruner we’ve had. — 5 years ago

aik

9.0

it has high alcohol, but i feel cool nuance, because it has sharp acidiy and lifted aromas. Well balanced and enjoyable classic Syrah beauty. — 5 years ago

Vanessa

9.0

Ruby with secondary garnet hues. Strong, red fruit character with molasses, licorice, anise, vanilla, nutmeg, white pepper notes. Palate is tart with noticeable tannins. Blend is Tempranillo, Garnacho, Graciano, and Mazuelo. ABV 13%. — 6 years ago

with Deked1

Matthew Robinson

9.0

Fresh, right-bank Bordeaux Merlot — 6 years ago

Jörgen Lindström Carlvik

Owner, Brix Wine Consultants

8.9

Actually my first ever Lauer. Cannot believe that myself..:: served blind, I started off in Rheinhessen (maybe Wittman?) but finally decided upon a GV from Alzinger in Wachau. Liked it very much but lacked Mosel tension, slate minerality and racy acidity impressive concentration. Very good wine, hoping to be something else? — 7 years ago

Michael Amoruso

9.2

2009 vintage. Drinking just in time. Still lots of spicey black fruits. Cedar and old tobacco. Cacao notes also. — a year ago

Doug Powers

9.7

From a really fine, structured Napa vintage, this shows dark fruits and mineral notes aromatically, still has loads of Dunn Howell Mountain structure and tannin, long, lingering finish, but the finish suggests that it needs 10-20 more years of aging, simply an incredible, old school (13% ABV) Napa mountain Cabernet with amazing length and freshness, a true WOW wine (if you’re moderately unoffended by the enormous structure still remaining)!!! — a year ago

with Jim

Joe Weinberger

9.0

Probably held on to this a year too long but it showed well for the first night (mouse had set in by the following day). Citrus, white flowers, orange blossom. — 5 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Been awhile since I pulled out an Insigna.

The 03 Pichon Lalande is the better wine and steak pairing. However, Napa Cabernet is the choice to finish steak and enjoy on its own after. You never want to do Napa before Bordeaux IMHO. It’s much harder to adjust from sweeter to something more earthy.

Enjoyed the 05 as my score reflects. I don’t remember it being as sweet as it was in previous tastings. Still quite good. It just tipped my sweet scale a little too much.

The body is, rich, lush & round. It’s achieved good evolution after 13 years in bottle and will continue to improve over the next 6-8 years and last another 15 years. As I mentioned, the fruit was ripe & sweet. Blackberries, black plum, black raspberries, plums, hints of blueberries and strawberries haunting the backend. Rich, dark earth, Rutherford dusty tannins and dry soils, purple cola, touch of fresh tobacco & graphite, light baking spices of; cinnamon, dash of clove, nutmeg and vanillin, anise to black licorice, saddle-wood, used leather, dry stems, some dry, crushed rocks/limestone with red, dark, purple and blue florals. The acidity round and nicely executed. The finish was similar wire to wire. It’s, lush, rich, elegant, touch too sweet, polished, well balanced & knitted with a soft, persistent, dark spice on the long set. Very enjoyable second bottle.

Photos of; Joseph Phelps Winery & sloping estate vines, inside lounge are with views of the back side, tasting terrace and front lobby/salon area upon entering past check in. — 6 years ago

with Christina and James

Joe Gillies

9.4

Huge smiles for this wine! Drinking wonderfully now. Still has several years left in its peak drinking window. Elegant smooth black and blue fruits with creamy chocolate. Excellent! — 7 years ago

Saman Hosseini

Writer Maison Abattoir

9.1

All zest at first, develops firm yellow orchard fruit, orange oil, and anise with time, mineral throughout and saline on the finish but pure, not microbial. Paired with brick chicken.
— 8 years ago